The Man With the Golden Torc Review
By Flames | July 25, 2008
Simon R Green is the author of the Deathstalker books, a rollicking romp of space opera insanity that makes a good pulpy read and keeps you enjoyably engaged all the way through. This book, the first in a Shaman Bond series is set in the present day, sort of, amongst a madness of the occult and conspiracy theories and within the greatest conspiracy theory of all. This book was the launch of the new series which continues in the obvious vein with Deamons are Forever. I wonder if we’ll also see Doctor Om, Chandraball and On Her Majesty’s Occult Service before the series is out…
Review by James ‘Grim’ Desborough
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Christmas in July: Christmas 2 - Electric Boogaloo!
By Flames | July 24, 2008
Santa’s been drinking too many pina coladas again (as, apparently, have our copywriters), so it’s time once more to get yourselves some really fabulous savings on great game products! For the next couple of days (maybe four, if you’re particularly nice and don’t cry or pout), you can get 25% off selected products all over the site.
So crank up the A/C, special order some eggnog from your local dairy, and toss some tinsel on the game table! It’s Christmas in July!
Visit the Christmas in July Sale Page at RPGNow!
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Final Exquisite Replicas Preview
By Matt-M-McElroy | July 24, 2008
This is the last preview we’ll have of the Exquisite Replicas RPG before it is released at GenCon Indy. So far we have seen a mix of previews that include looks at the new setting and some of the new mechanics introduced.
Visit the Previews page here at Flames Rising for a complete list of all the teasers we have posted so far. We have had a glimpse at one type of Othersider already, we have also heard a little bit of their dark plans, but we’ve yet to see where they come from…
Today we get a peek at the Otherside…
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Frontier Cthulhu Fiction Review
By Matt-M-McElroy | July 23, 2008
I’ve been reading a lot of Mythos fiction lately. It started with my review of Cthulhu Live 3rd Edition, which was a lot of fun and renewed my interest in the genre once more. Since then I’ve picked up several books and was blown away by the Trail of Cthulhu RPG from Pelgrane Press. So I started digging into the fiction collections even more…
Frontier Cthulhu is a bit different, having characters explore the “frontier” throughout the ages and encountering dark, twisted horrors along the way.
Topics: Fiction Reviews | 2 Comments »
Top Cow at San Diego Comic-Con
By Flames | July 22, 2008
Publisher to unveil new exclusive comics, special announcements and a host of guests.
Top Cow Productions Inc. announced its schedule today for this week’s San Diego Comic-Con, the nation’s biggest and best comics and pop culture extravaganza to be held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California from July 23 - 27.
Top Cow will set up shop at Booth #2329 and heads into the convention with exclusives, preview books, free goodies and a long list of guests, headlined by Top Cow CEO and founder Marc Silvestri (Witchblade, The Darkness, Cyberforce), artist J.G. Jones (Wanted) and writer Paul Dini (Madame Mirage).
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Murder at Miskatonic for Cthulhu Live
By Matt-M-McElroy | July 22, 2008
There was a lot of cool stuff going on this year for Free RPG Day. I managed to pick up a couple of different items when Noble Knight Games did their sale for the promotion. I got the Hunter: the Vigil Quickstart from White Wolf Publishing, the Trail of Cthulhu adventure from Pelgrane Press and the Murder at Miskatonic scenario from Skirmisher Publishing.
Not everyone was so lucky…either they did not have a local store that was participating in the event or they missed out on one or more of the items up for grabs. Well, the folks at Skirmisher have posted a new version of Murder at Miskatonic at RPGNow.
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Donar’s Hammer (Godlike) RPG Review
By Flames | July 22, 2008
“Donar’s Hammer” is the first of the smaller supplements for “Godlike” RPG, and provides an introductory scenarios as well as optional rules for your “Godlike” game.
Set in Sicily in 1943, players take on the role of a group of Allied Talents that come face to face with a group of Axis Overmen protecting a talent called Mjollnir, the name of the norse god Thor’s mythic hammer. What begins as a simple seek-and-destroy mission instead becomes a fight for survival and the soul of a small town.
Review by Michale Erb
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New Edition of Tim Powers’ The Stress of Her Regard
By Flames | July 21, 2008
Tachyon Publications is proud to announce the August 2008 release of a new edition of Tim Powers’ classic novel, The Stress of Her Regard.
