Fast paced and full of all of the classic eighties references
After falling head over heals madly in love with Ernest Cline after listening to Ready Player One, listening to Armada was a no brainer. I was really hoping that he keeps with the same elements that made me and many others love his previous work. This is the story of Zack Lightman. He is a nerd be the very definition of the word. Does well at school, plays several massive multiplayer online games. Devotes so much time to gaming that he has ranked in the top 10 of Armada, and earth defense MMO. Zach’s father died in a tragic work accident before he was old enough to remember him. Zach desperately wants to connect with his long lost dad. One day he was day dreaming looking outside during class and see a real life spaceship, just like the thousands he has destroyed in the game. We come to find out that the game was created by the government to train pilots for the on coming alien invasion, that they have been preparing for for decades. It is amazing to me that almost this entire story really takes place during one week or so. If you are not a nerd yourself or a child of the eighties or gamer or the like you might get lost in all of the techno-babble throughout this story. It even lost me at times, but I didn’t even care. I really appreciated Cline’s hidden message, well maybe not so hidden to those that have read or listened already. What if war wasn’t the answer? What if humans don’t necessarily know best? Just like Transformers there is more than meets the eye, I mean ears. Fast paced and full of all of the classic eighties references that I craved with Cline’s writing. Mix in a little heart ache, a whiny 18 year old high school kid, aliens and space battles. You have a highly entertaining story that I had to be pried from to take part in my reality. I thought that I had it all figured out and right when it was going to be confirmed that I was right. I wasn’t. I love it when this happens. This was hands down the best performance and production of Wil Wheaton I have ever heard. Somehow Penguin Random House was able to figure out a way to mask all of Wheaton’s signature mouth noises. There were nonexistent here. If that wasn’t enough for you. You could tell that he was giving this performance 110% effort in making this a all immersing listening experience. Witnessed most by the energy injected throughout, almost yelling, laughing and similar vocal expressions making everything come alive. Add that to all of the pacing changes for action versus seriousness, decent characterizations. Gives you one heck a fun time listening to this adventure.