Games Books

Lots of unique puzzles to jumpstart your lateral thinking skills. Tons of fun, too!

How does one invoke an "Aha" moment? How do you lead people from bewilderment to clarity with simple drawings, letters, and numbers? Lloyd King has perfected the art of puzzles, packing them with a triple punch of outright satisfaction, humor, and surprise.

If you are a trainer or workshop leader, these puzzles can be adapted for your use. The puzzles are great for ice breakers for any group or topic or could be used as exercises to support topics such as creativity, humor, or even change management.

I have been a trainer and/or workshop leader for over twenty years and am always looking for new ideas and ways to adapt existing materials to my training needs. Let me give an example how you can adapt Lloyd's puzzles as an ice breaker.

* Find out the number of participants in your workshop or session.
* Prior to your workshop pick out some puzzles from Lloyd King's book.
* You can simply redraw the puzzle on paper for each group.
* Consider dividing the workshop participants into small groups of 5-6 people.
* Offer participants an overview of the exercise. "Each group will be given a puzzle to solve. You have five minutes to work together and solve it. You will need to pick a representative who will describe your process to the entire group."
* Allow participants 5 minutes to collaboratively solve the puzzle.
* At the end of the time period have the representative from each group come forward one at a time, show the puzzle to the entire group, and describe how they reached the solution. If the group did not solve the puzzle - open the challenge up to the entire group. Provide guidance if necessary.

Liz Lowe

I like Lloyd King's puzzles! They are challenging, creative, often very amusing, and great fun. For me, this is a 5 star puzzle collection, indeed Lloyd is a 5 star puzzler, and has been for the 20 or so years that I have known him.

This genial book is one of three books written by the master of puzzles Lloyd King. This one is his latest and maybe the best one, even if it would be rather unfair to draw that conclusion, because every one of his books is very different and unique in it's own way. Lloyd's book "Test Your Creative Thinking" is the one that made me love puzzles.

"Amazing AHA Puzzles" contains over 300 puzzles. The remarkable and amazing thing is that every single puzzle is very unique and doesn't resemble any other puzzle in the book. That shows the writers colorful and versatile imagination and creativity.

English is not my native language, so in the beginning, I found some of the wordy puzzles rather difficult. The fine thing is that these puzzles will even make you think English and learn English in quite an unique way. Therefore, I would recommend Lloyd King's books even to those who want to learn English and be better at English.

The book's wonderful illustrations show us that an amazing amount of energy and time has been invested into every page of this work of genius.

Coming from a relatively puzzle-less background, I am a recent convert to the imaginative puzzle world presented by Lloyd King's special brand of AHA! creative magic. This beautifully presented book contains puzzles ranging from the relatively simple to the almost impossible. Fortunately all the answers, with full and elaborate explanations, are available in the book so the reader is not only able to obtain emotional release if the need arises (as assuredly it will!) but is also able to gain a real insight into the mechanics of a truly creative and imaginative mind and in so doing improve his/her own creative and lateral thinking. This is a highly recommended book.

I loaned the book from the library when I was 15. I remember that I had to periodically stop reading it because it was so funny that my eyes were full of tears of laughing. I re-loaned it some four or five times, until I moved and could no longer return to the public library where I had found it. After so many years I still remember complete passages of this book, and at that time I was reading three books per week, most of which I can't even remember the titles!

Do you want to have a permanent smile on your face? Just read this book.
It would be great to see the book re-printed.

I first read this book about 20 years ago and though it would make a great movie. I'm sure the Russians would enjoy it too.

This book is completely crazy! Absurd, funny as hell. (And if you are able to stop laughing for a moment: It is certainly not without sting.)

Today's news (Jan 8th, 2007) made it even funnier: I had no idea that the story of Foul Rock was directly inspired by reality! And now it is up for sale...

The "real" Foul Rock's name is Sealand, located outside the coast of England (although not in the same waters as the fictional Foul Rock). It was founded as a "nation" in 1967, attacked in 1968 - and the book about Foul Rock was published in 1969. There should be no doubt about the source of inspiration!

