1. The Cave of Time
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (interior and original cover), James Warhola (reissue cover)
First Published: 1979
ISBN: 0-553-12790-X (early printings), 0-553-14004-3 (later printings), 0-553-26965-8 (even later printings)
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 40
Plot Summary: You wander into a cave which transports you randomly through
time, leading to all manner of adventures.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish, Urdu
My Thoughts: This is a good start to a good series. There's nothing out of
the ordinary in terms of gameplay, but the adventure is nonetheless memorable
and entertaining. It's also worth noting that this book was made into a
computer game for the Apple II and Commodore 64 in the mid 1980s.
2. Journey Under the Sea
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (interior and original cover), Catherine Huerta (reissue cover)
First Published: 1979 (earlier edition published in 1977)
ISBN: 0-553-14003-5 (early printings), 0-553-20979-5 (later printings), 0-553-23229-0 (even later printings), 0-553-27393-0 (much later printings)
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 42
Plot Summary: You are an undersea explorer in search of Atlantis.
Translations: Catalan, Dutch, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Urdu
My Thoughts: Although the writing is a little weak, this is a good gamebook.
The mission to find Atlantis gives the reader a goal and sense of purpose,
which generally makes these things a lot more fun. This book was first
published as part of the Adventures of You series.
3. By Balloon to the Sahara
Reissue Title: Danger in the Desert
Author: D. Terman
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (interior and original cover), Romas Kukalis (reissue cover)
First Published: July, 1979
ISBN: 0-553-12791-8 (early printings), 0-553-14005-1 (later printings), 0-553-20949-3 (even later printings), 0-553-23183-9 (much later printings)
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 40
Plot Summary: You travel from France to Africa in a balloon, accompanied
by your friends Peter and Sarah and a dog named Harry.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Urdu
My Thoughts: This is an average entry in the series with no terribly notable
features apart from its use of companion characters. I have a feeling that
the author's name is a pseudonym, but if it is, I have no idea what the
author's real name is.
4. Space and Beyond
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (interior and original cover), David Mattingly (reissue cover)
First Published: January, 1980
ISBN: 0-553-14000-0 (early printings), 0-553-20891-8 (later printings), 0-553-23180-4 (even later printings), 0-553-27453-8 (much later printings)
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 44 (listed as 40 on some early editions)
Plot Summary: You are born on a spaceship to parents from two different
planets and must choose one of two possible homeworlds. Various adventures
occur on the way to (or on) the homeworld you decide to visit.
Translations: Catalan, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Urdu
My Thoughts: This is a very strange book. It contains a lot of bizarre
abstraction and pseudo-philosophical gibberish. It's definitely not one of
the stronger books in the series.
5. The Mystery of Chimney Rock
Reissue Title: The Curse of the Haunted Mansion
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (interior and original cover), Jacques Devaud (reissue cover)
First Published: January, 1980
ISBN: 0-553-14001-9 (early printings), 0-553-23184-7 (later printings), 0-553-27419-8 (even later printings)
Length: 121 pages
Number of Endings: 36 (listed as 40 on some early editions)
Plot Summary: While visiting your cousins Michael and Jane in Connecticut,
you end up exploring a supposedly cursed house which is said to be occupied
only by the cat of a dead woman.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Urdu
My Thoughts: This is a good horrific adventure; it's very strange at times
and has a slightly creepy atmosphere (which, of course, is desirable).
6. Your Code Name is Jonah
Reissue Title: Spy Trap
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (interior and original cover), Don Gabriel (reissue cover)
First Published: January, 1980 (original)
ISBN: 0-553-14002-7 (early printings), 0-553-20913-2 (later printings), 0-553-23182-0 (even later printings)
Length: 114 pages
Number of Endings: 27 (listed as 40 on some early editions)
Plot Summary: As an agent of the Special Intelligence Group, you must fight
Russian spies and discover the secret of a mysterious new whale song.
Collected In: Choose Your Own Adventure Box #2
Translations: Catalan, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book has a rather dated and uninvolving story, but it's
not all that bad.
7. The Third Planet from Altair
Reissue Title: Message from Space
British Alternate Title: Exploration Infinity
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Barbara Carter (Lippincott Original and Exploration Infinity interior illustrations), Geoff Hunt (Exploration Infinity cover), Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (this series interior and first cover)
First Published: November, 1980 (earlier edition published in April, 1979, Exploration Infinity published in 1982, reissue published in August, 1989)
ISBN: 0-397-31827-8 (Lippincott regular edition), 0-397-31884-7 (Lippencott library binding), 0-553-13978-9 (early CYOA printings), 0-553-20980-9 (later CYOA printings), 0-553-23185-5 (even later CYOA printings), 0416244505 (Exploration Infinity)
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 38
Library of Congress Summary: The reader, en route to the third planet
from Altair to seek the source and meaning of extraterrestrial messages, is
given choices to make determining the course of the spaceship and the survival
of the crew.
Plot Summary: When alien signals are detected coming from a planet orbiting
the distant star Altair, you are asked to travel into space to find their
senders. On your journey you are accompanied by Captain Bud Stanton,
Professor Henry Pickens, and Dr. Nera Vivaldi.
Collected In: Choose Your Own Adventure Box #2
Translations: Dutch, Italian, Spanish (North America)
My Thoughts: This is an above average science fiction gamebook with an
interesting story and excellent internal consistency. Before becoming
part of this series, it was released by Lippincott. The book was also
released in England as a stand-alone book called Exploration Infinity.
I have the Lippincott library binding edition in my collection, but I lack
Exploration Infinity. For those interested in examining the structure
of the book, Ace High sent in an Excel
spreadsheet showing a map of the book's sections.
8. Deadwood City
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Barbara Carter (Lippincott original), Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (this series)
First Published: November, 1980 (Lippincott version published in January, 1978)
ISBN: 0-397-31783-2 (Lippincott hardback), 0-397-31798-0 (Lippincott paperback), 0-553-13994-0 (this series), 0-553-20982-5 (this series, later printings), 0-553-23230-4 (this series, even later printings)
Length: 96 pages (Lippincott original), 113 pages (this series)
Number of Endings: 37
Library of Congress Summary (from Lippincott original): By following
the instructions at the bottom of each page, the reader can have several
different adventures in the Old West.
Plot Summary: You wander into the old west town of Deadwood City looking
for a job and find, predictably enough, adventure.
Collected In: Choose Your Own Adventure Box #2
Translations: Catalan, Dutch, Italian
My Thoughts: This western adventure is a fast and entertaining read.
Like The Third Planet from Altair, this book was released by
Lippincott before it became part of this series. I have copies of the
Lippincott hardback and paperback editions in my collection; scans of both
are on display above.
9. Who Killed Harlowe Thrombey?
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: February, 1981
ISBN: 0-553-14357-3 (earlier printings), 0-553-20912-4 (early printings), 0-553-23181-2 (later printings)
Length: 122 pages
Number of Endings: 14
Plot Summary: A rich man call you and asks for help when he feels his life
is in danger... Eventually (as the title gives away), you find yourself
trying to solve a murder case.
Collected In: Choose Your Own Adventure Box #2
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is a very well-designed gamebook. It has excellent
(but not absolutely perfect) continuity and consistency,
more-interesting-than-usual characters, and a clear goal (the solution of the
mystery) to work towards.
