Fighting Fantasy returns to Spain

Celaeno Books are preparing to launch a crowdfunding campaign to bring Fighting Fantasy gamebooks back for Spanish readers.

The first four titles they have in their sights are the classic The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and Return to Firetop Mountain, and the 40th anniversary titles Secrets of Solomonis and Shadow of the Giants.

The books will feature classic cover art, where possible, and the original illustrations. There are also plans for a special limited and numbered edition of only 1,000 copies of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain exclusive to Spain with the original cover painting by Peter Andrew Jones.

You can find out more information and sign up to be notified when the crowdfunding campaign goes live here.

Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy

Today sees the publication of the long awaited Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy by Sir Ian Livingstone and Jonathan Green.

You can join Sir Ian this evening at Barnes Bookshop for the official launch.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Green was on BBC Radio Somerset today, talking about the new book and the Fighting Fantasy series in general. You can listen to the 12 minute interview with Vicki Clark for the next 29 days here. The bit you want begins at the 2hr 16min mark.

Yesterday, the pair were signing books for those people who supported the book through Unbound. By the end of the day, Sir Ian had set a new record for the number of items signed in one day - a whooping 2,120! That's 850 books, 900 prints, 150 bookplates, and 220 copies of Shadow of the Giants! 

Sir Ian and Jonathan will also be signing Magic Realms: The Art of Fighting Fantasy at Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 on Saturday, while Sir Ian will be giving a talk at the Cartoon Museum, in Central London, on Tuesday 10th September.

Secrets of Salamonis and Shadow of the Giants hit Brazil today

The 40th anniversary Fighting Fantasy gamebooks Secrets of Salamonis, by Steve Jackson, and Shadow of the Giants, by Sir Ian Livingstone, are published in Brazil today, courtesy of Jambô Editora.

If you are a Portuguese language speaker, or just an avid collector, you can buy your copies of the new editions direct from the publisher here.

Qatlas Fighting Fantasy Maps

As well as being known for its marauding monsters and epic adventures, fans of the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks have long held a great love for the maps that featured in some of the books from time to time.

But now Qatlas has starting producing a range of licensed maps based on the individual adventures which at the same time work as a walkthrough of your favourite FF titles.

Bearing this in mind, you should be aware that there will be spoilers ahead!

So far, there are 15 maps in the series that includes some classic titles - such as Caverns of the Snow Witch and Seas of Blood - as well as some of the newer adventures, such as Shadow of the Giants and Secrets of Salamonis.

Caverns of the Snow Witch

Seas of Blood

Shadow of the Giants

Secrets of Salamonis

Some of the maps are even available as a bundle of five, in the Fighting Fantasy Map Collection #1.

The Fighting Fantasy Map Collection #1

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of Deathtrap Dungeon and the Qatlas collection contains the three linked adventures in the Deathtrap Dungeon 'trilogy'.

Deathtrap Dungeon

Trial of Champions

Armies of Death

There are many more maps to see on Qatlas's store, which you can access here. And rest assured, more maps are on their way.

Les Géants de Fer

Les Géants de Fer (or Shadow of the Giants, if you prefer) was released yesterday in France by Gallimard Jeunesse. So, if you are a French fan of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, or a hardcore collector, Sir Ian Livingstone's 40th anniversary FF adventure is now available to buy en Francais.

Les Géants de Fer

Une histoire inédite par le grand Ian Livingstone!

Aventurieur désoeuvré, vous décidez d'explorer les tréfonds de la Montagne de feu en quête de richesses. Mais les terribles Géants de Fer qui y sommeillaient n'attendaient qu'un signe pour se réveiller: les voici qui se soulèvent, prêts à semer le chaos et la destruction dans tout Allansia. Il va falloir faire vite, VOUS seul pouvez les arrêter! Encore faudrait-il pour cela que vous restiez en vie...

Sir Ian Livingstone attending Dragonmeet 2023

Tomorrow, Saturday 2nd December 2023, Sir Ian Livingstone will be attending Dragonmeet at the Novotel Hammersmith in West London.

At 9:30am he will be presenting the inaugural Ian Livingstone Prize for Innovations in Games, so that the shortlisted entries and the winner can then demonstrate their awards on their stands. The winner has been chosen from a long list of entries by Sir Ian and represents the Innovation that he feels most benefits games and gaming that year.

You will then find Sir Ian at Stand 6 in the Lower Trade Hall, which opens at 10:00am, where he will have some copies of the hardback editions of Shadow of the Giants and Dice Men on sale.

Click to enlarge.

At 12:00pm Sir Ian will be on the panel for What Board Games Mean to Me.

