Quest for Clues

Quest for Clues is a book series published by Origin from 1988 to 1992, consisting of six books. They are hint books that contain solutions not only to Origin games, but also to games from other companies. Therefore, Ultima game solutions are found in these books as well. All of the books were written by Shay Addams.

The Books

 * Quest for Clues I


 * Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc.
 * Author: Shay Addams, © 1988.
 * ISBN: 0-929373-00-6.
 * Characteristics: 188pp. Includes Ultima IV walkthrough
 * Original List Price: $24.99

The first Quest for Clues Book ever published contains only a walkthrough for Ultima IV, since the next game in the series wouldn't be out until later the same year. Why walkthroughs for the earlier games aren't included is not clear.


 * Quest for Clues II


 * Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc.
 * Author: Shay Addams, © 1989.
 * ISBN: -
 * Characteristics: Includes Ultima V walkthrough
 * Original List Price: $24.99

The second book in the series now gives the complete solution to Ultima V, which had been published the previous year.


 * Quest for Clues III


 * Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc.
 * Author: Shay Addams, © 1990.
 * ISBN: -
 * Characteristics: Includes no Ultima walkthrough
 * Original List Price: $24.99

Since the book came out in the months before the next Ultima game got published, it is the only book in the series containing no solution for one of them.


 * Quest for Clues IV


 * Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc.
 * Author: Shay Addams, © 1991.
 * ISBN: -
 * Characteristics: 192pp. Includes Ultima VI, Savage Empire and Martian Dreams walkthroughs
 * Original List Price: $24.99

Making up for the lack of Ultima-walkthroughs in the previous book, this book contains a whole of three walkthroughs. These walkthroughs are for Ultima VI, Savage Empire and Martian Dreams.


 * Quest for Clues - Manual of Swords


 * Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc.
 * Author: Shay Addams, © 1992.
 * ISBN: 0-929373-11-1.
 * Characteristics: Includes Ultima VII and Forge of Virtue'' walkthroughs
 * Original List Price: $16.95

The first book in the series that is not numbered. It includes a walkthrough for Ultima VII, including the expansion Forge of Virtue.


 * Quest for Clues - Book of Orbs


 * Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc.
 * Author: Shay Addams, © 1992.
 * ISBN: 0-929373-10-3.
 * Characteristics: Includes Ultima Underworld walkthrough
 * Original List Price: $16.95

The last book of the series to be published. Interestingly, it has a solution for Ultima Underworld instead of Ultima VII Part Two or Ultima Underworld II, which had come out earlier the year.