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I have found the material we were assigned to read (and play) this weekend was very satisfying. The theme appeared to be the branching paths of reality. In the first piece, "The Garden of Forking Paths", the narrator became a wanted man when his commander was captured and discovered a link to the mystery of his past. This short story really brought into question the makeup of reality. I've encountered in my life the very same theory that the narrator's ancient relative was fascinated by, the thought that with every choice we make, a hundred other realities are set into motion where other choices were made. It was a romantic monologue where a young man is asking a woman to board a train with him to see where that particular reality might lead. It's almost mind boggling to think that if this theory is true, there are billions upon billions of realities where everything is exactly the same, but you don't exist. It's also almost as mind boggling to know that this theory has exited in the minds of men for hundreds of years. We are so quick to assume that talk of parallel universes and other strange and futuristic ideas is restricted to recent years when research has allowed us to explore these possibilities. To get back to the reading, I thought it was extremely interesting that the author had used to many references to games and mazes in the passage. It was almost as though he was challenging you to try and imagine how the narrator could have done things differently. What if he had used his bullet on Madden? What if he had confronted Madden on the train? Did he have to Kill Albert? What if he got on a different train? What if he decided to give up on the message and save himself? At risk of wearing the word out, the possibilities are mind boggling!

Next we got to read a segment from the book"If on a Winter's Night a Traveler". The entire portion of the book we read was the equivalent of taking a sledge hammer and putting it to good use on the fourth wall. The author spent the entire time discussing the series of events that might have lead to the reader reading the book. I found the entire thing to be incredibly entertaining and kind of funny. I actually have a friend who has already read the book, and judging by what he told me and this passage, I think I'm going to need to buy and read it. Every detail about where they bought it to what they might be thinking about the authors style as the read the first words (which incidentally have already been read creating almost a sort of paradox) are covered. It connects to the previous reading in an obvious way, discussing possibilities about the paths life might follow. I found the excerpt to be a little less though provoking and a little more entertaining than the previous one though.

YES! On to the most entertaining thing I had the privilege of reading. Zork! Zork is an entity that is not quite a video game, but it is beyond the scope of "choose your own adventure" novels. It is a game of Dungeons and Dragons (that must have been particularly good) where you are an adventurer searching for treasure in a hidden labyrith. It allows you to explore all the options that the adventurer might take. In my first game, I explored the forest outside the house and got lost in the canyon just outside the labyrith. I decided to try again, and this time I discovered an open window on the side of the house. It led me down into the labyrith where I found a few treasures, but ran out of room to hold things, and couldn't find my way out again. I had to stop to write this blog! The game is an expression of the ideas from the readings. You can choose from tons of different options and paths to take in the world given to you. You can play the game in a hundred different ways and get a hundred different outcomes. In one you drown. In one you are eaten by trolls. In one you escape with half the treasures. In one you get away with only your life and a sandwich you found! And in one special outcome you defeat the monsters, avoid the thief, and escape with all the treasure. Now if you'll please excuse me, I have to go try to find that outcome. Don't wait up, this could take a while.