Roll for Danger: The Cursed Catacombs by Nick Eliopulos

What worked:

This book is a choose-your-own adventure, so readers must be active participants in the story. They’re asked to make decisions that will guide the story in different directions. The author adds a twist to this concept by incorporating elements of interactive board games, such as Dungeons & Dragons. Some decisions are based on the roll of a die, so they bring in degrees of chance. Also, readers assign point values for the main character’s physical ability, cleverness, and social skills. Readers are asked to keep track of Seth’s strengths and weaknesses on a Character Sheet as the story progresses. These values may go up or down as a result of the readers’ decisions and will affect the character’s chances of having a successful quest. This kind of book is meant to be read multiple times, since different choices will create different stories.

The basic plot is that Seth must collect a specific flower from the catacombs under a cemetery. Seth encounters a variety of creatures and obstacles as he navigates the ancient tunnels. The wizard traps an imp inside a glass globe and sends it along with Seth on the mission. However, imps are mischievous things, and this one tries to engage Seth in conversation. The imp makes suggestions about what Seth should do, and they will affect his and the readers ' decisions. It sounds like the imp may be trying to help in sticky situations, but there’s always doubt about its trustworthiness. It makes some revelations that will impact the overall quest, but will readers heed its advice?

What didn’t work as well:

The character and plot development are limited, since segments of the story are skipped based on decisions. Readers are asked to use a six-sided die and Character Sheet, so they'll need to acquire these items before starting the book.

The final verdict:

The book’s format may be new to young readers, which should make it appealing to them. Rereading the book will lead to a variety of adventures and outcomes, with different ways to enjoy it. I recommend you try this book for yourself.