Storybook Favorites

Tornado near Cordell (Flickr)

OU's Haunted Halls: This storybook was the first I looked at. It stood out to me because it's about a familiar place, so I figured that my existing background knowledge could enhance my reading. The introduction does a good job at informing the reader of what's in store. I was really impressed with the second story, which took the form of an interactive story. It contained branching paths and alternate endings like a visual novel and I think that was a fantastic idea to incorporate. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the different 'mediums' used to express these stories, not to mention how each story was interesting on their own (maybe because they're based off real rumors).

King Arthur in Japan: I chose this storybook because I like Arthurian legend and Japanese legend. The introduction presents a pretty fleshed out backstory to this King Arthur. I liked the idea of Merlin being imprisoned within excalibur, with the 'true excalibur' present in a faraway land. Bit by bit, the author turns Arthurian legend into their own legend.

Tales of the Wild West: I chose this storybook because of the unique setting. The introduction is full of campy goodness which I enjoy. It does a good job at summarizing the characters, though it was a bit difficult to keep all these names in my head due to my limited knowledge of the Mahabharata. I think that retelling Krishna's victory against the wind by representing it as a desert tornado was clever and the victory seems more grounded than it is in the original (Krishna here only being perceived as strangling the winds instead of actually strangling the winds). The interactions between characters were enjoyable. Turning the legendary archer Arjuna into a gunslinger was a good idea, I just wish the storybook continued and had him end up using a bow at some point.