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Golden Dragon #6
Castle of Lost Souls
A classic choose-your-own style adventure from the golden ages of gamebooks - back in print at last! Beyond the hills and haunted swamps towards the sunset lies the grim castle of the arch-fiend Slank. For centuries this demon has plundered the souls of mortal men, gathering them to his terrible abode to dwell in eternal torment. Now the secret magic that can destroy Slank is known at last. You agree to undertake this perilous adventure. But can you rid the world of the demon’s dark shadow, or are you merely destined to become his latest victim? This is fantasy adventure with a you are the hero. A pencil, an eraser, and two dice are all you need to embark on your quest. Success and glory—or failure and sudden death—depend on the decisions you make.
176 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 1986
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 16, 2016
A fun little "choose your own adventure" style book.
You'll need dice, pencil and paper to keep track.
Straight forward "quest," not long.
Wouldn't mind finding more of these in my yard sale or flea market stops.
You'll need dice, pencil and paper to keep track.
Straight forward "quest," not long.
Wouldn't mind finding more of these in my yard sale or flea market stops.
July 28, 2020
After going on a gamebook binge I've become really picky. In a traditional gamebook you not only have to write a compelling story, but build a world, allow choice, and then there's the whole "game" part. It is a tough and delicate balance that most books simply miss.
Morris is the best writer of interactive books I've ever read. He can make me go from "this sounds awful" to "WOW!" in a few sentences. It is a captivating magic that I'm still in awe of.
Castle of Lost Souls is about a man who made a deal with a demon and rich sons who are looking for an adventurer (You!) to help his soul escape captivity. The story sounds silly in my summary, but Morris makes it work, bringing to life a playful expanse filled with secrets. You use typical gamebook items, like dice to battle against evil, as well as a character sheet to track your plunder.
It can be beaten in one sitting, but is worth a second play through to see some of the other encounters you can have. What strikes me is how the author is always mixing up your expectations, both narratively and within the game. Just when you feel comfortable he changes things in clever ways.
While many will likely ding this gamebook due to its shorter play time and reduced length (300 sections), I personally think that's its charm. It doesn't overstay its welcome. Much like a good friend, it has fun, but knows when to leave.
I didn't expect much from this book, but it was a quick, joyful read that is far ahead of most gamebooks available.
Morris is the best writer of interactive books I've ever read. He can make me go from "this sounds awful" to "WOW!" in a few sentences. It is a captivating magic that I'm still in awe of.
Castle of Lost Souls is about a man who made a deal with a demon and rich sons who are looking for an adventurer (You!) to help his soul escape captivity. The story sounds silly in my summary, but Morris makes it work, bringing to life a playful expanse filled with secrets. You use typical gamebook items, like dice to battle against evil, as well as a character sheet to track your plunder.
It can be beaten in one sitting, but is worth a second play through to see some of the other encounters you can have. What strikes me is how the author is always mixing up your expectations, both narratively and within the game. Just when you feel comfortable he changes things in clever ways.
While many will likely ding this gamebook due to its shorter play time and reduced length (300 sections), I personally think that's its charm. It doesn't overstay its welcome. Much like a good friend, it has fun, but knows when to leave.
I didn't expect much from this book, but it was a quick, joyful read that is far ahead of most gamebooks available.
June 21, 2020
Castle of Lost Souls was the last in the original Golden Dragon series. Other reviews explain the story in enough detail to make it unnecessary to repeat here. There are quite a few north/east/south/west type options which extends the play somewhat and allows a sense a freedom. As is common with the author, there are very few left/right linear decisions and unfair endings. Perhaps not as good as The Eye of the Dragon, but an excellent addition to any gamebook collection.
There are around ten gamebook series I still own, Golden Dragon being one of the few that survived a cull many years ago, being one of my favourite series of the genre. While they may have been aimed at a slightly younger audience comparative to the better known Fighting Fantasy series, you would only guess this because of the length of the books, not the quality of the writing, which is superb. I really ought to buy them again, partly out of respect for the author, mostly because I'll want my son to read them, just not my original copies!
There are around ten gamebook series I still own, Golden Dragon being one of the few that survived a cull many years ago, being one of my favourite series of the genre. While they may have been aimed at a slightly younger audience comparative to the better known Fighting Fantasy series, you would only guess this because of the length of the books, not the quality of the writing, which is superb. I really ought to buy them again, partly out of respect for the author, mostly because I'll want my son to read them, just not my original copies!
October 23, 2024
Sencillo y breve librojuego escrito por el gran Dave Morris hace como un millón de años (y se nota). El estilo de Morris está aquí todavía en pañales, y, aunque las elecciones que se pueden tomar son múltiples y hay amplio margen para el error fatal, resulta a menudo demasiado simple adivinar la correcta (al menos para un adulto, porque este libro, al igual que la gran mayoría de los Fighting Fantasy, están pensados para chavales que se inician en la lectura).
En fin, lo bueno es que no resulta aburrido en ningún momento, y cumple lo que promete (o sea, que si consigues obtener los diversos objetos necesarios para acabar con el monstruo final... pues te lo cargas en un momento), pero sí que me ha resultado un tanto decepcionante el hecho de que el castillo que da nombre al libro no sea más que un dungeon cortito. Yo me esperaba una Mansión Infernal, y acabé encontrándome el chalet de mi abuelo. En fin, al menos, el camino hasta llegar allí se me hizo interesante. Quien no se conforma...
En fin, lo bueno es que no resulta aburrido en ningún momento, y cumple lo que promete (o sea, que si consigues obtener los diversos objetos necesarios para acabar con el monstruo final... pues te lo cargas en un momento), pero sí que me ha resultado un tanto decepcionante el hecho de que el castillo que da nombre al libro no sea más que un dungeon cortito. Yo me esperaba una Mansión Infernal, y acabé encontrándome el chalet de mi abuelo. En fin, al menos, el camino hasta llegar allí se me hizo interesante. Quien no se conforma...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews