‘Northern Lights’ – Philip Pullman

‘We are all subject to the fates. But we must act as if we are not, or die of despair.’

‘Ready Player One’ – Ernest Cline

Lausanne, March 2016

Overview

The one where Perzeval (Wade) lives in a post-apocalyptic future where the only fun/challenge is an RPG version of the internet, OASIS. Halliday, the creator, once set a challenge to find his egg and win his fortune using knowledge of 1980s trivia. Perceval wins as he thinks of everything.

Thoughts

I can’t quite believe this wasn’t a first draft or that it’s published at all. The first chapter is good – the first few are, but then Perzeval – almost a backwards parody of a 1980s jock gets ‘famous’ and truly dull as a result.

The dialogue was terrible. There was no conflict, no pathos – twists came out of nowhere – he infiltrates the 101 via the Crediton police, though failed to mention the existence of that entity. The trivia was lazy, failing to draw images and just lists of endless references.