Under the premise that no one is going to read another manual on improvisation, Billy Merritt and Will Hines (UCB students) created these novelized lessons told in the first person. Through the adventures of an improv student (you) who arrives at a magical dojo, they learn from two masters: the Pirate (the cerebral improviser) and the Robot (the emotional improviser), exploring the two facets of improvisational creation. And the Ninja? That’s the experienced improviser who can unleash their Pirate and Robot sides, depending on the situation.

An interesting guide for beginners, but one that will also add depth to the improvisations of more experienced improvisers. The lessons are useful; the novelization makes them more entertaining, but not necessarily more practical or helpful.