Those of you who have been following Fantasy Fan's page on Facebook might be aware of the reason it has been so quiet around here. My main focus was on a different project, which has come to completion very recently. What was the project? As usual, it was Fantasy related, but this time it was the most ambitious thing I've ever done. With the help of few freelancers I managed to create a Fantasy MMO Strategy / RolePlaying Game (MMO Strategy or MMORPG, it's a cross-genre). The game is free to play.

If that sparks your interest I invite you to take a look at Dragon Lords, currently available for iPhone and iPod Touch users, but soon also for Android and iPad. Dragon Lords is primarily a strategy game, which came to be because I couldn't find anything complex and really entertaining among the games on the AppStore. I kept seeing the same clones of Farmville and Mafia Wars, which were interesting for a moment and then very quickly became boring due to low complexity of the game play and very little player interaction. I decided that I can create something better than that and thus Dragon Lords idea was born.

I have been "Missing In Action" for a while now, but this news I could not have left without a note on Fantasy Fan. Long awaited continuation of the Song of Ice and Fire series, fifth book of the epic fantasy saga by George R.R. Martin, has finally arrived. And as usual, it rocks! (granted I only managed to find time for first few pages).

If you haven't got your hands on it yet, run to your nearest bookstore, or order it from Amazon. You know you want to!

It has not been released yet (tomorrow is the day) and yet it already is #2 on Amazon's PC Games category. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, sequel to one of the best RPG games of all time. If you don't know what I'm talking about take a look here first: The Witcher Review and THEN go to Amazon to order it before it's sold out!

Today is THE day. First episode of the fantasy TV series based on highly acclaimed and insanely bestselling series by the writer advertised as "the American Tolkien" has seen the light of the day. For those of you living under a rock, here is some details: A Game of Thrones is HBO's adaptation of the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. Written and produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss the series opens with a bang, luring audience with all star cast (Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Jason Momoa, Lena Headey) and a screenplay based on bestselling series.

I could go on about the series for hours, but since I haven't been actually able to see the first episode yet (aaarrgghhhh!), I'll leave you with this:

If you click on the thumbnail on the right you will see the series poster in full glory.

And if you want to know what people said about the first episode, read some of the reviews:
Hollywood Reporter
Los Angeles Times
IGN

And for those of you who still have no idea of what I'm talking about, here is the teaser:
Game of Thrones teaser.

The question for the most frequently asked question I received through Fantasy Fan feedback form, has finally been answered. Fourth book of the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle is finished and will be released on November 8, 2011. Fourth book will bear the same name as the series: Inheritance. Take a look at the book blurb:

Not so very long ago, Eragon?????Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider?????was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.
Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.
The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alaga??sia? And if so, at what cost?
This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

Make sure you don't miss the date and receive your copy of the book as soon as it hits the stores! Pre-order Inheritance today on Amazon.com .

It's finally official, after long, long years, it's Dragon Time! Just a moment ago George posted on his website news we have all been waiting for. Next installment of his epic Song of Ice and Fire series is finished. The official release date of Dance with Dragons is TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2011. Read the source post here.

You can preorder your copy of the Dance on Amazon.com today: hardcover. And you better preorder, because with the amount of people waiting for the book and the fact that it comes on heels of the HBO's Game of Thrones series, I expect the book to launch into bestseller lists and get really comfy there for a long time. :-)

What a beginning of the year it has been! I can only hope that the rest of the year goes easy on me or I might not survive to see 2012... Between my wife and my son being sick as two dogs I had very little time to do anything, but I did want to share with you something I've seen. The art of Philip Rahul.

Take a look at this image (called "Sanctuary") and tell me it's not breathtaking. You can't. Because it is. :-)

I also came to know that Philip is currently looking for a job as an illustrator, so if you're looking for a young and very talented artist, you know where to find him! www.rahulphilip.com

This has been easily the most eventful year of my life. And most joyful. And most of all, the year of hard, hard work. In all the craze with taking care of my first-born, making changes at work, I managed to find some time for Fantasy Fan. Not half as much as I should like and more than half as much as I should have. ;-)

Fingers crossed that next year will be easier. Merry Christmas everyone! :-)

Thanks to very kind contribution from Titan Books, Fantasy Fan has a Christmas present for two readers! "RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador" is the first book in a new series of fantasy fiction, spinning out of the hugely popular free MMORPG: RuneScape ( www.runescape.com ). If you're curious about the book, take a look at the book excerpt to see if this is what you would like Santa to bring you. :-)

In the kingdom of Asgarnia, the Knights of Falador strive to defend the land and protect the people, as threats clamor from all sides and from within; enemies mass at their borders, and a killer stalks the night, slaughtering innocents and slipping away unseen.

In the teeth of the storm, the sudden arrival of a woman named Kara-Meir launches a chain of events that endangers the Kingdom itself. But as the struggle unfolds to solve the riddle of this young adventuress, it seems that hope may lie in the hands, not of a Knight, but of an untested squire named Theodore.

The rules of a giveaway are simple, all you need to do is send email to giveaway [at] fantasy-fan.org with the subject "Runescape". Remember to replace [at] with @ sign. :-)

Your email has to include a full mailing address (the address you would like to have the book sent to). Only emails with full address will be considered. Also, you should send only one email, multiple entries will be disqualified. We will announce the winners next Monday, December 20th. This giveaway unfortunately is limited to US and Europe.

Thanks to the kindness of Titan Books we're giving you first chapter of the first book in a new series of fantasy fiction, spinning out of the hugely popular free MMORPG: RuneScape.

RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador
CHAPTER ONE

"Get some light over here! We need some light!"

Master-at-arms Nicholas Sharpe shouted loudly into the wind in order to be heard by his fellow knights on the bridge. A fair young man ran forward, shielding his blazing torch from the anger of the winter storm.