Ready Player One Read-Through: Chapter 27

Leftover note from last time: Which version of Blade Runner did Wade watch over four dozen times? Which cut? All of them? This seems like a big oversight on Cline's part, as a huge fan of the movie.



Everything is fucking awful at the moment. In the real world, right now. I feel so helpless, so hopeless. And here I am, critiquing Ready Player One. I don't want to think about any dystopias in this moment of our human history, where civility, education, morality, common sense, human decency, empathy, sympathy and feeling are officially dead and meaningless. We are living in a real-life dystopia. Decades of novels about the future - warning signs - and we have learned nothing.

But I have come this far, and I want to complete something; to feel practical and proactive somehow.

With that said, here goes. Here's to the last shred of hope that we as a surviving species still possess:



Wade leaves the planet no problem, as the NPC guards had stopped looking for him. This chapter is about the band Rush. Not just any band, but it was Halliday's favourite band. He had often referred to the members, Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson, and Geddy Lee, as "the Holy Trinity", and " the Gods of the North." Interesting choice of words for someone who was supposed to have been an atheist.

And yes, as a result, Wade knows everything about Rush, and he wants the reader to know every detail of his research. We went from Blade Runner to Rush music without any ease in transition, no breaks.

Wade infodumps on Rush's classic sci-fi-themed album, 2112, which he'd figured out offers the clue to the Crystal Key:


2112's title track is an epic seven-part song, over twenty minutes in length. The song tells the story of an anonymous rebel living in the year 2112, a time when creativity and self-expression have been outlawed. (Page 260)


Creativity and self-expression outlawed, huh? Like in this dystopia, then? See the connection, Cline? Surely this is intentional? But who knows; it is never followed up on again.

Wade goes to the planet Syrinx in Sector Twenty-One. He lands on one of the 1,024 copies of Megadon, the doomed city from 2112's lyrics and notes. You know, maybe a gunter could figure out any clue from Halliday's Anorak's Almanac about the contest just by the number of copies of his favourite places in the OASIS.

Long story short, Wade wins the Key by playing guitar. Yes, he can play guitar now.


James Halliday had taken guitar lessons for a few years in high school. That was what had inspired me to learn to play. I'd never held an actual guitar, but on a virtual axe, I could totally shred. (Page 263)


This was never mentioned before; never hinted at before, ever. Nor will it come to play later, ever.

I mean... what the hell?

Wade keeps inadvertently letting the reader know that he has no personality or interests of his own. Everything about his life revolves around copying Halliday, and melding himself into actually becoming Halliday. He never met the man. Secluded rich man Halliday didn't know Wade existed - he is merely one of thousands-to-millions of gunters. "Gunter" meaning "sucker": poor sap. The Sux0rz nickname fits them much better than it does the Sixers.

What kind of "hero" is Wade? What kind of "hero" is he for a dystopian novel? Where free will suffers? Ready Player One is a dystopian novel that sees itself as a paradise, and it isn't meant to be a tragedy or a cautionary tale.

Plus, virtual instrument playing is not the same as playing a real instrument in the real world! That's like someone claiming to be a pro on the guitar because they play a lot of Guitar Hero.

Can I just take a moment to say that I have no interest in nostalgic music, whatsoever? Music studies and music playing are not my forte. Therefore reading this chapter is a bore for me more than anything else. Not helping matters is the fact that everything is happening very, very fast now; and we're not even one hundred pages left until the merciful end of Ready Player One.

So because Wade manages to bullshit on a virtual reality guitar/Excalibur sword, he wins the Crystal Key (it was the guitar all along - barf!). The riddle to the Third and final Gate is revealed to him, and he quickly figures out that the Gate is in Halliday's avatar's stronghold, Castle Anorak, on the planet Chthonia.

Gunters had already swarmed there years ago, because it seemed obvious that any one of the three keys or Gates could be hidden there. No one could penetrate Halliday's castle. But now Wade has the Crystal Key with him. It is needed for the final test - the final boss - at Halliday's private virtual stronghold, the Third Gate.

At least there is no planet in the OASIS called Cthulhu that I know of.

When Wade gets to Chthonia it is surrounded by Sixers, and they have erected a magical shield over the castle to prevent gunters from entering. No weapons work against it. The IOI company is smart enough to try new things when previous plans fail, I'll give them that.

Sixers vs Gunters, the final battle.

But because we can never get too much excitement, Wade has a plan that involves spending time in the real world. I'd say this is a bloody big relief - Fresh air! Outdoors! Food! Shower! Pants! - except that this happens just before things could have gotten good, now that the stakes are at their highest - which isn't saying much for this novel, but still.

Right under the hero's nose is a boss battle, involving millions of players. We should have reached the climax by now. Here at our doorstep is the ultimate nerd fantasy for the ages; what everyone has been reading Ready Player One for.

And further boredom has to happen in order to reach it.

It takes about fifty more pages to reach it.

What a tease.

Before I could wonder why not one of the thousands of Sixers had completed the Third Gate course yet, Wade, in full and sudden confidence, implies that he knows a way to deactivate the magical shield:


But I refused to give up. Until an avatar reached Halliday's Easter egg, anything was still possible. (Page 266)


Where was this optimism and self-assurance in chapter 24, Wade!?


Like any classic videogame, the Hunt had simply reached a new, more difficult level. A new level often required an entirely new strategy.
    I began to formulate a plan. A bold, outrageous plan that would require epic amounts of luck to pull off. I set this plan in motion by e-mailing Art3mis, Aech, and Shoto. My message told them exactly where to find the Second Gate and how to obtain the Crystal Key. Once I was sure all three of them had received my message, I initiated the next phase of my plan. This was the part that terrified me, because I knew there was a good chance it was going to end up getting me killed. But at this point, I no longer cared.
    I was going to reach the Third Gate, or die trying. (Page 266)


He'll be fine.

"Luck" - take a shot!

Oh yeah, Aech hasn't shown up in ages, has he? Obsessing over and stalking Art3mis takes precedence over his existence.

Wade has everything planned out. His strategy, thought up at the spur of the moment, ends up going 100% right for him. No trouble, no struggle for him, as usual. Gary Stu protagonist is at full force now.

He would die over a game. He would probably kill - in the real world - for the OASIS as well. How is he any different from Sorrento and the Sixers in this regard? There are no hero/villain parallels that are introspected in this smart, critically-acclaimed sci-fi!

Card games are serious business!--I mean, video games are serious business!

End of chapter 27. End of Level Two. Onto Level Three.

Will the excitement finally start? Has my rage reached its peak? Will my faith in humanity ever be restored? Stay tuned.