Wednesday, December 01, 2004

"Twisty Little Passages"

A book review: Twisty Little Passages, a book on interactive fiction, from the old Adventure and Infocom days to the more recent, including the IF archive and their annual contest. The author is a true fan of the form, and this sounds like a really fun read.

"Montfort's book provides an indispensable guide for a journey into the past of computer literature. Like any good travel guide it points out the roadside attractions, but it also teaches you to appreciate their often bizarre beauty. We are so used to the eye-candy that our graphics cards spew forth so abundantly, that the experience of interactive fiction threatens to be disorienting at first - but once our eyes have adjusted to the dark screen with its scarce spattering of bright alphanumerics, we are likely to feel like we are returning to a place we haven't ever really left. The effect is exciting and soothing at the same time -- like the wave of remembrance that washes over Marcel as he dips the Madeleine into his tea -- and Montfort deserves praise for reviving this lost world for us."

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

That is SO going on my Amazon wishlist. Thanks for the pointer.

Do you know about the LJ community "zorklife"?

--Doug

Lynn said...

No, I didn't -- sounds fun. And don't you just love the name of the book? I mean, you can really tell he's a true fan, not just some guy writing a book about int. fiction.