Scorpion Swamp (Puffin Adventure Gamebooks) [Paperback]

Steve Jackson (Author), Ian Livingstone (Author), Duncan Smith (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Puffin Books; paperback / softback edition (December 13, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140318291
• ISBN-13: 978-0140318296
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,684,815 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars YOU Can Explore Scorpian Swamp With This Book, December 11, 2003

By 

Doug Riddell (Wellington, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scorpion Swamp (Fighting Fantasy No 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

First of all I just have to say it is *extremely* ironic that the writer of the very first FF gamebook by a sub-author (i.e. someone other than Steve Jackson or Ian Livingstone) was in fact another Steve Jackson!

But irony aside, I've always been very impressed with this gamebook and its innovative ideas. Steve II's very original experiments (e.g. being able to retrace your steps, paramount map-making and being able choosing different missions at the start) are very clever and makes the book very enjoyable. After all, making a map in the swamp is much more realistic when you're simultaneously having to do the same in your own home!

Many have perished in Scorpion Swamp because few find their way out. Simply because compasses don't work. There is some kind of magnetism (or magic?) all around that hellhole, not to mention the vast fog covering the place which prevents reading the stars.

Without giving away too much I'll explain how one finds one self in the nastiest swamp in northern Khul (or possibly all Khul). Before the first paragraph you stumble upon a magical device which allows the user to not only always know which way north is, but also whether or not to trust strangers. Armed with this new tool you are thus able to explore the swamp, and off you go! (Despite protests from cautious villagers.)

And pretty soon you will find yourself in a swamp with loathsome beasts, twisting paths, giants, orcs, crocodiles, wizards, goblins, and of course, scorpions. And as I said there are three different missions you may choosen at the start - so once you sucessfully complete one you can always do another!

Steve Jackson jnr really made a hit here and Duncan Smith's great illustrations were certainly a help.