What will you be reading this Halloween?

Some of the most popular Fighting Fantasy gamebooks are those that lean towards the horrific. Take for example Vault of the Vampire...

Can YOU put an end to Count Heydrich's evil reign of terror?

YOU are a hardy adventurer and have journeyed to the icy mountains of Mauristatia in search of great wealth and fortune... but what you find there makes your blood run cold. You discover by chance the terrible secret of the local villagers.

Can YOU free them from the evil tyranny of the bloodthirsty Count, or will you too succumb to a horrifying fate?

Or Beneath Nightmare Castle...

Creatures from your worst nightmares lie beneath Neuberg Keep!

In this book, you find yourself in Neuburg, once a pleasant town in Khul, but now home to the vile monsters begotten of warped sorcery. An age-old horror has been re-awoken deep beneath the Keep, and it is up to you to face it and free the town and your friend, Baron Tholdur, from evil enchantment. But beware! Deep underground lie hideous traps and terrors, waiting to ensnare YOU!

Will you succeed? Only if you are the resourceful hero YOU claim to be...

Then there's Howl of the Werewolf...

Lupravia is a cursed land; a chill place of snow-capped mountains, brooding forests and mist-shrouded moors, haunted by the spirits of the restless dead. Peasants struggle daily with survival, living in constant fear of attacks from ravenous wild beasts. Only the foolhardy or insane would willingly pass beyond its borders and enter that benighted realm of predators.

But enter you must, after a vicious wolf attack sets you on the path to murder and madness. Steadily succumbing to the call of the wild and the beast within, YOU must seek out a cure to your condition before the next full moon. But how long can you survive in a land where the powers of darkness hold sway and all live in fear of the Howl of the Werewolf?

Or Night of the Necromancer...

Returning to your castle home, Valsinore, after three years away crusading against the forces of darkness, it seems as though evil has been laid to rest. But then, out of nowhere, you are cut down in the final stages of your journey. Caught between the living world and the Lands of the Dead, your ghostly form must battle to uncover the most malignant evil of all that has taken root in the heart of Valsinore.

Before the night is out YOU must have your revenge or face a fate even worse than death itself.

And don't forget Sir Ian Livingstone's Blood of the Zombies...

Terrible things are happening in Goraya castle... Insane megalomaniac Gingrich Yurr is preparing to unleash an army of monstrous zombies upon the world. He must be stopped and his undead horde defeated. In this life-or-death adventure the decisions YOU make will decide the fate of the world.

Can YOU survive or will YOU become a zombie too?

But probably the most popular horror title is, and has always been, Steve Jackson's House of Hell...

Taking refuge in the infamous House of Hell may be the worst mistake of your life. The dangers of the storm outside are nothing compared to the blood-curdling horrors inside. Ghosts, zombies, skeletons and terrifying monsters – plus a den of demon worshippers. Are you doomed to become one of their sacrifices?

Are YOU brave enough to uncover the nightmarish secrets of the House of Drumer?

So, what will you be reading this Halloween? Let us know in the comments below.

Fighting Fantasy: The Audio Odyssey - Now Live on BackerKit!

Fighting Fantasy: The Audio Odyssey is now seeking funding on BackerKit.

Sound Realms is transforming The Warlock of Firetop Mountain into a fully interactive audio adventure for iOS and Android. A professional narrator guides you through the mountain, accompanied by character performances, an original cinematic score and immersive spatial sound. Every door you open, every creature you encounter and every choice you make is brought vividly to life.

Listen to the opening passage from The Warlock of Firetop Mountain here:

Descend into the labyrinth beneath Firetop Mountain, where every corridor whispers, every monster growls and every decision could be your last. Choose your path, roll the dice, battle deadly creatures and search for the keys to Zagor’s treasure as the story unfolds around you.

To find out more, and pledge your support, follow this link.

The Sunday Times Lifetime Achievement Award goes to...

Sir Ian Livingstone!

The award was presented to Sir Ian at the Sunday Times Hundred dinner, held at the British Museum on Thursday 8th October.

The dinner was an opportunity to recognise the outstanding founders and business leaders refusing to let challenges hold them back and building Britain’s future in the process.

As Sir Ian said upon receiving the award, "Life is a Game."

Congratulations to Sir Ian Livingstone, recipient of
The Sunday Times Lifetime Achievement Award.

Death in the Rear View Mirror

Death in the Rearview Mirror, the Danish translation of Sir Ian Livingstone's Freeway Fighter, is currently funding on Kickstarter.

To find out more and pledge your support, click this link.

Sir Ian Livingstone receives the Romics d'Oro

During his visit to Romics at the weekend, Sir Ian Livingstone was presented with the Romics d'Oro, or Romics Gold Award.

Romics d'Oro is a prestigious lifetime achievement and career accolade presented annually at Romics, one of Europe's largest pop-culture conventions held in Rome, Italy.

Congratulations to Sir Ian Livingstone, recipient of the Romics d'Or 2026.

Steve Jackson Games - Fighting Fantasy Set 3

Five roleplaying adventures by Sir Ian Livingstone - including classic titles and new adventures never seen before in the United States - will make up the third set of FF gamebooks to be published by Steve Jackson Games, which will be coming to Kickstarter soon.

