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The early Sonic books


Badnik Mechanic

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So I've started to read this book.

sonidsiliconbk.jpg

It's based on the early Kintobor legend with it's origins, but it's also got a few close links to the rules and the plots set up in the early games too. However, whats interesting is that it also references Sonic 3's rules and plot devices... yet the book was published in 1993... 1 year before Sonic 3 was released. So I can't help but think that maybe there had been a few talks with the writer about proposed plans for the future of the series.

But anyway, I'll only finished the intro and the first chapter. These would be the rules that the book sets up and bare in mind that a lot of this is linked to the game and a few of these ideas/plot devices have not yet happened.

Introduction chapter: (this is basically the backstory to Sonic and Robotnik).

* Robotnik/Kintobor is the only human on Sonics planet (mobius).

* The origin is the Kintobor Legend with a bit of a twist. The chaos emeralds are just normal gems, Kintobor gathers the chaos emeralds into one spot and plans to use his machine the Retro-Orbital Chaos Compressor (ROCC) to put all the evil on the entire planet into them, he then calls them 'The Chaos Emeralds.' However, in order to then destroy the emeralds he needs a more powerful emerald which acts as a master (A master emerald if you will), the Grey Emerald which will neutralise the evil in the Chaos Emeralds, and thus remove all evil from Mobius, but Sonic can't find it (this was a very similar plot to STC's Sonic & Knuckles adaptation).

However, here is where the Kintobor story takes a bit of a different direction.

When Kintobor is working one day in the lab, he enters data into his ROCC incorrectly which results in an explosions releasing the evil in the chaos emeralds, this and this alone transforms him into Robotnik. There is no rotter Egg, there is no accident involving a fall. Even Sonic is not there. It's a complete accident down to his own incompetence whilst working. His love of Eggs and Egg shape is a result of the transformation, not due to a rotten egg being close by.

Prologue chapter:

* Robotniks inventions seem to be A LOT more dangerous than we see today. For instance Robotnik creates an enemy that is so dangerous it attacks him instantly and nearly kills him. In the description, it hints that the creation actually goes as far as to feacturing his chin. "Aiming deftly towards Robotnik's undefended chin it connected with a crack"

Chapter 1

* Sally is not a princess, she is just Sally Acorn there is so far no suggestion that Sonic loves her or she has any feelings towards him other than friendship.

* Porker Lewis is the brains of the gang, he is the technical wizard, they all rely on him for anything technical (again similar to early Fleetway and similar stories.) Johnny Lightfoot is also mentioned, but so far theres nothing special or different about him.

* Zones which are mentioned are all from Sonic 1 and Sonic 2, Green Hill, Marble Zone, Scrap Brain Zone, Chemical Plant, Metropolis and even the crash site of the Wing Forces Battleship. There is one exception. A zone named Scrap Metal Zone, its described as an industrial nightmare. It sounds a bit like what would happen if you mixed the Scrap Brain Zone with Station Squares tall buildings in an odd way, yet it has badniks from a variety of zones in it.

* Rings are present, but they have a different use than boosting Sonics powers. (see next point).

* Sonic has a goal other than just stopping Robotnik, he wants to try and rebuild the ROCC using the golden rings. Sonic believes that rebuilding the ROCC could capture the chaos emeralds and capture all the evil in the world just as kintobor tried to do. However, Sonic also believes that the rings when used with the ROCC could drain all the evil from Robotnik and turn him back into Kintobor. Sonics desire therefore, is to transform Robotnik back into his old friend Kintobor.

* Tails is thick. Tails is not bright at all. He can't do basic maths and has a very poor understanding of anything electrical...

"We've got eight hundred and seventy rings so far. Add five and nine to that, what do you get?" "A million." (Asked the fox hopefully).

Sonic sighed again. One day he would have to check out his suspicion that if he looked up 'loveable idiot' in a dictionary, he would find a picture of Tails.

* Sonic often talks to the reader, he is aware that he's a fictional character in a book, everyone else is not aware of this, but when he does break the 4th wall they do react to him as though he's gone mad.

