Cyber Monday Madness

It's Cyber Monday, so why not considering purchasing a Pax Britannia eBook, or the Temple of the Spider God gamebook app, or Warlock's Bounty: Revenge of the Sorcerer over on Google Play, or even GAME OVER - a book all about cyber-related shenanigans?

Gamebook Friday: DestinyQuest - Unlucky for some

It can't have escaped your notice that today is Friday the 13th, and for one gamebook series, this week certainly seems to have come with more than its fair share of bad luck.

On Wednesday, Michael J Ward announced that Gollancz have called time on his DestinyQuest series, and that development of Book 4 is now enjoying an indefinite hiatus. DestinyQuest had been one of the gamebook success stories of recent years, re-inventing the genre for the Xbox generation and securely a print publication deal with a major genre publishing house.

But what does the cancellation of the DestinyQuest series mean for the future of gamebooks and print gamebooks in particular? While my forthcoming YOU ARE THE HERO looks back to the creation of the gamebook genre, it also considers its future. And as I have various interactive fiction ideas in development, I have a vested interest in what DestinyQuest's fate means for the future of gamebooks.

Can print gamebooks only work now as crowd-funded projects, supported by a small, but loyal and dedicated, fanbase? Does their future lie in apps only, such as Warlock's Bounty, and Temple of the Spider God? What do you think?

And while we're considering the future, consider this.

Gamebook Friday: Warlock's Bounty

Warlock's Bounty: Revenge of the Sorcerer, continues to receive rave reviews on Google Play.

It's been some time since I last tried a gamebook but I must say I'm impressed with what's available so far. Keep up the good work! (5 stars)

I can't say enough good things about the writing in the story-book-thing, or how much I've enjoyed the 'choose your adventure' style progression. I think more RPGs should be modelled in a manner such as this. (4 stars)

This is a great game, nice story mode with a nicely balanced card-based battle game. I don't have time to learn a complex card system so perfect for me - and tips its hat to Fighting Fantasy books. Well done. (5 stars)

If you've yet to download Warlock's Bounty for your Android device, you can do so here.

Gamebook Friday: 16 and counting...

The first book I ever had published was a gamebook, and my current project is also a gamebook. But, you may be wondering, how many are there in between?

Well here is a comprehensive list of all the gamebooks I've written* to date, by series.


Fighting Fantasy
 

Spellbreaker (1993)
Knights of Doom (1994)
Curse of the Mummy (1995)
Bloodbones (2006)
Howl of the Werewolf (2007)
Stormslayer (2009)
Night of the Necromancer (2010)

Sonic the Hedgehog

Theme Park Panic (1995)
Stormin' Sonic (1996)

Doctor Who













The Horror of Howling Hill (2008)

Star Wars The Clone Wars













Crisis on Coruscant (2010)

Gamebook Adventures

Temple of the Spider God (2011)
Codename: Crusader (TBA)

Warlock's Bounty

Revenge of the Sorcerer (2012)

Path to Victory

Herald of Oblivion (2012)
Shadows Over Sylvania (2013)



* Or am in the process of writing.

Warlock's Bounty: Revenge of the Sorcerer - The Remix!

Warlock's Bounty: Revenge of the Sorcerer is available once again from Google Play for all you Android users out there.

If you've not heard of Warlock's Bounty before (a gamebook app with card-based combat developed by Emil Bakalinov of Attic Squad and written by Yours Truly) then check out the blurb below, read the reviews, and then click this link to buy it for your own device.

You are a mighty wizard, once apprenticed to the sorcerer Corax Whiteraven, guardian of the lands of Lloegyr. When Whiteraven’s familiar appears out of the blue carrying an urgent message from its master, you embark upon a mission that will test your mettle and magical abilities to the full. For Lloegyr’s guardian – the greatest sorcerer of them all – is in danger, and needs your help!

 

 

"Takes me back to the day when I used to read these types of books. The subtle music adds much to the story. The card game is easy to learn and fun to play." 5 out of 5!

 

"One of the best games I've played in a while, having loved the Choose Your Own Adventures since I was a kid this game brings back a lot of happy memories, the design, look and flow of the game is perfect." 10 out of 10!

 

"The storyline is good and the writing is great."

 

"I love gamebooks and I love collectable card games, so Warlock's Bounty is like a dream come true for me... There is an excellent story and the combat system provides you with many decsions." 5 out of 5!

 

"Great game. Lots of fun and entertainment. I look forward to the sequel." 5 out of 5!

 

 

Happy Apple Day

In case you didn't know already, 21 October is Apple Day, an annual celebration of apples and orchards.

Now I like apples as much as the next middle-aged man minded to make sure he has his 5-a-day (I even wrote a bit about them in What is Myrrh Anyway?) but I'm also quite keen on the other Apples - the kind you don't eat.

So far I have one Apple app available - Temple of the Spider God - but there's another in the works, and hopefully Warlock's Bounty will be released for iOS in due course.

Gamebook Friday: Warlock's Bounty

Another glowing review of Warlock's Bounty has appeared online. Here's a taster:


I’m a big fan of Choose Your Own Adventure novels and now the world has started to go digital along comes a wave of Choose Your Own titles that are bringing a whole new experience to these type of stories.

Warlock’s Bounty is one of them. You play as a mighty wizard who was once an apprentice to the sorcerer Corax Whiteraven guardian of the land of Lloegyr... The game itself is simple to read and understand how to play...

This first story is called Revenge of the Sorcerer and was written by Jonathan Green.


You can read the review in its entirety here, and you can buy Warlock's Bounty for your Android phone here.

Gamebook Friday: A quick update

Having been all about my new Warhammer 40,000 Path to Victory gamebook HERALD OF OBLIVION last week, this Friday I've got a quick update for you concerning certain other gamebook properties.

First up there's some tantalizing news and images from Tin Man Games.

Secondly, there's up update from Attic Squad Games about Warlock's Bounty.

Thirdly, Mr Ian Livingstone - Games Industry Analyst - was spotted on the news this week.

Gamebook Friday: HERALD OF OBLIVION

Almost a year to the day since I started work on the proposal for what then went under the working title of TERMINATOR, my very first Warhammer 40,000 gamebook is published today!

You are a veteran Space Marine of the Imperial Fists Chapter. Equipped with powerful Terminator armour and armed with the deadliest weapons that the Adeptus Astartes wield, you are a symbol of the Emperor's might. Trapped aboard the space hulk Herald of Oblivion and the only survivor of your squad, you must fight your way through the aliens and heretics that infest the star vessel and find a way to escape the horror and return to your Chapter.

One year from initial outline to publication. That's right, on Thursday 7 July 2011 I started typing up my proposal for TERMINATOR and on 10 July I emailed it to Black Library's range development editor Christian Dunn.

And now, on Friday 6 July 2012, I'm very proud to announce that HERALD OF OBLIVION is available to buy direct from the Black Library.

If you're a fan of the Imperial Fists Space Marines, buy it! If you loathe and detest the Golden Avengers -  buy it! (Why? Just read the book and you'll soon find out.) If you're a fan of Space Marines - buy it! If you're a fan of Orks, Tyranids, Necrons or Dark Eldar - buy it! If you're a fan of the classic GW board game SPACE HULK - buy it! If you're a fan of the Adeptus Mechanicus - buy it! Even if you are a vehement supporter of the Traitor Legions - buy it! There really is something for everyone in this book!


And if that's not enough to sell it to you, it also features the awesome artwork of Mr Karl Richardson, the artist on Dan Abnett's legendary LONE WOLVES.

I don't know if the idea had been mooted at Games Workshop before (after all, the original founders of the company did also create the Fighting Fantasy series of gamebooks) but what I do know is that Marc Gascoigne and I first pitched the idea of a series of Warhammer/Warhammer 40,000 gamebooks to Boxtree back in 1995-96. Obviously nothing came of the idea at the time, but in 2007 Black Library editor Nick Kyme got in touch about the possibility of doing something then. But as things turned out it wasn't until long time FF devotee Christian Dunn was on board (GW having sold the Solaris imprint to Rebellion) that what had been a dream for many (myself included) finally became reality.

