Sins of the Fathers

Gabriel Knight #1

by Jane Jensen

Gabriel Knight, a horror novelist, is no stranger to the occult. The Voodoo Murders are spreading fear through his native New Orleans. His interest in them is more than professional--it brings back memories of a terrible nightmare that has haunted his sleep since he was a teen.
His inexplicable attration to a beautiful woman surrounded by voodoo lore and mystery leads him much too close to an ancient curse and its deadly threat. To escape its diabolical evil, Gabriel, in a race against time and vile magics, must find the key to his survival...a key hidden in a shocking family history.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Gaming

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1997

About the author

Jane Jensen is the game designer of the popular and critically acclaimed Gabriel Knight adventure games and author of the novels Judgement Day and Dante's Equation.
Jane Jensen was born Jane Elizabeth Smith, the youngest of seven children. She received a BA in Computer Science from Anderson University in Indiana and worked as a systems programmer for Hewlett-Packard. Her love of both computers and creative writing eventually led her to the computer gaming industry and Sierra Online where she worked as a writer on Police Quest III: The Kindred and EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus. After co-designing King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow with veteran game designer Roberta Williams, Jensen designed her first solo game: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, which was released in 1993. The dark, supernatural mystery was a departure for Sierra but the game was enthusiastically received, with the strength of Jensen's writing, along with the game's horror and gothic sensibilities coming in for particular praise from the gaming press and earning the title Computer Gaming World's "Adventure Game of the Year" title.
Jensen followed up Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers with two sequels: The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery in 1995 and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned in 1999. Somewhat unusually for an adventure game series, each Gabriel Knight title was produced in an entirely different format to the others. Whereas the original was a traditional 2D animated game, the sequels were realised through full motion video and a custom built 3D engine, respectively. Despite further acclaim for Jensen's design in both cases (The Beast Within was Computer Gaming World's "Game of the Year"), the large expenses associated with making the sequels, coupled with the declining marketability of adventure games (especially within Sierra) meant that a fourth in the series was not commissioned.
In 1996, Jensen published a novelization of the first Gabriel Knight game. A second Gabriel Knight novelization followed in 1998. In 1999, Jensen published her first non-adapted novel, Millennium Rising (later retitled Judgment Day). Her fourth book, Dante's Equation was published in 2003. Dante's Equation was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
Jensen has been involved in designing casual online games at Oberon Media, of which she is a co-founder. Her work in the Hidden Object/light adventure category can partially be credited with moving casual games in the direction of full adventure games in puzzle and story sophistication. Some of her more notable recent hits include Deadtime Stories (2009) and Dying for Daylight (2010). After leaving Oberon in 2011, she briefly worked at Zynga.
Jensen's most recent full adventure game was called Gray Matter, which was developed by Wizarbox and published by dtp entertainment in 2010. On April 2, 2008 the game, originally intended to be developed by Hungarian software house Tonuzaba, switched to another developer, French company Wizarbox: as a result, the tentative release was changed and shifted to 2010.
Jane Jensen owns a farm in Pennsylvania where she lives with her husband, composer Robert Holmes, who composed the music for the Gabriel Knight series and for Gray Matter. On April 5, 2012, the couple announced the formation of Pinkerton Road, a new game development studio to be headquartered on their Lancaster, Pennsylvania farm. The studio will use a Community Supported Gaming (CSG) model to give subscribers direct access to the games they produce, similar to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) where small farms provide consumers with regular produce deliveries. With this announcement, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to raise funds for the studio's first year of game development.
Jensen is also a story consultant on Phoenix Online Studios' adventure game Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller.

