Role playing novels aim at ages 12 and up. These books usually offer a dimension beyond simply making choices: game mechanics. In essence, the reader plays a video game in book form where he or she fights bad guys and collects important items to accomplish a goal or quest. Statistics such as "Skill" and "Money" flesh out a real character who must be managed within the rules of the game. Dice are often required; winning and losing remain important in these titles.

Losing means — in the majority of cases — dying. The realization that the character can be killed — thereby ending the story — is what generates suspense (just as in a video game). Starting over should be expected because persistence is rewarded. But make no mistake, action movie violence abounds in these books. The reader's character frequently uses weapons to eliminate opponents encountered — whether they be dragons, robots, aliens, or those ubiquitous "bad guys." Novels containing particularly heinous acts (drug use, explicit language) are marked as "adult" on their respective pages. And as always, every item carries an unconditional satisfaction guarantee — return it if it's not what you expect.