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Only the foolhardy would risk an encounter with the unknown perils that lurk in the murky depths of Darkwood Forest.
Yet there is no alternative, for your quest is a desperate race against time to find the missing pieces of the legendary Hammer of Stonebridge – fashioned by Dwarfs to protect the villagers of Stonebridge against their ancient doom.
The dwarves of Stonebridge have lost their magical Warhammer, and it's up to you to retrieve it.
The forest setting is not the most unique one, but it provides a fairly entertaining environment for this gamebook. As with other Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, you will need to collect some key items (in this case two) to win. The objectives are laid out pretty clearly from the start. Additionally, you start with some gold and can purchase magical items at the start of the game to help you on the adventure, and some do come in useful.
This gamebook is surprisingly forgiving, as far as enemy difficulty goes. One really noteworthy part is that if you fail to find the key items at the end of the game, you are given the option to continue (restart) with (presumably) all your items and stats intact, as long as you beat a few dice rolls at the end. This simply means returning to section 1 and starting all over again, and will mean continuity issues down the line, as you have the same encounters, fight the same enemies and find the same items all over again. Still, enjoy this while you can, for other later gamebooks aren't anywhere as forgiving.
The plot and setting is solid even if not spectacular, and it's less harsh on players than other entries. It was a solid read for my much younger self, and could still get something of a recommendation from me today.