The Citadel of Chaos

Last updated
The Citadel of Chaos
The citadel of chaos.jpg
Cover of the first edition
Author Steve Jackson
Illustrator Russ Nicholson and Malcolm Barter
Cover artist
  • Puffin: Emmanuel and Ian Miller
  • U.S.: Richard Corben
  • Wizard: Kevin Jenkins
Series Fighting Fantasy
  • Puffin number: 2
  • Wizard number: 2
GenreFantasy
Location: Allansia, Titan
Publication date
  • Puffin: 31 March 1983
  • Dell/Laurel-Leaf: 1983
  • Wizard: 2002
Media typePrint (Paperback)
ISBN 0-14-031603-5 (Puffin)
ISBN   1-84046-389-9 (Wizard)
Preceded by The Warlock of Firetop Mountain  
Followed by The Forest of Doom  

The Citadel of Chaos is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by Russ Nicholson. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the second gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. The gamebook was also adapted into a video game.

Contents

Rules

Story

The Citadel of Chaos is a fantasy scenario in which the player takes the role of an adventurer magician hero who must navigate the hazardous castle of the evil wizard Balthus Dire. [1] To confront Dire, the player must avoid monsters and collect several artefacts that will allow passage past guardians to the villain's inner sanctum.

Reception

Marcus L. Rowland reviewed The Citadel of Chaos for the June 1983 issue of White Dwarf , rating the title a 9 out of a possible 10. Rowland called The Citadel of Chaos "an exciting adventure", and noted that the book's introduction of magic as an extra characteristic "adds a new range of decisions to encounters". [2]

Karen L. Miller, staff writer at Reading Eagle , stated that the title featured "an elaborate combat system with adventure score sheets. This way you read and at the same time...conquer the dreaded sorcerer at the heart of The Citadel of Chaos". [3]

In other media

A video game based on the book was released by Puffin Books for the ZX Spectrum [4] and Commodore 64 [5] in 1984.

In 2010, an electronic version of the title was released for the iPhone and iPad by Big Blue Bubble. [6] When Big Blue Bubble later lost the license, all its apps were withdrawn.

In 2018, the audio company FoxYason Music Productions, known for their work with Big Finish Productions announced that they would be releasing an original, full-cast audio drama based on The Citadel of Chaos in a CD boxset with The Forest of Doom , Deathtrap Dungeon , and Creature of Havoc for summer 2018. It will be written by David N. Smith, directed by Richard Fox and will feature Rachel Atkins returning to the role of Vale Moonwing from FoxYason Music's first release based on The Warlock of Firetop Mountain , sub-titled The Hero's Quest. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Fighting Fantasy</i> Roleplaying gamebook

Fighting Fantasy is a series of single-player role-playing gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volume in the series was published in paperback by Puffin in 1982.

<i>Titan</i> (Fighting Fantasy book)

Titan: The Fighting Fantasy World is a book in the Fighting Fantasy series of children's role-playing gamebooks, first published by Puffin Books in 1986. Although credited to Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, it was actually written by Marc Gascoigne, although mostly based on locations, characters and events already described in other books in the series. It is written in the manner of an encyclopedia about the fantasy world of Titan, in which the majority of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks are set.

Steve Jackson is a British game designer, writer, game reviewer and co-founder of UK game publisher Games Workshop.

<i>The Warlock of Firetop Mountain</i> Adventure gamebook

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Russ Nicholson. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1982, the title is the first gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002, and Scholastic Books in 2017. As well as launching the Fighting Fantasy series, the gamebook inspired two direct sequels and five novels, and has been adapted into a board game, an audio drama and a video game.

<i>Steve Jacksons Sorcery!</i>

Sorcery!, originally titled Steve Jackson's Sorcery!, is a single-player four-part adventure gamebook series written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Blanche. Originally published by Penguin Books between 1983 and 1985, the titles are part of the Fighting Fantasy canon, but were not allocated numbers within the original 59-book series. Sorcery! was re-published by Wizard Books in 2003 and recreated as the Sorcery! video game series by Inkle.

