Introduction
After years out of print, Choose Your Own
Adventure has finally returned. The new editions feature all new
illustrations and revised text. Needless to say, I was curious to see
what has (and hasn't) changed, so I did a detailed analysis of the first
reissue: The Abominable Snowman.
The Map
As with my earlier comparison of the editions of Sugarcane Island, I drew a map to ensure that I
compared all sections. As with the previous comparison, I devised my
own numbering scheme to identify sections of the book since the actual
page numbers are different in each edition. The numbered sections in
the map correspond with the notes below. Each section of notes shows
the original and reissue page numbers that correspond with the section.
The Changes
Warning. The warning text explaining how to read the book has
been completely rewritten and now includes a plot summary.
1. (pages: 1-4 old, 1-5 new) The revision features a new paragraph
break, the more politically correct "humans" instead of "men," dialogue
to replace the original information dump about Yeti, and minor rewrites
on the last page of the section.
2. (pages: 5 old, 7 new) More dialogue has been added here in the
reissue.
3. (pages: 6-7 old, 8, 10 new) A new page jump has been added in
the reissue, while the unnecessary text "You interrupt him by saying" has
been trimmed.
4. (pages: 8 old, 9 new) A sentence has been added to the first
paragraph of the reissue, which also includes an illustration of the
handwritten note instead of simply printing the text.
5. (pages: 10-12 old, 13-14 new) The reissue no longer explains what
crampons are, but it does have more exposition about the safety rope. Some
minor rewording has been done here and there. "Copter" is changed to
"helicopter." The character Sirdar Podang Sorba has been renamed Sangee
Podang Sorba.
6. (pages: 13 old, 16 new) The reissue features more discussion of
pros and cons prior to the choice here.
7. (pages: 15-17 old, 19 new) The text about prints and cartridges
is compressed in the reissue; "heavy-caliber weapon" has been changed to
"large weapon."
8. (pages: 18, 31 old, 20, 31 new) The reissue adds more dialogue
and removes the word "after" from the first choice.
9. (pages: 14, 32-33 old, 15, 32 new) The description of the garden
no longer mentions cucumbers. The phrase "a few" has been removed. The
word "curve" has changed to "turn" and the fatal ending has been reduced
to being a dream.
10. (pages: 22 old, 23 new) The only edits here regard Sirdar's
name change to Sangee and the introduction of the contraction "it's."
11. (pages: 21, 34, 19 old, 22, 34, 21 new) Once again, Sirdar has
become Sangee. The explanation of what pitons are is gone. The bulging
pocket in the jacket is described with less emphasis. The zipper has
changed to velcro. The text describing the skull and the map has been
cleaned up a bit, and the map itself no longer has the word "treasure" on
it. The sentence "You must find out about it immediately" has been revised
to "Carpe Diem, as they say." "Ax" has changed to "axe." The sentence
"They are Westerners" has been removed. "Jump" has changed to "jive" (will
the next edition feature "wail"?). "You guys" has changed to "you two."
The drug reference "It's probably hashish" has changed to "What's in it,
you wonder?"
12. (pages: 23, 24 old, 24-26 new) The contraction "he's" has been
introduced. Carlos' rediscovery has been more snappily rewritten (but still
lacks any detailed explanation). The phrase "wonderful companion" has changed
to "excellent team member." "Six in the evening" is now "sunset." Some
extraneous text has been trimmed.
13. (pages: 25 old, 27 new) The dialogue is slightly compressed in
the reissue.
14. (pages: 26 old, 28 new) The reissue removes the text "in three
hours."
15. (pages: 28 old, 29 new) No changes.
16. (pages: 46 old, 43 new) The first paragraph is somewhat compressed;
"Soon you come to an abrupt halt" has become "Minutes later you jerk to a halt."
17. (pages: 45 old, 45 new) Dialogue has been expanded; the fifth paragraph
has been reworked; "where you are" has changed to "by the shattered helicopter."
18. (pages: 38 old, 33 new) The final paragraph has been significantly
compressed for some reason.
19. (pages: 39 old, 38 new) No changes apart from Sirdar's new name.
20. (pages: 47 old, 46 new) No changes.
21. (pages: 48 old, 47 new) The text "them" is now "the strangers."
22. (pages: 41 old, 40 new) The end of the page now features more dialogue.
23. (pages: 116 old, 116 new) No changes.
24. (pages: 42 old, 39 new) No changes.
25. (pages: 43 old, 42 new) The space has been removed from "mud slides" and
the new final sentence "Try again next season" has been added.
26. (pages: 58 old, 58 new) The second paragraph has been slightly compressed
for better flow.
