As well as being a lifelong sci-fi and fantasy fan, and a film critic, I’m also a digital gamebook writer and illustrator, and I just wanted to share some of my favourite holiday reads with you all.

Number 1
The World for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin
First published in 1972 this exciting, sad and sublime eco-parable has undoubtedly been a huge influence on Hollywood, not least on the Avatar films. However the sympathetic tree-dwelling aliens forced to defend their world from rapacious human are green not blue.
An unashamed heart-rendering plea for the sanctity of natural world, it’s also a hymn to the collective wisdom of elderly women, and a portrait of self-destructive obsessive insanity to match that of Moby Dick’s Captain Ahab.

Number 2
The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells
A castaway discovers the island that provides sanctuary is home to a demented scientist who practises vivisection on the animal kingdom.
As ever, Wells’ sympathies lie with the underdog and this bold almost brash work is a thrilling and shocking warning against the unchecked power of individuals and empire.

Number 3
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Beloved by generations of adults and children alike, this story of an unassuming chap whisked off on an adventure by Gandalf the wizard is a wonderful read in its own right and a primer for the more demanding sequel, the epic Lord of the Rings.
The incredibly realised world of Middle-earth in which it takes place is enriched by the wealth of characters such as the pitiful and devious Gollum, and the majestic dragon, Smaug.

Number 4
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Captain Nemo’s first appearance in print is a whistles-top global underwater tour on board the mysterious and megalomaniac’s advanced submarine, the Nautilus.
Those unfamiliar with Verne’s work may be surprised how often he punctuates the adventure with lengthy descriptions of sealife, but they serve to add a degree of realism as Nemo and his crew encounter the lost city of Atlantis and a giant squid, among other fantastical events.

Number 5
Deathtrap Dungeon by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson
The sixth and best in the Fighting Fantasy gamebook series where you are the hero, is an exciting trek through a trap-infested dungeon.
Fame and fortune are the potential reward for the brave and resourceful adventurer, but the path to being crowned champion is fraught with peril!

Nemo’s Fury is a digital gamebook inspired by the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks of Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson, and is based on Jules Verne’s classic sci-fi underwater adventure, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

It has a unique digital combat system, hundreds of original illustrations and hours of exciting gameplay.

What will you do when you’re abducted by a machiavellian aristocrat armed with an extraordinary submarine, the Nautilus?

Direct your own adventure with the legendary Captain Nemo and his incredible crew. Explore the globe! Battle giant squid, sharks and cyborgs! And try to unravel the mystery of Nemo’s masterplan.

Nemo’s Fury is available on your smartphone or tablet right now. Just open the app store and download for free. (If you survive long enough there’s a one-off non-obligatory £2.99 fee to buy and complete the game and replay as often as you like!) Links to Nemo’s Fury on the app store for Apple and Android are below. Check out Nemosfury.com for more info!

Click below to download Nemo’s Fury

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