10. The Lost Jewels of Nabooti
Reissue Title: The Lost Jewels
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: March, 1981
ISBN: 0-553-14358-1 (early printings), 0-553-23231-2 (later printings), 0-553-25912-1 (even later printings)
Length: 121 pages
Number of Endings: 36
Plot Summary: Your cousins Peter and Lucy ask for your help in finding
the magical jewels of Nabooti.
Collected In: Choose Your Own Adventure Box #2
Translations: Catalan, Dutch, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Sadly, this is a rather weak entry in the series. The writing
is pretty awful and the story's not really too interesting (though it had the
potential to be a lot better).
11. Mystery of the Maya
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Richard Anderson
First Published: May, 1981
ISBN: 0-553-14600-9 (early printings), 0-553-22620-7 (later printings), 0-553-23186-3 (even later printings)
Length: 134 pages
Number of Endings: 44
Plot Summary: You are assigned to discover the reason for the end of the
ancient Mayan civilization.
Translations: Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina)
My Thoughts: This book is slightly below average in quality. For the most
part it's not too bad, but it occasionally becomes a bit incoherent.
12. Inside UFO 54-40
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: February, 1982
ISBN: 0-553-20197-2 (early printings), 0-553-23175-8 (later printings)
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 30
Plot Summary: You are kidnapped by the U-TY masters, alien creatures who
wish to place you in a zoo.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is a fairly interesting science fiction adventure, though
it's certainly not the best of the series. The book also contains the rather
annoying gimmick of making the reader search for the planet Ultima, a
place which is in the book but completely unreachable by regular play. It's
on page 101, in case you care...
13. The Abominable Snowman
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: May, 1982
ISBN: 0-553-20529-3
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 28
Plot Summary: You are a mountain climber. With your friend Carlos you
travel to Nepal in search of the Yeti.
Translations: Catalan, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is one of R. A. Montgomery's better books. While it has
some of the weird gibberish he likes to write in it, it's still a pretty good
story and an entertaining read.
14. The Forbidden Castle
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: August, 1982
ISBN: 0-553-22515-4 (early printings), 0-553-23236-3 (later printings)
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 27
Plot Summary: You return to the Cave of Time and end up in medieval Europe,
where you must solve a riddle and find a mysterious castle.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This sequel to The Cave of Time is quite good. Once
again, a clear quest makes the gameplay more fun, and it's actually something
of a challenge to reach the ideal ending.
15. House of Danger
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Ralph Reese
First Published: September, 1982
ISBN: 0-553-22541-3
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 20
Plot Summary: You are an amateur detective and psychic investigator. After
receiving a mysterious phone call, you end up investigating a modern house
built on the site of an old prison.
Translations: Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish
My Thoughts: This isn't a very good gamebook; it lacks internal consistency
and doesn't cover much new ground for the series. It's notable only because
it introduces the recurring characters of Ricardo and Lisa.
16. Survival at Sea
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: December, 1982
ISBN: 0-553-22768-8
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 26
Plot Summary: Dr. Vivaldi asks you to accompany her on a search for the
Arkasaur, a dinosaur which may have recently been sighted in the ocean.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is another excellent work by Edward Packard. It's
challenging and creative, and its use of a map makes things a bit more
interesting. This is also something of a sequel to The Third Planet
from Altair since it uses the character of Dr. Nera Vivaldi.
17. The Race Forever
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Ralph Reese
First Published: February, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23290-8
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 32
Plot Summary: You have been chosen to compete in two races in Africa, a
speed race and a rough road race.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Swedish
My Thoughts: This is a fun gamebook to play... It has two goals for the
reader to aim for, and it allows both of them to be reached in one reading.
Definitely a well-designed book.
18. Underground Kingdom
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Anthony Kramer
First Published: March, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23292-4
Length: 108 pages
Number of Endings: 21
Plot Summary: Dr. Vivaldi has discovered a bottomless crevasse and
disappeared into it... You are part of an expedition sent to find out
exactly where it leads.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Turkish
My Thoughts: This sequel to Survival at Sea (again, only a sequel
because of the presence of Dr. Vivaldi) is fairly weak. The book can be
fun, but there are some continuity problems which make it feel as if it
wasn't as well-planned as some of the earlier books in the series. For those
interested in examining the structure of the book, Ace High sent in an Excel spreadsheet showing a map of the book's
sections.
19. Secret of the Pyramids
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrator: Anthony Kramer
First Published: April, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23295-9
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You travel to Egypt with your uncle Bruce, a professor who
believes that the largest pyramid at Giza can be used as an energy source.
Translations: Bulgarian, Catalan, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Turkish
My Thoughts: This is a rather unexceptional book. There's nothing major
wrong with it, but it's not terribly interesting.
20. Escape
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Ralph Reese
First Published: May, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23294-0
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 27
Plot Summary: By the year 2035, the United States has been split into three
hostile provinces - Dorado, Rebellium, and Turtalia. You are a spy working
for the Turtalian democracy and you must escape from the hostile Dorado.
Translations: Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is another average book. It's not bad, but it's
also not particularly exceptional. The futuristic setting is a good idea,
but it's rather uncreatively developed. Like The Cave of Time, this
book was adapted into a computer game for the Commodore 64 and Apple II in
the mid 1980s.
21. Hyperspace
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Anthony Kramer
First Published: June, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23324-6
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 15
Plot Summary: Professor Zinka, your new neighbor, is experimenting with
hyperspace... You get involved in the strange results of his experiments.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is definitely a weird book. Events that occur are strange
and unrelated, you have the option of reading a gamebook within the gamebook,
and Dr. Vivaldi makes an odd appearance. Good stuff. In case you're
interested, I've received an Excel spreadsheet
showing a map of the book's sections, courtesy of Ace High.
22. Space Patrol
Author: Julius Goodman
Illustrator: Ralph Reese (interior and original cover), Tim Jacobus (reissue cover)
First Published: July, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23349-1 (early printings), 0-553-27520-8 (later printings)
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 26
Plot Summary: As the title suggests, you are the commander of a space patrol
and you must travel through the solar system making sure all is in order.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is a fairly good science fiction adventure, though it's
pretty typical in most ways. There are a few strange, goofy endings, though.
23. The Lost Tribe
Author: Louise Munro Foley
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: August, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23366-1
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 28
Plot Summary: You travel to New Zealand with your uncle Charlie in search
of the Lost Tribe of Fiordland.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is yet another adequate but unexceptional entry in the
series.
24. Lost on the Amazon
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Leslie Morrill
First Published: September, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23733-0 (early printings), 0-553-25795-1 (later printings)
Length: 114 pages
Number of Endings: 28
Plot Summary: You are a doctor trying to help various tribes living near
the Amazon battle tropical diseases. Unfortunately, your expedition
disappears before you can do anything, and you have to find and rescue them.
Translations: Bulgarian, Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is a fairly good book. It's not very interesting in terms
of gameplay, but the writing isn't too bad and the artwork is more detailed
than usual.