Now, there are two points worth mentioning: Readers too young to know anything about the Cold War will miss out on a lot of the humour. And, you should be rather familiar with the English language to understand all the word play.

I first read this book in a Norwegian translation. Several times, the only way to see the humour was to back-translate to English to discover the word play. Still I miss out some humour because I am not that familiar with British culture (e.g. the way the various British papers present the news - I guess that you have to know those papers to see the humour), but there's more than enough of it to make you laugh your way through this book anyway.

I beg for a reprint of this book - the day it is published, I'll buy about a dozen copies for use as gifts to selected friends.

A hilarious story suitable for young teens of either sex and those who are still young at heart. A cold war romance set on an island off the coast of England. Also a possible world record winner for 'longest book title in the world'. I enjoyed it immensly when it was first published and am now looking for a copy to give to my boys. (after I've read it again.)

My background is in Medieval History and the Arthurian legends. While I have enjoyed RPGs in general over the years, I have never really felt fulfilled by them. Ars Magica changed that.

This is a grand game, not only in terms of system, but also in scope. You are not slogging around odd underground defense installations finding monsters sitting in room with a king's ransom in gems; instead, you are part of a community and your interests are first in foremost in the esoteric study of arcane lore and magic. Assuming you are a mage. The Companion and Custos (Grogs) have a slightly different take on life, but they are lower down the Great Chain of Being.

This game assumes that in the Middle Ages the world was what people believed it was. Demons are real. God is above all else. Faeries are around every corner. Within this context, you, the player, are an anomaly -- a mage with great power, socially shunned (at best), but in the end subject to the world around you and the constraints placed on your magic.

The system is elegant, requiring only 10-sided dice. The magic system is magesterial -- huge, flexible, yet limiting the lesser magi until they have a chance to learn. Most of all, the game puts you within a real world and makes you feel enmeshed in it.

If you are looking for a truly fine RPG, this is it, hands down.

Before Jonathan Tweet moved to Wizards of the Coast, and before Mark Rein-Hagen created the WW's World of Darkness -- they created Ars Magica. This is a wonderfully detailed, and realistic medieval roleplaying game. The magic system is the best there is! The fleshed-out combat system, and the fact that you play 3 characters from different social strata are also wonderful features. The first RPG to have troupe-style play, and it's quite a treat for gamers seeking substance. Minor complaint: I wish there were a few clear and concrete examples of the rules being used during play; in some places the text is dense and a bit hard to digest. But don't let this fool you, the rules are really quite simple -- the presentation just needs to be streamlined.

A grand game for the true hardcore roleplayers. Ars is a system once owned by White Wolf, and one can draw many comparisons between the two, that has only gotten better in the two editions between. You play three characters at once and each is quite detailed. The magic system is the ultimate in imagination and personalization and the combat system is realistic,deadly, and exciting. You need no supplements to have a great time but each adds more detail. Pick it up and get lost in Mythic Europe.

A quirk of many Ars Magica players is that they have a particular edition they value above all others: mine was third edition: to my mind, it was the apex of the games origionality. At its best, Ars Magica was an intensly colourfull game that gave modern players a filter through wich they could percive a fantastic medival world. It was a mix of judith tarr and prof. umberto eco, and propably the best thing mark rein . hagen ever made.
Unfortunately, the current owners of the game do not get all that. They seem to think that its supposed to be a "realistic" simulation of the middle ages: not that the middle ages are not intresting enough on their own, but that just wasnt the point of Ars Magica. Its name means "the Art of Magic", and it was supposed to focus on what was OUTSIDE the medival world: its cosmology was one never thought of in medival times. The main characters are outcast wizards, not, say, knights.
Also, i have a terrible suspicion that the current owners overuse of historical material is due to a lack of ideas of their own. Even the colours used in the game - books have become more grey.
One last thing: the rules have always been a bit heavy - going (even a simplified version of rolemaster can manage to be quite complex), but the basic dice system is easy and logical enough, so with a bit of practice a storyteller should be able to manage with a few general rolls. The fourth edition people should have kept most of them unchanged, i understand.

