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Fever Knights: Official Fake Strategy Guide
What happened at Starfish Beach?
Finneus had plans to surf every day of summer vacation until a mysterious accident at Starfish Beach took his arm and left him with almost no memory of exactly what happened. Now, strange things have been occurring all around Toro Island, and Finn and his friends are going to get to the bottom of it!
Structured like an old-school video game strategy guide, Fever Knights unravels the mystery of the uncanny events affecting Toro Island as Finn and his friends look for answers, making allies, and fighting enemies, using their skills, teamwork, and strange new powers to figure out what happened at Starfish Beach and what they can do to save their home.
With Adam Ellis's vibrant comic illustrations, witty humor, richly detailed world building, and a fantastical cast of characters, Fever Knights is the best game you've never played.
Finneus had plans to surf every day of summer vacation until a mysterious accident at Starfish Beach took his arm and left him with almost no memory of exactly what happened. Now, strange things have been occurring all around Toro Island, and Finn and his friends are going to get to the bottom of it!
Structured like an old-school video game strategy guide, Fever Knights unravels the mystery of the uncanny events affecting Toro Island as Finn and his friends look for answers, making allies, and fighting enemies, using their skills, teamwork, and strange new powers to figure out what happened at Starfish Beach and what they can do to save their home.
With Adam Ellis's vibrant comic illustrations, witty humor, richly detailed world building, and a fantastical cast of characters, Fever Knights is the best game you've never played.
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2022
18 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Adam Ellis
15 books262 followersAdam Ellis is a 25-year old artist, blogger and reluctant hipster who lives in New York. When he isn't illustrating for his site, he does freelance design for comic book publishers. He also hates tomatoes and can't do long division.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
June 27, 2022
A brilliant concept executed well. The idea of video game guide being a form of storytelling and art in itself is brilliant and I have never seen anything like it, yet it is so obvious and true once Ellis presents it in this book. I loved reading through the longest and most detailed guides when I was a kid and this book tapped that nostalgia by presenting its own faithful and loving take.
Ellis' drawings and characters are are colourful, quirky, and wonderfully diverse. The book is a treat to skim and filled with fun little details and quirks.
The only thing holding it back is that the story feels a little simplistic and underdeveloped, with little backstory or interpersonal relationships being explored outside of what is initially established in the opening chapter. It also feels like its missing some of the key content that a true game guide - maps of areas, chapters on party makeup and dynamics, boss strategies and techniques, etc. As a result while I enjoyed what the book contained, it feels more like a pitch for a potential game and broad story than a fully fleshed out guide to a detailed and long RPG.
Still it was a fun summer read and the underlying idea is BRILLIANT. I hope that this does not remain the only fake strategy guide in the world.
Ellis' drawings and characters are are colourful, quirky, and wonderfully diverse. The book is a treat to skim and filled with fun little details and quirks.
The only thing holding it back is that the story feels a little simplistic and underdeveloped, with little backstory or interpersonal relationships being explored outside of what is initially established in the opening chapter. It also feels like its missing some of the key content that a true game guide - maps of areas, chapters on party makeup and dynamics, boss strategies and techniques, etc. As a result while I enjoyed what the book contained, it feels more like a pitch for a potential game and broad story than a fully fleshed out guide to a detailed and long RPG.
Still it was a fun summer read and the underlying idea is BRILLIANT. I hope that this does not remain the only fake strategy guide in the world.
May 15, 2022
Much like author Adam Ellis, I also loved reading video game strategy guides when I was a kid. Even if I couldn't progress very far in the original Final Fantasy because of the difficulty curve, I still had the awesome Nintendo Power Strategy Guide, which was chock full of illustrations and story lore. The guide helped bring the game to even greater life, and it was thrilling to read about the parts of the adventure that I had not yet been able to tackle.
I had never considered a strategy guide in and of itself as a storytelling medium, though, and that's what makes Fever Knights so fun and unique. It's a strategy guide for a game that doesn't exist, or perhaps doesn't exist in this reality. Like all those old Nintendo Power, Brady, and Prima guides, it has info about characters, enemies, and items. And it tracks the game's story as the "player" (read: the reader) progresses.
Ellis brings his signature illustration style to the game, which is reminiscent of classic console JRPGs but with characters that aren't all straight, white, and vaguely European. There's a heavy Earthbound (also known as Mother 2 outside of North America) influence, plus fun homages to other titles from the 8- and 16-bit eras and beyond.
If I had to offer one bit of critical feedback, it would be for Ellis to explore even more wild designs for some of his enemies, which started to share some characteristics by the end of the book. Oh, and include maps next time. I'm dying to see what some of these "dungeons" look like, and what's a good strategy guide without maps!
