Tolkien Quest: Night of the Nazgul

Tolkein Quest/Middle Earth Quest #1

by John D. Ruemmler

A Role Playing Adventure...where you control your destiny!

The time is just before the War of the Ring. The Shire is in grave danger. You are sitting in the Prancing Pony at Bree when a tall, hooded stranger motions for you to join him in the shadows at the rear of the inn. The man called Strider puts before you a dangerous but vital proposition: to warn the Hobbits of the Shire of the imminent arrival of the Black Riders, fierce evil spirits who threaten all good folk. Can you measure up to the task and cross the Brandywine to warn the Hobbits in time?

Genres: Fantasy, Gamebooks, Fiction, Choose Your Own Adventure, Games

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1985

Reviews

[Othy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very, very nerdy book (it's a "solo fantasy role-playing adventure"), but it's also very, very fun. And it's fun, even with all the problems. It's from the days of table-top role-playing when very little was streamlined, so you'll have to keep your finger in different parts of the book for reference; if you misread a section number and jump forward too quick, you'll be lost and have to start again; you need to keep a pen and paper handy all the time. Even so, it's a real joy to fiddle around in Middle-Earth.

Also, as a note: I think I read this book too late in life. It's clearly not meant for someone in their thirties who will say, "Explore this creepy hole in the ground that might contain treasure but might also get me killed? No way! Aragorn gave me a mission to save the Shire, and I'm sticking to it! No wandering adventures until I get this job done!" Alas...

[Michael Joosten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a D&D player and I AM a Tolkien fan with a sceptical eye towards all things licensed (including the movies), so this is clearly not my cup of tea, but it is a fascinating look into how one could reinterpret Bree and the Shire in a book-derived adventure.