Quotes from Ernest Cline

because I couldn't bear the idea that the girl with whom I was virtually smitten might actually be some middle-aged dude named Chuck, with back hair and male-pattern baldness.

Then there was Middle-earth. All three versions of it…

Cameron, Gilliam, Jackson, Fincher, Kubrick, Lucas, Spielberg, Del Toro, Tarantino. And, of course, Kevin Smith.

My father looked as if I'd just gutted him - but it was mingled with a twisted sense of satisfaction. It felt good to hurt his feelings.

Douglas Adams. Kurt Vonnegut. Neal Stephenson. Richard K. Morgan. Stephen King. Orson Scott Card. Terry Pratchett. Terry Brooks. Bester, Bradbury, Haldeman, Heinlein, Tolkien, Vance, Gibson, Gaiman, Sterling, Moorcock, Scalzi, Zelazny. I

1977—Star Wars is released on 5/25/77. Highest grossing movie in history. First wave of brainwashing in prep for invaders arrival?

It's cold as balls in here!

Everyone my age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest.

Are you telling me that I have to spend the last hour of my life surrounded by a bunch of fucking Hobbits, Z?

At the center of all that gear was the opening DJ, R2-D2, hard at work, using his various robotic arms to work the turntables. I recognized the tune he was playing: the '88 remix of New Order's "Blue Monday," with a lot of Star Wars droid sound samples mixed in.

He was dressed in a plaid bathrobe and bunny slippers

The hour draws near!

Just a maintenance tech here, folks, heading home after a long night of rebooting routers. That's all. I am definitely not an indent making a daring escape with ten zettabytes of stolen company data in his pocket. Nosiree.

Then what are you interested in, Herobrine?" I asked. "Why are you here?

Philip K. Dick

It's cool to use the computer, don't let the computer use you…. There is a war going on. The battlefield's in the mind. And the prize is the soul.

Only time would tell.

a fascist corporate theme park where the few people who can still afford the price of admission no longer have an ounce of freedom.

The Europans were building an armada, just like the Sobrukai. But much closer to Earth. They had Foundry Ships orbiting their moon, cranking out fighters and drones—just like those I'd spotted above Sobrukai last night.

The Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation was a big place.

I quickly lost track of time. I forgot that my avatar was sitting in Halliday's bedroom and that, in reality, I was sitting in my hideout, huddled near the electric heater, tapping at the empty air in front of me, entering commands on an imaginary keyboard. All of the intervening layers slipped away, and I lost myself in the game within the game. In

This is your QComm," he explained. "It's a Quantum Communicator—basically a smartphone with unlimited range. It will work anywhere in the world—or in outer space." He smiled. "They also have insanely fast Internet access and Bluetooth capability. I already imported all of your contacts, photos, and music from your iPhone, so you're all set up.

Like any classic videogame, the Hunt had simply reached a new, more difficult level. A new level often required an entirely new strategy. I

I opened my eyes to see her staring down at me. "Thank you!" I said, throwing my arms around her. My voice came out as a whisper. "Thank you for saving me. Thank you for coming back." I forced myself to let go of her.