Ready Player One

By Ernest Cline

What is it about?

Wade Watts joins a hunt through a vast virtual world, following clues rooted in popular culture. Ernest Cline’s novel turns games and puzzles into a contest over an enormous prize and the world around it.

Who might enjoy it?

For older teens and adults who enjoy game logic, quests and retro references. You do not need to recognise every reference; notice which clues are explained well enough to follow on their own.

Things to consider

Violence, strong language and sexual references. This recommendation is for the original prose novel, not the film or graphic adaptation.

A question to take into your reading

When does escaping into a game help someone, and when does it give someone else power over them?

Premise and publication context: Publisher: Ready Player One. Reading-fit suggestions and discussion questions are MWC editorial guidance.

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• How many words are in a book?

  Multiply the number of pages by an estimated average of words per page. At Million Word Club's transparent default of 250 words per page, a 200-page book is estimated at 50,000 words.

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