The cover of The Shamutanti Hills, the first chapter in the Crown of Kings storyline (1983). Art by John Blanche. |
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| Publisher(s) | Puffin, Wizard Books |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 1983 |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| System(s) | Gamebook |
Sorcery! is a single-player four-part adventure gamebook series written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Blanche. Originally published by Puffin Books from 1983 to 1985, the titles form part of the Fighting Fantasy series, despite not being part of the formal chronology. The series was republished by Wizard Books from 2002.
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The Sorcery! series was published from 1983 to 1985 as four individual titles, being The Shamutanti Hills; Khare: Cityport of Traps; The Seven Serpents and The Crown of Kings. The series was supported by the Sorcery! Spellbook, published in 1983 (eventually incorporated as an appendix into the four titles in later printings). Steve Jackson and John Blanche provided the writing and artwork on all titles. The series was republished by Wizard Books from 2002.
The series has some additional features, such as allowing the player to choose between playing as a warrior or a slightly weaker sorcerer. As a sorcerer, the player has access to 48 spells, with each appearing as a three-letter word that has to be memorized (e.g. "ZAP"; "SIX" and "ZED"). Each spell costs STAMINA to cast, and it is also possible to choose the wrong option, as author Jackson has placed false three-letter spell words throughout each adventure.
As the adventurer, the player also has the option of calling on a patron goddess once per adventure, who will provide an instant escape from a situation.
Each title also featured dice images at the bottom of each page, making it possible for the player to randomly "flick" through the pages for the equivalent of a dice roll. The Fighting Fantasy titles published by Wizard Books use the same device.
Your search for the legendary Crown of Kings takes you to the Shamutanti Hills. Alive with evil creatures, lawless wanderers and bloodthirsty monsters, the land is riddled with tricks and traps waiting for the unwary traveller. Will you be able to cross the hills safely and proceed to the second part of the adventure - or will you perish in the attempt?
The story is set on the fictional Fighting Fantasy world of Titan, on the continent known as The Old World. A powerful artifact known as the Crown of Kings, which bestows magical powers of leadership upon its owner, has been stolen from the land of Analand by the cruel Archmage of Mampang Fortress. With the Crown, the Archmage will be able to gain leadership of the lawless and brutal region of Kakhabad and begin an invasion of surrounding kingdoms. The player takes on the role of the lone hero who has been dispatched to retrieve the Crown, thereby averting the invasion and saving Analand from terrible disgrace. What follows is an epic quest across the wilds of the Shamutanti Hills; through the maze-like city Khare; over the empty Baklands plains and encounters with the deadly Seven Serpents and a final hazardous journey to Mampang Fortress, where the adventurer finally confronts the Archmage.
From 2010, the series is being re-released in electronic form for the iPhone and iPad by Big Blue Bubble.[1]