"When Ricky Kaine walked into the arcade, time stood still. People lined up behind the battered machines and ran to mob their king. Rat-moustached teens lowered their eyes as he passed, deferential despite the rebellious t-shirts and the headphones about their neck blaring hair metal. The darkness punctuated by neon was his throne-room, a place where he held court."

In this futuristic VR nightmare-world, Kaine's only chance to rise above his decrepit surroundings is the suicide cabinet filled with ASCII, Roguelike.

Check out the story readers are raving: Is Ready Player One for readers ready for something more hardcore.