I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what this is. Coming very soon, too. But if you want a really nice color one, you'll have to talk to Megara Entertainment .
Oh, I like Japanese lore plenty. I'm a huge fan of directors like Kurosawa and Mizoguchi, and of course I drew extensively on Heian Japan for Lords of the Rising Sun. I just don't like fantasy that does a mix-n-match with completely unconnected mythologies. But then, I notice in WOTT that Nemesis has been appropriated from her role as avenging goddess of justice and turned into a male god of "evil". So I'll pass.
In WOTT, the Japanese themed areas are one part of it, and normally you're Avenger, Ninja-tourist! Most of Orb is city-state based, it's just the islands in the Endless Sea are a bit Japanese-y. They're good fun books,... especially when Book 6 gets tidied up and we get a proper sequel!
Haha, I thought Dave was joking for a moment, before remembering that he did not actually write WOTT.
They're pretty good. I particularly liked the later ones where (SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS) you become the ruler of a city and if I recall correctly there's pretty much an entire book dedicated to politics and the impossible-to-please-everyone school of gameplay.
Odd as it may sound, WOTT actually became less interesting when it got more Tolikenesque and less Japanese. The first book is pretty much perfect in my opinion, and the whole first half of the series strikes that excellent balance that's the reqson why the saga is so fondly remembered.
Whoops... Dave, I meant Lords of the Rising Sun, not Court of Hidden Faces. I sometimes get those two mixed up for some reason. But yes, I totally agree with you, those two genres don't go well mixed together. I guess I don't need to do anymore research on the WOTT series, I only did a little bit of research and I'm just not interested. I hope to see a Fabled Lands Kickstarter this year! It would definitely make some good money.
Whoa, don't let my objections put you off, Alex. WOTT has a rep for great storytelling (as Efrem just confirmed) and, as both Jamie and Mark played in my Empire of the Petal Throne campaign I'm sure there's an interesting dash of Tekumel in the whole mix, too. The only gamebook series I ever played all the way through was Steve Jackson UK's Sorcery - and I'm not sure whether I finished that. So I'm not the guy to ask what's good in this medium!
Yes please!
ReplyDeleteI've never read the Way of the Tiger books, but I'll have to do some research on the series.
ReplyDeleteMe neither, Alex. The combination of Japanese and Tolkienesque cultures never appealed. I am sure they are excellent stories, just not my cup of tea.
DeleteYeah, I'm not much of a fan of Japanese-styled books. But Court of Hidden Faces was great, because you didn't stuff too much Japanese into it!
DeleteOh, I like Japanese lore plenty. I'm a huge fan of directors like Kurosawa and Mizoguchi, and of course I drew extensively on Heian Japan for Lords of the Rising Sun. I just don't like fantasy that does a mix-n-match with completely unconnected mythologies. But then, I notice in WOTT that Nemesis has been appropriated from her role as avenging goddess of justice and turned into a male god of "evil". So I'll pass.
DeleteIn WOTT, the Japanese themed areas are one part of it, and normally you're Avenger, Ninja-tourist! Most of Orb is city-state based, it's just the islands in the Endless Sea are a bit Japanese-y. They're good fun books,... especially when Book 6 gets tidied up and we get a proper sequel!
DeleteHaha, I thought Dave was joking for a moment, before remembering that he did not actually write WOTT.
DeleteThey're pretty good. I particularly liked the later ones where (SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS) you become the ruler of a city and if I recall correctly there's pretty much an entire book dedicated to politics and the impossible-to-please-everyone school of gameplay.
Odd as it may sound, WOTT actually became less interesting when it got more Tolikenesque and less Japanese. The first book is pretty much perfect in my opinion, and the whole first half of the series strikes that excellent balance that's the reqson why the saga is so fondly remembered.
ReplyDeleteWhoops... Dave, I meant Lords of the Rising Sun, not Court of Hidden Faces. I sometimes get those two mixed up for some reason. But yes, I totally agree with you, those two genres don't go well mixed together. I guess I don't need to do anymore research on the WOTT series, I only did a little bit of research and I'm just not interested. I hope to see a Fabled Lands Kickstarter this year! It would definitely make some good money.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, don't let my objections put you off, Alex. WOTT has a rep for great storytelling (as Efrem just confirmed) and, as both Jamie and Mark played in my Empire of the Petal Throne campaign I'm sure there's an interesting dash of Tekumel in the whole mix, too. The only gamebook series I ever played all the way through was Steve Jackson UK's Sorcery - and I'm not sure whether I finished that. So I'm not the guy to ask what's good in this medium!
DeleteA question for you Dave, will these reprints have the 'erata' and balance changes proposed for Megara's hard back prints?
ReplyDeleteThe new paperbacks are based on the revised text produced by Megara's editing team, so all errata from the old edition should be caught and corrected.
Delete