Eye of the Dragon (book)

Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks
Outline
Location:	Allansia, Titan
References:	407
Publication Details
Author(s):	Ian Livingstone

Illustrator(s):	Martin McKenna
Puffin

Wizard (Series 1)

Cover illustrator:	Martin McKenna
First published:	April 7 2005
Number	21
ISBN:	ISBN 1-84046-642-1
Previous Book:	Legend of Zagor
Next Book:	Starship Traveller
Wizard (Series 2)

Cover illustrator:	Martin McKenna
First published:	June 3 2010
Number	10
ISBN:	ISBN 1-84831-123-0
Previous Book:	House of Hell
Next Book:	Howl of the Werewolf
Scholastic

For other uses of Eye of the Dragon, see Eye of the Dragon

Eye of the Dragon is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Martin McKenna and published in 2005 by Wizard Books. It is to be republished by them in 2010. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 21st in the modern Wizard "Series 1" (ISBN 1-84046-642-1) and 10th in "Series 2" (ISBN 1-84831-123-0).

CreationEdit

Despite being the first new gamebook from Wizard Books, Eye of the Dragon is actually based on an earlier mini adventure Ian Livingstone had written for the book Dicing with Dragons.

BackgroundEdit

“ In a tavern in Fang, a mysterious stranger offers YOU the chance to find the Golden Dragon, perhaps the most valuable treasure in all of Allansia. But it is hidden in a labyrinth beneath Darkwood Forest and is guarded by the most violent creatures and deadly traps.

To begin your quest YOU must drink a life-threatening potion, and to succeed, you must find maps, clues, artifacts, magic items, jewels and an imprisoned dwarf.

Part story, part game, this is a book with a difference - one in which you become the hero! A pencil and an eraser are all you need to make your journey. YOU decide which route to take, which foes to fight & which dangers to risk.^[1] ”

Eye of the Dragon is set in the usual fantasy world of Titan, in the Allansia region. The player must claim a solid gold Dragon from within a dungeon beneath Darkwood Forest. The book is written like an older style gamebook typical dungeon trawl (see Deathtrap Dungeon for possibly the definitive Fighting Fantasy example of this).

During the journey the player allies with a character called Littlebig, a relative of a character from a previous Fighting Fantasy gamebook. The player must collect keys during the journey. These keys will allow the player to open boxes at the final puzzle, which contain a clue. The player must pull five weapons out of the wall in the correct order or be electrocuted and killed. The player must also find the second emerald eye of the Dragon or be killed by poison darts while trying to move the golden Dragon.

Fighting MonstersEdit

The book in general follows the original rules set down in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (see Game System).
In the Wizard "Series 2" edition, instead of rolling the stats for a character as per tradition in Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, the player has the option of choosing a pregenerated character from three choices (see "Further Notes" below for choices).

Equipment ListEdit

No equipment list is given. It is assumed, since you start with no skill penalties, that you begin the adventure with the standard sword, leather armour, and backpack. In the "Background" section the player is given the statue's first gemstone eye and 10 Gold Pieces and a backpack is noted as existing.^[2]

10 Provisions^[3]

Cover and IllustrationsEdit

Main article: Eye of the Dragon (illustrations)

Covers

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by Martin McKenna. The 2010 edition makes use of a section of the previous edition's cover art.

**Eye of the Dragon** through the years
2005	2005	2010

Wizard "Special Limited Edition"	Wizard	Shield
£4.99	£4.99	£5.99

Illustrations

The interior illustrations were by Martin McKenna. There were 31 full page illustrations and 5 minor repeated illustrations scattered throughout the text. The paragraphs with a full page illustration were: 1, 8, 20, 35, 49, 64, 79, 97, 111, 126, 142, 160, 176, 185, 197, 211, 233, 243, 254, 266, 277, 290, 301, 323, 329, 343, 354, 362, 378, 393 and 400.

Intertextual ReferencesEdit

In the encounter with the Inquisitor (the guardian of the path to the inner sanctum of Firetop Mountain) in Return to Firetop Mountain, the player, if successful, is invited to peruse his library. Of the books in the library, five are named and two of these are titles of other books by Livingstone: Casket of Souls (which you do not get to read in the book), and Eye of the Dragon which had appeared as a short adventure in Dicing with Dragons.^[4]
Littlebig is the nephew of Bigleg from The Forest of Doom.
In the Niblicks' trove is a cursed sword made for the evil sorcerer Razaak, villain of Crypt of the Sorcerer.

Other MediaEdit

Main CharactersEdit

YOU: Hero of Eye of the Dragon

LocationsEdit

EncountersEdit

Further NotesEdit

Ian Livingstone makes a cameo appearance as a friendly merchant, in the illustration accompanying (329).^[5]
The successful conclusion is not contained in (407), but at (400).

Series 2 AdditionsEdit

Pre-generated player characters: Enzo Wolfeyes, Jamlo Ray, and Hannabella Dehab.
10 paragraphs from Howl of the Werewolf.

ErrorsEdit

DedicationEdit

To the Warlocks of Kilimanjaro:
Andy, Charles, Darren, Dave, Dorron,
Graeme, Harry, Jeff, John, Kelly,
Mark, Roger, Sean and Tony.
Special mountain, special guys,
special memories