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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:19:27 GMT
From TUFFF... The mysterious sorcerers of Solani Island have protected the local people from danger for many years. Now, it seems, their power has been usurped. An evil force holds sway across the land, an evil that seems to hold the power over life and death itself! A hero is urgently needed to journey to Solani Island and discover what has happened to the wizards. Dare YOU be that adventurer? Who knows what terrible fate awaits you on the island where death rules? There is only one way to find out. Are YOU brave enough to solve the mystery of Solani Island? Well. Another Keith Martin title, and certainly not one of his most memorable ones. I think I've only ever played through this book once, so don't rely on me for specific information - I'm looking for that from you! What do you all think of this book? Nicholson's artwork is pretty fantastic and detailed, if nothing else.
For those of you who are thinking of replaying it soon, take note of the following from Titannica Wikia: • (79) should link to (146) instead of (46). • The inscription in the illustration opposite (97) should read "BJQDMF" not "BJQDNF". • (221) should read "roll four dice" not "roll your dice". • (236) should refer to "provisions" not "possessions". • On the "Adventure Sheet", there is a time elapsed box instead of a presence box. • Additionally, there is poor pagination on (1) and (397), where it is not obvious that further options are given over the page. ~ Vae Victis! ~
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:20:24 GMT
From TUFFF... It's got a lot of the problems of Martin's later books: too many extra rules, too many instructions to eat meals, having to visit places in exactly the right order, converting unpronounceable names to numbers, collecting way too many items and more bugs than a cheap Cypriate hotel. However, I like this one because it's actually involving. There's a real sense of mystery to it all and there's a mounting sense of dread as you get nearer to uncovering what went wrong. It's that which sets it apart from the likes of Tower of Destruction and Night Dragon.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:22:02 GMT
From TUFFF... Can anyone help me with the riddle (symbol with characters - paragraph 97) on the ship? I guess that one has to convert letters into numbers but I don't get anywhere. Halt, or I shall loose an arrow at you.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:22:34 GMT
From TUFFF... For a start there's a misprint. The message should read: TPVZSD UGF BJQDMF - BCE Z TPVZSD. You're not converting letters to numbers, you need to solve the code to spell out a message which will give a vague clue as to which section to turn to. To solve the code you need to alternate how you manipulate the letters. If you need more help, ask away.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:23:03 GMT
From TUFFF... Thanks for the information. Halt, or I shall loose an arrow at you.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:23:51 GMT
From TUFFF... Re: that puzzle, I've just worked it out and I think the misprint should actually read:
TPVZSD UGF BJQDKF - BCE Z TPVZSD.
That's an awful mistake to have in the published book though!
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:24:38 GMT
From TUFFF... And another thing! I am enjoying this book too. Great atmosphere, a little bit of mystery goes a long way! I also very much appreciate the shipwreck start to the story. Obviously every adventure requires you to be pretty much on your own, but this story makes a logical start where loads of you set off, but only you survive the shipwreck.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:25:30 GMT
From TUFFF... You're right of course, it should be a K. I seem to remember there's a similar misprint in the code in Vault of the Vampire. Though in that case the illustration displayed the correct code. I also like the atmosphere in this one and the way you gradually solve the mystery. It's got a lot of the elements I dislike about Keith's later books (pointless extra rules, overly long, having to do things in the right order, needlessly complex), but the story and atmosphere (not to mention the illustrations) carry it. I also like the sense of tragedy to it - the villains weren't really that bad in the grand scheme of things, but their carelessness caused a lot of harm and suffering to everyone around them.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:26:08 GMT
From TUFFF... As a point about this book, I think the author was so concerned with trying to stop people cheating that the amount of things to take note of can get a little out of hand! Having said that it is very well written/constructed and I can understand the pride of authorship thing that would want people to do it properly!
