The Transformers

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1. Dinobot War
Author: Dave Morris
Illustrator: Bob Harvey
First Published: 1985
ISBN: 0-552-52314-3
Length: 71 pages
Number of Endings: 8 (plus one embedded in a choice)
Plot Summary: While visiting Disneyland (!), you find a flying saucer (!) in a cave (!) and end up travelling back in time (!) where you find the Dinobots (!). I'm a little confused, really.
My Thoughts: I'm not sure what to say about this. It's written by Dave Morris, who has done some great work, but it's a bit confusing, especially if you fail to follow certain paths that reveal plot elements. It's also kind of annoying that the Transformers' names are ALWAYS PRINTED ENTIRELY IN CAPITAL LETTERS WHICH TEND TO IRRITATE THE READER. Anyway, while I know very little about the Transformers in general, I'm pretty sure this book doesn't pay a whole lot of attention to their continuity. As a gamebook, it's not particularly exceptional. It's very linear, and beyond that, all I can really think to say is that there's a lot of wasted whitespace on most of the pages and that the book has a definite forward momentum (that is, most choices lead physically forward through the book; if a choice on page x leads to page y, chances are that y > x). The artwork is somewhat interesting. On the whole, the Dinobots are rather poorly rendered, but some of the other elements of the pictures are great -- the aliens on page 61, for example, are absolutely brilliant! In any case, I think this book is only really worth reading for its curiosity value -- curiosity at Dave Morris' early work, at the British perspective on the Transformers, or at the aforementioned artwork. If none of those things interest you, it's not really worth the effort of tracking down.

2. Peril from the Stars
Author: Dave Morris
Illustrator: Bob Harvey
First Published: 1985
ISBN: 0-552-52315-1
Length: 68 pages
Number of Endings: 3
Plot Summary: Your aunt and uncle are astronomers, and your sighting of an unusual falling object in the sky soon leads to an encounter with the Transformers.
My Thoughts: Although this book failed to particularly impress me (probably largely due to the fact that I have no particular nostalgic feelings toward it, having never read it before), it's certainly an improvement over the previous volume. The story is easier to follow and a bit more believable, the game design is less linear and fairly entertaining (though not particularly innovative), and even the artwork seems to have improved. It looks even better if you compare it to the American equivalent, since its humor and writing are a lot less mind-numbing and irritating than what can be found in those unfortunate counterparts. Overall, nothing too special, but possibly worth a read if you're a Transformers or Dave Morris fan.

3. Island of Fear
Author: Dave Morris
Illustrator: John Higgins
First Published: 1986
ISBN: 0-552-52316-X
Length: 67 pages
Number of Endings: 12
Plot Summary: Since your parents are marine biologists, you get to visit an island in the South Pacific, where you end up battling Dirge, the fear-inducing Decepticon.
My Thoughts: This is about equal in quality to the previous volume, being a very short and unimpressive (though passable) adventure. I could have done without the cheesy portrayal of the volcano-worshipping islanders and the lame attempts at making Beachcomber seem cool, but my sensibilities are largely intact. The only thing I can say I particularly liked about the book was the slimy monster on the cover (I'm a sucker for slimy monsters), but at least the whole experience wasted less than half an hour of my life.

4. Highway Clash
Author: Dave Morris
Illustrator: John Higgins
First Published: 1986
ISBN: 0-552-52317-8
Length: 67 pages
Number of Endings: 5
Plot Summary: You must help the Autobots defend a shipment of microchips from the Decepticons.
My Thoughts: I'm amazed by how trivial this book feels -- its scope is so small that it really seems like it's one small scene from a larger story. It takes place in only two physical locations, and pretty much no matter what you do, it's over before you have time to care what's going on. The writing is pretty weak, the story is even weaker, and the illustrations are rather few and far between when you consider the amount of wasted white space in the book. The only thing even remotely interesting about the book is the inclusion of a mysterious monument known as the Druid Stone, the only real sign that this was written by Dave Morris and not a dispassionate robot.

5. Swamp of the Scorpion
Author: Dave Morris
Illustrator: Bob Harvey
First Published: 1987
ISBN: 0-552-52501-4
Length: 72 pages
Number of Endings: 10
Plot Summary: You are a Nebulan working on an oil rig, but you are soon drawn into a battle against evil Transformers....
My Thoughts: This book is interesting for two reasons. First of all, you get to play a non-human character (though the book isn't very clear about exactly what a Nebulan is, so the uninitiated like myself are left guessing). Secondly, there's some very simplistic inventory management, with the reader getting to pick an item at one point in the text, possibly having opportunities to use it later. It's pretty minimal, but it's the closest this series ever gets to having a game system. Beyond these details, there's not much of note here. It's an adequate (but only adequate) adventure that only occasionally shows hints of Dave Morris' talent, which is largely wasted here. This stuff is a long way from Fabled Lands (or even Knightmare, for that matter).