booktweeting, to books
@booktweeting@zirk.us avatar

A TALE OF LOVE AND MONSTERS is a heart-stopping, action-packed fantasy adventure, a unique romance, and a deep, wise parable about self-sacrifice and family stories. Beautifully crafted kaleidoscope of distinctively new and classic legends. A MINUS

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/someone-you-can-build-a-nest-in-john-wiswell/1143735232?ean=9780756418854

@bookstodon

ablueboxfullofbooks, to history
@ablueboxfullofbooks@bookstodon.com avatar

A moving, beautifully illustrated true story for children ages 6 to 9 about growing up in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II—from the iconic Star Trek actor, activist, and author of the New York Times bestselling graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy.

@bookstodon @kidlit

ablueboxfullofbooks, to LGBTQ
@ablueboxfullofbooks@bookstodon.com avatar

When a Mariachi star transfers schools, he expects to be handed his new group's lead vocalist spot—what he gets instead is a tenacious current lead with a very familiar, very kissable face.

@bookstodon @yalit @lgbtqbookstodon

gmkeros.wordpress.com, to DnD
@gmkeros.wordpress.com@gmkeros.wordpress.com avatar

https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/fantasy-wargaming.jpgThe Highest Level of All: The Story of Fantasy Wargaming by Mike Monaco, is a free pdf download published at CMU Press under a CC BY-NC-ND license, and dealing with the history of the eponymous (if a bit incongruously titled) Fantasy Wargaming roleplaying game system. Yes, it turns out you can write whole books not only about DnD. At least if it’s something as weird as that game at least.

https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/715s3mfunvl._sl1360_.jpg

The original game Fantasy Wargaming: The Highest Level of All (or just Fantasy Wargaming in some editions) was a 1981 book by Bruce Galloway, a clear variation on Dungeons and Dragons, based on Galloway’s home rules. Unlike it’s competition it was not afraid of using actual historical concepts like astrology and occultism in it’s descriptions, although it also was written so densely it was hard to make sense of it in any shape or form by someone not already familiar with roleplaying games. And, well, it was called Fantasy Wargaming.

Which made this a problem, as the game was published both in the UK and the US by mainstream publishers obviously trying to break into the nascent TTRPG market. The most available version was most likely the one published by the Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club, which made the game available to many people who did not have any experience with roleplaying games before.

Unfortunately one has to say, as the game’s size (300pgs) and conceptual denseness made parsing the book quite a feat, meaning if people used this as an introduction to roleplaying, it might not have been very successful.

The Story of Fantasy Wargaming goes into this, and into the development of the game. It could have been a bit more thorough and a bit more critical, but for what it is it’s a nice look into the environment that created it. And well, it’s free.

(I learned about this book from an episode of the Vintage RPG Podcast which had the author on and talked about this project. Well worth a listen)

Rate this:

https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/2024/05/17/the-highest-level-of-all-the-story-of-fantasy-wargaming/

image/jpeg

edheil,
@edheil@dice.camp avatar

@zdl @gmkeros.wordpress.com@gmkeros.wordpress.com If I remember correctly, a lot of FW seemed to be riffing on C&S specifically. I may or may not be remembering correctly.

zdl,
@zdl@mastodon.online avatar

@edheil @gmkeros.wordpress.com@gmkeros.wordpress.com I've read it. I've read (and played) several editions of C&S. I have no idea. The writing in Fantasy Wargaming was just that bad.

queerscifi, to fantasy
@queerscifi@mastodon.otherworldsink.com avatar

QSFer Mark Salzwedel has a new queer fantasy book out: The Miraculous Life of Rupert Rocket.

In 1942, Rupert Rocket’s grandmother was cursed by an Irish fairy, the Pooka, to end her bloodline.

But the Pooka’s sister, the Grogoch, blessed the boy to counteract the curse.

