The Lord of the Rings meets Moneyball in this fascinating and authoritative history of Dungeons & Dragons that âtracks D&Dâs turbulent rise, fall, and survival, from its heyday in the 1980sâŚto the twenty-first centuryâ (The Wall Street Journal), by award-winning journalist David M. Ewalt.
Even if youâve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture, and 2014 marks the intriguing role-playing phenomenonâs 40th anniversary. Released decades before the Internet and social media, Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures and is still revered by more than 30 million fans. 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 describes the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the gameâs origins 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 gameâs origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&Dâs lasting impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences, âwriting about the world of fantasy role-playing junkies with intelligence, dexterity, and even wisdomâ (Ken Jennings). An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on Americaâs most popular (and widely misunderstood) form of collaborative entertainment.