Reviews

[Mirnes Alispahić · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was maybe 1997. when my friend got a PC as a gift along with a couple of game demos. Most of them were Sierra and LucasArts point'n'click adventures that got us hooked into gaming. Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers was a lot of fun and up until recently I was not aware of novelization of the video game. Usually, those kinds of things are not my sort of thing, but having been written by Jane Jensen herself (she was game designer who created Gabriel Knight for those who're not aware of it), I thought to give it a shot.
Did I got what I expected? Definitely. This novel is heavily influenced by Alan Parker's Angel Heart (itself adaptation of Hjortsberg's Falling Angel), which was said by Jensen also. New Orleans, voodoo, ritual murders. However, all similarities ends there.
Gabriel Knight is a struggling horror writer/bookstore owner who is trying to write a new book about ongoing voodoo murders, but he has no idea that entity that is behind those killings is connected to past of his family and Schattenjägers.
Jensen admitted that she chose a wrong way to introduce Gabriel Knight to the literary world, and I definitely see why. Sometimes the novel feels like a video game walkthrough and while some things may have sense in a video game, in the novel just feels awkward and sloppy.
There are moments where Jensen really shines as a writer, but then she stumbles again and rise up after a few pages. If she had a different approach and a more strict editor, this would've been a very good horror novel, but in this shape it's only for fans of the video game. Even them might be disappointed.
I will read a novelization of The Beast Within as well, since this was one was decent and they say she improved in the second one. And I'll try her standalone novels like Judgment Day or Dante's Equation: A Novel.

[Cyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this book. I've had it on my shelf for years and played the video game eons ago (it's my favorite game series - seeing as how it was my introduction to mystery/adventure PC games).

Anyway, I'm glad I finally picked it up - the book was a lot of fun; it pretty much mirrored the game exactly, except with more descriptive detail and getting into Gabriel's head better (game limitations and all that). I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I only wish Jensen had written a novel for the last GK entry.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It felt like reading one long cutscene in my imagination! I liked Gabriel’s interactions with Grace the best. As other reviewers have said, it did get a little bogged down with the puzzle solving aspects of the game, but I really liked this novelization of the first GK game.

[Dylan Clark-Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Jensen's novelization of her own computer game is an entirely unique experience. It is an interesting read, particularly for its deeper character psychology that the game just does not allow for. Gabriel's character is especially developped in the new medium; it allows for a better understanding of his thoughts and motivations.
The novel follows the game's story blow-by-blow, with a few extra tidbits, including a Dawn of the Dead-esque zombie cop scene. The nature of the story, however, as it is adapted from an adventure game, does suffer from a few holes. Some of the game's puzzle solutions stem as much from guesswork as they do from detective skills, forcing Jensen to make excuses for some of the connections that get made. More often than not, she suggests that it may have something to do with some kind of genetic memory passed along from his ancestors, but she also leaves it open, imploring the reader to just suspend disbelief for the sake of moving the story along.
Overall, Sins of the Fathers is a great adaptation, born out of great source material. It would have to take a lot of effort to screw up this story, and fortunately, Jensen is up to the task.

[Elysa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I played the game first and enjoyed it so much that I decided to read the book. They are nearly identical, although I lean more towards the game because of puzzles... puzzles are good. However, I find Gabriel Knight, the character, more enjoyable in the book than in the game. Because of this I gave it a three. I follow the Goodreads rating scale, so the three means I liked it. I didn't "really like it" as I had the game, but it was still worth the read. And now I want to play the game again.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

A solidly entertaining urban fantasy that was a perfect blend of the mundane and the fantastical.

[Kaine Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually try to avoid things that are based on video game franchises. They smack entirely too much of product placement and hype generation. I gave this one a chance for three reasons: One, I practically worship the Gabriel Knight games. They're amazingly well crafted, tell great stories, require a lot more thought - and more of it logical than most of the point-and-click games of their era - and have more amazing talent behind them than anything else for their day. Plus, they were obviously created for an older, more mature audience than much of their compatriots (King's Quest, Space Quest and Police Quest were all a little more in line with the "Good guys beat bad guys, no moral grey areas, no potentially offensive or mature content" statement, and Leisure Suit Larry, while amusing, was a very long dirty joke, not a "mature" game.) Two: They were written by an actual published writer, not two guys who said "Hey, you know what'd be fun? Let's make a game!" Three: I was madly in love with Jane Jensen when I was a teenager.

Ms. Jensen wrote the games... then she came out with the novelizations. Unlike a lot of game and movie novelizations of the era, Sins of the Fathers comes across as actually BEING a novel. The plot is solid, the characters interesting, suitably flawed and believable, the setting info is well done. I almost feel like she wrote the novels first and Sierra came along later to make games of them, rather than the other way around.

