SPACE AND BEYOND (Choose Your Own Adventure, No 4)

Rating:
Summary: More beyond than Space itself
Review: This could be a strange book at times. But there is also a certain charm about it. There is more to the story than just space travel. It is more like a galactic quest through life as it exists in the deep past, distant future, physical and supernatural sense. There are a number of interesting and unusual endings in the book with some philosophy thrown in for good measure. There are also cross references of wars, epidemics, politics, and civilizations from alien planets to planet earth.
One would be frustrated at first that it seems impossible to fulfill the mission of reaching the planet of your citizenship as this appears to be the goal in the beginning of the story. Being diverted to help other planets, other space organizations, other beings, and even MISSION TRAINING seems to demean the goal of the story. But then again, that is the premise of the story, which makes it a really good read. R.A. Montgomery isn't known to be as good as his colleague, Edward Packard, but he did put forth good writing here. He managed to cram alot about life in the galaxy in 116 pages. Don't expect a lot of what is on the cover of the reissue (a corny Buck Rogers like scene of a laser battle) to be in the story though. Paul Granger's original, lush, colorful artwork is more suitable.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best of the series
Review: The "Choose Your Own Adventure" series was a great invention for kids, and the first 14 or so were very interesting. However, simply put, R.A. Montgomery is not very good at writing them, unlike his colleague Edward Packard. Arbitrary, preachy, and sometimes practically incoherent, his books are only for rabid fans of the genre.