<i>Starship Traveller</i>

Starship Traveller is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by Peter Andrew Jones. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the fourth gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. A digital version developed by Tin Man Games is available for Android, iOS, Windows 10, MacOS, and Linux.

<i>Deathtrap Dungeon</i>

Deathtrap Dungeon is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Iain McCaig. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1984, the title is the sixth gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002.

<i>Island of the Lizard King</i>

Island of the Lizard King is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Alan Langford. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1984, the title is the seventh gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. A digital version developed by Tin Man Games was released for Android and iOS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Way of the Tiger</span> Series of adventure gamebooks

The Way of the Tiger is a series of adventure gamebooks by Mark Smith and Jamie Thomson, originally published by Knight Books from 1985. They are set on the fantasy world of Orb. The reader takes the part of a young monk/ninja, named Avenger, initially on a quest to avenge his foster father's murder and recover stolen scrolls. Later books presented other challenges for Avenger to overcome, most notably taking over and ruling a city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endless Quest</span>

The Endless Quest books were three series of gamebooks. The first two series were released in the 1980s and 1990s by TSR, while the third series was released by Wizards of the Coast. Originally, these books were the result of an Educational department established by TSR with the intention of developing curriculum programs for subjects such as reading, math, history, and problem solving.

<i>The Forest of Doom</i>

The Forest of Doom is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Malcolm Barter. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the third gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series, and the first of several to feature the character Yaztromo. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. The gamebook was also adapted into a video game.

<i>City of Thieves</i> (gamebook)

City of Thieves is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone and illustrated by Iain McCaig. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the fifth gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002.

<i>House of Hell</i>

House of Hell is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson, illustrated by Tim Sell and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 10th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031831-3) and 7th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-417-8). A digital version was developed by Tin Man Games for Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS.

<i>Talisman of Death</i>

Talisman of Death is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Jamie Thomson and Mark Smith, illustrated by Bob Harvey and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2006. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 11th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031859-3) and 24th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-566-2).

<i>Creature of Havoc</i> Fighting Fantasy book

Creature of Havoc is a single-player roleplaying gamebook written by British game designer Steve Jackson, illustrated by Alan Langford and originally published in 1986 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. It forms part of Jackson and Ian Livingstone's fictional Fighting Fantasy series, and is the last Fighting Fantasy gamebook written by Jackson. It is the 24th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-032040-7) and 4th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-391-0).

<i>Seas of Blood</i>

Seas of Blood is a single-player roleplaying gamebook written by Andrew Chapman, illustrated by Bob Harvey and originally published in 1985 by Puffin Books. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 16th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031951-4). The title was loosely adapted into a text-based video game by company Adventure Soft.

<i>Rebel Planet</i>

Rebel Planet is a single-player roleplaying gamebook written by Robin Waterfield, illustrated by Gary Mayes and originally published in 1985 by Puffin Books. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 18th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031952-2). There are currently no announced plans to republish the book as part of the modern Wizard series.

Marc Gascoigne is a British author and editor.

Jamie Thomson is a British writer, editor and game developer, and winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012.

<i>The Warlock of Firetop Mountain</i> (video game) 1984 video game

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is an action game published by Crystal Computing in 1984 for the ZX Spectrum home computer. It is loosely based on the adventure gamebook of the same name written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, and published by Puffin Books in 1982.

References

  1. Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 365. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. Rowland, Marcus (June 1983). "Open Box". White Dwarf . Games Workshop (42): 16.
  3. Miller, Karen L. (January 8, 1984). "Fantasy game books spark reading". Reading Eagle. Reading, Pennsylvania. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  4. "The Citadel of Chaos (1984) ZX Spectrum game". Universal Videogame List.
  5. "Tesco - Online Groceries, Homeware, Electricals & Clothing". homepages.tesco.net.
  6. "Fighting Fantasy Classics on the App Store". App Store. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  7. "Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas". www.fightingfantasyaudiodramas.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.