Genre: Fiction—Science Fiction
Completed: 17 June 2017
Summary & Review:
In a dystopian future, nearly everyone spends all their time immersed in a virtual universe-simulation to escape the horrors of the real world. For many, like Wade, better known by his online avatar name of Perzival, OASIS is a treasured place where they have found the acceptance and friendship they’ve always wanted. After the creator of OASIS dies and leaves his vast fortune and control of the entire simulation as the prize of a virtual treasure hunt, Perzival and the others who want to protect their precious world must band together to defeat the corporate interests set on destroying it.
Now, why does the big, bad, very, very mean corporation want to destroy this OASIS? Because that’s what corporations do! Duh! Nothing is more evil than a big business, definitely not another big business that just so happened to create an online simulation that prevents anyone from doing anything out in the real world to fix the mass of problems that supposedly exist. Just hang out online and watch 80’s TV! Honestly, Cline’s story is so clichéd and predictable that even with the fun that nostalgia can bring, the book was a chore to read. He constantly defaults to tired tropes like “fascist corporations are out to destroy the cool things we love, man” and “we used up all the fossil fuels now we don’t have power!” (What about nuclear?). Anyone that uses the word “fascist” without irony to describe something in the modern world just cannot be taken seriously.
A lot of people seem to really like this book because I guess they identify with Wade, the protagonist. “I was a nerd, too! I always wanted a geeky cute girl who liked all the stupid crap I did to like me, too!” Sure. Additionally, Cline elevates rather average 80’s pop culture to a level where I think he wants us to fall down and worship it like it was all some divine creation. Don’t get me wrong, I love Back to the Future, Rush, and Pac-Man as much as the next guy, but let’s take it down a notch.
If you want to read an Ender’s Game-like adventure, but one that is not nearly as good, this is the book for you.
Rating: 5.5
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