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Post by slloyd14 on Jun 28, 2022 22:08:14 GMT
How about changing the FF titles to be like clickbait Buzzfeed type titles.
Warlock of Firetop Mountain - You WILL NOT believe where this guy keeps his keys. Number 99 is shocking!
Crypt of the Sorcerer - 20 ways you can die horribly due to impossible die rolls.
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Post by terrysalt on Jun 28, 2022 22:48:06 GMT
Can YOU touch this: Why a simple hammer could save all of Stonebridge
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Post by CharlesX on Jun 29, 2022 4:03:43 GMT
My suggestion would be a picture of either a scantily-clad model or one of a celebrity.
Appointment with F.E.A.R. Gal Gadot superheroine, even though there's no superheroines or even serious female characters in the gamebook, or well-built guy.
Bloodbones Picture of Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. Millions of women change their minds.
Vault Of The Vampire Muscular brooding guy in the manner of Twilight. Or link to the infamous pic of the beautiful Vampiress who's boobs had to be drawn smaller because the publishers deemed it too sexual (Katarina Heiydrich).
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Jun 29, 2022 5:51:17 GMT
Banish pests to another dimension with this one weird trick! (Creature of Havoc)
"Your daughter wants me and there's nothing you can do!" – 'Night Prince' purple rains on local mayor's parade! (City of Thieves)
You won't believe how this assistant rabbit skinner is living now – and it's all thanks to his cat! (Chasms)
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Post by terrysalt on Jun 29, 2022 6:53:56 GMT
Robbery gone wrong! Local warlock murdered in cave, assailant found crying over lack of keys.
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Post by a moderator on Jun 29, 2022 11:49:04 GMT
Appointment with F.E.A.R. Gal Gadot superheroine, even though there's no superheroines or even serious female characters in the gamebook, or well-built guy. What do you mean by 'serious'? |
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Post by CharlesX on Jun 29, 2022 12:26:04 GMT
Appointment with F.E.A.R. Gal Gadot superheroine, even though there's no superheroines or even serious female characters in the gamebook, or well-built guy. What do you mean by 'serious'? 'Memorable' might be a more perfect choice of words. In most Fighting Fantasy, gamebook for sure, the best women can hope for, instead of a role as a peasant or minor witch, might be a serious, memorable encounter such as The Serpent Queen, or a big bad in a Jonathan Green gamebook, or maybe a plot point in say a Paul Mason or Steve Jackson FF. Appointment with F.E.A.R. is undistinguished in that regard, I think one of the enemies is a Catwoman or something which isn't particularly intimidating or interesting, there aren't any helpful female characters or romantic interests. If it's helpful, remember by comparison some of the memorable Fighting Fantasy females such as the aforementioned Katarina Heiydrich, the Thunder Goddess in Seige Of Sardath, Libra, the female Bandit leader in Forest Of Doom. I've long thought Appointment with F.E.A.R. might find a new audience in today's world where superhero stuff is churned out like shovelware, but its cheesiness and cliches have more in common with the pulp of say '50s L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology, Battlefield Earth) than maybe Wonder Woman or Black Panther. |
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Post by misomiso on Jun 29, 2022 13:34:35 GMT
City of Thieves: You won't BELIEVE how much crime is in this city!
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Post by a moderator on Jun 29, 2022 14:36:02 GMT
What do you mean by 'serious'? 'Memorable' might be a more perfect choice of words. In most Fighting Fantasy, gamebook for sure, the best women can hope for, instead of a role as a peasant or minor witch, might be a serious, memorable encounter such as The Serpent Queen, or a big bad in a Jonathan Green gamebook, or maybe a plot point in say a Paul Mason or Steve Jackson FF. Appointment with F.E.A.R. is undistinguished in that regard, I think one of the enemies is a Catwoman or something which isn't particularly intimidating or interesting, there aren't any helpful female characters or romantic interests. Ignoring the Ice Queen doesn't mean she doesn't exist. It's not as if 'romantic interests' had any prominence in FF in general. While sequels to AWF seem to have gone with the assumption that the Silver Crusader is male, Steve Jackson left it ambivalent, choosing a unisex name for your civilian identity. Calling the bandit leader 'memorable' is a bit of a stretch. |
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Post by CharlesX on Jun 29, 2022 15:10:32 GMT
'Memorable' might be a more perfect choice of words. In most Fighting Fantasy, gamebook for sure, the best women can hope for, instead of a role as a peasant or minor witch, might be a serious, memorable encounter such as The Serpent Queen, or a big bad in a Jonathan Green gamebook, or maybe a plot point in say a Paul Mason or Steve Jackson FF. Appointment with F.E.A.R. is undistinguished in that regard, I think one of the enemies is a Catwoman or something which isn't particularly intimidating or interesting, there aren't any helpful female characters or romantic interests. Ignoring the Ice Queen doesn't mean she doesn't exist. It's not as if 'romantic interests' had any prominence in FF in general. While sequels to AWF seem to have gone with the assumption that the Silver Crusader is male, Steve Jackson left it ambivalent, choosing a unisex name for your civilian identity. Calling the bandit leader 'memorable' is a bit of a stretch. We may have to agree to disagree, because while Appointment with F.E.A.R. seems to me slightly disappointing, not in the same league as Starship Traveller, but maybe with the mediocrity of some other sci-fi Fighting Fantasy, it clearly left more of an impression on you. We know Fighting Fantasy is more commercial works than high literature up there with Hamlet anyway, and there's nothing wrong with that. I was partly making a highbrow, even pretentious point about Hollywood sexualizing, in the same intellectual never-ending vein as you might criticise Legend Of Zagor for having all-male characters, three whites and a 'Dwarf' who looks like a middle-class white. |
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Post by slloyd14 on Jun 29, 2022 15:20:45 GMT
The Seven Serpents: Seven reasons why you shouldn't go to the Baklands this summer.