25. Prisoner of the Ant People
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Ralph Reese
First Published: October, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23661-X
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 28
Plot Summary: You are a member of the Zondo Quest Group II, a research
organization dedicated to battling a mysterious and destructive entity called
the Evil Power Master.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Perhaps I just like this because it's one of the first
gamebooks I ever read, but it's a pretty entertaining adventure. The title
doesn't really seem very appropriate to most of the story, though.
26. The Phantom Submarine
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrator: Ron Jones
First Published: November, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23635-0
Length: 111 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: Because of your ESP abilities, the government asks you to help
them find out why ships have been disappearing at sea.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is a rather weak gamebook; the writing is rather poor and
the gameplay is even worse. The book is badly paced and there are several
annoying "quit and don't get involved" choices which, obviously,
lead to uninteresting endings and really serve only as filler.
27. The Horror of High Ridge
Author: Julius Goodman
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: December, 1983
ISBN: 0-553-23867-1
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 27
Plot Summary: While on vacation with your friends Ricardo and Lisa, you
encounter ghosts in a town with a dark past.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is a fairly effective horror gamebook. It's successfully
atmospheric and has some interesting plot threads. It's also something of a
sequel to House of Danger since it has Ricardo and Lisa in it.
28. Mountain Survival
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (cover), Leslie Morrill (interior)
First Published: January, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-23868-X
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 25
Plot Summary: Your small plane crashes in the Canadian Rockies and
its pilot is too badly hurt to move, so you must search for help in the
dangerous terrain all by yourself.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain), Urdu
My Thoughts: This is an enjoyable adventure. In addition to being
fairly well-written and exciting, the book is aided by the fact that many of
its choices require a bit of thought and actually make sense logically.
29. Trouble on Planet Earth
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Ralph Reese
First Published: February, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-23865-5
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You and your psychic brother Ned investigate the
disappearance of all of Earth's oil.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This book is exceedingly silly and incoherent; there's
little internal consistency, many events make no sense whatsoever, and the
characters are mostly annoying stereotypes. The main redeeming feature of
this book is that at times it's so insanely bad that it's quite amusing.
30. The Curse of Batterslea Hall
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrators: Ralph Reese (cover), Ted Enik (interior)
First Published: March, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-23937-6
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You travel from America to England to visit your
cousin Amanda, who lives in the cursed Batterslea Hall.
Translations: Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Unlike most books of this sort, there's a fairly
developed (if not entirely original) story told here. Following different
paths through the book reveals more and more about what's going on in
Batterslea Hall, and after several readings everything makes sense. This is
far more entertaining than books full of random, unrelated events tend to be,
but it has the potential to make the first few readings rather confusing.
31. Vampire Express
Author: Tony Koltz
Illustrators: Doug Jamieson (interior and original cover), David Mattingly (reissue cover)
First Published: April, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24099-4 (early printings), 0-553-27053-2 (later printings)
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 21
Plot Summary: You travel to the vampire-infested Carpathian Mountains
of Romania to help your uncle Andrew prove scientifically that the undead
actually exist.
Translations: Catalan, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: While this book isn't spectacularly original, it has
decent writing and well-designed paths. Some things to watch out for are the
magical painting (which is quite bizarre) and the various character names
lifted from classic vampire fiction.
32. Treasure Diver
Author: Julius Goodman
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: May, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24050-1 (early printings), 0-553-25764-1 (later printings)
Length: 114 pages (plus background information)
Number of Endings: 19
Plot Summary: With the help of some friends, you search for
centuries-old sunken treasure in waters supposedly inhabited by modern-day
pirates.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is a good entry in the series. In addition to a
fairly well-thought-out and consistent (if improbable) plot, the gameplay
is satisfying; it may take a number of attempts, but you can find lots of
treasure if you try hard enough.
33. The Dragons' Den
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrators: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger) (cover), Paul Abrams (interior)
First Published: June, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24249-0
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You are a wandering adventurer in search of treasure in
a time of wizards and dragons.
Translations: Bulgarian, Catalan, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is about as generic a fantasy as you can find;
really the only things that make this book stand out at all are a few mildly
humorous anachronisms. Other series have done this sort of thing a lot more
interestingly. Speaking of other series, it's worth noting that Richard
Brightfield also wrote some books in the Your AMAZING
Adventures series featuring a dragon master similar to the one in this
book.
34. The Mystery of the Highland Crest
Author: Louise Munro Foley
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: July, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24344-6
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 19
Plot Summary: You are summoned by your aunt to Scotland, where you
must help resolve a family crisis.
Translations: Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This book has great atmosphere and is fairly
well-written, but it doesn't quite work. The continuity is a little bit
off, many of the choices are too obvious, and some endings come far too
abruptly. I enjoyed reading the book, but its gameplay doesn't quite live
up to its premise.
35. Journey to Stonehenge
Author: Fred Graver
Illustrators: Ralph Reese (cover), Leslie Morrill (interior)
First Published: August, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24484-1
Length: 111 pages
Number of Endings: 19
Plot Summary: You are a young reporter assigned to write about a
group of teenagers investigating the history of Stonehenge.
Translations: Bulgarian, Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is one of the weaker entries in the series. The
plot is aimless, the characters are vaguely defined at best, and the
continuity is poor. There's one point in the book where a character is
mentioned when it's possible that you haven't yet met him; this makes an
already confusing book even more disorienting. Considering its potentially
interesting subject matter, this book should have been a lot better.
36. The Secret Treasure of Tibet
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrator: Don Hedin (credited as Paul Granger)
First Published: September, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24522-8
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You've just finished studying the art of private
detection, and your first case is to prove that levitation is possible.
Translations: Bulgarian, Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book; its plot twists unexpectedly but
not unbelievably, and the story is well-defined and fairly consistent. There's
at least one continuity problem (it's possible to report a kidnapping that
you can't possibly know about), but since everything else works pretty well,
the error is forgiveable.
37. War with the Evil Power Master
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrators: Ralph Reese (cover), Paul Abrams (interior)
First Published: October, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24523-6
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 29
Plot Summary: In this sequel to Prisoner of the Ant People,
you and Flppto the Martian are working with the Lacoonian System Rapid
Force and must defeat the Evil Power Master before he destroys three entire
planets.
Translations: Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: I didn't particularly enjoy this book... The sci-fi
fails to work very well; too much time is spent on exposition that fails to
really explain anything, and the author wanders off into weird abstractions a
few times too many. The book also suffers from choices that really don't
matter because you just get blown up before your decision has time to yield
any results. It could be argued that this is done to add a touch of realism,
but it's kind of frustrating in a reader-driven story. There are some
interesting moments, though, such as a point in the story where you get
injured and must choose who will become the new commander. Still, these few
moments of creativity don't save the book from mediocrity.
38. Sabotage
Author: Jay Leibold
Illustrator: Ralph Reese
First Published: November, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24525-2 (early printings), 0-553-25860-5 (later printings)
Length: 132 pages
Number of Endings: 39
Plot Summary: You are a secret agent during World War II, and you
must rescue two of your friends from a Nazi-held castle.
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Portuguese, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: I quite enjoyed reading this book even though it has
some serious flaws. On the positive side, the book is exciting and contains
quite a few interesting choices and one or two genuinely surprising plot
twists. Unfortunately, the book is hampered a bit by its writing style,
which is rather unengaging and not nearly as detailed or well-written as,
say, a Time Machine book. Additionally, even
though this is one of the longest books in the series up to this point, it
has a number of endings that just trail off in a frustrating manner. Better
to have a "you're dead" ending than a "you're alive but we're
not going to tell you what happens next" ending. Despite these flaws,
though, the book is definitely worth reading.
