Ben DeVere is the son of fantasy gamebook legend, Joe Dever. Joe passed away back in 2016 and Ben has been carrying on Joe’s legacy, carrying on his father’s wish to complete the Lone Wolf series. This includes a new trilogy, The Huntress series, written by Jonathan Stark. The first book in the series is Lone Wolf: The Huntress – Marked For Death. We caught up with Ben to find out more…
STARBURST: How would you describe The Huntress to a fan of Dungeons & Dragons?
Ben DeVere: For D&D fans, I’d describe it as a solo campaign. The book is the Dungeon Master. That doesn’t mean you can’t play it with friends. In fact, we hosted a teaser campaign on the Lone Wolf fan group on Facebook and had hundreds of people involved in voting for the choices.
What’s the elevator pitch?
Think Castlevania meets Indian Jones, written by Mary Shelley. Exploring the haunted underbelly of a magical city. Tracking a witch’s moving castle through a serpent-infested swamp… all that good stuff!
It’s been quite a journey. Why more books?
It has! But a journey of looking after a legacy. Looking after the legacy is important, of course, but I’m a creative person and so I can’t just republish old books. I had to ask myself, is this just a legacy project, or does it have a future? Are we going to build on what my dad created?
How much of your father do you see in the series?
It’s impossible not to hear his voice when I read it. The themes of self-reliance and being forced to grow up too fast chime with dad losing his own father very young. He was a very private person, loving and funny, but sometimes very insular. The series is called Lone Wolf, after all.
What was your introduction to gaming as an adult like?
Intense. I first met the fans at Lucca, a gaming festival with upwards of a quarter of a million people and queues of Lone Wolf fans wanting books signed and photos taken. I hadn’t even read most of the books I was signing. It was weird.
Why is fantasy so big now?
I’d argue that it’s always popular. What’s new is the way the fandom can engage with creators and with each other. The fantasy fandom is just more online than other genres. There’s a highfalutin argument that we need fantasy more when times are tough, but I’m not going to go there.
What do you make of Critical Role and the like?
I haven’t spent enough time watching their stuff, but it’s a phenomenon. It just proves the appetite for fantasy roleplaying.
What’s next for you?
I’m right in the middle of writing the final book of the Lone Wolf saga. Book #32: Light of the Kai. And this June is Lone Wolf’s 40th Anniversary, so we have a lot of projects in the pipeline for this summer. I’m busy getting those ready, too.
Doctor Who or Doctor No?
Doctor No. I was a huge Bond fan. Goldfinger is the best film, obviously, but I grew up in the Roger Moore era, so hell always be Bond for me.
Dragons or Death Stars?
Death Stars. Dragons is too much like work.
Truth or Beauty?
At 42, I’m precisely middle-aged. So, I’m in the process of turning from Beauty towards Truth, which is a wonderful process.
You can find out more about the Lone Wolf books here.
