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Kelsey Ford: From the Stacks: J. M. Ledgard's Submergence (0 comment)
Our blog feature, "From the Stacks," features our booksellers’ favorite older books: those fortuitous used finds, underrated masterpieces, and lesser known treasures. Basically: the books that we’re the most passionate about handselling. This week, we’re featuring Kelsey F.’s pick, Submergence by J. M. Ledgard...
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  • Kelsey Ford: Powell's Picks Spotlight: Grady Hendrix's 'How to Sell a Haunted House' (0 comment)

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Armada

by Ernest Cline
Armada

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  • Synopses & Reviews

ISBN13: 9780804137270
ISBN10: 0804137277



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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he’s spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure.

But hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little escapism, right? After all, Zack tells himself, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He knows that here in the real world, aimless teenage gamers with anger issues don’t get chosen to save the universe.

And then he sees the flying saucer.

Even stranger, the alien ship he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.

No, Zack hasn’t lost his mind. As impossible as it seems, what he’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.

It’s Zack’s chance, at last, to play the hero. But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can’t help thinking back to all those science-fiction stories he grew up with, and wondering: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little…familiar?

At once gleefully embracing and brilliantly subverting science-fiction conventions as only Ernest Cline could, Armada is a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien invasion tale like nothing you’ve ever read before—one whose every page is infused with the pop-culture savvy that has helped make Ready Player One a phenomenon.

Review

“A fantastic second novel…fans of Ready Player One, it is time to rejoice.” Huffington Post

Review

“Mixes Star Wars, The Last Starfighter, Independence Day and a really gnarly round of Space Invaders into a tasty sci-fi stew.” USA Today

Review

“An amazing novel [that] proves Cline has the ability to blend popular culture with exciting stories that appeal to everyone.” Associated Press

Review

“Nerd-gasmic…another science fiction tale with a Comic-Con’s worth of pop-culture shout-outs.” Rolling Stone

Review

“A thrilling coming-of-age story.” Entertainment Weekly

About the Author

Ernest Cline is a novelist, screenwriter, father, and full-time geek. His first novel, Ready Player One, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller and appeared on numerous “best of the year” lists. Ernie lives in Austin, Texas, with his family, a time-traveling DeLorean, and a large collection of classic video games.

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 3 (4 comments)

`
Amy Volker , November 26, 2017 (view all comments by Amy Volker)
Being a child of the '80s, I devoured Ernest Cline's first book, "Ready Player One", so I was excited to hear he wrote a second novel. And this one did not disappoint. This is a great coming of age story with every video game/sci fi movie/nerd pop reference you could hope for. Just like his first novel, "Armada" sucks you in. Zack Lightman is just a normal 17 year old trying to figure out his life. Close to graduating high school and facing reality, raised by a single mom when his dad was killed when he was a baby, he is also trying not to lose his mind. Then he sees an alien ship. One that is in his favorite video game, "Armada". And from that point on, Armada becomes real. And his life will never be the same. Between the pop references, the hostile alien storyline and Zack figuring out who his Dad was, I was hooked. Oh, and cameos from Dr. Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson? Yup, I'm in!

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Jeffrey Bluhm , October 17, 2016 (view all comments by Jeffrey Bluhm)
Comparison of this book to the author's debut, Ready Player One, is as unflattering as it is inevitable. The plot of Armada is straightforward, but story and character development are sadly lacking. The reader, as with the main character (and I suspect the author as well), is likely to be left musing over the unsatisfying conclusion. While this book likely has some fanboy appeal, and could be considered a competent YA novel, one hopes future efforts are closer in quality to the author's first book.

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Eroll , July 06, 2016 (view all comments by Eroll)
Was this the best book ever written? No, nor is it the best piece of science fiction. But that's not what Cline was going for. This was a fun, and somber at times, romp through classic sci-fi pop culture. If you enjoyed RPO and all the pop culture references contained within, you'll probably enjoy this.

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ingrid360 , June 13, 2016 (view all comments by ingrid360)
This is, truly, the worst book I have ever read. Don't read it. It was a physically painful experience. Earnest Cline is dead to me.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780804137270
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
04/12/2016
Publisher:
BROADWAY BOOKS
Pages:
384
Height:
.80IN
Width:
5.10IN
Media Run Time:
B

Ships free on qualified orders.
Add to Cart
$17.00
New Trade Paperback
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Add to Wishlist
QtyStore
1Burnside
1Cedar Hills
20Local Warehouse

More copies of this ISBN

  • Used, Trade Paperback, Starting from $10.95

This title in other editions

  • New, Hardcover, $28.99
  • Used, Hardcover, Starting from $10.95
  • Used, Mass Market, $7.95
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