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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:45:27 GMT
From TUFFF... Another fresh new book for me! First thought: coming out of Sky Lord, any book can look good. In this case, I appreciated from the start being seemingly grounded in a real world with solid foundations and... stuff that I could understand, basically. A relief, really. But digging deeper, it's a pretty common story... an ordinary FF ordnance, sort of a loose blend of Warlock with Phantoms of Fear, just lacking the originality or the writing skills (though, by that, I do not mean that it is badly written, not at all. Just more medium range). You've got your bad wizard, your threat to the world, your dungeon crawling, your alternate universe... It's all there and it's entertaining alright, just not extraordinary. What's extraordinary and a pretty good call are the inside illos by Russ Nicholson. Always good and moody, they set the tone proper and enhance the otherwise bland story. Cover illo is not too shabby either. Not as good as the inside ones, but hold itself pretty well. There isn't much that made me raise my eyebrows, here. I got slightly annoyed at the way you are often asked if you possess so and so items in a dire situation, to help you out, even though your character has no clue as to what it is. Like, putting on a bronze ring when I'm cooking to cool off is the last thing that would cross my mind in such a situation. I mean seriously. It wouldn't even cross my mind. At all. The ending was also a bit of a letdown, but still, like I said, when your preceding book is called Sky Lord, everything after suddenly tastes like morel mushrooms for a while. So let's just say I did enjoy the book for what it was and leave it at that! Speak in extremes, it will save you time. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:46:05 GMT
From TUFFF... I really like this one actually. It's very similar to the first half of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain albeit with more interesting encounters. The Empire of Illusions segment was a bit different from the norm too. And the difficulty level is very fair. It's definitely my favourite Keith Martin book in the series. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:47:26 GMT
From TUFFF... Yeah, I like this one too. True it's nothing that epic, original or thought-provoking, but the gameplay is amongst the best in the series with balanced combats, intruiging items, and even spells to learn. Russ Nicholson's artwork is brilliant... except for the Diadrone; that sucks. Having said that, the description for it isn't that great either  Two Words |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:50:14 GMT
From TUFFF... Russ Nicholson's artwork is brilliant...except for the Diadrone; that sucks. Having said that, the description for it isn't that great either The Diadrone was so cool it got its own video game:  |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:52:09 GMT
From TUFFF... Oh boy and I didn't even meet the Diadrone! 
Hope I didn't come out too harsh in my review, that wasn't my goal. I really fell in the middle with that book; didn't know what to expect going in and came out satisfied but not amazed. But that doesn't mean that every books need to amaze me, far from it...
True that coming at the end of it, and finishing it in one go, I was surprised at how nothing stumped me and made me go back scratching my head. After a few hard FF it does make you think: hey, perhaps there's one I can actually beat proper.
I also found a mistake in the text, but need to be at home to point it out. Speak in extremes, it will save you time. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:53:51 GMT
From TUFFF... It's one of the few books that allow you to win even with below average stats, provided you look hard enough to obtain some useful items along the way. Whereas if you begin with a high Skill score, these items become unnecessary therefore giving you the option to forego interesting sidequests/routes with no consequence. Two Words |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:54:48 GMT
From TUFFF... Am home so I can point out that mistake... it's similar in style to the one already pointed out in Titannica. Section 353, after having killed the second dark priest and picking the orc's gold, you are offer three choices, one of them to check inside the orc's room to the east, the other to check inside the orc's room to the south. Naturally, the mistake here is that you should be checking the dark priest's room to the south... Speak in extremes, it will save you time. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:55:53 GMT
From TUFFF... The Diadrone was so cool it got its own video game: Hahahahaha! Laughed my socks off ~ Vae Victis! ~ |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:56:48 GMT
From TUFFF... ***MINOR SPOILERS*** Considering that the FF range had been trying to develop its format into more diverse directions than basic fantasy exploration for sometime by 1988, it's quite surprising that Stealer of Souls sees a return to elementary dungeon crawling. As such, this is a solid but generally uninspiring adventure. For the most part there is little to distinguish it from early Livingstone books, with its long list of equipment items and set-piece encounters. As Hynreck has pointed out, the way that items are used is clumsy, simply asking the player whether they possess item x when facing situation y - this was the sort of clunky adventuring that I thought we'd left behind round about the time of Crypt of the Sorcerer. The story itself is reasonable: a sorcerer called Mordraneth is stealing souls and nearby Allansians nervous, so YOU need to go and kick his cloaked ass. Well, actually that's not the original mission that you're sent on, which is to rescue the friendly wizard Alsander from Mordraneth's domain. The bad guy himself is supposed to be elsewhere, but it's not really a surprising revelation when he turns out to be on the Isle of Despair anyway. Even if that 'twist' was destined to be a surprise to anybody the blurb would have given the game away anyway. Aside from its ordinariness, the adventure is well structured and also allows the player to explore some of the island before delving into the main dungeon crawl. The prose is brief, but provides just enough detail to give the encounters and locations a spark of life. It never attempts to rival the likes of Creature of Havoc or Beneath Nightmare Castle in literary clout, but then it rarely feels that Keith Martin has done a thoughtless rush job á la Crypt of the Sorcerer either. There are a few moments in which the book shows some signs of wanting to become something more special. The charming encounter with the shell-encrusted sea giant and his pet crab is a sweet diversion as is the odd talking lizard who begs you to help it protect its nest. The most memorable idea that the book has comes into play much later though, when you enter the Empire of Illusions. To shift the action up a gear, Martin uses the simple but effective trick of filling the final dungeon with illusory traps alongside real ones. Although hardly an original approach, it's done with such conviction and consistency that it works tremendously well. It also allows Mordraneth to demonstrate his particular style of sorcery well before the final showdown. (His illusion-based approach makes this villain slightly more interesting than the likes of the cardboard Malbordus and Morgana before him). Another aspect that I agree with Hynreck on is the way that Russ Nicholson's artwork manages to create a moody tone, helping the limited text splendidly. Considering that this book sees a return to the more traditional style of FF adventuring, Nicholson is the perfect choice here, as it helps the whole thing feel almost nostalgic rather than just taking several steps backwards. I will add my voice to the dismissal of the poor diadrone (392), but this is the only illustration here which doesn't come up to par. The spectre (112) is classic Nicholson undead nastiness. The acid-dripping beetle brilliantly reminds me of a similar creature in the film adaptation of Naked Lunch. The crowning glory for this artist is always with the skeletons though: the tragic pile of the dead (331) and the skeletal warrior (169) both show that the man's talent for drawing these bony delights is second to none. This is probably my shortest review by far, but there wasn't really a lot that I found to say about this one. There was little that was terrible about it, but not to much to shout about either. For me then, this is probably the most average book in the FF series. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:57:27 GMT
From TUFFF... Yes, rather a so-so adventure in my opinion. Not bad, just not that amazing either. I bought this one the summer it came out when I was on Christian camp, and our supervisor was horrified at the title! He was probably right to be concerned for my soul... |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:58:42 GMT
From TUFFF... Just keeping things in the relevant topic! Sylas pointed out that SoS is underrated and has excellent structure, and I completely agree. Although his later work is more adventurous, more verbose and more atmospheric and he really tries to push the range with extra rules and stats, THIS is the book you can tell he thoroughly playtested. For a sizeable chunk of the adventure you have the option of always going back and trying a different route, and in a dungeon-based adventure it works really well. The option seems to be there to make the act of "thumb marking" that we've all been guilty of at some point more legitimate, as the book is acknowledging that, in real life, you'd take a peek and head on back if you didn't like what you saw! Also, as a mapper you can tell that when writing the book Keith Martin follwed his maps to the letter - a lot of the descriptions appear to go out of their way to make sure you know exactly where the tunnels are going and precisely how they bend and twist, and in which direction. It's a shame his later (and largely superior in some cases) material didn't get the same playtesting, because he's such a talented Fighting Fantasy writer. I've always marked him as my favourite author if it wasn't for the bugs, and my recent playthrough of this title goes some way to enforce that. I had a great time with it. ~ Vae Victis! ~ |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 0:59:58 GMT
From TUFFF... Well, Stealer is a lot less complex than his later books. There's not much in the way of puzzles or extra rules or converting letters to numbers so it's perhaps unsurprising it's a lot less buggy. Personally I think Martin got a bit too into the extra rules with his later FF books and it hurt them a bit. Night Dragon and Legend of Zagor require you to keep track of so many things that it begins to feel like work. Then you throw in the annoying bugs and it sours them a bit in my opinion. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:01:20 GMT
From TUFFF... Yeah, I found this an enjoyable romp too - it is a very traditional fantasy adventure that has a slightly otherworldly air to it - perhaps it's the talking lizards. As I fervent mapper, I really appreciated the clear and concise way that the directions and descriptions of the rooms/corridors/open moors were handled and some other authors could learn something from that. I did notice a slight error - I was given the option of going East or East (I think, it could have been west) so I had to go online to see which was correct or my precious map would be ruined! I think that this book would be more fun if playing at a lower skill - I will probably artificially roll myself below a 10 for skill next time to see how that plays out. In my recent playthrough, I just felt a bit too overpowered with my maximum skill score. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:02:03 GMT
From TUFFF... True. It works best with a Skill of 9 or 10. Lower than that and you'll get creamed by those bothersome dark priests, higher and you can just wade through pretty much anything. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:12:38 GMT
From TUFFF... In many books, you expect to reach a certain part where you might think, 'Right, I'm off the road now. I'll be at the castle in the next section then down to the dungeons after that.' or something similar to that extent. What I really liked about Stealer is the way the journey is split into several 'travel' sections that flow seamlessly from one type to another, without making the process too obvious. Whether it be sea, marsh, land or crag, they all feel part of the environment that you need to go through instead of one that is placed there for the sake of an encounter. In Stealer, you get the feeling you must always be on guard as you don't know what to expect and when. Being too careful would mean having a hard time reaching your first destination, whilst not being prepared means you are likely to suffer or miss out on opportunities at a later stage. The dungeon section is perhaps the strongest part of the book. The danger you are walking into becomes more apparent the further you progress. A Dark Priest in disguise, a vision of your almighty enemy, or simply a trapdoor you did not expect, all scream out: Mordraneth knows you are here, and he is ready for you! I'm not entirely sure that the dungeon makes for easy mapping at all. Despite the excellent atmospheric description of each passage, each room, your sense of freedom does not always take you to where you want to be. In many cases, you may think you have worked out the author's structuring of the labyrinth, and then BAM! A portcullis has fallen or a door is stuck - you cannot go back! So much for planning ahead. Should you manage to rescue the wizard, Alsander, you are given a twist in the plotline that comes as no surprise. Although it would have been funny if you were given an option to leave at this point: 'Alsander is safe. My mission is a success. Screw Mordraneth and his brain games. It's been a long day. I'm going home!' But of course, your hero is made of sterner stuff and after learning some useful magic, the quest for greater glory drags you into the Empire of Illusions where your quarry awaits. Now it gets weird as Mordraneth is warping reality around you and you must try to stay standing if you are to defeat these tricks of the mind. Every path you take from here is a risk as there is no indication of what lies ahead, unlike your journey so far. Many encounters here are more dangerous than the ones before. Some threaten your mind with fear, such as the Death Skull rising out from the lava lake. The portrayal of this entity is spot on, giving it a truly unsettling creepiness that affects both the character and the reader. Despite that, there are some things I didn't like in this section. The paths don't have the maze-like sensation to them anymore, opting for disorientation that comes off as a little too random. The last battle more than makes up for it though. Battling magic with magic is an outstanding final feature that guarantees the book goes out on a high whether or not you achieve victory. The balance in gameplay is one of the best among FF books. Items and spells you collect may only be useful in specific areas. You don't need the majority of them, but if you should venture into those areas, you'll be glad you had them. And these aren't 'high-powered' items either. Just objects and artefacts that could be useful depending on which route you take. And yet, being able to use them does not necessarily mean you are on the right path. The brilliant uncertainty persists. I totally agree that an average Skill character will get the most out of this book. The enemies you face do not have high enough Skill scores or dish out harsh penalties to pose a threat to high-stat heroes. I'm almost thankful for the instant deaths that these hopefully inexperienced untouchables might blunder into. Those in the average department however, must look for less dangerous paths or risk collecting potentially useful items if they are to win through in one piece. Those unfortunate to begin with even lower Skill scores have a slim chance of getting far unless they spent all their resources on getting to Alsander then toughing out the rest of the journey with only a few spells. But the difficulty comes as part of the challenge making it fun to accept, knowing that if you did something different you are likely to get closer to victory. With a stronger premise and prose more in line with those books in the epic category, Stealer might have become one of the greats. It has excellent gameplay and replayability, really good atmosphere, fine artwork from the master, Russ Nicholson, interesting encounters and, at least a final battle reaches epicness. Not quite among the greats in the FF series but a solid contender nonetheless. Two Words |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:13:18 GMT
From TUFFF... That's a nice review, sylas. Kind of made me wish you did those more often! Anyway, good read. Speak in extremes, it will save you time. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:14:29 GMT
From TUFFF... That Death SKull was a particular highlight, it seemed to exude evil! A shame I missed out on the magic part of the battle with Mordraneth, I hadn't picked any of the spells that I needed to duel and just ran for the stairs which, off the top of my head, only did 1 stamina damage as his fireball was thwarted by my bronze ring. Definitely one to replay after my play every book through once challenge is over. I guess it says something that one of the ones I want to replay is actually one of the very few that I scored a victory in... |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:15:33 GMT
From TUFFF... It wasn't meant to be a review. I started typing what I thought, realised I hadn't covered everything I wanted to cover, then added bits to justify my opinions. Drew that out a bit didn't i?  Two Words |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:16:25 GMT
From TUFFF... Well it became an in-depth review! I like how you went for the details; I always feel like I learned something; or missed something in my own playthrough. Makes me feel like I sleepwalk through some of those books, sometimes. I mean, I can't even recall that you could backtrack in this book! I must have been reading with my eyes closed.
