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From School Library Journal

Starred review from October 1, 2024

Gr 6 Up-Dedicated gamers and newcomers alike will love this guided tour through role-playing game (RPG) history. Steenz and Sattin appear as cartoon versions of themselves to narrate, moving between personal stories and gaming history to provide an accessible and inclusive foundational graphic novel that deserves space on any Dungeon Master's shelf. Offering glimpses of tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) beginnings in Asia, its growth through Europe and the Americas, and, naturally, the emergence of Dungeons & Dragons and live-action role-playing (LARPing), the graphic novel covers a lot of ground. The two also tackle subjects like racism and sexism with equal parts sensitivity and humor. Steenz and Sattin note key creators and characters in RPG history, including J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock and his famed character, Elric, and Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian. Back matter features a comprehensive bibliography, a glossary, and even an original, playable Dungeons & Dragons adventure. The authors' lived experiences are engaging, acknowledging racial and gender issues from games and creators while offering positive new directions and contributions by creators of different cultures and gender identities. VERDICT With discussions on role-playing's ability to help people with socialization, self-expression, and expression of gender identity, Side Quest is a great place to begin for history fans, gaming fans, and graphic novel readers, alike.-Rosemary Kiladitis

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Kirkus

September 1, 2024
In this conversationally narrated graphic novel, Sattin and Steenz (starring as themselves) explore the history of role-playing games. Tabletop role-playing games combine elements of imaginative play, interactive storytelling, and statistics-based tactical gaming. The evolution of the TTRPG began long before the creation of Dungeons & Dragons. After explaining the basics of modern TTRPGs, Steenz (a nonbinary Black person) and Sattin (a light-skinned man with dark hair) invite readers on a nonlinear journey through time and around the globe. They discuss how interactive theater and tactical war games contributed to the creation of role-playing games--both live action and tabletop. The information is well organized and appealingly illustrated, divided into six parts that each focus on a different aspect of TTRPGs--"Beginning the Adventure," "Books of Lore," "From Battlefield to Sandtable," "Assume Your Role," and "Magic in the Modern World"; "Continuing the Adventure" then describes how the modern TTRPG is still evolving. Throughout, Steenz and Sattin acknowledge and critique the racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination embedded in the ideologies that influenced the development of modern TTRPGs, including The Lord of the Rings and Conan the Barbarian. They also highlight the work of gamers from marginalized backgrounds who are increasing inclusion and accessibility. The concluding miniadventure offers an exciting, conflict-filled setting, but an overinvolved nonplayer character creates a rigid story structure and dampens the thrill of the heist. Engaging, informative, and comprehensive. (creators' note, glossary, bibliography)(Graphic nonfiction. 12-18)

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