I really, really, really LOVED this book! Did I forget to say "really"??? From the very beginning I was hooked or "jacked in,"...or..."logged on" (which are probably more appropriate for the subject matter). Why? Well, It was down right fun and engaging! I felt like I was there, like it didn't take much to get into that world. I loved the characters, the connections and even the messages that Cline put in (like the major ones about big business...monopolistic tendencies, greed, and more). 
 Admittedly, before I began the book I read a couple of reviews that said the book was heavy in 80's and gaming references (which makes sense knowing the story line) and I feared that I wouldn't be able to keep up with them. Sure there were a lot of references that I didn't know and so I either 1) went with it or 2) did what another guy did who interviewed Cline and looked them up as I read, to enhance the experience. With that said, it was fun when he made some references that I got. Like the references to Whedonverse, Blade Runner, The Breakfast Club, Short Circuit, a few different games, and of course many Star Wars references. Heck, I even wrote down many of the references as movies "to-watch" or authors "to-read." Granted I have a large side of geek in me. I love to game, venture through comic books and graphic novels, and watch and read sci-fi and fantasy. I also have a husband who let me join in on my first and only game of D&D and brought me to conventions to understand another side of geekdom (because there are so many sides) but I also feel that I didn't even need that to enjoy this book. It was a fun read and boy did I need that! (Side note, about a quarter of the way through I read Cline's bio and realized that he was the one who made Fanboys, a really awesome flic, if you find Star Wars awesome that is and so I was stoked about that). 
 One of my favorite books of the year so far.