An exception is the rather poorly titled Invent And Write Games For The Spectrum written by Noel Williams and published by McGraw-Hill at £6.95. Although you'd be forgiven for passing over it (whoever thought of the moniker should be put to the blade) William's book is something of a gem. Everything you'll need to know is here and it's written with immense humour. Something of a rarity. The book contains history, help and two BASIC listings which once used can be easily cannibalised.

All in all a great read for DIY Dorkslayers.

ADVENTURE PROGRAMS BROUGHT TO BOOK

AUTHOR: Noel Williams
PUBLISHER: McGraw-Hill
PRICE: £6.95

John Fraser leafs through a selection of books on how to design your own adventures. Next month sees the start of a regular book review section, covering computer books, game books, and related topics.

One book which covers both text and graphic adventures is Noel Williams' invent and Write Games Programs for the Spectrum. Although the word adventure appears nowhere in the title, adventures are the author's main concern, and he provides three examples, together with many more useful routines. The first game, The Throne of Camelot, is a traditional puzzle adventure with over sixty locations. Then there is The Mines of Merlin, a role playing type game in which your attributes and possessions are continually updated as you battle with monsters and wander through dark caverns. Finally, in Treasure Trove, you use the cursor keys to manoeuvre a little man around the screen to pick up jewels before your time runs out. The adventure element of the last program is debatable, but the game is thoroughly explained and illustrates techniques for those who wish to incorporate arcade action into their adventures.

Noel Williams has done his best to cater for every interest. He can't obviously devote an equal amount of space to everything, so you don't get a highly elaborate graphic adventure, for instance. Even so, the book is remarkably comprehensive and will no doubt gain a wide readership not only among adventurers, but also among those interested in other games who recognise the universal value of the techniques used.