The basic premise - a New Orleans bookstore owner, Gabriel Knight, is poking around the edges of a murder case, hoping to dredge up enough good material for his breakout novel. In doing so, he manages to get himself (along with childhood friend turned police detective Mosely and research assistant/store manager Grace) wrapped up in something a lot bigger, older and more magical than any of them expected. Along the way, he finds out a bit about his family history and a curse that's been hanging over his people for nearly three centuries.

The premise is solid; the explanation for the curse is well-done (if slightly cliched) and the characters are appropriately tortured by the choices they have to make. Gabriel and his ancestors quite often do the wrong thing - though sometimes for the right reasons - and the "villains" have their own reasons for doing what they do, which are every bit as viable and "right" as the heroes, if taken from their perspective. Mosely provides great unintentional comedic support, and Grace - possibly the most well-written character - shows a lot more talent and broader emotional range - and keeps her actions logical and believable - than anyone not familiar with the GK series would likely believe.

There are a few problems on the technical end; Jensen seems to have difficulty remembering that parenthesis and em-dashes tend to go in pairs and sometimes the narrative - which is usually in third-person subjective - devolves into difficult-to-process stream of consciousness with frequent repetition. Adjectives threaten to drown the action, and sometimes don't seem to make much sense; one example being, as she describes Malia Gedde, a "copper-skinned" African-American woman who Gabriel interacts with extensively, as having "creamy flesh." This is done three times. Maybe it's just me, but I'm picturing someone who's practically bronze-skinned, and the word "creamy" doesn't really seem to tie to that. Or I'm thinking of what she looked like in the PC game, and again... "creamy" isn't a word I'd use. *shrug* Maybe it's just me. Description for characters seems to be in short supply; though we're (often to our dismay) treated to vivid descriptions of Mosely - his balding pate, his chubby, fur-covered gut, his hairy, long-nailed feet - there's hardly anything to say about Grace other than that she's Japanese and has "creamy" legs. Gabriel too, is often overlooked in the description category, with the exception of his "stringy blonde bangs," which he takes every opportunity to preen over.

Overall, it'd say it's well worth checking out, however. The plot is solid and interesting, the characters very believable and human even when dealing with the inhuman situations they find themselves in, and the forbidden love theme is done well without beating you over the head with it. Plus, hey, if you're into graphic adventures and still have the discs or venture over to GOG.com, you can use the book as damn near a step-by-step walkthrough for the game. ;)

[Jeremy Blum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is undoubtedly one of the greatest adventure games of all time and one of Sierra On-Line's stand-out products...back when Sierra On-Line still existed. This novelization by Jane Jensen is a good summary of the events of the game and can actually serve as a decent walkthrough, so I would recommend hunting down a copy for old fans or anyone playing GK1 for the first time (both the original and the 20th Anniversary remaster are cheap on Steam or GOG and absolutely worth your time).

I will say that if the book has any issues, it's that the walkthrough feel is a double edged sword and the novel is very "gamey," highlighting some of the suspend-your-belief puzzles, inventory mangling and location-hopping present in GK1 and all adventure games in general. Having Gabriel discover the location of a murdered body by tricking a mime into following him over to a policeman's bike so he can get the cop to chase the mime and listen in on the police scanner is a typical adventure game puzzle, but seems kinda silly when written in prose.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nearly done re-reading this book after having read it when it came out. I stand by my rating of 4-stars because the book is still good after all this time. I do have to admit I don't remember as much language use from my first read (or in the game). It has been a fun journey through the story of Gabriel again, and brought back a lot of memories from the best adventure game of its era. And you do NOT need to have played the game to get into this story. It stands alone just fine without having played the game.

All in all, a great trip through memory lane. I do wish there was more Gabriel Knight in the world.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I played the game before I read this book. I really enjoyed looking into Gabriel's head, because in the game *spoiler alert* he randomly searches graves. And you don't really know why you're doing it but you can, so you do. Another thing I enjoyed was watching him be less... him. That's really the only way to put it. Grace is my favorite character in both the first and second games, I have yet to play the third. She just constantly razzes him. Anyway, I really love this book, not just because of the game.

