Final Fantasy VII Novel from ACF

This is a novelised version of the original Final Fantasy VII which has been a work-in-progress for more than a decade now, first posted in March, 2007 on ACF.net. To date, it has received over 250,000 hits and is widely considered by many in the community as one of the best fan fictions of its kind. It has also been featured on Kotaku.

In my personal life, I'm a former professional travel writer who has also participated in a fan-made web series, been commissioned to write a forthcoming superhero saga, composed well-known front page TLS.net articles, and has worked on several other Final Fantasy projects.

Those following this series will probably also know that I've been running quite a popular Facebook fan page which contains loads of links to all things FFVII, cool images, free digital downloads of the first two volumes of the novelisation, sample passages and loads of other stuff. Come check it out here

Many thanks to all those who have read it and given any form of feedback. I do appreciate it - good or bad - as it gives me the inspiration to continue. For anyone new to the project, I hope you enjoy it, and please leave your thoughts on the posts below.

Thanks, Mo.

UPDATE I: Please find below direct links to the online and downloadable versions as I am no longer posting amendments here:

UPDATE II: In addition, I have posted links to a series of short extracts from various moments in the saga, most of which can also be found with accompanying screenshots here.

UPDATE III: After a long absence to fulfil my obligations on other projects, I have finally started back on Volume IX. You'll find links to the work-in-progress instalments below. In addition, I'll be releasing downloadable accompanying author notes and podcasts (though, some of these are patron-exclusive) which offer an insight into my writing process as well as discussing a load of behind-the-scenes details that you won't find anywhere else. You can access all the released content (including chapter PDFs) here.

UPDATE IV: While printed versions of my first two novels have been available for some time, I've recently found a way to make the whole process easier for anyone interested. You'll find all the details here.

UPDATE V: As well as the main novelisation, I have also released a standalone novella, The Nibelheim Incident, in collaboration with artists Crimson Sun and AJ Hateley of Gametee, Ltd. It comprehensively recounting the events of that tragedy through the eyes of various characters such as Cloud, Zack, Tifa, Hojo and the Turks. The novella is entirely free to read online or download in multiple eBook formats.


Volume VII: A New Threat

(Opening - Nibelheim Flashback)

Frontpage/Disclaimer

Prologue - The Flower Girl
Chapter One - The Fight for the Planet
Chapter Two - The Promise
Chapter Three - Second Strike
Chapter Four - Encounters of Fate
Chapter Five - Wall Market
Chapter Six - Don of the Slums
Chapter Seven - The Wrath of Shinra
Chapter Eight - The Ancient
Chapter Nine - Castle in the Sky
Chapter Ten - Company Men
Chapter Eleven - Breakout
Chapter Twelve - A New King
Chapter Thirteen - The Silver SOLDIER
Chapter Fourteen - Secrets of Mount Nibel
Chapter Fifteen - The Jenova Project
Chapter Sixteen - Those Chosen by the Planet
Epilogue - No Rest for the Wicked

Download A New Threat as a free eBook in multiple formats here.

Details on arranging a paperback copy of this novel can be found here.


Volume VIII: The Man in the Black Cloak

(Kalm - Cosmo Canyon)

Prologue - Nights in Seventh Heaven
Chapter One - Undertaking the Odyssey
Chapter Two - Farewell to Midgar
Chapter Three - Home on the Ranch
Chapter Four - A Shadow in the Marshlands
Chapter Five - Into Darkness
Chapter Six - The Battle of Mythril Mine
Chapter Seven - Brothers in Arms
Chapter Eight - The Watchtower
Chapter Nine - Crossing the Continent
Chapter Ten - Beneath the Armoured City
Chapter Eleven - Fragmented Memories
Chapter Twelve - The Inaugural Parade
Chapter Thirteen - Ghost Ship
Chapter Fourteen - Riddles on the Sunshine Coast
Chapter Fifteen - Unforgiven
Chapter Sixteen - The Corel Incident
Chapter Seventeen - The Toysaurus of Wonder Square
Chapter Eighteen - Friendship in the Wilderness
Chapter Nineteen - Chasing the Black-Cloaked Man
Chapter Twenty - House of Steel and Magic
Chapter Twenty One - Descendant of Shinobi
Chapter Twenty Two - Clandestine Agendas
Chapter Twenty Three - To Wear the Black Suit
Chapter Twenty Four - The Missing SOLDIER
Chapter Twenty Five - The Dark Harbinger
Chapter Twenty Six - Valley of the Fallen Star
Epilogue - Kalm Before the Storm

Download The Man in the Black Cloak as a free eBook in multiple formats here.

