4.5 stars!! This is another book I was destined to enjoy, provided the writing was well done---and it is. It features: 
 * More 80s culture references than I have ever encountered in one place. Movies, television, music, books--I 'got' most of them, happily. 
 * GAMING! The theme revolves around a few people playing a game in order to try and win a fortune. 
 * OASIS. Set in 2045, when the planet is ravaged and broken, crime is high and so is unemployment. Most people spend their time plugged into OASIS, which offers games, shopping, school...an entire virtual world. I have probably had at least one conversation with gaming friends over being 'plugged in' to just such a thing in the future. 
 * Geeks who struggle to overcome their social issues and bond with each other. Yay, friendship! 
 The story sucked me in such that I did not want to speak to family members at times. No, I just wanted to keep reading. This was the first e-book I read (on a borrowed Nook from the library), and it was a great introduction. 
 While it's predictable, including the requisite bad guy and his minions, it never stops being entertaining. This would make a very fun movie, in fact. I found out at the end that this is Cline's first novel, and now I look forward to his future work. If you like gaming and grew up in the 80s, you must read this book. I would let my 12-year old read it too--there are a few sexual references and some violence, but nothing over PG-13, at most. Highly recommended!