A press release from Jonathan Weir of Gollancz:
Gollancz are set to reignite one of the most popular fantasy concepts of the 1980s with the start of a new series of adventure game books.
DestinyQuest echoes the popular interactive game books that were a publishing sensation in the 1980s. Series such as “Choose Your Own Adventure” and “Fighting Fantasy” sold millions of copies and allowed readers to become directly involved in determining the path of the story, either by rolling a dice or by choosing the next actions of the character from a range of options.
Successfully self-published by Leamington Spa author Michael J Ward in February, DestinyQuest Book 1: The Legion of Shadow has already sold over 1,800 copies and garnered great reviews. While it will find a readership among fans of the classic retro game books, it also has a modern edge and complexity that appeals to players of popular computer games such as “World of Warcraft”.
Instead of a touch screen or wireless controller, DestinyQuest requires nothing more than a pencil and dice for the reader to take their character on an epic adventure—choosing what monsters they fight, the dangers they face and the treasure they find. Every decision will have an impact on the ultimate fate of their hero. Despite its old fashioned approach, Ward knew there was still a fan base for this type of adventuring.
“I self-published the first DestinyQuest because I wanted to prove myself as a commercial author and to convince the sceptics that there was still a vibrant market for this type of book,” he said. “I knew the fans were out there—but I think publishers had lost faith in the format.”
Gollancz editor Marcus Gipps bought world rights for two books in a good five-figure deal. Gollancz will republish DestinyQuest Book 1 in May 2012 as a £14.99 trade paperback. It will feature the original self-published version, plus extra material and a brand new mini-adventure. The brand-new book two of the series—The Heart of Fire—will follow in November 2012.
Ward joins a number of previously self-published authors that Gollancz have successfully brought to a wider audience, such as David Moody and Kit Berry, and he said he was looking forward to joining the list.
“I’m incredibly excited to be able to work with such an internationally-renowned publisher, with a stable of authors that pretty much define modern fantasy,” he said. “DestinyQuest has been a true labour of love so it thrills me to have this opportunity to take the books and the franchise to the next level.”
Gollancz editor Marcus Gipps said: “Having loved the game books of my youth, I was intrigued as soon as I saw DestinyQuest on my desk. It only took me about five minutes to realise that this was something new, something different. I was excited then—but when I did some reading, I realised that the game wasn’t the only thing—the writing was fantastic as well. And once I realised how successful Mike had been under his own steam, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Gollancz could do to get his work to a wider audience. I hope we make him proud!”