I was a very lucky child growing up in the 80's. It was an amazing time for music, animation and computer games (but not fashion... oh gosh the fashion!) Growing up in the 80s and played computer games you would have been aware of the incredible illustrations of Oliver Frey. His gorgeous airbrush artwork, which appeared on classic games magazines, such as Crash, Zzap!64 and Amtix stood out from the competition and made the magazines a huge seller. At the time I was very young but I remember seeing some of these covers and they are ingrained in my memory.

The Fantasy Art of Oliver Frey celebrates the life and work of the great man. It starts off with a brief biography about the evolution of childhood comic fan to full time illustrator at Newsfield. The artwork is presented without coverlines, logos or titles so you can appreciate the pieces in all their majesty. At the back of the book there is an index of covers for those who wish to age themselves but truly it is the sumptuous artwork that shines through.

Anyone with an appreciation of computer gaming art should check this out as the 80's really were simpler times with basic graphics, Oliver Frey brought the games and worlds alive through his artwork and game covers. A must read and look! For those who want to know more check out the brilliant film From Bedrooms To Billions which looks at the evolution of gaming in the 70's and 80's in Great Britain.