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Post by CharlesX on Feb 11, 2023 15:49:01 GMT
A big poll about FF stuff which falls outside the main series. Polling closes Feb 20th 10 p.m.
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Post by Pete Byrdie on Feb 11, 2023 15:56:54 GMT
I read all of these, although I never read the novels past The Trolltooth Wars.
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Post by CharlesX on Feb 11, 2023 16:44:15 GMT
is Tasks of Tantalon FF-themed? I'm not sure, but i do think it is great (and a bloody challenge) My understanding is TOT and Casket Of Souls are set in the FF universe with a lot of FF locations referenced. I remember a similar experience to yours, enjoying the rich pictures but finding it very challenging (although not ridiculously so). My other memory of these two is the paper quality being so high my teenage skin got a hefty paper-cut. Edit: hallucination was perhaps unfortunate I went online on the exact same time he did, and so read his message a few seconds ago\less than a minute ago. But that doesn't matter though, I would agree with him these are awesome books! |
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Post by hallucination on Feb 11, 2023 16:46:31 GMT
yes indeed, i was hasty posting. i then picked up Tasks and saw Witchtooth Line and Royal Lendle in the map and deleted my post...
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Post by a moderator on Feb 11, 2023 16:49:25 GMT
Are the AFF books (Dungeoneer, Blacksand! and Allansia) included in this poll as a subset of FF RPG, or are you planning to cover them in a separate poll?
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Post by CharlesX on Feb 11, 2023 17:17:41 GMT
Are the AFF books ( Dungeoneer, Blacksand! and Allansia) included in this poll as a subset of FF RPG, or are you planning to cover them in a separate poll? Right the first time, the AFF books would be a subset of FF RPG along with sci-fi FF. Btw I am interested in whether the sci-fi FF RPG 'works' or otherwise if anyone here has them in their collection. |
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Feb 11, 2023 22:03:34 GMT
Being the relative FF lightweight that I am, I've read Dungeoneer of the AFF lot and recently had my first playthrough of a couple of the Sorcery books for the fortieth challenge. That's it.
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Post by CharlesX on Feb 12, 2023 14:13:37 GMT
We're only a day or so in, but everyone so far seems to have read Sorcery!, presumably the entire series. That's great because Sorcery! is definitely some of the better FFs. I've no idea whether Titan is still in print or available on Ebay at a non-outrageous price, but that's also great both in terms of the writing (comparable to some of the myths and legends I grew up with such as Roger Lancelyn Green) and as a resource for RPGs, as well. From what I can tell Trolltooth Wars sold well in part because it was written in the heyday of FF, but by contrast The Zagor Chronicles sold moderately at best. I've only read Trolltooth Wars, but I've heard The Zagor Chronicles is even more mediocre than The Trolltooth Wars.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Feb 13, 2023 8:25:45 GMT
The only ones I actively looked for was the Sorcery series, but I did eventually picked up whatever FF-related books I find at cheap prices in second-hand bookstores. The ones I never found are Clash of the Princes, Casket of Souls, Tasks of Tantalon and the last FF novel (Shadowmaster).
Also, I admit I never got to actually play any of the RPG books, although I have owned and read them all.
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Post by paperexplorer on Feb 14, 2023 2:59:46 GMT
I'll put my hand up as one who's never read any of the sorcery books. No real reason other than I was focused on the main series books and the only others outside of that I read was Way of the Tiger books
I have read and own all of Trolltooth Wars, Demonstealer and Shadow Master. I read one of the Zagor chronicles books but I seem to have lost it over the years
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Post by misomiso on Feb 14, 2023 12:21:34 GMT
I'll put my hand up as one who's never read any of the sorcery books. No real reason other than I was focused on the main series books and the only others outside of that I read was Way of the Tiger books I have read and own all of Trolltooth Wars, Demonstealer and Shadow Master. I read one of the Zagor chronicles books but I seem to have lost it over the years You must be one of the only FF fans who as never read Sorcery! !
The inkle adaptations are very good, the first two anyway, if you want to dip into them.
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Post by a moderator on Feb 14, 2023 12:53:06 GMT
I'll put my hand up as one who's never read any of the sorcery books. No real reason other than I was focused on the main series books and the only others outside of that I read was Way of the Tiger books I have read and own all of Trolltooth Wars, Demonstealer and Shadow Master. I read one of the Zagor chronicles books but I seem to have lost it over the years You must be one of the only FF fans who as never read Sorcery! ! The poll has already found two such fans. Based on the number of people who've voted (at the time I make this post), that's almost 6%. |
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Post by Wizard Slayer on Feb 15, 2023 13:16:59 GMT
I'm the other one! And that's as somebody who has long had 1-59, buying each book as it came out from 11 onwards, plus Out of the Pit and Titan.
The problem with Sorcery was that they never really had all the books in my local bookshop and I didn't fancy only reading part of a four-part series. Clash, Reaver etc there were copies of at my school so I read those there but again, no complete Sorcery. There was one book which I glanced inside at (I remember the dice on the pages and the enigmatic three-word spells) but again, not wanting to read only Book 2 out of a four-parter made me not look at it at all in detail, much less play it.
Now, thanks to the wonders of the internet I finally own all four red zigzag books (plus the spell book)! When I'll read them I'm not yet sure - I'm currently replaying all the books for the first time in a long time, without cheating. Currently I'm on 42/59, along with Clash and the Cretan Chronicles to go as well. I debated whether to play Sorcery in the middle of the 59, roughly when it was published, but never having read them before and with no-cheating (barring a few house rules) I think they'll take a long while...
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Post by hallucination on Feb 15, 2023 22:16:10 GMT
Probably coming under 'other FF novels' in Charles X's categories, there is also the graphic novel 'adaptation' of Freeway Fighter (it is more like a prequel). And - do i remember correctly - other graphic novel adaptations were in the works at some point, Trolltooth Wars and maybe City of Thieves? (*straining memory*...) Did these ever eventuate?
The Freeway Fighter graphic novel isn't too bad actually. Quality comic-book style art and the story is pretty much what you'd expect but still fun. If i remember right it introduces continuity errors in the backstory of the gamebook that i thought would need a bit of special pleading to smoothen out (but possibly could be done, but who cares, its non-canon, right?), but it also contains some neat connections with the gamebook plot that were fun to encounter.
Of the categories in the poll, I own and have read Sorcery!, Clash of the Princes, Fighting Fantasy the RPG (though I haven't roleplayed the adventures in it), Tasks of Tantalon, several but not all of the novels (groan), Titan and Out of the Pit. If I owned any AFF at some point (and I think I have, just can't remember which), I have since on-sold it. I've never read/seen in the flesh Riddling Reaver or Casket of Souls outside of FFF.
Since it is presently in second-last place I will again praise Tasks of Tantalon, but you already saw above that i think it's pretty cool ;-)
at least it is one of the titles in this poll that can be grabbed on ebay for like 20 quid or less
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Post by paperexplorer on Feb 15, 2023 22:48:33 GMT
I'm glad I'm not the only one who collected 1-59 but not sorcery!
There's still time I guess... scholastic reprints *shudders* are an option I suppose
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,463
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Feb 16, 2023 5:09:35 GMT
I'm glad I'm not the only one who collected 1-59 but not sorcery! There's still time I guess... scholastic reprints *shudders* are an option I suppose Well Books 3 and 4 of them use the original John Blanche illustrations and Book 2 has pretty decent illustrations by Robert Ball so it's not that bad an option if you can put up with Book 1's very poor illustrations. |
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Post by Wizard Slayer on Feb 16, 2023 10:42:47 GMT
Probably coming under 'other FF novels' in Charles X's categories, there is also the graphic novel 'adaptation' of Freeway Fighter (it is more like a prequel). And - do i remember correctly - other graphic novel adaptations were in the works at some point, Trolltooth Wars and maybe City of Thieves? (*straining memory*...) Did these ever eventuate? Don't know about those but there's a Rebel Planet graphic novel Kickstarter which at least reached its goal. I'm glad I'm not the only one who collected 1-59 but not sorcery! There's still time I guess... scholastic reprints *shudders* are an option I suppose I got mine on eBay. |
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Post by scouserob on Feb 16, 2023 11:34:08 GMT
I'm glad I'm not the only one who collected 1-59 but not sorcery! There's still time I guess... scholastic reprints *shudders* are an option I suppose If the paper/cover quality of the Scholastic editions is similar to Port of Peril, Gates of Death, etc, then a Wizard Edition copy will probably feel and look a whole lot better whilst wearing much more slowly. They seem reasonably priced for second hand, 'very good condition' copies on Ebay, AbeBooks, etc. |
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Post by CharlesX on Feb 21, 2023 9:59:32 GMT
Thank you everyone who responded! I would say 40 voters is amazing!
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