39. Supercomputer
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Frank Bolle
First Published: December, 1984
ISBN: 0-553-24678-X (early printings), 0-553-25818-4 (later printings)
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You've won a computer programming contest, and the
prize is an extremely advanced computer...
Translations: Catalan, French, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book certainly covers a lot of territory; you can
attempt to aid the cause of peace by talking to world leaders, you can
try to communicate with dolphins, or you can be terrorized by a madman, among
other things. Dr. Vivaldi even makes an appearance along the way, making
this a sequel of sorts to Underground Kingdom and Hyperspace.
The biggest problem with the book is that, due to the way it deals with the
world of computers, it's extremely dated and ludicrously unrealistic... This
cheesiness has a certain charm to it, though, and fans of eighties nostalgia
should have fun with it.
40. The Throne of Zeus
Author: Deborah Lerme Goodman
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: January, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-24679-8 (early printings), 0-553-26265-3 (later printings)
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 30
Plot Summary: Your parents may have found evidence of the existence
of Olympus, palace of the gods, but they'll lose their funding unless they
can prove that their discovery is genuine. Your grandmother suggests that you
ask Zeus for advice on getting proof, and you attempt to do just that...
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Italian, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: As the plot summary suggests, this is a strange little
book, but it works quite well. During your search for Zeus you get a chance
to participate in a number of different Greek myths and you meet lots of
famous mythological figures ranging from Icarus to Cerberus. The book would
make a fairly good introduction to Greek mythology, though some of the
stories could have benefitted from a bit more background detail.
41. Search for the Mountain Gorillas
Author: Jim Wallace
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: February, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-26062-6
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 29
Plot Summary: You're a photographer working in the field on an
article about rare gorillas for African Naturalist magazine.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book is the author's first and is apparently based
partially on his real-life experiences. For some reason I failed to find the
book terribly engaging, though it's well-written and has some good moments.
Perhaps the problem is simply that this book isn't nearly as outlandish as
the last few and feels too restrained in comparison. It might also be that
the reader has very little control in the story; often your choices involve
who to follow rather than where to lead people, and quite a few major events
happen without allowing you any input.
42. The Mystery of Echo Lodge
Author: Louise Munro Foley
Illustrator: Don Hedin
First Published: March, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-24720-4
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 23
Plot Summary: You get to spend winter vacation helping your Aunt
Sadie with her ski lodge. Of course, all is not well there...
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: I was hoping that this would be another mystery along
the lines of Who Killed Harlowe Thrombey?, but alas it wasn't.
Instead it's a blend of mysticism and crime that I failed to find terribly
interesting. The book has a few pleasantly creepy moments, but it's missing
the sense of discovery that makes a good mystery (or most kinds of adventure,
for that matter) engaging.
43. Grand Canyon Odyssey
Author: Jay Leibold
Illustrator: Don Hedin
First Published: April, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-24822-7
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 35
Plot Summary: You've been hired by a rancher to find some of his
horses which have disappeared into the Grand Canyon under mysterious
circumstances.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book is rather reminiscent of R. A. Montgomery's
less coherent works in the way it periodically wanders off onto weird
metaphysical tangents. In other respects, it's similar to some of Edward
Packard's writing, in that it features time travel that takes place when you
simply move into certain areas. Ultimately, I think the author would have
done better to have stuck with his own style; this conglomeration of ideas
used by the series' standbys never really holds together well on its own,
despite the fact that it has a well-defined objective (find the horses) which
could have given it a clearer focus.
44. The Mystery of Ura Senke
Author: Shannon Gilligan
Illustrators: Don Hedin (cover), Paul Abrams (interior)
First Published: May, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-24892-8
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 23
Plot Summary: While in Japan, you get involved in a search for a
stolen tea bowl which also happens to be a Japanese national treasure.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is an excellent mystery gamebook! The story is
multifaceted enough that the book is highly replayable without becoming
inconsistent. There are a lot of different paths through the book, but
rather than contradicting each other, they instead each reveal a different
part of the overall storyline. The book's setting is also used well, and
interesting bits of information on Japanese culture are revealed throughout.
45. You Are a Shark
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: June, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-24963-0
Length: 114 pages
Number of Endings: 14
Plot Summary: Your hike through Nepal leads you into a forbidden
temple. As punishment for your intrusion, you must survive in the forms of
several different animals in order to earn your freedom.
Translation: Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: I first read this book a long time ago, and it has stuck
with me since then. It's definitely a refreshingly original book, and while
it's not always entirely believable, it's quite a satisfying read. When it
comes time to transform, the choices never ask you specifically which animal
you want to be, but instead give vague categories; this makes the book
considerably more interesting than it could have been, since you never know
what you're going to be next...
46. The Deadly Shadow
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrator: Don Hedin
First Published: July, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-24991-6
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 21
Plot Summary: As an agent for the Special Security Agency, you must
track down a man named Dimitrius, who has become dangerous and powerful as
the result of Russian experiments.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: Like most espionage stories involving the Russians, this
book has become rather dated. This, combined with my general disinterest in
the genre and the fairly unexciting writing style of the book, prevented me
from enjoying this adventure too much. Still, it has some positive points.
During the story, you can travel to a variety of famous locations all over
the world, and most of these trips are quite eventful. In most books, I'd
complain that this shows a poor sense of continuity (after all, the bad guys
can't be everywhere at once), but in this book, a convenient plot device
makes all of the outcomes plausible without breaking continuity.
Additionally, the book does feature some decent action sequences, and on at
least one occasion, it does a good job of making the adventure longer by
allowing multiple paths to lead to the same point in the story. In all, an
average book; not brilliant, but not bad either.
47. Outlaws of Sherwood Forest
Author: Ellen Kushner
Illustrator: Judith Mitchell
First Published: August, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-25069-8
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 33
Plot Summary: While stuck in a miserable summer camp, you wander
across a fairy ring and get transported to England in the middle ages, where
you encounter characters from the Robin Hood legend.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Fairy rings seem a popular gamebook plot device. In any
case, this is a decent book; the writing style is a bit more lively than is
generally the case in this series, and there are occasional moments of humor.
The book's use of the Robin Hood legend is fairly standard (not nearly as
original as that seen in the first Knightmare
book), but at least Maid Marian's portrayal is a bit odd. Undoubtedly, the
book's most original contribution to the genre is a sequence in which you run
into yourself, only the other you has made a different choice! The book also
features some rather nice illustrations, a few of which contain some cute and
subtle details; you have to love the gargoyles on page 18!
48. Spy for George Washington
Author: Jay Leibold
Illustrator: Don Hedin
First Published: September, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-25134-1
Length: 115 pages (plus map and historical notes)
Number of Endings: 31
Plot Summary: You decide to join the American Revolution, and you are
given a mission to deliver an important message to George Washington.