This is one of the coolest roleplaying games I have ever played. I have played Traveller, Gurps, D&D, Twilight 2000 etc...

This system is one of my favorite Magic systems ever. The game world is rich and the whole concept behind covenants and mundanes in mythic europe is an exciting one!

I have to agree with the other reviews on this book, it's a MUST have at any price.

The art from the early Dragonlance covers has always been some of my favorite fantasy art, and this book dives deeper in the vaults to bring out art that if you're like me might never have seen. Some of the art is from the dragonlance calandars, posters, etc. This book will leave you with a deep appriciation for Larry Elmore and the other great artists who've done these covers.

I was born with the name of Raistlin.. naturally i would want to see the character i was named after. This book provided me with the start to my passion with Dragon Lance.
It goes into detail and explains everything (how the dragon riders stay on the dragons etc.).
I have one copy and so does my Dad, but mine has pages missing from when he used them as posters. I want another copy but it depends how much i am willing to pay on e bay.
This book is worth getting for a price such as £50.

Enjoy.

This book is worth every penny I paid to get it. It includes a short story about how the Dragonlance epic came to be, the four original color roughs (by Larry Elmore), sketches of the dragonlance and saddle and how to use it, sketches and pictures of the many types of draconians, armor and weapons, beautiful oil and acrylic pictures, a little history and pictures of the Heroes of the Lance, pictures and history of minor characters such as Lord Lorac, the elven king, and much, much more! This book is a must-have for any Dragonlance collector. You won't be disappointed!

This gorgeous book is one of the finest compendiums of TSR artwork ever created - it is loaded full of hundreds of illustrations, free of print, on glossy paper; included are every piece of full-color artwork ever created for Dragonlance (up through 1987), supplemented with rich text and many, many concept sketches that appear nowhere else! For Dragonlance afficionados, or those who appreciated classic art by Easley, Caldwell, Parkinson, Elmore, and more, this is the ideal collection.

This was an absolutely beautifully laid out book. It contains 'round 40 full color full page prints of paintings of the dragonlance saga. Along with the prints there is also background info. on how the artists put the images together, along with an intriguing storyline that ran with the images. An absolutely fantastic book... can't say much more about it!

I love this baby book I went all over town when I was pregnant looking for the perfect baby book. I LOVE the month to month picture slot for the first year because they change so much within that first year. I love all the pockets for each year, I put all the hair cut pieces and birthday cards into it. I am buying it now for my sister and a extra one for our future baby just in case I can't find one later on.

I really like it, I had looked around for a while. Easy to fill out, asks alot of questions that I wouldn't even think of. Only things I don't like are there are no "teeth charts" to chart which of the baby's teeth came in first, and theres not a whole 'lotta room to write notes on the pages if you decide to put their monthly pics. Overall I think it's fine and will probably buy a couple more for my expectant friends.

I first purchased the Baby's book-first five years for my niece. Everyone who saw it agrees it is the perfect gift for a new parent. It is something so organized, yet simple and very detailed. One day they will be able to look back and have times, dates, and pictures for all those new and first time events. I have since ordered it for my expectant neighbor, and I just know she and her family will love it. It is the best gift I can think of for a new parent.

I had received this book as a gift for my first child. When I had my second, I knew I had to have the same book for her. It is the most detailed I have seen. Love the pockets to put momentos in, the space for writing the little details that mean so much and it records for five years. It's the best baby book on the market.

I found this baby book after having my first son. I was sitting at home filling out a baby book I had got at his shower answering questions like how much does a gallon of milk cost. It was so silly!!! So in the trash it went as soon as I found this baby book. I LOVED it!! It is perfect... tons of spots for photos and information on the baby with out all the silly stuff that so many of the baby books have in them. Plus there are tons of pockets for little things like artwork and whatever. My son's is packed full of all sorts of things and can still hold more! I bought this same baby book when I was pregnant with my daughter and have been enjoying it all over again. Now I am thinking about picking up one more just incase I have another baby one day. : ) This baby book is great... you can't go wrong with it.