I had never considered a strategy guide in and of itself as a storytelling medium, though, and that's what makes Fever Knights so fun and unique. It's a strategy guide for a game that doesn't exist, or perhaps doesn't exist in this reality. Like all those old Nintendo Power, Brady, and Prima guides, it has info about characters, enemies, and items. And it tracks the game's story as the "player" (read: the reader) progresses.
Ellis brings his signature illustration style to the game, which is reminiscent of classic console JRPGs but with characters that aren't all straight, white, and vaguely European. There's a heavy Earthbound (also known as Mother 2 outside of North America) influence, plus fun homages to other titles from the 8- and 16-bit eras and beyond.
If I had to offer one bit of critical feedback, it would be for Ellis to explore even more wild designs for some of his enemies, which started to share some characteristics by the end of the book. Oh, and include maps next time. I'm dying to see what some of these "dungeons" look like, and what's a good strategy guide without maps!
May 15, 2022
Very cool concept! Taking the look of a video game guide, this tells the story in a rather unique format. Part graphic novel, part story, and part imagination, it’s the story of Finn and his friends saving their island.
Content warnings:
Limb loss
Violence/death
Blood/gore
Content warnings:
Limb loss
Violence/death
Blood/gore
September 26, 2023
Sometimes it's nice to read something with a lot of pretty pictures. The video game strategy guide is something of a lost art, especially when it comes to grand epics.
In fact, I can remember exactly when that change began: BradyGames's infamous Final Fantasy 9 guide. Printed and bound just like all its ancestors, yet almost every single page, devoid of all but barebone directions, told you to go sign up for Square's website to learn more.
That moment was the equivalent of Hunter S. Thompson watching the purity of '60s counter-culture recede from its high-water mark. But before that sea change, what a beautiful thing a strategy guide could be. Worldbuilding about the people of Hyrule that added immersion to the equipment in A Link to the Past; lists of rare skills and hidden characters in SaGa Frontier; Toriyama's artwork of the entire Chrono Trigger secondary cast, at the time available nowhere else stateside. To say nothing of that masterpiece of '90s quirky charm, the travelogue-style Earthbound player's guide.
These strategy guides weren't always accurate, but they made up for it with the blossoming of imagination you'd get as you thumbed through the illustrated pages. Enter web cartoonist Adam Ellis with a pretty nifty idea: a modern-day, vividly colorful strategy guide for a classic RPG, unencumbered by the fact that said RPG does not exist.
Fever Knights is pretty much a slam-dunk recommendation for fans of the "golden years" of RPGs, and even those outside that target group will probably enjoy the one-off gags and the general immersion - though, they might be a bit mystified.
Since there's no actual Fever Knights game, obviously one of the key elements of the classic strategy guide - screenshots - is absent. But the various environments are well-described, and fleshed out via consistent themes in their particular enemies and treasures (each of which gets a fun illustration and functional description). So I kept getting hypothetical screenshots of the game's regions, in a classic 2D style, in my mind's eye, oftentimes without even trying. That's a strong mark of success.
The progression of the guide conveys a plot, which is uncomplicated - probably by intent - but hits all the classic notes. By design it's forced to present a narrative that's less character-driven than a real-life RPG would be. We don't get much detail on when and why party members join the crew, for instance - there's a little bit in their bios, but they're generally assumed to all be present from the first mission. But the overlap of new mission and new teammate is one of the most critical ways in which an RPG can be memorable - sure, some have gone about it lazily, but just look at the branching adventure that puts Jeff in your team in Earthbound, or Xenogears' slow emotional and interpersonal buildup towards getting back Elly in Kislev.
This was one opportunity I felt the book missed. Beyond the two main characters, who have a well-described pre-existing friendship, and the muscle dude, who's trying to solve a mystery that overlaps with theirs, you don't get much insight into the cast's motives, and how those motives turn them into cast members to begin with. While an admirable level of intricacy fleshes out their baseline identities (aimed, to be fair, at a generation I'm probably getting too old to relate to), there's therefore a degree to which the characters, as teammates, come off as blank slates. Great ideas, but blank slates.
Ultimately I wouldn't say that it was to the detriment of the book, it's just something that would have heightened my enjoyment of it even more. RPGs frequently feature zany and original casts, but what makes the RPG a great vehicle for storytelling isn't the zaniness or originality of design in a void, but the ways those characters relate to their friends, foes, and the locales they travel to.
