Video Gamers' Delights

Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 3/18/2009

Originally created by Jordan Mechner in the late 1980s for Broderbund, Prince of Persia, a classic action-adventure video game, has passed through numerous incarnations under the auspices of various companies and featured many different renderings of (and personal traits for) its title hero. The latest version of this fan-favorite game was published by Ubisoft and released in December 2008, and a movie adaptation, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Pictures, is in the works for a May 2010 release.

Prince of Persia: The Graphic Novel (First Second Books, 2008) plays on the paradox of just which representation of the character is the “true” Prince of Persia. According to Mechner’s interesting afterword, he didn’t want to create “an adaptation of any of the games or of the movie, but a new story that would tap into the deep wellspring of Persian myth, legend, and history from whence the prince has arisen.” Written by A. B. Sina with artwork by LeUyen Pham and Alex Puvilland, this richly layered book tells two simultaneous stories, both set in the Persian city of Marv, one in the 9th century and one in the 13th century. Action and political intrigue abound as a rightful prince is usurped, an ambitious general makes a grab for power, a runaway girl discovers the realities of her father’s rule, and sacrifices are made for love. As the plot unfolds, time continually shifts, characters are interconnected, and past occurrences are intermixed with prophesies. The script has a mythical and mystical quality that is beautifully echoed in the artwork, which blends atmospheric imagery with vividly depicted action and clearly delineated settings. Differentiations in palette help readers follow the storyline and the changes in timeframe. Game fans will enjoy exploring this imaginative interpretation (Gr 9 Up).

Creativity Unleashed

In 2008, LucasArts released Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a videogame that’s set in the narrative timeline between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). In The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Insight Editions, 2008), W. Haden Blackman and Brett Rector present a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how the game was created. Penned by the project leader, the lively text takes readers through the process of generating (and often rejecting) concept ideas; fitting specific storylines into the larger Star Wars cannon; designing characters, costumes, and environments; incorporating the latest gaming technologies; and, of course, the “True Jedi Trials”—pitching all ideas to Star Wars mastermind, George Lucas. The attractively laid-out pages are jam-packed with more than 300 pieces of colorful concept art. This book will not only appeal to Star Wars fans, but will also grab readers who are interested in how videogames are developed, from initial concept to final launch (Gr 6 Up).

Ghosts at War

First introduced in 2001 (Ubisoft), Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon series continues to be popular with fans of military tactical shooter video games. Players are placed in command of a fictional squad of United States Army Special Forces operators, occasionally called “the Ghosts,” whose actions are kept strictly classified. Real military weapons are incorporated into the fray, and players are taught military tactics during training segments.

David Michaels’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon (Berkley, 2008) is a never-before-published military thriller based on the game scenario. The book follows Captain Scott Mitchell and the soldiers of his highly trained, cloaked-in-stealth Ghost Recon team into China’s eastern coast, where they are mandated to seek and destroy the Spring Tigers, a small group of renegade Chinese commanders “with itchy fingers and their sights set on [seizing] Taiwan.” The stakes are high—a takeover could initiate armed conflict in the Pacific and possibly escalate into World War III—and things become personal for Mitchell when he realizes that an old enemy, whom he holds responsible for the deaths of several soldiers, is involved in the cabal. Page-turning action blends with vivid storytelling as the Ghosts—and other strongly drawn individuals—reveal their personalities and motivations. Devotees of both the game series and the genre will appreciate the descriptions of cutting-edge weaponry and other high-tech gear, the breathless (and explicit) combat action, the astounding acts of courage, and the strong sense of camaraderie among the characters.   

Pub Info

MECHNER, Jordan. Prince of Persia: The Graphic Novel. written by A. B. Sina. art by LeUyen Pham & Alex Puvilland. color by Hilary Sycamore. First Second Books. 2008. pap. $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59643-207-9.

BLACKMAN, W. Haden & Brett Rector. The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Insight Editions. 2008. pap. $29.95. ISBN 978-1-933784-25-0.