Bläeckfisk is the Swedish translation for the word octopus. I am not Swedish, but I do own a lot of furniture from Sweden and I like octopuses while admiring their multi-tasking ability. I would like to travel to Sweden at some point, plus I think it is a pretty cool looking word. Anyhow, speaking of words, I guess you could say that is why we are here. Words are the foundation for way we try to wrap our thoughts around everything in the galaxy. The tendrils that lead to emotions and curiosity. I am not here to solve the mysteries of the universe, just to discuss words in general. Specifically words written by other people and have been printed off and slapped between two slices of thin card stock. Many of these sandwiches go on to bigger and better things, some bigger and better than others. So, I guess we will be talking about those as well. If you share an interest in words or enjoi seeing what they can look like in action....välkommen! (Swedish for welcome.)

Monday, June 3, 2013

B18: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (371 pages)

"I don't know, maybe your experience differed from mine. For me, growing up as a human being on the planet Earth in the twenty first century was a real kick in the teeth. Existentially speaking."

Chew-chew-chew, pppppprrrrruuugggg....passsssssssssshhhhhhhhh pauuuuurrrrrrgggg bachew. Bachew. Chew. Chew-chew chew chew. Chew. Chew-chew. You can practically hear the quarters kerplunk when you crack open this brilliant little work by new author Ernest Cline. Summer is just about here and summer is the season of the quick-short attention span book. Look no further than Ready Player One. I loved this book. As evidenced by the logo of the blog, I have a special place in my past for vintage video games and this book is practically an homage to my youth.

The year is 2044 and life in the real world is a struggle. Earth has been over used and over populated and resources are scarce. A gray haze is draped across the landscape and danger is peeking around most city street corners. Neglect is king. The population spends most of their time plugged into a virtual simulation that allows them to become just about anyone, or anything they desire. Orcs, centaurs, super models, hydras, wizards and warriors. Nothing is off limits. Virtual schools exist in the OASIS program, educating 95% of world's youth. Power ups, quests and experience points are all that matter. Life is lived online. When the creator of OASIS dies, he leaves behind a mercurial testimony that turns the entire galactic universe on its ear. Locked away deep inside the program are three keys that open three gates; each containing a challenge that whomever completes first, score his entire fortune of several hundred billion dollars and the rights to run OASIS, Willy Wonka style. The best part being that Halliday was a rabid 80's fan and his entire challenge, known as The Hunt, revolves around circumventing 80's themed puzzles and vintage video games. Pacman. Q-bert. Ferris Bueller. Rush. Oingo Boingo. Voltron. Family Ties. Silver Spoons. Monty Python. The 80's are back and the quest is on.

Read this book. Even if online servers, haptic gloves and interplanetary coding are not your bag. Read it. You don't need to be a geek to enjoy the chase and cheer for the lovably aloof Wade Watts, our hero. Start your summer reading list off right......chew chew ba chew. Chew chew chew chew chew chew. Paaaaaaaaarrrrrrwwwww! Chew chew. Paaaaaaaaaaaasssshhhhhhhhhhhhh-zzzzoooo! Chew chew chew. Chew. Chew chew.....