While I bemoan (to a probably excessive degree) the missed chances for the book to integrate the characters with their missions, we do get some memorable exceptions. There's a sequence where the three girls of the cast have to form a band and duel against a formless enemy. We get alternative art of them in their new "battle of the bands" outfits, and it manages to get a lot of personality across. Two of the three girls are obviously enthused, shown in active poses that suggest how much they enjoy getting to sing and play guitar. The third girl sulks in the background, posed as stiffly as a vertical corpse, tapping a triangle as though every note caused her immense mental anguish. Through this simple variant on the concept art, you can imagine the connections between them: the two girls who are into it playing off each other's girlish silliness and growing as friends; the reluctant tagalong moping but still respecting them enough to take part. (Yuna-Rikku-Paine, anyone?)
I also did get a lot of delightful immersion, even where the characters were sometimes threadbare, through the enemies and items of the varying regions. Many of these sections seized fully on the propensity of RPGs to offer silly combat-based problem solving. Damned if I didn't love the dessert-based parody of the Power Rangers, for instance. There's a haunted circus, a corrupted fast food joint, and more traditional RPG environments like a mysterious seaside cave.
And it wasn't lost on me the keen attention Ellis pays to the gameplay side of the RPG genre. This is executed with strong fidelity to the genre and some neat bursts of creativity to boot. For instance, the aforementioned "battle of the bands" turns a boss fight into a full-fledged rhythm minigame. Crafting systems and transformative NPC shops really get one's imagination spinning, and many enemies are described with unique in-battle features and tricks. All of these details add a lot of weight to this short book, and hint at the author/illustrator's genuine reverence for both the RPG genre and the concept of classic strategy guide.
All in all, it's pretty great. What gripes I had are more than made up for by the inventiveness and expertly crafted sense of immersion. Fever Knights ends with a sequel hook that I would certainly not mind seeing turn into reality. Who knows, maybe we'll even see a proper game version some day.
(Props to my friend Avery for this recommendation.)
In fact, I can remember exactly when that change began: BradyGames's infamous Final Fantasy 9 guide. Printed and bound just like all its ancestors, yet almost every single page, devoid of all but barebone directions, told you to go sign up for Square's website to learn more.
That moment was the equivalent of Hunter S. Thompson watching the purity of '60s counter-culture recede from its high-water mark. But before that sea change, what a beautiful thing a strategy guide could be. Worldbuilding about the people of Hyrule that added immersion to the equipment in A Link to the Past; lists of rare skills and hidden characters in SaGa Frontier; Toriyama's artwork of the entire Chrono Trigger secondary cast, at the time available nowhere else stateside. To say nothing of that masterpiece of '90s quirky charm, the travelogue-style Earthbound player's guide.
These strategy guides weren't always accurate, but they made up for it with the blossoming of imagination you'd get as you thumbed through the illustrated pages. Enter web cartoonist Adam Ellis with a pretty nifty idea: a modern-day, vividly colorful strategy guide for a classic RPG, unencumbered by the fact that said RPG does not exist.
Fever Knights is pretty much a slam-dunk recommendation for fans of the "golden years" of RPGs, and even those outside that target group will probably enjoy the one-off gags and the general immersion - though, they might be a bit mystified.
Since there's no actual Fever Knights game, obviously one of the key elements of the classic strategy guide - screenshots - is absent. But the various environments are well-described, and fleshed out via consistent themes in their particular enemies and treasures (each of which gets a fun illustration and functional description). So I kept getting hypothetical screenshots of the game's regions, in a classic 2D style, in my mind's eye, oftentimes without even trying. That's a strong mark of success.
The progression of the guide conveys a plot, which is uncomplicated - probably by intent - but hits all the classic notes. By design it's forced to present a narrative that's less character-driven than a real-life RPG would be. We don't get much detail on when and why party members join the crew, for instance - there's a little bit in their bios, but they're generally assumed to all be present from the first mission. But the overlap of new mission and new teammate is one of the most critical ways in which an RPG can be memorable - sure, some have gone about it lazily, but just look at the branching adventure that puts Jeff in your team in Earthbound, or Xenogears' slow emotional and interpersonal buildup towards getting back Elly in Kislev.
This was one opportunity I felt the book missed. Beyond the two main characters, who have a well-described pre-existing friendship, and the muscle dude, who's trying to solve a mystery that overlaps with theirs, you don't get much insight into the cast's motives, and how those motives turn them into cast members to begin with. While an admirable level of intricacy fleshes out their baseline identities (aimed, to be fair, at a generation I'm probably getting too old to relate to), there's therefore a degree to which the characters, as teammates, come off as blank slates. Great ideas, but blank slates.
Ultimately I wouldn't say that it was to the detriment of the book, it's just something that would have heightened my enjoyment of it even more. RPGs frequently feature zany and original casts, but what makes the RPG a great vehicle for storytelling isn't the zaniness or originality of design in a void, but the ways those characters relate to their friends, foes, and the locales they travel to.
