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Armada: A Novel

Author:
Ernest Cline
Read by:
Wil Wheaton
Read Read Own Own

Unabridged Audiobook

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Ratings
Book
278
Narrator
99
Release Date
July 14, 2015
Duration
11 hours 51 minutes
Summary
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A rollicking alien invasion thriller that embraces and subverts science-fiction conventions, from the author of the worldwide phenomenon Ready Player One 

“Exciting . . . mixes Star Wars, The Last Starfighter, Independence Day, and a really gnarly round of Space Invaders.”—USA Today • “A thrilling coming of age story.”—Entertainment Weekly

Zack Lightman has never much cared for reality. He vastly prefers the countless science-fiction movies, books, and videogames he's spent his life consuming. And too often, he catches himself wishing that some fantastic, impossible, world-altering event could arrive to whisk him off on a grand spacefaring adventure. 

So when he sees the flying saucer, he's sure his years of escapism have finally tipped over into madness. 

Especially because the alien ship he's staring at is straight out of his favorite videogame, a flight simulator callled Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting Earth from alien invaders. 

As impossible as it seems, what Zack's seeing is all too real. And it's just the first in a blur of revlations that will force him to question everything he thought he knew about Earth's history, its future, even his own life--and to play the hero for real, with humanity's life in the balance. 

But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can't help thinking: Doesn't something about this scenario feel a little bit like . . .  well . . . fiction? 

At once reinventing and paying homage to science-fiction classics, Armada is a rollicking, surprising thriller, a coming-of-age adventure, and an alien invasion tale like nothing you've ever read before.
Reviews
Profile Avatar Cory Packer May 2016

Will Wheaton is the man! The book is pretty predictable, but entertaining nonetheless. Awesome listening experience as usual! In the unlikely event that you liked this book and haven't read Cline's NYT Bestseller, make sure you hit up Ready Player One.

Profile Avatar Cole Johnson Jul 2015

Armada is yet another awesome book by Earnest Cline. I love reading his books and his writing style is infectiously addicting to anyone who grew up playing video games in the 90's and is following the the industry today. As always, his references to current brands and companies makes his stories fell more real and relatable as if this were an alternate reality and you find yourself looking out the window to make sure it's not actually happening. I love this book and hope that Ernest Cline continues to write books in this amazing style.

Profile Avatar Anonymous Apr 2018

Really good !! Love the narrator

Profile Avatar Andrew G. Dec 2020

Wheaton did a great job, the book was just average.

Profile Avatar Anonymous Mar 2025

Good listen for a young adult read.

Profile Avatar Jon E. Mar 2022

Love that’s all I can say

Profile Avatar Anonymous Mar 2022

great book I feel like I know the tech super relatable to the the broken home nerds...no shame ;

Profile Avatar Michael S. Jan 2021

i enjoy it

Profile Avatar Juan R. Aug 2020

Wil Wheaton and Ernest Cline book are a great pair I have listened to Armada and ready player one about 6 times each

Profile Avatar Jesper N. May 2020

fantastiskt book

Profile Avatar Andrew H. Feb 2020

Fantastic book amazing plot

Profile Avatar Danny M. Nov 2019

Wil Wheaton does a tremendous job with this book. He really brings the characters to life. The story is fun although familiar.

Profile Avatar Jessica L. Sep 2019

If you enjoyed Ready Player One, you will definitely love this. Wil Wheaton, once again, your narration, just bravo! It's easy to listen, especially when you can tell that the reader enjoys what he is reading. I decided to get Armada because I was curious about which other books Wil Wheaton has read, and I saw that Ernest Cline had written another book, I was glad to see that once again Wil takes charge of the narration ship for this one. The way Wil reads this book, it felt like it belonged in the Ready Player One world, but, it really doesn't, Armada gave me the familiar feeling of RPO, but this time, I rode a ship on the way to Memory Lane, it felt familiar, modern and relatable, I found myself greening and at times reminiscing playing games with old friends. Ernest Cline clearly loves Sci-Fi, Video Games, Pop Culture and if you do, I think you will like this book or if you have the imagination of a 5-year-old as I do, you will LOVE this, especially read to you by Wil Wheaton. I had a blast. Exceptional narration. Great book! I am definitely buying the paper copies for my library! :)

Profile Avatar Hunter M. May 2019

Great book with epic excitement for any reader and fan of pop culture, video games, or science fiction

Profile Avatar Christian M. Oct 2018

Wheaton crushed it again with the narration of this one - had a similar feel to it as Ready Player One - but some fun twists and entertainment. Really enjoy the escapism and the easy feel of these books. A great beach read and long drive listen. definitely recommend if you liked Player One

Profile Avatar Clinton W. Jul 2018

Will Wheaton makes you feel like you're watching the movie. I really enjoyed this book.

