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Item - Gorgon's Cave

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Series: EDGE - I, Hero: Decide Your Own Destiny — no. 3
Authors: Barlow, Steve
Skidmore, Steve
Illustrator: Leong, Sonia
Date: October 25, 2007
ISBN: 0749676663 / 9780749676667
Length: 51 pages
Number of Endings: 9 (8 end/restart, 1 end)
Gamebook's Thoughts:

The objective of this gamebook is to rescue the King's daughter from a gorgon, Euryale. She was kidnapped and has been brought to the eponymous Gorgon's Cave. Not so original, then.

This is one of the earliest gamebooks written by the two Steves, and it shows. The adventure is short enough already, with only 50 sections, yet there is much padding with pointless choices such as not accepting the quest, deciding not to enter the cave and so on.

In addition, many of the correct choices are pretty obvious.(Fight the creature? Or use magical item?) Also, simple puzzles that have to be negotiated to advance can be solved just by picking the "think harder" option. The following section then explains the puzzle. This occurs on at least two occasions.

Minor gripes: Introduction states the cave is "haunted" by a gorgon. Shouldn't that word be used for ghosts only? Choosing to "follow" Euryale results in you looking into her eyes and turning into stone. The illustrations of Euryale in the book are perhaps a little unsuitable for the target audience.

Overall, simplistic plot and choices and limited replayability will not appeal to older audiences.

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Special Thanks:Thanks to Ken G. for the cover scan and other information.
Users Who Own This Item: Gamebook, kinderstef, knginatl, marnaudo, waktool (UK 1st printing (ex-library))

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