The book isn't that bad a of a read, it's clearly aimed at an older fan. It's not an easy book for children to read, it's quite evidently a 'novel' in every sense of the word. I think it's a shame that we don't get these today still, they're not that bad a read and they're definately not 'babyish.'

So yeah, did anyone else read the books from this series? What was your thoughts on them.

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I read this one and Sonic The Hedgehog in the Fourth Dimension and, yeah, they're very much based on the early Sonic canon in that respect. The same source that drives much of Fleetway's conceptions; later encounters with Kintobor in Fleetway had Sonic attempting to keep him that way, though mainly to stop Robotnik terrorising Mobius than to have his old friend back.

The Grey Emerald thing is more of a precursor to the Master Emerald than part of a discourse with Sega, I would imagine. Don't forget, in Sonic The Hedgehog there are only six Chaos Emeralds, and seven appear in Sonic The Hedgehog 2 with little and/or varying reasons as to why. I assume that this seventh Emerald was just given significance as a "control Emerald" as a way of explaining the absence of seven Emeralds in Sonic The Hedgehog.

Sonic's fourth-wall-breaking is actually quite annoying in this book, in the other one I read it is not present at all and the story is better for it. Here, it's more like a parody than anything else, but the book is still a good little read.

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The only one I read was 'in Robotnik's Laboratory' back when I was nine, and the thing I remember most is Sonic being turned into a toaster. D:

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WOAH

That cover art is fucking hilarious, that's the single most derp Sonic art I've ever seen, it blows Gumball Eyes out of the water!

I started reading the one with Tails and Sonic holding onto scaffolding above Megamack back in school since it was in the library but apparantly 'omg you're so gay and childish because you like sonic you fucking freak' so I stopped about 2 chapters in.

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I read this one and Sonic The Hedgehog in the Fourth Dimension and, yeah, they're very much based on the early Sonic canon in that respect. The same source that drives much of Fleetway's conceptions; later encounters with Kintobor in Fleetway had Sonic attempting to keep him that way, though mainly to stop Robotnik terrorising Mobius than to have his old friend back.

Sonic in the Fourth Dimension is freakin' awesome. It's got paradoxes, infinite-fourth-dimensional-space and the nothing-portal to nowhere, made out of a grey duller than colour should allow. Sweet.

The fourth book in the series, beyond the three that have been mentioned, is Sonic in Castle Robotnik. The only thing I can remember about that one is that Sonic gets lured into a trap by the promise of pizza. ;)

EDIT: Don't suppose you could be tempted to write a plot summary for the book when you're done, Caz? I've been meaning to compile synopses of these books for the Sonic Retro Wiki for some time, but never got round to it because they're at home and I;m at university... :(

Edited by Frozen Nitrogen
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I don't mind Sally being a princess or being in love with Sonic, but I don't need those elements to like her, either. So, I think it'd be cool if the Stay Sonic Novel/Fleetway version of Sally wound up in the games some day.

I mean, she is there technically in the form of Ricky, but I mean in terms of name and personality.XD

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The Fleetway version of Sally doesn't really have any personality.

She appears occasionally as a whiny bitch for the first 10 or so issues, and then winds up as a newsreader for one panel. That's about it.

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The Fleetway version of Sally doesn't really have any personality.

She appears occasionally as a whiny bitch for the first 10 or so issues, and then winds up as a newsreader for one panel. That's about it.

Well, I wouldn't necessarily say she was that bad, at least from what I saw.^_~ She did initially show up as a perpetually crying child in her first named appearance, but in a couple later stories she seemed somewhat capable of bantering with Sonic in on a level similar to her SatAM self.

But I guess it's hard to defend her much which she, as you noted, disappeared from the face of the planet after a while.XD

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The fourth book in the series, beyond the three that have been mentioned, is Sonic in Castle Robotnik. The only thing I can remember about that one is that Sonic gets lured into a trap by the promise of pizza. ;)

I have that one too, going to read it soon as I've got this one finished.

