The Secrets of Salamonis, or the secret of a masterpiece!

The Secrets of Salamonis, the brand new book in which you are the hero by Steve Jackson. His very first gamebook after… 36 years!

The Secrets of Salamonis

Chance of coincidences, I barely told you about Shadow of the Giants of Ian Livingstone that today I am going to present to you The Secrets of Salamonis.

The Secrets of Salamonis a Book of which you are the Hero written by Steve Jackson and published by Scholastic. It’s about 72nd volumejust that, from the Fighting Fantasy river series, called Fantasy Challenges in French-speaking countries.

👉 France Culture recently devoted a whole series of articles to the Books of which you are the hero. Including one on the Fantastic Challenges series, precisely. To discover here.

Fighting Fantasy

Steven Jackson is one of the two creators of the concept of Book of which you are the hero with his buddy Ian Livingstone. Unlike his partner, Steve Jackson quickly stopped writing. The Secrets of Salamonis is his first gamebook in 36 years. Yes, 36 years old, the age of Gus, my beloved editor (or so he says, but I have my doubts).

👉 France Culture recently devoted a whole series of articles to the Books of which you are the hero. Including one on the birth of the Books of which you are the Hero, precisely. To discover here.

The Secrets of Salamonis, gamebook or role-playing game?

The Secrets of Salamonis is based on the classic rules of Fantasy Challenges. You create your character on three skills: skill, endurance and luck, and all this on the roll of dice. Great classic.

But in the book, Steve Jackson adds a big overlay. First, theAmonour, your reputation, your achievements. Which will help you access certain special missions. But also, experience points, or XP, to increase your basic abilities.

In the book, during the adventure, we can also learn some special skills, such as incantations, knowledge of the world, or even the… tavern fight. A very useful skill. Especially when you’re in a tavern. And we have to fight. A exciting and well-integrated system in the book.

Your choices in the game also have consequences. In case of… questionable behavior, you will be classified offendersee sought. Which can become very disabling.

Finally, you have to manage time. Because certain key actions can be triggered depending on the day of the week.

In short, you got it. For his big comeback after 36 years, Steve Jackson, the “pope” of the Book of which you are the Hero, has let go. The Secrets of Salamonis is very complete, accessible and well thought out. the book Game book Game book playbook eyeing the paper roleplaying side. Less complexity.

Creation out of chaos

Steve Jackson really has his own way of working on his plots. He loves puzzles, coded languages. And especially the open worlds“. Most of his major works take place in very free ways, at the moment of the fabulous series Witchcraft!or my favorite gamebook: La Creature from Chaos.

👉 France Culture recently devoted a whole series of articles to the Books of which you are the hero. Including one on the Sorcellerie series!, precisely. To discover here.

The Secrets of Salamonis, takes place precisely in parallel with the latter. And that some surprises await those who know the book. This book that comes out of nowhere and that we did not expect has the luxury of being a real nugget.

As a bonus here is an episode of Podcast of which you are the hero on The Creature from Chaos !

The Mansion of Scale

In The Secrets of Salamonis, your character arrives in the big city of Salamonis pushed by his parents. He comes to educate himself and find a job. But it starts badly. You have been robbed and you have practically nothing left. You’re going to have to find a way to earn a living. Scams, sleight of hand, the plunge into a tavern.

This is how the adventure gets off to a flying start. With the few gold coins earned in this way, you will be able to join the adventurers’ guild. But I’m not going to divulge too much about the plot to leave you the pleasure of discovery.

It should be noted that the feeling of breadth felt with this book is immediate. The city and its region are teeming with details, with many endearing NPCs. It really feels like anything is possible. Some quests may seem trivial, but they end up weaving together a larger story.

Appointment with the FUN

The Secrets of Salamonis offer a really pleasant experience. The author, now 71 years old, has fun like crazy. And it feels.

The book poses a real challenge, but not an infeasible one. The puzzles are well calibrated. And it should be noted that they are less punitive than some other creations of Steve Jackson from the 80s (Mansion of Fear, I’m screaming your name!!!).

In addition, starting the story with the aim of educating yourself and succeeding in life is a great change from necromancers and other snow witches to slay.

By the way, his sublime illustrations only underline the quality of the work!

The Secrets of Salamonis, crowned king?

The Secrets of Salamonishas its place in the pantheon of gamebooks ! Strolling in the region of Salamonis is a real, palpable pleasure. We catch ourselves and fall in love with wanting to visit its recesses, glimpse its secrets. Each discovery brings deep satisfaction.

In addition, managing daily life – what to do, who to see, where to sleep – contributes to this immersion. It should be noted that a system of ” Center Hub“, the heart of the game, will allow you not to get too lost in the multiple intrigues.

My only reservation with this book : I the not recommended for novices. It’s necessary be very patient and careful to fully understand and follow the story and enjoy it to the full. By being in too much of a hurry, we risk missing out on the story. The Secrets of Salamonis is savored. It took 36 years for the author to come back with this book. Might as well enjoy it, with patience and… jubilation. Clearly what I felt when reading the book. In truth, The Secrets of Salamonis is more of an adventure than a “simple” reading. From this book, we come out drunk.

For me a powerful heart stroke and a must have if you like the genre!

To get it (in English only) go to Scholastic’s website or in the Logaan Temple Bookstore, of course.

Article written by Didi. His passion: games, but above all, role-playing games. His columns on Gus&Co introduce you to new products, and also dust off some rarities unearthed on his shelves.