Fantasy Flight Games

A Mysterious Weapon of Ultimate Power

Published 2 May 2013 | Tannhäuser Novels

A Mysterious Weapon of Ultimate Power

Enigma, a Tannhäuser Novel, Is Now Available

“Boone called out the warning, but it was too late. The Reich trooper closest to him reached out and his arms bent in places where there were no joints. Fingers jerked and elongated, growing into talons. Boone saw the flesh of the soldier’s face lose definition and shift, becoming soft and malleable like heated wax. The guns in their hands were swallowed up by slick tendrils of skin that grew around the metal of the weapons. Spines of bone like little tusks protruded through sleeves and collars, ripping cloth; and for the first time Boone saw that each of the Reich troopers had a glaring, livid mark on their necks, like a cattle brand. Steam wreathed them as their bodies generated blood-warm heat in the icy air.”

In Enigma, the newest novel set in the war-weary world of Tannhäuser, the occult-obsessed Reich has developed a weapon of horrific power. Last week, we shared the first chapter, in which the Enigma machine and its terrible implications were unveiled. Today, we are pleased to announce that Enigma is now available at your local retailer and through our webstore!

A Path to Victory

The year is 1954, and in a dark and violent alternate history, the Great War never ended. The free nations have joined together to form the Union under the keen leadership of President Thomas Edison, while the lands of the European Reich lie under a cloud of demonic darkness. Meanwhile, the mighty Matriarchy, thanks to the mystical technology of Nikolai Tesla, has ushered in a new age of gods; and in the Far East, Emperor Meiji has united Japan once more. Its armies now march toward the mainland to join the struggle for power. Balance will never be found while the war still rages, for there can be only one victor. That victory will determine the fate of man.

Now that the Reich has developed a weapon with the power to grant its army demonic powers, RAF pilot Nick Cross and special agent Caitlin “Hoax” Lambsbury must join forces with unlikely allies to capture the device at any cost. In the face of overwhelming odds, can these two agents survive long enough to complete their mission?

Prepare for a gripping battle to determine the fate of the world. Head to your local retailer or our webstore to pick up your copy of Enigma today!

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The Tide is Turning

Published 26 April 2013 | Tannhäuser Novels

The Tide is Turning

An Exclusive Look at the First Chapter of Enigma, an Upcoming Novel

“The device inside the case resembled a mechanical typewriter with a rudimentary illuminated display, but the symbols on the keys were from no language that he had ever seen. They were odd, curved runes and they seemed to squirm and shift as he attempted to read them. The unusual firelight came from a series of crystalline discs arranged in a line above the keys. They whispered as they turned, counter-rotating against one another, throwing off the crimson glow from deep within their quartz-like structure. They floated without any mechanism to suspend them, tiny ticks of energy passing back and forth. He found it physically difficult to pull his gaze away from the discs; he was mesmerized by the play of light and color they gave off.

A Weapon of Unthinkable Power

In the dark and war-weary world of Tannhäuser, it’s 1954, and the Great War rages on. Now, the European Reich has developed a weapon of horrific power. The Enigma machine is capable of turning regular civilians into demonic super-soldiers. This device could leave the fate of humanity in the hands of the Reich. Can RAF pilot Nick Cross and Special Agent Caitlin “Hoax” Lambsbury recover the device for the Union?

In January, we announced the release of Enigma, written by James Swallow. Today, we will share a sneak preview of the first chapter, in which the Enigma machine and its horrifying implications are unveiled.

Download the first chapter (pdf, 93 KB), and find yourself drawn into the thrilling Tannhäuser universe. Then, check back soon for the official release of Enigma!

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Enigma

Published 8 January 2013 | Tannhäuser Novels

Enigma

Announcing the Upcoming Release of an All-New Tannhäuser Novel

Boone felt it like a vibration through the air, like a sound pitched so high that he could only sense the passing of it and not the noise itself.

