Luke Sharp

From Titannica

Alkis Alkiviades (aka Luke Sharp)^[1]

Luke Sharp is an author who has written a number of Fighting Fantasy titles including four Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. "Luke Sharp" is a nom de plume for Alkis Alkiviades.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early Life

Alkis Alkiviades completed a BA degree in "History of Near and Middle East" between 1972 and 1975 in the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.^[2] His background in Near and Middle Eastern history is apparent in his three Fighting Fantasy books set in Titan - some of the names in these books are drawn from the Oghuz Turkic epic, the Book of Dede Korkut, for example.

[edit] Career

[edit] "Luke Sharp" as a Pseudonym

Luke Sharp is a pseudonym. We know this from a number of sources:^[3]

Fangs of Fury is credited in the copyright pages to Alkis Alkiviades.
The SOAS alumni website lists Alkis Alkiviades, and notes that he has "published fantasy adventure books under the nom de plume 'Luke Sharp'".^[2]
Alkis Alkiviades lists among his Facebook friends Marc Gascoigne and Graeme Davis.^[1]
Alkis Alkiviades is a Greek name in origin, and there are many Greek influences in Sharp's books, for example the names Brassino-Dendro, Megala-Dendra and Potamos.
Alkis Fearslicer is a character in both Chasms of Malice and Daggers of Darkness, both written by Luke Sharp.
The place name "Sikla" (as in Minak Sikla) in Fangs of Fury is "Alkis" spelt backwards.

It is interesting to note that the use of "Luke Sharp" as a pseudonym is not confined to Alkis Alkiviades. Robert Barr (16 Sep 1850-22 Oct 1912), the Scottish born crime author who founded The Idler magazine (with Jerome K. Jerome), also on occasion went by the pseudonym Luke Sharp.

[edit] Bibliography

Writer

[edit] Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks

(#27) Star Strider (Puffin, 1987)
(#30) Chasms of Malice (Puffin, 1987)
(#35) Daggers of Darkness (Puffin, 1988)
(#39) Fangs of Fury (Puffin, 1989)

[edit] Outside of Fighting Fantasy