Dave Morris
Encyclopedia
Dave Morris is a British author of gamebooks, novels and comics
and a designer of computer games
and role-playing games.
where he read Physics from 1976-79.
He is co-creator of the Fabled Lands
series, and also wrote for the Virtual Reality
, Blood Sword
, and Golden Dragon series, as well as penning a single Fighting Fantasy
gamebook, (The Keep of the Lich Lord) and a number of TV and movie novelizations.
He also wrote, with Oliver Johnson, the role-playing game Dragon Warriors
- often mistaken for a gamebook because of its paperback format. The game, a cult hit for Transworld
in the 1980s, was republished in 2009 by Magnum Opus press.
Morris has frequently collaborated with other gamebook writers, notably Jamie Thomson (Fabled Lands and The Keep of the Lich Lord) and Oliver Johnson (Blood Sword, Dragon Warriors and Golden Dragon). He has worked with many illustrators including Russ Nicholson
, Siku
, Iain McCaig, Leo Hartas, and Martin McKenna.
His original novels include Knightmare
(a historical fantasy adventure series set in the early 13th century that ties in with the television series of that name), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
and the contemporary horror novel Lost Souls. Another horror novel, Florien, was published as an ebook in 2010. In 2008 his episodic comic strip Mirabilis began weekly publication in Random House's subscription-based magazine The DFC
. Working with artist Leo Hartas, Morris founded electronic publisher Mirus Entertainment and published Mirabilis for the iPad in December 2010.
Morris also co-authored a book on the computer gaming industry, having worked as a game designer for Eidos and Microsoft, and is a former mentor in the American Film Institute's Digital Content Lab.
In addition to his more than seventy published books, Morris is a leading developer of the Empire of the Petal Throne gaming system (created by MAR Barker and published by TSR), creating a playable rules system (Tirikelu) and editing a fanzine.
Blood Sword
Knightmare
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Virtual Reality
Fabled Lands
Dragon Warriors
, ISBN 0-735-71363-4)
Game Guru: Role-Playing Games (with Leo Hartas, 2004, ILEX Press, ISBN 1-904-70544-8)
Game Guru: Strategy Games (with Leo Hartas, 2004, ILEX Press, ISBN 1-904-70545-6)
Machinima : Making Animated Movies in 3D Virtual Environments (with Dave Lloyd and Matt Kelland, 2005, ILEX Press, ISBN 1-904-70564-2 )
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
and a designer of computer games
Computer Games
"Computer Games" is a single by New Zealand group, Mi-Sex released in 1979 in Australia and New Zealand and in 1981 throughout Europe. It was the single that launched the band, and was hugely popular, particularly in Australia and New Zealand...
and role-playing games.
Biography
Dave Morris is a graduate of Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
where he read Physics from 1976-79.
He is co-creator of the Fabled Lands
Fabled Lands
Fabled Lands is the name of a series of fantasy gamebooks written by established gamebook authors Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson and published by Pan Books, a division of Macmillan in the mid 90s...
series, and also wrote for the Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (gamebooks)
Virtual Reality was the name of a series of six gamebooks released in 1993 and 1994. Four of the books were written by Dave Morris, and two by Mark Smith.-Game system:...
, Blood Sword
Blood Sword
Blood Sword is a series of gamebooks created by Oliver Johnson and Dave Morris and published by Knight Books in the late 1980s. The books were illustrated by Russ Nicholson and the maps supplied by Geoff Wingate...
, and Golden Dragon series, as well as penning a single Fighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy is a series of single-player fantasy roleplay gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volumes in the series were published by Puffin in 1982, with the rights to the franchise eventually being purchased by Wizard Books in 2002...
gamebook, (The Keep of the Lich Lord) and a number of TV and movie novelizations.
He also wrote, with Oliver Johnson, the role-playing game Dragon Warriors
Dragon Warriors
Dragon Warriors is a fantasy role playing game system written by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson and published by Corgi Books between the years 1985 and 1986. In 2009 it was re-collected in a new hardcover edition by Mongoose Publishing...
- often mistaken for a gamebook because of its paperback format. The game, a cult hit for Transworld
Transworld (company)
Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
in the 1980s, was republished in 2009 by Magnum Opus press.
Morris has frequently collaborated with other gamebook writers, notably Jamie Thomson (Fabled Lands and The Keep of the Lich Lord) and Oliver Johnson (Blood Sword, Dragon Warriors and Golden Dragon). He has worked with many illustrators including Russ Nicholson
Russ Nicholson
-Career:Nicholson is best known for his work on the Fighting Fantasy gamebook series, in particular, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, and numerous Games Workshop products, including Warhammer Fantasy Battle, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Warhammer 40,000 and to their magazine White Dwarf.Nicholson...
, Siku
Siku (comics)
Siku is the pseudonym of British/Nigerian artist and writer Ajibayo Akinsiku, best known for his work in 2000 AD.-Biography:Siku studied design and printing at the Yaba’s School of Art, and theology at the London School of Theology....
, Iain McCaig, Leo Hartas, and Martin McKenna.
His original novels include Knightmare
Knightmare
Knightmare is an English television program for children, produced by Broadsword Productions for Anglia Television and was broadcast on ITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994...
(a historical fantasy adventure series set in the early 13th century that ties in with the television series of that name), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
and the contemporary horror novel Lost Souls. Another horror novel, Florien, was published as an ebook in 2010. In 2008 his episodic comic strip Mirabilis began weekly publication in Random House's subscription-based magazine The DFC
The DFC
The DFC was a weekly British children's anthology comic, published by David Fickling Books . The first issue was published at the end of May 2008...
. Working with artist Leo Hartas, Morris founded electronic publisher Mirus Entertainment and published Mirabilis for the iPad in December 2010.
Morris also co-authored a book on the computer gaming industry, having worked as a game designer for Eidos and Microsoft, and is a former mentor in the American Film Institute's Digital Content Lab.
In addition to his more than seventy published books, Morris is a leading developer of the Empire of the Petal Throne gaming system (created by MAR Barker and published by TSR), creating a playable rules system (Tirikelu) and editing a fanzine.
Heroquest series
- The Tyrant's Tomb (1993, Corgi Books, ISBN 0-552-52777-7)
- The Screaming Spectre (1993, Corgi Books, ISBN 0-552-52776-9)
- The Fellowship of Four (1993, Corgi Books, ISBN unknown)
Blood SwordBlood SwordBlood Sword is a series of gamebooks created by Oliver Johnson and Dave Morris and published by Knight Books in the late 1980s. The books were illustrated by Russ Nicholson and the maps supplied by Geoff Wingate...
series
- The Battlepits of Krarth (1987, Hodder & StoughtonHodder & StoughtonHodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, ISBN 0-340-40154-0) - The Kingdom of Wyrd (1987, Hodder & StoughtonHodder & StoughtonHodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, ISBN 0-340-40155-9) - The Demon’s Claw (1987, Hodder & StoughtonHodder & StoughtonHodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, ISBN 0-340-41206-2) - Doomwalk (1988, Hodder & StoughtonHodder & StoughtonHodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, ISBN 0-340-42397-8) - The Walls of Spyte (1988, Hodder & StoughtonHodder & StoughtonHodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, ISBN 0-340-49168-X)
KnightmareKnightmareKnightmare is an English television program for children, produced by Broadsword Productions for Anglia Television and was broadcast on ITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994...
series
- Knightmare (1988, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52540-5) - The Labyrinths of Fear (1989, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52608-8) - Fortress of Assassins (1990, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52638-X) - The Sorcerer's Isle (1991, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52714-9) - The Forbidden Gate (1992, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-86317-1) - The Dragon's Lair (1993, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-86328-7) - Lord Fear's Domain (1994, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-86336-8)
Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
series
- Buried Treasure (1990, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-40391-X) - Dinosaur Farm (1991, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-40491-6) - Sixguns and Shurikens (1990, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-80218-0) - Sky High (1990, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-40389-8) - Red Herrings (1990, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-40390-1) - Splinter to the Fore (1991, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-440-40492-4)
Virtual RealityVirtual realityVirtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
series
- Down Among the Dead Men (1993, Reed Consumer Books, ISBN 0-749-71485-9)
- Necklace of Skulls (1993, Reed Consumer Books, ISBN 0-749-71487-5)
- Heart of Ice (1994, Reed Consumer Books, ISBN 0-749-71674-6)
- Twist of Fate (1994, Reed Consumer Books, ISBN 0-749-71675-4)
Fabled LandsFabled LandsFabled Lands is the name of a series of fantasy gamebooks written by established gamebook authors Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson and published by Pan Books, a division of Macmillan in the mid 90s...
series
- Cities of Gold and Glory (1995, MacmillanMacmillan Publishers (United States)Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
, ISBN 0-330-33615-0) - Over the Blood-dark Sea (1995, MacmillanMacmillan Publishers (United States)Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
, ISBN 0-330-34172-3) - Lords of the Rising Sun (1996, MacmillanMacmillan Publishers (United States)Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
, ISBN 0-330-34430-7)
Chronicles of the Magi
- The Sword of Life (1997, Hodder HeadlineHodder HeadlineHeadline Publishing Group is a British publishing company. It was founded in 1986 by Tim Hely Hutchinson, and acquired Hodder & Stoughton in 1992 to form Hodder Headline. It was acquired by Hachette Livre, from the WHSmith Group PLC, in 2005....
, ISBN 0-340-67298-6) - The Kingdom of Dreams (1997, Hodder HeadlineHodder HeadlineHeadline Publishing Group is a British publishing company. It was founded in 1986 by Tim Hely Hutchinson, and acquired Hodder & Stoughton in 1992 to form Hodder Headline. It was acquired by Hachette Livre, from the WHSmith Group PLC, in 2005....
, ISBN 0-340-67299-4) - City of Stars (1997, Hodder HeadlineHodder HeadlineHeadline Publishing Group is a British publishing company. It was founded in 1986 by Tim Hely Hutchinson, and acquired Hodder & Stoughton in 1992 to form Hodder Headline. It was acquired by Hachette Livre, from the WHSmith Group PLC, in 2005....
, ISBN 0-340-67300-1)
Dragon WarriorsDragon WarriorsDragon Warriors is a fantasy role playing game system written by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson and published by Corgi Books between the years 1985 and 1986. In 2009 it was re-collected in a new hardcover edition by Mongoose Publishing...
series
- Dragon Warriors (1985, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52287-2) - The Way of Wizardry (1985, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52288-0) - Out of the Shadows (1986, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52333-X) - The Lands of Legend (1986, TransworldTransworld (company)Transworld Publishers Inc. is a British publishing division of Random House and belongs to Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media groups. It was established in 1950, and for many years it was the British division of Bantam Books. It publishes fiction and non fiction titles by various...
, ISBN 0-552-52335-6) - Dragon Warriors (revised edition 2008, Magnum Opus Press, ISBN 978-1-906103-96-5)
- Sleeping Gods (2008, Magnum Opus Press, ISBN 978-1-906508-03-6)
- Bestiary (2008, Magnum Opus Press, ISBN 978-1-906103-99-6)
Other works
Game Architecture and Design (with Andrew Rollings, 2003, Pearson EducationPearson Education
Pearson Education is an international educational publishing and technology company providing textbooks and other educational material, such as multimedia learning tools...
, ISBN 0-735-71363-4)
Game Guru: Role-Playing Games (with Leo Hartas, 2004, ILEX Press, ISBN 1-904-70544-8)
Game Guru: Strategy Games (with Leo Hartas, 2004, ILEX Press, ISBN 1-904-70545-6)
Machinima : Making Animated Movies in 3D Virtual Environments (with Dave Lloyd and Matt Kelland, 2005, ILEX Press, ISBN 1-904-70564-2 )