40 years of Deathtrap Dungeon

Deathtrap Dungeon, Sir Ian Livingstone's Sunday Times best-selling Fighting Fantasy gamebook, was published 40 years ago on 29 March 1984. To say it was a fantastic success would be an understatement.

Inspired by a holiday Livingstone had taken to Thailand the year before, the plot of the adventure sees the hero taking up the challenge of the Trial of Champions, devised by the fiendish mind of Baron Sukumvit, entering the eponymous dungeon, braving the labyrinth’s fiendish traps and monstrous denizens, in the pursuit of fame and fortune.

Sir Ian's flowchart for Deathtrap Dungeon, as seen during Click 1,000.

“I went trekking in Northern Thailand in 1981,” explains Livingstone. “I passed through Fang and crossed the River Kok on my way to the jungle near the Burmese border. I took lots of photos of villagers and scenery on the trek. It was an incredible adventure, and one not without drama. Our guide was constantly fretting about armed bandits coming over the border to rob us! 

"The trek made a big impression on me, enough for me to want to reference the people and places in Deathtrap Dungeon which I began writing in late 1983. But the dungeon plot itself was a product of the dungeons I’d designed during the years I’d been playing D&D. When Penguin Books told us they wanted a sequel to The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, I thought I’d write a classic dungeon-bash next, but I put it on hold and wrote The Forest of Doom and City of Thieves before Deathtrap Dungeon.”

One of Iain McCaig’s illustration roughs for Deathtrap Dungeon alongside Ian Livingstone’s handwritten first draft. (© Iain McCaig and Ian Livingstone, 2024)

As well as the River Kok and Fang, the names of several other places Livingstone visited on that fortuitous trip made it into the book, including Chiang Mai. Baron Sukumvit himself was named after Sukumvit Road in Bangkok.

The marriage of both eastern and western influences in the adventure created something entirely new, helping to give the world of Fighting Fantasy a truly unique flavour.

Iain McCaig’s cover rough for Deathtrap Dungeon. (© Iain McCaig, 2024)

Deathtrap Dungeon was a phenomenal success, selling over 350,000 copies in its first year alone. It was the best-selling children’s book in April 1984 and was ranked eighth out of all books sold that month, coming just behind Dick Francis in seventh place and ahead of Stephen King’s Christine in ninth. (Three of the top one hundred books sold that year were Fighting Fantasy gamebooks.) Deathtrap Dungeon was so successful that Livingstone’s eighth gamebook was a sequel, Trial of Champions (FF21, published in 1986).

The book was illustrated inside and out by Livingstone's favourite FF artist, Iain McCaig.

“My favourite black and white illustration is the image of the inscrutable Trialmaster on his dragon-hide throne,” muses McCaig. “It was the height of my love affair with croquill pens, and the quintessential riddle picture that would lead to Casket of Souls.”

Dwarf Trialmaster, by Iain McCaig. (© Ian Livingstone 2024) 

Deathtrap Dungeon has been translated and published in multiple foreign language editions over the last 40 years, including the recent Danish version from Faraos Cigarer. It has also inspired RPG adaptations and numerous video game versions, for PlayStation, tablet and PC, and one narrated by Hollywood actor Eddie Marsan.

But what many fans have been wondering over the years is will they ever be invited to undertake the Walk one more time and re-enter Deathtrap Dungeon? Only time will tell...

Deathtrap Dungeon - the audio drama!

Deathtrap Dungeon's 40th anniversary

2024 marks 40 years since Sir Ian Livingstone's seminal Deathtrap Dungeon was first published.

Inspired by a holiday Livingstone had taken to Thailand, the plot of the adventure sees the hero taking up the challenge of the Trial of Champions, devised by the devilish mind of Baron Sukumvit, entering the eponymous dungeon, braving the labyrinth’s fiendish traps and monstrous denizens, all in the pursuit of fame and fortune.

