Fantasy Forest

Fantasy Forest is the name of a series of ten Choose Your Own Adventure style gamebooks, published by TSR Inc. from 1983 to 1984. They are aimed at younger readers and mostly take place in the fantasy world of the popular Dungeons and Dragons role playing game, except for two which are set in the science fiction world of Star Frontiers, an offshoot of Dungeon and Dragons. The books are all close to eighty pages.

Books

1. The Ring, the Sword, and the Unicorn Written by James M. Ward

Illustrated by Mario Macari, Jr.

Cover Art by Jeff Easley

This book starts in a contemporary setting, and the only book in the series to do so. The main character, or "You", tries to prove that there is a magical world in the forest behind "your" backyard. Gives added meaning to the cartoonish illustration on the back of the first six books, which pictures a child (presumably a boy) jubilantly stepping into a forest, his house in the background.

2. Ruins of Rangar

Written by Michael Carr

Illustrated by Michael Fishel

Cover Art by Jeff Easley This book introduces the good knight Gregor and his struggle with the evil skeleton sking, Nightshade. You are his brother, Erik, a younger boy accompanying him. In addition elves, dwarves, magic users, and zombies, this book includes lesser known creatures that are featured in the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual, such as stirges and an umberhulk. Well-respected TSR artist Jeff Easley's cover painting features a boy on a brown, winged horse being chased by the mosquito/bird-like stirges.

3. Shadowcastle

Written by Michael Gray

Illustrated by Mario Macari, Jr.

Cover Art by Clyde Caldwell

Once again, this book features Nightshade and Sir Gregor, the Good Knight of the Golden Dragon, as he is referred to in this book. You are a girl, Molly, who is out picking berries when a halfling stumbles across her and asks for her help in rescuing his brother from the evil Nightshade. Includes creatures like bullywogs, an umberhulk, and various elementals (water, rock) magically summoned to aid the forces of good. Well-respected TSR artist Clyde Caldwell's cover painting features Molly, Thistle (the halfling), and a dragon that appears to be entirely made out of fire. While there is no such creature in the book, there are elementals and there is a red dragon (actually a good wizard in disguise). In the interior illustrations of the book, Macari Jr.'s slightly more cutesy characters present a mild contrast to Michael Fishel's work in the previous book.

4. Keep of the Ancient King

Written by Michael Gray

Illustrated by Michael Fishel

Cover Art by Keith Parkinson

You are a girl who's beloved horse Acorn has been stolen by a the Shadow Rider, a servant of Nightshade. Once again, You join Gregor the Good Knight in journeying to a castle and fighting monsters, but this time the Shadow Rider tries to tempt you with the promise of Acorn's safe return in exchange for betraying Gregor.

5. Dungeon of Darkness

Written by John Kendall

Illustrated by Pamela Summertree

Cover Art by Ben Otero

You must join Gregor the Good Knight of the Golden Dragon in rescuing your fellow villagers from Nightshade and the Shadow Rider.

6. Star Rangers and the Spy Written by Jean Blashfield and Beverly Charette

Illustrated by Mario Macari, Jr.

Cover Art by Joe DeVelasco

This book is set in the science fiction world of the Star Frontiers game world. You are Ranger Chaylo, a human boy who is a member of a club called the Star Rangers. Your fellow rangers are other children, all of them alien. Rama is a female apelike Yazarian, Carrel is an insect-like Vrusk, and Gogol is an amoeba-like but intelligent, humanoid Dralasite. There is also Nanny Navigator Robot. The small white Boxils also appear in this book. These alien races are all frequently used in the Star Frontiers role-playing game, and the personalities of the Star Ranger children are, in a general sense, similar to the personality traits usually associated with their respecting species in the role-playing game. The goal of the story is to stop MR. Drel, a one of your father's co-workers, from stealing an experimental starship and giving it to the Sathar, another popular Star Frontiers alien, who will then use it to invade other planets. The adults at Star Fleet do not believe the Star Ranger's warnings. Your father is also mentioned as being a scientist and a member of the United Planets, and the planet on which the book takes place is your home planet of Nedram.

7. Castle in the Clouds

8. Star Rangers Meet the Solar Robot

9. Jason's First Quest

10. The Lost Wizard

External links

* [http://www.gamebooks.org/show_series.php?id=151] www.gamebooks.org/show_series.php?id=151