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House of Hell (book)

From Titannica

Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks
Outline
Location: Earth
References: 400
Publication Details
Author(s): Steve Jackson
Illustrator(s): Tim Sell
Puffin
Cover illustrator: Ian Miller
First published: November 22 1984
Number 10
ISBN: ISBN 0-14-031831-3
Previous Book: Caverns of the Snow Witch
Next Book: Talisman of Death
Wizard (Series 1)
Cover illustrator: Nicholas Halliday
First published: December 2 2002
Number 7
ISBN: ISBN 1-84046-417-8
Previous Book: Crypt of the Sorcerer
Next Book: Forest of Doom
Wizard (Series 2)
Cover illustrator: Nicholas Halliday
First published: June ?? 2010
Number 9
ISBN: N/A
Previous Book: Bloodbones
Next Book: Eye of the Dragon


For other uses of House of Hell, see House of Hell (disambiguation)

House of Hell is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Steve Jackson, illustrated by Tim Sell and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002 and 2010. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 10th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031831-3) and 7th in the modern Wizard "Series 1" (ISBN 1-84046-417-8) and 9th in "Series 2" (ISBN ????).

Contents

[edit] Creation

Main article: The House of Hell

A short version of the adventure was first published in Issue 3 of Warlock, and titled The House of Hell. It was made up of 185 references and the adventure was altered for the shorter version[1] with quite a few of the gamebook references modified.[2]

Although his artwork now appears on the cover for The Citadel of Chaos, House of Hell was Ian Miller's first work for the Fighting Fantasy series with Steve Jackson signing him up through approaching Millar's agent at the time (Young Artists).[3]

[edit] Background

“ Taking refuge in the infamous House of Hell has to be the worst mistake of your life!

The dangers of the torrential storm outside are nothing compared to the blood-curdling adventures that await you inside. Who knows how many hapless wanderers like yourself have perished within its gruesome walls? Be warned! Tonight is going to be a night to remember ...

Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need to make your journey. YOU decide which way to go, which dangers to risk and which monsters to fight.[4] 		”

House of Hell is a horror themed book, and the only Fighting Fantasy book set on modern day Earth.[5] The player's car breaks down during a rain storm, forcing the player to seek shelter in a nearby mansion. Though this is the only Fighting Fantasy book to employ this type of setting, books such as Beneath Nightmare Castle use the horror theme in the more common fantasy setting of Titan.

The player's quest to escape the mansion is hampered by the presence of Satan-worshippers and various demons, though not all are entirely hostile. Much of the gameplay involves searching a series of rooms, most of which bears an obscure religious or satanic titles, including the Shaitan Room and the Mammon Room. If the reader is to be successful, they must survive an encounter with the house's Master.

[edit] How to Survive the House of Hell / Hints on Play

The book in general follows the original rules set down in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. (see Game System)

[edit] Unique Rules

  • House of Hell uses a fear score in addition to the usual scores. Every time the player encounters some particularly disturbing event, they must add between 1 and 3 fear points to the total fear score. Once the character reaches the maximum score, determined at the beginning of the game, they will quite literally die of fright.
  • As the book is set on modern day Earth, the reader is unarmed at the start of the book and suffers a skill penalty of 3 points until they find a weapon.

[edit] Equipment List

The player begins with no equipment or Provisions.

[edit] Cover and Illustrations

Covers

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by Ian Miller.

When the book was republished by Wizard a new cover was designed and illustrated by Nicholas Halliday. Their 2010 edition makes use of a section of the previous edition's cover art.

Copyright page of 11th Impression of House of Hell with incorrectly spelt title for Warlock[6]
House of Hell through the years
1984 1987 1989 1990 1993 2002 2002 2010
Zig-Zag Banner Dragon Format Dragon No No. No. Spine Only No Bronze-Foil Wizard "Special
Limited Edition" 		Wizard Shield
£1.751 £2.252 £? £3.503 £3.994 £4.99 £4.99 £5.99
  1. Price of 1st~2nd Impressions; £1.95 for 7th Impression
  2. Price of 10th Impression (Warlock magazine title spelt incorrectly)
  3. Price of 12th Impression
  4. Price of 14th Impression

Illustrations

Paragraph 264 illustration later removed in reprints

The interior illustrations were by Tim Sell. There were 30 full page illustrations and 6 minor repeated illustrations scattered throughout the text. The paragraphs with a full page illustration were: 1, 14, 27, 41, 56, 71, 85, 98, 112, 126, 139, 154, 168, 181, 195, 209, 222, 236, 250, 264, 277, 291, 305, 318, 332, 345, 358, 373, 387 and 400.

The original edition of the book (and the Warlock version as well as that too was illustrated by Tim Sell)[7] contains an illustration that was removed from subsequent printings. The illustration in question accompanied paragraph 264 and depicted a naked woman (with "artfully" arranged coverage) on an altar with blood on it. The result of the removal of the illustration was that paragraphs 255 through to 263 had to be moved about and spaced by additional minor pictures. The illustration was reinstated for the Wizard re-publication.

[edit] Intertextual References

[edit] Other Media

[edit] Main Characters

YOU: Hero of House of Hell

[edit] Locations

[edit] Encounters

[edit] Further Notes

  • The US version of the book, published by Dell/Laurel-Leaf, was titled House of Hades as the word "Hell" can be considered a profanity there.
  • House of Hell is Ian Miller's favourite cover for the range.[3]

[edit] Errors

[edit] Dedication

To
Helen, Martin and Pam

[edit] See Also

[edit] Reviews

[edit] External Links

[edit] References

  1. ↑ The "Fighting Fantasy News" section makes it clear that the adventure (and Caverns of the Snow Witch which preceded it) was always planned as a gamebook and simply shortened and modified for use in the magazine: [They] were originally intended to be the next two gamebooks, but we decided to give readers a taste of what was to come by publishing shortened versions in the magazine. The full adventures, which are very different from the Warlock versions – and twice as long – have been completed. (Warlock Issue 3 - 4)
  2. ↑ Speaking of the Warlock version: The rooms have been jumbled, there are some cunning secret passages to find and the important clues are in totally different places. (Warlock Issue 3 - 4)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Interview with Ian Miller at the Internet Archive record of Advancedfightingfantasy.com
  4. ↑ House of Hell - Back Cover ("Golden Dragon" Edition)
  5. ↑ The only other modern day adventure is the short adventure from Warlock Issue 13 The Temple of the Pharaoh.
  6. ↑ Image taken from Fighting Fantasy Collector
  7. ↑ Warlock Issue 3 - 44 (reference 142)
Steve Jackson
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
 The Citadel of Chaos
 Starship Traveller
 The Shamutanti Hills
 Fighting Fantasy - The Introductory Role-Playing Game
 Kharé - Cityport of Traps
House of Hell
 The Seven Serpents
 The House of Hell
 The Crown of Kings
 Appointment with F.E.A.R.
 Creature of Havoc
 The Riddling Reaver
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