The Warlock of Firetop Mountain collector's hardback edition out now!

Today marks the publication of the hardback collector's edition of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone.

The collector's hardback features brand new cover art by Karl Kopinski, the classic, iconic interior illustrations by Russ Nicholson, an updated History of Fighting Fantasy, the Qatlas map of Firetop Mountain, and the 1989 map of Allansia by Leo Hartas on the back cover.

The book is limited to 2,000 copies only, and is available online and in selected book shops.

Earlier this week, Steve Jackson and Sir Ian Livingstone visited Blackwell's Bookshop in Oxford to sign 500 copies of the collector's hardback of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

Steve Jackson and Sir Ian Livingstone - may their STAMINA never fail!

New collector's hardback edition of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain coming soon!

Today marks 43 years since The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, was first published by Puffin Books.

Over the years since, there have been many different editions released in numerous languages, but one of the most special was the 25th anniversary hardback put out by Wizard Books in 2007.

But today the Warlock is able to share the exciting news that a new hardback edition of the book will be published by Scholastic Books, featuring brand new cover art by the incredibly talented Karl Kopinski.

Click to enlarge.

The new collector's hardback will be published on 25th September 2025. Not only will it featutre Karl Kopinski's amazing new artwork, but it will include the iconic interior illustrations by Russ Nicholson, and the 1989 map of Allansia by Leo Hartas will appear on the back cover.

The book will also feature an updated History of Fighting Fantasy and the Qatlas map of Firetop Mountain. It will be limited to 2,000 copies only, and it will be available online and selected book shops.

Zagor is back!

It's a Return to Italy for Zagor the Warlock

The second volume in the Zagor trilogy is now available from Raven Distribution as an Italian translation.

Ritorno alla Montagna Infuocata features an arresting cover by Andrea Guardino and a new map by Francesco Mattioli.

If you are an Italian speaker, or you would just like to enhance your FF collection with this new release, you can purchase the book here.

Also available from Raven Distribution is the first volume in the Zagor trilogy, Lo Stregone della Montagna Infuocata.

Wishing you a very Merry Fighting Fantasy Christmas

After all the excitement of Fighting Fantasy's anniversary year in 2022, by comparison 2023 has been a little quieter. Nonetheless, we have still celebrated the 40th anniversary of five Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, new editions of FF adventures have appeared in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, and Denmark, and the Fighting Fantasy Adventures card game funded on Gamefound.

Click on the image above to place a late pledge.

As well as all the highs, there was one very poignant low in 2023, and that was the passing of FF legend Russ Nicholson, the artist who gave Zagor the Warlock his iconic look.

There is lots to look forward to next year, including the publication of YOU ARE THE HERO: An Interactive History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks and MAGIC REALMS: The Art of Fighting Fantasy, more from Arion Games and The Warlock Returns, Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 in the autumn, and the return of Steve Jackson's F.I.S.T.!

Happy Holidays!

Russ Nicholson - The Passing of a Legend

We were very sorry to hear of the passing of Russ Nicholson last Wednesday, after a short illness, and know that many who read this will be feeling just as bereft as we are.

'Legend' is a word that is over-used these days, but it certainly applies when talking about the man who brought the first Fighting Fantasy gamebook to life. The Warlock of Firetop Mountain was the readers' introduction to the world of FF and it was Russ's illustrations as much as the text that drew children into the deadly dungeon that was the Warlock's lair.

Russ's work also set a high benchmark for others to follow. Oft imitated but never surpassed, when Russ took his pen for a walk across the page he conjured inriguing characters, hideous monsters, whole armies, and entire worlds from the nib. To see him work was like watching a wizard practising his craft; he waved his wand and visceral scenes of action and adventure were brought forth upon the page in ink.

Steve, Russ and Ian at Fighting Fantasy Fest 3 in 2019.

Ian Livingstone said, "I first had the pleasure to work with Russ during the early years of Games Workshop. His wonderfully atmospheric illustrations filled the pages of White Dwarf. I fondly remember working with him when he illustrated the cards in Workshop’s Warlock game published in 1980, and later Eye of the Dragon, the solo adventure which I wrote for Dicing with Dragons. Most famously, Russ illustrated the first edition of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, his iconic pen and ink illustrations setting the standard for future Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. Russ was an amazing man with an incredible talent, and he left an incredible legacy. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him."

Steve Jackson added, "This is dreadful news. Russ was the founding father of the black and white art which became so important as one of the features of FF. Sadly, his adventure has ended here. Gone but not forgotten. Our condolences to the Nicholson family.”

Those of you who have read Secrets of Salamonis may have noticed a personal tribute to Russ by Steve. One of the lead characters in the book is named Ruznik Ulsson in his honour.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time, and all those who were inspired by his incredible work.

Zagor the Warlock, by Russ Nicholson.

The Master of Firetop Mountain

Have you ever wondered what Zagor the Warlock would look like if painted by Iain McCaig. Well, wonder no more...

This is the completed cover art for the new edition of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks by Jonathan Green.

The book will be published later this year and it's not too late to place a Late Pledge to the project, if you missed the original Kickstarter.

How to Paint Zagor the Warock - A Step-by-Step Guide

If you attended Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 in September 2022, you may well have seen Paul Cooke of Pandaemonium Miniatures live painting the Limited Edition 75mm Zagor figure that was on sale on the day from Atlantis Miniatures/Blue Giant Studios.

The model Paul painted on the day ended up being purchased by Sir Ian Livingstone, but since then he has painted the figure again and again, for himself as well as those clients who use his miniatures painting service.

Paul has now posted a step-by-step guide explaining how he goes about painting Zagor and has kindly given the Warlock permission to post it for fans of FF here.

Happy 40th Birthday, Zagor!

Today is the 40th anniversary of the publication of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, by Steve Jackson and Sir Ian Livingstone.

Who knew, back in 1982, that four decades later, brand new Fighting Fantasy gamebooks would still be published, the series having sold in its millions all over the world? This achievement has been marked in a number of recent publications, including Fortean Times magazine and Tabletop Gaming magazine.

The latest titles to be released - Secrets of Salamonis by Steve Jackson, and Shadow of the Giants by Sir Ian Livingstone - will be available for sale, next Saturday, at Fighting Fantasy Fest 4.

I must be said that Zagor is looking very good after 40 years. To celebrate this landmark occasion, FF author and historian Jonathan Green, and publisher Snowbooks, are preparing a newly updated and revised edition of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, and this time it's going to be interactive!

So here's to Zagor the Warlock and his creators, Steve Jackson and Sir Ian Livingstone, and to the next 40 years of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks!

Happy 40th Birthday, Zagor!

Exclusive FFF4 Zagor Figurine

Here's just another reason to attend Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 on Saturday 3rd September - a new and exclusive 75mm figurine of Zagor the Warlock created by Blue Giant Studios*, who will also be attending the convention.

The Zagor figurine will be on sale at Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 and Paul 'Pandemonium Miniatures' Cooke will be giving a demonstration of how to paint the model during the course of the day.

*Formerly Atlantis Miniatures.

Happy Christmas from Fighting Fantasy!

'Tis the season to be merry, upon your Earthly Plane, which means that a new year is on its way. And 2022 is going to be a very big year for Fighting Fantasy, as it marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, in 1982.

With that in mind, make sure you keep Saturday 3rd September 2022 free. There will be more news in come in the New Year. But for the time being, Happy Christmas!

Ian's Livingstone's Return to Firetop Mountain - available again!

Back in print now is Ian Livingstone's Return to Firetop Mountain, featuring brand new cover art by Robert Ball, and the original internal illustrations by fan-favourite Martin McKenna.

Are YOU brave enough to face the monster-ridden labyrinth within Firetop Mountain?

The evil warlock Zagor has returned from the dead, with revenge his ultimate aim. ​ Have you got what it takes to track him down, defeating terrifying monsters and battling dark magic on your way?

Return to Firetop Mountain is available to buy now.

Return to Return to Firetop Mountain

The news is out! The first of the next tranche of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks to be published by Scholastic Books is to be Ian Livingstone's Return to Firetop Mountain!

And here's the new cover, featuring artwork by series artist Robert Ball.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

In the early 1990s, when Puffin Books were still publishing the Fighting Fantasy series, it was decided between the editorial team, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone that the release of the fiftieth gamebook would to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the publication of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

And so Ian Livingstone set about writing Return to Firetop Mountain, an adventure in which the hero would return to the eponymous mountain and encounter such legendary FF characters as Zagor the Warlock and The Forest of Doom’s guardian Gereth Yaztromo one last time. The landmark adventure was illustrated by FF fan favourite artist Martin McKenna... and the new edition of the book will feature Martin's original illustrations.

Return to Firetop Mountain will be published by Scholastic Books on 1st October, along with two other titles. Let us know what you think of the new cover in the comments below.

Fighting Fantasy Fan Fiction

The Fighting Fantasy gamebooks have inspired countless writers, ever since The Warlock of Firetop Mountain was first published in 1982. Some well-known and popular authors have contributed to the series over the years, including Jamie Thomson, the author of the Dirk Lloyd books, and Charlie Higson.

In the Fan Fiction chamber of the Fighting Fantasy Fan Zone dungeon you will find stories written by fans inspired by their favourite gamebooks, including Christopher Griffith's retelling of the three books in the Zagor saga.

But please be warned, if you have yet to read the gamebooks yourself, these stories contain all sorts of spoilers.

If you have a story you would like to share, you can contact the Warlock here, or via mail@fightingfantasy.com.

Merry Christmas!

The Audio Drama of Firetop Mountain

There are now just three weeks to go until Fighting Fantasy Fest 2.

As well as a host of special guests - including authors, artists and games designers - the event features a number of exclusives, such as the release of the brand new Fighting Fantasy audio drama The Warlock of Firetop Mountain: The Hero's Quest.


Listen to the just-released trailer for the audio drama here!

This brand new audio drama is brought to you by FoxYason Productions, whose previous post production credits include Warhammer, Stargate, Robin Hood, Terrahawks, The Avengers, plus over forty titles in Big Finish’s Doctor Who range.

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain: The Hero’s Quest is a 60 minute audio drama inspired by the very first gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy range:

"When a Warlock lays claim to the Dwavern caverns beneath Firetop Mountain, an Elven adventurer is sent to end his reign of evil."

The Warlock is played by Toby Longworth, probably best known for being the voice of Judge Dredd in numerous productions, or for his voice roles in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

The heroine of the piece, Vale Moonwing, is played by Rachel Atkins, best known for her voice work on computers games franchises such as Final Fantasy, Broken Sword, Dragon Age and Warhammer.

The hero of the adventure, Cassius Stormblade, is played by Tim Treloar, probably best known for playing the third Doctor in Big Finish’s Doctor Who range.

The production team had one key rule when producing this drama: they wanted to be absolutely faithful to all of the original characters and creations, but not spoil the gameplay of the original book for anyone who reads it afterwards.

Listeners will encounter lots of familiar characters, such as the Warlock, the Ferryman, the Minotaur, the Orc Chieftain and a pair of daring adventurers… but often in new and unexpected ways.

"Simply put, our goal was to bring the fantasy world we loved to life, with a new – but very familiar – adventure story," explains writer David N. Smith.

The production team will be at Fighting Fantasy Fest 2 to answer all your questions, along with Toby Longworth, who provides the voice of Zagor. They will be giving a short seminar about the production, as well as selling some advance copies of the Limited Edition CD, before the official launch on the 3rd September.

For further updates on the project, you can follow FoxYason Productions on Facebook. Pre-orders are being taken now for the Limited Edition CD and Download, which can be purchased at: www.fightingfantasyaudiodramas.com.

And, of course, if enough fans purchase this pilot episode, the hope is that a full series will follow. So, if you would like to hear more audio dramas based upon Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, pre-order your copy today, and help to spread the word!

Balthus Dire to attend Fighting Fantasy Fest 2*

* Sort of.

9 weeks today Fighting Fantasy Fest 2 will be taking place at the University of West London in Ealing!

Those Fighting Fantasy fans who attended the first Fighting Fantasy Fest, in 2014, will remember that the  Adventurer's Backpack for that event included a limited edition Zagor figure, produced by Otherworld Miniatures and sculpted by master model-maker Paul Muller.

Well, Otherworld have done it again! As well as an event-exclusive t-shirt, lanyard and tag, and A4 art print, the Adventurer's Backpacks at Fighting Fantasy Fest 2 will also include a Balthus Dire miniature, once again sculpted by Paul Muller (who is interviewed in YOU ARE THE HERO Part 2), and based on Russ Nicholson's classic illustration from Steve Jackson's The Citadel of Chaos.

If you've already grabbed yourself an Adventurer's Backpack you will doubtless be delighted by this news. And if you haven't pre-ordered your Backpack yet, there's still time. (And you could always buy more than one, if you so desire.)