EDIT: Don't suppose you could be tempted to write a plot summary for the book when you're done, Caz? I've been meaning to compile synopses of these books for the Sonic Retro Wiki for some time, but never got round to it because they're at home and I;m at university... :(

Sure why not. I'll even do one for Castle Robotnik.

I might be selling these books when I'm finished, I say might because I'm quite impressed by them. I wasn't expecting them to be as long as they are, or as grown up as they are, by grown up, if you took a Ladybird book about the story of Moby Dick to the full novel, you get an idea as to the level of difference here.

It really does make me wish that Sega would release these novelised versions again, this isn't like 1993 where most of Sonic fans were young, we've grown up and we could read these and demand more. It's definately good quality (even if it has to stick to the rules of the early western Sonic world). But they're really not that bad. Do not dismiss these as 'fan fiction' because they're a really good read so far. Yeah theres problems and they won't win and prizes, but they really are very good for the subject matter and the obvious age group that would initially be interest.

How should I compare it? Think of it as the middle ground between a Goosebumbs book and a Point Horror book. Point Horror books are much harder to read than Goosebumps books, but Goosebumps are not easy to be read by young children (at least the classic ones where not).

I do think that there would be a market for this stuff today. The original fans are older and could read this no problem, I think it should be something thats consiered for a new Sonic game which has a bit of a plot to it.

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I picked up Sonic in the Fourth Dimension a few years back, not gotten around to reading it just yet though...

I was planning on grabbing the others from eBay or somewhere similar at some point too, but I think this thread may have given me the boost I need to actually read something. :P

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These books are awesome. I have two of them already, and I could read them forever. The stories are well written and the action is just awesome, plus the characters are from the Archie series and the games. Its a shame there were only 4 books, I reckon there should have been more. I have yet to get the others in the series. I used to read the books that had one sentance on each page. They were epic. Best thing to get if you want to read Sonic. Plus the books written by Martitn Adams are really long, plus have flip-page drawings where if you flick the pages Sonic runs and goes into a spin attack

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I've recently got some of these books from eBay but I haven't really read much of them, that is to say; I've skimmed through them to get a general idea before I actually get around to reading them.

I also picked up a few of those old choose your own adventure Sonic books, I don't actually remember them being that good, but I wanted them nonetheless as I used to own them as a child and wanted them again for nostalgia reasons. These books didn't tend to feel much like they were a part of the established Sonic universe - they were quite odd.

If the other books are like you guys described then I think I will like them alot more with all their references to zones and rings and robotnik/kintobor origin stories.

I kinda find the "Ovi Kintobor" backstory a bit silly.

I actually quite like it and think if they ever give a backstory on Eggman they could incorporate a somewhat altered version of it into the games.

For one it would explain why Sonic can never kill Eggman even when doing so would save millions of lives and be the logical thing to do, but if this story were true, then we know Sonic wouldn't kill Robotnik because he still thinks there is that good man Kintobor deep down in there somewhere.

Edited by The-Master-Board
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I kinda find the "Ovi Kintobor" backstory a bit silly.

This kintobor story though is a tad different to the ones I'm used to, in all the others I've seen, Sonic was there. Also theres always a rotten egg... But not in these books.

Also, the rings being collected to turn Robotnik back into Kintobor? Not heard that one before either.

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I kinda find the "Ovi Kintobor" backstory a bit silly.

It could be because of the story in the UK comics, there's a lot of differences between them. It is good because it gives you a run down of how Robotnik was created and why he wants to destroy Sonic. I think its good, but the backround story is in all the books.

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It could be because of the story in the UK comics, there's a lot of differences between them. It is good because it gives you a run down of how Robotnik was created and why he wants to destroy Sonic. I think its good, but the backround story is in all the books.

Actually, I think it's because I find the idea of some dude named Ovi Kintobor being changed into Ivo Robotnik a bit silly for some reason.

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sonidsiliconbk.jpg

Tails appears to be reflecting in the same way as the Sonic title screen font, and I think the Sonic R reflection as well.

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Currently upto Chapter 4 and the following has happened.

