Item - Beyond the Great Wall

After a couple of weird asides, Jay Leibold has jumped enthusiastically back into the world of purely historical fiction. As the note at the beginning of the book indicates, a lot of research went into this book, and there are many interesting real-life (and legendary) details to be uncovered by exploring the story. There's a lot of text here, too -- the book's pages are much more packed than is usual for the series. This fact can make the book a little hard to get into if you're used to a really fast pace and frequent choices, but if you approach the adventure with the right attitude, your patience will be rewarded with a consistently-designed, goal-oriented quest. Although this isn't Leibold's most engaging work, it is nonetheless a distinct success.

More reviews by Demian

After a sluggish beginning, this book gradually picks up steam. The adventure of this is mostly pretty realistic. There's a touch of ghostly activity, but it isn't portrayed the usual way. The writing is good.

Once you can let yourself get past the slow opening, it's a fairly engaging book, even if it isn't terribly exciting.

Probably not all that interesting for kids, though.

More reviews by Jordashebasics

Jay Leibold wrote a variety of genres in his fifteen books for the original Choose Your Own Adventure series, but historical intrigue is considered his domain, and he hit upon a strong premise in Beyond the Great Wall. You are one of a select few adventurers invited to the home of Baron von Frothingham in the year 1901 to help solve a mystery. Two years ago the baron sent his associate, Dr. Pinckney, to China in search of the Cave of a Thousand Buddhas, said to contain hundreds of unique artifacts. Pinckney never returned, and the baron is offering an extravagant reward for locating either him or the caves. Some of your rival seekers seem the cutthroat type, but you have a crucial ally: Professor Montgomery at Cambridge University. He warns you that the current Boxer Rebellion has closed China off to Westerners, and your best chance of getting to the region Pinckney disappeared in is through India. Will you take this advice?

Preparing to leave urban India and enter the desert, you're confronted by a pair of fortune hunters, Lucas Ford and Harrison Hickey. They threaten violence if you won't help them pursue the baron's reward. As you cross the extremely harsh Takla Makan Desert, a gang of terror riders show up. They are Tungans—anti-government Chinese Moslems—and show no sign of letting you go. You feel sure Ford and Hickey will betray you to secure their own release. If you escape, crossing the Takla Makan alone is a likely death sentence, but with luck you meet a man named Wang who has a connection to the Cave of a Thousand Buddhas. Wang has no desire to see its artifacts removed, but could you strike a deal to allow yourself limited access? Maybe you avoided Ford and Hickey from the first and instead joined up with Jonathan Chan, agent of a Chinese revolutionary group called the Red Star. You purchase a hot air balloon to zoom over the Takla Makan Desert, avoiding its perils. Chan wants to steer you toward Ansi, where you have an unexpected opportunity to earn the baron's reward, but you could take the balloon to Tun Huang, where a secret awaits that Chan is trying to keep you away from. Can you and he agree on a way to collect the reward without despoiling the Cave of a Thousand Buddhas?

Near the beginning you have the option to arrange your trip without consulting Professor Montgomery, and take the direct route through China. Their government is sour on all Westerners due to the Boxer Rebellion you never heard about from Montgomery, and they don't want to let you into China. If you do talk with Montgomery, you have an alternative choice to try entering China through Russia. You run into a pair of Russian travelers, Mr. Mirmsk and Mr. Pogolosky, whom you distrust at once. Mirmsk somehow knows you're looking for Dr. Pinckney; might he lead you to him if you follow at a distance? Russia is unforgiving toward spies, so tread cautiously. You can take a different route from Mirmsk and Pogolosky, but you won't be on the trail long before Mongols capture you. One of their leaders, Jasik, becomes your friend, but how long can you afford to stay with him? Don't be hasty to part ways with friends in the desert. You'd be surprised what connections end up leading you to the baron's reward.

Beyond the Great Wall offers a lot of variety. The writing isn't edge-of-your-seat, but takes you interesting places and presents difficult ethical choices. The central dilemma regards the Cave of a Thousand Buddhas; the Chinese government would destroy these artifacts to separate China from its rich history. Collectors such as Baron von Frothingham are willing to pony up big money to preserve the pieces, but many Chinese don't wish to see Westerners with their sacred items. Is it better for them to be obliterated, or owned by foreigners? This debate runs throughout the book, though Jay Leibold has a clear bias. Beyond the Great Wall is a pretty good adventure, if a little bloated. I would read it again if I'm in the right mood.

More reviews by KenJenningsJeopardy74

The first few times I read this one as a kid, I found it serviceable but bland. As I continued reading, though, I eventually found some plotlines that were more engaging. So that became the game: finding the most interesting paths rather than just finding successful ones. The best ones are well hidden. Also, this book was how I first learned about the Silk Road and the Boxer Rebellion.

More reviews by Scrumptious