#books

Rating: It's Fine

This is one of those movies that's really easy for me to enjoy... as long as I don't think of it as an adaptation of Ready Player One.

On its own, it's a fun sci-fi adventure packed with references to games, movies, anime, and pop culture. Seeing so many iconic characters and worlds sharing the screen is genuinely entertaining, and it's hard not to smile when another familiar character pops up.

The problem is that it barely feels like Ready Player One.

Watching the movie gives me the impression that someone came up with a generic story first, then tried to fit the book into that framework, instead of taking the book and adapting it into a film. The major plot points, character arcs, and challenges that made the novel so memorable are either heavily changed or replaced entirely.

Some of those changes are understandable. The book spends a lot of time inside Wade's head, and many of its challenges revolve around older games and obscure trivia that might not translate well to a blockbuster movie. But instead of finding creative ways to adapt those moments, the film often swaps them out for entirely new sequences that lose much of what made the original story special.

That leaves the movie in an awkward spot. It's entertaining enough that I'll happily watch it if it's on, but it's also disappointing because I know how much better the story could have been.

I still consider Ready Player One one of my favorite books. It deserved more than a single two-hour movie trying to condense everything into one adventure.

If I could choose, I'd love to see it revisited as a streaming miniseries or even a trilogy of films. Give the characters room to breathe, let the challenges unfold naturally, and stay closer to what made the novel such a fun read in the first place.

Until then, the movie lands squarely in the "it's fine" category. It's a fun popcorn flick full of geeky fan service, but as an adaptation of one of my favorite books, it's pretty lackluster.

Although Clown in a Cornfield came out in 2020, I was a bit late to the party and didn't discover it until early 2025. The title caught me off guard and made me pause while browsing the horror section at Barnes & Noble. I was just getting back into reading horror and picked the book up on a whim. Little did I know that this would be my gateway into a genre I had forgotten I loved so much. After finishing it, I promptly went back to B&N and picked up books two and three.

After tackling a couple of other books in my TBR pile, I finally got to Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives. I was anxious to see what was happening with the characters I grew to like and cheer for in book one. I'll try not to overly spoil the plot of the first book for those who haven't read it—though I guess you wouldn't be reading this review if you hadn't! However, it is a given spoiler that the three main characters we followed in book one are back: Quinn, Cole, and Rust.

All of them are trying to put the past in the past and move forward with their lives. Quinn starts college in Philadelphia and soon meets up with Rust and Cole. Things go sideways, as they tend to do in horror fiction, and eventually, they head back to where it all started—back to Kettle Springs, baby! As with the first book, I didn't see the meta-twist coming, and the way Adam Cesare pulled it off is brilliant. I absolutely loved it. While there is a "main" villain, the real antagonist here for me was the internet. I loved the social commentary on the state of the world, where people are so quick to believe unverified sources.

We find out that Quinn's dad is now the mayor of Kettle Springs and faces a whole new set of trials with the public. This is primarily driven by Eli Duvall, an entrepreneur of sorts who has opened a haunt experience in Tillerson's field—the exact location where the climax of book one took place. Speaking of Tillerson’s field, another standout character in book two for me was Jeri Shaw. I really liked the dynamic Cesare added with this character, which brings the events of the first book directly into the sequel. Jeri is suffering from PTSD after the events of book one, which affected her in a very real way. Cesare did a great job portraying someone suffering from this debilitating disorder and grief in a grounded, realistic manner.

The rising action of the book revolves around new events (and bloody kills!) in Kettle Springs. As the title suggests, Cesare's monster has come back to life to wreak more havoc on our main characters' lives. There's plenty of suspense in this part of the book as we start to understand all the forces at play. The action sequences were well-thought-out and incredibly well-written; I could vividly imagine the terror the characters were going through in my mind's eye. Being a horror novel, you already expect a lot of graphic violence, and it absolutely delivers. The kills are superbly masterful and made me physically cringe—so awesome job there. I know it sounds weird, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The climax of the book was great, and seeing a certain character's demise felt fulfilling in all the right ways. It left me anxious to see where the next book takes us.

The wrap-up and falling action do a good job of tying up most of the hanging threads and plotlines. I found myself particularly moved during a scene between Jeri Shaw and Izzy Reyes. To say more would give major spoilers away, but I really loved this scene in the closing moments of the book. I also thoroughly enjoyed the closing chapter, seeing what Quinn was embarking upon, which gave a hopeful sense of direction for the next installment. I loved this book, I love the series, and I can't say enough good things about it. However, with all of my praises, and this being a review, I should briefly mention the one thing that didn't quite work for me. Truly, in the grand scheme of the book, it's a very minor complaint: Cole. His role in the book felt incredibly small. While there was a certain amount of dramatic tension between him, Rust, and Hunter, his overall presence felt almost negligible and didn't have much impact on the main story. By saying this, I know I'm talking about a major character I've tried my best not to mention. I'm aware of his role and why he's there, but he just felt underused and... honestly, a bit douchey.

To be frank, where I was cheering for him in the first book, I found myself wanting him to disappear in the second. There! I said it. The guy reached total douchebag levels for me in this book. I'm chalking it up to him dealing with personal trauma from the first book—real life reflects fiction, and people deal with crap differently—but it was a minor issue that didn't take away from my enjoyment.

To wrap up this review, I'm still a massive fan of this series and Adam Cesare. If you're looking for a great slasher romp, this series delivers. Readers can genuinely connect with the characters and enjoy watching them navigate the terrifying situations they're put in. The plot is complex but not hard to follow, featuring fantastic layers that I loved. The meta-twist was my favorite element; it was something I didn't expect but really enjoyed, and it gave me a lot to think about. It's an accessible read, and Cesare's style was appropriately awarded and well-earned.

My final cut: if you're looking for a bloody good time, you'll absolutely find it with this book.