Ian Livingstone’s rough map of Deathtrap Dungeon. (© Ian Livingstone, 2024)

“I went trekking in Northern Thailand in 1981,” explains Livingstone. “I passed through Fang and crossed the River Kok on my way to the jungle near the Burmese border. I took lots of photos of villagers and scenery on the trek. It was an incredible adventure, and one not without drama. Our guide was constantly fretting about armed bandits coming over the border to rob us! The trek made a big impression on me, enough for me to want to reference the people and places in Deathtrap Dungeon which I began writing in late 1983. But the dungeon plot itself was a product of the dungeons I’d designed during the years I’d been playing D&D. When Penguin Books told us they wanted a sequel to The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, I thought I’d write a classic dungeon-bash next, but I put it on hold and wrote The Forest of Doom and City of Thieves before Deathtrap Dungeon.”

As well as the River Kok and Fang, the names of several other places Livingstone visited on that fortuitous trip made it into the book, including Chiang Mai. Baron Sukumvit himself was named after Sukumvit Road in Bangkok. The marriage of both eastern and western influences in the adventure created something entirely new, helping to give the world of Fighting Fantasy a truly unique flavour.

One of Iain McCaig’s illustration roughs for Deathtrap Dungeon alongside Ian Livingstone’s handwritten first draft. (© Iain McCaig and Ian Livingstone, 2024)

Deathtrap Dungeon was a huge success, selling over 350,000 copies in its first year alone. It was the best-selling children’s book in April 1984 and was ranked eighth out of all books sold that month. (Three of the top one hundred books sold that year were Fighting Fantasy gamebooks.)

Deathtrap Dungeon was so successful that Livingstone’s eighth gamebook was a sequel, Trial of Champions (FF21, published in 1986).

Like City of Thieves before it, Deathtrap Dungeon was illustrated inside and out by Ian Livingstone's favourite FF artist, Iain McCaig.

“My favourite black and white illustration is the image of the inscrutable Trialmaster on his dragon-hide throne,” says McCaig. “It was the height of my love affair with croquill pens.”

Deathtrap Dungeon has been reimagined again and again, as numerous video games, an audio drama and even a live action show. On top of that, the infamous Bloodbeast from the adventure has been turned into a 3D model, produced by Blue Giant Studios.

To find out more about the history of Deathtrap Dungeon and Fighting Fantasy gamebooks you should peruse YOU ARE THE HERO by Jonathan Green.

Blast from the Past! The Citadel of Chaos

First published this month, 38 years ago, The Citadel of Chaos was the second book in the Fighting Fantasy series and the first to be written just by Steve Jackson.

Jackson did not stray that far from the familiar format of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. Although it was set within a castle, The Citadel of Chaos was effectively another dungeon bash, but with the addition of rules for using magic.

“I wanted to name my second book in such a way as it served to promote GW’s brand, i.e. Citadel Miniatures,” explains Jackson. “So the adventure had to be set in a Citadel. And some of the illustrations of the Citadel were reminiscent of the Citadel Miniatures logo. It was, if you like, a promotional in-joke.”

Russ NIcholson's illustration of the Black Tower - a.k.a. Balthus Dire's dread Citadel of Chaos - from The Trolltooth Wars, alongside the original Citadel Miniatures logo.

Atop his sinister Black Tower, the dread sorcerer Balthus Dire is making plans of conquest. The hero of the adventure is a student of the Grand Wizard of Yore, charged by King Salamon with penetrating the stronghold of the fell magic-user, and stopping the fiend before he can unleash his army upon the peaceful Vale of Willow.

Before beginning the adventure, the hero has to determine his MAGIC score and then choose a corresponding number of spells from a pool of twelve that includes such enchantments as Creature Copy, Fool’s Gold and Levitation. But where did the inspiration for Balthus Dire and the lethal Ganjees come from?

Ganjee, by Russ Nicholson.

Jackson: “Creating names for new characters monsters and places was always a brainstorming exercise. I’d write lots of contenders on a sheet of paper and eventually pick one which to my mind sounded evocative... ‘Balthus’ was the name of a French painter. At the time I was constantly on the lookout for inspiration for names for characters, places and creatures. I came across Balthus the artist – his name, not his art, which I have never seen! I thought: ‘Yes. That’s a cool name. Sounds kind of demonic, or like a dark religious pontiff.’ I used to use a thesaurus a lot for inspiration. ‘Dire’ sounded particularly bad. And thus Balthus Dire became the boss of the adventure.”

Internal art was by Russ Nicholson again, while the cover was produced by the enigmatically-named Emmanuel.

Emmanuel's original cover for Steve's Jackson's The Citadel of Chaos alongside Ian Miller's revised cover.

“The only art I really didn’t like was the cover of the original Citadel of Chaos,” reveals Jackson. “As this was the second book in the series, it could have been interpreted as a significant statement of art intent. But it was followed by Iain McCaig’s cover of The Forest of Doom which set a new standard. I asked Penguin many times to have The Citadel of Chaos cover recommissioned. Eventually they gave in and Ian Miller did a fine job.”

Did you know...?

Jackson once named his favourite character from the Fighting Fantasy books as being Balthus Dire, the villain from The Citadel of Chaos, while his favourite monster is the Jib-Jib, which first appeared in the final instalment of his Sorcery! series, The Crown of Kings.

Balthus Dire, the wizard-warlord, by Russ Nicholson.

When Wizard Books republished The Citadel of Chaos in 2002, Kevin Jenkins was tasked with providing a new cover for the book.

Kevin Jenkins' artwork for the Wizard editions of The Citadel of Chaos.

And of course, The Citadel of Chaos is back in print again, thanks to Scholastic Books, featuring cover art by Robert Ball.

Robert Ball's artwork for the Wizard editions of The Citadel of Chaos.

Since it was first published, back in 1983, The Citadel of Chaos has inspired computer games, and even an audio drama, The Terror of the Ganjees, that is now available from Audible.

The Downloads of Doom

Have you listened to the Fighting Fantasy full-cast audio drama series based on Ian Livingstone and Steve's Jackson's fantastic Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks yet?

If not, now is the perfect time, because they are available as downloads from the following platforms - Audible.co.uk, Google Play, iTunes and Audiobooks.com.

The series, written by David N. Smith, stars Rachel Atkins, David Warner, Lisa Bowerman, Charlie Higson, Richard Rycroft, Andrew Wincott, Sophie Roberts, Tim Treloar, Matthew Brenher, Russell Bentley, Nina Clarke, Peter Noble, Leo Ashizawa, Frazer Blaxland, Deirdra Whelan and Amy Stratton.

You can still buy the CD versions via fightingfantasyaudiodramas.com, but now you can download them too.

So if you haven't taken a trip yet into this exciting audio world, or know someone who might want to, shuffle along to the any of these retailers and pick up a copy now!

Delving into Deathtrap Dungeon

With the release of Branching Narrative's Deathtrap Dungeon: The Interactive Video Adventure this week, there are now more ways than ever to take on Baron Sukumvit's devious maze of misery.

If you're up to undertaking an epic quest, there's Nomad Games' Deathtrap Dungeon Trilogy, which is now available for the Nintendo Switch.

Like to game on the move? Then Tin Man Games' adaptation is for you.

If you're in the mood to simply listen to the story, rather than interact with the dungeon yourself, then there's the Fighting Fantasy audio drama Deathtrap Dungeon: The Last Champion, by David N. Smith.

Like it old school? Then there's this magical tome.

And tickets are still available for The StoryMaster's Tales Deathtrap Dungeon LIVE, which is happening at this year's UK Games Expo in Birmingham.

So, do you fancy taking a walk this weekend... through Deathtrap Dungeon?

Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas at Fighting Fantasy Fest 3

At their stall in Port Blacksand, at Fighting Fantasy Fest 3 (just nine days away), you will find David N Smith and Richard Fox, the writer and producer behind the Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas.

So if you've yet to pick up The Warlock of Firetop Mountain: The Hero's Quest, or the 4 CD Boxset featuring the audio dramas The Forest of Doom: Lost in Darkwood, The Citadel of Chaos: Terror of the Ganjees, Deathtrap Dungeon: The Last Champion, and Creature of Havoc: The Monster of Dree, make sure you pay them a visit.

Traders at Fighting Fantasy Fest 3

As well as a host of authors and artists, and shows such as Steve Jackson's House of Hell LIVE and John Robertson's The Dark Room, there will also be a number of traders in attendance at Fighting Fantasy Fest 3*. These include...

Scholastic Books, who will have copies of Caverns of the Snow Witch, Sorcery! 2: Kharé - Cityport of Traps, and Ian Livingstone's new book Assassins of Allansia on sale for the first time.

Arion Games, publishers of the Advanced Fighting Fantasy Second Edition RPG.

Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas.

Scriptarium, publishers of the French language version of AFF.