Translation: Italian
My Thoughts: Like the author's earlier work, Sabotage, this is
a purely historical adventure. Fortunately, it's a considerable improvement
over that earlier book. The writing style is much more engaging, and while
some endings are a bit abrupt, they're not too frustrating. The biggest
problem with the book is its gameplay -- it's simply far too easy to
successfully get the letter to Washington, and most of the paths through the
book are too brief. Still, if you don't mind winning again and again, you
can discover some interesting historical details by playing through the book
repeatedly. The notes in the back of the book which explain the origins of
the characters and situations used in the story are a welcome addition, and
it's a shame that such notes aren't more common in historically-based
gamebooks; I'd certainly like to know what was fact and what was fiction in
some of the Time Machine books.
49. Danger at Anchor Mine
Author: Louise Munro Foley
Illustrator: Leslie Morrill
First Published: October, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-25496-0
Length: 113 pages
Number of Endings: 16
Plot Summary: While visiting your grandmother in Canada, you begin to
suspect that the old mine your grandfather worked in before his death still
contains some gold; since your grandmother is in debt, you decide to
investigate.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is an exceptionally good entry in the series. The
story is complex, interesting and well-written, and its internal consistency
is perfect. The more you play, the more story threads you discover and the
more you understand how events relate to one another. While it's not too
difficult to reach a successful ending and help out your grandmother, it's
both challenging and rewarding to learn the full story of the mine and the
townspeople who live near it. On a totally unrelated note, I can't help but
wonder if the inclusion of a character named Randolph Carter is a nod to
H. P. Lovecraft or merely a coincidence; I'd lean towards coincidence, but
you never know...
50. Return to the Cave of Time
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Don Hedin
First Published: November, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-25296-8
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 16
Plot Summary: You travel back to the Cave of Time and see what fate
has in store for you...
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This is actually the third book in the series involving
the Cave of Time (the previous two being The Cave of Time and The
Forbidden Castle), and while it is written by Edward Packard, it has
a bit of metaphysical weirdness which sounds like it's the product of R. A.
Montgomery's mind. The book is interesting in that it is quite
unpredictable -- you never quite know where or when you'll end up. However,
this unpredictability is also the book's downfall. The reader has no real
motivation to revisit the Cave of Time, and the events that occur never
arrange themselves into anything resembling a coherent plot. Still, there
are some interesting ideas here and there. Perhaps the highlight of the book
is the ending on page 78; the text is rather dull, but the illustration that
accompanies it completely changes its tone and adds a wonderful twist. I
can't help wondering if this illustration was "scripted" by the
author or if it was simply added as a joke by the illustrator... And
speaking of the illustrator, this is the first book in which I noticed that
Don Hedin doesn't just draw like Paul Granger; Don Hedin is Paul
Granger! I wonder what convinced him to start using his real name...
51. The Magic of the Unicorn
Author: Deborah Lerme Goodman
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: December, 1985
ISBN: 0-553-25242-9
Length: 114 pages
Number of Endings: 27
Plot Summary: It is 1507, and your village's water supply has become
tainted. You must find a way to purify it, perhaps with the help of a
unicorn, before it is too late!
Translations: Catalan, Danish, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: The fantasy adventures in this series always tend to
feel a bit flat when compared to the more interesting competition (like the
Endless Quest or Forgotten
Forest books). This book is no exception, though it certainly isn't the
worst of its kind. It's just a bit bland, and its unremarkable story isn't
helped much by its disappointing gameplay -- victory is far too easy (it's
amazing just how many different ways you can find to purify the water), and
when death comes, it tends to come at random, without warning. As a result,
the decision-making doesn't feel particularly meaningful, and the whole book
is rather unsatisfying.
52. Ghost Hunter
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: Bill Schmidt (original cover), David Mattingly (reissue cover), Ted Enik (interior)
First Published: January, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25488-X (early printings), 0-553-26983-6 (later printings)
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 20
Plot Summary: You are the private investigator who solved the
Harlowe Thrombey murder case, but you're growing bored with your profession.
It's time for something new: ghost hunting!
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This direct sequel to Who Killed Harlowe
Thrombey? isn't quite as good as its predecessor in terms of
goal-oriented gameplay, but it's still a slightly better-than-average entry
in the series. The writing is decent, the story is adequate (though
unexceptional), and most paths through the book manage to be quite lengthy
without being slow-moving.
53. The Case of the Silk King
Author: Shannon Gilligan
Illustrator: Frank Bolle
First Published: February, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25489-8
Length: 114 pages (plus author's note)
Number of Endings: 19
Plot Summary: You travel to Thailand in hope of learning more about
Jim Thompson, an American who worked in the silk business until his
mysterious disappearance in 1967.
Translations: Catalan, Italian, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain), Turkish
My Thoughts: This book, a sequel to The Mystery of Ura Senke,
is notable for two reasons... First of all, it is based on a true story;
unless you count historical gamebooks, this sort of thing is unusual in the
genre. Secondly, the book was adapted into a thirty minute television
special which aired in 1992; as far as I can tell, this is the first (and
only) time that an interactive book has been translated to a non-interactive
visual medium. Sadly, I've not yet had the good fortune of seeing the
special. In any case, the book is nearly (but not quite) as strong as its
predecessor, and it is similar in its exploration of an Asian culture and in
its internally-consistent development of a mystery plot. The writing is
adequate, the choices are interesting, and solving the mystery is a
challenge, but many of the story's conclusions aren't quite as satisfying
as one might like them to be, and the clues are often found a bit too easily
to be believed.
54. Forest of Fear
Author: Louise Munro Foley
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: March, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25490-1
Length: 116 pages (plus author's note)
Number of Endings: 17
Plot Summary: You go to visit your uncle, an author of adventure
novels, at his home, an old ranger station in the woods. He's behaving
rather oddly, however, and his latest book seems a little too close to
reality for comfort...
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book has an intriguing story with some effective
plot elements, but it isn't as strong as Louise Munro Foley's last entry
in the series (Danger at Anchor Mine) for one critical reason: lack
of consistency. Some very important parts of the plot change depending on
which choices are made, and a number of the questions posed by the book are
never satisfactorily answered. As a result, the book has some wonderful
paths through it, but as a whole, it isn't quite as enjoyable as it could
have been. Also, a minor complaint -- the introduction to the story is
quite long, and there is lots of page-turning during it. Why do these
books have so much pointless page-turning? It's fine if it's because of a
choice or converging plot paths or even for suspense... but there's no
good reason to require the reader to wander all through the book just to read
an introductory passage!
55. The Trumpet of Terror
Author: Deborah Lerme Goodman
Illustrator: Ted Enik
First Published: April, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25491-X
Length: 114 pages (plus name glossary and special information)
Number of Endings: 28
Plot Summary: The year is 938. You are about to set off on your
first sea voyage when you see a man who you believe might be Odin, the Norse
god who once gave your great-grandfather a magical trumpet...
