Nightshift – Victoria Hancox review

Posted by Jam on September 24, 2019
Posted in: adult, adventure, Authors, books, Fantasy, game, Gamebook, Gamers, Games, gaming, horror, Readers, Reading, RPG, Uncategorized, witchcraft. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Nightshift.

Remember how excellent some gamebooks actually were back in the 80s? The ones with mostly fresh ideas that we couldn’t wait for the release of? This is also a very impacting game book based largely on brainwork as there are no combat systems. Typically, this is everything Choose You Own Adventure should have been. Creepy, paced, atmospheric and relies heavily on cerebral skill to get you through. It literally doesn’t need dice or card systems to work whereby the aforementioned CYOA were dreadfully easy.

Set within the confines of a creepy hospital (that’s enough to shit some people up alone), you awaken in a very surreal version of your world. You realise quite early on some lunatic (liking it already) is stalking you to chop you up like other victims. These turn out to be witches and the author has cleverly interlaced witch folklore into the story, with the looney taking different body parts from each in order to gain special powers. But things take a turn for the worse when you discover a higher power in control of this seemingly willing slave. All throughout the adventure you feel everything is being manipulated around you from room to room, and you don’t know what random and usually gory thing is going to happen next.

All the classic Fighting Fantasy esque conundrums are here, from riddles and letter codes (like in Ian Livingstone’s Deathtrap Dungeon) , to cryptic deciphering and numbered items (Steve Jackson’s Creature Of Havoc perhaps). It’s even 400 references long. For a first gamebook from Victoria Hancox, this is an excellent debut. She has certainly drawn from her familiarities with gamebooks and experiences which have added backbone to the game and I have also been in contact with Victoria and begged that she’ll write another. She replied to me and… I’m not going to say the answer 😜.

This is what many modern gamebooks should be like, and if you like the Horror gamebooks like me… it should be the very next book you buy.

Attempts.. 6 🙂

*proudly became the first known player to complete it successfully according to the author.

Get your copy HERE.

Assassins Of Allansia

Posted by Jam on September 9, 2019
Posted in: adventure, Authors, books, Fantasy, Gamebook, Gamers, gaming, hobbies, Readers, Reading, RPG, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

September has seen the release of Fighting Fantasy game book Assassins Of Allansia by the Guv himself, Ian Livingstone.

Jam holds his own

Assassins Of Allansia

I recently picked up my hardback copy of the book at the Fighting Fantasy Fest 3 from the authors son, Jack. I mentioned my weirdo number 44, and asked if that copy was available as all 400 copies were numbered. He dug it out for me also mentioning it’s Ian’s weirdo number as well. Nice. Anyway Ian signed it later on with a personal message.

So, with all that aside… what do i think to this entry in the popular gamebook series?

It’s a lovely adventure to come back after the series sending up that was Gates Of Death and the fair but fatally flawed Port Of Peril. I’m old school FF and thus have noticed that this and especially Gates seem to have alternative lore to the Fighting Fantasy book many of us have read. The DECAYER in Assassins for example, is nothing like the undead looking creature inked by Tim Sell in Out Of The Pit. SEE HERE. We are also getting Earth christian names now, like Florence, Henry and Samuel. This isn’t detrimental to the book in itself but it is a thorn in an old school fans side. Makes it feel like there’s a dimension crack and reality is seeping into our beloved Titan. Hold on, 20GPs to stay on a dangerous island for how long? You can find that just bumming around for a day.

The art by Robert Ball is somewhat nicer than Vlado Krizans and given Scholastic seem to avoid the more detailed illustrations of yesteryear in favour for dummied down jagged angular repro’s I finally feel a sense of actually being on Titan again. Not much, just a bit.
I think we need to stop comparing what FF was and accept it is going to be different now a bit like any other series reboot. (Doctor Who, James Bond etc). Definitely a Livingstone book. Youll know what that means after a couple of nights on the island. The story itself is packed full of dangers and the Guv has gone out of his way to make you not want to try things out in case it causes stat penalties. Also, you could call this FF5and a half as it takes place between City Of Thieves and Deathtrap Dungeon. Not to mention an appearance of a familiar much loved character from one of them…and I dont mean Azzur or Sukumvit.
Overall, if we brush away the old school cobwebs and altering Titan lore, this is the best since the Scholastic FF revival. I hope more come out like this rather than the previous couple.

Fighting Fantasy Fest 3

Posted by Jam on September 1, 2019
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

Hi there, my stats have been booming on people looking for snippets at what happens at FFF3 yesterday. I spent so long loading up photos on Facebook I didn’t really think to do it here but would’ve got round to it. So how was the fest? Quite simply put it was the best yet, largely responsible to this man Oliver McNeil bringing a live interactive version of House Of Hell. Armed with three actors, Alexander Hunt, Richard Alan and Emily Carding, guests got to work together exploring the creepy House Of Drumer. Better still, I got to try his brandy and those props were real 😆

Jam and The World Of Legend’s Olly McNeil.

Olly with his band of actors take a pose with Steve Jackson author of FF10, House Of Hell

After the show, Olly and Alexander aka Lord Kelnor the Earl Of Drumer.

The show was over an hour of pure joy and horror, with Steve Jackson himself striking the Hell Demon at the end with the fabled Kris knife.

As usual there was an auction with Steve and Ian selling off personal FF possessions, I managed to bag this beauty, a Trolltooth Wars flyer from 1989 signed by Steve, Ian and cover artist Chris Achilleos.

The Trolltooth Wars flyer

Ian Livingstone’s new book Assassins Of Allansia was available in hardback form so it was mandatory I got hold of one, and after a quick word with Ian’s son Jack I managed to bag a numbered copy which is a shared obsession (or not) between Ian and I which was pleasant to know. Now I can tell my Mrs it’s not just me 😉

(CLICK HERE to see what I’m waffling on about.)

Ian Livingstone and illustrator Robert Ball.

Of course a bunch of the artists and illustrators were there. First and foremost, the original Warlock Of Firetop Mountain and regular Russ Nicholson, whom gave me permission to create that t-shirt I’m wearing. For me, that particular drawing of Zagors ghoul is the very icon of FF, I’m glad you like yours too Russ!

Russ Nicholson

For more, check back later for the rest of my images from FFF3.

Fighting Fantasy Fast

Posted by Jam on August 28, 2019
Posted in: Uncategorized.

Well, I’m up for an eight our coach ride tomorrow to Uxbridge, so today I have decided to go on liquids only. Reason being is as we all know the one thing you can’t do in a coach toilet is use it without flying out with your knickers round your ankles at roundabouts, or gassing the people at the back after a plop.

The third Fighting Fantasy Fest in Ealing this Saturday will be packed with writers and illustrators of the series, as well as live interactive events and traders, as well as guests of honour and top British games guru’s Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. Tickets are available here CLICKME

Just A Little Buzz

Posted by Jam on August 3, 2019
Posted in: Uncategorized.

I appreciate this probably will not work on everybody’s mobile but it does on mine. If i type Fighting Fantasy into Google Images my face is the first real person’s that shows albeit a little made up for the picture.

In other news there are just 30 days left to book your tickets for tje third dedicated Fighting Fantasy fest which is to be held in Ealing. For more information check out http://www.fightingfantasy.uk/news.htm

FF Tattoos

Posted by Jam on July 25, 2019
Posted in: atheism, Authors, books, Fantasy, Gamebook, Gamers, Games, horror, tattoo. Tagged: , , .

For about 23 years now I have been toying with the idea of getting tattoo’s based on the amazing illustrations from the Fighting Fantasy game book series. Well this month I finally went beserk. Starting off with the Iain McCaig filler illustration of the villainous Zanbar Bone from the book City Of Thieves.

Fighting fantasy Zanbar Bone City of Thieves

The tattooist did such an amazing job barely three weeks later I nuked some credit and had two more done. The first being Martin McKenna’s unused filler intended for FF40, Dead Of Night. Puffin rejected it though because of the religious iconography. Cowards.

Fighting fantasy dead of night

The next would be John Blanches filler from the Sorcery series which I simply call sun-orc. Sorcery was the epic four book Fighting Fantasy quest which introduced me to the entire series.

Winner Winner

Posted by Jam on June 30, 2019
Posted in: Uncategorized.

Woke up this morning to an email from gamebook guru, and Pax Britannia novelist Jonathan Green to say I’d won his Neverland – Here Be Monsters competition. Not bad considering it was written in haste. Soon as The Woo and Zeezee are a bit older I can wire in and write again.