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Fighting Fantasy: Sorcery! #2
Kharé: Cityport of Traps
You, the hero, must brave the city of Khare, where every doorway or alley conceals sudden danger. You will need all your wits about you to avoid the traps and survive the unimaginable horrors ahead...
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 1984
7 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Steve Jackson
67 books156 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Steve Jackson (born 20 May 1951) is a British game designer, writer, and game reviewer, who is often confused with the American game designer of the same name.
Along with Ian Livingstone, he is the creator of the Fighting Fantasy books. The US Jackson also wrote three books in the Fighting Fantasy series, which adds to the confusion, especially as these books were simply credited to "Steve Jackson" without any acknowledgement that it was a different person.
See also:
Steve Jackson, US game designer
Steve Jackson, author of works on crime
Steve Jackson, Scottish thriller writer
Steve Jackson (born 20 May 1951) is a British game designer, writer, and game reviewer, who is often confused with the American game designer of the same name.
Along with Ian Livingstone, he is the creator of the Fighting Fantasy books. The US Jackson also wrote three books in the Fighting Fantasy series, which adds to the confusion, especially as these books were simply credited to "Steve Jackson" without any acknowledgement that it was a different person.
See also:
Steve Jackson, US game designer
Steve Jackson, author of works on crime
Steve Jackson, Scottish thriller writer
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 13, 2013
1984, I think it was, when I picked this book up at a store called "The Book Professor" in Papillion, NE. Truth be told, Mom bought it for me as a consolation for JC Penny not having the Star Wars jersey I wanted in stock. If you haven't figured it out yet, I was a bit of a nerd. But I was a nerd going into regression. The metalhead/punk was, instead, coming out. So this book, being an easily-hideable nerd manual, was perfect. Part solo role playing module (think Tunnels & Trolls), part choose-your-own-adventure book (though much better than it's more famous cousins), the sorcery books were two-fists-full-of-six-sided-dice worth of awesome! Now, it was good that I had fairly low self-esteem at that time, too, since the narration could get a little condescending, at times. If you did something dumb, the book let you know it. But, hey, I lived through it, even if my character didn't, and I'm stronger for it. One important caveat: This Steve Jackson (of Games Workshop) is not the same as the Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Games (Gurps, Car Wars, Ogre, etc). I just want you to know so that you don't make the same mistake I made while talking to the American Steve Jackson: Me: "Hey, I really liked your Sorcery books. Are you going to do any more of those?" Mr. Jackson (if you're nasty): "Huh?"
I failed my saving throw for putting my foot in my mouth on that one. Temporary loss of dexterity, permanent loss of charisma . . . believe me, you don't want it to happen to you. Thankfully, I've had my share of limited wishes to undo the damage.
I failed my saving throw for putting my foot in my mouth on that one. Temporary loss of dexterity, permanent loss of charisma . . . believe me, you don't want it to happen to you. Thankfully, I've had my share of limited wishes to undo the damage.
January 25, 2024
This is where the difficulty ramps up. There are far more death traps than previously, tricky encounters, traps, and more to the point, the most-maligned plot coupons make their return. And even at the end, the city honestly loses in charm and novelty to the more appealing and memorable Port Blacksand.
But there are also several points where things from the first book come back up, several notes should have been taken, and your previous paths can make a difference. Props for good continuity - the first of its kind in this series, I think, given that all the other books have been standalone.
And it is still a charming and memorable place, Port Blacksand aside.
But there are also several points where things from the first book come back up, several notes should have been taken, and your previous paths can make a difference. Props for good continuity - the first of its kind in this series, I think, given that all the other books have been standalone.
And it is still a charming and memorable place, Port Blacksand aside.
May 27, 2019
Kharé ensorcells through the chaos of John Blanche.
Somewhere in its twisted streets are four parts of a spell.
Against the fearsome Red-Eyes, you don’t stand a chance;
You’d be better off staying in the smelly guardroom cell,
Or even in the streets where the Living Corpse drifts,
Or even in the sewers where the Slime Eater feeds.
But wherever you go, and however you grift,
Just, please, don’t ever try the Smoking Weed.
Somewhere in its twisted streets are four parts of a spell.
Against the fearsome Red-Eyes, you don’t stand a chance;
You’d be better off staying in the smelly guardroom cell,
Or even in the streets where the Living Corpse drifts,
Or even in the sewers where the Slime Eater feeds.