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book is quite similar to Deborah Lerme Goodman's
earlier entry in the series, The Throne of Zeus, in its
mythologically-oriented plotline. This time, however, Norse mythology is
used instead of the Greek equivalent. This is fairly interesting, as these
stories aren't quite as well-known as their Greek counterparts. As in The
Throne of Zeus, most of the mythological elements are featured only
briefly in the interest of cramming as many strange events as possible into
the story, but the book is definitely a decent introduction to Norse
mythology -- once you've read about six-legged horses and boats made from the
fingernail clippings of the dead, there's at least a fair chance that you'll
be inspired to go out and look for more information. Readers who already
know about this stuff may be disappointed, however, as the book isn't all
that interesting in itself; the consequences of most choices seem more or
less random, so there's little satisfaction in the gameplay. Also worth
noting are the illustrations -- I've always thought Ted Enik's thick-lined,
cartoony drawing style seemed more at home in the
Skylark books for younger readers than in this
series, but a couple of the illustrations here would definitely not be
appropriate for younger readers. The picture on page 101 is the most
notable example, being surprisingly bloody!
56. The Enchanted Kingdom
Author: Ellen Kushner
Illustrators: S. Murdocca (cover), Judith Mitchell (interior)
First Published: May, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25861-3
Length: 113 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: You visit your aunt in England, where you learn
first-hand about the secrets of the Fair Folk.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Fairy rings again! Some people can't seem to get enough
of them! Actually, this is a fairly interesting entry in the series, delving
into British folklore in a light but entertaining manner. Of course, it's
not as interesting as actual British books that cover the same material (the
Knightmare series, for example), but it's not bad.
I was also once again pleased by the little details in Judith Mitchell's
illustrations; as a Doctor Who fan, I was particularly happy to see
jelly babies represented in the candy shop illustration on page 29. There is
one slight goof, however -- the startled girl on page 55 should be wearing
blue jeans according to the text, not shorts. Oh well.
57. The Antimatter Formula
Author: Jay Leibold
Illustrator: Frank Bolle
First Published: June, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25741-2
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 32
Plot Summary: Both of your parents are physicists dabbling in
antimatter experiments. One morning, you wake up, and all is quiet. Too
quiet.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is Jay Leibold's first entirely non-historical
entry in the series, and it's quite good. The introductory section is
particularly well-written, conveying the world's silence effectively and
eerily and seeming almost poetic coming from a Choose Your Own
Adventure book. While the story uses some of the most tired cliches of
the series (eccentric scientists and KGB spies, among other things), it does
so with enough skill to rise well above the material. Things are helped
further by its sense of humor; it's hard not to chuckle at the choice on page
108, for example. Also worth noting is the fact that the boy in the
illustrations sometimes looks sort of like I did when I was younger and had
less hair. If I'd read this at the time, I imagine this would have increased
the immersion factor a bit!
58. Statue of Liberty Adventure
Author: Ellen Kushner
Illustrator: Ted Enik
First Published: July, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25813-3
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 20
Plot Summary: Your class visits the Statue of Liberty and this, as
the title suggests, leads you to adventure!
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book was published simultaneously with The Miss
Liberty Caper, a similarly-themed book in the
Skylark Choose Your Own Adventure series. Like its companion book, it
handles its educational aspects pretty well, throwing interesting facts into
the story periodically. The book really divides into two distinct stories.
One of them, involving (rather unsurprisingly) time travel, doesn't always
make a whole lot of sense, but its randomness is largely compensated for by
its characters, all of whom are well-drawn if not particularly believable. I
particularly enjoyed falling in with an early 20th-century anarchist! The
other story is more game-oriented, and it does a respectable job of allowing
the reader to puzzle out a riddle, being designed in such a way that making
a wrong choice initially still won't make the ultimate solution too obvious.
On a whole, the book certainly isn't my favorite, but it is entertaining and
has a good bit of variety in it, so it's worth a read.
59. Terror Island
Author: Tony Koltz
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: August, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25885-0
Length: 121 pages
Number of Endings: 18
Plot Summary: A sailing trip with your uncle takes a turn for the
worse when your ship is wrecked and you find yourself involved with Omicron,
an evil corporation bent on conquering the world.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Not satisfied with making tons of references to vampire
literature in his last book, Tony Koltz has decided here to bombard the
reader with nods to Mutiny on the Bounty. A bit odd, but it provides
something to watch for while reading. As in the other espionage stories of
this series, the plot is both dated and ridiculous, but it's so over-the-top
and campy that it's fairly enjoyable. The colorful (though sometimes
stereotyped) characters help to make the adventure readable, and I'm sure
that many readers will also appreciate the presence of the occasional
prehistoric monster. This isn't really one of my favorite books, but at
least it's not as bland as it could easily have been, and it does have a
satisfying variety of outcomes, in terms of both story possibilities and
degrees of success.
60. Vanished!
Author: Deborah Lerme Goodman
Illustrator: Frank Bolle
First Published: September, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-25941-5
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 29
Plot Summary: You and your friends Tony and Andrea set off in search
of another friend, Jill, who has vanished in the Bermuda Triangle.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book is a definite change of pace for its author,
who had only written fantasy up until this point. It actually feels like it
belongs earlier on in the series, as its fast pace and many random and
unexpected plot twists are rather reminiscent of the first dozen-or-so
entries. Really, I find it surprising that the series didn't capitalize on
the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon sooner (and also that they didn't mention the
dreaded area in the book's title -- I imagine doing so would have increased
sales). Anyway, the book has its ups and downs. It's nice to have only
minimal time between choices and lots of things to try, and there's also a
strong gameplay element, since finding Jill is definitely not easy. The
problem, though, is that victory isn't particularly exciting once you manage
it). Actually, there's not a whole lot of satisfaction to most of the paths
through the book, successful or otherwise -- it all goes by so fast that it
rarely feels like anything has actually happened (though there are some
exceptions; I found the portion of the book where you encounter aliens to be
at least a bit more intriguing than the rest of the story). There are also a
couple of weird attempts at being educational -- in one section, for example,
you increase your vocabulary by learning the word "seiche" just in
time to get killed by one! This book is great if your attention span is
feeling short, but if you're looking for a fully developed story, you'd most
likely do better looking elsewhere.
61. Beyond Escape!
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Frank Bolle
First Published: October, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-26169-X
Length: 113 pages
Number of Endings: 20
Plot Summary: The year is 2041. As the Chief of Operations for
Turtalia, you face two immediate problems: the disappearance of two valuable
agents and the escape of a dangerous Doradan spy.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This sequel to the twentieth book in the series is
probably an improvement. I say "probably" because, although I've
read it several times, my memories of the original Escape are very
dim. This book seems a little more likely to stick with me, and it's also
written with more skill than earlier R. A. Montgomery works, so I'll give it
the benefit of the doubt. My biggest complaint is actually with the artwork.
It really doesn't match the text too well; it portray's the reader's
character as a fairly young child. This makes sense considering the book's
audience, but it doesn't fit with the text of the book, which takes place
quite a few years after the original book and which gives the reader some
very authoritative dialogue that I can't envision coming from the figure in
the book's drawings. Actually, the entire book, not just the main character,
is surprisingly mature, not in terms of potentially offensive content, but
rather in tone. The descriptions of the post-apocalyptic landscape and the
frequent examinations of the Turtalian-Doradan political situation seem more
likely to resonate with an adult than with a child -- I think I would have
found this book unspeakably dull when I was ten years old, though I can't
recall if I actually read it at that age. Having read it now, I can't say
that I found the book thrillingly creative, but despite being about as
ridiculous as any book in this series, it does have a number of
effective moments that balance the usual handful of meaningless choices and
frustratingly abrupt endings. This was better than I expected it to be, and
it's probably worth a read.
