Some years ago I bought a read a book called Dungeons & Desktops, which is a history of computer RPGs.
Although the writing is a bit dry, the book is comprehensive and intelligently written and I highly recommended if you’re interested in the topic. Since I’d played almost all of the games mentioned, it read almost like a diary and I still remember the book fondly.
So when I recently discovered a book about the history of (pencil & paper) Role Playing Games, I had to get it.
Published back in 1991 this is an old book and obviously somewhat out of date. It is, however, a staggeringly comprehensive history of RPGs and related products up until that date. The book is over 400 pages long, small print, and is about 95% lists of RPG products categorized by type or genre (‘Fantasy: Arthurian’, ‘Science Fiction: Dark Future’ and ‘Pirates and Swashbucklers’ for example). In addition the relevant game details, the author has provided a sentence or two (or many, in the case of the more famous games) describing the game.
Some examples…
“The rules are of moderate complexity; this is a skill-based system similar to the 2nd edition of Star Trek, not an introductory system” (Doctor Who RPG, FASA, 1985)
“Scenario in which Indy goes after one of the holy nails used in Christ’s crucifixion, an adventure that leads from Australia to Barcelona. Can be played solo or in a group.” (The Fourth Nail [Indiana Jones RPG module], TSR, 1985)
The last sentence in that second description caught my eye. “Can be played solo”? It’s interesting, skimming through the book (when I return from Australia I’m reading this cover to cover) how many modules for many different RPG systems can be played solo. I’ve made a note of that…
Happily the book includes a dedicated (23 page) section for ‘Solo Gamebooks’. In addition to the usual suspects, I discovered a few new series reading through this chapter. A quick click over to Amazon allowed me to already acquire a few books from these series:
Ye gods! Compelling name aside, this looks to be a shockingly complex, high entry (674 in total) gamebook based around solving crimes with the somewhat-assistance of the famous detective. Looking forward to reading through this one when I get the time, since it’s highly reviewed on the gamebook sites (and in Heroic Worlds). I actually got the first two of the 9 total books in this series.
Iron Crown, in the 1980s, turned their pens to licensed Gamebooks. Their initial success was with the Lord Of The Rings books, and this led to the Sherlock Holmes and Narnia series. This is the first book in the latter, a lengthy (450 entry) telling an original story in a part of Narnia not discussed in the novels. It looks to be a complex system, but lacking combat. Should be an interesting read.
What an evocative cover! Sadly, it won’t arrive until after Christmas so I haven’t seen I inside yet, but this is one from a large format solo play gamebook series set in the Forgotten Realms TSR published in the late 1980s. If you’re keeping score, I think there are three different TSR gamebook series in total now! At any rate I’m looking forward to getting this one because what little I’ve read about it makes it sound a tad… unusual… 🙂
Next week I’m off to Australia. Every year I think to myself I couldn’t possibly find any new Gamebooks not yet in my collection, but then I do just that! I wonder if my luck will continue?
