The Firebird
The Firebird
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| 1998 was a great year for interactive fiction. It produced a variety of
good stories by a number of authors, including three extraordinary works for adults, Spider
and Web by Andrew Plotkin, Once and Future by Kevin Wilson, and
"Photopia" by Adam Cadre. Fortunately for kids, the good news didn't stop there.
Bonnie Montogmery's The Firebird, a great story for kids and grownups, appeared in
the same year. The Firebird retells a famous Russian folk tale in an adventurous and humorous way. It offers puzzles that are fair, enjoyable, and not too difficult; and it gives the reader several possible ways to a favorable ending. In addition, it develops some memorable characters, especially the Firebird herself; raises interesting questions about the roles of women in fairy tales; and helps us to understand the story on which one of our most famous twentieth-century ballets is based. Bonnie Montgomery wrote The Firebird using a computer program called TADS. In order to read the story, you need the story file, which you can download using this link, and a recent TADS interpreter. If you have a PC, you can quickly download the two necessary pieces of a good TADS interpreter, using this link and this link. You can learn more about downloading files and using interpreters in another part of this website, the part called "Obtaining Interactive Fiction." If you'd like to send email to Bonnie Montogomery, she would be glad to read your comments or answer your questions. Her email address is bkm@pobox.com. In order to help readers who become stuck in The Firebird, Bonnie and I offer this walkthru, which includes solutions to all the story's puzzles. Use the walkthru only when you really need it. Similarly, these maps give away the solutions to some problems, so use them with caution.
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