All Rolled Up, who have produced special game rolls and dice trays for the event.

Spidermind Games, who will be launching The Valley of Bones, Book 1 of the Legendary Kingdoms series, on the day.

Rogues Gaming, purveyors of the Magic: The Gathering CCG, Dungeons & Dragons, gaming accessories, and much more.

And of course Atlantis Miniatures, who will be launching the FF Legends model range at FFF3.

Have you bought your ticket yet?

* In just 36 days' time!

Coming in 2019...

2018 is almost done, so what are you looking forward to most to come from the Fighting Fantasy stable in 2019?

Perhaps you're looking forward to the release of more of the Scholastic editions of the gamebooks, and possibly a new title to boot.

Perhaps you're keen to pick up and listen to the Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas 4 Story Boxset, featuring The Forest of Doom: Lost in Darkwood, The Citadel of Chaos: Terror of the Ganjees, Deathtrap Dungeon: The Last Champion, and Creature of Havoc: The Monster of Dree.

Perhaps you're hoping for more releases for Tin Man Games' Fighting Fantasy Classics range.

Or could it be you're looking forward to Fighting Fantasy Fest 3, taking place on Saturday 31st August 2019, in West London?

Tell us what you're looking forward to most, or what else you would like to see come out under the Fighting Fantasy label in 2019, in the comments below, or on the Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks Facebook page.

Fighting Fantasy at the Bath Children's Literature Festival

The Warlock has summoned you to his mountain lair this day to remind you that Ian Livingstone and Charlie Higson will be visiting the Bath Children's Literature Festival, in just over a week's time, to talk about writing Fighting Fantasy gamebooks.

The event is taking place on Saturday 29th September 2018, from 5:30 - 6:30pm, at the Guildhall and is suitable for everyone aged from 9 to 99, or even 999.

Tickets are £7 each and can be booked here.

Charlie Higson is also one of the voices you will hear if you pick up a boxset of four new Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas, available to pre-order now.

Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas ready for pre-order!

Exciting news! The Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas Boxset is now available for pre-order, ready for release in late November or early December.

The Boxset contains adaptations of Steve Jackson's The Citadel of Chaos and Creature of Havoc, as well as Ian Livingstone's The Forest of Doom and Deathtrap Dungeon, and features the voice talents of none other than David Warner (as Yaztromo), Charlie Higson (as Baron Sukumvit), Lisa Bowerman (as Evelina of Dree), Andrew Wincott (as Balthus Dire), and Games of Thrones' Richard Rycroft (as Throm the Barbarian).

The audio dramas also feature the return of Rachel Atkins (as Vale Moonwing) and Tim Treloar (as Cassius Stormblade).

Extras confirmed for the Boxset release include:

• Cast interviews - featuring every cast member involved in the production, including two extended interviews with FF scribes Charlie Higson and Jonathan Green!
• The Writer's Tale - scriptwriter David N. Smith reveals his thoughts on the writing of the Boxset scripts.
• The Making Of.... - a documentary detailing the process of bringing the Boxset to life.
• The Warlock of Firetop Mountain Original Demo - hear the original six minute demo pitch that started the whole thing off!
• Music Suites - featuring all-new score for the boxset.

And if you are new to the range, Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas are having a limited run flash sale of their first release, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain: The Hero's Quest.

Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas

The team at FoxYason Productions have now completed the vocal recordings for The Fighting Fantasy Box Set, due to be released later this year.

The cast includes, among others, Rachel Atkins (returning to play Vale Moonwing, from The Warlock of Firteop Mountain: The Hero's Quest), Lisa Bowerman (as Evelina of Dree), David Warner (as Yaztromo the wizard), Charlie Higson (as Baron Sukumvit), Richard Rycroft (as Throm the Barbarian), Peter Noble (as Volgera Darkstorm), Sophie Roberts, Russell Bentley, Frazer Blaxland, Deirdra Whelan, and Amy Stratton, as well as Fighting Fantasy superfans Lin Liren and Bryan Howarth. Jonathan Green, author of many FF gamebooks and the popular You Are The Hero - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, has recorded a cameo role for Deathtrap Dungeon: The Last Champion.

The producers are planning on posting more updates as they work through the post-production phase, so make sure you keep checking their Facebook page to see how it's all developing.

Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas writer David N Smith (left), and and director Richard Fox (right).