The Reich-rats were coming apart. The master sergeant’s plan of brute-forced, fast paced attack had caught the enemy soldiers on the hop and they were paying for it. Anderson went down in the first exchange of fire, three more guys with him in the first five minutes, but the Union soldiers kept up the momentum. Ignoring the zeppelin droning over their heads, the POWs fought like tigers, giving no quarter. Anything remotely resembling battle discipline among the Reich troopers evaporated and they fell back in disarray. Straight off, Boone knew that they were fighting reservists and rear echelon types, the kind of men who had never been shot at before, who had none of the combat experience of the seasoned soldiers standing with him. It wasn’t going to be hard to run them into the ground—and once again he had that bad, sick feeling in his gut. Boone had learned to trust that instinct, never to ignore it, and even as they advanced on the Reich troopers and closed the distance, he was shooting glances up into the air. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The air vibrated, struck like a drum-skin, and the enemy soldiers stopped, halting out of runs as if they’d hit brick walls. Boone didn’t see or hear anything, but they acted like they did. All at once, the seven men still standing turned around one-eighty and came charging back at the Union soldiers. He saw their faces: blank-eyed and dull, not a lick of fear showing in any of them. They were suddenly different men.

Unravel the Mystery

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Enigma, a novel by James Swallow set in the warn-torn world of Tannhäuser!

But when the occult-obsessed Reich unveils a weapon with the power to grant its army demonic powers, RAF pilot Nick Cross and special agent Caitlin “Hoax” Lambsbury must join forces with unlikely allies to capture the device at any cost. In the face of overwhelming odds, can these two agents survive long enough to complete their mission? Prepare for a gripping battle to determine the fate of the world!

Learn more at our Enigma website, and look for it early in the second quarter of 2013!

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In the Midst of Perpetual War

Published 8 June 2012 |

In the Midst of Perpetual War

Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, a Tannhäuser Novel, is Now Available!

The bugs were getting worse. MacNeal was slapping at them as if there were a dozen tiny brush fires on his neck and arms and face. [...] It took a scream piercing the air after the call ended to take his mind off the bugs. It was a woman’s scream—not Oksana’s, since she was walking nearby, so it had to be Tatiana’s. Without saying a word, MacNeal leaped into action, swinging up his flash-gun and charging toward the jumble of little hills where the cry had originated.

He heard footsteps running behind him, though he didn’t turn to see who was back there. He was far more focused on Tatiana and whatever danger she was in. Had the killer returned to claim his second victim?

Heart pounding, MacNeal hurtled among the hills with his flash-gun at the ready. Just as he lost the direction, another scream followed the first, and he instantly homed in on it. Barreling between two slopes, he burst into a gap among the hills and stopped in his tracks. Directly ahead, fewer than twenty feet away, he saw Tatiana sprawled on the muddy ground, clutching her arm.

The Mission Begins

Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, a novel by Robert Jeschonek, is now on sale at your local bookseller, our webstore, and digitally for your Nook, Kindle, or iBooks device!

This gripping novel based in the war-torn alternate history of Tannhäuser brings fan-favorite characters vividly to life, while drawing newcomers into a war-torn world where science and the supernatural clash to determine the fate of humanity.

In the midst of perpetual war, a far-eastern warrior sect with a shadowy agenda has set out toward the evergreen peninsula of Kamchatka. Can Union Major John MacNeal and the elite soldiers of the 42nd Marines stop their sinister plot before it’s too late? And what terrible powers lie hidden in the verdant wilderness? The race is on to discover ancient secrets that could finally bring the Great War to its climactic end!

For more information on this exciting novel, including insights from the author himself, visit our Rising Sun, Falling Shadows website and read our series of chapter previews. Then, head to your local bookstore to pick up your copy.

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National Glory

Published 31 May 2012 |

National Glory

A Preview of Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, the upcoming Tannhäuser Novel

The cheering and clapping was louder than ever. The Shogun waited, beaming at the audience. Then, reaching down to the scabbard at his waist, he drew out his sword and raised it overhead. “My sons! The Emperor himself has given his blessing! Go forth secure in the knowledge that your mission, divinely inspired as it is, can have but one result!” The Shogun waved the sword as he chanted into the microphone. “Success! Success! Success!” “Seikouri! Seikouri! Seikouri!” The ranks of soldiers chanted along with him in perfectly synchronized cadence. –Robert Jeschonek, Rising Sun, Falling Shadows

The army of the Shogunate is on the rise, and only Union Major John MacNeal and the elite soldiers of the 42nd Marines can stop their sinister plot before it’s too late! In Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, the first Tannhäuser novel, author Robert Jeschonek brings your favorite characters from the board game to brilliant life.

Dark Alliances

Rising Sun, Falling Shadows will be on store shelves in about two weeks, and today, we’re pleased to offer a taste of its gripping action. In our preview of chapter one, you were thrust behind enemy lines on a mission of stealth and intrigue. Then, in chapter two, you caught a glimpse of the mysterious Mizu, a legendary agent of the fabled Shin organization.

