Ghost Operations Division: Search for the Panis Vitae – Book Review
I have a really unique book to tell you about today, and I am so grateful to have received a review copy to experience and talk about. The entire concept for this book intrigued me and the description sounded really interesting. In short, I enjoyed it. So, let’s dive into my spoiler-free review.
As a child who devoured the classic Choose Your Own Adventure books, I can honestly say that Ghost Operations Division: Search for the Panis Vitae brought back the same sense of urgency and excitement I had as a child, but with an adult-level dose of danger, espionage, and high-stakes international threats.
Fans of fast-paced adventure films like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and Mission Impossible will adore this interactive action-thriller, which was written by Jackson Nightingale. But this book’s ingenious “Choose Your Own Character” concept is what really makes it stand out. You can choose to take on the role of one of three different heroes, each with their own voice, backstory, and special difficulties, rather than just choosing choices as an anonymous protagonist.
One such character is Olivia, the intelligent analyst who became an unexpected spy. Her plot captivated me with intellectual riddles like a Caesar Cipher and a cryptogram. I felt like a real-life codebreaker after solving those. Then there is Xavier, who finds a lost city of gold in Peru and navigates some quite exciting twists while channeling that tough Indiana Jones vibe. Maya, too? An ex-Mossad, she is daring, fierce, and a true powerhouse. I felt an adrenaline surge from the first page of playing as her.
I particularly enjoyed how every character’s path felt completely unique. With more than 40 possible endings, the replayability is incredible. It will test your wits, intellect and tenacity as you make bold choices that can lead to you being the hero who saves the world, or… your death.
After finishing the book, I instantly wanted to start anew with a different hero merely to explore a different point of view. Every decision you make creates tension, regardless of whether you save the world or, well, don’t survive.
This is a long book – and it’s very important to start at the very front with the Instructions for Reading. If not, you’re going to end up lost and confused.
Ghost Operations Division is not a linear book. You won’t start on page one and read through each page to the last, like a traditional book. Instead, you’re going to first choose your character from the analyst Olivia (I chose her first), the operator Maya, or the treasure hunter Xavier.
Then you’ll click (Kindle edition) or turn to the page where the corresponding character’s story begins. Your mission, if you accept, is to navigate to the true ending in bold font. The End. And alternate endings will be in regular font: The End.
Most of all, remember to have fun. This is an experience as much as it is a story to read. You will become the story as you make choices and navigate the different potential paths. I love how when choosing your character, each has a full profile and description so that you can understand who they are. And each character holds a unique experience to explore.
The visuals in the Kindle version are excellent; the decision points are made much more enjoyable by the clear layout, captivating images, and seamless navigation. For collectors, the print version is excellent, but if you want the full effect, I’d suggest going digital.
To sum it up, Ghost Operations Division: Search for the Panis Vitae is an endless action-adventure quest. It’s incredibly entertaining, smart, and addictive, and it’s very well done. This book is a must-read if you enjoy immersive storytelling in which you make the decisions.
One word of caution: you won’t want to stop until you’ve unlocked every possible ending once you’ve started.