THE BANDS OF BRAVERY

Translated from the French, this “choose your own adventure” graphic novel follows three boys on their way to knighthood.

Sick of their boring lives, three hopeful boys set out on a journey to sign up for Knights School. King Louis the Little allows anyone to try for knighthood, but before the aspiring heroes earn the title of Knights of the Royal Order, they must first pass a test of courage. Within five days, each aspirant must collect the bracelets of bravery scattered throughout the kingdom. This reader-driven graphic novel takes readers on a dizzying quest through swamps, over a mountain, and across the countryside. Readers choose from three archetypes to play: a bookworm, a lumberjack, and an acrobat. Each has different starting ability scores, which determine how many items they can carry and what weapons they can use. All three of the character choices are white, but, then again, so is seemingly every other character in the kingdom. The book includes pages of blank quest trackers for recording character statistics, items, gold, knights, and bravery bracelets. Numbers mark the trail from panel to panel through the book. While many of the numbers appear in the background of the panel, sometimes characters instruct readers which panel to go to next, killing the story’s immersion.

Creative mechanics don’t make up for characters without depth or diversity.