Why are board games so important to so many of us, and why have they become so popular? Inspired by the new book of the same name from Aconyte, games expert James Wallis is joined by a panel of games industry experts and enthusiasts, including Sir Ian Livingstone and Matt Forbeck, to explore the many ways in which games have shaped all our lives

Click to enlarge.

Sir Ian will be attending until 2:00pm, at which point he has to leave. However, before then he will be happy to chat with fans and sign their books.

Sir Ian Livingstone to attend Dragonmeet 2023

Co-creator of the Fighting Fantasy series Sir Ian Livingstone will be attending Dragonmeet on Saturday 2nd December 2023. The event is taking place at the Novotel Hammersmith in West London.

You will find Sir Ian at Stand C11 in the Lower Trade Hall, which will be open from 10:00am-6:00pm.

Click to enlarge.

Sir Ian will be there from 10:00am-2:00pm signing books, and will have some copies of the hardback editions of Shadow of the Giants and Dice Men on sale as well.

Sir Ian Livingstone at the UK Games Expo 2023

A week ago today, Sir Ian Livingstone attended the UK Games Expo 2023, signing copies of his Fighting Fantasy gamebooks for fans, including the hardback edition of Shadow of the Giants and his history of the first ten years of Games Workshop, Dice Men.

Zagor 75mm figurines and the Shadow of the Giants hardback.

 Dice Men by Ian Livingstone, with Steve Jackson.

Sir Ian Livingstone signing at the UKGE 2023.

Jamie Fry, the Fighting Fantasy Collector, chatting with Sir Ian Livingstone.

Blue Giant Studios were also in attendance, selling the remaining 75mm figurines of Zagor the Warlock, and the other Fighting Fantasy Legends miniatures.

If you would like one of the Zagor figurines (only 400 of which were produced) follow this link. If you would like any of the other FF Legends miniatures, click this link.

Fighting Fantasy Readthroughs

Fighting Fantasy was at the UK Games Expo again this year and one of the highlights of the weekend was the live readthrough of Sir Ian Livingstone's City of Thieves.

Olly Mc and a very enthusiastic audience guided John Robertson on a whistle-stop tour through Port Blacksand to a climactic duel with Zanbar Bone... which he promptly lost.

Hopefully the pair will be back next year for a runthrough of Deathtrap Dungeon, which will be celebrating its 40th birthday in 2024.

Olly Mc, John Robertson, and the audience take on

Sir Ian Livingstone's City of Thieves.

The all-conquering Zanbar Bone, plus bunny ears.

If you enjoy live readthroughs of your favourite Fighting Fantasy books, don't forget that Ken Boyter is currently tackling Sir Ian's Shadow of the Giants. Part 3 of his quest will commence at 6:00pm UK time tonight! You can catch up on Parts 1 and 2 via his Twitch channel.

YOU DECIDE! Shadow of the Giants

Those of you who have been following Ken Boyter's live readthrough of Secrets of Salamonis will know that last week he succumbed to one of the many fiendish traps Steve Jackson had built into the book, which means that this week he is embarking on Sir Ian Livingstone's 40th anniversary adventure, Shadow of the Giants!

When an ancient artefact is discovered inside Firetop Mountain, its evil magic unleashes terrifying Iron Giants upon the world. In a race against time, YOU must find the only person who knows how to defeat them. Where does he live? Will he help? Will YOU survive?

Proceedings kick-off today at 6:00pm GMT on Twitch, and you can have your say in chat as to how the adventure progresses. Click this link to find out more.

World Book Day 2023

World Book Day is all about encouraging young readers. But what if you are trying to encourage reluctant readers? Have no fear, for Fighting Fantasy gamebooks are here.

Proven to improve literacy levels, their exciting storylines, gruesome monsters, and short sections help those who are starting out on their reading journey engage with the text. The books also aid with the development of other vital life skills, such as decision-making, problem-solving, and numeracy.

So why not check out the Fighting Fantasy series today?

Return to Allansia this Half Term

As no doubt any parent will be able to tell you, in the UK schools are about to close for a week for Half Term. If you're wondering what to do to help keep your children occupied, while limiting their screen time and not letting them completely forget the discipline of school, why not take a trip with them to Allansia?

Fighting Fantasy gamebooks have been proven to help improve literacy levels in children, but they also help with simple maths, including calculating probabilities, problem solving, and decision making.

Below is a selection of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks that you might want to share with an apprentice adventurer this Half Term holiday.

Of course, when there is some permitted screen time, you could do a lot worse than check out inkle studios adaptation of Steve Jackson's Sorcery! epic, or Tin Man Games' Fighting Fantasy Classics* library.

* Tin Man Games have been producing Fighting Fantasy apps for ten years.