[Michael D Jedlowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sierra On-line made in a name for themselves during the burgeoning computer game industry in the 1980's and 1990's. Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers was released in 1993, and was a bit of a combination of what had come before from Sierra. The fantasy of King's Quest, the true crime of Police Quest. The game was a hit, and began a series. Followed by Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within, Gabriel Knight: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned, and finally a 3D remake of the original game.

The CDROM version of the game also had a Hollywood cast, which was rare back in 93. With Tim Curry as Gabriel, Mark Hamil as Mosely, and more.

The story follows Gabriel Knight a writer of pulp novels, whom is investigating, The Voodoo Murders, that have been plaguing New Orleans. Meanwhile he is being tormented by strange dreams, and a greater destiny that awaits him, as he must face the sins of the past.

The novel, written by the games lead designer and writer, is largely faithful to the game. It's been streamlined, and the puzzles of the game have been given more context. Fans of the game will enjoy this book. I think even those that had no idea that this was a game would enjoy this book as well. Fans of noir or crime, or even dark fantasy will find a lot to like here. It makes me wish that the series still existed, or we at least would have got remakes of the two sequels.

I would like to read the sequel novel, that may present a bit of a challenge as it is much more rare.

Great games, great book, what else is there to know?

[G. Deyke · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty, I did not expect this book to be good, even though it's written by Jane Jensen herself. I don't tend to trust media tie-in books, and I trust novelizations even less; if I hadn't seen it used for ludicrously cheap, I'd never have picked it up.

It is good, though. Lucky me: I was pleasantly surprised.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (the book) closely follows the plot of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (the game), to the point where you could really just pick one or the other depending on whether you like reading books or playing point-and-click adventure games more. In every actual plot point and story element, they're pretty much interchangeable. In execution, though, each version plays to the strengths of its medium. The conversion from game to novel was skilfully done: things that work well for games but poorly for prose (several of the puzzles, for example) were streamlined out, while things that work poorly in games but well in prose (internal monologues, psychological character depth) were incorporated seamlessly. Whether writing games or novels, Jane Jensen knows her craft.

Sins of the Fathers is one of my favourite games, and I would strongly recommend it; but if you can't or don't want to play it for whatever reason, this novelization is absolutely a worthy substitute.

If you're already a Gabriel Knight fan, whether it's worth your time or not really depends on how extreme a fan you are. You're not getting much that's new, but you're getting a slightly different angle on the story you already love, with slightly more depth to it. You're getting a little bit of a different experience. And if, like me, you're just generally leery of the quality of novelizations in general, you can quell your fears: at the very least, it's well done.

Selling points: immersive horror; apparently well-researched voodoo; strong sense of setting and characters; acknowledgement of American slavery.

Warning points: immersive horror!; some gore, if I recall correctly; occasional German bits that are just incorrect enough to seriously stand out if you actually know German.

Disclaimers: it's been a while since I've read (or played) this; also, I'm not actually authorised to comment on the portrayal of voodoo/voudoun/&c. I realise there are some harmful tropes surrounding these subjects, and while I feel that it was about as respectful as a voodoo-themed horror book/game (by a white person and with a white protagonist) could be, I'm really not at all qualified to make that judgement.

[Ian Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a longtime fan of the Sierra adventure games, it was very cool to see Gabriel Knight in literary form. Creator Jane Jenson is a strong writer who uses the novel to examine Gabriel's personality more in-depth: on the page, we see a maturing former womanizer who's starting to take his life and work more seriously, as indicated by his interest in the voodoo murders and in getting his life together. His partner Grace Nakimura comes alive on the page as well, with clever dialogue and more than a few powerful moments as a '90s heroine who holds her own.

As others have stated, the book's often strict adherence to capturing the in-game puzzles feels odd at times, as if Jenson could have taken a shorter route toward getting Gabriel from Point A to Point B. Also, despite Gabriel's passionate attraction for Malia Gedde and the character's importance to the story, Jenson leaves much to the imagination about their relationship, and Malia herself makes few appearances, so that she's almost forgotten at times. The novel would have been the perfect chance to develop this storyline from the game further, but alas, much of it takes place off the page!