While I bemoan (to a probably excessive degree) the missed chances for the book to integrate the characters with their missions, we do get some memorable exceptions. There's a sequence where the three girls of the cast have to form a band and duel against a formless enemy. We get alternative art of them in their new "battle of the bands" outfits, and it manages to get a lot of personality across. Two of the three girls are obviously enthused, shown in active poses that suggest how much they enjoy getting to sing and play guitar. The third girl sulks in the background, posed as stiffly as a vertical corpse, tapping a triangle as though every note caused her immense mental anguish. Through this simple variant on the concept art, you can imagine the connections between them: the two girls who are into it playing off each other's girlish silliness and growing as friends; the reluctant tagalong moping but still respecting them enough to take part. (Yuna-Rikku-Paine, anyone?)
I also did get a lot of delightful immersion, even where the characters were sometimes threadbare, through the enemies and items of the varying regions. Many of these sections seized fully on the propensity of RPGs to offer silly combat-based problem solving. Damned if I didn't love the dessert-based parody of the Power Rangers, for instance. There's a haunted circus, a corrupted fast food joint, and more traditional RPG environments like a mysterious seaside cave.
And it wasn't lost on me the keen attention Ellis pays to the gameplay side of the RPG genre. This is executed with strong fidelity to the genre and some neat bursts of creativity to boot. For instance, the aforementioned "battle of the bands" turns a boss fight into a full-fledged rhythm minigame. Crafting systems and transformative NPC shops really get one's imagination spinning, and many enemies are described with unique in-battle features and tricks. All of these details add a lot of weight to this short book, and hint at the author/illustrator's genuine reverence for both the RPG genre and the concept of classic strategy guide.
All in all, it's pretty great. What gripes I had are more than made up for by the inventiveness and expertly crafted sense of immersion. Fever Knights ends with a sequel hook that I would certainly not mind seeing turn into reality. Who knows, maybe we'll even see a proper game version some day.
(Props to my friend Avery for this recommendation.)
January 6, 2023
As a gamer, I loved this book! It was so creatively curated, and I've been a fan of the author's drawing style for a while already, so that made it even more enjoyable. The attention to detail was really nice to experience; it really felt like I was in the first playthrough of a video game. Overall I had a good time reading this and I'm looking forward to a sequel!
May 13, 2022
omg its so good!!! i want to learn more about the characters and the world!!
June 30, 2022
This book was really unique and nostalgic. My only complaint is the lack of Tortellini after he was introduced. Would totally play this game if it was ever created.
April 13, 2024
I didn't enjoy reading this but looking forward to seeing what my toddler thinks about it 😄
December 19, 2025
I NEED this to be made into a video game
May 14, 2022
It’s a fox with a knife.
Such a fun concept and beautiful original characters! I had high expectations, and Adam Ellis’ work always exceeds them. I devoured this book and can’t wait to share it!!
Such a fun concept and beautiful original characters! I had high expectations, and Adam Ellis’ work always exceeds them. I devoured this book and can’t wait to share it!!
July 28, 2024
Loved it! So unique and fun!
did-not-finish
June 9, 2022Hmmm.... Okay....
So.... WHAT?!?!?
I thought that, after the initial character introductions, this was going to morph into a story. Well, the story never manifested. This was a bummer, since the synopsis sounded like a fun adventure. Instead it read like... I'm not sure what. A video game guide? A cheat code book? An I-Don't-Know-What for an MMORPG that doesn't exist? Granted, I never played role-playing or storyline video games when I was growing up. Still don't. Not really. And when I DO game, I prefer strategy/puzzle games like Tetris or match/puzzle games like Bejeweled (and the like). So the whole lot was completely lost on me. I read a couple character bios, flipped around, and put it back on the shelf to be discovered by someone who will appreciate it.
I do like this author, typically. This just wasn't his best, in my opinion. I suppose I just didn't "get it" and would have preferred more cats in tiny hats.
My initial experience with role playing/MMORPG happened in college...1996? '97? A friend invited me to attend his "role playing club" and, being naïve and sheltered, I assumed it was a theater group and I'd be witnessing some serious Shakespeare. And I happily agreed. Instead my friend and I walked into the student center and were greeted by a cloaked/hooded figure who addressed me and my friend in...Elvish? Old Entish? Klingon? They spoke for a bit and (I guess) determined I was ok and allowed to enter (I shall pass?). Inside was more of the same: People in various stages of costume, sitting around playing cards and tossing dice. I was properly weirded out and made an excuse to leave shortly after arriving. Homework and such. I felt the eyes of the Gatekeeper upon me as I skulked out of there. (Much) wiser now, I don't get freaked out when hubby and his bros sit down for a rousing game of Magic The Gathering. I even tried playing once and, with a clueless bit of beginner's luck, managed to completely wipe out one of them. Not my thing, though. Nor am I bothered when my coworker wants to talk about D&D Club.
