Gamebook Friday: La Oscuridad Sobre Arkham

The paperback edition of The Darkness Over Arkham, the first Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebook, was released in the UK just last week, but it will be out in Spanish, courtesy of Ediciones Minotauro, this September.

There are some other overseas editions of The Darkness Over Arkham in the works, and I will let you know more once all the appropriate Is have been dotted, and the relevant Ts crossed.

In other news, Jambô Editora have recently released the 40th anniversary Fighting Fantasy adventures Shadow of the Giants and Secrets of Salamonis. They have also reprinted the Portuguese language editions of Howl of the Werewolf and Bloodbones.

So, with three ACE Gamebooks now available in Brazil as well, my takeover of the South American gamebook market is proceeding apace...

The Darkness Over Arkham released in the UK today

The Darkness Over Arkham, the first Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebook, is published as a paperback in the UK today, courtesy of Aconyte Books.

When a renowned professor is found dead, it’s up to the Investigators of Arkham to discover what occult horrors were behind his fate. Pick your path, Investigator, and collect allies along the way to hunt down his killer before they strike again. However, Arkham is full of mysteries, with many wishing to keep the truth buried, and who are hungry to usher in a new era full of death and darkness to devour the world you know it. Can you stop them before it is too late?

The book includes profiles for three Investigators - Agnes Baker the Waitress, Nathaniel Cho the Boxer, and Rex Murphy the Reporter. There are also three more Investigators available as downloads from the Aconyte Books' website - Stella Clark the Letter Carrier, Amanda Sharpe the Student, and Skids O'Toole the Ex-Con. All of them can be used to tackle the adventure contained within The Darkness Over Arkham.

When the book was launched in the US, Jordan Sorcery and I did a live readthrough of part of the adventure which can you watch below.

If you have read The Darkness Over Arkham, please do post a review on Amazon. Unfortunately, when the book was first released, it received some 1-star ratings with no accompanying reviews*, which has really skewed the book's aggregated score. We could do with some more balanced reviews, and fairer ratings, to help rectify that situation. In anticipation, thank you for your support.

* Something which I think shouldn't be allowed.

Fighting Fantasy Fest 5

Eight weeks today, Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 will be taking place at the University of West London in Ealing on Saturday 7 September 2024. Featuring Guests of Honour Sir Ian Livingstone and Iain McCaig, it will be a day-long celebration of the seminal Fighting Fantasy gamebook Deathtrap Dungeon.

Other guests attending include the authors Marc Gascoigne, Paul Mason, Peter Darvill-Evans, Keith P. Phillips, Jamie Thomson and Dave Morris...

along with the artists Alan Langford, Duncan Smith, Tony Hough and Malcolm Barter.

There will be all sorts of talks and other events taking place on the day, including the launch of Steve Jackson's F.I.S.T. by Sound Realms, a live readthrough of Deathtrap Dungeon, the legendary Fighting Fantasy auction, and a special performace of John Robertson's The Dark Room.

Tickets are on sale for Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 now!

Dracula's Curse Strikes in Brazil

As of today, Dracula: Curse of the Vampire is available in Portuguese courtesy of Brazilian publisher Jambô Editora, under the title Drácula: A Vingança do Vampiro.

I have been sitting on this news for a while, ever since Jambô sent me the fantastic cover art by Brazilian artist Carlos Eduardo Justino. 

Drácula: A Vingança do Vampiro is the third ACE Gamebook published by Jambô Editora, the other two titles being Alice no País dos Pesadelos (Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland) and O Maligno Mágico de Oz (The Wicked Wizard of Oz).

Drácula: A Vingança do Vampiro features on the Jambô Editora homepage today.

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.

Gamebook Friday: Shakespeare Vs. Cthulhu Late Pledges

This is a reminder to let you know that you can still place a Late Pledge to Shakespeare Vs. Cthulhu: What Dreams May Come.

Due to the Late Pledges already placed by others, we are now just £274 away from hitting Stretch Goal #3. (That's roughyl equivalent to one CTHULHU, one PROSPERO, and one ROMEO.)

If we hit Stretch Goal #3, everyone who has backed at the KING LEAR reward level or above will receive, in addition to their signed, limited edition hardback, a pack of five postcards featuring artwork from the adventure, two Shakespeare Vs. Cthulhu-themed dice, and a deck of Shakespeare Vs. Cthulhu-themed playing cards.

It will also unlock the MACBETH reward, meaning that anyone who has backed at the HAMELT level can upgrade their pledge so that they receive the dice and playing cards too, along with the postcard pack.

So, don't delay - and place a Late Pledge today!

