Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 and a return to Forbidden Planet

Last Saturday, Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 took over the University of West London in Ealing for a day dedicated to your favourite gamebook series.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, including the traders who came along, and to all our guests, but especially Guests of Honour artist Iain McCaig and Fighting Fantasy co-creator Sir Ian Livingstone.

There is no other event quite like Fighting Fantasy Fest. After all, where else could you see a Hollywood blockbuster character designer dance a jig while a knight of the realm plays blues harmonica?!?

Sir Ian Livingstone with original Penguin Books commissioning editor Geraldine Cooke, who championed The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

Sir Ian's signing queue went out of the door!

The new 75mm Shape Changer produced by Blue Giant Studios and painted by Paul Cooke of Pandaemonium Miniatures during FFF5.

The authors' talk with Marc Gascoigne, Steve Williams, Paul Mason, and Peter Darvill-Evans.

Deathtrap Dungeon Live! Featuring Sir Ian Livingstone, The Dark Room's John Robertson, and Zagor the Warlock!

The legendary Fighting Fantasy Auction with Guest of Honour Sir Ian Livingstone.

The winners of the charity pub quiz that took place the night before FFF5 - I Love Wheelies!

Sir Ian was inundated with people wanting him to sign his new books, The Dungeon on Blood Island (number 72 in the series if you're counting from the beginning) and the #1 Bestseller Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy.

If you were not able to attend FFF5, you have another chance to grab yourself a signed copy of the books at Forbidden Planet, on Saturday 14th September, from 2:00-3:00pm, where Jonathan Green, co-author of Magic Realms, will also be in attendance.

Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy

Today sees the publication of the long awaited Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy by Sir Ian Livingstone and Jonathan Green.

You can join Sir Ian this evening at Barnes Bookshop for the official launch.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Green was on BBC Radio Somerset today, talking about the new book and the Fighting Fantasy series in general. You can listen to the 12 minute interview with Vicki Clark for the next 29 days here. The bit you want begins at the 2hr 16min mark.

Yesterday, the pair were signing books for those people who supported the book through Unbound. By the end of the day, Sir Ian had set a new record for the number of items signed in one day - a whooping 2,120! That's 850 books, 900 prints, 150 bookplates, and 220 copies of Shadow of the Giants! 

Sir Ian and Jonathan will also be signing Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy at Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 on Saturday, while Sir Ian will be giving a talk at the Cartoon Museum, in Central London, on Tuesday 10th September.

A Message from Steve Jackson

Steve Jackson would like to apologise for his absence at Fighting Fantasy Fest 5. It is an event he is very disappointed to have to miss.

As many of you already know, Steve suffers from Parkinson's Disease and because of this, as well as other personal reasons, he is unable to attend this year's convention.

He asked the Warlock to pass on this message to fans:

Over the years, Fighting Fantasy Fests have served well in bringing the FF community together. This year's Guest Artist of Honour is Iain McCaig, illustrator of Deathtrap Dungeon, who always puts on a brilliant show. Also Sound Realms, a Swedish company, is launching an audio visual version of F.I.S.T. - the first ever telephone game.

I wish I could be there.

Best wishes

Steve