Just the same, I would have preferred the actual story. Not just the outline.
as with all DNF books, I refrain from giving a star rating.
So.... WHAT?!?!?
I thought that, after the initial character introductions, this was going to morph into a story. Well, the story never manifested. This was a bummer, since the synopsis sounded like a fun adventure. Instead it read like... I'm not sure what. A video game guide? A cheat code book? An I-Don't-Know-What for an MMORPG that doesn't exist? Granted, I never played role-playing or storyline video games when I was growing up. Still don't. Not really. And when I DO game, I prefer strategy/puzzle games like Tetris or match/puzzle games like Bejeweled (and the like). So the whole lot was completely lost on me. I read a couple character bios, flipped around, and put it back on the shelf to be discovered by someone who will appreciate it.
I do like this author, typically. This just wasn't his best, in my opinion. I suppose I just didn't "get it" and would have preferred more cats in tiny hats.
My initial experience with role playing/MMORPG happened in college...1996? '97? A friend invited me to attend his "role playing club" and, being naïve and sheltered, I assumed it was a theater group and I'd be witnessing some serious Shakespeare. And I happily agreed. Instead my friend and I walked into the student center and were greeted by a cloaked/hooded figure who addressed me and my friend in...Elvish? Old Entish? Klingon? They spoke for a bit and (I guess) determined I was ok and allowed to enter (I shall pass?). Inside was more of the same: People in various stages of costume, sitting around playing cards and tossing dice. I was properly weirded out and made an excuse to leave shortly after arriving. Homework and such. I felt the eyes of the Gatekeeper upon me as I skulked out of there. (Much) wiser now, I don't get freaked out when hubby and his bros sit down for a rousing game of Magic The Gathering. I even tried playing once and, with a clueless bit of beginner's luck, managed to completely wipe out one of them. Not my thing, though. Nor am I bothered when my coworker wants to talk about D&D Club.
Just the same, I would have preferred the actual story. Not just the outline.
as with all DNF books, I refrain from giving a star rating.
March 17, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
When I saw that Adam Ellis has a new graphic novel out, I knew that I had to read it right away! Fever Knights by Adam Ellis is an interesting book that takes the form of a fictional game guide. The story revolves around Finneus, who is involved in a mysterious accident at Starfish Beach. According to the description, the book is "structured like an old-school video game strategy guide" and filled with "vibrant comic illustrations, witty humor, richly detailed world building, and a fantastical cast of characters."
Overall, Fever Knights is a fantastic graphic novel that will appeal to fans of old-school game guides and the visuals of Netflix's Stranger Things. One highlight of this book is how the creator really stuck to the idea of replicating old-school game guides. I'm sure that they don't print game guides anymore (everything is online), so this is truly nostalgic and a throwback to relics of the past. I've been a fan of Adam Ellis's comics for a long time, but if I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that I would have liked if there were more of a plot. As a fictional game guide, this is great, but this isn't really a graphic novel. if you're intrigued by the description, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in May!
When I saw that Adam Ellis has a new graphic novel out, I knew that I had to read it right away! Fever Knights by Adam Ellis is an interesting book that takes the form of a fictional game guide. The story revolves around Finneus, who is involved in a mysterious accident at Starfish Beach. According to the description, the book is "structured like an old-school video game strategy guide" and filled with "vibrant comic illustrations, witty humor, richly detailed world building, and a fantastical cast of characters."
Overall, Fever Knights is a fantastic graphic novel that will appeal to fans of old-school game guides and the visuals of Netflix's Stranger Things. One highlight of this book is how the creator really stuck to the idea of replicating old-school game guides. I'm sure that they don't print game guides anymore (everything is online), so this is truly nostalgic and a throwback to relics of the past. I've been a fan of Adam Ellis's comics for a long time, but if I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that I would have liked if there were more of a plot. As a fictional game guide, this is great, but this isn't really a graphic novel. if you're intrigued by the description, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in May!
June 8, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the chance to review the unique and miraculous world building of Fever Nights.
I love the comic art by Adam Ellis and have been following his work for awhile. I'm thrilled that his project, Fever Nights that used to just be creative posts on insta is going to be a full on book. Just proves that hard work and dedication can really pay off.
The unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements allows the characters to pop out in the mind as full animations. I love the colors, designs and wide range of abilities that give the reader a great understanding of the application usage for game play. Between the villain's, side characters, wildlife, and main characters, I was completely immersed in the world; to visualize this as an actual game is exciting. I'm extremely fond of games that challenge one's intellect, incorporating puzzles, mystery, and story into a wonderful mix that flows naturally.
I definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in starting/building their own game world for future application. The breakdown of each character and the simple matrix of who they are and what they do in reference to the world makes comprehending what direction the story is supposed to go in much easier.
5/5 stars!
I love the comic art by Adam Ellis and have been following his work for awhile. I'm thrilled that his project, Fever Nights that used to just be creative posts on insta is going to be a full on book. Just proves that hard work and dedication can really pay off.
The unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements allows the characters to pop out in the mind as full animations. I love the colors, designs and wide range of abilities that give the reader a great understanding of the application usage for game play. Between the villain's, side characters, wildlife, and main characters, I was completely immersed in the world; to visualize this as an actual game is exciting. I'm extremely fond of games that challenge one's intellect, incorporating puzzles, mystery, and story into a wonderful mix that flows naturally.
I definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in starting/building their own game world for future application. The breakdown of each character and the simple matrix of who they are and what they do in reference to the world makes comprehending what direction the story is supposed to go in much easier.
5/5 stars!
January 17, 2023
The stated aim for Fever Knights is to recreate the style of a 90s video game strategy guide in order to tell a story. It’s sort of successful.
It certainly feels legitimate as a strategy guide. And the fake game that Ellis details looks great, a potentially brilliant 16 bit JRPG that draws on the format and structure of classics like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger. It’s helped no end by Ellis’s gorgeous artwork and great character design skills, making perhaps the best game that’s never existed.
But does it actually work as a story in its own right? Not really. There are plot points certainly and you can see how it would work as a game, but as a reading experience it doesn’t really achieve what you’d really call a narrative, especially as most of the main plot is just dumped near the end.
Ultimately Fever Knights feels like an comprehensive pitch or design document for a game (that I’d eagerly play) rather than a true complete narrative in and of itself. For it to truly work, I think it would need to skew more metatextual and actually break the guide format as it progresses and have a prose or comics narrative assert itself. As it is, it’s a strange yet charming curio.
It certainly feels legitimate as a strategy guide. And the fake game that Ellis details looks great, a potentially brilliant 16 bit JRPG that draws on the format and structure of classics like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger. It’s helped no end by Ellis’s gorgeous artwork and great character design skills, making perhaps the best game that’s never existed.
But does it actually work as a story in its own right? Not really. There are plot points certainly and you can see how it would work as a game, but as a reading experience it doesn’t really achieve what you’d really call a narrative, especially as most of the main plot is just dumped near the end.
Ultimately Fever Knights feels like an comprehensive pitch or design document for a game (that I’d eagerly play) rather than a true complete narrative in and of itself. For it to truly work, I think it would need to skew more metatextual and actually break the guide format as it progresses and have a prose or comics narrative assert itself. As it is, it’s a strange yet charming curio.
August 23, 2023
An art book masquerading as a 90s era strategy guide with lore and stats for various monsters and NPCs. While the art is cute is varied -- evoking a sort of mix between Akira Toriyama Dragon Quest designs with the bright and bubbly thick-lined indie comics style that dominated Tumblr without being afraid to dip into eldritch horror as appropriate for a 90s RPG -- it unfortunately falls apart as a facsimile of a strategy guide. A few more maps and notes unrelated exclusively to characters and monsters would've gone a long way to really selling the idea. The book barely presents the primary characters, referring to them only in their opening bios and when the "story" calls for an upgrade, which is understandable but perhaps a few more drawings with their special moves or just interacting with the environment like the many concept pieces found in Chrono Trigger guides or the Terada illustrations that decorated 16-bit Zelda guides would've been appreciated.
May 3, 2022
I've been following Adam Ellis for a long long time. I love his work.
When he first announced Fever Knights as a concept I was like "cool, but what is this?". After reading the game guide, I get it. And man do I wish this was a real game. I would play the heck out of it. Adam's artwork is always amazing, and it's clever. I may have been reading into it just a little bit too much, but for those who have followed him on instagram and listened to his podcast, I think there were a few easter eggs.
I also want to mention that I love the fact that Ciseaux uses they/them pronouns and it's not a big deal! I mean, there's no mention of their sexual identity, just the pronouns -- I loved how natural it felt reading their paragraph.
I'm so happy to have had the chance to pre-read Fever Knight. I will most definitely buy a copy and add it to the shelf with my other Adam Ellis books!
