Escape from the Billings Mall: A Select Your Own Timeline Adventure by Chuck Tingle
Independently Published (April 2020)
154 pages; $12.66 paperback; $6.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre
Dr. Chuck Tingle tends to be treated as a joke. That guy who writes those silly Pounded books. However, that is only by those who have not bothered to read his work. No one can pull off weird like he can and still hold the humanity of it. Dr. Tingle knows people, hearts and what drives us.
There is no pounding here. Just someone trying to buy a gift for their son on his birthday. Yes, a crack to the void opens up, Yes, there are horrid droopy creatures of the void lurking around every corner. Still, they don’t want to disappoint their son. Because (say it with me) love is real, friends.
I’m impressed with how many nuances and tricks World’s Greatest Author manages to pull with the Select Your Own Timeline format here. Not only do your choices take you down different paths, but there is this whole inventory aspect to it, as well. It’s a nice little surprising touch. It has all the comfort of those old not-to-be-named-for-fear-of-
Escape from the Billings Mall is pure fun. There’s ’80s style action, weirdness, Unicorns and just oodles of soul. Just buy the dern thing.
