The Magic Path

Choose Your Own Adventure: Young Readers #26

by Julius Goodman

The reader and two friends discover a magic path that takes them on an extraordinary journey encountering Buffalo Bill, Merlin the sorcerer, a ferocious dinosaur and other intriguing characters.

53 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1985

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

He wasn't a prolific gamebook author, but Julius Goodman added a few lauded titles to the Choose Your Own adventure franchise—notably The Horror of High Ridge and Treasure Diver—so I was intrigued at the prospect of an entry in the Bantam Skylark series, especially one in the Cave of Time mold. You are biking with your friends Michael and Jenny one Saturday when you come upon a wooden sign with the words, "To Camelot". After going where it points, the scenery blurs and you find yourself staring at a castle...and each of you is wearing knight armor and a sword. Have you traveled through time to the era of King Arthur? Should you move toward the castle, or try to get home before something bad happens?

Beating a hasty retreat gets you back to your own time, but do you really have no curiosity about this path that enables time travel? Looking at the sign, you see it now reads, "To Buffalo Bill's Original Wild West Show". You could leave and tell a family member, but exploring is a better choice within the story. You are transported to Nebraska in the old American West, now decked out in cowboy garb. Buffalo Bill's show requires payment, and if you use your nickels and hope the attendant doesn't look closely at the date they're stamped with, you are soon part of an excited crowd watching Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley in action. Will you volunteer to let Annie Oakley shoot an apple off your head, or just sit back and enjoy the show as spectator? When a buffalo stampede hits, do you try to divert the herd so no one is injured, or trust that Buffalo Bill has things under control? However you manage yourself, the Wild West show will be unforgettable.

Visiting Camelot is this book's marquee adventure. If you go that way, it divides into three paths: one toward the castle, one toward "Merlin's Keep", and another to London. Maybe Merlin can explain how you wound up in the distant past, but the wizard isn't as jovial as storybooks present him. A jaunt to London places you in the path of a fire-breathing dragon; can you fend it off with guile, or should you flee toward your own time? Running around wildly in a space-time vortex could get you home safely, or land you in the dinosaur era and lead to a grisly demise. Perhaps your best choice is to continue on to the castle, but you'll have to win a confrontation with a knight in black armor. Surviving takes cleverness, but if you do, you'll have your afternoon with Sir Lancelot and King Arthur, an experience that makes your time travel escapade worth every bit of trouble.

What I like about The Magic Path is that, for the most part, it rewards a swashbuckling spirit. The opportunity to travel through time shouldn't be taken lightly, and if you are timid you may lose it. The book never forces you to accept your grand adventure. Not every choice ends well, though; there are even a few death endings. The reason I'm rating The Magic Path a mere one and a half stars is how superficial the storylines are: you only meet King Arthur in one branch, and don't do much of consequence regardless where you go. Also, the rules for time travel are inconsistent: in some endings you are automatically ejected to the present if you're about to die, while in others you can perish in the past. And what in blazes is a real dragon doing en route to historical London? This book isn't as fun or philosophical as Edward Packard's The Cave of Time or The Forbidden Castle, but it's not a terrible introduction to time travel for the youngest readers.

[Adam Cleaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having loved all the Choose Your Own Adventure books, this was a nice addition to the series. Was aimed at younger readers and was shorter than the main series of books. Remember taking this book into school and the teacher reading it to the class and everyone voting on which page to turn too. Was good fun!

[Eleanor Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reread of a book I loved as a child! Very short but entertaining - there is something about the choose your own story genre that never gets old!

[Raquel Terradillos]

El sendero mágico

[Gabriel]

As of right now, this is just an attempt to start filling out my virtual library here. I read this a very long time (between 15 and 20 years, probably) ago, so I can barely recall it, much less evaluate it. It is, however, safe to assume that it was entertaining and worth the read to a young teenager.

My version is a translation to Spanish released by Editorial Timun Mas.

[Cathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a lovely long time sat on hold listening to dubious music, found this little forgotten treasure on my book shelf. a blast from the past.

Whilst it was nowhere near as good or exciting as I remember it was a very enjoyable half an hour reading every combination of adventure possible. A few adventures had quite disappointing abrupt endings but there where a few that where lovely. The pictures in the book are also very enjoyable.

I think they are off the age though, I can't see it going down well with the age range stated now. Though slightly younger children may enjoy them.