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Item - Project UFO

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(Original edition, first printing)
(Original edition, first printing)
(Original edition, first printing)
(Original edition, first printing)
(Perma-bound second printing)
(Perma-bound second printing)
(Perma-bound second printing)
(Perma-bound second printing)
(ChooseCo reissue edition)

Combined Summary

Series: Choose Your Own Adventure (1979-1998) — no. 143
Choose Your Own Adventure (2005-) — no. 27
Adapted Into: Project UFO (Graded Reader) (Gamebook)
Author: Montgomery, R. A.
Illustrators: Cannella, Marco (ChooseCo reissue edition - cover)
Kukalis, Romas (Original edition, first printing - cover; Perma-bound second printing - cover)
Semionov, Vladimir (ChooseCo reissue edition - interior)
Brigman, June (Original edition, first printing - interior; Perma-bound second printing - interior)
Dates: January, 1994 (Original edition, first printing)
2008 (ChooseCo reissue edition)
ISBNs: 0553560034 / 9780553560039 (Original edition, first printing, Perma-bound second printing)
1933390271 / 9781933390277 (ChooseCo reissue edition)
Length: 121 pages (ChooseCo reissue edition)
Number of Endings: 16
barryattles's Thoughts:

Ratings: Max.

Either way you call it, a complete bust or an instant-classic. This science fiction entry carries absolutely no plot and objectives at all, didn't make any sense, and didn't explain matters with R. A.'s eccentricity maybe reaching its very peak.

Nevertheless, CYOAs are just for children and aren't supposed to be serious science documentaries. That's what the erratic R. A. truly excels at: creating a true fantasy world.

Fantasy's meant to be random without clear plots, should zap you anywhere without notice, and R. A.'s failure (or disinterest) to explain matters at the end is just what this universe's all about: still a complete mystery to be explored, not everything explanable.

IMHO, this is the best CYOA and perhaps the only one that isn't just another "story" with fixed plots, but a true fantasy masterpiece that gets readers completely immersed into R. A.'s own mysterious world.

This is R. A. Montgomery at his best, and everytime I re-read Project UFO before any other entries.

More reviews by barryattles

Enigmatic Synergy's Thoughts:

This book is somewhat disappointing. The threads rely on quirky randomness that do not do the main story any justice. As with R. A Montgomery's book House of Danger, the story starts off very interesting with the potential to develop into something more. However, that potential is never brought into fruition, and instead the book results in having unnecessary threads that result in unfocused and confusing endings. I always love a good sci-fi read; unfortunately, this book just does not do it for me.

More reviews by Enigmatic Synergy

Stockton's Thoughts:

I bought this book specifically to see how bad it is. I was not disappointed. Right on the first page, you learn that your character can communicate telepathically with Freedo, a being who is never adequately explained. Personally, I think schizophrenia is a more likely explanation for this, but anyway....

Project UFO doesn't get much better from there. It is a decidedly trippy work, by far the weirdest CYOA I've seen yet. There is no plot. Everything is random events that don't make any sense. The subject matter is bizarre to say the least and dosn't work at all. Nothing is congruent and the writing is bad.

This is a book that is so bad at times it's unintentionally funny. Do not read it expecting a goal-oriented plot with logical choices - there are none. Project UFO is best enjoyed in the same way one often watches bad movies - to laugh at and ridicule the seemingly pitiful efforts of the writer.

More reviews by Stockton

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Lullyph

Known Editions

Original edition, first printing
Perma-bound second printing
ChooseCo reissue edition

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