I remember getting a book token (remember those?) as a boy for Christmas. I bought the first three books in a presentation slipcase and I was hooked from there.
Oh man, I have the first 36 of these books. They were my religion as a young teen. Starship Traveler inspired my own sci fi series spanning 2000 years....
I had this, gave it away as a birthday gift a few years ago. The back of the Hungarian version is red (every book had a different color). I agree, the swamp wasn't really dangerous. I think you meet more friendly faces, than enemies.
Hi, Mike. I enjoyed your video, even though I have no experience with any of these gamebooks. I was intrigued by the idea of two Steve Jacksons, so I did a quick online search to learn a bit more. I learned that the "other" Steve Jackson (i.e., the Steve Jackson who wrote this gamebook) is an American, and he wrote three books in this Fighting Fantasy gamebook series (of which British Steve Jackson is co-creator 😆). The three FF gamebooks written by the US Steve Jackson are "Scorpion Swamp," "Demons of the Deep," and "Robot Commando." Also, I agree with you about the artwork. I like it, but it does seem out of place. It needs to be darker, more mysterious, more dangerous feeling, like the drawings in the other books are.
Top research, Julie! I played these books over and over back in the day, not realising there were two Steves! I think other Steve should have his own theme tune, to the refrain of the Pink Panther theme: “He’s the other Steve Jackson, an-other Steve Jackson, he’s a Steve Jackson who DID his own thing…”
@@michaelbartlettfilm I like that I idea! But I was having trouble fitting those lyrics to the Pink Panther theme. The only Pink Panther theme I remember is the instrumental theme from the movie. So I did another online search and did find a video of a Pink Panther theme song that has a different tune and also has lyrics. Apparently that song is from the Pink Panther TV show. I had forgotten about that. I'm not sure that I ever watched it, but in any event I did not watch it regularly and I don't remember that song. So now I know. 😆 There are two Steve Jacksons and also two Pink Panther themes!!
@@michaelbartlettfilm Thanks! I got it. 👍 I was in my 20s and early 30s in the 1970s, and I also didn't have any kids. So I guess that is why I didn't watch the show.
Based on the recommendations of you and several others, I think I'll look for City of Thieves next. By the way, wasn't there some gamebooks with knightly romance style? (Arthurian maybe? or perhaps I'm mixing up with other books)
I don't have this book (I have all the books in PDF form, but reading FF books in PDF is a bit like filing your nails with a cheese-grater.... Painful indeed) but from your review it does sound very interesting.
@@michaelbartlettfilm I did download them all from a dodgy torrent site a long time ago (think it was the Pirate Bay well over ten years ago). Still think I've got them somewhere, however on my desktop at the moment in PDF form I've got 41 to 60 (plus a lot of earlier ones, and stuff like Out Of The Pit).
@@michaelbartlettfilm I did have them all in PDF (probably still do somewhere... downloaded I think from a dodgy Torrent site... probably The Pirate Bay). At the moment though on my desktop I still have 41 to 60 and quite a few earlier one, plus "Out of the Pit" and a few other things published for FF. If you need any of these, I can always email them to you.
A CYOA book I played as a kid (in the German translation), that I have fond memories of, gets talked about by a guy who has a channel mostly talking about artsy films. It's a strange, but sometimes fascinating, world... At the time, the "open world" feel of this book was pretty mind blowing to me. The fact that this was written by another Steve Jackson I also find quite interesting. Do you know of the Fabled Lands books? I played them as child too, a bit later after this.
"Arty films and Fighting Fantasy - living the dream!" -> I can't deny that... 😄 I bought another Dave Morris book, Heart of Ice, some time ago, but never read it. Maybe I should in the near future...
Oh, no, Doug, I feel terrible now! Having a bit of a summer break at the mo. Will be back with more video goodness in the autumn. Keep watching the skies!
Love the open world feel to this adventure, something American Jackson replicated in Robot Commando and Demons of the Deep
I remember getting a book token (remember those?) as a boy for Christmas. I bought the first three books in a presentation slipcase and I was hooked from there.
Ah, book tokens… sometimes they’d give them out as a prize at my school. I remember buying a big glossy book on Warhammer with some. Happy days.
Loving this series. The nostalgia is hitting me hard. I read these with my dad and brother in the 90s.
Glad you’re enjoying it, Fiona. It’s been a huge nostalgia trip for me making the videos too.
Oh man, I have the first 36 of these books. They were my religion as a young teen. Starship Traveler inspired my own sci fi series spanning 2000 years....
Where can I find that?
