Fantasy Forest is a series of ten

gamebooks A gamebook is a work of printed fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making choices. The narrative branches along various paths, typically through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages. Each narrative typically does not ...

published by

TSR, Inc. TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of '' Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). Its earliest incarnation, Tactical Studies Rules, was founded in October 1973 by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Gygax had bee ...

from 1983 to 1984. The books are works of

children's literature Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. In addition to conventional literary genres, modern children's literature is classified by the intended age of the reade ...

; eight of them are set in the

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

world of the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

created by

, and two are set in TSR's

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

world of ''

Star Frontiers ''Star Frontiers'' is a science fiction role-playing game produced by TSR from 1982 to 1985. The game offers a space opera action-adventure setting. Description ''Star Frontiers'' is a space opera role-playing game that is set near the cent ...

''. They have been compared to other gamebook series, such as ''

Choose Your Own Adventure ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actio ...

'' or ''

Endless Quest The ''Endless Quest'' books were three series of gamebooks. The first two series were released in the 1980s and 1990s by TSR, while the third series was released by Wizards of the Coast. Originally, these books were the result of an Educational d ...

''.

Format

The series was based upon a concept created by Edward Packard and originally published as the "Adventures of You" series, starting with Packard's ''Sugarcane Island'' in 1976. Each story in the ''Fantasy Forest'' series is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. Unlike many gamebooks in which the reader's character is left purposefully gender-neutral, there are several ''Fantasy Forest'' books in which the reader is placed in an unambiguously female protagonist's shoes.

Books

{{Book table , background=#A2BBAC , book_number= , title= , author= , publisher= , publish_date= , genre= , aux1=Illustrated by, aux2=Cover art, isbn= , books= {{Book list , book_number = 1 , title = The Ring, the Sword, and the Unicorn , author = James M. Ward , publisher =

, publish_date = 1983 , genre =

Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

, aux1 = Mario Macari, Jr. , aux2 =

Jeff Easley Jeff Easley (born 1954) is an oil painter who creates fantasy Work of art, artwork for role-playing games, comics, and magazines, as well as non-fantasy commercial art. Early life Easley was born in Nicholasville, Kentucky in 1954. He spent time ...

, isbn = 9780880380591 , line_color = novel , short_summary = The only book in the series to start in a contemporary setting, the story opens on the main character, referred to by the narrator as "you", trying to prove to their siblings that there is a magical world in the forest behind their backyard. {{Book list , book_number = 2 , title = Ruins of Rangar , author = Michael Carr , publisher =

, publish_date = 1983 , genre =

, aux1 = Mario Macari, Jr. , aux2 =

, isbn = 9780394723150 , line_color = novel , short_summary = This book introduces the good knight Gregor and his struggle with the evil skeleton king, Nightshade. The reader takes on the role of his brother, Erik, a younger boy accompanying him. In addition to elves, dwarves, magic users, and zombies, this book includes lesser known creatures that are featured in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' ''

Monster Manual The ''Monster Manual'' (''MM'') is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, first published in 1977 by TSR. The ''Monster Manual'' was the first hardcover ''D&D'' book and ...

'', such as "stirges" and an "umberhulk". {{Book list , book_number = 3 , title = Shadowcastle , author = Michael Gray , publisher =

, publish_date = 1983 , genre =

, aux1 = Mario Macari, Jr. , aux2 =

Clyde Caldwell Clyde Caldwell (born February 20, 1948) is an American artist. Self-described as a fantasy illustrator, he is best known for his portrayals of strong, sexy female characters. With his work at TSR in the 1980s, he is considered one of the artis ...

, isbn = 9780880380614 , line_color = novel , short_summary = The recurring characters of Nightshade and Sir Gregor, now referred to as the Good Knight of the Golden Dragon, are featured once again. Rather than reprising their role from the previous novel, the reader instead takes on the role of Molly, who is out picking berries when a halfling stumbles across her and asks for her help in rescuing his brother from the evil Nightshade. {{Book list , book_number = 4 , title = Keep of the Ancient King , author = Michael Carr , publisher =

, publish_date = 1983 , genre =

, aux1 = Michael Fishel , aux2 =

Keith Parkinson Keith A. Parkinson (October 22, 1958 – October 26, 2005) was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book covers and artwork for games such as ''EverQuest'', '' Guardians'', '' Magic: The Gathering'', and '' Vanguard: Saga of Hero ...

, isbn = 9780394723174 , line_color = novel , short_summary = In this book, the reader takes on the role of Amy, whose beloved horse, Acorn, has been stolen by the Shadow Rider, a servant of Nightshade. They join Gregor the Good Knight in journeying to a castle and fighting monsters, where the Shadow Rider tries to tempt the reader with the promise of Acorn's safe return in exchange for betraying Gregor. {{Book list , book_number = 5 , title = Dungeon of Darkness , author = John Kendall , publisher =