Return to Firetop Mountain with Fighting Fantasy Classics!

Zagor lives! Dare YOU return to Firetop Mountain?

Ten years have passed since the evil Warlock of Firetop Mountain was defeated. His treasure was plundered. His reign of terror was ended. His name became a warning whispered across Allansia.

But dark sorcery does not die so easily.

Zagor has returned from the dead, more powerful, more twisted, and more determined than ever to wreak revenge upon Allansia. Now, some brave adventurer must journey once more to the most infamous dungeon in Fighting Fantasy history, brave the wild lands beyond, enter the mountain, and face the resurrected Warlock in his lair.

That brave adventurer is YOU!

Return to Firetop Mountain is Ian Livingstone’s thrilling sequel to the original Fighting Fantasy classic, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. First published as the landmark 50th book in the original series, this adventure takes you back to where the legend began, but don’t expect old memories to save you. The mountain has changed. Its horrors have multiplied. Its master is waiting.

Before you even reach Firetop Mountain, you must travel through the perilous lands of northern Allansia, seeking aid, clues, weapons, and magical knowledge. Along the way you may encounter the wizard Yaztromo, cross dangerous rivers, wander through deadly forests, and meet a cast of strange allies, treacherous rogues, and monstrous foes.

Once inside the mountain, every choice could bring you closer to victory, or to a sudden and grisly end. Goblins, trolls, undead warriors, mutant beasts, vampires, traps, riddles, and dark magic stand between you and your final confrontation with Zagor himself.

This is not just a return. This is revenge.

FEATURES

• Face the resurrected Zagor, one of the greatest villains in Fighting Fantasy canon.
• Includes the classic cover art by Les Edwards.
• Features original interior illustrations by the late, great Martin McKenna.
• Built-in mapping system tracks your progress across playthroughs, helping you explore the deadly routes to and through Firetop Mountain.
• Unlimited bookmarks let you retry difficult sections as often as you like.
• Automated Adventure Sheet handles your stats, inventory, combat, and key decisions, so you can focus on surviving the mountain.

Will you defeat Zagor once and for all? Or will Firetop Mountain claim another victim?

Return to Firetop Mountain... again!

Arriving in just a few weeks' time on Steam, courtesy of Tin Man Games, is Ian Livingstone's Return to Firetop Mountain.

Years have passed since Zagor the Warlock fell, but the shadows never truly left Firetop Mountain. Evil stirs once more within its depths, and the labyrinth you thought you knew has changed. New dangers, twisted passages, and deadly secrets await those brave (or foolish) enough to enter again.

Tin Man Games' digital edition will feature the original striking cover art by Les Edwards, alongside atmospheric interior illustrations by the late, great Martin McKenna, bringing every dark corridor and monstrous encounter vividly to life.

So sharpen your sword, steady your nerves, and get ready to take that first step into the darkness once more.

The mountain is waiting...

Fighting Fantasy finally returns to Finland!

Available in Finnish for the first time are The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Return to Firetop Mountain, and Deathtrap Dungeon.

Published by Epic Ermine, the three Fighting Fantasy gamebooks were launched at the  Helsinki Book Fair, on 23rd October 2025.

Finnish fans and hardcore collectors can buy the books here.

Scott Mackay's Fighting Fantasy Maps

Scott Mackay has made a name for himself with his hand-drawn and painted solution maps of classic Fighting Fantasy gamebooks.

The Warlock's goblins recently dragged Scott into the tunnels beneath Firetop Mountain to be interrogated about his work.

The Warlock: What was your first experience of Fighting Fantasy?

Scott Mackay: I first discovered Fighting Fantasy in 1984 in my local Woolworths (of all places)! I saw the cover for Island of the Lizard King and picked it up and was intrigued by the numbered passages. Loved it from the first attempt at saving Mungo (RIP!). I then bought all the previous books eventually and the new books as they were released.

Scott Mackay with two of his Fighting Fantasy solution maps.

TW: Which is your favourite FF gamebook?

SM: Ohh tough one... can I pick a short list of four? I'll go for my first book Island of the Lizard King - I loved the open world feel to it and the amazing Alan Langford illustrations. I'll then go for two city-based ones - City of Thieves and Kharé - Cityport of Traps. I always liked the city adventures and these two are my favourites. The closed-in feel to the streets, all the shops, the encounters - so much life to them! Finally, I'll go for Creature of Havoc - hard as nails and no idea what to do/who/what you are at the start... and I never completed it!

