"Unprintable" novels- what do you think?

[Bluma Bezbroda]

So, apparently Google, in collaboration with fiction writers, is trying to create interactive novels that you could only "read" on your smartphone. What do you think of such an idea?

http://www.theguardian.com/books/20...logy-unprintable-fiction-google-editions-play

Personally, I am very enthusiastic. I love innovations, both in form and in concept. I mentioned Cortazar in a previous thread. Isn't his "Hopscotch" an interactive novel? Mark Danielewski's "House of Leaves" also ranks very highly on my list. Some time ago illustrated novels were very hype (Umberto Eco wrote one as well). I own "Hyppolite's Island" by Barbara Hodgson- an adorable, fun thing, great for teenagers I would think. And, of course, we have comic books and graphic novels that are successfully making it into mainstream literature. About this subject I could talk forever, so let me just share with you a detail from a recently acquired gem, "Sandman" from Gaiman, Wiliams and Steward

 

[Patricia D]

Reading on a Smartphone is hard on the old eyes

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I saw this, too, and thought it sounded really cool. I would love to write a story that readers could actually interact with...I'd love to read a story I could jump right into...

 

[Chase Gamwell]

I think I remember @Brian Clegg writing something about this (the concept of interactive books...not the Google thing) recently in a blog post. Or maybe posting something about it in a recent thread. I can't seem to find it, but maybe he could chime in on this?

 

[James Marinero]

It opens up interesting possibilities, such as a reader being able to choose 'what happens next'. Almost getting into gaming here - take the right hand path or left hand path? A lot more work to produce though with multiple futures. I'm more interested in the multimedia possibilities with video and sound built in. Imagine 'He turned the corner [then the reader hears a BANG]' and was hurled backwards by the slug from the .45 etc... Of course, hard to know how to trigger the 'bang' as the reader reads, but it will come with smartphone eye scanning, or perhaps the equivalent of a 'new page button'. WIP