It has been a LLLLLLOOOOOONNNNGGGGG time since I have been this excited about a release date.
When the Harry Potter books were being released, I would be at the store at midnight (usually hours earlier to get in line) to be one of the first to get my hands on the book. Often, arriving home and cracking the spine immediately around 12:30 am and reading as long as I could keep my eyes open. I have incredible memories of three copies of the Rowling books all being read at once as myself, Brad, and Justin were all reading at the same time. The last book release involving post it notes in Justin’s copy on the pages after something incredible happened of my saying things like “WHOA! Can you believe that just happened?” just so I knew when it was safe to start gushing about something in the book with him.
True Story.
I have gushed many times here about Ready Player One. The pop culture references, Will Wheaton narrating (to this day he is the only Narrator I have stalked and listed to everything he has read AND maybe I should not say that out loud ;P )
I have listened to ready Player one more times then I care to admit. Every time wondering if I can do it again, and every time as I hear that opening dialogue knowing, yeah… I can do this again.
The Ready Player Two release was not quite like my Harry Potter days. I did pre-order the audio (obvi.). I did not however stay up to watch it land in my Audible feed like a gum ball being dropped down the shoot… in hindsight, I question why I did not… Instead, I went to bed at a respectable 11 pm, and woke up feeling a bit like Snow White (pre-apple) surrounded by cartoon birds and rabbits (actually my two dogs) as I remembered that today… IS THE DAY.
While I haven’t listened to much yet… I am already all in. While readying for my day and making my coffee I listened to the opening and have already laughed out loud at the sheer brilliance of a password 8675309 and a voice-code, “Everybody Wants To Save The World.”
Absolutely giddy.
Now, I work from home some days. Our office tends to social distance and we try to “pod up” meaning only certain people get together for work so if a team gets COVID, we go as a small group and not wipe out the entire team. It is a weird, and at times ,a scary world we live in. A good mind break – whatever that is for you (a walk, Face timing or talking on the phone with a friend, a good tv series, or even a great read/audio) is definitely in order.
If… you did not listen to my annoying request years ago for EVERYONE to experience Ready Player One, I encourage you to do so now. I feel you need the first experience in order to thoroughly enjoy this second one. This book will appeal to gamers, pop culture enthusiasts, 80s reference junkies (you know who you are – don’t be shy! one-of-us! one-of-us!), sci-fi lovers, Will Wheaton fans, and more.
Are you Ready Player Two?
My Original Review of ready Player One
2nd Time I Reviewed Ready Player One
3rd Time I reviewed Ready Player One
Has there ever been a book that you had on the calendar for the release date? Have you ever done anything as memory-making as waiting in line at midnight for a release, or gone to a release party? I would love to hear about it
Book Journey 
Oh, in my day I’ve gone to Anne Rice book parties at #Books&Co in Dayton OH. I’ll never forget someone handed her on of her hardcover books that had been placed in the book upside down[ one set of the first run had “issues”, and although the publisher THOUGHT they’d gotten them all, there were still a few out there], and she signed it upside down! And at the same store with Peter Mayle and another time watching Graham Kerr deny being alcoholic and proving he was a #fatshamer, THAT was heartbreaking to me because I’d idolized him on TV as a kid.
And then HP4 when I was working in an indie bookstore….we had so many pre-orders…..
LOVE the Anne Rice story! That’s amazing!
I haven’t read the first one but I remember you loved it SO MUCH. I may look for the audio and then if I enjoy it (I don’t know why I wouldn’t since you glow when talking about it) I’ll get this one.
LOL I hope you do Vicki and I would love to hear your thoughts 🙂
Awesome 👍😊
Tyler and I waited in line for Harry Potter, but that’s the only one I ever went crazy for. Otherwise there are ones I really look forward to, but when I get to it I get to it. No rush for me!
Angie, one, in particular, I can recall is at Walmart… IO think you hosted some sort of party leading up to midnight if I recall correctly. I also recall being at Poncho and Lefty’s that night… I can not recall if that was before getting the book or after … it had to be before. I would be reading after! 😀