THE PUPPET-MAN

Author               : Geoff Larsen
Standalone Release   : 1987: THE PUPPETMAN, Larsoft, £3.95
                       Originally released on cassette only
Compilation Release  : 2002: THE LARSOFT COLLECTION, Larsoft, PD (Disc)
Disc compatibility   : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00
Compatibility        : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128
Supplier             : LARSOFT, 4 Chantry Road, Clifton, BRISTOL BS8 2QD

Review (Electron User) - "No Strings Attached"

Geoff Larsen is fast becoming one of the prime adventure writers for the 
Electron. With the release of this, his fifth adventure, he confirms his mastery 
of the genre. THE PUPPET-MAN is one of the most original and engrossing 
adventures I have seen for a long while, and must be Geoff's finest offering 
yet.
 
At the end of the last century there lived a puppeteer whose puppet plays were 
the talk of the land. In fact his puppets were so lifelike it was rumoured they 
were little people, made up to look like puppets. At the midsummer fair in the 
village of Owlsmore the Puppet Man is due to perform but the day before, his 
star marionette was stolen or mislaid.
 
During a dream, you are visited by Mnemosyne, mother of the Greek muses. She 
tells you that if you can help three of her daughters; the muses of dance, 
comedy and poetry, they in turn will assist you in a search for the marionette.
 
The adventure becomes a trilogy of inter-related plots in which you first help a 
ballerina, then an auguste clown and finally Pierrot.
 
The backdrops incorporate nineteenth century theatre and circus giving the whole 
adventure the heady atmosphere of vaudeville. The puzzles are complex, but 
totally logical and require careful thinking and revisiting of different scenes.
 
The beginning reminds me of something of a cross between Level 9's WORM IN 
PARADISE and Robico's MYOREM. To be compared even in part to those two 
masterpieces is sure testimony to the quality of this adventure.
 
Later on there is a beautiful scenario involving a butcher, a baker and a 
candlestick maker, and a wooden tub. Another scene involves trapping a bear, 
while on the stage is a struggling Covent Garden escapologist. As suggested, the 
adventure involves dancing, comedy, poetry and sleight of hand, and like all of 
Larsoft's adventures is totally non-violent.
 
The multi-use of each location and the facility to talk to the characters you 
meet, means Geoff has used the Quill to its utmost. The mind boggles to think of 
what he might achieve given machine code programming and better text 
compression.
 
This adventure is superb and you will be hard pressed to find a better release 
for the price. Larsoft is going to be a name worth watching over the next few 
years. All I can say is buy it, you won't be disappointed.
 
Presentation ..................... 9
Atmosphere ....................... 8
Frustration Factor ............... 9
Value for money ................. 10
Overall .......................... 9
 
Pendragon, ELECTRON USER 4.11