> > I've been looking for the books in all the local libraries, and I can't find them
> > anywhere. :p But I want to read them really badly, because the depth of the worlds of
> > Myst/Riven has always fascinated me.
>
> Have you tried Amazon.com? I think the Myst novels are good enough to be worth owning. I own the first and third in the series, and will probably purchase the second book when I'm ready to re-read it again.
>
> > 'Nother fun factoid: Did you know that the
> > Miller brothers are Christians? ;)

Oh wow... I just checked out the authorship of the Myst books, and they're co-written by David Wingrove. Interesting. He's the guy who wrote the epic "Chung Kuo: The Middle Kingdom" series (where a version of Imperial China turns our entire planet into one City, in the very near future). That series has a densely layered complexity similar to the feudalistic society in DUNE, but with a strangely non-partisan depiction of characters which reminds me of "Princess Mononoke." In other words, he does not settle for easy answers. Now I'm quite curious to see what flavour of approach the MYST books have, in a spiritual sense and otherwise. :-)


> Yes, I had heard that, and I think it shows in the quality of their games. The Myst series is a refreshing oasis in a world of computer games that is continually getting more violent and over-sexed. Cyan's games prove that you don't have to include graphic violence or material for "mature audiences" to make a successful game.
>
> Gri"personally thinks it takes more maturity *not* to play some of these games"shny

Myst wasn't, or isn't, violent... but I did occasionally find Achenar's hobbies to be a tad disturbing!

Wolf "RealMyst 3D has a somewhat improved ending, but I never figured out what the last world was really 'for'" spirit