If you were as emersed in the OASIS of Ready Player One as me, loved this character-driven sci-fi novel with a treasure hunt, game storyline that makes you chuckle every once in a while; with geeky references and an amazing film adaptation, there is definitely a book here for you! If you liked Ready Player One, check these out-of-this-world picks with book recommendations similar to Ready Player One!
The Martian by Andy Weir
I remember reading this at a similar time to Ready Player One and while they are very different books with completely different plots, but I remember laughing at them both and loving the main characters in both of these sci-fi picks. The Martian is also a blockbuster film just like RP1 so is another great one to read and then enjoy the film!
If you haven't heard of The Martian, we follow Mark Watney, one of the first people to walk on Mars. When the crew have to evacuate Mars, thinking he's dead, they leave Mark alive and alone on Mars with no way of even contacting Earth. With the high chance of him starving to death and stranded in an unforgiving environment, he isn't ready to give up. This book had me laughing out loud in parts and on the edge of my seat in others. Such a great sci-fi read!
Warcross by Marie Lu
If you miss reading about the OASIS, experiencing the virtual world and are up for reading about more online contests, Warcross is for you.
Over the past 10 years, millions of people have become obsessed with Warcross, logging on every day to reality. Emika Chen is a teenage hacker and works as a bounty, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally in order to make some money. But, when Emika needs some quick cash she takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships. When all doesn't go to plan and she ends up glitching into the action, she becomes an overnight sensation, attracting the attention of millionaire Hideo Tanaka. He approaches her with an irresistible offer in exchange for spying on the tournament to uncover a security problem. For a book that's fast-paced, filled with online adventures and mysteries like Ready Player One, this one is for you.
Ready Player 2 by Ernest Cline (obviously)
Ok, let's get the obvious over with! Of course, if you enjoyed the first instalment, the 2021 released Ready Player Two makes sense to pick up! We follow on from where the first book left off and learn about what Wade Watts discovered days after winning James Halliday's contest - technology that could change the world forever. With this, an unexpected quest ensues with the future of millions of people hanging in the balance. We have the same amount of games and classic references as the first book and a whole new adventure for Wade Watts and his friends.
While I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book, if you want to find out what happened next, this is the one to read!
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
For some more of the quick-wit humour of Ready Player One and if you liked the relationship between Parzival (Wade) and Art3mis, I think the Illuminae series is for you! It was one of my favourite reads of last year, so it's one I'll always be recommending for sci-fi lovers.
The first book follows Kady and Ezra - teens who have recently broken up but, with a hostile warship in pursuit causing them to evacuate their planet and aboard a ship with a warship in hot pursuit and a deadly virus breaking out, this is the least of their problems as they try to survive. This heavy sci-fi, action-packed read is so worth it! It's not only unique in the way it's laid out with multi-media format, in parts I found myself laughing out loud - I was so invested in the characters and their journey. An all-round fantastic sci-fi read!
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
From the same authors as the Illuminae series, I think this is another great sci-fi read for fans of Ready Player One. It's 2380 and graduating cadets of the Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star student Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but that doesn't go exactly as he had hoped. But that's not his only concern right now - Aurora is a girl he rescued from interdimensional space, trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, but she could be a catalyst that starts a war that's millions of years in the makes. Worst of all, it might be up to Ty's squad of misfits to save the entire galaxy.
The friendships Wade makes and how they develop throughout Ready Player One is the reason I'm recommending this one as we follow not just Ty but the group's quest to save the galaxy!
I hope you enjoyed seeing my sci-fi picks for books like Ready Player One!
What are some of your favourite sci-fi reads?
Thanks for reading,
Sarah x
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