Product Description

In a tavern in Fang, a mysterious stranger offers YOU the chance to find the Golden Dragon, perhaps the most valuable treasure in all Allansia. But it is hidden in a labryinth beneath Darkwood Forest and is guarded by the most violent creatures and deadly traps. Ages 8+.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37590 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

About the Author
Ian Livingstone is, with Steve Jackson, the originator of the Fighting Fantasy series.

Since Fighting Fantasy’s huge success, he has become a major figure in world of computer games, and is currently Creative Director of Eidos, the name behind Tomb Raider.

Customer Reviews

A welcome return, but not the best of the genre
At last Fighting Fantasy returns with a new title! As a long-time fan I am glad to see the series return. This said, this is not among the best of the adventures available - though like most of the books, it has its moments.

The strengths of this book are its dungeon design and the huge array of items available. Many of these are red herrings, but a surprising number have some use in the game, meaning that, even after several plays, the "right" course through the dungeon is unclear. The dungeon is complex enough to require substantial mapping, a joy for those who like this aspect of mastering a gamebook. Expect, too, a return to basics for the genre, with dragons, goblins, thievery, mercenary warriors, dungeons, mysterious strangers, magic items and all the rest.

The downside is that (like Livingstone's Crypt of the Sorceror) it is almost impossible to beat. Even with a maximum in the randomly-generated stats, a player will have trouble completing the quest, which requires beating a monster with similar stats and another which drains skill. In other words, you're not going to complete the book without "cheating" at some of the fights, or else being extremely lucky. I find the fun of the books to be puzzle-solving, and I like to beat them fairly, so it's frustrating when the combat scenarios are set up to make the book near-impossible.

Most of the word-count of the book goes on the dungeon section, so the story is correspondingly minimal, but expect a few plot twists nonetheless.

10 Years On� A New Fighting Fantasy book!
I have waiting a long long time for this to arrive...

In recent times I've found it difficult to make time for Dungeons & Dragons but these books provide an excellent substitute; in fact the books supersede D&D in my opinion.

It's thought-provoking than Ian has stuck with the basic formula that he used in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain all those years ago. I have great respect for him here; a lot of the later books advanced the game foundations by incorporating a lot more features and parameters. It's been well over 12 years since Ian's last book and going back to the roots of the Fighting Fantasy system is a first-class move on his behalf. You have the three main characteristics and box to list your equipment - a simple and effective start. Well Done Ian!

The new adventure is original although in familiar lands. Ian's writing oozes quality and a typical "Vintage Livingstone" style is evident throughout. The paragraphs are atmospheric and provide a breath of fresh air from the earlier books. Ian's writing really is superlative in many respects. It's worthy of note that Ian has racked up the difficulty level to complete this adventure and this is good news for all.

I collected these books in my youth and they still captivate me. You will not be disappointed by Ian's efforts here and I have the utmost gratitude for him and Wizard Books reviving the series for a brand new generation. For those of us who have collected these books for years - this is an essential addition.

Please do not be put off by these books roaming around in the children's sections of many bookstores - it really is for all ages and brought back many memories bygone. It's brings a warm feeling to my heart knowing that someone somewhere will be picking this up for the first-time. It will open their reading and imagination to new heights and I'm sure they will look at the other books.

Happy adventuring!

Classic Fighting Fantasy is Back!
At last Fighting Fantasy has made a come back! Ian Livingstone, the co-creator and genius master-writer of this ultra fantastic phenomenom, is back with all the energy, style and quality you'd expect from a classic fighting fantasy book! Eye of the Dragon is just so cool! The illustrations are top notch and the adventure is just as vibrant as the early fighting fantasy books! It's as though Ian Livingstone utterly refuses to grow old! A very rare quality indeed. I hope he writes more!