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  • Published: 2 May 2016
  • ISBN: 9780099586746
  • Imprint: Arrow
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 368
  • RRP: $26.00

Armada

From the author of READY PLAYER ONE




FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF READY PLAYER ONE, NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG

PRE-ORDER NOW - READY PLAYER TWO: THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO READY PLAYER ONE
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'[A] masterful tale of Earth's desperate struggle against a powerful alien foe.' - Andy Weir, bestselling author of The Martian
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It's just another day of high school for Zack Lightman. He's daydreaming through another boring math class, with just one more month to go until graduation and freedom-if he can make it that long without getting suspended again.

Then he glances out his classroom window and spots the flying saucer.

At first, Zack thinks he's going crazy.

A minute later, he's sure of it. Because the UFO 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.

But what Zack'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.

Yet even as he and his new comrades scramble to prepare for the alien onslaught, Zack can't help thinking of all the science-fiction books, TV shows, and movies he grew up reading and watching, and wonder: Doesn't something about this scenario seem a little too... familiar?

Armada
is at once 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 author Ernest Cline's trademark pop-culture savvy.
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Here's what everyone's saying about this epic masterpiece:
'a modern classic' - R.M. Rangeley on Amazon, 5 stars
'A modern masterpiece full of a new style of literary magic' - Spiros Kagadis on Amazon, 5 stars
'Excellent. Even better than Ready Player One.' - David Hay on Amazon, 5 stars
'One of my favourite books of all time. Incredibly well written' - Erin Coppin on Amazon, 5 stars
'Awesome! If you liked Ready Player One, would be very surprised if you don't like this' - T. Llewellyn-Sanders on Amazon, 5 stars
'Absolutely awesome!!! Read in less than 24 hours, hooked on every page' - R. Nicholson on Amazon, 5 stars
'Amazing and a great follow up read to Ready Player One!' - Chris on Amazon, 5 stars
'an incredible story which had me on the edge of my seat the whole time... a joy to read' - Helen Ratcliffe on Amazon, 5 stars
'Cline brings you back to all those amazing, unbelievable things you imagined could happen as a kid and makes them real' - Amazon reviewer, 5 stars
'Absolutely brilliant! Couldn't put it down, a must read' - Sam Bean on Amazon, 5 stars
'a love letter to old school alien invasion sci-fi... Highly, HIGHLY recommended for all fans of Cline's previous novel, Ready Player One, as well as any classic science fiction fan' - Izzy on Amazon, 5 stars
'Ernest Cline is celebrating this culture in a way that's not just adding another book to the genre, but actually truly celebrating it, the possibilities, wonders and madness of it all' - Heather on Amazon, 5 stars
'majorly, fantastically geeky... Armada just ticked all my boxes' - H. Ross on Amazon, 5 stars


This book has been published with two different covers and may be delivered with either cover. Please rest assured that regardless of the cover, the content of the book is the same.

  • Published: 2 May 2016
  • ISBN: 9780099586746
  • Imprint: Arrow
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 368
  • RRP: $26.00

About the author

Ernest Cline

ERNEST CLINE is an internationally best-selling novelist, screenwriter, father, and full-time geek. He is the author of the novels Ready Player One and Armada and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg. His books have been published in over fifty countries and have spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his family, a time-traveling DeLorean, and a large collection of classic video games.

Also by Ernest Cline

See all

Praise for Armada

Compelling…a love letter to the eighties.

Sci Fi and Fantasy Reviews

It's epic, it is majorly, fantastically geeky, full of wonderful pop culture references and most of all it is just an amazing joy to read…I loved this, it is one of these rare books that lives with you afterwords, one to be discussed over and over again, it is a modern classic.

Random Redheaded Ramblings blog

In a style all his own, Cline takes his readers on another exciting, charming, mysterious, heartwarming, geek-fueled ride.

The Geeko

Must-read summer blockbuster novel.

Mashable UK

A solid sci-fi romp.

Starburst

A work of geeky wonder

Wonderland Avenue Book Blog

Massively entertaining

Following the Nerd

An enjoyable romp.

Tor

Definitely worth the wait

Rinn Reads

Fun, fast paced, action focused plot with massive appeal in terms of huge doses of pop culture references.

Lynn's Book Blog

A thrilling coming-of-age story.

Entertainment Weekly

A novel so fun, you'll want to reboot it and read it again…the best novel this gamer geek has read in a long, long time.

Hugh Howey, Sunday Times bestselling author of Wool

Those conspiracies you imagined when you were fourteen turn out to be true in this masterful tale of Earth's desperate struggle against a powerful alien foe.

Andy Weir, bestselling author of The Martian

Built like a summer blockbuster…Cline recombines the DNA of Ender’s Game, Star Wars, The Last Starfighter, and old-school arcade games like Asteroids into something that’s both familiar and unpredictable. It’s a mutant homage to sci-fi tropes past.

Gawker

Video games come to life in this witty, extraterrestrial thriller

New York Post

Cline once again brings crackling humor and fanboy knowledge to a zesty, crowd-pleasing, countdown-clock, save-the-planet tale featuring an unlikely hero, adrenaline-pumping action, gawky romance, and touching family moments.…Cline’s sly, mind-twisting premise and energetically depicted and electrifying high-tech battles make for smart, frenetic, and satisfying entertainment.

Booklist

The obscure and the popular bounce around in Cline’s head like asteroids in the classic arcade game of the same name. And when these references are combined with Cline’s fantastic storytelling ability and manage to find their way onto a blank page, something special happens.

Chicago News

All round a cracking title and for me, a definite Sci-Fi favourite of the year.

Falcata Times

Another cracking adventure…a fun, affectionate homage to gaming, gamers and big splodey sci-fi action, and you'll read it with a grin on your face. And maybe shed a couple of tears, too. It definitely deserves a place in your suitcase this summer.

Geek Planet

A quick witted, action-packed, nerdy dedication to the little gamer inside me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book…A definite recommendation to anyone!

The Blogger's Bookshop

Cline’s cast of characters and dialogue in Armada is superb. It’s action packed and the pace is relentless making for a fast read… Armada is heaps of fun and well worth the trip down memory lane.

British Science Fiction Association

The writing is fluid, filled with brilliant dialogue, a solid cast and lots of action…hugely enjoyable, especially the big dose of 80s- esque story that Armada serves up. It’s straightforward fun with little twist or turns but just like the movies it references, it’s awesome.

The Bookbeard’s Blog

This book is absolute geek heaven

Brit Book Boy

An extremely cool and quirky science fiction adventure, stacked full of hilarious and fitting pop culture references. Cline has created a fast paced and engaging story using a perfect blend of humour, futuristic tech and video-game like action sequences.

Brit Book Boy

Ernest Cline is a genius in every sense of the word…This was truly wonderful, everything I had hoped it would be, and then heaps and heaps more.

Tea and Book Reviews

Release your inner nerd and rejoice!

The Fancy Octopus

Armada is a gamer’s fantasy come true.

Read at Midnight

Expect Cline’s blend of masterful storytelling filled with nerdy references…with twists that’ll have you turning the pages like there’s no tomorrow.

Shortlist

thriller-like plotting…immensely readable

SFX

It’s a hoot, from beginning to end

Christoria

Literally everything I could ask for

Emma's Bookery

A highly rewarding journey…thoroughly enjoyable fiction.

SF Book

Armada is a journey towards emotional intelligence and understanding, a journey towards some questions answered, others posed – huge questions they are too. Armada’s a good ‘un.

Frost

Another geektastic celebration of the nerd and nerd culture…Really clever, really captivating.

Daily Mail

A surprising thriller, a coming of age, space-fighting adventure which will thrill sci-fi fans and gamers alike.

Metro

It is often said that the best novels are those that don’t waste any time – the ones that grip the reader from the very first line. Armada does this better than perhaps any other book I’ve read.This book is a love-letter to the science fiction genre. It’s a concentrated shot of sci-fi nerdery that’s definitely worth experiencing.

One Giant Read

Armada is fun, so go enjoy it for the first time… or the second.

Geekdad

A paean to the videogames of a bygone era – a tremendous amount of fun for anyone who remembers that time and played those games.

George R. R. Martin