Review of the Scythe Bearer trilogy gamebooks

No teammates? No problem. Gamebooks by David Sharrock from the Scythe Bearer trilogy (part of the extensive Woven Paths gamebook series) take you on a quest where you are the main hero. Whether you are a newcomer or a seasoned adventurer, the first two published volumes, Zášť z Údolí středu and Nemesis - čarodějnice Devitu, will pull you into a world you won't want to leave.

Zášť z Údolí středu

The gamebook takes us into the Vlákno (Thread) world after a nuclear winter that changed everything. Even though this post-apocalyptic setting might seem dystopian at first glance, it is a full-blooded fantasy story.

A fairly detailed map greets players on the first few pages. I don't know how other players fared, but I glanced at it only once and then completely forgot about it. Next came the character sheet, which is clear but impractical (anything you write in it becomes unreadable).

As is usual with gamebooks, a date with the rules awaits you. If you don't have much experience with them, or if they vanish from your head as quickly as they do from mine, don't despair – there is always the option to just enjoy the story and pretend you are handling all the combat with ease. The gamebook even recommends this variant to less experienced players. After a few dramatic falls, I opted for this game mode too – otherwise, I would never have reached the end. Well, fate had other plans.

I could praise the appendix full of myths, but let's move on to the plot itself. The gamebook starts innocently. I discover I am a farmer's son and am about to exercise my right to head out into the world to gain experience. My father is fuming, my younger brother is teasing me, and only my mother supports my adventure. Witches interfere with our peaceful day, and we find out they have kidnapped our youngest brother – Smeták. I set off on a rescue mission, overcoming various traps and finding unexpected allies.

I can even treat myself to some downtime during the game! I just need to step into a magical tavern and cast my worries aside, as time flows differently there. On my journey, I find out what it means when there are too many cats in one place, and if I'm lucky, I'll run into Puch, whom I've grown fond of; if this creature existed, I'd definitely go grab a bite to eat with him!

What did I enjoy most about Woven Paths? From the very first page, the reader is thrown into the action while still having plenty of room to explore the world around them – and it is definitely worth the attention. A big plus is the successful chemistry between the main hero and Glyf; their dialogues are witty and natural, which gives the game lightness and flair.

On the other hand, the physical execution of the gamebook slightly spoils the experience. The small format and thin paper make the book easy to damage – and navigation through some passages can be confusing. One misread number is enough to find yourself going in circles with no hope of escape.

Nemesis - čarodějnice Devitu

The rescue mission continues! The witches still hold my hero's brother in their clutches, and I am no closer to freeing him. Yes, this sequel knows how to encourage the player.

We would find many differences between the second and first volumes. First of all, Nemesis has a different format… we moved from diary size to A4. Which is a plus in a way, but a big minus for your hands and comfort. Compared to Zášť z Údolí středu, Nemesis features better paper and color printing – my plea for a color map was heard!

If we struggled with the rules in Zášť z Údolí středu and had to constantly flip through the book and remind ourselves what to do, we will be fumbling here at the start as well. Several changes were made to the rules that the player must gradually absorb. If you are interested in the hero's journey and all those numbers and rolls don't make sense to you – continue in the enjoy the story mode and pretend you handle all encounters with ease.

Compared to the previous gamebook, it felt like the player has to calculate more often to move forward. Which is quite dangerous. More than once, I got so immersed in the story that I couldn't find my way back to the correct number. Wasting time flipping pages and looking for the last point to jump back from took a lot of energy.

Just like in the previous volume, you will have a partner here – or rather a female partner, with whom you will travel and reach new locations.

Expect that you won't finish this gamebook in one afternoon. The book is full of bonus inserts, illustrations, and full-page elements that you will spend some time with. The gamebook itself indirectly encourages us to explore much more and lets us know that the brother's rescue isn't going anywhere. Which is an interesting element, but if you started the game to find your brother, all the side activities will soon annoy you (though some are unavoidable).

Nemesis – čarodějnice Devitu may suffer from impractical dimensions and higher weight, but visually, it is a feast for the eyes. Compared to the first volume, a much more colorful gallery of characters awaits us, along with more action and unexpected revelations – some answers come before we even think to ask.

On the other hand, the plot is starting to get a bit complicated: the rescue mission, which was supposed to be the main goal, often fades into the background, and the player feels more like they are there to chat, help everyone, and spend hours solving side quests.

Anyway, it was an interesting and fun ride. And something tells me the third volume will serve up an even bigger portion of everything.

author Adéla Tomanovicsová