Gamebook Friday: The Prince of Darkness Over Arkham

I have two pieces of gamebook news for you this week. The first is that Sound Realms' audio adaptation of the sixth ACE Gamebook Dracula: Curse of the Vampire is coming to Backerkit on 1May 2025. You can check out a sample of the audio below, and register your interest in the crowdfunding campaign here.

The second piece of news is that my first Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebook, The Darkness Over Arkham, is now available from Chameleon Comix in Hungarian.

ACE Gamebooks news from Sweden and Poland

First up today, I am thrilled to announce that Swedish company Sound Realms (who are currently crowdfunding The Fortress of Death on Kickstarter) and ACE Gamebooks are collaborating to bring you Dracula: Curse of the Vampire the audio adventure!

Sound Realms are very proud and excited to announce a collaboration with ACE Gamebooks and author Jonathan Green to create an audio adventure version of Dracula: Curse of the Vampire (2021) for the Sound Realms platform. 

Oscar Carlquist: "We are very pleased to present the next upcoming addition to Sound Realms and I can't wait to start creating some truly haunting and immersive soundscapes for Dracula: Curse of the Vampire. The interactive gamebook version of Bram Stoker's classic is masterfully written by Jon Green and taking this into the audio realm will be as much of an honour as a challenge that we here at Sound Realms are ready to embrace with enthusiasm and dedication!"

Jonathan Green: "I am thrilled that Sound Realms are turning Dracula: Curse of the Vampire into the first audio ACE Gamebook and can't wait to hear how they bring the horror to life through the use of soundscapes and top-notch voice talent. It's going to be bloodcurdlingly brilliant!"

Secondly, NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters! is now available in Poland, from Muduko.

Thirsty for adventure? We invite you to Neverland, where as shipwreck survivor Wendy Darling, the mechanical avenger Peter Pan, the fearless hunter Tiger Lily or the ruthless pirate Captain Hook, you will discover many of the island's secrets and face nightmarish monsters!

In this gamebook, you make choices for your characters, discovering dark paths leading to many different endings. NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters! is another part of the paragraph series of books by Jonathan Green, which is inspired by the classics of children's literature.

Also available, but only from the publisher's own webstore, is a special edition of the book that comes with dice, a bookmark, a pencil and a game bag.

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

Having had over 70 books published over the last 28 years, there are a fair few that make particularly suitable Halloween reading. Here are just a few of them...

1897

In the wolf-haunted Carpathian Mountains, a young solicitor, Jonathan Harker, travels to an isolated castle to assist a mysterious Count with purchasing a number of properties in England. But what he witnesses there drives him to the edge of madness…

Meanwhile, in Whitby, Harker’s fiancée, Mina Murray, visits her dear friend Lucy Westenra. But during her stay, Lucy is attacked and becomes seriously ill…

In London, Lucy’s suitor and physician, Dr John Seward, becomes preoccupied with the case of a certain Mr Renfield, an inmate at his lunatic asylum, who seeks to collect lives for his master, having not long returned from a trip to Transylvania…

And so, the pieces for the game are set. For they are all pawns in a plan devised centuries ago by the Voivode of Wallachia, Vlad Tepes, a cruel tyrant whom history remembers as ‘the Son of the Devil’, his bloodthirsty deeds having earned him another name…

Dracula.

*             *             *             *

In Dracula– Curse of the Vampire is an interactive gothic horror novel, in which YOU decide which route to take, which perils to risk, and which of the terrifying creatures you will meet along the way to fight. Play as Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray and Dr John Seward… or even Count Dracula himself. But be warned – whether you succeed in your quest or succumb to the curse of the vampire will be down to the choices YOU make.

But do not tarry, for the dead travel fast.

Dracula– Curse of the Vampire will be the subject of November's Interactive Fiction & Gamebooks Discussion Group (Book Club) . If you would be interesting in finding out more about sixth ACE Gamebook, make sure you join the group now.

An anthologie of fine stories inspir’d by the Bard of Stratford and the Lovecraftian Mythos

Imagine if it had been William Shakespeare, England’s greatest playwright, who had discovered the truth about the Great Old Ones and the cosmic entity we know as Cthulhu, rather than the American horror writer H P Lovecraft.

Imagine if Stratford’s favourite son had been the one to learn of the dangers of seeking after forbidden knowledge and of the war waged between the Elder Gods in the Outer Darkness, and had passed on that message, to those with eyes to see it, through his plays and poetry. Welcome to the world of Shakespearean Cthulhu!

To mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, Snowbooks proudly presents fifteen stories of eldritch horror that blend the Bard’s most famous plays with Lovecraft’s most terrifying creations. But before you dip into this curséd tome, be warned – that way madness lies...

“When oblivion comes, it is forever, as endless as the slumber of those beings that lie buried beneath the roots of the world, dreaming in darkness.”

A writer’s research into the legend of the Lambton Worm takes a horrifying twist when he uncovers the true origin of the story: A legend that stirs, knowing the time for its rebirth is near.

A chilling tale of the Cthulhu mythos, written by award-winning author Jonathan Green.

"What horror dwells behind its peeling paint façade and lifeless windows?"

A young mother, struggling after the birth of her second child, starts to question her sanity when the appearance of an unwanted childhood toy rekindles unwelcome nightmares.

A chilling tale written by award-winning author Jonathan Green.

SHARKPUNK - Stories with Bite!

Had he still been alive, today would have been Peter Benchley's 81st birthday. (And just in case you're wondering why this is of significance, check out the quote below.) So it seems like the perfect occasion to remind you that a few years ago I edited an anthology of short stories called Sharkpunk.

Sharks - the ultimate predators, masters of their watery domain, a world that is entirely alien and inhospitable to man. So many aspects of the shark are associated with humankind's most primal fears. The tell-tale dorsal fin slicing through the water, the dead eyed-stare, the gaping jaws full to unforgiving teeth, the remorseless drive to kill and feed...Inspired by such classic pulp movies as Jaws and Deep Blue Sea - as well as such ludicrous delights as Sharknado and Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus - the stories contained within are rip-roaring page-turners and slow-build chillers that celebrate all things savage, pulp and selachian. Covering the whole range of speculative fiction genres, from horror and Steampunk, through to SF and WTF, these are stories with bite! Come on in. The water's fine...

You can pick up your copy of Sharkpunk here, and it's also available as an audiobook from Circle of Spears Productions, that you will find on Audible.

"I read very widely, both non-fiction and fiction, so I don't think there's a single writer who influences me." 
~ Peter Benchley, author of Jaws

Short Story Saturday: Have you listened to a good short story lately?

Thanks to some recent releases, and some older titles, you can now listen to three of my short stories as audiobooks, and a whole anthology of shark stories edited by Yours Truly.

Features my short story The Hunting of the Jabberwock.

Features my short story Who Walks With Death.

Wonderland: An Anthology available now from Audible

Wonderland: An Anthology of Works Inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane, and which features my short story The Hunting of the Jabberwock, is available now as an audiobook from Audible from today.

From the greatest names in fantasy and horror comes an anthology of stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland.

Within this audiobook, you'll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical, taking us from the nightmarish reaches of the imagination to tales that will shock, surprise, and tug on the heart-strings. So, it's time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or...but no, wait. By picking up this audiobook and starting to listen to it, you're already there, can't you see?

Also available from Audible...

Short Story Saturday: The Doll's House

Available now from Green Man Books and Audible, as an audiobook narrated by Lesley Dessalles...

What horror dwells behind its peeling paint façade and lifeless windows?

A young mother, struggling after the birth of her second child, starts to question her sanity when the appearance of an unwanted childhood toy rekindles unwelcome nightmares.

A chilling tale written by award-winning author Jonathan Green.

“Jonathan Green will make you lose sleep." ~ Amazon.co.uk

"Seeing the name Jonathan Green on a cover of a novel, for me, sells it instantly." ~ Amazon.co.uk

Download The Doll's House from Audible here, and download the eBook from Amazon here.

Short Story Saturday: Fabled Journey

This one rather slipped under my radar, as it actually came out in January, but available now from Remastered Words is the audio anthology Fabled Journey IV.

Here's the blurb:

"This collection of fantasy short stories are from the three winners of Remastered Words 2019 audio anthology, including a tale from Jonathan Green with "Who Walks with Death" which was first published in Legend, an anthology released in 2013 in honour of David Gemmell.

Once again, a theme has developed when there were none prescribed and each story follows a significant journey in the life of its protagonist. Whatever the direction though and wherever the roads may lead, you'll be glad of a warm fire and comfy chair whilst the fabled journey plays out."

Who Walks with Death is narrated by me old mucker Sam Burns, who was also one of the narrators on the Sharkpunk audiobook.

So if you fancy listening to one of my stories, rather than reading one, why not download Fabled Journey IV today?

I'm in an audio drama with Charlie Higson!

The audio drama in question is Deathtrap Dungeon: The Last Champion, and we're even in a scene together!

Okay, so he has a starring role as Baron Sukumvit, and I am merely a reveller, with a blink* and you miss it cameo, but that still counts... right**?

Writer David N. Smith has done a great job of turning everyone's favourite Fighting Fantasy dungeon bash into a cohesive story, and the range of vocal talent involved - not just Charlie and myself - is incredible. I mean David Warner - yes, that David Warner from Time Bandits - plays the part of Yaztromo!

Also, Richard Fox's sound design really puts you in the depths of the labyrinth, with such iconic monsters as the Giant Scorpion and the Pit Fiend, while the opening scene with the Bloodbeast is particularly atmospheric, and sets the tone for the rest of the story.

And if you're interested, Track 14 on the CD is an interview with a certain FF author and historian.

What's even better is that Deathtrap Dungeon: The Last Champion comes as part of a four-story box-set, offering the listener over four hours of Fighting Fantasy-themed entertainment. Perfect for long car journeys! You can order yours here, and remember to tell them the Fang reveller sent you. ;-)

* But for ears.

** Does this mean I can join Equity now?

It's 43 years since you thought it safe to go back into the water

43 years ago today, Jaws was released upon unsuspecting cinema-goers for the first time!

Which means that 3 years ago, this happened.

SHARKPUNK - an anthology of killer shark stories - is still available from Snowbooks in both pulped tree format and as one of those new-fangled electronic books. You can even listen to it in the bath or in the car!

Come on in. The water's fine....

You've gotta love that original Simon Coleby cover!

Short Story Saturday: SHARKPUNK on Audible

Sharks - the ultimate predators, masters of their watery domain, a world that is entirely alien and inhospitable to man. So many aspects of the shark are associated with humankind's most primal fears. The tell-tale dorsal fin slicing through the water, the dead eyed-stare, the gaping jaws full to unforgiving teeth, the remorseless drive to kill and feed....

Inspired by such classic pulp movies as Jaws and Deep Blue Sea - as well as such ludicrous delights as Sharknado and Mega Shark Vs Giant Octopus - the stories contained within are rip-roaring thrillers and slow-build chillers that celebrate all things savage, pulp, and selachian. Covering the whole range of speculative fiction genres, from horror and steampunk through to SF and WTF, these are stories with bite!

And now you can listen to the audio book of SHARKPUNK via Audible.

Warhammer Wednesday: Audio Week 2017

I received a promotional email from the Black Library on Monday that rather took me by surprise. Apparently, this week is Audio Week 2017, and the story - or rather, two stories - serialised for the occasion are Eye of Night and Hand of Darkness by m'colleague Gav Thorpe. Here's the blurb for the two stories:

Now the funny thing about these stories, and the reason for me being prompted to write this blog post, is because the Eye of Night and Hand of Darkness are two creations of mine, even if I only really came up with the names*.

From 1994-96, after leaving university, I moved to Nottingham to become a freelance writer. It was then that I started working for Games Workshop, in a freelance capacity, writing colour text and short stories for the Warhammer Armies books and Warhammer 40,000 Codexes**. During that time I contributed words to the Epic 40,000 game as well as Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves and Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves, and Codex: Tyranids, Codex: Angels of Death, and Codex: Chaos.