TW: Did any of the FF artists inspire you as an artist?

SM: I've got to say that the quality of the illustrations throughout all the Fighting Fantasy books I read was always amazing and added so much to the books. My favourite illustrators from the books were Alan Langford, Iain McCaig, Russ Nicholson and the illustrators for Caverns of the Snow Witch, Gary Ward and Edward Crosby. It's very likely that some of the illustrations from these artists got me into art initially as I so admired them during my formative years. I took art at school but eventually decided to go down a different path for further education/work. I finally came back to art a number of years ago and now you'll find me with a pencil or a paintbrush most evenings.

TW: Are there any adventures in particular for which you would like to produce a solution map?

SM: I've recently started to work on maps for the Sorcery! series. I've been looking forward to getting to Sorcery! for a while now, and the four books should prove a worthy challenge. I'm also looking forward to getting to Trial of Champions and Return to Firetop Mountain, to see how they compare to their 'parent' books. Finally, I'm also hoping to produce a map for Creature of Havoc, as I never finished this book back in the day.

A sneak peek at Scott's new Sorcery! map.

TW: If you were transported to the worlds of FF and dropped into an adventure with one of your maps, which one would you like it to be?

SM: I'll have to go for my first book and the last map I recently completed - Island of the Lizard King. I'd like to think that my map is the map you're handed by the islander in the game. As I said previously, the open world feeling to it, the great illustrations from Alan Langford and the fact it was my first Fighting Fantasy book make it the one I would most like to be 'dropped' into. Also, I would make sure to save Mungo!

You will be pleased to hear that Scott has now been released from Firetop Mountain so that he can continue to work on his Sorcery! maps.

You will find all the FF solution maps he has produced so far here.

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.

Big in Japan

In Fighting Fantasy's heyday, in the mid 1980s, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's premier gamebook series was a huge hit in Japan.

The good news for Japanese FF fans and hardcore collectors, is that the books are coming back, courtesy of Group SNE, who have recently published the Advanced Fighting Fantasy Second Edition RPG in Japan.

Here are the first five titles, which are also rocking some classic art on their covers.

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone,

featuring cover art by the late, great Martin McKenna.

The Citadel of Chaos

by Steve Jackson,

featuring cover art by Ian Miller.

City of Thieves

by Ian Livingstone,

featuring cover art by Iain McCaig.

Creature of Havoc

by Steve Jackson,

featuring cover art by Ian Miller.

Return to Firetop Mountain

by Ian Livingstone,

featuring cover art by Martin McKenna.

The five books will also be available as a box set.

The 12 Fighting Fantasy Days of Christmas - Day 3

Hungarian fans of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, or indeed fans of Hungarian Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, are going to be in for a treat next year.

Following on from the release of Hungarian editions of Assassins of Allansia and, more recently, The Port of Peril, 2021 is going to see the publication of translated editions of two more Ian Livingstone adventures - Deathtrap Dungeon and Return to Firetop Mountain - as well as Rhianna Pratchett's Crystal of Storms.

The books will be published by Chameleon Comix. Return to Firetop Mountain will feature Martin McKenna's original interior illustrations but with a new cover painted by Krisztián Balla, who painted the cover for the Hungarian edition of The Port of Peril, while Crystal of Storms and Deathtrap Dungeon will feature new internal art and new covers by Hungarian artists.

For more news, as they say, watch this space!

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.

Ian Livingstone and Rhianna Pratchett in conversation

Remember, tonight, Wednesday 30th September at 6:00pm, Hannah Love, Scholastic Books' Senior Publicity Manager, will be in conversation with Ian Livingstone and Rhianna Pratchett. They will be discussing the history of the globally popular Fighting Fantasy series and how a guest author goes about constructing a gamebook.

You can still sign up for an this event now.

Fighting Fantasy gamebooks top the bestseller charts once again!

Congratulations are in order for Rhianna Pratchett and Ian Livingstone today.

Rhianna's new Fighting Fantasy gamebook, Crystal of Storms, and Ian Livingstone's reissued Return to Firetop Mountain, are currently the #1 and #2 bestsellers on Amazon's list of Children's Interactive Adventures!

Of course, the Fighting Fantasy series is available to order from all manner of high street retailers and independent bookshops as well.

If you pre-order Crystal of Storms or Return to Firetop Mountain from The Alligator's Mouth, you will receive an exclusive Fighting Fantasy die*.

And don't forget, you can also sign up for an online event, via Chromecast, taking place a week today, on Wednesday 30th September, when Scholastic's Hannah Love, will be in conversation with Rhianna and Ian, discussing the history of the globally popular Fighting Fantasy series, and how a guest author goes about constructing a gamebook.

* You will receive one die with each qualifying purchase.

FightingFantasy.com Updates

As well as preparing for your imminent Return to Firetop Mountain, the Warlock has been busy of late giving fightingfantasy.com a bit of an overhaul. This is still very much a work in progress, but if you haven't seen them yet, you might want to check out the latest updates.

Advanced Fighting Fantasy

Ian Livingstone's Deathtrap Dungeon

Steve Jackson's Sorcery!

Fighting Fantasy Video Games

Fighting Fantasy Fan Fiction

If there is anything you would particularly like to see on the official Fighting Fantasy website, why not leave your suggestions in the comments below?

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.

Blast from the Past! Return to Firetop Mountain

Between the years 1984-1988, Puffin Books published as many as six Fighting Fantasy gamebooks a year from, along with a number of other titles that expanded the FF world in one way or another. But by the early 1990s releases were down to three a year.

“There was a certain cost involved in publishing a new FF book,” explains series co-creator Steve Jackson. “Author advances, artwork, production work… You had to be sure the book would sell enough to break even at least. It was becoming a close thing whether it was worthwhile to publish more than 50 books.”

It was decided between the team at Puffin Books, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, that the publication rate would be ramped up again, with the intention that the release of the fiftieth gamebook, planned to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the publication of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, would draw the series to a close.

With this in mind, 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 Darkwood’s guardian Gereth Yaztromo one last time.

As the title might suggest, Return to Firetop Mountain had the hero returning to that part of Allansia where Fighting Fantasy had begun all those years ago, whilst adding details to the area, especially with the chance to visit the town of Kaad. The diabolical sorcerer Zagor has returned from the dead, ready to wreak his terrible revenge upon Allansia, and so a brave adventurer - YOU! - is dispatched to enter the labyrinthine tunnels beneath Firetop Mountain once more and face the resurrected villain in his lair.

The book’s highly detailed cover, showing the various degenerate denizens of Firetop Mountain, was created by fantasy art legend Les Edwards, while Martin McKenna provided the black and white internal illustrations.

Chaos Beastman, by Martin McKenna.

Livingstone dedicated Return to Firetop Mountain to the crew of his sailing boat, an Ultra 30 ten-man racing dinghy, that was sponsored by Games Workshop and which won The Daily Telegraph Ultra 30 Grand Prix UK Championship in both 1990 and 1991, as well as the Ultra 30 World Championships held in Falmouth in 1990. A stylised illustration of the boat even appears inside the gamebook, as do the crew, the names of the characters they represent being Fighting Fantasy versions of their real names.

The buzz surrounding the landmark ten-year anniversary had an unexpected side effect on the FF series. “Return to Firetop Mountain sold better than the last few titles,” explains Jackson, “so Puffin agreed to continue the series.”

Did you know...?
Ian Livingstone makes a cameo appearance in one of the illustrations in the book, as the Inquisitor, who guards the path to the inner sanctum of Firetop Mountain. If the hero passes the Inquisitor’s trial he is invited to peruse the guardian’s library. Five of the books in the Inquisitor’s collection are named. One is Casket of Souls while another is Eye of the Dragon.

Did you also know...?
One of Kev Crossley’s illustrations for Blood of the Zombies includes an appearance by Return to Firetop Mountain on a shelf in Goraya Castle’s library.

Goraya Castle’s library, by Kev Crossley.

To find out more about the stories behind your favourite Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, pick up a copy of Jonathan Green's YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks today.

Legendary fantasy artist Les Edwards to attend Fighting Fantasy Fest 3!

What do the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks Caverns of the Snow Witch, Crypt of the Sorcerer and Return to Firetop Mountain all have in common?

Well, apart from the fact that they were all written by Fighting Fantasy co-creator Ian Livingstone, they all feature cover art by legendary British fantasy artist Les Edwards.

Les actually provided the cover art for 11 of the Puffin-printed titles - including the infamous Sky Lord - and new cover art for four of the Wizard Books releases.

We are delighted to announce that, all being well, Les will be joining us for Fighting Fantasy Fest 3, at the University of West London on Saturday 31st August 2019.

This will be Les's first appearance at a Fighting Fantasy Fest, and so will be the perfect opportunity to get some classic FF adventures signed by him.

If you've not secured your ticket for the day yet, what are you waiting for?