A novel of secret histories and dark revelations, The Stress of Her Regard is the tale of a terrified young doctor who – after discovering his bride brutally murdered in their wedding bed – allies with the great Romantic poets, Byron, Keats and Shelley in a battle against a malignant apparition seeking her ultimate pleasure in their ravaged bodies and imperiled souls.
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Scion Companion (Manifestations of Ichor) Review
By Flames | July 21, 2008
Review by James ‘Grim’ Desborough
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Gaming Countdown to Gen Con Indy is On!
By Flames | July 19, 2008
Gaming Extravaganza Brings Crowds to Indy for the Annual Convention
It’s that time of year again when gamers are gearing up for Gen Con Indy, the original, longest running and best-attended gaming show in North America. With an estimated 27,000 unique attendees converging on the Indianapolis Convention Center, visitors to Gen Con will immerse themselves in the 6,000+ gaming events and more than 250 exhibits over the four day extravaganza that has become the world’s premier game convention. Starting Thursday morning and running round-the-clock attendees can play their hearts out with fellow enthusiasts and by joining in card games, board games, video games, table top and live-action role-playing games, seminars, films, workshops and so much more. Activities range from interactive game play and computer gaming to big money hobby-related tournaments sponsored by industry leaders Upper Deck Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. The event will be held August 14-17, 2008 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
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Jeff VanderMeer “Steampunk” Interview
By Flames | July 18, 2008
So, what is “steampunk”?
“Cool stuff, rich language, invented – reinvented — science,” says James Blaylock, a pioneer of steampunk and author of the novel, Lord Kevlin’s Machine. “Steampunk [a sub-genre of science fiction] offers a great deal of what is most flamboyantly, eccentrically, visually, and adventurously interesting about the Victorian era and its curious scientific hopes and speculations.”
The recently-released anthology Steampunk, edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, clatters and clinks with gadgets, airships, and forty-foot tall steam-powered men. The thirteen stories and novel excerpts contained in this collection are enhanced by a preface, an introduction, and two essays.
The editors themselves are no strangers to strange fiction. Ann VanderMeer is an editor for Weird Tales and Jeff VanderMeer is the World Fantasy Award-winning author of Shriek: an Afterword as well as a collection of linked stories, City of Saints and Madmen, both set in the imaginary world of Ambergris.
Interview by Jeremy Jones
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Zorcerer of Zo RPG Review
By Flames | July 18, 2008
“The Zantabulous Zorceror of Zo,” by Chad Underkoffler and Atomic Sock Monkey Press, is a game of adventure and wonder set in a world of fairy tales. But the land of Zo is more than just pixies and knights. The game includes classic story elements from almost every childhood fantasy, from “The Wizard of Oz” and “Alice in Wonderland” to “Peter Pan” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
The game uses Underkoffler’s Prose Descriptive Qualities (PDQ) system, which is also used in the super-hero RPG “Truth & Justice” and the manic “Monkey, Ninja, Pirate, Robot: the Roleplaying Game.” In PDQ, characters use Qualities to represent their abilities. Qualities can be anything from skills to beliefs to personality quirks.
Review by Michael Erb
Topics: Roleplaying Game Reviews | No Comments »
Hot War RPG Now Available!
By Matt-M-McElroy | July 17, 2008
London. Winter. 1963.
It is a year since the Cold War went hot.
And this was not just a nuclear war. Far more sinister, darker weapons were deployed from the shadows.
Survival and re-building are all that matter now. But human nature and tragic circumstances mean that everyone has their own ambitions.
…a Government desperate to hold on to what remains of the country.
…military forces who wish to expand their power and influence.
…frightened and brutalised refugees who simply want a place to call home.
Into this maelstrom steps the Special Situations Group, a motley band of men and women tasked with the jobs too dirty or dangerous for anyone else.
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Exquisite Replicas Preview: Mental Imbalance
By Matt-M-McElroy | July 17, 2008
Eric Lofgren’s Cover Art gave us a quick teaser of the new RPG coming from Abstract Nova this summer. Next we learned about The Anonymous and the Shadow Crews. Some of the “good” and “bad” guys of the setting.
