Fighting Fantasy

This is showing my age a bit but when I was growing up, Fighting Fantasy was a huge thing. These books combined 'choose your own adventure' style (non-linear paragraphs) with dice-rolling RPG elements to create a self contained role-playing game in a book. I very distinctly remember when we used to visit the library in primary school and in spite of the school librarian's best efforts, I would refuse to get involved and read anything. I hated books and reading in general; I was more interested in watching TV and playing outside (this was around the same time as He-Man, Transformers, and Thundercats) and sadly I can be pretty stubborn at times.
That all changed one day when the school librarian suggested I try reading a Fighting Fantasy book: Temple of Terror was my first. From then on, I was hooked and the time spent reading increased dramatically and became a lifelong habit I still enjoy! I was always reading one of the books in the series/collection - if I was waiting on a new title, I would go back and re-read a previous one or borrow one of my mates books that I didn't have. I was always down at the local bookshop on a Friday afternoon looking to buy the latest or one I hadn't read previously. Over the years I built up a sizeable collection. I didn't have all the titles, probably missing 5-10 titles overall but between my best friend and I, we had the full set all and we were always lending/discussing them. I remember running around the playground during lunchbreak shouting spells at each other - ZAP and WOK were pretty common as I recall. I also remember taking the Sorcery! series with me when I studied in Japan for 6 months (Lord of the Rings also came along). I also have the Inkle Sorcery! games on my phone and they get replayed pretty often - I highly recommend them!

Sadly at some point when I was moving around Sydney in my early 20's I seem to have lost my collection. It seems crazy to me that I would have allowed it to happen! As I said, they got me into reading but also inspired me to get into artwork/illustration - I would often replicate some of the illustrations and give them to friends. These books meant a lot to me but unfortunately I can't seem to remember what happened to them?!

Fast forward a few years and I saw that they are reproducing some of the original books (although with Gold spines now instead of the classic green, and with new artwork, which is good but obviously the original artwork holds a huge amount of nostalgia for me) but it got me thinking I would really love to share my love of the series with my family. I got the first series of the re-released books (1-5) and my youngest son showed some interest in reading them, I was so excited! Maybe a little too excited... we got a few paragraphs deep into 'House of Hell' and his interest started to wane. We haven't got back into it yet but I will make it my mission to convert him!

I decided to look on ebay to see if any of the old books were still around - I was really surprised to see them still being sold - and most titles were not crazy expensive (although I saw some go up to $600-$800!!!). I have decided to start collecting some of the originals (see pic). I went a little overboard to begin with but I started with the Sorcery! series, Out of the Pit, Titan, and a couple of the game books but I am very much at the start of the collection. I am not particularly worried about books being in pristine condition, first editions, whether they have the zig-zag header or the bronze dragon, I wouldn't say that I am looking to make money or anything like that - it is the process of collecting (slowly over time) and seeing all those titles on the bookshelf that I am looking forward to. Being able to hold those books in my hands, flick through the pages, enjoy the amazing illustrations and remember when I first read them and share those memories with friends and family. How these books inspired a generation of young boys and girls (including me) to take up reading, do illustration, be creative and engage in RPG's and storytelling in general. And to anyone reading this that has old copies on the shelf that they no longer want - I'll buy them so let me know!!