In today’s final preview before the novel’s release (pdf, 70 KB), you’ll meet Hiruko Orochi, a superior private in the glorious army of the Shogunate. This loyal follower of the Emperor stands at the threshold of an era of national glory. Why, then, does he feel so uneasy? And who are the shadowy and unsettling foreigners he’s seen fraternizing with his commander?

Check out this exciting preview, and look for Rising Sun, Falling Shadows in just two weeks!

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Operation: Night Eagle

Published 9 May 2012 |

Operation: Night Eagle

Announcing an Upcoming Novel Set in the War-Torn World of Tannhäuser

The Schocktruppen staggered out of the burning archway, still shooting even though his trench coat was ablaze, the luminous green lenses of his gas mask eerie points of light in the corona of flame that ate away at his body. Brown raised up his bulky flash machine gun, too heavy for any regular soldier to have used without a tripod, and let the ghoul have it, the high energy capacitor’s whine sounding shrill even over the thunder of the cannon’s roar as the Schocktruppen came apart in a hail of lead. “And that’s all Detroit has to say about that,” the burly sergeant grunted through clenched teeth. All around him were the sights and sounds of furious battle, the crackle of gunfire, the cries of the dying, and the dull roar of grenades, mixed with less familiar and far stranger phenomenon like the acrid reddish fog billowing from the keep that smelled of sulfur and blood that stole his breath away, and the weird, reverberating howls that grabbed hold of your guts like a dead man’s hand come up from hell. He was already bleeding freely from a shrapnel gash in his bicep, and he’d taken a bullet in his calf that reminded him it was still in there somewhere every time he moved, and what was worse was he was already near the end of his second ammo belt. But he’d seen worse and had worse, and this shindig wasn’t over yet.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the upcoming release of Operation: Night Eagle, an action-packed novel set in the world of Tannhäuser!

On American Soil

When the occult-obsessed Reich sets its sights on an ancient artifact held in Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Castle, the ruthless Hermann Von Heïzinger plans an unprecedented raid on U.S. soil...and only Major John MacNeal and the elite soldiers of the 42nd Marines stand before them. There’s more to this mission than meets the eye, however. Why has the enigmatic Matriarchy mobilized its forces? And to whom is the mysterious mercenary Wolf truly loyal? Prepare for an epic battle that will rage deep into America’s heartland.

Visit our Operation: Night Eagle website to learn more, and look for this gripping novel at your local bookstore in the third quarter of 2012!

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A New Enemy Emerges from the Smoke

Published 19 March 2012 |

A New Enemy Emerges from the Smoke

Preview the new Tannhäuser novel, Rising Sun, Falling Shadows

At first, all she saw was a dark figure, a woman’s silhouette. Then, little by little, she made out more details: a black hood and mask concealing most of the face; Japanese eyes peering out of the eyeholes, devoid of emotion; a long silver braid twisted over one shoulder; a lithe figure, small and slender, clad in a black singlet, arm-length gloves, and thigh-high boots. She held identical Japanese weapons in each hand: short blades seated between curved double prongs, almost tridents. Hoax remembered the name—sai—from the briefings before the mission. -Robert Jeschonek, Rising Sun, Falling Shadows

Enter a world where the Great War rages on in Robert Jeschonek’s Rising Sun, Falling Shadows. Join the fight in the first Tannhäuser novel as the Union’s finest soldiers clash with the army of the Shögunate in a race to discover a powerful weapon.

Adventure and action in the Far East

In the midst of perpetual war, a far-eastern warrior sect with a shadowy agenda has set out toward the evergreen peninsula of Kamchatka. Can Union Major John McNeal and the elite soldiers of the 42nd Marines stop their sinister plot before it’s too late? And what terrible powers lie hidden in the verdant wilderness? The race is on to discover ancient secrets that could finally bring the Great War to its climactic end!

Join Hoax, Tala, and Taki as they clash with the fearsome agents of the Shin organization in the thrilling second chapter (pdf, 90KB), which is now available for download.

Meet the mysterious Mizu, a legendary agent of the Shin organization, and find out if Hoax can match this deadly agent in hand-to-hand combat. While Hoax has the advanced technology of the Joshua Suit on her side, Mizu’s ninja training may prove to be more effective than any modern gadget.