When he first announced Fever Knights as a concept I was like "cool, but what is this?". After reading the game guide, I get it. And man do I wish this was a real game. I would play the heck out of it. Adam's artwork is always amazing, and it's clever. I may have been reading into it just a little bit too much, but for those who have followed him on instagram and listened to his podcast, I think there were a few easter eggs.
I also want to mention that I love the fact that Ciseaux uses they/them pronouns and it's not a big deal! I mean, there's no mention of their sexual identity, just the pronouns -- I loved how natural it felt reading their paragraph.
I'm so happy to have had the chance to pre-read Fever Knight. I will most definitely buy a copy and add it to the shelf with my other Adam Ellis books!
March 29, 2025
''Level 5 Weapons (WP029) BIG LOG - KNOX: Big Log. ATK:110 MAG:0 CRIT: 15% ELEMENT: none''
A really fun exploration of a fake game. I think, in some places, it does lose the game-guide feel somewhat and it loses the illusion, especially when compared to other fake game guides like the Vermis Duology, but it always pulled me back in again.
I personally would've liked more lore or a narrative that was a bit more original but I think these things can be excused by the nature of the guide trying to emulate secondary video game media, where the idea is it's supplementary rather than fully explanatory.
I think it's a very accessible way to get into the genre of fake game guides and scratches an itch in a satisfying game. Not a perfect representation of the genre but a very good one that has a lot of value for both inspiration and just general entertainment.
A really fun exploration of a fake game. I think, in some places, it does lose the game-guide feel somewhat and it loses the illusion, especially when compared to other fake game guides like the Vermis Duology, but it always pulled me back in again.
I personally would've liked more lore or a narrative that was a bit more original but I think these things can be excused by the nature of the guide trying to emulate secondary video game media, where the idea is it's supplementary rather than fully explanatory.
I think it's a very accessible way to get into the genre of fake game guides and scratches an itch in a satisfying game. Not a perfect representation of the genre but a very good one that has a lot of value for both inspiration and just general entertainment.
May 29, 2022
'Fever Knights' by Adam Ellis is a story told as a fake strategy guide for a game.
Finneus lives on Toro Island with his friends and just wants to surf, but weird things start happening and they are interested in solving things. Throughout this book, which plays like a strategy (or even RPG) guide, we learn about the heroes and enemies, the different terrain and character transformations and learn about Toro Island.
I like reading strategy guides, so this was a fun concept. I like what the author did here and had fun reading it.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Finneus lives on Toro Island with his friends and just wants to surf, but weird things start happening and they are interested in solving things. Throughout this book, which plays like a strategy (or even RPG) guide, we learn about the heroes and enemies, the different terrain and character transformations and learn about Toro Island.
I like reading strategy guides, so this was a fun concept. I like what the author did here and had fun reading it.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
November 13, 2024
This book was lent to me by my wife who bought it because she liked the author's previous works. She wasn't into it because it is not really funny. I agree. The book is funny perse, but mimics the old school strategy guides pretty well. Some word choices let you know this is a parody too well and breaks the sense of immersion. Some details are stuck to for the main characters, but if this were a real game it seems they would all be pretty weak compared to the bosses once you reach midgame. I like that the weaknesses made sense for each enemy and the variety of characters in the book. The story is pretty straight forward, but I think only specific types of gamers can truly enjoy this book. I'd recommend only to solo RPG fans who haven't read a real strategy guide.
June 1, 2022
Adam Ellis's Instagram art project of creating a video game comes to life in a fake strategy guide! It's been fun watching Ellis develop the concept on Instagram, and his chosen format of a strategy guide is a great way to do it. I've occasionally flipped through guides of games I was unable to get, much like Ellis describes in his foreword, so this really brought me back. My one complaint is that this looks so fun (and has been looking fun since the first posts) that I'm a bit disappointed it's not a real game, but that was quickly overtaken by my enjoyment of the story in the book. Highly recommend.
August 25, 2024
3.5/5
I liked the format of this a lot, it's a really interesting way to tell a story that feels like it has a lot of room for innovation. Honestly makes me think about how a story could be presented in this form!
Ultimately, the story is a little plain and this reads more as a high-polish proof of concept rather than a fully fleshed out project with a unique plot tailored to its format.
The art, as always with Adam Ellis, is bright, highly polished, and decidedly fun. He clearly has a fondness and love for JRPGs and their walk through tomes, and it shines through in so many small ways, like the optional side quest character. I just think it could be pushed further!
I liked the format of this a lot, it's a really interesting way to tell a story that feels like it has a lot of room for innovation. Honestly makes me think about how a story could be presented in this form!
Ultimately, the story is a little plain and this reads more as a high-polish proof of concept rather than a fully fleshed out project with a unique plot tailored to its format.
