Monk Took Book - Always Judge A Book By Its Cover

What the game is

You play a monk-librarian on Monastery Island whose job is to receive, organize, and protect a growing library. The game uses a day/night loop:

• Daytime: sort and shelve incoming books, expand shelves and rooms, restore damaged books.
• Nighttime: patrons request books under a timer; you must fetch and deliver them quickly to earn “blessings” (currency). Enemies appear at night (rats, skeletons, spiders, archers) and can damage books and you.

Supports single-player and is designed for cooperative multiplayer (players can split roles). The demo shown is an early build and has no release date.

Storyline / setup

• You are a non-reading monk forced to judge books by their covers — using symbols, color bands, size, and condition to identify them.
• Libraries expand by spending blessings to build shelving, open new rooms, and buy gear from a monastery shop.
• The demo ends without a release date and demonstrates both single-player and coop design (host/join menu is shown).

Gameplay highlights

Day / Night cycle

• Day
  • Collect books from the dock.
  • Sort by cover symbol, size, quality, and theme.
  • Build and arrange shelving.
  • Restore damaged books at the shop.
• Night
  • Customers request specific books; deliver quickly to earn blessings and bonuses for efficiency.
  • Enemies appear and can damage books or the player.

How books are identified

• Books are recognized only by cover art, color/quality bands (gold, blue, used), size, and condition.
• Categories must be inferred from covers: practical, intellectual, religious, zoology, magic, shapes, etc.
• Book condition matters — rats and some enemies can nibble or damage books. Restorations increase book value.

Inventory and equipment

• Carry capacity is limited (books vs items). Torches and weapons occupy item slots and can reduce how many books you can hold.
• Torches can be placed on sconces to free hands while keeping areas lit.
• The shop sells gear (dagger, cross, etc.); certain enemies require specific items (e.g., a cross for ghosts).

Shelving mechanics

• Shelving units have limited space and accommodate different book sizes.
• Carpentry/upgrades increase maximum shelf height and storage.
• Placement affects night-run efficiency — keep frequently requested/practical books near exits.

Strategies & key tips (from the playthrough)

Organization

• Create clear, consistent sections (practical, intellectual, religious, magic, zoology, etc.).
• Order books by quality — place the best/most valuable copies in predictable positions (for example, leftmost).
• Put frequently requested practical books near the door to reduce run time.

Protecting books

• Keep books off the floor and on tables/shelves to avoid rat damage.
• Restore high-value or damaged books when affordable.

Combat & survival

• Avoid unnecessary fights. If engaged, block first, then attack — blocking is important.
• Use torches to see at night and place them in sconces to free hands.
• In multiplayer, assign roles: defenders protect while others fetch and deliver.

Expansion & economy

• Spend blessings to expand shelving and rooms when storage limits become a problem, but balance this against buying weapons and restorations.
• Prioritize carpentry/shelf upgrades as the library grows to avoid clutter and loss to rats.

Practical run tips

• Memorize shelf placement by symbol and your chosen ordering system (theme + quality).
• Use trays or tables to hold overflow temporarily.
• When filling requests, grab books predictably (for example, best-first when value matters).

Demo / mode notes

• Version shown was a demo / early build; no release date yet.
• Single-player supported; game is designed with cooperative multiplayer in mind.

Featured source: Many A True Nerd — John (host and playtester in the video)