A beloved title makes its return to print in the epic Trial of Champions! A famous adventure finally gets an American release with the terrifying Crypt of the Sorcerer! And three recent Livingstone masterpieces that are new to American shores will be included in the set - The Dungeon on Blood Island, Assassins of Allansia, and Shadow of the Giants.

If you sign up now, you will be among the first brave heroes to continue the adventure with Fighting Fantasy Set 3. 

As well as the individual volumes and the stunning slipcase edition for Set 3, this campaign will also give you the chance to complete your collection with Slipcase Set 1 and Slipcase Set 2.

Slipcase Set 1.

Slipcase Set 2.

Each book includes everything you need to start playing, including rules, character sheets, and background.

Fighting Fantasy in Spain

The Fighting Fantasy series is available in Spain again, courtesy of Celaeno Books.

So far, the publisher has released four titles - two classics - The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and Return to Firetop Mountain - and the two titles that marked 40 years of FF in the UK - Shadow of the Giants and Secrets of Salamonis.

If you are a Spanish speaker, or a hardcore collector, you can buy the Spanish language editions here.

Fighting Fantasy at Fantasy Festival

This weekend, the town of Esbjerg in Denmark will be taken over by Fantasy Festival 2026, and Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks will be there!

Danish games publisher Faraos Cigarer has been releasing translations of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks under the Sværd og Trolddom banner for several years now. There are currently 22 titles in print, including Steve Jackson's Sorcery! quartet...

and many of Sir Ian Livingstone's newest titles, such as The Port of Peril, Assassins of Allansia, Shadow of the Giants, and The Dungeon on Blood Island.

Faraos Cigarer will be launching the newest entry in the Sværd og Trolddom range - Night of the Necromancer - at Fantasy Festival, and the book's author, Jonathan Green, will be one of the Guests of Honour in attendance.

GENFÆRDETS HÆVN! - Night of the Necromancer

Fantasy Festival opens at 10:00am Saturday 19th September, and from 2:45pm-3:30pm on that day, Jonathan will be talking to Morten Gottschalck in the Theater Hall, at the Music Hall Esbjerg, which will be followed by a signing at the gamebook stall in the foyer.

On Sunday 20th September, Jonathan will join Morten Gottschalck for the Fantasy Quiz, in the Meeting Hall at the Music Hall Esbjerg. This will again be followed by a signing at the gamebook stall in the foyer.

So, if you are attending Fantasy Festival this weekend, you know what to do.

City of Thieves and Tomb of the Golden Skull Hardbacks Out Now!

If you have been excitedly awaiting the release of the new collector's hardbacks of Sir Ian Livingstone's City of Thieves and Tomb of the Golden Skull, they are both available now, from online retailers such as Amazon and Blackwell's.

A deluxe foiled hardback with the original iconic cover
by acclaimed artist Ian McCaig.

Are YOU brave enough to walk the dangerous, dark alleyways of Port Blacksand?

You must travel to the dark tower of demonic sorcerer Zanbar Bone, to put an end to his reign of terror. But you'll have to make it past the bloodthirsty thieves and creeping creatures of the night who lurk in Port Blacksand first... Step up, hero, it's time to fight!

A deluxe collector's edition for the iconic Fighting Fantasy series
illustrated by Karl Kopinski.

Allansia is under threat from Valmorka the Spider Demon and her army of Plague Spiders. In a race against time, YOU must journey across Arantis and face grave danger to find the legendary Dragonblade and a lost artefact to defeat her.

Are you brave enough to face the terrifying Spider Demon?

MAY YOUR STAMINA NEVER FAIL!

"A new way of telling stories and in many ways the birth of modern gaming, these books captured the imaginations of a generation of kids - it's great to think that a new generation are going to be similarly captivated."

~ bestselling author Charlie Higson

Fighting Fantasy Fest 6 - One week to go!

On Saturday 5th September 2026, the gates of Port Blacksand will open to welcome everyone to Fighting Fantasy Fest 6.

Our Guests of Honour are FF co-creator Sir Ian Livingstone and artist Karl Kopinski, who collaborated on the latest Fighting Fantasy release - Tomb of the Golden Skull.

Also in attendance will be artists Malcolm Barter, Alan Langford, Tony Hough, and Robert Ball.

Then there are the authors and editors - Geraldine Cooke, Marc Gascoigne, Jamie Thomson, Peter Darvill-Evans, and Jonathan Green.

All manner of traders are attending too, including Forbidden Planet, Arion Games, the Fighting Fantasy Collector, Qatlas Fantasy Maps, Scriptarium, Sound Realms, and Blue Giant Studios, who have produced a brand new 75mm miniature for the event.

The excitement is ramping up here in the tunnels beneath Firetop Mountain as the goblin minions pack everything that needs to be taken to the notorious City of Thieves, including event lanyards, collectible programmes, and golden dice.

If you have yet to purchase your ticket, don't leave it too late!

And don't forget, if you can't attend in person, livestream tickets are available too.