Cannonfire Concerto [$3.99] is another gamebook release from Choice of Games that offers an unusual premise and excellent world-building. You play as a touring musical virtuoso in a setting that has something of an 18th century European feel. It's a time of momentary peace for the region, but things are starting to fire up again. It's up to you to decide whether or not you want to get involved and which side you'll pull for, but whatever you choose, the show must go on. Written by Caleb Wilson, Cannonfire Concerto is a lighter and faster-paced read than some of the last few ChoiceScript games released, but that doesn't stop it from creating an interesting setting and having a good bit of fun with it.
The book's chapters are mostly structured around stops on your character's tour. You get to choose your musical instrument, sexual orientation, and gender, along with some of your strengths and weaknesses. Before you choose any of that, though, you'll find yourself right in the thick of the action, making choices that will influence your character's path for the rest of the story. It's an exciting, if somewhat bewildering, start to the adventure. While there are a lot of similarities between the game's world of Meropa and the real Napoleonic Europe, there are a lot of differences you'll need to sort out in short order. The most relevant one is the presence of special people who possess something called a Genius. This is the source of exceptional talent in this game's world, and...