You know the TV monitors that are all over the place in the games? Well suddenly they've all turned on and all of Sonics friends have become trapped inside them, including tails (oh no! oh no!) . Tails is trapped inside a computer and has to navigate it in order to find a way out. However there are badniks in here which are actually anti-virus devices and various other bits and pieces of the computer who see Tails as a threat to it. Tails however discovers that he needs the computer connected to an output device in order to escape. He is able to tell Sonic this from his computer jail, but Robotnik discovers that Tails is trapped and sends his anti virus scanner to find and delete him.

Sonic runs all over Mobius looking for clues to free Tails when he finds a young girl mouse from the Mystic Cave Zone by the name of Ichneumon, but she likes to be called Iggy. Iggy also happens to be a computer hacker and agrees to join Sonic, they follow a trail of badniks to the crashed remains of the crashed Wing Forces Zone where they believe the answers to freeing Tails are.

When they reach the crash site, Iggy is captured by a Burro-bot and then freed a page later. Sonic and Iggy get to work building an 'output device.' When the device is finished Sonic heads down to the Wing Forces reactor to connect the power supply for the output device when suddenly he's captured and restrained by Robotnik. Before Sonic can free himself a larger more powerful burro-bot advances on him with it's drills spinning!

I'm still really enjoying this, I'm quite suprised at how good these are for the age group and the obvious subject material.

Favourite quote so far: "Bless my ears and whiskers!" --- Tails.

Other things: Tails has been reading a book of old slang terms and uses an old term/phrase in just about every line he says... sometimes it's funny, other times its not.

Sonic is breaking the 4th wall again and it's not working for me at all. The other characters react to him saying these things but are not aware that they're in a book... however Sonic has just gone one better than the 4th wall... not only is he aware that he's a fictional character in a book... but he also hints that he's based off a videogame character too. "I've always liked the Mystic Cave Zone. It's a very cool place with most excellent background music."

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but he also hints that he's based off a videogame character too. "I've always liked the Mystic Cave Zone. It's a very cool place with most excellent background music."

He shoulda mentioned the infamous spike pit in Act 2.

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I tried reading them (got all of them except the third one I think) but they're not that exciting. The problem really lies with the fact that it's hard to make a pixallated character with very little plot apart from 'Get Egg Shaped Guy' into a full novel. The writer does do a good job though when you think about what he's working with. I'm still puzzled how he managed to write 5 other ones though. It also uses Sonic's classic "Too Kool 4 School" attitude with his little slogans and words like 'Dude' and 'Man', which is sort of lovable and cringeworthy at the same time

I can't say they're enjoyable for me but someone younger probably would find them entertaining enough.

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Sonic is breaking the 4th wall again and it's not working for me at all. The other characters react to him saying these things but are not aware that they're in a book... however Sonic has just gone one better than the 4th wall... not only is he aware that he's a fictional character in a book... but he also hints that he's based off a videogame character too. "I've always liked the Mystic Cave Zone. It's a very cool place with most excellent background music."

He smashes the 4th wall to pieces in the old "Choose Your Own Adventure" gamebooks, and in these I thought it worked awesomely. If you make a particularly stupid choice of which page to turn to next, the entry just sees Sonic look out of the pages of the book and berate you until he goes and does the other option by his own choice. There's one "GAME OVER" page where Sonic just gets sick of the player's idiocy and runs off into the sunset! Fun times. :D

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@ Nitrogen, wow that's sounds very AoSTH/ Sonic CD esque.

It sounds like they completely abuse the 4th wall in these books though, I stand by saying that the 4th wall should only be broken if it's done both subtlely and tastefully. Billy and Mandy is the perfect example of this, in one episode Mandy tells Grim to stop lighting magical fires for dramatic effect and in another tries to end the episode early because the story is seemingly finished. Telling the reader you're a character in a book every 2 minutes sounds more iritating than clever, though the Mystic Cave Zone reference is really well thought out, or a fluke, I'll let everyone else be the judge of that.