But wherever you go, and however you grift,
Just, please, don’t ever try the Smoking Weed.
April 7, 2016
A step up in difficulty and enjoyment from the first of the series, this was where you needed to 'pick the right path' - far more so than in the first. Khare was a wonderful city to explore though, so even if you took a few tries it didn't matter.
June 1, 2015
In many respects, Khare - the second instalment in Steve Jackson's mammoth 'Sorcery!' epic - is deserving of five stars. It has real atmosphere and the vast, sprawling city with its weird and dangerous denizens is utterly enthralling.
But I have to deduct a star because it just that little bit too frustrating and difficult to discover all of the information you need in order to open the gate on the far side of the city in order to continue your journey in the next book in the series. This real difficulty in finding out the information, coupled with some very tricky encounters, make the book just that touch too hard. I was back and forth through the pages so many times that it just wasn't funny any more. And yet, it was also rewarding and I'm glad I stuck with it.
Khare is a city of factions, thieves, deathtraps and murder. It's a cess pit. All of these things make it the perfect setting for a fantasy tale.
The reader is tasked with discovering the four lines of a spell which will open the North Gate. These lines were in the safe keeping of certain of the city's nobles, who are now largely disappeared or dead, which complicates matters somewhat.
Extensive note taking is essential. There is just so much to take in and to remember in this book. Funnily enough, I can remember breezing through it on my very first attempt as a child. All I can say is that I must have been very, very lucky indeed in the path I chose to follow, as it took me a good number of hours and several attempts this time around!
In spite of the difficulty factor, it is still a highly recommended gamebook. This was as far as I got when a kid, so I'm looking forward to covering new ground with the final two books in the series in due course, though am nervous to note that they are both MUCH bigger!
But I have to deduct a star because it just that little bit too frustrating and difficult to discover all of the information you need in order to open the gate on the far side of the city in order to continue your journey in the next book in the series. This real difficulty in finding out the information, coupled with some very tricky encounters, make the book just that touch too hard. I was back and forth through the pages so many times that it just wasn't funny any more. And yet, it was also rewarding and I'm glad I stuck with it.
Khare is a city of factions, thieves, deathtraps and murder. It's a cess pit. All of these things make it the perfect setting for a fantasy tale.
The reader is tasked with discovering the four lines of a spell which will open the North Gate. These lines were in the safe keeping of certain of the city's nobles, who are now largely disappeared or dead, which complicates matters somewhat.
Extensive note taking is essential. There is just so much to take in and to remember in this book. Funnily enough, I can remember breezing through it on my very first attempt as a child. All I can say is that I must have been very, very lucky indeed in the path I chose to follow, as it took me a good number of hours and several attempts this time around!
In spite of the difficulty factor, it is still a highly recommended gamebook. This was as far as I got when a kid, so I'm looking forward to covering new ground with the final two books in the series in due course, though am nervous to note that they are both MUCH bigger!
August 4, 2013
This was an innovative combo of choose your own adventure and RPGs in a cohesive fantasy series. Really loved it as a kid, to the point of contorting my body to roll dice on the floor of the plane in economy on my my way to Wisconsin for Christmas one year. Good fun!
December 12, 2017
I couldn't finish this successfully! No matter how hard I tried!!
I always got killed on a statue 2/3 through.
I loved this series.
Other good ones:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
lone wolf free project aon
fighting fantasy by steev jackson here
which way books
choose own adventure
so many goodies!
I always got killed on a statue 2/3 through.
I loved this series.
Other good ones:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
lone wolf free project aon
fighting fantasy by steev jackson here
which way books
choose own adventure
so many goodies!
April 1, 2020
Having a break from the computer screen during Coronavirus Lockdown I am revisiting this epic series of Fighting Fantasy books from my youth...
Lovely adventure - really nice winding streets filled with all forms of traps and trickery...I remember being in all sorts of bother here as a kid, but this one was more plain sailing as I worked my way around, greeting friends from Book 1 and obtaining the required spell parts to unlock the gate at the end. Just the one workback as I made a mess of kissing a statue first time around, as you do...but now I have something special to help me as I face the unknown ahead...
Lovely adventure - really nice winding streets filled with all forms of traps and trickery...I remember being in all sorts of bother here as a kid, but this one was more plain sailing as I worked my way around, greeting friends from Book 1 and obtaining the required spell parts to unlock the gate at the end. Just the one workback as I made a mess of kissing a statue first time around, as you do...but now I have something special to help me as I face the unknown ahead...
