Review: A Ripping Yarn, However You Choose to Proceed
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 20, 2014
I first came to D.M. Potter's and Blair Polly's "Choose You Own Adventure" books by way of Potter's "In the Magician's House", which is one of the four books, (currently), in the series. That is a lushly written and deeply atmospheric book that puts the lie to any suspicion that you can't write an elegant magical fantasy book for kids. "Lost in Lion Country" is stylistically very different, but it is just as satisfying in different ways.First off, I should say that while some "Choose Your Own Adventure" books can be gimmicky, with more attention paid to the novelty of multiple story options than the actual story, characters or writing, this book does not fall in to that trap. The option of making choices that lead you through the book adds some novelty, and helps to engage the reader in the overall reading experience, but it is the actual adventure that really sustains interest.Here, our hero is never named. Our hero is "you". This is emphasized by the narrator's use of the second person singular throughout the book. "You" do this and then "you" do that. When used properly, as it is here, I think this adds a detached tone and yet an immediacy, to any narrative. "You" are there, right now. You must make decisions."You" have been left behind in the middle of the Serengeti by your tour bus, and you have to survive and find your way to safety. At the end of each chapter you are presented with a choice between two options. POSSIBLE MILD SPOILERS. As a general rule one choice is a bit more sensible than the other. You can take the apparently safest course at each decision point, (i.e. always turn left at the corner of the maze), or the the riskiest course, (turn right), or you can mix it up. The book bears multiple readings because there are many paths through to a variety of endings. Indeed, since different paths lead through different adventures you will want to go back a few times and make other choices so that you don't miss any of the possible adventures.In "In the Magician's House" the narrative proceeded at a dreamy pace, with spare but carefully crafted sentences that gently carried you deep into the magician's house. All of this was presented in slightly formal and oddly stilted language that felt like it was being whispered in your ear. In "Lost in Lion Country" the language, structure and pace is much more in the tradition of Boys Own adventures, so "you" get to be a fit, rough and ready sort with a square jaw and a determined glint in your eye.As a bonus, the actual scene setting, interactions with the Maasai, (heh, heh, if that is your choice), descriptions of the wildlife, and so on, are well done and ripping. Again, all of the care has not been lavished on the "choosing" part; however you choose it is also always a good adventure. This is just fascinating and compelling stuff, and this book is a remarkable and satisfying find. It will justify all of your previous Kindle freebie searches. (By the way, I have an old Kindle Touch and the choose-you-own option worked very smoothly on it; I wasn't sure that would necessarily be the case.)So, all in all a nice find and a nice choice. Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.