Ready, player one?

So, on my trip to Rome I was faced with horrendous delays and a taxi ride that was so scary I would rather have been driven by Richard Pryor in See no Evil, Hear no Evil. This might seem like a weird 80s reference, but leads me nicely (clumsily) into the real reason I'm blogging: Ready Player One.

Now a highly anticipated Steven Spielberg movie, dripping with 80s pop culture, video games and films from my childhood, Ready Player One is based on a novel by Ernest Cline.

Given this visual feast of a movie looks quite cool, I decided to read the book while I sat like a lemon in the airport.

And it was... okay.

In my last blog I promised not to judge another's work too harshly given they have put their heart into it. So instead, I'll comment on two things:

1. The book was relatively boring for me. The pace was slow and much of the narrative was dedicated to excruciating detail on various 80s games, books and movies - from the super famous to the down right geeky obscure. Every other line was in italics as the author name-dropped something copyrighted. It felt like he was being paid to do so. The characters for me were a little thin and the story predictable. I confess I even skipped pages to get on with the story.

That said, I can appreciate the author's absolute passion for his love of all things 80s and he clearly has put everything and the kitchen sink into the book ... now where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, a trade journal review of my novel Children of the Fifth Sun. Because I like Ernest Iove my topic and want the world to love it too. Which brings me to point two.

2. While Ready Player One was a little boring for me as a book, I can totally see it as a movie. Visually it will be amazing and every 40-something male's wet dream. 80s nostalgia is in right now. Just look at Stranger Things. Who doesn't want to see a time travelling Delorean and an X-wing in the same movie using AC/DC as the soundtrack?

And this gives me hope. In fact, it gives all of the works being published by Vesuivan Books hope. The books, including mine, published by VB are done so with Tv and movies in mind. They are born of the passion and deep-seated knowledge of the authors, just like Cline, from 90s slasher movies, to horror, to sci fi and ancient history. They are written as much to be read as to be watched, because we want the world to see what we see.

So, my fellow VB authors. We may get the occasional reviewer who doesn't 'get what we're doing' but I guarantee you all lots of people do. People who share your passion and vision. People who can see what we see. Keep at it and dont let things get you down. If we don't play the game, we'll never win.

So, ask yourself my author friends: are you ready, player one?