Enjoy this action-packed Rising Sun, Falling Shadows preview, and check back for more previews and future news regarding this exhilarating novel. Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through the iBookstore (this novel will also be available on other digital devices).

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Blending History, Horror, and Science Fiction

Published 27 February 2012 |

Blending History, Horror, and Science Fiction

An interview with Robert Jeschonek, author of Rising Sun, Falling Shadows

Rising Sun, Falling Shadows is the first novel set in the Tannhäuser universe, and it is filled with action, suspense, mystery, and many of your favorite characters from the board game. Soon, you’ll be able to follow all of the action in Robert Jeschonek’s novel. In the meanwhile, we were lucky enough to get the writer to answer a few questions. Mr. Jeschonek is an accomplished writer, and some of his novels include My Favorite Band Does Not Exist, Earthshaker, and Day 9. He has kindly answered a few of our questions, and here are his responses. Gaining some insight Rising Sun, Falling Shadows is the first novel based on the Tannhäuser universe. Can you give us some insights into the process of translating the setting into this format? What challenges did you encounter? I studied the background material from the Tannhäuser game extensively, learning the characters and everything I could about their world. I also studied the materials developed for the new Shogunate module, which was still in the formative stages. This did create a challenge in the outline phase, as the module bible changed often, and I had to change the outline to match it. But once the module materials were locked, and I got the go ahead to write, the book fell together beautifully. If ever there were an ideal game to base a novel on, Tannhäuser is it. The history is so rich, and the characters are so vibrant, that it just inspires a million ideas and directions to take--which, of course, is one of the reasons it makes such an awesome game. What aspect of the Tannhäuser universe most excites you? I love the mix of genres inherent in the universe, which lets me blend together all sorts of styles, characters, and elements. Tannhäuser is many things all at once: a military story, an occult horror tale, an alternate history saga, and a science fiction story. I can write a hardcore battlefield scene in one chapter, then switch to a dark supernatural scene in the next. It's the perfect universe for me to work in, since my writing in general features lots of crossed genres, mixed influences, and surprising combinations. Developing a story What character from the Tannhäuser setting did you most enjoy developing? In terms of pre-existing characters, I really enjoyed writing Tala Aponi. She has such a bold, in-your-face personality, and she just jumped off the page and came to life for me. I also liked writing MacNeal, a true hero in the classic sense; he's the heart of Tannhäuser and the core of Rising Sun, Falling Shadows. But I have to say I had the most fun with the characters from the Shogunate, because they were brand new, and the game developers had done such a great job laying the groundwork. The Daimyo is totally cool, a master warrior with a complex personality. As for Itami, who wouldn't love writing a blue-skinned demonic monstrosity whose savage impulses exist side-by-side with an excellent vocabulary and misleadingly good manners? My absolute favorite, though, is a character I created for the book, a soldier named Hiruko. He's a decent man forced to take extreme action under extreme circumstances, and he has the soul of a poet. I hope I get the chance to develop him further in future novels set in this world. Without spoiling anything, can you give Tannhäuser fans some idea of what to expect from Rising Sun, Falling Shadows? Expect tons of action and lots of surprises. It's a fast-moving book with strong currents of horror and suspense. Readers will get to meet the Shogunate for the first time, which I think is exciting in its own right. But there's plenty of conflict between the Union forces and the Reich, in the person of Von Heïzinger and Zermann. Since the story's set in Kamchatka, under the dominion of the Matriarchy, you'll see plenty of Russians, too, as Holy Commissar Irina and her all new Bogatyr unit join the struggle. The Bogatyrs have their hands full with Oksana Gusarenko and the New Guard, who oppose the Black Angel Rasputin. So we bring in a lot of factions and favorite characters, showing off the awesome scope of the Tannhäuser universe. And they're all out to control a mystical artifact that could change the course of the war. Did I mention they're racing against time, because a massive volcano's about to erupt? Plus, there's lots of exciting Wolf action, as he's a major player in the quest and battle for the artifact. Thank you, Mr. Jeschonek! Check back for more information on this book in the next few weeks. In the meantime, pre-order your copy of Rising Sun, Falling Shadows from the iBookstore.

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New Digital Novels on the Horizon

Published 31 January 2012 | Arkham Horror Fiction

New Digital Novels on the Horizon

Our upcoming novels are available for pre-order on the iBookstore

The Lies of Solace and Rising Sun, Falling Shadows are now available for pre-order on the iBookstore! If you are a fan of Lovecraftian stories of suspense and mystery or tales of horror and heroism in the Great War, place your order now, and then read these thrilling novels on your digital device the day they are released.