Fans of the Gabriel Knight series should definitely check this one out.

[Sören]

Hat das offensichtliche Handicap, eine direkte Videospieladaption zu sein. Stellenweise ist es wild zu lesen, weil man eher die Bedienelemente der Software vor sich sieht als die beschriebene Welt; vereinzelt versteht man nicht, wieso die Figuren Gegenstände mit der Umgebung kombinieren, oder ist trans-medial von der präsentierten Lösung eines Rätsels frustiert. Immer wieder funktioniert der Roman aber auch gut, wenn es um Setting, Figuren und vor allem einzelne Momente geht. Außerdem erröten alle ständig.

Ein recht atmosphärischer, ziemlich orientalistischer Ausflug in den New Orleans-Voodoo, der eher interessant als empfehlenswert ist

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I played “Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father” for the first time, and when I came across a copy of this book on ThriftBooks, I jumped at the chance to read it. Jane Jensen’s talent for writing games (Gray Matter is another great game by her) extends to her novel writing. It was really fun to get extra perspective on Gabriel and his thoughts throughout the events of the game, and it was different enough that I didn’t feel like I was just repeating it. If you enjoyed the game, you’ll enjoy the book!

[Álvaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leí la versión incluida en el remake de Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers. El arte es, sin duda, lo más destacado, con ilustraciones que capturan perfectamente la atmósfera oscura y misteriosa del juego. Sin embargo, la trama avanza con demasiada rapidez, centrándose casi exclusivamente en las interacciones entre los dos personajes principales.

Esta novela es un buen complemento para aquellos que ya son fanáticos del juego y buscan un poco más de contexto. Aunque aporta algo de contexto adicional, en mi opinión, no profundiza significativamente en el desarrollo de los personajes.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book I would recommend to any random reader. That said, this is still a decent read, especially if you're into New Orleans and Voodoo. If this is was a gaming site I would probably give it 4 stars since it is a pretty good novelization of the first Gabriel Knight game, written by Jane Jensen herself. If you know the game, you know the story is great, so if you don't feel like replaying it for the sixth time, reading this book is a pretty great alternative!

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fairly close to the game, which isn't surprising when the game designer wrote it. You honestly could almost use it as a walkthrough! Of course it streamlines the game slightly, since narrative doesn't rely on waiting to see whether the reader understands to use the key in the hole or not. Overall, a nice adaptation, and reading is faster than playing the game (although the book doesn't have Tim Curry's luxurious voice, but oh well).

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect from this when I picked it up from a used bookstore. Surprisingly, it's pretty fun! I found the parts that are obviously pulled from the game to be silly in a fun way and I really enjoyed it all the way through. There's definitely a lot of exoticism that probably wouldn't pass muster if this was to be published in 2025, but what do you expect from a novel based on a point and click adventure game from 1993?

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically the game minus the gameplay. It's written interestingly, my favorite line had to be, "The sun is schizophrenic today..." Just odd choice of words sometimes. There are some pictures to help the reader understand certain images described in the book.
Overall not bad, fleshes out characters a bit more, but not as much as I would have liked.

[Primadonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brings back memories of lil' old me when she was a teen, racking her brain trying to solve the puzzles and riddles. I love trips to memory lanes. I still remember some words, though now I know they might be incorrect.

However, I did have some questions particularly after reading this novel. Like, why is this, why is that, but hey, in spite of that, the book still has its charms.

[Jackie Stargrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turns out the greatest video game of all time makes for a damn good book too.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reading experience for anyone who enjoyed the Gabriel Knight books. I also thought the book format made the overarching stories better connected with each other.

[Dana Hutchings · Rating 1 out of 5]

really dreadful! quite racist!!

[Mariah L. Napier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I prefer the second book (and game) in this series - there are werewolves, of course “The Beast Within” is better - but this was a good time.

