Item - Showdown

As with the other reviewer here, I have to say that this is a really solid book.

I couldn't care less about horses, but this manages to use the setting well, without making knowledge and interest in horses a prerequisite for enjoying the book.

It's largely a mystery of who sabotaged the event, and why. The paths don't feel forced. The primary paths of investigation aren't ridiculously different, so the whole book feels very cohesive.

It's a rare thing, but I will probably return to re-read this one.

More reviews by Jordashebasics

Showdown is an adventure in the highly competitive world of horse showing. Now, right away, I was bored to tears by that idea, but as this book came as a package deal with some others from Ebay, I figured it would be a waste to not read it. Well, I was surprised. It's actually a really good gamebook. The continuity is great. Even though the story can go into two different directions, the "villain" is still the same person down every path. (Don't you hate when books flip flop, and down one path this guy's shooting another guy, and in the next path he's your best friend?) I know you might think that on subsequent re-readings, it's not as interesting because you know who the bad guy is, but all it does is give you a heads up, you still have no way of knowing where your choices will take you. This book also has the "make the right choice" type of message. There is one part that if you abandon someone in need to go back to the horse show, they will die and you get a bad ending. Also, heed your momma's advice not to get in strangers' cars! I found that ending chilling because you don't see it coming at all when you make the choice, just like it might be in real life. Great book.

More reviews by yunakitty