Details on arranging a paperback copy of this novel can be found here.


Volume IX: The Cetran Legacy

(Cosmo Canyon - Forgotten Capital)

Prologue - The Last Cetra (author notes and behind-the-chapter podcast) NEW!!!
Chapter One - The Study of Planetary Life (author notes and behind-the-chapter podcast) NEW!!!
Chapter Two - Flow of the Lifestream (author notes and behind-the-chapter podcast) NEW!!!
Chapter Three - The Promised Land (author notes)
Chapter Four - Cosmo Memories (author notes)
Chapter Five - The Eternal Guardian
Chapter Six - By the Light of the Ocean
Chapter Seven - The Town That Should Not Be NEW!!!
Chapter Eight - The Monster Within (Coming Soon)

Download a 50-page preview of The Cetran Legacy as a free eBook in multiple formats here.


Compilation Shorts

Volume I: Angels and Monsters - Of Honour and Dreams
Volume II: Before Crisis - Those Who Lurk in the Night
Volume III: Crisis Core - The Director's Office
Volume III: Crisis Core - The Nibelheim Incident
Volume IV: The Return of AVALANCHE - The Nibelheim Incident
Volume V: Fugitives - The Legacy
Volume VI: The Zirconiade Affair - The Burden of Loyalty
Volume X: Crisis of the Planet - The Reunion / On That Day Five Years Ago
Volume XII: Rise of the Tsviets - The SOLDIER Applicant
Volume XIII: On the Way to a Smile - Off the Edge of Despair
Volume XV: Advent Children - Return to Northern Crater
Volume XV: Advent Children - Secrets of the Sleeping Forest
Volume XVI: Shinra's Dark Secret - Midgar's Evacuation
Volume XVII: Dirge of Cerberus - The Return of Genesis


Enjoy...

I've only had a chance to read the first part but dammmmmmmmmmmmmmn, it's good. I love the description, the imagery, the way the story flows. Very expertly done. The only thing I might say is cut back on all the adjectives--it slows down the flow a tiny bit. Sometimes the reader doesn't need to know all the details. But otehrs I just love it. Clearly you've put a lot of effort into this and I will eager to see what the rest you have it is like.

Oooo I remember this, very cool stuff.

Been a long time since I read it but if I recall correctly, you had the BC Turks making appearnces around the place with Tseng and co, just might wanna edit that out since they left Shin-Ra and went into hiding at the end of BC.

Yeah I wrote the novel with the intention of only chucking in a few references to the BC Turks, but since Knives and Nunchaku were added later, I thought I'd be imaginative and change things around a bit to use them in the main story by saying they worked with the Junon branch before the end of BC and were merged with the Midgar branch after the whole Zirconiade event when Legend and Katana go into hiding. The don't really take part in my novel and are there just as an added part. Same as later when Legend will appear in Junon and the others in Wutai. Just my writing style. Hope you enjoy it though.

You are the best.

Keep the good work.

How very kind of you.

Chapter 21 is almost complete. I was gonna have it as the journey from Gongaga to Cosmo Canyon and then the party learning from Bugenhagen and the other elders, but upon arrival at the village, I seem to be a good 11 or pages in already. So why not tie it up there and give it a chapter to itself?

It will be with you shortly, folks.

Sorry to keep you guys waiting on the next chapter. I swear it's almost finished. I have to hold my hands up and say I've been a bit preoccupied with completing my extended summary of the BC Special Episode of Legend. Check it out if you haven't already.

This post is really just to mention that I've uploaded my novel onto fanfiction.net, so if anyone prefers reading my stuff in that format instead, then help yourself. There's a link in my first post. As a special treat for those who have been following this, due to the way that site works, I have posted the very incomplete chapters 12 and 13 there. Those 2 have never been online before, so I hope you enjoy. The only thing is that neither have really been touched in about 4 years so the writing style is a bit shit. Not to mention it was transferred from Mac to PC, hence the stupid symbol where a quotation mark should be. If you can get over those things, you may find it to be a rare addition to this novel.

