A role-playing book where the reader reads a paragraph and is given (usually)
two numbered choices, and selects how he wishes the story to continue, turning
to the relevant numbered paragraph.
Note: Paragraph number 261 of the UK edition gives the choice of going
on to 227 or 290, but the choice of 227 is illogical, and should read 190,
which gets the reader back into the story and stops him going round in circles.
This error should have been corrected in the American edition.
The reader plays the part of a new recruit to the Special Corps, his mission:
to travel to the planet Skraldespand to locate Prof. Geiteskrank and return
with him in protective custody. The book features the usual collection of
grotesque Harrison characters and impossible situations, and also manages to
send up gamebooks themselves.
London: Grafton, October 1985, 170pp., ISBN: 0-586-06359-5, pbk. Illustrated by Dave McKean. Cover: Alan Craddock. Reprinted 1987.
New York: Ace, June 1988, ISBN: 0-441-94978-9, pbk.
as: I Ty Mozesz Byc Stalowyn Szczurem. Poland: Amber, 1995, ISBN: 83-7082-788-8. Translated by Jaroslaw Kotarski. [Polish]
as: Krysa z Nerez Oceli. Praha: AFSF, 1996, 137pps., ISBN: 80-85390-45-0. Translated by Robert Tschorn. [Czech]
The Stainless Steel Rat Series