Gamebooks (Choose Your Own Adventure Style)

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 2


Remaining in Atlantis in CHOICE #8 instead of traveling to Ager causes the aliens to offer two jobs for me in CHOICE #10:  underwater farmer on Page 101, or musician on Page 103.  What would an incorporeal alien eat?  What would music sound like to entities that don't have ears most of the time?  Don't expect R.A. Montgomery to answer these questions.  The farmer ending somehow manages to be both ominous and a Good Ending.


"Farming under the sea is a job that you enjoy.  Outside Atlantis, there are fields of sea plants that are tended like gardens back on earth.  Atlanteans go out each day and harvest the plants, take care of the fields, and chase away the fish that love to nibble on the growing plants.  Then there are fish pens to work where you feed and tend the fish until they are needed for food.  Farming under the sea is beautiful and it is much easier than you had imagined.  Danger lurks, though, in the form of stingrays, slender sea snakes, and occasional sharks.  You have to be on your guard at all times.  THE END".


Maybe in this alternate version the aliens don't have "energy shape" bodies?  They aren't mentioned until CHOICE #9.  This isn't an Inconclusive Ending because the character is not in immediate danger.  No drawing for this conclusion.


Results So Far


2 Good Endings

0 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Endings

0 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 3


The musician ending makes me think the main character watched The Little Mermaid too many times. 


"A musician in the world of Atlantis?  Who would believe it?  You are asked to choose an instrument to play.  You examine water lutes, sea drums, shark bone flutes, and a wide range of electronic instruments.  You choose one of the electronic instruments, but it makes no sound at all.  You are told that it plays music that people feel rather than hear.  What a world you're living in!  Who would believe in music that is not heard?  Gradually you learn to feel the different notes with parts of your body:  your thighs, chest, temples, and fingertips.  Your interest in this new way of sensing music grows with each day.  You master this new art form.  You become their greatest musician.  THE END".


The electronic instrument our hero picks is a practical joke played on all new Atlanteans.  It doesn't do anything at all.  If they had went with the shark bone flute, they'd try to perform heavy metal with it and be jeered.


EDIT:  No drawing here.


Results So Far


3 Good Endings

0 Deaths

1 Bad Non-Death Endings

0 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 4


In alien Atlantis, a prison sentence in CHOICE #7 doesn't turn the book into La Prisión:  Elige Tu Propia Aventura.  Instead, our hero remains in stasis:


"The idea of being injected with a serum and joining them for the rest of your life is awful.  You must plan an escape.  When your captors are not looking, you slip away and dash for the door of the spacecraft.  You fail to notice a laser beam guarding the exit hatch.  Stepping into the laser beam, you freeze in midstep.  The Atlanteans gather around you sadly and tell you that you will have to remain this way for the earth equivalent of 23 years and 61 days until the effects wear off.  Then you will be given a second chance.  THE END".


This seems like paralysis rather than stasis.  Does the hero grow older?  We missed out on the opportunity of seeing them return to the surface world and notice what had changed.  Since the aliens are talking to the hero, they must be conscious while in this state.  A drawing shows someone in a jumpsuit facing away from the reader looking at an aura.


Results So Far


3 Good Endings

0 Deaths

2 Bad Non-Death Endings

0 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 5


Surprisingly, accepting the Atlanteans' offer to return to the surface in CHOICE #6 does NOT boot the reader to a Neutral Ending.  Instead, there's another decision to take!  The Maray scientists don't believe me, but there's always a market for Atlantis books and talk shows.  CHOICE #11 is actually a career decision:  use the proceeds for a second expedition on Page 74, or retire early on Page 75.


"You argue with yourself for several weeks about setting out on a new expedition.  Money is not the issue.  You fear that finding Atlantis will ruin it for the Atlanteans.  You believe that their civilization must be protected.  You decide to use the money you have made to carry on research on space and life on planets in other galaxies.  Someday perhaps you will meet the Atlanteans in space.  THE END".


CHOICE #11 specifically mentions a "life of ease" rather than anything about keeping Atlantis's location secret or investigating it any further.  Still, I guess this counts as a Good Ending. . .



"If you don't like this ending, turn to Page 106".


Wait, there's a bonus ending?


"You argue with yourself for weeks, finally deciding to go back to Atlantis.  You are in such a hurry to return that you hire a small, fast hydrofoil to take you to the spot in the ocean where Atlantis is.  Once reaching the spot, you intend to make a dive with scuba gear!  You know a 2,000-foot dive is impossible, but you don't care.  You must make the attempt.

A storm rips the sea for six days and when it clears, you prepare to dive.  Just as you slip into the water, you look up into the sky and high above the clouds you see the sparkling city of Atlantis.  No dive is necessary.  THE END".


Our hero almost commits suicide by diving too deep, only for Atlantis to fly above him and make the expedition easy.  No word on what happens next, but this counts as a Good Ending.


Results So Far


5 Good Endings

0 Deaths

2 Bad Non-Death Endings

0 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings


Yes, there is a legitimate second expedition in CHOICE #11, but that will have to wait for another day.

[sunrise089]

Do you feel there's any sort of clue that the aggressive, reckless choices would lead to the ultimate ending? I know part of the fun of the books is running through them multiple times, but it seems less than ideal if the consensus worst choices more or less randomly lead to the best outcome.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Do you feel there's any sort of clue that the aggressive, reckless choices would lead to the ultimate ending? I know part of the fun of the books is running through them multiple times, but it seems less than ideal if the consensus worst choices more or less randomly lead to the best outcome.

R.A. Montgomery's gamebooks, along with La Isla de los Dodos and No Me Llames Tami, are part of a genre I'll call Solipsist.  Solipsism is the philosophical belief that one can only be sure of their own thoughts, and the external world is probably an illusion.  The contradictory endings of Solipsist CYOAs mean that there is no objective reality in their narratives, only the character's thoughts and moment to moment decisions.  Space and Beyond has the results of one decision differ based on whether you think you're immune to a disease or not, for example.


In a Solipsist Choose Your Own Adventure, there is no strategy, only chimp counterfeiters.

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 6


In the Chooseco editions of these books, there's a blank map on the back showing routes, as represented by circles and branching lines.  Nothing more is said about the endings themselves, though they're interesting if you're interested in the structure of CYOAs.  The map for Journey Under the Sea has dotted lines leading from one branch to another, and there's one time loop to be found.  Will it be as silly as repeatedly being kidnapped by the helicopter gang in Lost Jewels of Nabooti?


Anyway, let's go back to the second expedition beginning in CHOICE #11.  "You take all the money from the TV appearances and articles and outfit a ship, hire a crew, rent the Seeker, and set sail.  Most people think that you are out of your mind.  You'll show them". . .that conventional wisdom is entirely correct.


The grotto wall now has a metal panel that had been previously concealed by algae.  Since the protagonist is out of their mind, I'll shoot the laser on Page 92 instead of waiting to be invited on Page 93.


"You'll try to blast the hatch right off its hinges.  You have the power.  Your finger presses the red button that fires the laser cannon.  A blinding flash erupts immediately.  But the hatch remains firm.  You fire again and again and again.  Each time the Seeker is rocked by the force of the laser cannon.  The reflected energy is damaging to your craft.  You continue to fire the cannon, holding your finger on the button.  Then there is a blinding flash inside the Seeker itself.  The laser cannon explodes.  You and the Seeker are destroyed.  THE END".


Now this is what I had in mind for my character!  The author must have been tempted to include the Rita Mae Brown (NOT Einstein!) quote about insanity.  How much do you wanna bet that the laser cannon will disappear in other story branches?  It would have been useful for all those Leviathans in Subnautica.

No illustration for the first Death.


Results So Far


5 Good Endings

1 Deaths

2 Bad Non-Death Endings

0 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 7


The official justification for being cautious in CHOICE #12 is "You refuse even to consider using the laser cannon; it might kill people and would certainly destroy any chance for friendship".  Six hours later, and a "green glow" appears as the three Atlanteans from the visitor's reception room greet me.  CHOICE #13 is whether to follow the Atlanteans on Page 104, or refuse on Page 105.


But this is an alternate timeline, so they aren't "Atlanteans" at all!


"These people lead you to a control room.  There you meet the commander of an underwater scientific center that is conducting secret research into life under the sea.  They inform you that it was a good thing that you did not use your laser cannon, because they have anti-laser devices that would have blown you and the Seeker to pieces.  After a pleasant meal and a tour of the deepwater lab, you are sent back to the Seeker for a return journey to the surface.  You are told never to return again; if you do, you will be kept a prisoner for the rest of your life.  THE END".


This is a Neutral Ending if ever there was one.  My character made a fortune after discovering alien Atlantis, only to blow it all on a second expedition that they can never discuss for national security reasons or something.  And this IS the same location as the Atlantis with the aliens from planet Ager:  you have to take their offer to return to the surface to reach CHOICE #13.  At least there's an illustration of a naval officer with a mustache and glasses extending his right hand toward the reader.


And what tactical use could marine biology research have?  Did they read Aquaman comics and think they could control whales and dolphins?  Then again, that might actually be possible in this book.


Results So Far


5 Good Endings

1 Deaths

2 Bad Non-Death Endings

1 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 8


The same three people from CHOICE #13 are hostile if you don't follow them, and it doesn't make sense.


"When you refuse to follow them, they take out small hand-held hypnotizers that put you into a deep trance.  You are led through a long tunnel into a large underwater lab.  Three military technicians come up to you and break the trance.


'You have stumbled into a secret military base.  We're developing too many secret plans to risk being discovered.  You will remain our prisoner.'  There is no escape.  THE END".


There is also no illustration.  If you willingly enter, you eat a meal with them and you take a tour.  If you don't want to enter, they say you know too much and trap you in their lab?  They couldn't have used their hypnotizers to give you fake memories just in case and then send you home?  Or they don't just kill you outright and feed your corpse to the sharks?  Either way, the player character is a celebrity by the time this ending occurs, so someone will write bestselling conspiracy thriller books about their disappearance.


Results So Far


5 Good Endings

1 Deaths

3 Bad Non-Death Endings

1 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

Choose Your Own Adventure Journey Under the Sea Alternate Endings Part 9


Now we'll rewind to CHOICE #5, which is after the drilling but before the descent to alien Atlantis.  The bubbles lift the Seeker, only for it to be tangled in "brown kelp".  I explore the surroundings with my diving suit and find out that the kelp has trapped me.  CHOICE #14 is whether to flail around in the kelp on Page 51, or try to think of a plan to escape on Page 53.


Surprisingly the first option doesn't kill me.  I cut through the seaweed with a knife and shoot a flare to make the Maray pick me up.  "What a relief to be out of that nightmare world!"  So of course CHOICE #15 gives me an option to dive again tomorrow on Page 67.  The other decision is to rest for several days on Page 68.


"The scientists try to convince you that it is foolhardy to go down again so soon.  The captain of the Maray reports that a large storm system is coming and the next day will probably be the last day of diving for some time".


CHOICE #16 is actually on Pages 6-7 after Page 67.  "It is a strange and marvelous world where your every move is slowed down".  So it works like Sonic water rather than Mega Man + Shovel Knight water.  The Peanut Gallery will be happy to hear that a giant squid has grabbed the Seeker with its tentacles!  There's an illustration of this, along with the player character hiding behind a rock in a diving suit, and a school of fish and small shark lined up taking a curious glance at the squid.


As impulsive as my character is, they know "the spear gun you carry will be useless against this monster".  It's a traumatic memory of their original Time Machine 6:  The Rings of Saturn incarnation.  You can't aim for the giant eye that's looking at the rocks?!


CHOICE #16 is to hide close to the Seeker on Page 10, or flee in hope of rescue on Page 12.


"The giant squid tosses and turns the Seeker, but finally the creature grows tired of its new game and jets off with an enormous squirt of water".  Too bad the squid had closed the Seeker's airlock.  The Maray sailors were intelligent enough to realize I was in danger when I failed to respond to a "radio check".  They lower a platform that I'm currently riding, but the ascent is slow in order to avoid the bends.  R.A. Montgomery helpfully explains the bends "rapid expansion of nitrogen bubbles in your blood".  Subnautica Man never had to worry about that when he rode the Seaglide!


"Just as the platform begins to move, the giant squid suddenly reappears.  It is headed directly at you".  An illustration showing all of the squid's tentacles extended menacingly emphasizes the peril.  CHOICE #17 may be the dreaded Lose-Lose situation as seen in Lost Jewels of Nabooti:  shoot the squid with the spear gun on Page 17, or make the platform rise quickly knowing you'll get the bends on Page 19.


"Two 20-foot tentacles with their pulsing suction cups reach out to ensnare you.  You dive off the platform and fire two of your spears.  They strike the squid close to its two monstrous eyes".  Hey, the author anticipated what I'd try to do!  Was this narration in the original 1977 edition?  One tentacle destroys the seal to my diving suit, but the Maray takes me to safety.  A few days later, and CHOICE #18 is whether to quit while I'm behind on Page 31, or return to the sea on Page 32.  This post has gone on for long enough, so let's see an ending.


"With great sorrow, you decide that it is wisest to leave the expedition.  You can't risk returning to the great depths.  So, reluctantly you return to the United States.  Several major television shows are desperate to get you.  After all, you are one of the true survivors.  While on one such show, a special news flash announces to the world the discovery of Atlantis by an Italian research team lead by Dr. Marcello, a world-famous explorer.  You regret your decision, but you didn't really have a choice.  Did you?  THE END"


15 minutes of fame?  Our hero didn't get five!  They did get an illustration of the Maray, however.  It looks like a research vessel with a small helipad and a satellite dish.  We don't know what sort of Atlantis that Dr. Marcello found.  The Ager aliens don't want most people to know about them, and the naval research lab would have forbidden them to speak about their activities.  The last couple of lines try to make a statement about philosophical determinism, which probably won't be explored further in a 117 page children's book with 42 endings.


It's a Neutral Ending, since that's the category for "You might as well have stayed home, since your quest is irrelevant" scenarios.


Results So Far


5 Good Endings

1 Deaths

3 Bad Non-Death Endings

2 Neutral Endings

0 Inconclusive Endings