Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Knights Club:The Bands of Bravery by Shuky

"Introducing a new series of interactive, pick-your-panel graphic novels for middle grade readers, full of adventure, magic, and fun! Knights Club is a hilarious, medieval-themed quest for bravery and glory.

The year is 1012 in the kingdom of the good king Louilepou. Three brothers dream of joining the Royal Order of Knights: fearless adventurers, able to travel long distances, slay the most dangerous theives, and defend the valorous peasants. And one of these brothers is you!

But the road to knighthood is long. You must journey through snowy mountains, haunted lakes, and dark forests in search of the bracelets of bravery. During your expedition you will come face-to-face with a troll, an old wizard, or a warrior. You must solve riddles, discover hidden compartments, learn combat techniques, and gather magical objects. Your success depends on your choices alone, because the hero is you!"


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Originally published in 2012 in France as Chevaliers: Journal D'un Heros , this book feels like a throw back to the build-your-own adventure goosebumps books I read as a child. Couple this with me being an avid Dungeons and Dragons player and DM, I had a blast following this adventure! It has a few "game overs" and some surprises that break the 4th wall.... but all of this will keep kids coming back to this story. 

Its full color pages are engaging, and knowing where to go is easy with a quick three page "how-to" at the front. The digital copy I received had 6 character trackers that were dotted (unsure if they will be perforated or simply dotted and need cutting out) but could easily be copied onto lined paper, or in a machine if this book is bought for a classroom.

This story is set apart from other "choose your story books" by having you keep track of what you have done/earned and makes reading feel like a game. The puzzles in it add an extra layer of problem solving that isn't always there in a book, let alone a game.

I cant suggest this book for a Kindle read, as the way you read this book is difficult on a computer (how I received my ARC copy) and I imagine would be slightly frustrating on a small screen as well.

This book is set to release on September 4th 2018 on Amazon here And is now available for preorder!
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Here are a few of the pages from the book to give you an example of the artwork and how this choose your own story flows! (I purposely didn't get the frame # in that second picture as to not ruin the story! And please excuse the grainy quality, that is my phone not the comic!)
   

   

As you can see, your decisions have numbers attached, and you follow the numbers to whatever panel is next in the story progression. This means that sometimes you will visit the same page several times, and that each read through can be different than all the previous ones! You can also see how vibrant and colorful this comic is, and wonderfully detailed in ways it doesn't have to be but it is!

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