286:
passed. Zack accepts the membership in the
Sodality on behalf of Earth, and the third wave of alien ships arrive to aid the survivors and to restore the planet, giving Sodality technology to Earth. Zack later accepts a job as ambassador to the Sodality, as he is still suspicious of their motives. Zack and Lex go on a date, Zack's family attend Xavier's funeral, Zack gets a baby brother which he names Xavier after his father and Lex and her grandmother help Zack run the video game shop.
281:. With the second wave starting, Xavier raids an EDA base containing the pilots who are escorting the weapon and sacrifices himself to delay the Icebreaker. While his friends distract the aliens, Zack activates his drones near Europa to defeat the escorts, including his commander, Admiral Vance, and destroy the Icebreaker, resulting in the alien ships powering down and falling to Earth. An
271:
In the first wave of attacks, the EDA moon base is attacked by
Europan drones. The new recruits attempt to defend it, but ultimately fail and flee to Earth. In the process, Chen and Milo are killed. Zack and Xavier theorize that the entire Europan invasion is only a test to discover how Earth would
263:
to identify and train skilled soldiers to pilot drone ships to protect Earth from the
Europans. The EDA reveals that the Europans have planned a three-phase full-scale attack in less than eight hours. Shortly after the briefing, the Nebraska base is attacked by a scouting party, during which Zack
246:
The next morning, while Zack is fighting bully
Douglas Knotcher at his school, a shuttlecraft with the Earth Defense Alliance (EDA) logo lands. Ray is one of the passengers, and he invites Zack to join him at a top-secret military facility in Nebraska, where he falls in love with a female recruit
285:
arises from Europa and identifies itself as the
Emissary, a machine that was created by a galactic community of civilizations called the Sodality. The Emissary had orchestrated the entire situation as a test to see if humanity could exist peacefully with their group, and declares that Earth has
27:
276:
was actually a nuclear bomb designed to destroy the
Europans, meaning that Earth had struck first and had initiated the entire war. They realize that a second Icebreaker had been deployed to destroy Europa around the time of the second wave, which would result in
264:
disobeys orders by chasing down an invading ship into one of the deploying tunnels, where the ship self-destructs and destroys several hundred EDA drones. Although Zack is scolded by
Admiral Archibald Vance for the action, he and top performing
160:). The story follows a teenager who plays an online video game about defending against an alien invasion, only to find out that the game is a simulator to prepare him and people around the world for defending against an actual alien invasion.
272:
respond to a civilization-ending threat, given that the aliens could have easily wiped them out at any time, but had let them have opportunities to fight back and win. They determined that a probe that Earth had sent to Europa decades ago by
436:– 1992 science fiction novel with partially similar background and ideas. A small boy finds himself in his Alien Invasion video game, where the aliens try to surrender. The events might be real or have a reflection in reality.
338:
described it as "a book-length love letter of cultural hyperlinks that refer you elsewhere but contain no meaningful content themselves" and said it embodied "everything wrong with gaming culture".
316:
praised it for being "screenplay-ready", but called it "a tedious exercise in nostalgia and sci-fi cliché" and criticized it for engaging in "the worst sort of nerdy wish-fulfillment fantasy", and
268:
players
Whoadie, Debbie, Chen, and Milo are deployed to Moon Base Alpha, where he will be reporting to his father Xavier, who had faked his death in a factory accident to serve as an EDA general.
608:
235:), and video games about alien invasions and military simulations. Later, at the video game shop where Zack works part-time, his boss Ray surprises him with a fancy new controller for
322:
complained that the book had predictable plots and characters and that it failed to do "anything stimulating" with its pop culture references other than reminding readers of them.
420:– 1984 science fiction adventure film that inspired this novel. It has the similar premise of playing a video game and being recruited into a real space force.
378:. All players who scored at least 525 points in the game won an embroidered "Earth Defense Alliance" patch, another reference to the book and a nod to the
326:
said the novel is a "mostly worthwhile read" and "perfectly suited for the cinema" despite the fact that it "doesn't quite live up to expectations",
567:
476:
582:
332:
described it as "a pretty fun ride" but complained about the predictable plot and "the lack of depth you'll find in most characters", and
656:
195:
Zack
Lightman, a high school senior with a reputation for getting into trouble, is one of the world’s top players of the video game
781:
374:
Readers could play a web browser version of Phaëton (the faux-retro shooter game featured in the book) and the top scorer won an
428:– 1985 science fiction novel and 2013 film. Children also are trained to command real space forces through playing a simulation.
806:
796:
211:, and returns home to look through his late father Xavier's notebooks about a conspiracy theory involving pop culture films (
679:
786:
776:
298:
627:
641:
135:
304:, debuting at #4 and remaining on the list for five weeks. Despite this, reviews of the book were generally negative.
243:
that involves attacking the home planet of the aliens using a weapon called the
Icebreaker, but the Earth team fails.
738:
348:
801:
711:
510:
251:
and later promises to take him on a date. Zack learns that the EDA is real, that there are actually aliens from
791:
771:
204:
200:
278:
532:
454:
207:
invasion. One day, Zack sees a ship outside his classroom window that resembles a Sobrukai Glaive from
432:
177:
484:
219:
153:
74:
416:
225:
157:
8:
680:"Exclusive: It's game over when RiffTrax alums take on Ernest Cline and Ready Player One"
555:
306:
696:
255:(dubbed Sobrukai in the games) planning to invade the planet with ships as shown in the
743:
716:
395:
318:
339:
130:
366:
334:
312:
239:
as an early graduation gift. He tries it out on one of the new special missions on
168:
402:
to write a new draft of the screenplay, in collaboration with Cline and producers
424:
231:
184:
370:, Cline held a video game contest to celebrate the release of the paperback of
765:
273:
252:
609:"Review: In Ernest Cline's Armada, geek culture dies in the vacuum of space"
149:
40:
536:
403:
375:
282:
163:
399:
379:
642:"Armada: Ernest Cline's latest nostalgia delivery system, also a book"
511:"Take A First Look At Ernest Cline's Armada... And Win A Signed Copy!"
328:
213:
115:
107:
103:
26:
203:
in which the Earth Defense Alliance attempts to save the Earth from
556:
New York Times Best Seller List / Hardcover Fiction: August 2, 2015
343:
398:
for a reported seven-figure sum. In April 2018, Universal hired
166:, who narrated the audiobook version of Cline's previous novel,
739:"Universal Moves Ahead on Ernest Cline's Sci-Fi 'Armada' Movie"
628:"Armada Will Make a Great Movie, But the Book Is Disappointing"
176:
as well. The book received mixed-to-negative reviews but was a
111:
700:: "ARMADA NOVEL GETS HIGH-SCORE CONTEST, TOTALLY 80S VIDEO"
533:"Wil Wheaton and Ernest Cline reunite for Armada audiobook"
323:
364:
As he did with the paperback release of his debut novel
247:
named Alexis "Lex" Larkin, who plays the similar game
583:"The nostalgic narcissism of Ernest Cline's 'Armada'"
447:
763:
661:Embodies Everything Wrong With Gaming Culture"
390:In December 2015, Cline announced the sale of
504:
502:
530:
677:
568:"The Ready Player One backlash, explained"
499:
16:2015 science fiction novel by Ernest Cline
524:
310:described it as "nostalgic narcissism",
625:
764:
654:
606:
508:
259:game, and that the EDA had been using
580:
712:"Universal sets sail with 'Armada'"
509:Anders, Charlie Jane (2015-01-16).
13:
678:Vanderbilt, Mike (30 March 2018).
385:
14:
818:
626:Lussier, Germain (14 July 2015).
531:Frauenfelder, Mark (2015-05-18).
152:, published on July 14, 2015 by
25:
782:American science fiction novels
731:
704:
690:
671:
648:
634:
382:patch promotions of the 1980s.
619:
607:Kotzer, Zack (7 August 2015).
600:
581:Bunch, Sonny (6 August 2015).
574:
560:
549:
469:
349:372 Pages We'll Never Get Back
148:is a science fiction novel by
1:
657:"Ernest Cline's Follow-Up to
655:Hudson, Laura (7 July 2015).
440:
201:combat flight simulation game
807:Crown Publishing Group books
797:Novels about alien invasions
457:. Penguin Random House. 2014
289:
279:mutually assured destruction
172:, performs the audiobook of
58:Science fiction, video games
7:
787:Novels set on Europa (moon)
777:2015 science fiction novels
409:
10:
823:
359:
183:. As of 2018, plans for a
433:Only You Can Save Mankind
129:
121:
98:
90:
80:
70:
62:
54:
46:
36:
24:
352:analysed and criticized
342:'s and Conor Lastowka's
477:"A Long Overdue Update"
220:Flight of the Navigator
190:
802:Novels by Ernest Cline
154:Crown Publishing Group
75:Crown Publishing Group
792:Fiction about drones
772:2015 American novels
417:The Last Starfighter
226:The Last Starfighter
158:Penguin Random House
587:The Washington Post
307:The Washington Post
31:First edition cover
21:
613:The Globe and Mail
487:on 18 January 2016
396:Universal Pictures
319:The Globe and Mail
187:were in progress.
19:
394:s film rights to
340:Michael J. Nelson
141:
140:
91:Publication place
814:
756:
755:
753:
752:
735:
729:
728:
726:
725:
708:
702:
694:
688:
687:
675:
669:
668:
659:Ready Player One
652:
646:
645:
638:
632:
631:
623:
617:
616:
604:
598:
597:
595:
593:
578:
572:
571:
570:. 26 March 2018.
564:
558:
553:
547:
546:
544:
543:
528:
522:
521:
519:
518:
506:
497:
496:
494:
492:
483:. Archived from
473:
467:
466:
464:
462:
451:
367:Ready Player One
313:The Boston Globe
205:extraterrestrial
169:Ready Player One
82:Publication date
29:
22:
20:Armada: A Novel
18:
822:
821:
817:
816:
815:
813:
812:
811:
762:
761:
760:
759:
750:
748:
737:
736:
732:
723:
721:
710:
709:
705:
695:
691:
676:
672:
653:
649:
644:. 14 July 2015.
640:
639:
635:
624:
620:
605:
601:
591:
589:
579:
575:
566:
565:
561:
554:
550:
541:
539:
529:
525:
516:
514:
507:
500:
490:
488:
475:
474:
470:
460:
458:
453:
452:
448:
443:
412:
406:and Dan Farah.
388:
386:Film adaptation
362:
292:
193:
185:film adaptation
156:(a division of
99:Media type
83:
66:Science fiction
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
820:
810:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
774:
758:
757:
730:
703:
698:Wired Magazine
689:
670:
647:
633:
618:
599:
573:
559:
548:
523:
498:
468:
445:
444:
442:
439:
438:
437:
429:
421:
411:
408:
387:
384:
361:
358:
300:New York Times
291:
288:
192:
189:
179:New York Times
139:
138:
136:978-0804137256
133:
127:
126:
123:
119:
118:
100:
96:
95:
92:
88:
87:
84:
81:
78:
77:
72:
68:
67:
64:
60:
59:
56:
52:
51:
48:
44:
43:
38:
34:
33:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
819:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
769:
767:
746:
745:
740:
734:
719:
718:
713:
707:
701:
699:
693:
685:
681:
674:
666:
662:
660:
651:
643:
637:
629:
622:
614:
610:
603:
588:
584:
577:
569:
563:
557:
552:
538:
534:
527:
512:
505:
503:
486:
482:
478:
472:
456:
450:
446:
435:
434:
430:
427:
426:
422:
419:
418:
414:
413:
407:
405:
401:
397:
393:
383:
381:
377:
373:
369:
368:
357:
355:
351:
350:
345:
341:
337:
336:
331:
330:
325:
321:
320:
315:
314:
309:
308:
303:
301:
296:
287:
284:
280:
275:
274:Richard Nixon
269:
267:
262:
258:
254:
250:
244:
242:
238:
234:
233:
228:
227:
222:
221:
216:
215:
210:
206:
202:
198:
188:
186:
182:
180:
175:
171:
170:
165:
161:
159:
155:
151:
147:
146:
137:
134:
132:
128:
124:
120:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
94:United States
93:
89:
86:July 14, 2015
85:
79:
76:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
42:
39:
35:
28:
23:
749:. Retrieved
747:. 2018-04-03
742:
733:
722:. Retrieved
720:. 2012-12-06
715:
706:
697:
692:
683:
673:
664:
658:
650:
636:
621:
612:
602:
590:. Retrieved
586:
576:
562:
551:
540:. Retrieved
526:
515:. Retrieved
489:. Retrieved
485:the original
481:Ernie's Blog
480:
471:
459:. Retrieved
449:
431:
425:Ender's Game
423:
415:
391:
389:
371:
365:
363:
353:
347:
333:
327:
317:
311:
305:
299:
294:
293:
270:
265:
260:
256:
248:
245:
240:
236:
232:Ender's Game
230:
224:
218:
212:
208:
199:, an online
196:
194:
178:
173:
167:
162:
150:Ernest Cline
144:
143:
142:
41:Ernest Cline
592:20 November
537:Boing Boing
404:Dylan Clark
376:Oculus Rift
283:icosahedron
249:Terra Forma
229:), novels (
164:Wil Wheaton
766:Categories
751:2019-03-20
724:2014-02-24
542:2015-06-29
517:2015-06-29
441:References
400:Dan Mazeau
380:Activision
302:bestseller
181:bestseller
513:. Gizmodo
356:in 2018.
329:The Verge
290:Reception
214:Star Wars
116:audiobook
108:paperback
104:hardcover
71:Publisher
461:June 25,
455:"Armada"
410:See also
47:Language
744:Variety
717:Variety
491:29 June
392:Armada'
372:Armada.
360:Contest
346:series
344:podcast
102:Print (
55:Subject
50:English
354:Armada
297:was a
295:Armada
266:Armada
261:Armada
257:Armada
253:Europa
241:Armada
237:Armada
209:Armada
197:Armada
174:Armada
145:Armada
112:e-book
37:Author
665:Slate
335:Slate
122:Pages
63:Genre
684:News
594:2018
493:2015
463:2015
191:Plot
131:ISBN
106:and
324:Io9
125:368
110:),
768::
741:.
714:.
682:.
663:.
611:.
585:.
535:.
501:^
479:.
223:,
217:,
114:,
754:.
727:.
686:.
667:.
630:.
615:.
596:.
545:.
520:.
495:.
465:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.