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The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985 - 1993 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Jordan Mechner (Author), Yuri Lowenthal (Narrator), Stripe Press (Publisher)
4.6 out of 5 stars 987 ratings

A deep dive into the origins of the epic, best-selling video game, featuring previously unreleased content in the game creator's own words.

The creator of one of the most innovative and best-selling video games of all time gives an unvarnished look into the process in this one-of-a-kind compilation. Before Prince of Persia was a best-selling video game franchise and a Disney movie, it was an Apple II computer game created and programmed by one person: Jordan Mechner.

Mechner's candid and revealing journals from the time capture the journey from his parents’ basement to the forefront of the fast-growing 1980s video game industry, and the creative, technical, and personal struggles that brought the prince into being and ultimately into the homes of millions of people worldwide.

Now, on the 30th anniversary of Prince of Persia’s release, Mechner looks back at the journals he kept from 1985 to 1993, offering new insights into the game that established him as a pioneer of cinematic storytelling in the industry.

This collector’s edition includes:

  • Narration from Jordan’s original journals
  • The stages of the game’s creation

The Making of Prince of Persia is both a tribute to a timeless classic and an indelible look at the creative process that will resonate with retro-gaming fans, game developers, and writers, artists, and creators of all stripes.

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  1. Book 2 of 2
    Mechner Journals Series
  2. Listening Length
    5 hours and 56 minutes
  3. Author
    Jordan Mechner
  4. Narrator
    Yuri Lowenthal
  5. Audible release date
    November 16, 2020
  6. Language
    English
  7. Publisher
    Stripe Press
  8. ASIN
    B08NJ5C24B
  9. Version
    Unabridged
  10. Program Type
    Audiobook
Next slide of product details

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Product details

Book 2 of 2 Mechner Journals Series
Listening Length 5 hours and 56 minutes
Author Jordan Mechner
Narrator Yuri Lowenthal
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date November 16, 2020
Publisher Stripe Press
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B08NJ5C24B
Best Sellers Rank

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
987 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be a worthwhile read with fascinating insights into the creative process. Moreover, they appreciate its historical context, with one customer noting it provides a great glimpse into the early video game creation world. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its unique embossed cover and customers consider it worth the price.

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ReadabilityInsightHistorical contextLookValue for moneyEnjoyment
61 customers mention "Readability"58 positive3 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a great story that is enjoyable and inspiring to read.

"...In brief, Prince left quite a mark and it's really unforgettable - it brought me & my friends so much happiness and joy...." Read more

"The moment to moment insights and stories in this book are fantastic...." Read more

"...of Persia wanes a little in the final chapters, but still a worthwhile read if you know the game and we're around back in the day when it was..." Read more

"A very interesting and fascinating read. It provides a nice complement and context to the original game...." Read more

39 customers mention "Insight"39 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and informative, with one customer describing it as a window into the creative process.

"...of the development and product management process, the book is full of invaluable insights about the life of a programmer, and the internals of a..." Read more

"...and were around in that era, this book gives you a real sense of the personal challenges and decisions independent developers were faced with in the..." Read more

"A very interesting and fascinating read. It provides a nice complement and context to the original game...." Read more

"...Prince of Persia 2 on my family's old Macintosh, and the book goes into great detail on the trials and tribulations Mechner himself went through in..." Read more

12 customers mention "Historical context"12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical context of the book, with one customer noting it provides a great glimpse into the early video game creation world, while another describes it as a beautiful collection of documented history.

"...There's also just the fun historical context of the whole thing...." Read more

"...It provides a nice complement and context to the original game...." Read more

"...fan of the more modern PoP titles and movie franchise, the original games were so good, especially considering the limitations of the early 90's..." Read more

"...and work that went into developing a seminal and historic title for the video game industry...." Read more

7 customers mention "Look"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's appearance, with one noting its embossed cover and another describing it as a great look into a lucky happenstance.

