Any book with a title like Spectacular Games For Your ZX Spectrum will always stir me to search and deny any claim. With this one, it wasn't too difficult - few of the games included in the 130 odd pages came close to being spectacular.

Each game was accompanied by some narrative; but this merely attempted to briefly describe the game and was of no instructive value. The illustrations were simple and, while often funny, their relevance is in question. Of the games, 'Kentucky Derby', 'Las Vegas A Go Go', 'Treasure Hunt' are all treading a well worn path. Perhaps it is because the authors, Hal Renko and Sam Edwards, wrote the book in Finland, and away from the UK software market that many of the other programs, while simple and uninvolved, are novel and good fun to play. Not the first book I would rush out to buy, but certainly one I'm glad to have in my collection.

Spectacular Games For Your ZX Spectrum is published by the Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., written by Hal Renko and Sam Edwards and costs £3.95. ISBN 0 201 14667 3