Blast from the Past! Portal of Evil

Thirty years ago, Puffin Books published the 37th book in the Fighting Fantasy series - although the book didn't have the number 37 appear anywhere on its cover - and the second title to be written by Peter Darvill-Evans.

Set in the area surrounding the city of Neuberg in Khul, Portal of Evil was an adventure involving magical portals and a dinosaur invasion of Titan. “I wanted to write something different,” says Darvill-Evans, “so a portal to another world of dinosaurs seemed appropriate. And everyone likes dinosaurs.”

The book featured a cover by Games Workshop artist David Gallagher cover, who had also painted the cover for Marc Gascoigne's Battleblade Warrior. “Battleblade was the first cover I did for Puffin,” says Gallagher. “I was freelancing and this was Puffin’s response to my initial approach for work.”

Portal of Evil featured illustrations by Alan Langford, back on dino duties following Battleblade Warrior and Ian Livingstone's Island of the Lizard King. “Zdeněk Burian, Ray Harryhausen and Frank Frazetta – they were my influences as far as dinosaur art went,” says Langford.

Both Peter Darvill-Evans and Alan Langford will be attending Fighting Fantasy Fest 3 in August, and talking about their collaborations. So if you have a burning question you would like to ask either of them, make sure you book your place at the Convention of Firetop Mountain today!