As a young gay man, Rupert’s life spins wildly between the competing spells through...

https://www.queerscifi.com/new-release-the-miraculous-life-of-rupert-rocket-mark-salzwedel/

@lgbtqbookstodon @diversebooks @bookstodon

ablueboxfullofbooks, to LGBTQ
@ablueboxfullofbooks@bookstodon.com avatar

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets The Sun is Also a Star in this YA contemporary love story from Jonny Garza Villa, Ander & Santi Were Here, about a nonbinary Mexican American teen falling for the shy new waiter at their family’s taqueria.

@bookstodon @yalit @lgbtqbookstodon

metin, to books
@metin@graphics.social avatar
KOKEdit, to random
@KOKEdit@mastodon.social avatar

Helpful podcast from @grammargirl: “Efficiency Hacks for Writers and Editors with Erin Brenner,” author of new The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors: How to Take Care of Your Business, Your Clients, and Yourself from Start-Up to Sustainability. https://tinyurl.com/24u5y6td .

grammargirl,
@grammargirl@zirk.us avatar

@KOKEdit Thank you, Katharine! Erin was so generous in sharing all her knowledge.

booktweeting, to books
@booktweeting@zirk.us avatar

A BUTCHER’S OBSESSIVE DEVOTION to his craft leads him to the edge of madness in this marvelously evocative, enigmatic French novel. B PLUS

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tenderloin-joy-sorman/1143788632?ean=9781632063618

@bookstodon

#book #Books #bookreview #bookreviews #fiction #novel #novels #France #frenchwriters

susanneleist, to Horror
@susanneleist@mastodon.social avatar

Dance with me until the moon hides its face,
And the sun attempts to quicken the pace.
From the sunlight, the vampire turns his face,
And dancers twirl to the light’s frenzied pace.

PREY FOR THE DEAD
by Susanne Leist

https://amzn.to/2F1IiI2

@bookstodon

susanneleist, to Horror
@susanneleist@mastodon.social avatar

UNMASKED

Show your face.

Let the domino fall.

Let it shatter to pieces.

I want to see the man

Beneath the disguise.

PREY FOR THE DEAD

https://amzn.to/2F1IiI2

http://bit.ly/2XCDuD7

@bookstodon

ablueboxfullofbooks, to bookstodon
@ablueboxfullofbooks@bookstodon.com avatar

Jo’s Special Gifts is an incredible picture book about autism. From the little boy point of view, the book describes Jo’s likes and dislikes, focusing mainly on all his accomplishments. It is a wonderful diverse story, inclusive and poetic. I love how Mariam Shapera explains the Autism Spectrum and all the helpful suggestions at the end of the book.

@kidlit @bookstodon

TheTempleMom, to books
@TheTempleMom@pagan.plus avatar

Liz just wants a happy birthday.
Is that too much to ask?

A beautiful antique bed: her birthday present to herself. The nice delivery men set it up in her bedroom, and then all Hell breaks loose. Literally.

When it turns out the bed's former owner isn't basking in the glow of a happy afterlife, Liz must face some nasty adversaries to help him. Why on earth would she risk her life and her sanity to help a ghost? Certainly not because she’s in love with him.

Certainly not.

https://www.lauraperryauthor.com/the-bed

#bookstodon #books #fiction #novel #UrbanFantasy #book #WitchLit #witchy #magic

metin, (edited ) to ai
@metin@graphics.social avatar

AI was already strikingly depicted in artwork for the Queen music album News of the World. 🙂

[Artwork by Frank Kelly Freas]

edgeofeurope,
@edgeofeurope@mastodon.social avatar

@metin this is the interior artwork of a Queen album, not a pulp fiction cover.

metin,
@metin@graphics.social avatar

@edgeofeurope Ah, dank, zal het corrigeren. 🙂

sneezecat, to retrogaming
@sneezecat@mastodon.social avatar

My local didn't have a copy of Jordan Mechner's Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted Family, so I submitted a purchase request. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

I'll admit it, I got the idea from someone else on Mastodon, and I can't remember who. Hopefully someone reading this will be inspired to check out their own library. They are precious resources and should be supported with our patronage.

https://www.jordanmechner.com/en/books/replay/

@jmechner

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