March 23, 2017
Have this as part of the Sorcery! boxed set.
May 17, 2013
Siamo giunti a Kharé, luogo in cui è interamente ambientato il secondo volume della serie. Lo scopo del gioco consiste nell'uscire dall'insidiosa città, ricettacolo della peggiore feccia di Kakhabad. Per farlo dovremo però entrare in possesso dei quattro versi che compongono una formula magica. Ogni quartina è conosciuta da un diverso cittadino di prestigio ma non ci è dato sapere quale. Path-true rigidissimo; basta deviare accidentalmente o non prestare attenzione ai particolari per perdere un passaggio essenziale nell'acquisizione delle quartine. Ma Jackson non bara ed è sufficiente procedere in modo circolare per visitare ogni anfratto di Kharé. Un passo avanti rispetto al precedente racconto.
July 19, 2024
Much like the first book, I appreciate the art and some of the book's vibes. However, much like the first book, the game play is somewhat arbitrary and occasionally tedious. I came across at least two nearly impossible to escape loops and more than one completely pointless aside. It also features those annoying bits where, with no hints or indications, investigating will either gain you needed boons or destroy you out of hand.
It's an interesting time capsule, but unfortunately really shows the shortcomings of the medium. I'm going to try to push through the following two books, but I'm less thrilled than when I started.
One side note that is actually fairly important: in order to use magic, you need the Spell Book. I don't have the spell book, and 40 years later, it's not super easy to acquire. (I get the sense that perhaps in a relatively recent reprint of book one, the spells may have been included, but I can't find confirmation) So, I chose to be a non-magical fighter in the first book. No problem, right? In the first book, it wasn't a problem. However, the second book seems at multiple turns to assume that you're playing a magic user, which makes things awkward and clunky.
It's an interesting time capsule, but unfortunately really shows the shortcomings of the medium. I'm going to try to push through the following two books, but I'm less thrilled than when I started.
One side note that is actually fairly important: in order to use magic, you need the Spell Book. I don't have the spell book, and 40 years later, it's not super easy to acquire. (I get the sense that perhaps in a relatively recent reprint of book one, the spells may have been included, but I can't find confirmation) So, I chose to be a non-magical fighter in the first book. No problem, right? In the first book, it wasn't a problem. However, the second book seems at multiple turns to assume that you're playing a magic user, which makes things awkward and clunky.
October 31, 2022
A fordítások nagyon rosszak, az angol eredeti nélkül nem is lehet megcsinálni, mert még a számokat is sikerült félrefordítani a magyarban. A Steve Jackson-ok jó gondolkodtatósak, a varázslós extrázás tökre feldobja, csak lehetne kicsit hosszabb.
Want to read
October 1, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13396738
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13396738
September 28, 2018
Puzzle upon puzzle.
March 19, 2023
Not a Noble Hero
18 March 2023
I have to admit that I do question some of the things that you as the player do in this book. Okay, you can go into a casino and gamble (and ironically, the odds in this casino are pretty good, which makes me wonder how on Earth they are able to survive, particularly since the city it is located in what happens to be a den of thieves and cutthroats), but I guess the prizefighting, and the fact that you are not only given the option, but encouraged, to cheat, makes me scratch my head. Then again it brings back memories about how the character classes in most fantasy games are somewhat questionable (though of course, we use the term fighter, as opposed to cold-blooded murderer).
This one is actually somewhat harder than the first book, namely because you need to collect four lines of a spell that will enable you to open the gate at the other end of the city. The reason is that it is locked with magic because, well, the region beyond the gates is rather dangerous and they don’t really want any of the roaming creatures getting into the city.
I have to admit that the description of the city was somewhat realistic than other books that I have read. For instance, the idea that I get from most fantasy books is that inside the walls it is all city, and outside of the walls, there is nothing. That actually isn’t true of medieval cities because settlements would form outside of the gates, and inside the walls wasn’t necessarily all city – sections of the city were also farmland – it is much easier to defend against invading armies if you have farmland inside the walls.
Look, it wasn’t bad, and it certainly does bring back memories. Mind you, as I mentioned, I found some of the things that you get up to in this book is quite questionable (such as simply wondering into stranger’s houses, and sitting down with them to basically smoke drugs, though the whole idea of private dwellings is something that is a product of the industrial revolution). However, it was a good read, and did bring back some memories.
