Choice-based storytelling has exploded in popularity in recent years. Video games like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us have earned cult followings for their emotionally charged, player-driven narratives. Even Netflix got in on the action with interactive specials like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, where viewers could make decisions that shaped the outcome of the story. These were massive hits, but with Netflix currently stepping back from interactive content, fans of branching-path adventures are left wanting more.
Well, don’t fear because Pushkin Press is here to satisfy our wishes.
Pushkin is relaunching the legendary Choose Your Own Adventure series, which first came out in 1979 and has inspired generations of readers. Created by Edward Packard and R.A. Montgomery, the series ran through the ’80s and early ’90s, and featured over 180 titles, covering everything from time travel and outer space to haunted houses and spy missions. There are now 6 titles being republished, including Journey Under the Sea, The Abominable Snowman, Secret of the Ninja, The Magic of The Unicorn, Mystery of the Maya, and Space and Beyond.
Each book is roughly 130 pages long, but would cover around 40 paths each. The paths obviously vary by length — for example, the very first journey we went on with Journey Under the Sea was just six pages long. Feeling unsatisfied, we went on a slightly different start and ended with an 18-page story! Our nerdy side nearly wanted to pull up an Excel spreadsheet and document every single path possible. We might not have that much time but we are definitely excited to explore more stories in this series!
Choose Your Own Adventure is out now. (Pushkin Press)