"...Ultimately, the book was an interesting look at what it was like for Mechner to take on this enormous task completely by himself and the emotional..." Read more

"This is a quality printing job, and the embossed cover is absolutely unique and super interesting...." Read more

"A fun and fast read that is both an exciting look at the fragile creation of a video game classic as well as a voyeuristic glimpse at a young man..." Read more

"...Jordan explains himself in simple terms, is charming and instantly relatable...." Read more

6 customers mention "Value for money"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worth every penny, with one mentioning that the notes significantly increase its value.

"Not quite as strong as Jordan's journals about Karateka, but still worth it...." Read more

"...crafted book and the additional material and notes significantly increases its value." Read more

"...It's worth the money, it's worth your time. I'd recommend it to gamers and non-gamers alike...." Read more

"...but I believe this book has great value for any aspiring game designers and/or developers out there...." Read more

3 customers mention "Enjoyment"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one describing it as fun and engaging.

"...really unforgettable - it brought me & my friends so much happiness and joy...." Read more

"A fun and fast read that is both an exciting look at the fragile creation of a video game classic as well as a voyeuristic glimpse at a young man..." Read more

"Engaging, inspiring and very fascinating. Something universal about his struggles and I could relate strongly to what he writes. Highly recommended!" Read more

Very informative, delight to read!
5 out of 5 stars
Very informative, delight to read!
Well worth the wait, after playing the game boy color version back in the early 00's I'm happy to see what really went into the game.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Andrew
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating diary full of great observations
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2014
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I remember very well those countless hours I spent playing Prince & Prince 2. I played it on various PCs I had access to back then, 20 years ago. I played it slow and I played it fast, in black&white (monochrome), and in color, with a beeper, and a soundcard. Before I had a soundcard, I made myself a Covox, soldering a bunch of resistors together, and Prince was the very first game I tested my poor-man digital sound interface against. It was mind-blowing when I first heard the game samples. In the next few months I went as far as ripping then the samples out of the game and writing a few songs myself featuring voices from the game. In brief, Prince left quite a mark and it's really unforgettable - it brought me & my friends so much happiness and joy. So I was really thrilled to read through this book and know how the game was actually done. It's unbelievable by modern standards! I was always amazed by how games were written single handedly back then, but I still couldn't believe what I just read now. Aside from extremely interesting descriptions of the development and product management process, the book is full of invaluable insights about the life of a programmer, and the internals of a game publisher. It brought back all those memories from 20-25 years ago when I was a kid hacking around, "cracking" nearly all the games I had for "infinite lives". I "fixed" all the games I had, myself (so that I could play them till the very end), but Prince. To the best of my recollection, I used to play Prince without cheating :) It also reminded me of how I dreamed of writing games myself (and I actually wrote some very bad ones!) only to discover I don't really have neither talent for that, nor stamina. I'm currently involved in a software company, and I have certain relation to project & product management, and seeing how our guys code, I can really appreciate the confessions of this diary. Huge kudos to Jordan for publishing it. I had this thought so many times through this book - it would have been extremely sad if Jordan didn't have enough strength and tenacity to finish the game back then! I was almost like "Please please finish it, dude! We really need it!" all the way through the chapters :) Again, it's still unbelievable after so many years how really groundbreaking the game became.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • themossman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Strangely Relatable
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The moment to moment insights and stories in this book are fantastic. Despite having never made a mega hit video game, I really felt a familiar feeling reading through these journals. There's an ever-growing, lingering doubt that comes with being young, and creative, fresh out of college. A real sense of not knowing what you want, or what the future holds. It's heartening in a way to know people you admire feel similarly.

