Fighting Fantasy

[SJ_Sathanas]

Wasn't Trial of Champions essentially Deathtrap Dungeon with some gladiatorial trials before hand? Did I remember that correctly?

Pretty much, but most Ian Livingstone books are essentially the same dungeon crawl, even when they're above ground. So many T-junctions, even in Forest of Doom...

I was thinking more in the literal sense. I strongly recall recognising characters & locations in ToC from DD, though (as usual) I'm probably very wrong.

[Treguard]

Wasn't Trial of Champions essentially Deathtrap Dungeon with some gladiatorial trials before hand? Did I remember that correctly?

Pretty much, but most Ian Livingstone books are essentially the same dungeon crawl, even when they're above ground. So many T-junctions, even in Forest of Doom...

I was thinking more in the literal sense. I strongly recall recognising characters & locations in ToC from DD, though (as usual) I'm probably very wrong.

Yeah, it's set in the same Dungeon, but completely redesigned. The premise is that you've been captured by Lord Carnassus and forced to undertake the 'Trial of Champions' on his behalf (if you make it through the arena) so he can get one over on his brother, Baron Sukumvit who designed the dungeon. This was actually my first Fighting Fantasy book back in the day.

[icemann]

Give me Lone Wolf any day of the week over Fighting Fantasy. That said, the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks are excellent don't me wrong. But your always some one different, and in most cases in a different universe per book.

In Lone Wolf in comparison, your the same person from book to book, continuing the story with each one + advancing your character in true RPG fashion. I've never experienced anything in book form that is as awesome as the Lone Wolf books.

Quite sad that Joe Dever (creator of Lone Wolf) passed away a year ago. We may never get those final 2 gamebooks remaining. Storms of Chai only came out the year prior.

[psj3809]

Nah i'm the opposite. Fighting Fantasy to me were the best books around, started it all off until the copycat ones appeared.

Dont get me wrong Lone Wolf is decent (Remember there was also a Ninja series around back then ? Avenger i think ?) but i love all those books, specially the early FF ones.

The Sorcery series sounds similar to what you're talking about, series of 4 books (some huge) and you're the same character going on this massssive journey. Amazing books for its time

[icemann]

Lone Wolf is 29 books strong though :p.

[SJ_Sathanas]

Yeah I think I prefered the standalone nature of the FF books too.

[BellyFullOfHell]

I used to love these. Warlock of FTM, House of Hell ,Deathtrap Dungeon and the Sorcery series were easily the best books

I did buy a more recent FF book about 10 years ago. I must have re-started it about 4 times but each time kept losing interest. Not sure if its because of my tastes changing or the book!

I bought the Warlock of Firetop mountain Nintendo DS game a few years back. Is pretty good, it's like a first person adventure. I don't think it was released here. I got the US version.

House of Hell was by far the most atmospheric one I ever played. Ran through it again a few years back, and it's still really well done. Some superb illustrations as well.

[You've Been Gamed]

I used to love these. Warlock of FTM, House of Hell ,Deathtrap Dungeon and the Sorcery series were easily the best books

I did buy a more recent FF book about 10 years ago. I must have re-started it about 4 times but each time kept losing interest. Not sure if its because of my tastes changing or the book!

I bought the Warlock of Firetop mountain Nintendo DS game a few years back. Is pretty good, it's like a first person adventure. I don't think it was released here. I got the US version.

House of Hell was by far the most atmospheric one I ever played. Ran through it again a few years back, and it's still really well done. Some superb illustrations as well.

Man I loved them too. I think there was one called Rebel Planet too, which I played to death!

[legooolas]

Had up to about number 35 when I was a kid, and I got the first 10 for free recently where someone was giving them away

Warlock of Firetop Mountain is indeed still great; haven't had a chance to play any of the others again yet..

Also, number 4 used to be Starship Traveller, but that's like number 22 or something now? Possibly because it's not set on Titan, but still odd that they swapped a different book in to be number 4...

[learnedrobb]

Picked up a Fighting Fantasy book yesterday for the first time in about 22 years.

Crypt of The Sorcerer. Cost me £2 in a 2nd hand bookshop. Looking forward to running through it later.

[RichPT]

House of Hell was by far the most atmospheric one I ever played. Ran through it again a few years back, and it's still really well done. Some superb illustrations as well.

Yes it was great. It was originally in Warlock (FF Magazine). I played the version in there later and it had a slightly different story

[icemann]

On a side note, Lone Wolf book 30 came out a few weeks ago.

[RuySan]

Picked up a Fighting Fantasy book yesterday for the first time in about 22 years.

Crypt of The Sorcerer. Cost me £2 in a 2nd hand bookshop. Looking forward to running through it later.

That book is basically impossible. The last enemy has SKILL 12 and kills instantly if you get 2 hits in a row. I would love to know the probability to actually defeat him. Even with SKILL 12 and maxed out STAMINA.

[icemann]

One of the Lone Wolf books (I forget which one) had a similar enemy, which even with max stats and the best gear (Sommerswerd weapon) almost always ended in player death, unless you got really damn lucky with your dice rolls or you cheated. That is a once off though.

Back on subject though, my favorite FF gamebook was the one which had a bit more a RTS slant to it. Where you had to build up an army to take on army of the undead. Army of Death, or something similar I think that FF gamebook was called.

[icemann]

I still don't get how gamebooks ever became unpopular as you never see them in book stores anymore. The FF books I occasionally find in second hand / Op shops.