Are you ready for Ready Player One?

One of the most anticipated book to screen adaptations of the year for many is Ready Player One, based on Ernest Cline's debut novel, set in a not too distant future where the only good life for anyone is found online.

That hidden paradise is called OASIS,with free access to all, something major corporations would like to stop. Complete control over the OASIS can only be had by the one person online that can find the trio of hidden keys and clues that deceased creator James Halliday has placed within this world of wonders.

Our hero Wade Watts is a young man whose impoverished life motivates him to track down Halliday's keys as thoroughly as possible, right along side the numerous "gunters"(egg hunters) out there. When one day he comes across that first key, Wade's whole world changes and his quest may change one than one realm of reality.

I fondly remember reading this book back in 2011, enjoying the creative thrill ride that Cline was giving us, which had plenty of 80's nostalgia playing a key part in the background of the OASIS, not to mention providing vital clues for Wade and company. It was the kind of story that did seem to be impossible to become a movie, given the various copyrights involved, which was part of the fun of it:

However, having Steven Spielberg take on this book did help quite a bit in getting RPO to the big screen. After all, some of his own works were referenced(but will not be in the film) and this particular type of pop culture tale is pretty much center square in his cinematic ball park.

I know that there is a bit of backlash already, even before the movie has arrived in theaters later this week. Some are less than thrilled with the book's writing style, others simply see this as geek fan fare.

Well, as someone who is clearly not perceived as the target audience, I think you might be surprised at what's underneath the surface of the initial story if you truly give it a chance. If not, that's fine but do keep in mind that if this adaptation does well, it might open the door for other books in this genre to get some serious Hollywood attention.

For example, I would love to see Holly Jennings' Arena novels as films. The first novel is set in 2054, where online sports teams are big business but the toll of competition hits the players hard.

Kali Ling, one of the first female competitors to lead her own team(due to the unexpected death of their captain) is placed under severe stress as the pressure to make the finals of the acclaimed RAGE tournament increasingly mounts.

With the help of a new player, Kali is able to create a steady center for herself and use that new found courage to rebel against the secrets and lies that the team manager has forced them all to live with.

The second book in the series,Gauntlet, has Kali running her own company and having to deal with the pressures of management along with game play.

What looks like an opportunity for a wider audience,however, turns out to be a trap. Offered the chance to try out a newer version of immersion pods that are essential for competition, Kali discovers that this advanced tech is able to tap into the minds of her teammates, using their biggest fears as challenges during the tournament.

How to fight back without being pushed out of the gaming world is the real game that she has to play and in this arena, there's no do-over. These books are smart and savvy entertainments that would make for great fun on film, if only given that green light that could be lit by a prior blockbuster movie:

 Granted, this is stretching things a bit but I do believe that the possible success of RPO could also lead to more small screen/streaming adaptations as well.

 Even acclaimed author Neal Stephenson has said that his own books would be best served in miniseries format and I know that his legion of fans would love to have even just the Baroque Cycle series of novels in live action form.

Sure, Westworld is doing well as a series and I'm looking forward to seeing the new HBO remake of Fahrenheit 451. Yet, it would be nice to see a new source of original material in the sci-fi/speculative fiction/ fantasy realm get showcased on a major media platform. Game of Thrones is almost over and we do need something good to fill our time with:

I'm not sure how soon I will be able to see Ready Player One(hopefully it's still in theaters by the time my birthday rolls around) at the movies but I will be rooting for it to do well nonetheless.

I think that part of the appeal for me is that in some ways, a reader is a bit like a gamer; we enter different worlds created by others and take on new personas as the story unfolds before us.

 As we make our way,slowly yet surely sometimes, towards the end, our journey can be merely entertainment yet if the use of imagination by both creator and user is at peak levels, so much more can be achieved.

 Perhaps I'm being a little too dreamy eyed about this. However, I know in my heart that a good book can turn into a good movie if placed in the right hands and Ready Player One does feels as if that cinematic spell has been properly cast: