Stormslayer - Beauty and the Beast

Came across this online today...


It's a painting of the Manticore that appears at the start of Stormslayer (my most recently published Fighting Fantasy adventure gamebook). It's by a very talented artist called Angeline and I for one am very impressed.

And here's the original illo by artist Stephen Player.


You can see more of Angeline's work at her blog Follow the Muse and at her gallery at DeviantART. I checked it out myself and came across this...


... which I can't help thinking is Larni the Huntress and her Sabretooth taking on the Yeti, who also appear in Stormslayer. So colour me pleased! And here's the original illo by artist Stephen Player...


If anyone else comes across any other Stormslayer-inspired illos, do let me know, and I'll post them here.

Juggernaut Redux

I came across this today...


It's another artist's interpretation of the Juggernaut from Stormslayer and you can see the influence of the movie Transformers in this version (which also inspired elements of the gamebook, as it happens).

And here's artist Stephen Player's original illustration from the book.


To comment on TheFoundingFields version at deviantART, click here.

I got a mention on the Terry Pratchett message boards!

I've just discovered that Stormslayer got a mention back in March on the forum of TerryPratchettBooks.com on the Discworld News, Articles and Interviews forum. And it's all because Stephen Player illustrated the book as well as the illustrated edition of Mr P's The Wee Free Men.


Soon the world will be able to enjoy what I and the editors at Wizard Boooks have already seen for months now, and that's Stephen's fantastic illustrations for Stormslayer. I'll see if I can post some here soon, but for the time being you'll have to settle for his painting of the Ice Elemental from the front cover.


In other Pratchett-related news, the next Discworld novel Unseen Academicals is out in hardback in October with another brilliant cover by Paul Kidby. And if you're over in Arizona in September, you could take part in the First North American Discworld Convention a.k.a. The Turtle Moves! guest staring TP himself.

STORMSLAYER and the Fighting Fantasy re-launch

I am very excited to be able to reveal to you today that on 3 September 2009, my twenty-third book Stormslayer will be published - and it's another Fighting Fantasy gamebook!

That's right, Fighting Fantasy is back with a vengeance. The premier adventure gamebook series is being re-packaged and re-launched, with the first four titles being The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (of course), The Citadel of Chaos, Deathtrap Dungeon and Stormslayer, the first new title in two years.

Stormslayer - cover mock-up

Stormslayer is a classic FF adventure, featuring everything from dragons to giants, via wizards and a certain magical sword. I will be revealing more about it in the weeks to come, but one of the things I am most excited about is that it is being illustrated by the fantastically talented Stephen Player.

Stephen will be known to fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld and, having contributed paintings to various Discworld calendars and illustrated The Illustrated Wee Free Men.

One of the things I enjoy most about writing a Fighting Fantasy gamebook is, once I've finished the text, waiting to see what the artist makes of my illustration briefs, bringing the world I have created to life. So far I've only had a taste of what Stephen's doing for Stormslayer, but that taste has made me hungry for more.

And in case this post has whet your appetite, to keep you going 'til the next one, here's the blurb from the back of the book.

After years of peace, the kingdom of Femphrey is at war again – and this time it’s with the elements! Devastating storms sweep across the country, destroying all in their path. Blizzards and floods threaten some areas while others suffer the worst droughts seen in centuries. But is this climate chaos all it appears to be? Or is there some dark design to this meteorological meltdown?

YOU are a seasoned adventurer, known throughout the land. You have battled giants and slain dragons, but how can even a veteran warrior like yourself fight the weather? Are YOU ready to take up the challenge and face the perils that await you within the eye of the storm?