Portal of Evil: You will not BELIVE what this man found whilst digging a hole.
Masks of Mayhem: monarch undertakes long journey to slay evil sorcerer. Who he finds there will AMAZE you.
Demons of the Deep: This simple trick and a few black pearls will help you get rid of pirates.
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Post by vastariner on Jun 29, 2022 17:42:03 GMT
The Seven Serpents: Seven reasons why you shouldn't go to the Baklands this summer. SNAKES ON A PLAIN! |
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Post by CharlesX on Jun 29, 2022 18:36:25 GMT
Every Stephen Hand title, including the unpublished ones, sounds like a John Carpenter \ Wes Craven \ Stephen King show (which they are, when they're at their best).
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Jun 29, 2022 20:25:38 GMT
(Minor spoiler!)
"Tales of an evil mage's deathtrap steps – number 20 will shock you!" (Spectral Stalkers)
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Post by a moderator on Jun 30, 2022 16:19:19 GMT
We may have to agree to disagree, because while Appointment with F.E.A.R. seems to me slightly disappointing, not in the same league as Starship Traveller, but maybe with the mediocrity of some other sci-fi Fighting Fantasy, it clearly left more of an impression on you. We know Fighting Fantasy is more commercial works than high literature up there with Hamlet anyway, and there's nothing wrong with that. I was partly making a highbrow, even pretentious point about Hollywood sexualizing, in the same intellectual never-ending vein as you might criticise Legend Of Zagor for having all-male characters, three whites and a 'Dwarf' who looks like a middle-class white. While FF doesn't have a great track record as regards female representation, there are plenty of books far worse on that front than Appointment with F.E.A.R. Including The Forest of Doom, which, as far as I can remember, contains less than half as many female characters as Appointment does non-anonymous women (never mind the various other unidentified females involved in a variety of situations throughout AWF). You're free to criticize books, but your arguments will carry more weight if the books are actually guilty of the things you complain about. And memorability is too subjective a thing to form the basis of a serious critique. |
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Post by slloyd14 on Jun 30, 2022 17:13:33 GMT
Well this didn't go the way I expected.
The old FF books don't have much female representation, true. The new ones are getting better. Crystal of Storms is written by an actual woman.
Blood of the Zombies had a female sidekick.
Scorpion Swamp had the Mistress of Birds who you couldn't attack.
Legend of Zagor could have had Jaklarrial as the wizard. Missed opportunity there as castle Argent is a massive sausage fest (maybe the dragon is female?)
Leesha and Lucretia Dire are pretty badass.
Talisman of Death had a whole army or warrior women and a priestess of the All Mother who is very helpful and the shieldmaiden who is a badass.
Slaves of the Abyss had a few women, who, whether hero or villain, made an impression - the nobles, mainly.
They are there and it is getting better (actual woman author, people!)
Anyway, back to the intended subject of the thread...
Common thief attempts a standard job. What happened next will surprise you. (Midnight rogue)
Suits of armour to avoid this season (Beneath Nightmare Castle)
7 places to avoid when hopping through time and space. Number 4 will SHOCK you (spectral stalkers)
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Post by CharlesX on Jun 30, 2022 17:43:55 GMT
Well this didn't go the way I expected. The old FF books don't have much female representation, true. The new ones are getting better. Crystal of Storms is written by an actual woman. Blood of the Zombies had a female sidekick. Scorpion Swamp had the Mistress of Birds who you couldn't attack. Legend of Zagor could have had Jaklarrial as the wizard. Missed opportunity there as castle Argent is a massive sausage fest (maybe the dragon is female?) Leesha and Lucretia Dire are pretty badass. Talisman of Death had a whole army or warrior women and a priestess of the All Mother who is very helpful and the shieldmaiden who is a badass. Slaves of the Abyss had a few women, who, whether hero or villain, made an impression - the nobles, mainly. They are there and it is getting better (actual woman author, people!) English is insanely subjective and I'm just glad my point is being taken seriously, regardless of whether the odd person may actually agree with me (or vehemently disagree). My personal favourite female in FF (aside from our very non-token author Rhianna Pratchett) is Senyakhaz the Sorceress, but then being pro Goth I think everything about Beneath Nightmare Castle is brilliant! |
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