18 March 2023
I have to admit that I do question some of the things that you as the player do in this book. Okay, you can go into a casino and gamble (and ironically, the odds in this casino are pretty good, which makes me wonder how on Earth they are able to survive, particularly since the city it is located in what happens to be a den of thieves and cutthroats), but I guess the prizefighting, and the fact that you are not only given the option, but encouraged, to cheat, makes me scratch my head. Then again it brings back memories about how the character classes in most fantasy games are somewhat questionable (though of course, we use the term fighter, as opposed to cold-blooded murderer).
This one is actually somewhat harder than the first book, namely because you need to collect four lines of a spell that will enable you to open the gate at the other end of the city. The reason is that it is locked with magic because, well, the region beyond the gates is rather dangerous and they don’t really want any of the roaming creatures getting into the city.
I have to admit that the description of the city was somewhat realistic than other books that I have read. For instance, the idea that I get from most fantasy books is that inside the walls it is all city, and outside of the walls, there is nothing. That actually isn’t true of medieval cities because settlements would form outside of the gates, and inside the walls wasn’t necessarily all city – sections of the city were also farmland – it is much easier to defend against invading armies if you have farmland inside the walls.
Look, it wasn’t bad, and it certainly does bring back memories. Mind you, as I mentioned, I found some of the things that you get up to in this book is quite questionable (such as simply wondering into stranger’s houses, and sitting down with them to basically smoke drugs, though the whole idea of private dwellings is something that is a product of the industrial revolution). However, it was a good read, and did bring back some memories.
January 20, 2022
With an increase in difficulty levels along with a greater preponderance of deadly traps, Kharé presents a much greater challenge than the previous book in the series, especially for younger audiences. It is easy to make a mess of this one, so expect to come back more than once to find a better route through the city. On the bright side, there is good continuity from the previous volume which starts to mark this series out as significant for the genre.
September 9, 2024
Such an excellent setting, deadly and characterful with such interesting creatures. My favourite is the cook with a human torso and slimy, betentacled upper body with eyes floating in its mass; stuff that's stuck with me since childhood (in a good way). There's a good use of magic, item collection, and progression with lots of carry-over to book three.
March 3, 2022
Read for a reading challenge (“next in a series”). Classic Fighting Fantasy gamebook with added puzzles and memory games around spellcasting. Part of a series I only started in my youth. Looking forward to completing the wurst at a later date,
July 22, 2020
The series gets even better, i really enjoyed this one!
November 23, 2020
count if
December 18, 2022
Second part of Steve Jackson's magnum opus. Full review: https://refereeingandreflection.wordp...
February 20, 2015
The hardest Fighting Fantasy gamebook I've ever came across.
Anybody who has ever played an FF gamebook, will be familiar with the urge to cheat, to skip ahead a few pages and see if your choice was the correct one (your character using suffering a gruesome death in the process)
The benefit this 'hindsight' brought, was a smooth progression through even the toughest dungeon.
With Cityport, such an option is not available. Almost impossible to solve without cheating, and even then it's no guarantee, I've yet to meet anybody who has ever finished this book.
Despite its toughness, it's still an enjoyable trek through the worlds created by Steve Jackson, although you'd be forgiven if you thought you'd heard some mad cackling in the background!
Anybody who has ever played an FF gamebook, will be familiar with the urge to cheat, to skip ahead a few pages and see if your choice was the correct one (your character using suffering a gruesome death in the process)
The benefit this 'hindsight' brought, was a smooth progression through even the toughest dungeon.
With Cityport, such an option is not available. Almost impossible to solve without cheating, and even then it's no guarantee, I've yet to meet anybody who has ever finished this book.
Despite its toughness, it's still an enjoyable trek through the worlds created by Steve Jackson, although you'd be forgiven if you thought you'd heard some mad cackling in the background!
September 21, 2024
Second part of the journey and the adventure goes through the city of Khare, a place quite similar to Blacksand. I am not a personal fan of the city environment as it is usually invites an annoying maze-like structure that suggests an open city to explore, but is completely controlled and driven to the endpoint. It makes no sense that I can't go back through the city looking for stuff, but is forced to go to the exit despite knowing I can't get through it.
Even so, it is still a nice puzzle to solve and serves as a different experience from the first book.
Even so, it is still a nice puzzle to solve and serves as a different experience from the first book.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews