International Gamebook Day - Thursday 27 August 2020

The very first International Gamebook Day is taking place on this Thursday, 27th August 2020, and Fighting Fantasy gamebooks are going to be part of the celebrations.

Co-creator of the Fighting Fantasy series Ian Livingstone is going to be Guest of Honour on the day, and will be talking to Olly Mc, of the StoryMaster's Tales, about his gamebook work, which spans almost four decades.

Ian Livingstone

Also being interviewed by Olly for the event are FF authors Charlie Higson and Jamie Thomson, and FF art legend Russ Nicholson.

Charlie Higson

Jamie Thomson

Russ Nicholson

You can get involved by letting know what you want Olly to ask his interviewees on Thursday, and the place to post them is here.

The day's festivities will conclude with a Virtual Beer-o, hosted by James Aukett, which will be kicking off at 8:00pm.

A number of companies have special offers lined up for the day, including Branching Narrative, so you will be able to pick up Deathtrap Dungeon: The Interactive Video Adventure at 50% off!

So keep an eye on the International Gamebook Day Facebook event page and join in the Fighting Fantasy fun on Thursday.

Ian Livingstone at Virtually Expo with John Robertson

The Warlock was very disappointed when the UK Games Expo had to cancelled this year, due to the pandemic currently ravaging the Earthly Plane. However, he was delighted when the organisers announced that the event would be moving online.

Anyone who has previously enjoyed John Robertson's attempts to escape Deathtrap Dungeon, under the watchful eye of dungeonmaster Ian Livingstone, either at the UK Games Expo or Fighting Fantasy Fest 3, will be delighted to hear that the pair are returning for Virtually Expo.

On Saturday 22nd August, 6-7:00pm BST, Ian Livingstone will challenge John Robertson to play through his classic Fighting Fantasy book City of Thieves on a quest to defeat the demonic sorcerer Zanbar Bone.

To do so he must walk the murderous streets of Port Blacksand to seek help from an old Wizard. Will John succeed? Or will Ian do his best to lure him to his doom?

This is a free to watch event.To watch the show on Twitch click this link...

International Gamebook Day

Last week, gamebook author Jonathan Green proposed that 27th August should be designated as International Gamebook Day, when people around the world can celebrate their love of interactive fiction.

He chose that date because it was on 27th August in 1982 that the first Fighting Fantasy gamebook, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, was first published.

If there were to be an International Gamebook Day, how would you like to see Fighting Fantasy mark the occasion?

Crystal of Storms - available to pre-order now!

Rhianna Pratchett new Fighting Fantasy gamebook, Crystal of Storms , is available for pre-order now!

An astonishingly imaginative, edge-of-your-seat adventure – part story, part game!

YOU, the hero of this story, are a member of the Sky Watch keeping the floating archipelago of Pangaria safe. When the Nimbus isle suddenly crashes out of the sky into the Ocean of Tempests below, you must explore the remaining islands, and battle both storms and sea beasts in your mission to raise Nimbus from the deep.

Crystal of Storms, by Rhianna Pratchett, will be released on 1st October.