It’s book 45 of the long running Fighting Fantasy series! Spectral Stalkers was written by Peter Darvill-Evans with internal art by Tony Hough and cover art by Tony Hough. It’s the third and final book Darvill-Evans contributed to the series but will he go out with a bang? Listen along to find out as HJDoom plays through the book and offers some thoughts.
Episode 44 - Legend of the Shadow Warriors
Book 44 and Fighting Fantasy is somehow still firing on all cylinders. Stephen Hand had already contributed to the excellent Dead of Night with Jim Bambara but will his sophomore outing be a chance to show what he can do solo? With art by Martin McKenna and cover art by the reliable David Gallagher, Legend of the Shadow Warriors is a curious beast but is it any good? Listen along to find out.
Episode 40 - Dead of Night
We're into the 40s! Will they start with a bang? Listen along to find out as HJDoom plays through Dead of Night by Jim Bambra and Stephen Hand with art by Martin McKenna.
Episode 38 - Vault of the Vampire
Joy unbounded at Doom HQ as we come to book 38 in the Fighting Fantasy series, Vault of the Vampire. I’m a big horror fan in general and a gothic horror fan in particular so the prospect of venturing into a spooky castle in search of a vampire is a real treat to me. It’s got a great hook but can the book, written by returning scribe Keith Martin and illustrated by legendary British illustrator Martin McKenna, live up to the sinister premise? Listen along to find out.
Episode 36 - Armies of Death
Ian Livingstone returns to Fighting Fantasy with Armies of Death, book 36 in the Fighting Fantasy series with art by Nik Williams and cover art by Chris Achilleos. Will HJDoom manage to recruit an army strong enough to take on the latest demon king to menace Allansia? Listen along to find out.
If you want to support this podcast you can do so (and score yourself a whole bunch of gaming material) by going to www.patreon.com/hjdoom and pledging as little as a single English pound or local equivalent.
Episode 32 - Slaves of the Abyss
It’s our first proper episode of 2023 and HJDoom is tackling book 32 in the Fighting Fantasy series which is Slaves of the Abyss by Paul Mason and Steve Williams with illustrations by Bob Harvey and cover art by Terry Oakes. Things start off with some fairly hackneyed kingdom in peril stuff but things rapidly get quite a bit stranger as the book progresses. Featuring a time mechanic and an extremely aggravating cameo from the Riddling Reaver that we happily avoid in the playthrough portion this book certainly has an uneven tone but is it any good? Listen along to find out.
If you’d like to support my nonsense financially you can do so by going to www.patreon.com/hjdoom and, along with my undying gratitude, you can score yourself some sweet gamebooks and RPGs what I done wrote.
Episode 30 - Chasms of Malice
We’ve hit book 30 and this episode is very much a game of two halves. The playthrough of Chasms of Malice went very smoothly but the analysis of the book took me forever. Regardless, here it is, my playthrough and review of Luke Sharp’s Chasms of Malice. It was illustrated by the great Russ Nicholson with cover art by Les Edwards. It was released by Puffin Books in 1988.
If you enjoy my nonsense then please consider supporting me either by leaving a review on your podcast provider or, if you’ve cash to spare, by going to patreon.com/hjdoom. All patrons receive a whole parcel of gaming stuff including my brand new adventure game book Rats in the Cellar.
Episode 29 - Midnight Rogue
Midnight Rogue, book 29 in the Fighting Fantasy series, finally takes on the classic fantasy gaming archetype of the thief. Ever since Bilbo Baggins half-inched a fancy geegaw from under the nose of a psychotic dragon gamers have dreamed of purloining shiny things without legal consequence. An added bonus; this gamebook takes you back to Port Blacksand, one of the great fantasy city and the perfect backdrop for a spot of larceny. In this episode HJDoom plays through the 1987 gamebook by Graeme Davis with art by John Sibbick and offers some thoughts about what was good and what could have done with improvement.
You can support my nonsense here: www.patreon.com/hjdoom. Patrons get my heartfelt gratitude and a parcel of gaming stuff with a brand new gamebook just around the corner.
Episode 24 - Creature of Havoc (Part One)
Creature of Havoc looms large in the canon of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. It’s often considered as the single best book in the whole run. Join HJDoom as he plays through the opening half and tries to keep a clear head in the face of a book throwing all manner of different things into the mix. The more observant among you will also have noticed that this is labelled part 1. That’s because this is a book so expansive that only a second episode can possibly contain the awesome totality of this tome. I’ll be aiming to record the second episode sooner rather than later but I’m also in the middle of deadline hell there may be some delay. Regardless Steve Jackson has delivered something truly special with this one and Alan Langford’s clean art makes a fantastic contrast to the obtuseness of the text.
If you’d like to support my nonsense you can do so by going to patreon.com/hjdoom and pledging as little as a thin English pound (or local equivalent).
Episode 20 - Sword of the Samurai
What looks like medieval Japan, sounds like medieval Japan, but technically isn’t medieval Japan? Sword of the Samurai, that’s what. Set on the mythical land of Hachiman which just so happens to be functionally identical to Japan this Fighting Fantasy book has you set out to find a magic sword on behalf of the Shogu##n. There are many pitfalls along the way so why not have a listen to enjoy a few of them?
There’s also an update on my very own adventure gamebook which is now complete. It’ll be going out to my patrons at Christmas. You can join that august assembly by going to www.patreon.com/hjdoom and pledging as little as a single English pound or local equivalent to support this podcast.
Sword of the Samurai was written by Mark Smith and Jamie Thomson with illustrations by Alan Langford. It was released i n 1986 by Puffin Books and the cover art was by Peter Andew Jones.