I’m on spring break this week, and I’m spending the time doing a lot of nerdy things like playing games and reading gamebooks and sorting MTG cards and… well doing housework!
Anyway, remember that ‘My Gamebooks’ link I added on the column to the right? I’m happy to say it is now up to date.
The page is a collection of the gamebooks I own. It was born out of necessity, since when I was last in Australia there were a few times I wasn’t sure if I had something or not. Hence a list that I can access from anywhere!
A good portion of these books I have bought online in the last few months. A good portion of this good portion has cost me an average of about $0.50 per book (no kidding). This is because on Amazon and Ebay sellers keep prices very low and make their profits on their (average $4) shipping and handling fees.
There are a great many books not on that list, including many in series I love. These two for instance:
Both of which I single out because I have lost bids on each. Were I willing to pay $30 or more, I could buy each at any time. But I still dream of the lucky (auction or used bookstore) find 🙂
Other books not on the list I will likely never own, including these two:
Why never? Simply because they’re valued at more than I would pay. Revenge Of The Vampire was the lowest print run Fighting Fantasy book, and easily fetches over US$100 these days. Allansia – the last book for the Fighting Fantasy RPG – is ever harder to find and goes for a few hundred dollars.
Here’s another book I’d include on my page even though it isn’t technically a gamebook:
It’s a real bastard to find for anything resembling a low price these days. And my desire to read it has even increased since reading The Secret Files Of The Diogenes Club (see this link for more).
I’ve been reading a lot of these books recently as well. In the last few weeks I have read the Middle Earth book, the Forgotten Gameway book, two Swordquests, one Virtual Reality Adventure and 3 or 4 Fighting Fantasy books. I have to say, even though I’m far from 10 years old these days, I still love reading these things 🙂
I own a copy of “Life’s Lottery” – I thought you did, too. I bought it new back in the day and don’t remember being *that* impressed with the story. It’s like a cross between a proper novel and a Choose Your Own Adventure. Slightly more philosophical than the latter, though 🙂 Hey, I wonder if it contains any “secret” entries like the one in “C/Y/O/A: Inside UFO 54-40”. Wouldn’t put it past KN. Must dig it out when I’m at my oldies’ over Easter.
Read the last story in Secret Files before taking a second look at Life’s Lottery, since it gives you a new perspective on the character.