Ready Player One
Discussion
The RP1 book was good fun, but it's pretty transparent nerd wish-fulfilment. Bit like Stranger Things, you need a massively contrived setup to have a scenario where the esoteric things nerds invest their time and energy in learning can be actually useful. If you can get past that, it's pretty good. If you don't like pop-culture w
k fests, it's probably not for you. I never got around to watching the film, couldn't imagine it would translate that well, and the reviews of RP2 just sounded like a cash-in so I've never got to that either.
k fests, it's probably not for you. I never got around to watching the film, couldn't imagine it would translate that well, and the reviews of RP2 just sounded like a cash-in so I've never got to that either. E63eeeeee... said:
The RP1 book was good fun, but it's pretty transparent nerd wish-fulfilment. Bit like Stranger Things, you need a massively contrived setup to have a scenario where the esoteric things nerds invest their time and energy in learning can be actually useful.
Whilst this is true, you can say exactly that same for every James Bond / Tom Clancy / spy or special forces wet-dream wish-fulfilment book. Or anything which has the standard character arc of normal person discovers/trains great skill and saves the world, from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings to Hunger Games to Alex Rider to Batman. It's all escapism at the end of the day.The Rotrex Kid said:
Book was much more enjoyable than the film, but both were a cliche wk fest of pop culture references, gets a bit overwhelming. At some points I found myself skipping while paragraphs to get past stuff.
That was the whole point!k fest of pop culture references, gets a bit overwhelming. At some points I found myself skipping while paragraphs to get past stuff. But that was also why the sequel book doesn’t work. It’s a one trick pony.
deckster said:
E63eeeeee... said:
The RP1 book was good fun, but it's pretty transparent nerd wish-fulfilment. Bit like Stranger Things, you need a massively contrived setup to have a scenario where the esoteric things nerds invest their time and energy in learning can be actually useful.
Whilst this is true, you can say exactly that same for every James Bond / Tom Clancy / spy or special forces wet-dream wish-fulfilment book. Or anything which has the standard character arc of normal person discovers/trains great skill and saves the world, from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings to Hunger Games to Alex Rider to Batman. It's all escapism at the end of the day.Your Harry Potter to Batman list doesn't really represent a single pattern. Harry Potter is obviously clichéd magic and the chosen one messianic stuff as you say, but in LoTR Frodo isn't at all special and relies on a bunch of people with skills to get the job done. Hunger Games she's already using skills as a hunter. Batman just cracks on and turns himself from a billionaire into a superhero. None of them start with a fundamentally useless skillset that unexpectedly becomes valuable in an improbable way.
E63eeeeee... said:
But being able to fight, shoot people, defuse bombs, pick locks, seduce women or whatever are skills with real-world value.
Fookin hell, you must have interesting weekends. I don't recall ever having to do any of those with the exception of seducing women and you're even on dodgy ground with that these days..... So, no real world value then.... well no more than being really good at Joust anyway.
That said all of Clines heroes (well both) are whatever the male equivalent of a Mary Sue is. Always great at whatever they need to be at that time.
Also if you like Ready Player One, you'll probably enjoy Armarda also by Cline, it's a bit like ready player one meets the last starfighter. Better than Ready Player Two anyway.
robemcdonald said:
E63eeeeee... said:
But being able to fight, shoot people, defuse bombs, pick locks, seduce women or whatever are skills with real-world value.
Fookin hell, you must have interesting weekends. I don't recall ever having to do any of those with the exception of seducing women and you're even on dodgy ground with that these days..... So, no real world value then.... well no more than being really good at Joust anyway.
I really loved RP1 and I read it when it came out.
The film... meh. Entertaining and I can see why they made the changes, but I think they lost the charm of Wade maturing and evolving and also the whole thing about him coming from a poor background. What Jason Lee was doing as well, who knows.
RP2, well after the debacle that was Armada, I wasn't holding out much hope.. I just gave up on it.
The film... meh. Entertaining and I can see why they made the changes, but I think they lost the charm of Wade maturing and evolving and also the whole thing about him coming from a poor background. What Jason Lee was doing as well, who knows.
RP2, well after the debacle that was Armada, I wasn't holding out much hope.. I just gave up on it.
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