Gamebook Friday: ACE Czech Gamebooks

There are currently seven ACE Gamebooks in print in English, through Snowbooks, but by the end of the year there will be six ACE Gamebooks available in Czech courtesy of Mytago, when RONIN 47 is released by the publisher. And here's the cover, featuring Neil Googe's awesome artwork...

Dracula: Curse of the Vampire is now available in Czech and recently received this fantastic review.

"This book isn't just a rehash of the original into a playable version, it's a clever and fun mix of various vampire and mythological stories. The Vampire's Curse is written in an accessible, understandable way, and as a stand-alone work it is the ideal gateway to the world of interactive novels for all new players. However, even seasoned veterans will be completely satisfied. Get ready for an unforgettable journey into the world of darkness!"

~ Petr Eller, for Imago

Click on the images below, to check out the Czech editions of the other ACE Gamebooks currently in print.

World Dracula Day 2024!

Today is World Dracula Day, the anniversary of the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula. But now you can be an active participant in the story, thanks to Dracula: Curse of the Vampire. Here's what author Antony Johnson had to say about the sixth ACE Gamebook...

Dracula: Curse of the Vampire is now available in five different languages - English, Polish, German, Hungarian, and (the latest) Czech.

All the editions of Dracula: Curse of the Vampire that have crawled their way out of the grave so far...

The Czech edition of Dracula: Curse of the Vampire, published by Mytago.

My Dracula: Curse of the Vampire collection.

If you have yet to try Dracula: Curse of the Vampire for yourself, why not make today the day you do?

Gamebook Friday: Dracula in Deutschland

It's been a long time coming, thanks to issues affecting the worldwide publishing community in 2022, but I'm delighted to report that Dracula: Interaktiver Horror-Roman is now available in hardback from Mantikore-Verlag.

„BLUT IST LEBEN“ 1897. Der Nervenarzt Dr. Seward ist fasziniert von seinem neuen Patienten, dem ehemaligen Anwalt Mr. Renfield. Dieser kehrte kürzlich von einer Reise nach Transsylvanien zurück und leidet seitdem an Wahnvorstellungen. Renfields Nachfolger, Jonathan Harker, wird entsandt, den Auftrag zu Ende zu bringen. Seine Reise führt ihn in eine unwegsame, von Wölfen heimgesuchte Gegend und zu einem abgelegenen Schloss, das von dem mysteriösen Grafen Dracula bewohnt wird. Was Jonathan dort erlebt, treibt ihn an den Rand des Wahnsinns... In diesem Gothic-Horror-Spielbuch schlüpfst Du in die Rolle eines Vampirjägers oder in die Rolle des Grafen Dracula höchstpersönlich. Begib dich auf eine Reise durch das finstere Transsylvanien oder durchstreife das nächtliche London. Bewaffne dich mit Weihwasser, Kreuz und Knoblauch und kämpfe gegen Dämonen, Werwölfe und Vampire. Doch sei wach-sam, denn die Toten reiten schnell … Interaktiver Vampir-Roman aus der Feder von „Alice im Düsterland“-Autor Jonathan Green.

"THE BLOOD IS LIFE" 1897. The neurologist Dr. Seward is intrigued by his new patient, former attorney Mr. Renfield. He recently returned from a trip to Transylvania and has been suffering from delusions ever since. Renfield's replacement, Jonathan Harker, is sent to complete the job. His journey takes him to a remote region infested with wolves and to an isolated castle inhabited by the mysterious Count Dracula. What Jonathan experiences there drives him to the brink of madness... In this gothic horror gamebook you slip into the role of a vampire hunter or the role of Count Dracula himself. Embark on a journey through dark Transylvania or roam through London at night. Arm yourself with holy water, cross and garlic and fight against demons, werewolves and vampires. But beware, for the dead travel fast... An interactive vampire novel penned by Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland author Jonathan Green.

This is the second foreign language edition of Dracula: Curse of the Vampire. The German edition was supposed to have come out in time for Halloween last year but was delayed, which allowed the Polish edition from Muduko to pip it to the publication post in November.

In other news, the Czech edition of Beowulf Beastslayer will be coming to retailers in Czechia and elsewhere soon, courtesy of Mytago! Here's the cover.

Livres-jeux Alkonost

I am delighted to report that the recent crowdfunding project run by Alkonost Editions, to bring about the publication of 11 gamebooks this year, has funded, having raised 1,069% of its original funding goal of €4,000. Congratulations to all concerned and thank you to everyone who backed it!

This means that French editions of The Wicked Wizard of Oz, NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters!, and Beowulf Beastslayer - will all be available later in the year from Alkonost Editions.

In other news, Czech publisher Mytago is currently running on offer on the first three ACE Gamebooks. So, if you're a Czech speaker or a collector, you know what to do.

Gamebook Friday: European Day of Languages

Friday 25 September is the European Day of Languages, which is rather apt because I have had some news recently about some of the foreign language editions of my ACE Gamebooks.

Alice au Pays des Cauchemars - the French language edition of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, published by Éditions Alkonost - is being distributed in game stores by Novalis, a subsidiary of Asmodée, which means that it is now on the shelves of almost every RPG store in France!

Alice au pays des cauchemars on sale in an RPG store in France.

Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland is now available in English, Czech, Germany, French, Spanish (Argentina), Portuguese (Brazil), with the Italian edition on its way some time next year*.

It's also World Dream Day and the end of National Mushroom Month, which are also a perfect fit for Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, which features both dreams and mushrooms.

Kev Crossley's illustration of the Caterpillar atop its toadstool.

I also received copies of the Czech language edition of The Wicked Wizard of Oz from Mytago Publishing this week. Now just called Oz, it is a lovely little hardback with good quality paper stock and black endpapers.

The English edition of The Wicked Wizard of Oz next to the Czech edition, Oz, for size comparison.

And to finish on, Chameleon Comix recently posted this image on Twitter...

That's right, 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas will be out in Hungarian before Christmas 2021. 

If you are a publisher who would like to publish the ACE Gamebooks series in your country, drop me a line at info@jonathangreenauthor.com.

* I hope. It was supposed to have been released this spring, but COVID but the kybosh on that plan.

Gamebook Friday: Alice's Nightmare in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic was the first country outside of the UK to have its own translation of my first ACE Gamebook, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, and the reviewers there appear to love it just as much as anyone else. Here's what one reviewer had to say about the book:

Beware, but this is not a copy of the original Lewis Carroll Alice or some ordinary sequel. Jonathan Green allows you to decide where to go, what to think, what to eat or drink. Alice's Nightmare is a Gamebook...

Alice's Nightmare, although a little book, is definitely not fun for a train trip or an afternoon. It will offer you a new task in Wonderland and lots of ways to solve it. You can slip through the Empire quite deftly or turn an eleven-year-old girl into Conan and simply cut through the Wonderland with a crab shell in one hand and scissors in the other. It's up to you which way you try or if you end up playing them all. I definitely don't have them all behind me yet, but I still enjoy Alice's Nightmare... 

But what I do know is that Alice's Nightmare is one of the most successful gamebooks that have appeared in our country recently and is definitely worth reading.

The good news for Czech fans is that a translation of The Wicked Wizard of Oz is coming soon...

I should have been at the UK Games Expo this weekend, but as I'm not, I'm selling a limited number of signed ACE Gamebooks via my website. If you would like one, follow this link.