Have Your Own Extra-Terrestrial Adventure
Author: Douglas Hill
First Published: 1983
ISBN: 0 09 930700 6
Length: 87 pages
Number of Endings: 10
Plot Summary: Del Curb, an experienced interplanetary investigator,
is asked by the commander of the Federation Police to track down Rimeq the
Renegade, a dangerous alien criminal threatening to destroy the Earth.
My Thoughts: This is a rather unusual gamebook. First of all, it's
written in the first person; this isn't the first gamebook I've seen to be
written in such a way, but it isn't common. Secondly, it's divided into
titled chapters rather than numbered sections (though choices are denoted by
page numbers, as in most Choose Your Own Adventure
type books). Perhaps most unusually, there are no "bad" endings.
While some outcomes are more successful than others, the narrator never dies.
This obviously makes the game aspect of the book somewhat uninteresting, but
this is made up for by good writing. The tone of the book is quite
entertaining; it's essentially a science fiction story seen through the eyes
of a cynical private investigator of the film noir variety. The tone is
properly gritty, and the wisecracks work well enough. The book is also
surprisingly violent at times, considering its child audience. Internal
consistency isn't perfect, but it's easy enough to overlook. If you can find
a copy of this book (which may be a bit of a challenge), it's well worth a
read.