I had this, gave it away as a birthday gift a few years ago. The back of the Hungarian version is red (every book had a different color). I agree, the swamp wasn't really dangerous. I think you meet more friendly faces, than enemies.
I know, it’s all quite pleasant, really!
Hi, Mike. I enjoyed your video, even though I have no experience with any of these gamebooks. I was intrigued by the idea of two Steve Jacksons, so I did a quick online search to learn a bit more. I learned that the "other" Steve Jackson (i.e., the Steve Jackson who wrote this gamebook) is an American, and he wrote three books in this Fighting Fantasy gamebook series (of which British Steve Jackson is co-creator 😆). The three FF gamebooks written by the US Steve Jackson are "Scorpion Swamp," "Demons of the Deep," and "Robot Commando."
Also, I agree with you about the artwork. I like it, but it does seem out of place. It needs to be darker, more mysterious, more dangerous feeling, like the drawings in the other books are.
Top research, Julie! I played these books over and over back in the day, not realising there were two Steves! I think other Steve should have his own theme tune, to the refrain of the Pink Panther theme: “He’s the other Steve Jackson, an-other Steve Jackson, he’s a Steve Jackson who DID his own thing…”
@@michaelbartlettfilm I like that I idea! But I was having trouble fitting those lyrics to the Pink Panther theme. The only Pink Panther theme I remember is the instrumental theme from the movie. So I did another online search and did find a video of a Pink Panther theme song that has a different tune and also has lyrics. Apparently that song is from the Pink Panther TV show. I had forgotten about that. I'm not sure that I ever watched it, but in any event I did not watch it regularly and I don't remember that song. So now I know. 😆 There are two Steve Jacksons and also two Pink Panther themes!!
@@julieborel3043 yeah, sorry, it’s the theme for the kids’ cartoon TV series from the 70s. I’ve emailed you the opening credits!
@@michaelbartlettfilm Thanks! I got it. 👍 I was in my 20s and early 30s in the 1970s, and I also didn't have any kids. So I guess that is why I didn't watch the show.
Based on the recommendations of you and several others, I think I'll look for City of Thieves next. By the way, wasn't there some gamebooks with knightly romance style? (Arthurian maybe? or perhaps I'm mixing up with other books)
@@trondsi I don’t remember any in the FF series.
I don't have this book (I have all the books in PDF form, but reading FF books in PDF is a bit like filing your nails with a cheese-grater.... Painful indeed) but from your review it does sound very interesting.
Have you got the later, post-number 40 books in PDF?
@@michaelbartlettfilm I did download them all from a dodgy torrent site a long time ago (think it was the Pirate Bay well over ten years ago). Still think I've got them somewhere, however on my desktop at the moment in PDF form I've got 41 to 60 (plus a lot of earlier ones, and stuff like Out Of The Pit).
@@milthyswinbuckle5158 Ooooo-oooh! Might ask to borrow some at some point... Or will you require gold pieces, squire?
@@michaelbartlettfilm I did have them all in PDF (probably still do somewhere... downloaded I think from a dodgy Torrent site... probably The Pirate Bay). At the moment though on my desktop I still have 41 to 60 and quite a few earlier one, plus "Out of the Pit" and a few other things published for FF. If you need any of these, I can always email them to you.
@@milthyswinbuckle5158 Thanks so much, Milthy! I'll ask you later in the retrospective. Never got around to the later titles back in the day.
A CYOA book I played as a kid (in the German translation), that I have fond memories of, gets talked about by a guy who has a channel mostly talking about artsy films. It's a strange, but sometimes fascinating, world...
At the time, the "open world" feel of this book was pretty mind blowing to me. The fact that this was written by another Steve Jackson I also find quite interesting.
Do you know of the Fabled Lands books? I played them as child too, a bit later after this.
I’ve only just discovered the Fabled Land series. I really like The Eye of the Dragon. (Arty films and Fighting Fantasy - living the dream!)
"Arty films and Fighting Fantasy - living the dream!" -> I can't deny that... 😄 I bought another Dave Morris book, Heart of Ice, some time ago, but never read it. Maybe I should in the near future...
Still waiting for a new video
Oh, no, Doug, I feel terrible now! Having a bit of a summer break at the mo. Will be back with more video goodness in the autumn. Keep watching the skies!
When are u reviewing book 9?
Coming soon! (Maybe in a couple of weeks' time) Taken a break from the channel recently, but I will be back!
Steve Jackson is better than Steve Jackson
Well, I think Steve Jackson might have something to say about that
Who is better? The Yankee or the British?
@@reality75 Le Brit, certainement!