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The fourth wall is best semi-broken, by making characters aware that certain events are ridiculous. Rouge's sarcasm towards the more convenient aspects of Chronicles' plot is a good example. Chronicles also did a good job with the credits, since it was more like having your cast bow at the end of a play.

There was a really good fourth wall moment in Kick-Ass, which I saw recently. During a tense scene the main character who's also the narrator says something like "You really think I'm not gonna die here because I'm talking to you? You haven't seen movies like..." And he lists movies where main character narrators die.

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So I've read a lot more chapters... and just when you think this book couldn't get any more stranger... I'm currently at chapter 8 and well... I promise you that I am not making this up....

After fighting the falling blocks and the giant yellow orb that wouldn't stop eating, Tails has rescued the mobians from their computer prison. Yes they reference both Tetris and Pac-Man.

Sonic has escaped the robots with the help of Porker Lewis and Tails who found a way to escape their computer prison. With the Help of Sonic and Iggy all the trapped mobians escape from the computer and everyone seems happy...

However... suddenly when everyone is getting back to normal Johnny Lightfoot and a Flicky start to go crazy... ... ... basically... They turn into Mario. Yes... They start to turn into Mario. As in Super Mario... This guy.

Don't believe me? Here is a quote from the book.

"'Getta away from me, foul fungus people!' he howled. 'Whatta have you done-a with the princess? hassa the evil bad guys got her? I musta find her and free-a her by bouncing on your heads, for I amma the worlda-famouss plumber! no job issa to small! No estimate issa too big! Drippy taps a speciality!"

Johnny Lightfoot then starts to believe that the Flicky is Luigi and Tails is Yoshi. Theres then a whole page of slagging off mario such as "Stupid blue overalls." Johnny Lightfoot then tries to climb onto Tails and demands that he eats up all the 'Catus People.'

Suddenly all the other mobians that were freed from the computer prison start to turn into Mario and Luigi. Iggy suspects that they've got a computer virus, so they have to get everyone back in the computer to restore them.

Whilst in the computer Iggy suggests that they try to find an 'anti-virus' that will fix the Mobians. Sonic decides to explore the crashed Wing Fortress zone to try and find the Anti-Virus! Whilst exploring he gets caught by robotnik who then activates a self destruct. Robotnik escapes int othe computer as he has taken the anti-virus. Sonic escapes from his trap and attempts to escape into the computer too... But he's stopped...

And I promise I'm not making this up...

Chin Lie

"A young woman in a blue dress and brown leggings, wearing spiked bracelets and her dark hair decorated with a white head dress"

Sonic defeats her and escapes into the computer to find that Tails and the other Mobians have built a giant battle tank to explore the computer with... Sonic and Iggy decide that the only way to the main CPU is to go through Robotniks Game Room area...

The way into the CPU is past....

FROGGY!!!!

Yes Froggy! Not Bigs froggy, but this Froggy. (Frogger) Sonic and Iggy have to jump on logs to get to the other side of the room and escape. Sonic then encounters Sonic 1 and recruits him to help with his quest to the CPU.

.... .... So I then re-read the first chapter. When Robotnik creates something and gets attacked... and I quickly realised who it is... It's Ken! Yes Ken from street fighter! "A young man, heavy muscles bulging beneath his red Karate suit. A mop of thick blonde hair stood out on top of his head."

So thats robotniks plan, he's going to get characters from other videogames to fight Sonic.

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I own and read all the books, and yes it was strange, but the thing is... It was like a good strange. I enjoyed it when I read it when I was younger and though a bit... Out there, I remember it fondly.

The book literally did all kinds of crazy crap though, I remember the Time Police in the 4th Dimension book where Eggman is traveling through time and ruling an empire in the future so Sonic and Tails take bicycle back in time to save their ancestors and then this talk about how their orphans or something, then riding their magical time traveling bicycle back to the origin of time, the Big Bang to stop a time travelling conspiracy plot.

Then of course all the virtual worlds based off of video games from Street fighter to Mario to Sonic 1 in Silicon Warriors when they are stuck in Eggman's computer from the glitched Item Monitor... And a lot more all throughout.

Edited by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper
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