62. Sugarcane Island
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrator: Ted Enik
First Published: 1976 (original, non-CYOA version), November, 1986 (this revised edition)
ISBN: 0-553-26040-5
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 39
Plot Summary: Your ship is wrecked by a huge wave and you must find a
way to survive on an isolated and dangerous island.
Translations: Catalan, German, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Having already read and reviewed the earlier edition of
this book, I examined this one with a primary intent of finding out exactly
what was revised. As it turns out, there were enough changes to justify an
entire article on
the subject. Specifics aside, this book really does show that Edward Packard
grew as an author between 1969 (when the book was first written) and 1986
(when the revisions were made). He's ironed out all of the vague points,
made the dangers to the protagonist more immediate and defined the characters
better by adding a fair amount of dialogue. As with the unrevised original,
there's nothing amazing about this book if it's taken out of context, but
as an important piece of gamebook history, it's worth at least a brief look.
63. Mystery of the Secret Room
Author: Ellen Kushner
Illustrator: Judith Mitchell
First Published: December, 1986
ISBN: 0-553-26270-X (early printings), 0-553-27694-8 (later printings)
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 24
Plot Summary: While taking care of your eccentric great-aunt's house,
you come upon a secret room in which she has prepared a surprise for you...
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book is a real treat. The adventures in this
series tend to feel fairly bland to me, and I was expecting this to be yet
another overly restrained story. The introductory segment certainly
suggested that this was going to be the case, since great-aunt Celia's
eccentricity wasn't portrayed in as outlandish a fashion as one might hope.
However, once things got going, this turned out to be quite possibly my
favorite entry in the series thus far. The humor that the author displayed
occasionally in her previous works is brought further into the foreground
here, and the comedy is quite violent at times; thus, the book never feels
overly sanitized, and it is certainly one of the few entries in the series
that I think an adult audience could really enjoy without embarassment.
Because of this potential crossover appeal, and despite the fact that some of
its material is a little dated, I feel that this book deserves a reprint -- I
have a feeling it could be well-appreciated by the post-Harry Potter
generation.
64. Volcano!
Author: Meryl Siegman
Illustrator: Ted Enik
First Published: January, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26197-5 (early printings), 0-553-27661-1 (later printings)
Length: 111 pages (plus author's note)
Number of Endings: 19
Plot Summary: You are determined to find a legendary silver sword
hidden in a Hawaiian volcano.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: After enjoying the last book so much, I expected to find
this one disappointing by comparison. Unfortunately, my expectations were
correct; in fact, this book is fairly disappointing by any standards. It's
very much the prototypical Choose Your Own Adventure, featuring the
expected smugglers and volcanic eruptions. It does have some good moments
(most notable is an atmospheric bamboo forest) and a few interesting (but
clumsily inserted) facts about Hawaii, but its good points are outweighed by
its failings. The book suffers from two of my biggest pet peeves. First of
all, its plot has little consistency, since the silver sword moves around,
and the seemingly inevitable volcanic eruption might or might not occur,
depending on which choices the player makes. Even worse, many of the endings
have little or no closure, either ending on a cliffhanger or failing to give
the proper sense of victory and accomplishment. The book isn't an absolute
failure, but it's nothing special either.
65. The Mardi Gras Mystery
Author: Louise Munro Foley
Illustrator: Ron Wing
First Published: February, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26291-2
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 17
Plot Summary: For spring break, you're helping your uncle David out
at his antique shop and exploring New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: I had fairly high hopes for this book since, at her
best, Louise Munro Foley is an excellent writer. Unfortunately, I was a
little bit disappointed. The book does have the benefit of a detailed and
largely consistent plot, but it's just not all that compelling. The mystery
aspect of the book never really intrigued me, and the horror elements failed
to be particularly horrific. The book's awkward introduction of information
about voodoo and Mardi Gras was also a problem, as were a couple of
less-than-satisfying endings. Others might like this more than I did, but
for me, it just felt like it was missing something, and it never really held
my attention.
66. Secret of the Ninja
Author: Jay Leibold
Illustrator: S. Freymann
First Published: April, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26484-2 (early printings), 0-553-27565-8 (later printings)
Length: 115 pages (plus glossary and special note)
Number of Endings: 29
Plot Summary: Something mysterious and disturbing is happening in
your friend Nada's dojo, and you have to help her figure out exactly what is
wrong.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This was the first of several books in the series
featuring a martial arts theme. As a result, it's one of the most popular
and frequently-reprinted entries. Since I've never been especially
interested in martial arts, I actually didn't read this book as a child; this
is too bad, as I actually might have liked it. It's more about legends and
spirits than about beating people up, and the pace is quite fast. Although
the writing isn't nearly as good as what was displayed in Jay Leibold's
previous book and credibility is far too frequently stretched, it's a decent
adventure, featuring numerous references to Japanese folklore and good plot
consistency in the tradition of Louise Munro Foley's better work. Unlike
Foley's successes, though, the tale doesn't reveal new facets with each read,
instead tending to repeat the same small handful of revelations again and
again. This is too bad, as it seriously inhibits replayability. The
reader's motivation to stick around is further diminished by rather mediocre
illustrations and a number of frustratingly abrupt endings (a Leibold
trademark?). Still, for all its flaws, this is a fairly respectable entry in
the series, and worth at least a handful of read-throughs.
67. Seaside Mystery
Author: Ann Hodgman
Illustrator: Judith Mitchell
First Published: May, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26471-0
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 23
Plot Summary: Your boring summer is enlivened somewhat by the
involvement of a mermaid.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is a decidedly bland and disappointing entry in the
series. It takes all of the expected mermaid cliches, adds some "stuck
with an impossibly unpleasant old lady" cliches and proceeds rather
limply from there. Although the book follows one or two potentially
interesting paths (especially one dealing with the dark side of mermaid
culture), its overall predictability and lack of stylish writing prevent it
from ever successfully engaging the reader. The book isn't notably bad, but
it is so utterly forgettable that it's really not worth spending much, if
any, time on.
68. Secret of the Sun God
Author: Andrea Packard
Illustrator: Yee Chea Lin
First Published: June, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26529-6
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 25
Plot Summary: You travel to Mexico to help your aunt Eloisa find a
legendary temple.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This is the second book written by Edward Packard's
daughter (after The Evil Wizard in the Skylark
Choose Your Own Adventure series), and it's a decent adventure story
featuring all of the staples of the series: ancient mysteries, an
adventurous relative, evil smugglers, etc., etc. There's really nothing here
that hasn't been done before, but the tale is told pretty well despite its
familiarity, with simple but engaging writing and a number of meaningful and
interesting choices to make. It's not innovative enough to earn classic
status for itself, but it successfully evokes the flavor of earlier books in
the series well enough to please fans of those works.
69. Rock and Roll Mystery
Author: Jim Wallace
Illustrator: Ted Enik
First Published: July, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-27697-2
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 21
Plot Summary: You're the leader of a promising new band, but before
you can enter stardom, you'll need to rescue two of your members from
kidnappers.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: Although it's not quite as horrifically dated as I had
expected, this book is most definitely a relic of the eighties. In fact,
large parts of it would not be out of place in the cartoons of the era.
