Ready Player One was a five-star read for me. Unfortunately, this one just didn't quite hit that same bar.

However, it certainly was still an enjoyable read. I think these books are fun and nostalgic and I'd recommend them to any one who loves video games, the idea of virtual reality and 80s/90s pop culture.

I'm going to go into some specific details of the book for the rest of the review, so STOP HERE to avoid any spoilers.

What did I like?
I liked some of the quest themes (like the one dedicated to John Hughes). I like books about friends coming together to solve problems. I liked that Wade was more flawed in this book, and that he got a bit drunk with power after becoming the heir. I think his character had a good story arc in this sequel.

What didn't I like?
Some of the quest themes went way over my head - I know NOTHING about D&D and very little about LOTR. There was a lot of descriptive text and a lot of it felt very technical and if I hadn't of had the audiobook to keep me focused, my eyes might have glazed over. And lastly, I wasn't a fan of the Wade & Sam relationship in this one. Not sure I would have gone the same direction with that if I was writing the story.

I think this book has been optioned for a movie sequel, so I do look forward to that. I did enjoy the film adaptation of Ready Player One, so we'll see what this one develops into in a couple of years!