What do you think?
Rate this book
(Once Upon A Time In Arabia (Critical IF gamebooks)) [By: Morris, Dave] [Sep, 2013]
Put yourself at the heart of the story…
You have made a deadly enemy. Jafar, advisor to the Caliph, plans a coup that will put him on the throne of Baghdad. You are the only one who can warn the Caliph. But who will listen to a penniless adventurer? Especially as Jafar’s assassins are scouring the city to find you.
You go in search of the fame and fortune that will give you the means to expose Jafar’s treachery. Your travels take you to ghoul-haunted oases, magical palaces, lost cities of gold, and uncharted isles full of mystery and danger. Threatened by bandits, fire wizards, thieves and fearsome creatures, you must risk all in your determined quest to save the kingdom.
* * *
Once Upon A Time In Arabia was originally published as TWIST OF FATE in the Virtual Reality series. This new edition has been revised and expanded.
* * *
Critical IF books are interactive adventures with a difference. You can be a mutant with the power to warp reality. A buccaneer whose sword and pistol are a match for any foe. A daring rogue leaping between rooftops. A wizard who can command the elements. Be anyone you can imagine. Choose from almost five hundred different character types, each with their own unique skills.
Strong stories, vivid settings and compelling characters make Critical IF the game-changers of the interactive fiction genre.
You have made a deadly enemy. Jafar, advisor to the Caliph, plans a coup that will put him on the throne of Baghdad. You are the only one who can warn the Caliph. But who will listen to a penniless adventurer? Especially as Jafar’s assassins are scouring the city to find you.
You go in search of the fame and fortune that will give you the means to expose Jafar’s treachery. Your travels take you to ghoul-haunted oases, magical palaces, lost cities of gold, and uncharted isles full of mystery and danger. Threatened by bandits, fire wizards, thieves and fearsome creatures, you must risk all in your determined quest to save the kingdom.
* * *
Once Upon A Time In Arabia was originally published as TWIST OF FATE in the Virtual Reality series. This new edition has been revised and expanded.
* * *
Critical IF books are interactive adventures with a difference. You can be a mutant with the power to warp reality. A buccaneer whose sword and pistol are a match for any foe. A daring rogue leaping between rooftops. A wizard who can command the elements. Be anyone you can imagine. Choose from almost five hundred different character types, each with their own unique skills.
Strong stories, vivid settings and compelling characters make Critical IF the game-changers of the interactive fiction genre.
- GenresGamebooks
Paperback
19 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 29, 2020
I once owned Once Upon A Time in Arabia in its previous incarnation as Twist of Fate. This entry relies less on the fantastical than most other gamebooks. That, coupled with the unique Arabian setting and there being lots to explore, make for an enjoyable read, albeit I do rate others in the series slightly higher. I again like the fact there weren't any difficult rules to understand (or disregard).
Like a lot of the author’s gamebooks, while I enjoyed them all back in the day, it’s only having read them latterly that I fully appreciate the depth of the stories and quality of the prose. The more I consider it, the higher the series ranks in my list of favourites gamebooks given there isn’t a weak link and because of the originality of each entry. Heart of Ice, in particular, is a classic of the genre.
Like a lot of the author’s gamebooks, while I enjoyed them all back in the day, it’s only having read them latterly that I fully appreciate the depth of the stories and quality of the prose. The more I consider it, the higher the series ranks in my list of favourites gamebooks given there isn’t a weak link and because of the originality of each entry. Heart of Ice, in particular, is a classic of the genre.
April 22, 2021
A really fun and intentionally preposterous gamebook full of myths, magic and monsters. I enjoyed meeting magical dwarves, floating monsters and talking corpses using item,s, codewords and my chosen skills on each playthrough. The plot of this gamebook is really secondary to the fantastical locations and imaginative events that change and occur so frequently it’s hard to keep up if you’re not paying attention.
The whole book is simply based around having fun and stretching the imagination to its limits, well worth a read.
TIP: Search youtube for some Arabian music and play in the background while reading.
The whole book is simply based around having fun and stretching the imagination to its limits, well worth a read.
TIP: Search youtube for some Arabian music and play in the background while reading.
August 29, 2020
I actually think this gamebook is better than Heart of Ice. The more personal story has a stronger payoff by the end (Antar!) while still dealing with higher brow subjects like fate, destiny, and tricking them both.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews