Of Dice and Men, David M. Ewalt
Of Dice and Men, David M. Ewalt
4 Rating(s)
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Of Dice and Men
The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who Play It

Author: David M. Ewalt

Narrator: David M. Ewalt, Mikael Naramore

Unabridged: 8 hr 19 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/20/2013


Synopsis

The Hobbit meets Moneyball in this definitive book on Dungeons & Dragons—from its origins and rise to cultural prominence to the continued effects on popular culture today. HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS.Ancient red dragons with 527 hit points, +44 to attack, and a 20d10 breath weapon, to be specific. In the world of fantasy role-playing, those numbers describe a winged serpent with immense strength and the ability to spit fire. There are few beasts more powerful—just like there are few games more important than Dungeons & Dragons.Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture. Released in 1974—decades before the Internet and social media—Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures, and is still revered by millions of fans around the world. Now the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player.In Of Dice and Men, David Ewalt recounts the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game’s roots on the battlefields of ancient Europe, through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides, to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game’s origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D’s profound impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences. An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular (and widely misunderstood) form of collaborative entertainment.

About David M. Ewalt

David M. Ewalt began playing Dungeons & Dragons when he was ten years old. Now an award-winning journalist, he writes about games for Forbes magazine, talks about games on television and radio, and plays games in and around his Brooklyn, New York, home. Join him or find out more at www.davidmewalt.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mike (the Paladin) on January 13, 2019

So...what can I say here? Reading this book I had to do what most gamers do all the time (disagree with the writer's take on the "best version of D&D [Dungeons and Dragons]). That said throughout the book I identified with the sentiments and thoughts presented. I found myself nostalgic about the gam......more

Goodreads review by David on July 31, 2013

Before I even get into my feelings, first: Dude, kudos for writing this book and getting it published. It's long overdue, and I've wanted to read this book for a long, long time, even before I knew it existed, and I ripped through it in a single sitting. Now, having said that... This never entirely c......more


Quotes

“Dungeons & Dragons has been a huge part of my life. The book sheds light on the world of [D&D co-creator] Gary Gygax, and it also lets the reader into the mind of somebody questioning how cool this game is.” —Vin Diesel“An engaging book that fuses history and memoir. [Ewalt] tracks D&D's turbulent rise, fall and survival, from its heyday in the 1980s… to the 21st century.” ―The Wall Street Journal“David Ewalt offers a genial history of Dungeons and Dragons and its impact on his own geek life…. A highly readable account of a game that seized the imagination of a generation and maintains its grip three decades later.” ―Publishers Weekly