Barstow was one of the best. His is one of the few gaming strategy books that takes a serious look at betting progressions, regressions, parlays and hedge moves. His common sense approach pre-dates the work of many currently popular craps authors and appears to be the inspiration behind many of the strategies these other writers are known for.

I constantly refer to this book when comparing systems and the advice in this book has steered me away from "new" super systems that promise to win you millions and stopped me playing some of the old standbys.
It promises consistent wins and delivers on that promise .It also promises you won't win millions and that in itself makes it a rarity an honest book on and look at gambling.

For most it won't appeal to the "gamblers blood"or anyone with a short attention span as the progression/regression series require your full focus and attention and would be to much of a grind for most.

VIC

I read this several years ago and still refer to it often. Some of the mathematical conclusions may not be totally accurate, but this does not diminish its worth in the least. For anyone interested gambling, or just numbers, it cannot be beat IMO. Many, many ideas on "increasing your odds", interesting anecdotes, and basic info on casino games. Without a doubt, it is worth far more than the 6 bucks!

This book is a must for anyone looking to win at a casino. I have found it to be the most informative guide to casino gambling I have ever read. Barstow's chapter on wagering has greatly improved my casino experiences.

If you are going to endure a 4 hour flight or car ride to Vegas, this book is for you. It is a well-written, understandable guide to casino games. It does not try to sell you on a system, or on cash management. It does try to educate you on the odds of winning. It gives you the straight scoop about the games with the best odds- craps and blackjack. It also warns you about games with less favorable odds- the "Big Wheel", roulette and others. Go to the casino with a fighting chance- read Barstow's book.(as you drive through Barstow!) so, as the dealers say in Vegas, "Good Luck!"

My kids are 4.5, the preschool cards were a little easy. the kindergarten cards are about right. Now usually with them I find the age ratings on toys are accurate, like other reviewers said the brainquest products are rated a little too old. Some of the concepts are beyond them but about 80% of the cards they are able to do at this age.

This item was delivered very quickly. My daughter loves to do Q & A type flashcards and this is perfect for her to do. We have purchased the previous two BrainQuests as well and will continue to purchase these as our daughter grows.

My grandson looks forward to bedtime each night just so he can do this "learning." He loves these cards and I have seen him learn so much. We also have the preschool set.

These are great stocking stuffers. My daughter received hers the Christmas before she was to start Kindergarten so she could become familiar with the curriculum.These became her favorite flash cards. It also opened doors to teaching things she didn't know like time. Highly recomended

I highly recommend Brain Quest. We now have several sets and I plan on buying additional. Such a fun way for kids to learn. Since they are compact they can go anywhere. We've taken them on car trips, to the doctors office, shopping...just about anywhere. The kids think of it as a game, not as sitting down and learning. This is a great gift for someone as well.

An incredibly insightful book that details how to achieve long term career success through an actionable, commonsense plan that will pay dividends immediately. Mr. McGovern is very adept at presenting both the big picture of what it means to have "a career" and then outlining a process for getting there. And doing so in an engaging writing style that makes this great book an easy read.

Highly recommended!

I found this a very interesting and actionable read. I really liked the concept of a "Career Pyramid" as opposed to the traditional depiction of the "corporate ladder." I thought this was an innovative way to plan your career with the end in mind.

My only complaint is that after reading the book I logged on to Mr. McGovern's new website looking for the Pyramid Builder Tool mentioned in the Author's Note and couldn't find it. I sent an email to the author saying as much and received a reply that the book was orginally not supposed to be printed until January '06 and that the web team hadn't gotten the Tool up yet. Hopefully it will be functioning in the new year as I am anxious to see what it can do.

This is a great "manual" for the young professional who is looking to advance in their career. The author mixes practical advice with real life anecdotes that keeps you turning the page. Highly recommended!

