Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Book Review: Side Quest


The creators, Steenz and Samuel Sattin, narrate the book, switching between personal stories about their RPG experiences and concrete information that reveals the fascinating and often little-known history of these games. (Did you know that H. G. Wells created an RPG in the early 1900s? You will soon, along with so much more!)

This is an inviting introduction to what TTRPGs are, why they matter, and how readers can get involved. And like any popular guide to arcana, this book is geared toward an audience of gamers, non-gamers, and general readers alike. Equal parts enlightening, adventurous, and approachable, this appealing graphic nonfiction book is one that everyone can enjoy!

Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games will be published October 8, 2024. Harper Collins Children's Books provided an early galley for review.

I've been playing these kinds of games since I was in high school, so much of this was a nostalgic look at a hobby I very much enjoy. Still, there was a large amount of history relating to the precursor elements that came together to form what today's players consider a role-playing game.

The book is a fun primer for those new to table-top RPGs. Coming from the children's book division, this appears to be marketed towards kids and teens. The concepts and history is rather rich, so kids might get bored by it. The vocabulary is clearly more on the teen and up level. The artwork however harkens back to the pages of the Sunday funnies with a simple style and bright colors. It even includes a 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons scenario in the back for players to try out. All together, that made for an informative and entertaining read.

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