Free:// Original Thunderstone Card Game Print and Play

Just spotted that AEG are giving away the original Thunderstone card game as a free print and play PDF. The cards have been updated to the new format too which is nice.

If you've not played it, it's a great, fantasy deck builder and works really well as a solitaire game. Worth checking out if you have the card and ink.

Earlier this year, we had a lot of success releasing our new set of Legend of the Five Rings cards in an introductory print and play. Fans loved being able to download tournament legal card sets.
We loved it too. We loved it so much, we brought it back–for Thunderstone.
Now for the first time, you can download the heroes, monsters, and village cards from the first Thunderstone set, the one that started it all, absolutely FREE. Download the promo sheet and get started here.

These cards are updated to the Thunderstone Advance standard, and the art has been “remastered” for this print and play edition. Check out more samples under the jump!

Magazine:// Salon Futura

Missed the launch of this one which is surprising given it's exactly the sort of thing I like to read:

Salon Futura is a new online non-fiction magazine devoted to the discussion of science fiction, fantasy and related literature.

I've rushed through the first issue, just started looking through the second, and am now looking forward to the third. They provide an epub download so it can easily be read on an ebook reader, though the website is a nice simple design which makes for easy reading. Some interesting articles and interviews, some audio and video content, altogether a really nice new online publication. I really hope they are successful with the magazine, there is definitely a space for something more structured than your average genre blog and this could fill it quite easily.

Free Read:// Free ebooks from The Black Library

I've not read any of the Warhammer stuff but I might just try some as they are giving some free ebooks away for the next few weeks. It's a promotion for their soon to be launched ebook store and first up is First and Only by Dan Abnett which I believe is the first in the Gaunt's Ghosts series.

Head over here and snag a free copy, looks like DRM-free epub and mobi.

To celebrate the launch of Black Library Digital, October 8th and the following four Fridays have been designated Free eBook Fridays. Be sure to point your browser in our direction at noon GMT on each of those days to find out which gem from the BL back catalogue – or digital exclusive – will be yours for the grand sum of zero pounds, dollars or yen.

Free Read:// The Choir Boats by Daniel A. Rabuzzi

Spotted this a bit late but Wowio currently have a decent looking fantasy ebook free for July. Chizine publish some interesting short fiction online so I might take a look at this once I've cleared a few things from the top of the pile. PDF only like most of Wowios ebooks, wish they would do epubs too.

As many of you know, we’ve been offering a free download every month since the earliest days of WOWIO, and we always do our best to pick intriguing titles that will pique the interest of our readers and new visitors.

This month, in honor of our site relaunch, we’re doing something really special — we’ve teamed up with publisher ChiZine Publications to offer one of their critically acclaimed fantasy novels — The Choir Boats by Daniel A. Rabuzzi — as our July Book of the Month.

Described as “vibrant” and rich with “verve and wit,” it’s a seagoing fantasy yarn that is like “Gulliver’s Travels crossed with The Golden Compass and a dollop of Pride and Prejudice.”

Free Read:// The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains - Neil Gaiman

Well the last couple of weeks have been pretty bad in terms of reading. I used to take a stack of books with me on holiday, these days it's a stack of nappies. Can't complain though, have had a lovely time with my family and I am slowly catching up now.

I've not yet managed to get through Stories yet but you can read Neil Gaiman's story from the collection - The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains - for free over on the rather lovely Fifty-Two Stories website.

News:// Free Doctor Who Game From the BBC - City of the Daleks

OK so maybe starting a new blog the week my baby daughter decides to develop a habit of screaming all day with trapped wind probably wasn't the best idea. Typing is pretty hard whilst holding a writhing, yelling infant most of the day but she appears to have worn herself out, providing me with a couple of hours of peace. So what to do...apart from posting here? Well I was about to pick up a book when I remembered seeing an advert for the Doctor Who games, so I checked the BBC website and it appears the first episode has finally launched.

The BBC had mentioned releasing a set of free game episodes based on Doctor Who quite a while ago so I'd been keeping an eye out for them. I've only had a very quick play and they seem like a lot of fun for what is a free game, certainly better than most game give-aways and compared to other Doctor Who games, well are there any?

I have a soft spot for Doctor Who, it's silly, it makes almost no sense if you even scratch the surface of the plots but it's fun and so very British and I love it. So I'm off to play a bit more while I can.