Want to know more?

In The Lies of Solace, the second novel in The Lord of Nightmares Trilogy, three strangers struggle to save the ones they love from a nightmarish future. Haunted by visions, Jacqueline Fine sets out to stop her dreams from becoming reality. Meanwhile, an Arkham doctor tries to save his daughter from the grasp of an enigmatic cult, and a troubled man searches for clues as to why his fiancée has suddenly stopped communicating with him. Can these protagonists overcome their sorrow and pain, or will they surrender to their grief and accept the grim consequences that await them? Uncover more terrible secrets in John French’s novel set in the Arkham Horror universe.

The first Tannhäuser novel, Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, features Union Major John MacNeal and the daring soldiers of the 42nd Marines as they race to uncover a malevolent plot hatched by the forces of the Shogunate. At the same time, “The Daimyo” Iroh Minamoto, with the aid of the power-hungry, occult-obsessed Reich, sets out with a task force to awaken an ancient power in the heart of an active volcano. This desperate operation could determine the outcome of the Great War! Robert Jeschonek brings many of your favorite Tannhäuser personalities to life in this action-packed novel based on the board game.

If you are ready for a new adventure on your digital device, pre-order The Lies of Solace today, or immerse yourself in the riveting Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, both of which are available for pre-order on the iBookstore.

Please note that electronic copies of The Lies of Solace are exempt from the promo card offer; this offer is only available to customers who purchase the paperback version of the novel.

Want to know more?

Please note that electronic copies of The Lies of Solace are exempt from the promo card offer; this offer is only available to customers who purchase the paperback version of the novel.

Want to know more?

Please note that electronic copies of The Lies of Solace are exempt from the promo card offer; this offer is only available to customers who purchase the paperback version of the novel.

Want to know more?

Please note that electronic copies of The Lies of Solace are exempt from the promo card offer; this offer is only available to customers who purchase the paperback version of the novel.

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The copyrightable portions of: Ghouls of the Miskatonic are © 2010 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.; Dance of the Damned are © 2011 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.; Bones of the Yopasi and Lies of Solace are © 2012 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.; Feeders from Within and Dweller in the Deep are © 2013 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. The Hungering God are © 2014 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.; Arkham Horror is a registered trademark of Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.

Rising Sun, Falling Shadows

Published 10 January 2012 |

Rising Sun, Falling Shadows

Announcing an upcoming novel based in the war-torn world of Tannhäuser

As he and the three Alpha Commandos of Fireteam Bravo marched along, he let himself imagine, just for a moment, that he was back home in Maine. It did him some good to take a brief mental vacation, to let himself drift to a simpler, safer place. He deserved it; he might not make it back to Portland for a long time…if ever.

At least he could daydream that the branches of those pines and firs and spruce, which looked just like the ones back home, were those very same branches, thousands of miles from Kamchatka. At least he could pretend he was having lobster rolls and blueberry pie for dinner, served by a beautiful New England girl with a special smile just for him.

Naturally, it couldn’t last. The sound of gunfire snapped him back to reality. It was the sound of Brown’s flash machine gun, blasting away at three o’clock—the direction of Fireteam Alpha.

MacNeal’s hand shot up, and his commandos froze. He started to give the signal to form on Fireteam Alpha. But before he could finish the signal, he heard more gunfire from a different direction. This time, it was coming from nine o’clock, from the vicinity of Fireteam Charlie. MacNeal, who only moments ago had imagined he was taking a nature hike in Maine, switched smoothly into warrior mode. Two teams in the formation were under attack, and he had to make a decision: should he help one, help the other, or split his team and send half in either direction?

The sound of a man’s anguished scream from the direction of Fireteam Charlie rang out amid the gunfire. He kept screaming, as if something was tearing him to pieces.

A threat rises in the far east

Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, a novel by Robert Jeschonek! This gripping novel based in the war-torn alternate history of Tannhäuser brings fan-favorite characters vividly to life, while drawing newcomers into a war-torn world where science and the supernatural clash to determine the fate of humanity.

For more information on this exciting novel, including insights from the author himself, visit our Rising Sun, Falling Shadows website. Then, look for Rising Sun, Falling Shadows at your local bookstore in the second quarter of 2012!

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