The bestselling cult classic--soon to be a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg. In the year 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he\047s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade\047s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world\047s digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator\047s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade\047s going to survive, he\047ll have to win--and confront the real world he\047s always been so desperate to escape.