The art, as always with Adam Ellis, is bright, highly polished, and decidedly fun. He clearly has a fondness and love for JRPGs and their walk through tomes, and it shines through in so many small ways, like the optional side quest character. I just think it could be pushed further!
May 26, 2025
What a brilliant idea, and a brilliant approach to storytelling. I found this entertaining from start to finish. It's not just a great homage to JRPGs and their strategy guides - the story is interesting on its own and full of great, novel ideas that would do well in an actual video game. It took me no time at all to read cover-to-cover, but it's the type of thing I expect to find myself (and anyone perusing my bookshelf) flipping through over and over again through the years.
My minor critiques are:
1. There's only one map.
2. Most pages have a plain white background, which gets tedious.
3. The text needs some minor editing / revision.
Otherwise, genius.
My minor critiques are:
1. There's only one map.
2. Most pages have a plain white background, which gets tedious.
3. The text needs some minor editing / revision.
Otherwise, genius.
July 30, 2022
I picked this up because I was intrigued by the concept of telling a story in the form of a fake game manual. The guide basically takes you from the beginning to the end of the game, the enemies you encounter in each level, the items you pick up and the NPCs you sell them to, etc. The designs and concepts are all very charming. As for the story, like most games it's probably more enjoyable to play than to read. You just kind of have to imagine how much fun you would have playing this fictional game.
January 8, 2023
I really, really loved this. As a kid, I would often read through entire game guides at the store since I wasn't able to buy the games, and that's how I would interact with the media. Once I had games, I bought the game guides for all of my favorites so that I could ooo and ahhh over the artwork, character designs, monster designs, weapons and so on.
This book is ticks all of these boxes - while telling a story that you can piece together by reading through it. It's not really like any other book I've ever seen - and I sure hope there's a Fever Knights 2! We love a sequel game.
This book is ticks all of these boxes - while telling a story that you can piece together by reading through it. It's not really like any other book I've ever seen - and I sure hope there's a Fever Knights 2! We love a sequel game.
May 23, 2023
As someone who also grew up reading strategy guides for fun and imagining the worlds I read about (even if I didn’t own the game), I relate so much to this project. I hope there might be more, by Ellis or other similarly inspired authors! This was also great disability rep. The story is not about Finn getting his arm back but about him and his friends saving the town. Would love to see this as an actual video game also. I also love the cat side story that slowly emerges. What a fun book, I read it all in one sitting. So thankful this book happened!
June 27, 2024
Interesting...
As with anything by Adam Ellis, the artwork is scrumptious.
I admire the direction he took with the story-telling, but for me it was not entirely successful.
Each character was presented in a lot of detail and seemed to have a lot of potential, but the method of storytelling meant that the reader can't really get to enjoy/experience the characters.
A situation of simultaneously too much and too little detail.
Still admire the somewhat unconventional way the story was told.
As with anything by Adam Ellis, the artwork is scrumptious.
I admire the direction he took with the story-telling, but for me it was not entirely successful.
Each character was presented in a lot of detail and seemed to have a lot of potential, but the method of storytelling meant that the reader can't really get to enjoy/experience the characters.
A situation of simultaneously too much and too little detail.
Still admire the somewhat unconventional way the story was told.
April 24, 2022
I follow Adam on Instagram, so when he started this project on there I was instantly on board and joined the others saying he should get this made into a real game. In lieu of that, it's a clever storytelling device to frame it as a strategy guide.
If you are a fan of RPGs, this book will delight you and make you upset that this isn't an actual game you can play. I whipped through it. The art is lovely and the world-building interesting. I hope the teased sequel happens.
If you are a fan of RPGs, this book will delight you and make you upset that this isn't an actual game you can play. I whipped through it. The art is lovely and the world-building interesting. I hope the teased sequel happens.
June 2, 2022
I generally give 5 starts to anything on my very small "hard-to-classify" shelf, because it means I've read something unlike anything else I've read before. Ellis's "fake strategy guide" is just that--a guide to a video game that does not exist. But it's also a love letter to a certain type of game and a triumph of imagination. If you can read this book without wishing Fever Knights was a real game, then I'm sad for your lack of vision.
June 12, 2022
I've been a huge fan of Adam Ellis for years and I actively follow his work online. I read his collection of comics in 2019 and I really enjoyed it. This comic Fever Knights that I just read was phenomenal. It's a strategy guide for a fake video game where the story is told through illustrations. It includes characters, enemies, power ups, and more. It was very impressive and I applaud the author on his creativity. He created both the artwork and the story. I wish this video game was real and I could play it myself. I'm stoked that my library had it so soon after publication and I could read it quickly. I highly recommend this book and I'm eager to see what he has in store for the future!
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