Depending on your path, you may find yourself facing a rival band, a group
of anti-rock terrorists or even space aliens; normally this sort of
inconsistency really bothers me, but here I think it actually works pretty
well, increasing replayability dramatically. I would have preferred if the
mystery aspect of the story had been emphasized more and the choices had been
more strategic, but I'm willing to accept this book for what it is: a weird
and sometimes disjointed adventure that could only have existed in the decade
of my childhood.
70. Invaders of the Planet Earth
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrator: Leslie Morrill
First Published: August, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26669-1
Length: 115 pages
Number of Endings: 21
Plot Summary: Ten years ago, the Earth was invaded by aliens who
disabled all of the planet's electricity due to their own vulnerabilities. You
have decided to somehow find a way to free the Earth's population and restore
power to the world.
My Thoughts: I really couldn't help but enjoy this book; I have a
weakness for end-of-civilization science fiction tales, and this adventure is
based on a rather entertaining premise. Although, like the rest of the
series, the book frequently stretches credibility and dives head-first into
the realm of silliness, I nonetheless found it a fun read. It's one of
Richard Brightfield's best works. The book is also something of a landmark
in the series: it's the first to feature a gradient color on the cover in
place of the traditional all-white look. I'm a little baffled as to why this
new look includes the phrase "You're the star of more than 21
endings," though; the book has exactly 21 endings, so using the phrase
"more than" isn't exactly accurate. Oh well!
71. Space Vampire
Author: Edward Packard
Illustrators: David Mattingly (cover), Judith Mitchell (interior)
First Published: August, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26723-X
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 25
Plot Summary: You are a recent Elite-level graduate of the Space
Academy, and your first mission involves a near-invincible alien vampire!
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: At least this time around, when the back of the book
says "You're the star of more than 24 endings," it isn't lying.
Of course, I'm not sure why they couldn't just say "You're the star of
exactly 25 endings." I'll never understand marketers. Anyway,
pointless nitpicking aside, this is a pretty good book. It is, of course,
rather silly, but it nonetheless has some atmospheric moments, appropriately
gruesome artwork and interesting choices. The book's biggest weakness is
probably its tendency to awkwardly insert information on vampire lore into
the text, though this is easily ignored. One thing that gives the book a
slightly odd feel is the fact that, more or less no matter what you do,
even if you go off on a totally unrelated mission, you'll end up facing
vampires. While this further damages the book's already near-nonexistent
realism and somewhat diminishes replayability, it nonetheless works pretty
well since it keeps things focused on topic at all times. It's also worth
noting is that the book features an appearance by Dr. Vivaldi, who has been
absent from the series for quite some time. She's described as being in her
fifties here, though I'm not sure how significant that is. Trying to sort
out continuity in this series is an exercise in futility, but it is fun that
certain elements keep resurfacing from time to time.
72. The Brilliant Dr. Wogan
Author: R. A. Montgomery
Illustrator: Leslie Morrill
First Published: August, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26724-8
Length: 113 pages
Number of Endings: 20
Plot Summary: Dr. Wogan, a scientist working on an anti-radiation
device to protect the world from nuclear war, has disappeared, and you, as
his assistant, must somehow find him.
My Thoughts: The "More than x endings!" thing is getting
really silly now -- the back claims the book has more than 21 endings, but by
my count there are only 20 in here. Yeesh! Anyway, I was disappointed by
this book. It seems promising enough, displaying better-than-average writing
by Montgomery and having a plot that, while hardly original, is at least
mostly coherent. The problem is that it lacks satisfying endings; most are
abrupt or vague or otherwise frustrating. It's no good to have a decent
story if you're not going to end it with finality, and the general lack of
closure brings down what might otherwise have been at least a marginally
interesting adventure.
73. Beyond the Great Wall
Author: Jay Leibold
Illustrator: Yee Chea Lin
First Published: August, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26725-6
Length: 116 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: It is the beginning of the twentieth century, and you
hope to make your fortune by searching China for a missing archaeologist; if
you can him or the ancient cave of treasures he sought, you will be richly
rewarded.
My Thoughts: After a couple of weird asides, Jay Leibold has jumped
enthusiastically back into the world of purely historical fiction. As the
note at the beginning of the book indicates, a lot of research went into this
book, and there are many interesting real-life (and legendary) details to be
uncovered by exploring the story. There's a lot of text here, too -- the
book's pages are much more packed than is usual for the series. This fact
can make the book a little hard to get into if you're used to a really fast
pace and frequent choices, but if you approach the adventure with the right
attitude, your patience will be rewarded with a consistently-designed,
goal-oriented quest. Although this isn't Leibold's most engaging work, it is
nonetheless a distinct success.
74. Longhorn Territory
Author: Marc Newman
Illustrators: George Wilson (cover), Frank Bolle (interior)
First Published: November, 1987
ISBN: 0-553-26904-6
Length: 113 pages
Number of Endings: 20
Plot Summary: The year is 1860, and you are visiting your uncle in
the Wild West.
My Thoughts: With this book, the series has dropped the dumb
"more than x endings" banner used on the back cover of the
August, 1987 releases and gone back to actually listing the exact number of
endings on the outside of the book. Definitely a good move. Also good is
the fact that the cover illustrator is now credited on the back of the title
page -- the past few volumes don't seem to mention cover illustrators
anywhere, yet I suspect that few, if any, have covers done by the same
artists that worked on the interiors. These external factors aside, the most
interesting thing about this book is the fact that it's the winner of a
writing contest for readers of the series -- it was written by a high school
student. It's a pretty impressive accomplishment, actually, as its writing
is just as good as anything previously seen in the series. The only things
which suggest its non-professional origins are shorter-than-average sections
and an overly familiar story and setting. Of course, since these traits are
shown by many professional entries in the series, I can't put too much weight
on them. Anyway, I'm no fan of Westerns, but this is a decent and fast-paced
entry in the series. It's certainly good enough to make me wish that I could
have seen some of the other contest entries.
75. Planet of the Dragons
Author: Richard Brightfield
Illustrators: James Warhola (cover), Judith Mitchell (interior)
First Published: January, 1988
ISBN: 0-553-26887-2
Length: 117 pages
Number of Endings: 21
Plot Summary: Your lifepod has crashed on a planet that resembles
Earth but which has rather more unusual inhabitants....
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Thoughts: This book is a sequel to Invaders of the Planet
Earth, though it stands on its own quite well. Unfortunately, I didn't
enjoy it quite as much as its predecessor. While I did like the fact that
many of the paths through the book are lengthy and lead to satisfying
conclusions, the basic scenario of the book wasn't as gripping as that of
Brightfield's previous adventure. There are some outlandish creatures and
interesting situations on display here, but the overall experience is somehow
lacking something. It wouldn't surprise me if this adventure was written in
a bit of a hurry. This is still well above average for a science fiction
adventure in this series, but it's not as good as it might have been.
76. The Mona Lisa is Missing!
Author: Ramsey Montgomery
Illustrators: James Warhola (cover), Gonzalez Vicente (interior)
First Published: February, 1988
ISBN: 0-553-27004-4
Length: 118 pages
Number of Endings: 22
Plot Summary: The Mona Lisa has been stolen, and the French
authorities have asked you to help them find it.
Translations: Catalan, Spanish (Spain)
My Tho