    There's also just the fun historical context of the whole thing. Having games we consider archaic or quaint being hailed as amazing 3D marvels of their time. A little slice of a pre-internet world, rapidly evolving. Almost makes you want to make a video game.
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  • Randy Vose
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great personal jounrey
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Not quite as strong as Jordan's journals about Karateka, but still worth it. If you read both of Jordan's journal books and were around in that era, this book gives you a real sense of the personal challenges and decisions independent developers were faced with in the ever-chmahing landscape of home computers, consoles and handhelds. It's a fascinating insight into Jordan's personal journey as a creative producer and technical artist. The focus on Prince of Persia wanes a little in the final chapters, but still a worthwhile read if you know the game and we're around back in the day when it was released.
    Helpful
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  • Stephen Daedalus E. Separa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Beautifully Crafted
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    A very interesting and fascinating read. It provides a nice complement and context to the original game. The anniversary edition is beautifully crafted book and the additional material and notes significantly increases its value.
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  • JN
    5.0 out of 5 stars Prince of Persia--what's in it?
    Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    The Making of Prince of Persia is about the trials and triumphs behind Jordan Mechner's first Prince of Persia as well as his personal journey breaking into the the filmaking/screenwriting industry and the key figures directly responsible for his success. I found it to be an interesting read although closer towards the end of the book I found myself skipping through diary entries about his filmaking/screenwriting endeavors as I was more interested in the creative process behind PoP and the challenges that would appear as part of that process

    I can say that after reading it, I was quite struck by how many places Jordan traveled to around the world. I never knew he traveled so much or that he had been actively pursuing a career in the entertainment industry (did you know he met Halle Berry on set?) I also wanted to learn more about the inner workings of the staff at Broderbund and happened to get myself a digital copy of the book "Software People: An Insider's Look at the Personal Computer Software Industry " by none other than Doug Carlston, Jordan's former boss at Broderbund.

    Should you get a copy of this PoP book, be sure to get your hands on Doug Cartston's book too because if you do, it will GREATLY help you understand Broderbund's corporate culture and introductory history of the IT industry and the history of programming from late 70's to 90's.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Nick Dorogavtsev
    5.0 out of 5 stars Print Quality is Incredible
    Reviewed in Australia on December 15, 2023
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This is an art piece of book printing. I used to play this game with my grandfather.
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  • ベンム
    5.0 out of 5 stars After you've finished reading, you'll put down the book and think "OK, what should I make?".
    Reviewed in Japan on April 26, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is one of my favorite books of all time. It journals the journey of perseverance from nothing to shipping a great game, told from the point of view of a newbie game developer with big aspirations. While mostly a description of the progress with the game, it also describes the young developer's struggles beginning a new adult life in a new city, his frustrations dealing with team members at work and his shifting focus as he feels unsure what he really wants from the future. It is also a surprisingly long journey, showing the determination needed in creating something new.
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  • mtarzaim
    5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of struggles, wits and choices in life
    Reviewed in France on March 27, 2012
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is not a "making of" in the marketed sense of it.
    You won't find pretty pictures, nice drawings and joyful explainations of a perfect game in a perfect world.
    It's a diary, of Jordan Mechner own hand, compiling his state of mind during all the process of Prince of Persia. From its early pre-production to its final delivery ... years after its initial release.

    This is an excellent read for game designers and POP fans. Because it's a testimony to a whole game creation, with an heavy emphasis on two points usually minimized in standard game-design litteracy :
    - the team, and how it can work with you (sometimes) and against you (as told through most of the pages). Especially when they're not game freaks
    - the self, and its way-underestimated capability to make you procrastinate, go in circles, and send you after dreams you should know they will disappoint you in the end

    We really feel the anguish, despair, frustration, angst, revolt and joy of the author, giving an exclusive insight of what happens in a creative mind.
    An excellent read, and probably a excellent therapy for everyone trying to fulfill his/her project against all odds, his/her own laziness included.

    The kindle edition is fine. No bugged layout, fullpage drawings, no mispelling.
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  • Pitto
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read, lovely book
    Reviewed in Italy on August 3, 2024
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    The only thing I didn't like is that the white color on the cover is very delicate.
    A must buy for any videogame lover.
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  • FFaruq
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for all PoP fans!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Prince of Persia was the first videogame I ever finished, having only really played arcade games up till then. Played it on a monochrome CGA laptop, but still the great gameplay and wonderful story shone through. Been a fan of the series and Jordan Mechner ever since.

    The book chronicles Jordan's life through the development of PoP and PoP2. It's an interesting look back to how the idea for the game began and grew, in the midst of the life of an up and coming game developer in his youth. A must read, especially for fans of the game.
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