A brief review of 'Assassin in Orlandes'

For those who have not encountered them before, gamebooks are games that are books. Yep, that simple. They are non linear stories with game elements.

They reached their heyday in the late 1980's and early 90's but to my great delight they appear to be making something of a comeback.

One of the champions of this new wave of interactive fiction is the Melbourne based Tin Man Games. They have produced numerous new titles as well as reviving some classics in the form of mobile apps. Now in a new venture with Snowbooks they are beginning to publish these digital stories in physical form.

There is a certain poetic justice in this. The genre is returning to its roots perhaps?

The first of these publications is 'Assassin in Orlandes." I had downloaded the excellent Android App some time ago and I had explored the world of Orlandes City (rather unsuccessfully! I kept getting killed...!) but I am a physical kind of guy and I love books so imagine my reaction when I knew I read this award winning game in good old fashion wood pulp. The paperback edition became available on Amazon and I ordered my copy without hesitation.

I was not disappointed.

The book arrived a few days ago and it took me a couple of hours for me to complete. I have a confession to make. I did cheat a bit. I read gamebooks rather than play them. I found the story in 'Assassin in Orlandes' interesting enough to hold my attention. I was amused at the way the rules were integrated into the main flow of the book. Unlimited cheating is possible. Thankfully!

The early part of the book is fairly straight forward. The middle section increases the complexity of the game. There is plenty of opportunities to engage in fights and there are a few puzzles. The final section enfolds with a surprise towards the end.

There are no spoilers here.

I think I would give this gamebook a score of 8 out of 10. As I say, the story held my attention and the rule system was simple. I can see why this gamebook won awards. The writing is also well crafted. I did think that the print quality of the paperback wasn't as good as it could be but the price I paid (£8:99 on Amazon) was not exorbitant and I felt I had value for money. One of the things I loved about the app version was the maps that were included. That was one thing missing from the book and I would have been willing to part with more money if for these kinds of features.

To summarise is enjoyed the paperback and I look forward to more gamebooks from Tin Man Games and Snowbooks.

Lone Wolf ''Storms of Chai' on its way soon.

I am eagerly awaiting the latest instalment in the classic Lone Wolf Gamebook series. 'The Storms of Chai' by Joe Dever.  In this story 'you' play the role of Kai Grandmaster sent on a perilous mission by the Supreme Master and leader of your order Lone Wolf himself. The book is on its way and I will post a short review when it arrives. it should be good if past books in the series are anything to go by.

Lone Wolf was always a perplexing character in many ways. When I was younger I devoured the first twelve books in this series but it was when I read book 11 ('Prisoners of Time') that I really felt I started to get to know the back story for the then Kai Master. The great thing about this story universe is that each books builds on the next. In 'Prisoners of Time' Lone wolf is journeying through a parallel world and there are one or two passages that point back to his life before he became a member of the mystical order of Kai Lords. I love those references. I don't know if later volumes built on this approach. I only recently rediscovered this series. I would love to know more and I will endeavour to share my findings. 

The best gamebooks are the ones with a compelling thread of character development. This has to be done in a way that doesn't get in the way of game play and does not restrict choice. The Lone Wolf series managed this in the main. I felt that learning about the lead characters family and origins added depth. I enjoyed it. Which is kind of the point of reading the books. 

So 'Storms of Chai' is the 29th book in the series. I think Joe Dever deserves an award to two (I know he has some already) for his perseverance and for the joy he has brought to so many. I am sure this books will go down as one of the really good ones.