[Seb Glints · Rating 5 out of 5]

After all the new books I'd been reading, I decided to take a ride down memory lane and read something I had read before... more than once. Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers was not just a computer game or a novel when I was growing up, it was kind of a phase. The whole series was, anyway.
It started out when I got introduced to the game by my best friend, I think it was in 1996. We were very much into adventure video games, but the kind of games where we had to think and solve puzzles. I was mesmerized by not only the brillant gameplay, but the interesting story behind it. A lazy hero who realized he had a knack for finding clues on a murder case, cool sidekicks and a magical history built into his past that he had yet to unveil was all too good and unexpected for me to find in a computer game. It was like a book turned into a game. Little did I know that it would soon be made the other way around. Once while surfing the internet for my obsession (we're talkng '98 or '99 now, and I had already played the second part of the series as well, and also loved it), I found out there actually WAS a book written about it. I remember immediately looking for my mom and telling her how much I wanted and needed those books (for The Beast Within was included in the deal). She knew about my obsession and knew that there was no point in arguing, so she complied and we ordered them via amazon.com (I was clearly not expecting to find anything this rare anywhere in Argentina).
When the package finally arrived, I plunged into the first book and consumed every word. However, I remember it was hard to separate the game from the novel. The images in my imagination were too attached to the first, as the story is pretty much the same as what happens in the game. Except for a few details that were made different by Jane Jensen, author and creator. These were more realistic, more bookish. And that's something I loved every time I read this story, even now.
The best thing about reading it again now, almost 10 years later since the last time I played this classic game, is that now I was able to dettach my imagination and let it flow, directing each chapter and each scene described as something completly different, directing them with my mind's eye as I read on. I was certainly able to enjoy each situation and each character even more, and more deeply.
But clearly, one is not enough, The Beast Within is the next volume in this series, why would I stop this trip to the past now?

[Aibohphobia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers" is a novelization of the computer adventure game of the same name, the first in the Gabriel Knight series. The novel is written by Jane Jensen, who also designed the game. I'd decided to re-read the book after recently playing the 20th Anniversary Edition of the computer game.

It's the story of Gabriel Knight, an aspiring novelist living in New Orleans who decides to use a recent string of "Voodoo Murders" as inspiration for his next novel. As he researches Voodoo in New Orleans, he discovers that the case has a supernatural aspect that extends into his own family tree.

It's not necessary to have played the video game to enjoy the novel; in fact, the book might be more enjoyable if you haven't played the game. It's engaging and well-paced with interesting characters. It really emphasizes its New Orleans setting and voodoo trappings to excellent atmospheric effect. It's a fun, well-told adventure, but nothing deeper than that.

The novel is pretty much a straight up adaptation of the game, with only a few points of variety, mostly the result of different storytelling mediums. The novel doesn't add any great insight into the overall story of the game. In general, the game does a better job of setting a creepy tone (the music helps), and educating the player about Voodoo in New Orleans, past and present.

This novel's ideal audience is non-computer gamers who want to experience the story of Gabriel Knight. Devout fans of the computer game may enjoy a different point of view. But anyone can enjoy this story with equal parts horror and adventure.

[James Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was interesting enough for me to finish, but there were certain parts that just felt like I was reading a walkthrough for a video game. As most people that read this know, adventure games often have convoluted solutions to solving problems. These situations are far too common in the book. I found myself skimming the parts of the book that were like this. The romance in the novel seemed somewhat forced as well. Granted, there are explanations for why they are drawn together, but it just comes off too unnatural. The best parts of the book were the explanations of Voodoo history. I also liked Gabriel's interactions with Grace throughout the book. Overall, this book is difficult to recommend to the average reader because the parts that sound like adventure games are a glaring flaw in the novel. If you want to learn about the story of Gabriel Knight and feel like the pc game's graphics are too dated, then I highly recommend picking up this book. I do not believe that this book is recommendable to anyone else though.

[Timothy Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was younger (maybe 13 or so): it was a novel adapted from a point and click mystery game. I enjoyed the game very much, however I became stuck at one point during the game. This was a time before you could just Google everything when you wanted an answer so I bought the book and ended up figuring out what I needed to do. I really did like the flow of the novel as it clearly followed the exact same events of the game, and it enhanced some of the places as well. Plus having played the game the characters felt very alive to me. I wasn't an avid reader at this time but this novel was a pivotal point in my appreciation of books. I usually go back and re-read this book every couple of years and each time the adventure pulls me in!