The Kingdom of Wyrd (Blood Sword)

The second book in the Blood Sword series is where the story arc begins that links all five books in the series. In this sense you could start with book 2, but I would strongly recommend beginning with book 1 (The Battlepits of Krarth) to experience what many regard as the best gamebook series from the 1980s.The Kingdom of Wyrd is a move away from the traditional "dungeon crawl" of book 1. The neat thing is that there are multiple paths to completion. Having completed a second read through, making some different choices, you do certainly get a different "experience." As with all of the books in the series the writing is absolutely top-notch and its denouement is not necessarily your traditional gamebook ending....but to say more would be giving spoilers!As with all the books in the series, you can play it solo (as one of four character classes) or four people can play one character each which gives you more of a RPG feel to it, along with experience points and leveling. Actually, I guess you could have five players with one taking on the role of the reader/GM. The tactical maps in these revised editions are much more useful too, so you even get some table-top miniature strategy thrown in there too. The bottom line is that this book -- and the entire series - is so much more than your typical gamebook. It's also great way for a group to get a quick RPG experience if time is limited, but it also serves as a likely gateway to full-blown RPGs (Note: the Dragon Warriors RPG has the same setting as the Blood Sword gamebooks and seriously if worth checking out!)Buy this book, and when you do you will want the complete series, just to see where the incredible story weaving through the books takes you.

I highly recommend this to any fan of the genre. One of my new favorite games.

Finally back in print and you don't have to pay a 100.00 for a beat up used copy.

The Kingdom of Wyrd is the second in the Bloodsword gamebook collection. While the first book was excellent, the second is superior due to a higher level of originality and the overarching story becoming the driver for some of the narrative and choices, with the quest in this book to find the hilt of the Sword of Life. The only drawback from the series was the complex combat system. But that is easily solvable, just don't bother with it. The book stands up on the quality of the writing alone.I owned many gamebook series back in the day but culled most of them from my collection. Bloodsword is the collection I regret getting rid of the most, hence me purchasing it again. On a more positive note, at least the authors got paid twice over. There are probably around ten stand out gamebook series in total, this being one of them. One or both of the authors being involved in three or four of the others (more if you allow for Jamie Thomson's cameo role in book 5). But then you probably know that already if you're reading this.

This book is great but dammit I managed to get to the final boss battle without a single one of the SIX magic items required to win lol and was immediately slain. How do I miss 6 items?!! Sorry Krarth it looks like the 5 true Magi will return after all.

Blood Sword, quite possibly the best gamebook series ever.This is the book where the action and setting really picks up steam after a somewhat slow start.Get the whole series, you won't be disappointed.

Nostalgia buy. The larger form factor is definitely better. Aside from larger floor plans, Russ Nicholson's art is easier to appreciate on the whiter paper.

love this auther