27. (pages: 60 old, 62 new) The reissue removes a "very" and abbreviates the
second paragraph.
28. (pages: 56, 73-76 old, 57, 75, 73 new) The first paragraph has been
rewritten (and now features the sentence "This is a death zone!"). The "rising
currents of air" have changed to "thermals." The word "then" is removed while the
word "serac" gets more use. A new paragraph has been added to the end.
29. (pages: 57, 77-78 old, 55, 76, 78 new) The original's "correct" has changed
to "the right thing to do." Some compression has been achieved through "It's," less
dialogue about wishing Carlos was around, and the removal of the word "almost."
30. (pages: 51 old, 50 new) Sirdar's new name is once again mentioned; "nearly
silent, and cool" has changed to "silent and chilly." The simple "be there" has changed
to "in this magical kingdom." The final paragraph has been reworked a bit.
31. (pages: 49, 68-69 old, 48-49, 68-69 new) Sirdar is once again renamed Sangee,
and a sentence beginning with "But" has been merged with the previous sentence in the
reissue.
32. (pages: 63 old, 59 new) Two new sentences have been added to the end of
this section.
33. (pages: 64 old, 64 new) No changes.
34. (pages: 52 old, 51 new) A comma has been removed.
35. (pages: 61 old, 63 new) The first paragraph has been condensed and a new
sentence has been added to the end of the page.
36. (pages: 54 old, 52 new) The whole page has been condensed to a single
paragraph.
37. (pages: 55 old, 54 new) The word "bothered" has become "upset."
38. (pages: 79 old, 77 new) No changes.
39. (pages: 80 old, 80 new) Minor punctuation adjustments and trimming;
two new sentences have been added to the end.
40. (pages: 82 old, 82 new) Minor punctuation adjustments and trimming.
41. (pages: 81, 110 old, 81, 110 new) The description of the avalanche is
now shorter.
42. (pages: 100, 104 old, 100, 104 new) The creature is now a "Double A"
rather than a "Double L." A comma has been removed.
43. (pages: 102 old, 102 new) "Whammo" has changed to "Wham." "The Yeti" has
changed to "They."
44. (pages: 65 old, 67 new) Dialogue has been rearranged a bit; Sirdar is once
again changed to Sangee; "a disaster" has become "an emergency."
45. (pages: 67 old, 65 new) Sirdar's new name is used; "ax" has become "axe."
46. (pages: 88 old, 88 new) Same changes as 45.
47. (pages: 89 old, 89 new) In addition to Sirdar's name change, a new final
paragraph has been added here.
48. (pages: 70 old, 70 new) The first paragraph is slightly compressed. "Wow!" has
upgraded to "Awesome!" Other text has been slightly compressed or reworded.
49. (pages: 72 old, 72 new) The reissue introduces the contraction "you'll" and
a new final paragraph that offers slightly more closure.
50. (pages: 92, 101, 105 old, 91, 101, 103 new) The old "motor driven" camera is
now a digital model, with some details adjusted to account for this. Once again, "ax"
has become "axe" and a new final paragraph has been added.
51. (pages: 94, 106, 111 old, 95, 106, 111 new) The text "dart" has changed to
"make a run." The history of the Yeti has been expanded slightly.
52. (pages: 97, 108, 59 old, 98, 109, 60 new) The "inner" has been removed from
"inner light," the reference to buddhas is gone, "Heaven-on-Earth" has changed to
"knowledge," and a new final sentence has been introduced.
53. (pages: 93 old, 96 new) No changes.
54. (pages: 84 old, 85 new) Some slight rewording has been done in the reissue,
and a new final paragraph has been added.
55. (pages: 85, 112, 114 old, 83, 99 new) Yet again, Sirdar is now Sangee and
"ax" is now "axe." There's some other minor rewording, and an unnecessary reference
to the containers in which breakfast was transported has been trimmed.
56. (pages: 86 old, 86 new) The camera's strobe is now solar powered, and
the word "Yikes!" has been removed.
57. (pages: 87 old, 87 new) Minor changes: "ax" to "axe," "rips" to "grabs,"
and "in our homes" to "alone."
58. (pages: 90 old, 90 new) No changes.
59. (pages: 91, 96, 99, 107 old, 92, 97, 112-113, 107 new) "Earth" is no longer
capitalized. Compression has been achieved through the contraction "it's" and the
removal of "seem to" and "But."
60. (pages: 36 old, 37 new) A "But" has been removed.
61. (pages: 115 old, 114 new) "Click! Click!" has been removed and missing
film has changed to a jammed shutter in order to reflect the new digital camera.