"That is not dead which can eternal lie,

And with strange aeons even death may die."

Gamebook Friday: 5th Anniversary Hardbacks on sale now!

Incredibly, 2024 marks the 5th anniversary of the publication of both Beowulf Beastslayer and 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas. The hardbacks of these books have been out of print for a while, so to mark the occasion, new editions have been published. They have green covers (rather than red) and other modifications, making them ideal for collectors and fans of beautiful gamebooks as well.

In the case of Beowulf Beastslayer, the endpapers feature Rian Magee's map of Midgard that he created for the Heorot RPG, and in the case of 'TWAS, Tony Hough's full-page illustrations are now in colour, rather than greyscale.

Each hardback comes with an exclusive double-sided bookmark, and the books have been signed and individually numbered as well. To buy one, simply click on the appropriate PayPal button below.

The prices below include post and packing within the UK. If you are based overseas and would like to buy a book, please email info@jonathangreenauthor.com rather than using the PayPal buttons below.

Beowulf Beastslayer (£40)

5th anniversary hardback edition of the fourth ACE Gamebook, individually numbered and signed by the author.

Includes Midgard map endpapers, high quality paper, bonus chapter featuring designer's notes and artist's sketches, and an exclusive, collectible bookmark.

500 sections in length.

'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas (£40)

5th anniversary hardback edition of the fifth ACE Gamebook, individually numbered and signed by the author.

Includes red endpapers, high quality paper, 13 colour plates, bonus chapter featuring designer's notes and artist's sketches, and an exclusive, collectible bookmark.

500 sections in length.

Gamebook Friday: The Darkness Over the UK Games Expo

Does that sound like a clickbait-y post title or what?

I can't believe it's been a week since my book signing at the Aconyte Books stand at the UK Games Expo 2024. 

As well as signing copies of Moon Knight: Age of Anubis, I also signed 40 copies of The Darkness Over Arkham, which was the first time the first Arkham Horror Investigators Handbook has been available to buy in the UK. The paperback isn't officially published here until 18 July 2024, although you can pick up the eBook now.

Signing books is a serious business!

The final signed copy ended up as the prize in a giveaway competition, although I don't know who actually won it.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to buy a copy. They had all sold out by Saturday lunchtime and so the Aconyte team armed me with postcards and bookmarks featuring the different characters' stats* to give away to interested parties.

Welcome to Arkham, The Darkness Over Arkham, and a UK Games Expo award!

Congratulations must also go to the Aconyte team, but especially graphic designer and layout guy Nick, for winning the Best Gaming Novelty category in the UK Games Expo Awards for the in-world background book Welcome to Arkham: An Illustrated Guide for Visitors. It has already proved an invaluable resource for me when plotting my Arkham-set adventures.

Nick and Jack of Aconyte Books accepting the award for Best Gaming Novelty.

On the subject of gamebooks at the UK Games Expo, I was delighted to be given a copy of Secrets of Salamonis in Danish by Morten, who later interviewed me for a Danish gaming podcast. I will, of course, share a link when it goes live. ;-)

The Danish edition of Secrets of Salamonis.

* Rather like the ACE Gamebooks bookmarks.

UK Games Expo 2024

I will be at the UK Games Expo all weekend and this is where you can find me.

Stand 2-T21

I'm sharing a stand with Sir Ian Livingstone in Hall 2. If you've been to the UK Games Expo in the last couple of years, it's in our usual spot.

Click to enlarge.

New Books

UK Games Expo 2024 will also be the first time you will be able to buy the following books (outside of a Kickstarter in the case of YOU ARE THE HERO: An Interactive History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks).

The paperback, hardback, and limited collector's hardback editions of
YOU ARE THE HERO: An Interactive History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

The new, fifth anniversary hardback editions of Beowulf Beastslayer (with map endpapers) and 'TWAS: The Krampus Night Before Christmas (with colour art).

Friday 31 May

11:00am - Aconyte Books Signing

I will be at Stand 1-1094, signing the first copies of The Darkness Over Arkham availtable in the UK. If you want to read the first Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebook a full seven weeks before the book is published in the UK, make sure you stop by the Aconyte Books stand on Friday morning.

Sunday 2 June

12:30pm - Write Like a Pro Workshop

I will be joining game designer Darren W. Pearce for a workshop on writing professionally and adventure design.

From starting out, to the middle, to the end like all good stories. You'll learn from them what it's like to work with established IP holders, and how to approach the art of adventure writing, in a fun informal workshop. No previous experience required.

The workshop will be held in the NEC Piazza 1-2 - Panda Room. Apparently.