Cheers

Hey,

For anyone who wishes to check it out, I've left a few updates to the story on the fanfiction.net page (the link for which is in the first post). I'm currently in the process of rewriting chapters 10-13 and playing through Crisis Core to extract any relevant info. Please bear with me. Chances are, any updates will be made to ff.net but I'll be sure to post any completed chapters here. It makes sense that way.

Anyway, anyone wishing to check out the changes with explanations can do so there.

Hi folks,

I stopped updating this thread a long time ago, but for anyone still interested, I have recently added new content to my fanfiction.net account - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5231121/1/Final-Fantasy-VII-Unofficial-Novelization.

Those following this project will probably also know that I've been running quite a popular Facebook fan page which contains loads of links to all things FFVII, cool images, a FREE eBook/PDF download of the first volume of the novelisation, sample passages and loads of other stuff. Come check it out - https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyViiUnofficialNovelisation

I forgot to update this when I uploaded new content.

I've revamped the opening to Volume VIII (currently Prologue-ch6) and the two most recent chapters can be found at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5231121/25/Final-Fantasy-VII-Unofficial-Novelization and https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5231121/26/Final-Fantasy-VII-Unofficial-Novelization respectively.

Also, I composed a short piece that is essentially a reworked and embellished version of the opening to Case of Denzel. You'll find it at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5456265/5/Compilation-of-Final-Fantasy-VII-short-pieces

I'm currently running a competition for Christmas on my Facebook fan page for a personalised hard copy of the first volume. If you are interested, you'll find a link to the page in my signature

For anyone following the project and doesn't want to wait for the final publication of the second novel, I've today posted a new chapter at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5231121/27/Final-Fantasy-VII-Unofficial-Novelization

The second book will be released on 30th April, 2014

Another update, Chapter Eight - The Watchtower is now up on fanfiction.net

Re-write of Volume 8 chapters 9 and 10 uploaded

Still powering through to get the whole thing finished by the end of April. Wish me luck

Yay updates

Penultimate draft of Vol 8: Chapter Eleven - Fragmented Memories uploaded.

Only 4 weeks until publishing

Hey everyone, just to let you know that as of 9.30pm GMT (4.30pm EST / 1.30pm PCT), the first half of the new novel will be available to download as an eBook from the project's Facebook page.

I hope you enjoy it. Please help spread the word

Apologies for delays to anyone following the project. We are very close to releasing the next volume but I've uploaded a few new chapters (14-16) in the interim. They can be found here.

Chapters 17 and 18 uploaded. Don't forget that the full version of the new novel is out at the end of the month. Cheers.

More awesome stuff. Thank you. Honestly, you're my favourite FFVII fanfic writer (novelist, even). There's a level of professionalism you have attained that so few other fanfic writers ever reach. I think the part of the most recent chapters that I enjoyed the most was the dialogue. The exchanges were fluid and organic, and representative of the characters. Good work. Keep it up.

Dawnbreaker said:

More awesome stuff. Thank you. Honestly, you're my favourite FFVII fanfic writer (novelist, even). There's a level of professionalism you have attained that so few other fanfic writers ever reach. I think the part of the most recent chapters that I enjoyed the most was the dialogue. The exchanges were fluid and organic, and representative of the characters. Good work. Keep it up.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Dawn, I really appreciate that. I'm genuinely delighted that you enjoy it. PS, did you know I use one of your quotes one my novel host page?

OMG, no, I didn't know that. That's so very cool!

When I get a chance, I'll read the rest of the chapters (I've read most of them, but often-times out of order). I feel I should do a start over so I can read them in the right order. xD [ADHD]

Haha, I'm grateful that you read it at all.

Anyway, I've fired Ch19 up too

When it comes to the part where the truth is revealed concerning the Nibelheim Events will you use the original game or crisis core's version?

Kuja9001 said:

When it comes to the part where the truth is revealed concerning the Nibelheim Events will you use the original game or crisis core's version?

Click to expand...

I've gone with a combination of them all. My version (most of which occurs in Cloud's retelling at the end of book one) includes an array of details derived from the original FF7, CC, BC and even Last Order.

Chapter 20 up