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:26:50 GMT
From TUFFF... Some books just need a good proofreader. i'd gladly do it for free if they asked Two Words
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:27:29 GMT
From TUFFF... Reviewing a full-length gamebook (400 refs) is challenging and time consuming. I'm having trouble with mine. I can see why game books have errors... but then again don't some novels? The more beautiful and pure FF is – the more satisfying it is to corrupt it.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:28:11 GMT
From TUFFF... I think almost every book will have an error or two somewhere. The shorter references of FF probably make basic proofing easier.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:29:13 GMT
From TUFFF... The shorter references of FF probably make basic proofing easier. Actually, you'd be surprised, they're a pain in the ass too. The more beautiful and pure FF is – the more satisfying it is to corrupt it.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:30:11 GMT
From TUFFF... Reviewing a full-length gamebook (400 refs) is challenging and time consuming. I'm having trouble with mine. I can see why game books have errors... but then again don't some novels? I suppose the difference is an error in a novel is generally just a minor annoyance. An error in a gamebook can make it unplayable.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:31:11 GMT
From TUFFF... And I’m back in unknown territory after a brief stop at Livingstoneland. Not that Keith Martin is unknown to me at this point, quite the contrary, but simply that it is another new book for me, one that I don’t particularly recall from my youth, but this isn’t surprising since by that point in time, I must have started drifting away from FF towards videogames and such, feeling my teenage hormones kicking into high gear. I’ll get right to the good stuff : Russ Nicholson! Incredible pieces of art on display here, but then again, this book is full of zombies and other putrid things that go bump in the island and Nicholson always excelled at those. So many sick and twisted illos in here, one awesome sitting wizard blasted by fire can excuse all the little mistakes like the zombie’s arms casting a weird shadow on the sand in illo # 1. So, I’m still not sure if I was under Nicholson’s charm, but, on to the bad stuff : …not really much, I’m pleased to report. Sure, I’ve read about the usual complaints about Mr Martin, about the abuse of fighting rules and such, the provisions fest, the absolutely ridiculous amount of stuff you can end up carrying around, and those complaints are absolutely legit. But perhaps because I was cheating with fights anyway, none of these really bothered me at all. I think what it boils down to is that the atmosphere and overall concept is so well done that I ended up suckered into the story, be damn all the incongruities or other things that make you go whu? Sure that damn door puzzle was weird, even translated, and I’m still not sure if I figured it out by luck or not, but that other paper puzzle was simple, fun and just fitting with the story. And that’s mostly what I loved about that book, everything seems to gel together pretty well. You’ve got your usual Keith Martin style central hub, where you can kind of move freely about; but they are small and restricted to specific area, which works well. Just like the main story is set on an island, making it work well as a microcosm of sort. Monsters are horrific and mostly of the undead kind (lots and lots of undead!) and fits the overall theme. The rest of the cast, mostly bad guys but not always, are always in synch with the world that surrounds them. You never have a WTF moment when you feel that the author is playing god with you by inserting stuff that don’t belong. You feel like there was a genuine thought process that went into the creation of this world and it’s scenario. The built-up is nice and slow, and when you reach the last parts, the reveals are satisfying, even if the last encounter might be lacking a bit in the epic department. Like that middle of the road cover. Still, tough book! Island of the Undead made me feel good overall. I am easily able to imagine it being turn into a fantasy film of epic proportion, well, epic Willow-style if you will. I’d say that so far, along and slightly topped by Vault of the Vampire, this was my favourite Keith Martin. …or maybe I just have a thing for undead. Speak in extremes, it will save you time.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:31:48 GMT
From TUFFF... Anyone knows who's the guy on the cover?
Thanks Bring Stephen Hand back to FF!
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:32:27 GMT
From TUFFF... My guess is that he would be one of the elemental wizards, but otherwise, no clue. I don't recall anything like that in the book. Speak in extremes, it will save you time.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:33:16 GMT
From TUFFF... Yeah, that would be my guess- but which one? I recall that one of them- earth?- is surrounded by a yellow beam of light, or something like that. That's as close as I can get Bring Stephen Hand back to FF!
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 16, 2013 0:33:52 GMT
From TUFFF... It's almost as weird as the cover for Crimson Tide. Two Words
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Post by a moderator on May 24, 2014 12:08:57 GMT
My TUFFF playthrough:
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Post by cyranotheswordfish on Apr 8, 2015 14:19:19 GMT
Despite owning Island of the Undead for a few years now, I'd never previously got very far in it - something to do with a Ghoul, I seem to remember. As such, I was actually rather excited going into it this time, as at the very least it would be a new experience.
In the event, the exeperience turned out to be not just new, but highly enjoyable. Something about the setting and the writing just seemed to click with me (I found the whole thing to feel very similar to Legend of Zagor, which is probably the gamebook I've played the most) and, aside from the aforementioned Ghoul (doesn't it normally take 4 hits to paralyse you? I know it's a 'Greater' Ghoul, but it still seems a tad harsh) I thought the whole thing seemed reasonably well balanced, as long as you started with decent stats. I was lucky in that I seemed to find something close to the true path on my first try (well, I missed the diamond which is a pretty big issue, but I had nearly every other item and piece of information I ever got asked for).
I do have some criticisms, but their relatively minor. The rate at which you get through provisions seems a bit fast and there do seem to be rather a few errors, which is poor, even if you can just look them up and work around them. Also, the whole thing seemed to go on for quite a long time - I didn't mind, but it did stand out.
In total, I needed three tries, ending as thus:
Unable to advance due to lack of Diamond That Ghoul got me Victory!
Up next is Eye of the Dragon.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,458
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Apr 8, 2015 18:18:42 GMT
Also, the whole thing seemed to go on for quite a long time I think that's the big problem with Keith Martin's books (after the first two), they go on too bloody long.
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sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,678
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
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Post by sylas on Apr 8, 2015 22:29:58 GMT
Also, the whole thing seemed to go on for quite a long time I think that's the big problem with Keith Martin's books (after the first two), they go on too bloody long. i don't mind it if the story feels epic. the final victory would only be the more satisfying. the main gripe i have with Keith Martin and Jon Green's early adventures is there is always ONE essential battle that you must face and that battle is always hugely in your disfavour despite there being helpful items strewn throughout the book that you won't be using due to them being needed elsewhere.
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vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Jun 17, 2019 16:43:38 GMT
Do not like champskees solution for this book. Too much complex. Can anybody show a simpler one.
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Post by johnbrawn1972 on Jun 17, 2019 16:55:21 GMT
Do not like champskees solution for this book. Too much complex. Can anybody show a simpler one. That is the point of the whole book.
Try Citadel or Forest.
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Post by tyrion on Jun 13, 2020 21:33:15 GMT
This was a tough one, reminded me of that computer game where you are in an island and have to solve cryptic clues to progress. After this, crypt and masks i think it's time to do forest of doom again.
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Blackheart
Squire
Formerly known as Symm. Razaak raised me from the dead.
Posts: 42
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by Blackheart on Sept 30, 2020 8:44:17 GMT
Paragraph 1: ...claw at your throat! His corpse has been animated by some fell magic, and you...
What is 'fell magic'?
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Post by Wilf on Sept 30, 2020 9:03:05 GMT
Magic which is fell.
Guessing the caster was on a hill, or tumbled from a height. Or maybe tumbled from a hill, but that would be "fell off a fell magic".
(Or, at a stretch, fell could mean evil in this context.)
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,458
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Sept 30, 2020 9:21:11 GMT
Paragraph 1: ...claw at your throat! His corpse has been animated by some fell magic, and you... What is 'fell magic'? Fell = sinister or malevolent
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Blackheart
Squire
Formerly known as Symm. Razaak raised me from the dead.
Posts: 42
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by Blackheart on Sept 30, 2020 9:31:09 GMT
Paragraph 1: ...claw at your throat! His corpse has been animated by some fell magic, and you... What is 'fell magic'? Fell = sinister or malevolent Thank you.
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