#19 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

It may just be me. However, there were a lot that loved this story, so it was made into a book. However, it was perfect for my generation. The movie was interesting, and I loved many of the graphics, but it was the book that was fascinating. This appeared lower on my last list now it has moved up about 7 spots.

The book tells the story of Wade Watts, living in a dump and a world falling apart. So, like so many others, he spent his time in the oasis. Think of it as a virtual reality World of Warcraft, Star Wars Galaxies, and just about every other fiction tossed into a pot. People lived, played, went to church, school, and did everything imaginable there. It was cheaper than real life.

When the owner died, he put a game in his game. The winner gets ownership. People scramble to solve the first riddle. How is it different than the movie. Well, Lets just look at the fist key. It was a car race in the movie. Some spoilers here for the part of the book.
In the book. they took the riddle Three hidden keys open three secret gates. Wherein the errant will be tested for worthy traits, and those with the skill to survive these straits will reach The End where the prize awaits. that does not help but announce the contest.

Then people searched his journals and discovered pages marked and assemble letters to the following. The Copper Key awaits explorers In a tomb filled with horrors, But you have much to learn, If you hope to earn, A place among the high scorers

Well obviously for those of us playing DND back in that era a tomb of horrors is the Tomb of Horrors DND module. Where in this fantasy world had all been modeled and built. They had to find it, and find the right one.

There are arcade games, references to anime, and many other oddities. I remember watching Little Big Man, and Forrest Gump, both taking you on trips through past eras. This book did that for me. Well written, not condescending, and not needing vast amounts of imagination. I did not have to suspend reality a lot. You often have to do that a lot on fantasy and scifi books. So it is just plain fun.