After learning a bit about this new, twisted world of Exquisite Replicas folks had a few questions on just how you play the game. So, Abstract Nova gave us a teaser into the Paranoia elements of the mechanics and today they bring us just a bit of Mental Imbalance…
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Descent into Chaos coming Fall ‘08
By Flames | July 16, 2008
Descent into Chaos, the follow up novel to A World Torn Asunder (part of the Vampire Apocalypse series written by Irish author, Derek Gunn) is now available to preorder from the publisher and will be released in the Fall. Chapters are now available at the author’s website.
Vampire Apocalypse: A World Torn Asunder (released in September 2006) was Derek’s debut novel. It received rave reviews, was optioned for film by producer/screenwriter Richard Finney. Finney and screenwriter, Franklin Guerrero Jr., recently penned a script based on the book. Their adaptation led to a recent partnership on the project with producer, Robert Lawrence (Die Hard: With a Vengence, Clueless, The Last Castle). Currently the project is being represented by the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) who is packaging the project for the studios.
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Razor Kid Comic Book Review
By Flames | July 16, 2008
After reading the first two issues of Marcus Almand’s comic book, Razor Kid, I’m left feeling surprisingly compelled to read more. Razor Kid is as indie as it gets, but this does not belie the effort that Almand and his revolving crew of artists have put forth in giving readers a superior product.
Issue one introduces us to 15-year-old Alexander Tanaka, AKA Razor Kid, as he fights Kevin Michaels in an exercise of initiation into the C.A.P.E. (Citizens Authorized for Protection and Enforcement) program. Alexander is a boy genius who’s developed an armored super suit equipped with an assortment of blades and devices including cybernetic arms that replace his own which have been amputated. Kevin, 18, provides quite a test as he appears to be a full-blown martial arts badass.
Review by Jason Thorson
Topics: Comic Book/Graphic Novel Reviews | No Comments »
3:16 - Carnage Amongst The Stars
By Flames | July 15, 2008
3:16 designed by Gregor Hutton (Best Friends) is a winner of a High Ronny Award for Games Design.
Featuring a stunning cover by Paul Bourne (a|state, Cold City, Hot War) and haunting interiors by Gregor Hutton 3:16 is a visual treat.
This high-octane Science-Fiction role-playing game for 2 or more players has your Space Troopers killing bugs all across the Cosmos. You’ll advance in rank, improve your weapons, slay civilization after civilization and find out who you are through an innovative “Flashback” mechanic.
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Pinnacle GenCon Releases!
By Flames | July 15, 2008
We’re happy to announce three new products will be available at GenCon!
Slipstream: Beyond the black holes lies the Slipstream, a pocket universe of shattered worlds, desperate aliens, and savage monsters. Ruling over the shattered isles is the diabolical Queen Anathraxa, who some say is close to finding a way to escape this interstellar prison. Strap on your rocket pack, charge your ray gun, and prepare to blast off into the the most wild and exotic Savage Setting yet—the Slipstream!
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Heroes Adrift Fiction Review
By Flames | July 15, 2008
Normally I don’t like to read books in a series out of order–the exception being when I’m reviewing them. I’ve got a couple of second novels that I picked up still lingering on my bookshelves, waiting for me to pick up book one. So it always impresses me when a second or third entry in a series can pick up the story without making you feel like you’re adrift (if you’ll excuse the pun). Heroes Adrift does it incredibly successfully, and though our heroes spend the whole book out of their element, the reader catches up to the action in the first few pages.
Review by Alana Abbott
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Battling the Implacable: A Conversation with David Drake
By Flames | July 14, 2008
David Drake’s fiction has always been dark. His combat experiences in Vietnam made his fiction even darker and, in many ways, more honest and more horrifying. Earlier this summer Night Shade Books released the paperback edition of a collection of Drake’s “weird and fantastic” stories, Balefires.
The collection is rich with generous commentary from the author and a variety of fantasy, science fiction and horror stories. Shortly after the hardback release, Mr. Drake and I discussed writing and his experiences in Vietnam for an interview that ran in The New York Review of Science Fiction. What follows grew out of that larger conversation.
Interview by Jeremy Jones
Topics: Interviews | 5 Comments »