Back in 2015, I reviewed a series called DestinyQuest. The books were a revitalization of a mainstay of my childhood, Fighting Fantasy. “Choose your own adventure,” “game books,” “books where YOU are the hero”: these multi-pathway novels are the reason I’m writing for GeekDad now.
If you read the review linked above, you’ll learn that the books are written by an old school friend of mine, one I’d lost touch with. Perhaps it was destiny, perhaps it was the internet, but Michael J. Ward and I have remained in touch ever since, including one memorable occasion where we met at Warhammer World, and he couldn’t kill my Paladins.
After a brief hiatus, where Mike had to put away his labor of love and earn a crust, DestinyQuest is back. Once again YOU can be the hero. Doubly so, because Mike and his publisher, Megara Entertainment, are looking for funds on Kickstarter: DestinyQuest Needs You!
New to Kickstarter? Check out our crowdfunding primer, and visit our Kickstarter curated page for more projects we love.
What is DestinyQuest IV?
Subtitled The Raiders of the Dune Sea, this book promises to push the genre in new directions. The previous DestinyQuest books were remarkable for how well they took you out of yourself, and into the shoes of the heroes in the quests. They are unparalleled in their levels of character immersion. Raiders of the Dune Sea promises to take us to new… er… sandy… depths.
Whilst the author hopes you will read his previous books, there is no need to (other than the fact they are excellent). Raiders of the Dune Sea is a standalone adventure. That said, it does fit into a wider narrative that dovetails with the other books in the saga.
What is the book about?
From the book’s blurb:
A lost race returns from the shrouds of time, armed with the powerful magics of Ragnarok to unleash their bitter vengeance on an unsuspecting world. The shifting sands of the southern desert will run red with blood as the robbers and pirate captains of the Dune Sea are dragged into a deadly war – one which could unravel time and change the destiny of all.
You are an orphan with a strange gift for magic. Hunted by the church, you have fled south to the desert lands of Khitesh, seeking to make a fresh start as a sell sword. However, a simple treasure-seeking mission quickly turns sour, plunging you into the heart of a criminal underworld, where shady dealings and poisoned blades hide a deadly secret.
The setting is a desert kingdom with border outposts and Sultan’s palaces. Like the other books in the series, you build your character through choices you make. Various career paths will offer themselves up to you. Perhaps, a Templar, maybe a dervish, or will an aeronaut be more to your playing style? In any case, you, the reader, get to choose. The book will bear repeat playings as different choices will lead to different paths being taken through the book.
There are a colossal number of entries in the book, so many in fact (around 1,500) that book has to be split across two volumes.
More entries mean more choices, and much like in the computer games that inspired the author, there are real choices to be made. You can choose whether to make allies or enemies of the people you meet, but beware, you won’t be able to make friends with everyone. Choose a faction in the roiling political scene of the Dune Sea or embark on secret missions for lost treasure; archeology to some, tomb-robbing to others. In the words of the author, “Every quest will present you with hard choices to make – and some may come with fateful consequences…”
What levels can I pledge at?
All pledge levels include global shipping, which is pretty unusual for Kickstarter, and overall very refreshing. No hidden costs!
- €25 ($30) will bring you 700 pages of paperback book (with 2 full-color maps), and many hours of entertainment.
- €30 ($36) will bring you 700 pages of paperback book (with 2 full-color maps), many hours of entertainment, AND 3 random loot cards; treasures unique and exclusive to the Kickstarter.
- €35 ($42) will bring you 700 pages of paperback book (with 2 full-color maps), many hours of entertainment, AND all 6 available loot cards; treasures unique and exclusive to the Kickstarter.
- €40 ($48) will bring you TWO x 700 pages of paperback book. (No loot cards.)
- €50 ($60) will bring you 700 pages of paperback book (with maps), all 6 Loot cards, AND two extra A4 sized laminated maps.
So there it is, Destiny Quest IV – the pinnacle of game-book evolution. At least until the next one! Don’t delay, check out the Kickstarter today.
Disclaimer: Michael J. Ward is a longtime friend of mine and an all-round decent fellow.
Damn those unkillable Paladins…