HERALD OF OBLIVION may be my first gamebook for the Black Library, but as long-term readers of this blog will know, it's not my first adventure gamebook. It is in fact my fourteenth published adventure in twenty years*. My other gamebook titles include seven Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, two Sonic the Hedgehog adventures, one Doctor Who, one Star Wars The Clone Wars, one Gamebook Adventure app, and the first part in the Warlock's Bounty series.

If you're interested the full list of titles is as follows:

Spellbreaker (Fighting Fantasy)
Knights of Doom (Fighting Fantasy)
Curse of the Mummy (Fighting Fantasy)
Bloodbones (Fighting Fantasy)
Howl of the Werewolf (Fighting Fantasy)
Stormslayer (Fighting Fantasy)
Night of the Necromancer (Fighting Fantasy)
Theme Park Panic (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Stormin' Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog)
The Horror of Howling Hill (Doctor Who)
Crisis on Coruscant (Star Wars The Clone Wars)
Temple of the Spider God (Gamebook Adventures)
Revenge of the Sorcerer (Warlock's Bounty)
HERALD OF OBLIVION (Path to Victory)


If you enjoy HERALD OF OBLIVION and you've not read any of my other gamebooks before, why not check them out? And of course if you enjoy HERALD OF OBLIVION, you'll enjoy my other Warhammer 40,000 book and short stories, including THE ARMAGEDDON OMNIBUS and the novel IRON HANDS.

And lastly, if you do enjoy HERALD OF OBLIVION please post a review on the Black Library website, and drop me a line too, if you like. It's always great to hear from gamebook fans.

* That's right, this summer marks 20 years since my first commission, which just so happens to have been my first gamebook Spellbreaker. And which book is it that's out in time for the 20 year anniversary? HERALD OF OBLIVION - another gamebook! Oh, and my current project is my first Warhammer Path to Victory book SHADOWS OVER SYLVANIA. (What are the chances?)

Gamebook Friday: Warlock's Bounty

Some of you may have noticed earlier in the year that I was working on a new gamebook app. Well I can now reveal what it was I was working on...

Warlock’sBounty

By Emil Bakalinov

Available now from Attic Squad Games, a new concept in role-playing games.

Warlock’s Bounty

Are you a fan of interactive fiction or collectible card combat games? Then Warlock’s Bounty is the game for you. A brand new concept in gaming, Warlock’s Bounty combines strategic magic card combat with an involving, story-driven gamebook experience, written by one of the leading authors in the gamebook genre.

Book 1

Revenge of the Sorcerer

By Jonathan Green

You are a mighty wizard, once apprenticed to the sorcerer Corax Whiteraven, guardian of the lands of Lloegyr. When Whiteraven’s familiar appears out of the blue carrying an urgent message from its master, you embark upon a mission that will test your mettle and magical abilities to the full. For Lloegyr’s guardian – the greatest sorcerer of them all – is in danger, and needs your help!

Game features:

      Your choice affects how the story progresses.

      Novel approach to interactive storytelling focused on locations; your previous actions can change what happens at locations when you revisit them.

      Determine the outcome of magical duels using cards as opposed to rolling dice.

      Tailor your card deck to create the optimum spell and weapon combinations for the many battles ahead.

      Find and collect even more powerful weapons and spells throughout your adventure.

      Features fantastic fantasy artwork throughout and every card is illustrated in full colour.

      Studio produced music and sound effects.

      Play in bite-sized chunks; your progress is saved at every step so you can continue from exactly where you left off playing last.

Developed by Emil Bakalinov – a highly experienced coder, life-long fan of interactive fiction and magic card strategy games, and founder of Attic Squad Games.

Written by Jonathan Green – a veteran of the gamebook genre having penned numerous titles for many popular franchises, including Fighting Fantasy, Doctor Who, Star Wars and Tin Man Games’ Gamebook Adventures.

Warlock's Bounty: Revenge of the Sorcerer is available for download from Google Play now!