In the year 2044, everyone lives their lives in a virtual universe. The OASIS was introduced in 2014 and grew in popularity as the price of fuel skyrocketed and overpopulation drove up the cost of living and caused global food shortages. The future is pretty bleak.
So when the creator of the OASIS dies, leaving as his will a series of 80s-based riddles (he was obsessed with 80s pop culture, and geek culture in general), everyone is desperate to solve the riddles, find the Easter Egg hidden somewhere in the OASIS, and inherit his fortune. Our hero, Wade Watts, devotes all of his time to the search because his real life is, again, pretty bleak.
Despite that, this book was a lot of fun, like a techie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I loved all the pop culture references, and the author did a great job of raising the stakes at each victory, so tension remained high. I adored the three main characters (especially Art3mis! Gotta love a love interest with goals that don't always involve a relationship with the protagonist) and learning the history of the OASIS's creators. And although I do appreciate the ultimate message about valuing real life over virtual life, the fully immersive online environment, filled with every type of world you can imagine, sounded like so much fun! A
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