...of course I only played that one once, too, so I shan't be too harsh on myself. Speak in extremes, it will save you time. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Nov 3, 2013 1:16:49 GMT
From TUFFF... Stealer's looking like one of those books that are worth replaying even after you've won them. |
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Post by a moderator on May 24, 2014 13:12:56 GMT
My TUFFF playthrough:
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vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809 
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Jul 23, 2015 15:53:46 GMT
A very good book. not fantastic however. I prefer Keith Martin's Vault of Vampire. A thousand miles from livingstone's masterpieces.
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Post by electricwater on May 7, 2018 14:17:39 GMT
Just played Stealer of Souls for the first time, and won through without dying. By chance, my route happened to echo Champkees proposed solution almost exactly.
I enjoyed this one - it felt like a classic FF adventure. I liked the varied environments and encounters the book offered. It seemed very fair, and offered various ways to deal with problems, and didn’t appear to hinge on gathering a shopping list of items. There weren’t too many fights, unlike the tedious slog I experienced last week playing Sky Lord, and my only (minor) criticism is that the final boss was a bit too easy.
(By the way, if there is a general discussion area for the books other than these solutions sections then I’m damned if it can find it!)
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Post by thealmightymudworm on May 7, 2018 21:25:19 GMT
Just played Stealer of Souls for the first time, and won through without dying. By chance, my route happened to echo Champkees proposed solution almost exactly. I enjoyed this one - it felt like a classic FF adventure. I liked the varied environments and encounters the book offered. It seemed very fair, and offered various ways to deal with problems, and didn’t appear to hinge on gathering a shopping list of items. There weren’t too many fights, unlike the tedious slog I experienced last week playing Sky Lord, and my only (minor) criticism is that the final boss was a bit too easy. (By the way, if there is a general discussion area for the books other than these solutions sections then I’m damned if it can find it!)When you click through from the home page to Fighting Fantasy, ignore the sub-boards and just keep scrolling down the page.  The SoS thread is currently near the bottom of page 3. |
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Post by slloyd14 on Aug 19, 2022 8:54:34 GMT
Going on the theme of threads that haven't been used for ages, here's my take.
I like the magic as always. I love the bit with the giant. The ending is a bit more complicated than just "have a tough fight". Pretty good.
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Post by aeris2001x2 on May 1, 2023 5:13:18 GMT
Was not too fond of this adventure on first replaying. But once I fully mapped it out I appreciate it much more. Its much more fun if you take the alternative longer route to pick up the magic sword in my opinion as well which OP has not done on his solution. Keith Martin/Carl Sargent was always my favourite FF author and this early more traditional adventure would be built on by masterpieces like Vault of the Vampire, Tower of Destruction, Island of the Undead, Night Dragon, Legend of Zagor and Revenge of the Vampire. He deserves to be reprinted, and not just so the bugs in Revenge of the Vampire can be corrected.
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Post by a moderator on May 1, 2023 23:11:54 GMT
Keith Martin/Carl Sargent was always my favourite FF author and this early more traditional adventure would be built on by masterpieces like Vault of the Vampire, Tower of Destruction, Island of the Undead, Night Dragon, Legend of Zagor and Revenge of the Vampire. Not a fan of Master of Chaos? |
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