The higher a book gets in the charts, the more chance it will get noticed by new readers. Books either get into a positive feedback loop where they climb up and up, or they bob briefly and then sink again. So my appeal today is that if you're in the US and you've been thinking of buying a Fabled Lands book, this is the time when it would do the most good.
I'm assuming that, having taken a look, a new reader would want the series to continue. A lot of people do say that, and believe me it warms the cockles of my and Jamie's hearts to hear it, but it could be that I just don't get to hear from the ones who hate the whole idea and are glad the series ended halfway through. I can see why FL may not appeal to some gamebook fans. Instead of a single quest, issued to you at the start as though you'd just tossed your hat onto a stand outside M's office, in Fabled Lands you are a completely free agent and you have to define your own objectives. That's how I like to roleplay. I hate hate hate when the "Games Master" (or umpire, as I prefer to say) tries to steamroller us with a predesignated plotline. So FL really just reflects that style of play. But if you prefer a dictatorship, as some gamers do, then you may find yourself wandering aimlessly hoping that somebody will tell you what to do - or at least give you your motivation.
Given all that, it does make me wonder why FL was reasonably successful in Britain (one of the least free of all Western democracies) but struggled to find readers in the USA. Maybe the new wave of interest will pick up and we can turn that around. If you're in the US, you can find the books right here.
I guess to address more readers in the US, you should put space marines in volume 7
ReplyDeleteSo the starport in Book 4 wasn't enough? :-)
DeleteI really hope FL does take off over here. I think most US readers just aren't used to seeing gamebooks with rules and a complex story. Most people I know are only familiar with the more youth oriented, CYOA style gamebook.
ReplyDeleteJudging by the covers of my Golden Dragon books in the US, eg:
Deletehttp://www.gamebooks.org/gallery/gdfg2a.jpg
it seems they were targeted at younger readers than in Europe. So that's like comics in Britain, which are usually dismissed as being just for pre-tweens. Maybe my interactive Frankenstein novel will help convince an American audience that gamebooks don't only have to be kids' fare.
I just purchased the first three books a few minutes ago, completely on a whim and the strength of some good reviews. Then I Googled the series title for more information, and stopped by here to see that I'm apparently part of some kind of trend without even realizing it.
ReplyDeleteI really need to invest in lining my bike helmet with tinfoil, to block out some of those telepathic rays.
Ah, so *you're* "the man on the Clapham omnibus"...
DeleteI'd just like to say that as a Yank who purchased Book 1 at a used book store, I at first thought that the book series was called The Fabled Lands of Quest.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered why the US publishers changed the name like that. Was there something else called Fabled Lands on sale at the time?
DeleteAmazon.com needs more reviews ?
ReplyDeleteIt'd be nice, but I think we've reached the limits of the known Fableverse. The number of reviews always tails off through a series (as do sales) but I was still hoping that Book 6 would get more than three or four!
DeleteBy the way, i was rereading all books and once again i went to the pyramyds in book 4, only to lose all my gear and almost my characther...
ReplyDeleteIf you dont mind giving a little spoiler, whats inside that pyramid that would make anyone take that risk, as i only got a key?
On a larger side of things, any news about the possibility of a book 7? For myself i would be more than happy to contribute to it, either on writing quests or proof reading text.
Your guess is as good as mine about what lies inside those pyramids, Davide. Book 4 was Jamie, so hopefully he'll drop a few spoiler-lite hints.
DeleteIf we do get to Book 7 we will need contributors - as I've mentioned previously, Jamie and I wouldn't have the time to do all six remaining books on our own. The biggest obstacle to completing the series at the moment is that there simply aren't enough FL fans. We hope that the multi-platform apps from Spirit (due out in a few months) will win us some new readers, and that our new gamebook venture with Osprey Books will also spread the word.
Hi Davide,
ReplyDeleteGo to the City of Ruins. Also, get a pyramid key (can't remember were), return to the pyramid of xinoc, and you'll be able to get all your gear back. Hope that helps!
Actually, the Pyramid Key is found in the City of Ruins. Of course. Actually makes sense. WEll done me:-)
ReplyDeleteHi Dave
ReplyDeleteA quick question - when are books 5 and 6 coming to bookdepository.co.uk? I'd love to buy them on Amazon but the shipping prices to New Zealand are sheer piracy - you would think they were having to treverse the blood dark seas to get here! Thanks!
Amazon bought the Book Depository and they own CreateSpace, who are the printers we used for books 5 and 6. So they ought to be on sale already - in fact, if you go to Amazon and click on "new", I see the Book Depository has a copy listed for £3.63, though I don't know what they'll add for NZ postage:
Deletehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1478377100/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new