It was whilst writing the interlinking stories that appeared through Codex: Chaos that I came up with the aforementioned Eye of Night and Hand of Darkness. The connected tales related the invasion of the planet Purgatory by the forces of Chaos, and at the end Inquisitor Horst discovers that the Hand of Darkness has been taken from its hiding place beneath the planet's crust.

In my mind, the Eye of Night and Hand of Darkness were powerful weapons, although unspecified, and GW took those ideas and ran with them*** when they created the backstory for the game Battlefleet Gothic, placing the alien artefacts at the heart of the story, a story which Gav is clearing continuing now.

It will be interesting to see what he does with those powerful weapons of antiquity next.

* Which, let's face it, aren't that original!

** I know it should be Codicies, but GW call them Codexes.

*** And it's not the only time this has happened.

Sharkpunk Saturday: SHARKPUNK Kindle edition just £1.99

If you've not yet read the SHARKPUNK anthology, first off, what have you been doing with your time? And secondly, now is the perfect time to pick it up since the Kindle edition is currently just £1.99 on Amazon.

Don't forget, you can also download the SHARKPUNK Audiobook here.

Sharkpunk Shakespeare Short Story Saturday: New reviews!

Two reviews for you today, one for Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu and one for the recently-released audiobook version of SHARKPUNK.

Let's start with the SHARKPUNK audiobook review by Nathan Robinson:

"If you like sharks, you’ll love this. Original tales each as different as the next. If you love short horror stories, especially a themed anthology, then Sharkpunk might be worth you dipping your toe into. Already I’m hoping for volume 2, but this time, they’re gonna need a bigger book...."

And now the review of Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu by SciFi and Fantasy Reviewer:

"This is another anthology on par with Sharkpunk... in terms of collecting together some quality stories. There’s an impressive range of talent on display, and a wide range of material being drawn on – not just 17 versions of Othello and Romeo and Juliet... As with Sharkpunk, there are a few tales that manage to stand out even amongst the general high quality of the anthology... In conclusion, this is another winning anthology from Snowbooks as publisher and Jonathan Green as editor, elevated even further by the inclusion of the incredible Exeunt by John Reppion."


You can buy SHARKPUNK here, and Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu here.

SHARKPUNK - The Audiobook!

Fresh from the minds of twenty-two top writers comes an anthology of killer shark stories to sate all appetites. From SF to WTF, from gritty to whimsical, these stories all have weight and depth as vast as the deep blue ocean. And now you can get it as an audiobook from Circle of Spears Productions!

This is the first release featuring all the members of Circle of Spears, which presents SHARKPUNK in its entirety in both Download and MP3 CD format. Over 13 hours of shark-themed stories available for the first time in audio!

And if you need any more persuading, just check out the reviews the print edition has received.

Even if you've already read the stories contained within the anthology, you owe it to yourself to download and listen to the audio version as well - and it really helps make the time pass while you're preparing supper, or paintings your wargaming miniatures.

So what are you waiting for? Come on in... The water's fine...

You can buy the 2-disc MP3 CD set here, and you can buy the MP3 Digital Download here.

Sharkpunk Saturday: SHARKPUNK - The Audiobook

I found myself down in Poole this week, appropriately enough, there to record my own introduction to the short story anthology SHARKPUNK.

It was a revelation with regards to how much work goes in to recording a segment that's about seven minutes long, and I can't wait to listen to it along with the other stories in the anthology.

The audiobook is being produced by Circle of Spears Productions, led by Helen Stirling, who was the one who had to patiently ask me to re-record names of Hawaiian shark gods and the like.

 The Talking Shed.

Inside the Talking Shed.

Helen Stirling at the recording desk - and who wouldn't want a TARDIS for their recording desk?

Yours Truly, inside the Talking Shed.

Helen working her magic inside the Talking Shed.

Helen also just happens to be married to SHARKPUNK and Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu contributor Andrew Lane, who stopped by to say hello and talk all things sharks, Cthulhu and Sherlock Holmes.

Quiet! Genius at work!

Andrew Lane, and obligatory pet Godzilla.

SHARKPUNK - The Audiobook will be released soon, and I will of course let you know when it's on sale.