Demian's Gamebook Web Page

Series - Fabled Lands

Please log in to leave a comment.

[List All Series] [List Series Full Text] [List Series Images] [List Series People] [List Series Subjects/Tags]

Language:English
Alternate Title: Quest (American edition)
Publishers: Fabled Lands Publishing -- United Kingdom
Megara Entertainment -- France
Pan Books -- United Kingdom
Price Stern Sloan -- United States
Categories: Complexity Level : Advanced (Full Game System)
Format : Paperback
Game System : Character Advancement
Game System : Codewords
Game System : Combat
Game System : Inventory Management
Game System : Magic
Game System : Randomization Method : Dice
Game System : Scores
Game System : Skill Selection
Genre : Fantasy
Target Age Group : Older Children
Target Age Group : Teenagers
Writing Style : Present Tense
Writing Style : Second Person
Translated Into: Bájné země (Czech)
Fabled Lands (French)
Legenden von Harkuna (German)
Sagaland (German)
Terre Leggendarie (Italian)

Probably the most intricately designed gamebooks ever published, the Fabled Lands books are all interconnected; each book represents a different segment of a larger world, and it is possible to hop from book to book in a non-linear fashion, completing quests and gaining in experience. Players have six attributes (Charisma, Combat, Magic, Sanctity, Scouting and Thievery) whose initial scores are determined by character profession. There are also Stamina points to represent health and a limited inventory for storing items. Codewords are used in each book to keep track of which areas have already been visited and which major events have already occurred, and there are sometimes places in the text where players may leave behind items to be retrieved later. The unfortunate thing about this series, though, is that it was never completed; after six volumes, it went out of print, so the entire world is inaccessible to readers. For many years, the situation was even worse in the United States, where only two books were published under the Quest label. Fortunately, starting in 2010, the original six books were reissued. The first book was also further re-issued in a deluxe hardcover edition by Megara Entertainment with full-colour artwork.

In early 2018 the long-awaited seventh book finally appeared, funded by a Kickstarter campaign and published by Megara Entertainment.

Gamebooks

1. The War-Torn Kingdom
2. Cities of Gold and Glory
3. Over the Blood-Dark Sea
4. The Plains of Howling Darkness
5. The Court of Hidden Faces
6. Lords of the Rising Sun
7. The Serpent King's Domain
8. The Lone and Level Sands
9. The Isle of a Thousand Spires
10. Legions of the Labyrinth
11. The City of Clouds
12. Into the Underworld

Related Documents

Play Aid

Fabled Lands #7 Character Sheet
Thanks to sireeyore for the scan.

Fabled Lands #7 Map (Megara)
Thanks to Ian Berger for the map.

User Comments

It's a great shame that only half of the planned 12 books were ever released, because Fabled Lands were [or would've been] the largest and most expansive gamebook series ever. Each of the books represented a specific area in the world, and players could choose a profession, and literally travel from book to book.

There were many, many quests available to be undertaken. Many of these were one-time only, or could only be taken by a certain profession. Some quests even required multiple books.

The free roaming world was really innovative compared to all other gamebooks, where the goal is fixed and certain. In Fabled Lands, you choose what you do, where you go, how to make money, and much more.

--Haoie

Fabled Lands is quite probably the best gamebook series ever. And now the first four books are BACK IN PRINT!! So now there is no excuse. Do yourself a favor and buy them. They are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. So do it.

--zat

Please log in to leave a comment.