I’ve long said that Ready Player One isn’t the most intricately written or the deepest book on my shelf—but man, is it fun. It is one of my all-time favorites. The concept, the energy, the nostalgia—it’s pure joy for a certain kind of nerd.

So, when I cracked open (or more accurately, queued up) Ernest Cline’s Armada, I wasn’t looking for literary enlightenment. I was looking for that same pulse of excitement that made me blow past my daily 25-minute audiobook window, and once again, Cline delivered.

It doesn’t hurt that Will Wheaton narrates this one too. He’s basically the patron saint of nerd audiobooks at this point, and his performance adds another layer of immersion. There’s something perfect about Wheaton’s voice guiding you through Cline’s mash-up of video game culture, sci-fi tropes, and youthful idealism.

Now, the comparisons to Ready Player One are inevitable. They share Cline’s DNA—fast-paced, loaded with pop culture references, and clearly written by someone who still loves the games and movies that shaped him. But if I had to pick one, Ready Player One still stands as the stronger story, and pretty easily. The stakes feel bigger, the world more realized. That said, in a world where you don’t have to choose, why would you? Armada is a worthy companion—a side quest worth taking.

The premise is classic Cline: aliens are real, the government’s been prepping us for invasion through video games, and, naturally, the nerds are the ones who figure it out and save the world. It’s a love letter to the same spirit that made Star Wars, Ender’s Game, and every quarter-fed arcade cabinet of the ’80s so beloved. It’s meta and self-aware enough to wink at its own clichés, which keeps it fun instead of preachy.

And yes, of course I found the Raid The Arcade playlist on Spotify. That’s just what I do.

Bottom line: if Ready Player One was a nostalgic roller coaster, Armada is the tilt-a-whirl next to it. A little shorter, a little bumpier, but you’ll still walk away grinning.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
For fans of sci-fi adventure, ’80s culture, and audiobooks that make you miss your stop.