Profile Avatar Scott E. Jun 2018

not as good as Ready Player One, but still a good read. Will Wheaton is great. just wish the story moved at a quicker pace than it did.

Profile Avatar Anonymous Mar 2018

Slow beginning but it ended up pretty good. Wheaton was really good as usual.

Profile Avatar Jon N Mar 2018

Another great piece from Mr. Cline and Wil Wheaton does a spectacular job in narration! So far, this duo is quickly becoming my favorite and I look forward to future works from both of them!

Profile Avatar Jeremy B Feb 2018

Great book, while the style is like Clines earlier book ready player one, don’t expect it to be a sequel. I enjoyed it a lot and you can’t beat this narrator.

Profile Avatar Robert S Jan 2018

Not nearly as good as ready player one. This is a rehash of old science fiction movies/books...nothing original at all here.

Profile Avatar josh t Nov 2017

not a bad book but it was kind of borring and had a lot of holes in the plot and story.

Profile Avatar Dan M Nov 2017

Despite its flaws, I enjoyed Ready Player One. However, Armada has got to be the worst book I have ever read/listened to. I commend Wil Weaton for his wonderful performance and narration. However I found this book to be insultingly bad. I really considered not finishing it. It is written at a grade school level. I wondered while reading this how long the book would actually be if you stripped away any line that referenced or quoted any other (and far superior) book, film, game, or song, which are by the way in most cases, most obviously out of the cultural reach of the 18 year old protagonist (written by a 30 or 40 year old). This book is ridiculous, unbelievable, and silly. How something like this gets professionally published is beyond me.

Profile Avatar Jacob B Aug 2017

Loved Ready Player One, which is why I decided to pick up this book. Unfortunately, I found Cline's second book far less enjoyable. Armada never felt believable. I stopped listening after 10 hours because I honestly didn't care if the aliens won.

Profile Avatar John S Jun 2017

Book is great. Not as great as Ready Player One, but still pretty great. Wil Weaton is now my favorite narrator.

Profile Avatar Timothy Tisdale Oct 2016

Good idea overall. Don't expect it to be similar in quality to Ready Player One. About half of the book is spaceship battle action. Unless you enjoy hearing about ships flying, and shooting, then flying, and shooting, then you may lose interest through a large portion of the story. Great narration, of course.

Profile Avatar Rian Campbell Aug 2016

The book is pretty good and entertaining , Will Wheaton is great at narrating.

Profile Avatar Tannen Peterson Jun 2016

this is a very good book has a really good narrator. if you enjoyed Ready Player One you will definitely enjoy this book I loved it and this is like the third time I've listened to it

Profile Avatar John McMurran Feb 2016

Good if somewhat predicable story with a nice twist toward the end. Wheaton does a fantastic job on the presentation!!! I enjoyed it a lot.

Profile Avatar Danielle Ritsema Jan 2016

I loved ready player one so I figured I'd give this a listen. Best part is when I figured out Wheaton was narrating, makes it that much better.

Profile Avatar Brandon Casorla Aug 2015

Ernest Cline's version of Enders Game mashed up with Last StarFighter. The writing has a whole new slew of 80's references to scratch that Ready Player One itch. It takes place in the present and makes some stretches to tie our main character to the 80's. If you wanted to see what it would be like if Ernest Cline wrote one of the aforementioned books/movies above, this is it. Hopefully he stretches himself a bit more in the next book, but this was still a fun read.

Profile Avatar Dionysus Strother Jul 2015

I am completely in love with this story and the fact that it is narrated by the Lieutenant junior grade Mr. Wil Wheaton. Just makes it that much more of a gem.

Profile Avatar Bobby Sellers Jul 2015

Wil Wheaton, as usual, is fantastic in narration. Even though the story was a bit predictable, I really enjoyed the book. Ernest Cline has a talent for weaving pop culture and gamer references into almost every aspect of the story. I suspect Armada is the first of many from this universe. I can't wait to read/listen to what Cline has in store next.

Armada: A Novel

Armada: A Novel

Author: Ernest Cline
Read by: Wil Wheaton
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