This was an unexpected sequel.

Anyway, Ernest Cline is an expert on escapism. He is so good at it, that at the ending of the first book even after his explicit warning against going too far burying your head into the sand, you are still left thinking how awesome the Oasis and the whole quest for the 3 keys was. After reading this book it seems that he wanted to amend his mistake, so he toned down his barrage of references (there is still plenty, but I honestly loved the sheer opulence of them in the first book) and he acknowledged Wades many personal flaws that I personally couldn't see back in high school (I was a dumb nerdy kid) and this time he was going to hammer the point home... After the first book Wade learned nothing, got worse, got better, put everyone into the Sword Art Online Situation (everyone's brains got stuck in the Oasis and no one could log off) then gone on a new quest to learn his lesson this time...

And the lesson is that escapism is mighty dangerous, but GOD do we need it. Just look at 2020.

WE LEARNED NOTHING.

Basically that is the core of it, but because it seems I am one of the first to review the book after reading it I don't want to say more about the plot in order to avoid spoilers.

Short version: If you liked the first book you will find something to like in this one too.