Electron User
1st June 1988
He's done it again. Geoff Larsen's last adventure, The Puppetman, gave rise to an excess of superlatives in my review. Now, I shakily pluck out my thesaurus in an attempt to find more words of praise for his latest Quilled masterpiece.
While on a hiking holiday in Cornwall way back in 1902 you find yourself in Padstow during the Hobby Horse celebrations. After the celebrations you talk to a couple of local Cornishmen in one of the taverns.
When you tell them of your interest in myth and folklore they recount the legend of Vianna, a witch who lived in the area some 200 years earlier. Thus the scene is set and as you accept a lift in a carriage to Bude the next day, the story you heard the previous evening sends a shiver down your spine.
With no obvious purpose, it will take you some time to realise exactly what your quest is to be. As with previous Larsoft adventures, flags are set as you move, which put into operation important events.
For instance after about thirty moves the trinket shop will be open for business, and thirty moves later a fisherman will appear outside the inn and explain that the tide is turning. Shortly afterwards a means of reaching the island will be uncovered.
That is as much of the plot as I can give away without spoiling the enjoyment for you.
However, I will say that it is essential that you talk to the characters you meet, as they will provide the most important hints to unravelling this mystery.
Once again this Larsoft adventure is only restricted by the utility which Geoff has used to write it. I long ago groaned at having to use two word, verb-noun input. Considering such limitations, the adventure reeks atmosphere and is incredibly addictive.
I won't go so far as to say that Hex surpasses The Puppetman in quality, as it is constructed and carries a plot in a totally different vein. However, once again The Quill has been taken to its limits by the creativity and ingenuity of Geoff Larsen.
This adventure immediately jumps into my all-time Top Ten of personal favourites.
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