Very sound advice and a must read for new college grads entering the work force. Follow these 'secrets' and you will outshine your co-workers who don't pay attention to their careers.

Wow! This book kept me turning the pages. Mr. McGovern shares his life experiences with his readers with eloquence and style. It's well organized and yet, easy to read. The book is written from Mr. McGovern's heart as he shares his real life experiences as a career expert. Not just another business book! I'm planning on giving one to each of my friends.

I've played pool most of my adult(and teenage) life. I've spent time on several tours and am always looking to learn something new. Byrne covers an amazing array of pool and billiard situations and does an outstanding job of diagraming and explaining the physics involved(Robert would insist that I give credit to Bob Jewett for this). If you think there's nothing in this book that's new to you you're most likely mistaken. Byrne's other books are outstanding as well. By the way, Bob...you've got the eight and one going to 7, bet high.:-)

I had been playing pool for approximately 10 years before i read this book, 3 of the 10 years were in "a" leagues and competitive nine and eight ball tournaments. before i read this book, i was able to run one rack out of every ten, after reading this book my game improved 500 percent. i was able to consistently run 5 racks out of every 10. the book has very explicit instructions and absolutely superb illustrations and examples of several methods of setting up shots. i expecially liked the procedure for running a table, it has some very good advice and if anyone follows it and can shoot just a little bit they will be able to run racks. i can't say enough about the benefits this book has had for my game. in my opinion robert byrnes, is the best teacher of the game of pool bar none! i read this book in about eight hours. it's a page turner if you want to improve your game or even are thinking about learning how to play the game, this is the book for ! you.

I have read just about every book on this subject, there is no better book than this one! In fact, I recommend all of Robert Byrne's Pool & Billiards books and videos. He is an accomplished player, teacher and author.

This book will meet and exceeds everyones expectations on the subject!

I just learned about this NEW publication, which is a revision of the one I read "Byrne's Standard Book of Pool and Billiards", Copyright © 1987, 1978 by the same author Robert Byrne. I have read just about every book on this subject, and there is no better book than this one! In fact, I recommend all of Robert Byrne's Pool & Billiards books and videos. He is an accomplished player, teacher and author.

I have no doubts that this book will meet and exceeds everyone's expectations on the subject!

Outstanding information on basic and advanced technique.It tells you about draw and follow shots, and also english.It also gives you information on straight pool, eight-ball, and many other pool games.This is in my opinion, the only book on pool and billiards you will ever need. Robert Byrne has really outdone himself by creating this masterpiece. This book should be on the shelves of every pool and billiards player. This is by far the best book on pool and billiards ever written.

I bought this book for my 4 year old after he had smashed his finger unusually badly in the door. This book was at the doctor's office and it helped him to focus on something besides what was happening with his finger. It was such a plesant experience, I thought it would be fitting to get one for his own library as a souviner. (We inscribed it with his name and the incident with the date.)

If you are a doctor or work in a doctor's office, with patients of any age, this would be a fabulous idea to have instead of yucky magazines.

We have all of the "I Spy" books and it looks like we'll be starting to collect these too.

I love this author and illustrator. Wonderful series of books. Very vivid pictures; the manner in which it's written allows the books to be enjoyed by a wide age range. I bought all books by this author!

My 4-year-old grandson loves this book. He needs to have someone read the list of things to look for, but he will happily try to find the objects. He turns the page before it gets tedious so we finish the book quickly, but he will go back to it time and again. I believe that the mental effort is good intelligence training.

Great book for kids & adults will enjoy too. Not as difficult as "I Spy" but still has some challenges. Addictive - Fun!

My three-year-old son and I love this book. Some of the puzzles are beyond him but many or not, and I had a great deal of fun figuring them out on my own. I highly recommend this book to anyone with children, big or small.

Another hidden puzzle we found within the book -- on every page spread in the book, the little yellow-and-red "bead boy" (clearly visible on the title page) appears somewhere. The only place we HAVEN'T been able to find him is the "Magic Tricks" page....if someone spots him there, give us a shout out, OK?