8 ‘Game of Thrones’ Choose-Your-Own Adventure Novels
We're big fans of 'Game of Thrones' here, so much so that we can't really picture our lives before it. How did we get our fantasy fix in the days before dragons and direwolves? 'Lord of the Rings'? Bah! The only thing that used to come close to the seat-of-your-pants, moment-to-moment excitement of George R.R. Martin's fantasy series is the "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" novels of our youth.
We remember countless hours spent reading "Choose Your Own Adventure" novels, vigorously turning the pages to find out what happened to our favorite characters from everything from 'Star Trek' to 'G.I. Joe.' If 'Game of Thrones' had been around during the heyday of the CYOA novel, we imagine that we'd be deciding the adventures of Tyrion, Arya and others just by turning ahead a few pages.
Check out some 'Game of Thrones' choose-your-own-adventure novels created by Kristy Puchko that we wish we could've read as kids. We've also included some excerpts for your reading enjoyment.
'The Imp in the Sky Cells of Eyrie'
Tyrion had heard whispers of Lady Arryn's madness, but witnessing it first hand was enough to put a chill in his weary bones. (No amount of wine could ever remove the image of Robert, a fully-grown boy of eight, attached to her teat.)
Even worse was trying to get a good night's sleep in the sky cells of the Eyrie. Tyrion had awoken from a particularly ribald dream only to find himself hanging off the open wall. Plummeting to his death whilst dreaming would be a most ignoble demise to me sure, he surmised.
Luckily, the crafty imp had a plan brewing...
IF YOU WANT TYRION TO ATTEMPT TO BRIBE MORD THE GUARD, TURN TO PAGE 247.
IF YOU WANT TYRION TO ATTEMPT TO CLIMB DOWN THE EYRIE, TURN TO PAGE 475.
'Sansa & The Hound'
Sansa could hear the battle cries outside the castle wall. Many men were dying. And if she made the wrong choice in this moment, she knew full well her head could end up on a pike next to her father's.
"Will you come with me?," The Hound said a second time, his voice no warmer for the drink she could smell on him.
IF YOU WANT SANSA TO FLEE KING'S LANDING WITH THE HOUND, TURN TO PAGE 136.
IF YOU WANT SANSA TO STAY WITHIN KING JOFFREY'S CASTLE, SUBJECT TO HIS CRUEL WHIMS...WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! ALSO, TURN TO PAGE 201.
'The Lady & The Lion'
Brienne knew men like these, men who'd feign fidelity to rape and pillage, then call it honor. Her hand itched to sieze her blade and slaughter each as they had the poor girls still dangling from the trees. But her first priority was to protect this royal prisoner entrusted to her by Lady Catelyn. Nothing would keep her from failing her lady.
"Wait, I know this man!," the shortest of the three exclaimed. "That's Jamie Lannister, the King Slayer!"
Brienne had but a moment to choose between fighting and fleeing.
IF YOU WANT BRIENNE TO CHUCK JAMIE OVER HER SHOULDER AND RUN, TURN TO PAGE 78.
IF YOU WANT BRIENNE TO BATTLE WITH THE THREE STARK BANNERMEN, TURN TO PAGE 94.
'The Redemption of Jorah Mormont'
The market buzzed with activity, merchants and farmer bustled and hustled for the Khaleesi's notice. Jorah excused himself from her and her entourage, and soon was confronted by one of the Spider's minions. A small boy slipped from a shadow and handed Jorah what he'd so long desired, a royal pardon. All he need do was let the assassin do his work, and he could return home. But one thing Jorah never counted on in his duplicity with the last of the Targaryens was this feeling the young Daenerys stirred in him so deeply.
Suddenly her laugh cut through the air, like a fresh breeze. "I'll try your summer wine, just a taste," she smiled at the vintner, whose eyes glistened with dark intentions.
"I have a special vintage just for you, Khaleesi," the wine peddler said, reaching into a tucked away basket. Jorah knew he too was one of the Spider's men, this one sent to kill the Targaryen heiress to the throne.
IF YOU WANT JORAH TO ALLOW THE ASSASSINATION AND RETURN HOME, TURN TO PAGE 65.
IF YOU WANT JORAH TO STEP IN AND SAVE KHALEESI, TURN TO PAGE 68.
'The Bastard & The Runt'
Jon Snow knew, ever since he saved the direwolves from Theon Greyjoy's blade, that they held a special meaning to the Stark family. And even though Theon had sneeringly referred to Ghost as "the runt of the litter," Jon Snow knew that his direwolf had a special sixth sense when it came to trouble.
So it was with no hesitation that Jon Snow rose from his sleep when Ghost whined at the door of his chambers. He had been confined to quarters for drawing a blade on Alliser Thorne. Leaving his quarters in the night would surely infuriate Lord Commander Mormont further. Still, Jon Snow sensed that Ghost's cries spelled trouble.
IF YOU WANT JON SNOW TO FOLLOW GHOST TO LORD COMMANDER'S CHAMBERS, TURN TO PAGE 235.
IF YOU WANT JON SNOW TO LET GHOST OUT AND GO BACK TO SLEEP, TURN TO PAGE 17.
'Hodor's Big Day'
Suddenly, Bran heard the sound of horse hooves off in the distance.
"What was that??," said Bran.
"Hodor," said Hodor.
IF YOU WANT HODOR AND BRAN TO INVESTIGATE THE SOUND, TURN TO PAGE 117.
IF YOU THINK THEY SHOULD HIDE IN THE BUSHES, TURN TO PAGE 235
'Greyjoy's Journey Home'
Theon wondered if all Pyke women were like this one. He couldn't put his finger on it, but this fiery lass reminded him of someone. But who? He brushed the thought aside as he considered his next move.
"What would a girl like this be game for?," he thought.
IF YOU WANT THEON TO THINK LONGER ON THIS DISTANT MEMORY, TURN TO PAGE 102.
IF YOU WANT THEON TO ATTEMPT TO SEDUCE THIS STRANGE YOUNG WOMAN, TURN TO PAGE 169.
'Dance Lessons & The God of Death'
Arya's head was spinning as the cold reality of her situation settled in. The King's Guard had come for her, for her father, probably even for Sansa. She looked to Forel, whose sharp smile never faded. As the guards drew closer, she wished she had her needle instead of this wooden practice sword.
As her teacher put himself between her and a heavily armored knight, he said, "Arya child, we are done with dancing for the day. Run to your father." With catlike reflexes he lunged into battle, his wooden sword making sickening thuds as the Guard's blades bit away at it.
"Be gone now, Arya!," Forel demanded. "What do we say to the God of Death?"
IF YOU WANT ARYA TO RETREAT AND SHOUT "NOT TODAY," TURN TO PAGE 187.
IF YOU WANT ARYA TO STAY WITH HER DANCING INSTRUCTOR THROUGH THIS BATTLE, TURN TO PAGE 216.