FF2: THE CITADEL OF CHAOS (Wizard Books 2002)
FF2: THE CITADEL OF CHAOS (Penguin 1993)

"The Citadel holds a dark and dangerous peril for anyone foolhardy enough to venture through its gruesome gates. And yet venture you must, for your mission lies at the heart of the Citadel, with the dread sorcerer, Balthus Dire!"

Author: Steve Jackson
Illustrators: Russ Nicholson
Cover: Ian Miller (Penguin)
Cover: Kevin Jenkins (Wizard)
Map Illustrator - n/a
Setting - North west Allansia
Date - 1983 (2002 Wizard Books)

Here we enter classic FF; the Citadel of Chaos. The Citadel of Chaos is the second book in the successful Fighting Fantasy gamebook series, this time written entirley by Steve Jackson. It is set in the most popular medieval-style gamebook setting of Allansia, you play the part of a wizard/warrior hero, who has been sent out into the wilderness to prevent an invasion.

Your journey takes you to the large mountain range known as the Craggen Heights, where a Dark Sorcerer Warlord named 'Balthus Dire' resides in a fortress citadel known as the 'Black tower'. In the adventure, you have to journey to Dire's citadel, explore the vast maze-like fortress and overcome traps, hostile creatures and spirits and collecting several artifacts; which you must find to complete you quest.

If you manage to avoid being imprisoned, killed or getting lost, you eventaully get to face the terrifying demonic Balthus Dire in a fight to the death (using your weapon or/and magic). The book is an absolute FF classic as it introduces the second of the Demonic Three, a group of evil sorcerers once students of the great Volegra Darkstorm who held residence with the grassy wastes of the eastern Flatlands.

Balthus Dire re-appears and is mentioned in later books in the series. The excellent FF novel, the Trolltooth Wars and without doubt the best FFgamebook the Creature of Havoc. The Citadel of Chaos has all the fresh, enthusiasm and encounters like the first book. The monsters, traps, and encounters are all original and exciting. It is a must for all FF readers. The ending is great as well...