Sure. But my question had less to do with why it was popular generally, and more with why it's on the USMC commandant's reading list specifically.
That said, the USMC Research Library [1] places it in, among other categories, "Regression (Civilization)", which may cast a glimmer of light on why it's where it is.
Nearly every time the USMC list goes up on HN, the reaction is the same: Why the heck is Ready Player One on the list?
Thanks for diving a bit deeper into the selection.
To add a bit more context, the USMCRL has this in addition to the categorization:
"2044. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets..."
As the selection is in the 'Primary Level - Enlisted' alongside Ender's Game and Rifleman Dodd, I think it is there to showcase initiative and intelligence for young enlisted marines.
That said, the USMC Research Library [1] places it in, among other categories, "Regression (Civilization)", which may cast a glimmer of light on why it's where it is.
[1] https://usmc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?d...