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Fighting Fantasy Gamebook
Outline
Location: Khul, Titan
References: 400
Publication Details
Author(s): Peter Darvill-Evans

Illustrator(s): Alan Langford
Puffin
Figfan37
Cover illustrator: David Gallagher
First published: February 23 1989
Number 37 (no number in original printing)
ISBN: ISBN 0-14-032839-4
Previous Book: Armies of Death
Next Book: Vault of the Vampire
Wizard (Series 1)
Wizard (Series 2)
Scholastic


For other uses of Portal of Evil, see Portal of Evil (disambiguation)

Portal of Evil is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Peter Darvill-Evans, illustrated by Alan Langford and originally published in 1989 by Puffin Books. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 37th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-032839-4). There are currently no announced plans to republish this book as part of the Scholastic series.

Creation[]

Background[]

Evil forces have been awoken!

No one has ever set foot in the dense forest lying to the west of the Cloudhigh Mountains ... until now. Gold fever has hit these inhospitable woodlands and the consequences are terrifying! Some deadly, ancient evil has been disturbed and the whole area is suddenly terrorised by mysterious prehistoric creatures.

It is up to YOU, a renowned and hardy adventurer, to destroy this ancient evil before it is too late.

Part story, part game, this is a book in which YOU become the hero! Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need. YOU decide which routes to take, which dangers to risk and which foes to fight.

Portal of Evil - Back Cover ("Dragon" Edition)


The area surrounding the Cloudhigh Mountains has been beset with gold fever after several successful strikes, but the digging has uncovered an ancient Evil alongside the precious metal. The player must locate the source of the strange monsters which have besieged the region, the titular portal, and travel through it in order to put an end to the threat.

How to Vanquish the Portal of Evil[]

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

Equipment List[]

Cover and Illustrations[]

Main article: Portal of Evil (illustrations)

Cover[]

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by David Gallagher. From this book on the series drops the book number from the cover (except for Return to Firetop Mountain). The number is also dropped from the spine of the book and the list of books listed inside. The number of the list and spine would return with Dead of Night.

Portal of Evil Cover Variants
1989 1990 1993
Figfan37 Figfan37 37 05
Dragon ver.II Dragon ver.III Dragon ver.IV
£2.501 £3.502 £3.993

NOTES
  1. Price of 1st Impression
  2. Price of 3rd~4th Impressions
  3. Price of 5th~6th Impressions

Illustrations[]

The interior illustrations were by Alan Langford. There were 30 full page illustrations and 10 minor repeated illustrations scattered throughout the text. The paragraphs with a full page illustration were: 1, 14, 22, 27, 42, 53, 62, 82, 102, 120, 130, 139, 152, 163, 179, 196, 205, 215, 237, 263, 273, 286, 305, 319, 329, 342, 358, 372, 385 and 395.

The colour map on the inside front cover was by Leo Hartas. In the Dragon ver.IV edition of the book (post-1992) the colour map is instead reproduced in black & white on the last page.

Intertextual References[]

The book is set in the same region of Khul as Darvill-Evans' previous book Beneath Nightmare Castle.

Other Media[]

Main Characters[]

YOU: Hero of Portal of Evil

Locations[]

Encounters[]

Further Notes[]

  • Strangely, the title page of the book does not feature an illustration as other gamebooks have usually done, something unrepeated till Darvill-Evans' next book Spectral Stalkers and then standard from Moonrunner onwards to the end of the Puffin range.
  • Oddly, the instructions section at the start of the book features no page numbers and the "Contents" page gives incorrect page numbers to the contents of the book. For example, the Adventure Sheet in on page 12, not page 14.
  • The book is missing the paragraph ranges printed at the top of each page in other gamebooks.

Errors[]

  • (189) says "a notched scimitar" but the illustration at (22) depicts a straight sword.

Dedication[]

For Chris and Amy[3]

See Also[]


Reviews[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Portal of Evil - pg.16
  2. 2.0 2.1 Portal of Evil - pg.6
  3. Portal of Evil - pg.4
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