Fighting Fantasy co-founders pen two new books for series' 40th anniversary

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Sir Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson.

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13 April 2022​

 

Fighting Fantasy co-founders Sir Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson have written two new titles in the gamebooks franchise for Scholastic UK, marking the series’ 40th anniversary.

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Catherine Bell, co-group M.D., acquired world rights in Shadow of the Giants by Livingstone and Secrets of Salamonis by Jackson directly from the authors. Both books will publish in paperback this September, to mark 40 years since the release of the first book, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. 

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The plot of Shadow of the Giants features an ancient artefact discovered inside Firetop Mountain, whose evil magic unleashes terrifying Iron Giants upon the world of Allansia. It is Livingstone’s third new Fighting Fantasy book in recent years. 

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Jackson’s book Secrets of Salamonis is his first new title for 33 years, since the publication of The Trolltooth Wars in 1989. Having arrived in the City of Salamonis following a run of a bad luck, the adventurer must turn to the Salamonian Adventurers’ Guild, who will offer the player quests such as defeating the Rattapillar.

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Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone launched the Fighting Fantasy series 40 years ago.

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Livingstone and Jackson are the co-founders of prominent games company Games Workshop. Livingstone founded the Livingstone Academy, which aims to give its students the tools needed to succeed as young creators in a digital world. He received a knighthood this year for services to the online gaming industry.

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He said: “I am incredibly proud that The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is 40 years old and continues to entertain children and adults around the world. I am delighted to be celebrating the 40th anniversary with the publication of my new Fighting Fantasy gamebook, Shadow of the Giants, and hope readers will enjoy the new challenge.”

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Jackson added: “It’s been a little longer than a two-day hike needed to reach Firetop Mountain in the first book. Forty years, in fact. And during that time 20 million books in 26 languages have turned Fighting Fantasy readers around the world into armchair adventurers in search of great treasures. May their STAMINA never fail!”

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