Ready Player One has gone from strength to strength, first as a smash hit science fiction novel by Ernest Cline, and now as a blockbuster adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg. The books found here have been chosen for their ability to appeal to fans of Ready Player One. You can check out any two of the books on this list, for no cost at all, thanks to Audible's one month free trial.
1.
The Impossible Fortress
By Jason Rekulak
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The Impossible Fortress is absolutely packed with 80s cultural references and nostalgia. The book’s main character, Billy Marvin, is computer obsessed. However, in the course of an elaborate prank with his friends, Billy ends up crossing paths with a girl who loves computers just as much as he does. Fans of the 80s nostalgia and computer based romance of Ready Player One will find much to enjoy here.
2.
Snow Crash
By Neal Stephenson
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While Ready Player One has the virtual reality OASIS world, Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash takes place in the epic online Metaverse. The story’s main character is a pizza deliveryman by day but powerful VR hero by night. Snow Crash’s plot focuses on attempts to corrupt and destroy the Metaverse, and the struggle which takes place to defeat the forces threatening the virtual world.
3.
Moxyland
By Lauren Beukes
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Moxyland presents an immersive world in which sinister online forces are behind the most popular forms of entertainment of the day. The main characters of the story come together in a way which will be familiar for anyone who enjoyed the camaraderie of the main Gunters in Ready Player One. This tale of tech is also satirical and presents a chilling vision of a scarily believable dystopian world.
4.
Dark Matter
By Blake Crouch
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Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter is a thought-provoking sci fi tale which leaves readers questioning the very nature of reality and identity. The book’s main character is Jason, a man plunged into an unfamiliar world where his loved ones aren’t around and he seems to be someone entirely different. The book forces the reader to question absolutely everything they read until a shocking twist eventually paints a dramatic picture of the truth.
5.
Alif the Unseen
By G. Willow Wilson
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G. Willow Wilson’s Alif the Unseen showcases a middle Eastern world of paranoia, hacking, and mysterious spiritual beings. Alif, the book’s protagonist, is a hacker forced underground by a romantic betrayal with violent political consequences. Alif the Unseen is a unique combination of tech thriller, spiritual sci fi, and dark fantasy.
6.
Armada
By Ernest Cline
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Fans of Ready Player One should scramble to read Armada, also by author Ernest Cline. The book tells the tale of dedicated gamer Zack, a disaffected young man who wishes his life was as exciting as the games he loves. When Zack crosses paths with a UFO, he soon realizes his gaming skills will be required for a far greater purpose. Readers who enjoyed the nerd and pop culture smorgasbord found in Ready Player One won’t be disappointed here, as Clyne serves up plenty of nostalgia and references.
7.
Synners
By Pat Cadigan
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Synners by Pat Cadigan is set in a world where VR and tech play a powerful role in almost every aspect of regular life. The book’s early portion is a complex and interesting immersion into the technological setting and the characters that inhabit it. Cadigan picks up the pace as the story progresses to eventually tie together seemingly disparate ideas into a masterfully crafted final section.
8.
Omnitopia Dawn
By Diane Duane
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Omnitopia Dawn is the first installment of Diane Duane’s Omnitopia series. The book is based around a massively multiplayer online world. Sinister forces are at work to attack and destroy this world, but with devastating offline consequences. Fans of Ready Player One who enjoyed the struggle against Innovative Online Industries are sure to find themselves immersed in this plot.
9.
For the Win
By Cory Doctorow
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For the Win by Cory Doctorow delves deep into the economic impact of virtual reality online gaming. Online VR games are big business. This naturally results in poorer gamers being exploited by the wealthy for immoral reasons. Eventually, realizing the skill they have acquired in doing the bidding of the rich, a group of gamers band together to fight back and overthrow the corruption which has exploited them so badly.
10.
The Maze Runner
By James Dashner
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The Maze Runner by James Dashner presents a mysterious story where groups of young people are forced to escape a complex maze. Dashner’s story draws upon elements of The Hunger Games, Ready Player One, and Battle Royale. Maze Runner is the perfect introduction to a dystopian world of trial and challenge where making it out alive is the only real game in town.