Michael Witwer

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Heroes' Feast: The Official D&D Cookbook

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“Everyone knows how dangerous it is to adventure on an empty stomach. So put away the chips, and crack open Heroes’ Feast. Make your next game night a truly immersive experience with everything from Sword Coast Seafood Bouillabaisse to Drow Mushroom Steaks to that old dwarven favorite, Corned Beef and Cabbage. This gorgeous book will lead to many stunning meals for your friends and family.”—D.B. Weiss, co-creator of Game of Thrones
 
“For whatever reason, one of the oldest and fondest D&D memories I have burned into my mind is the recipe for Otik’s Skillet-Fried Spiced Potatoes in Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home. It makes me so happy that Kyle, Jon, Michael, and company are carrying the torch for the next generation with this cookbook. P.S. Try the Halfling Chili . . .”—Joe Manganiello, actor, producer, author, and D&D collaborator

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“Whether you’re a human craving a belly-warming Traveler’s Stew or an elf in need of Qualinesti Stew, this book is a lot of fun and the food is easy and delicious. Tons of quick, simple recipes for your local tabletop crew, your family, or both. If you cook, get this book. If you don’t cook, get this book and give it to someone who will cook for you.”—Freddie Prinze Jr.

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“All are welcome to join this world of create-your-own-adventure-style cooking, baking, and mixology to compliment even the most intense game nights. There are so many magical masterpieces and delicious delicacies—diverse enough to suit the tastes of even the hungriest and pickiest creatures. No matter what realm you reside in, the recipes will have you feeling well prepared and equipped for your own culinary quest. As a baker myself, I can’t wait to try the Halfling’s Rose Apple and Blackberry Pie! Yum! Everyone is a winner with this book.”—Katherine McNamara, actor and baker

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“Casting, attacking, dodging, delving . . . a hero works up an appetite. Kyle, Jon, and Michael’s cookbook isn’t just a novelty; this is really good stuff to add that extra dimension to your campaign. Remember, a well-fed DM is bound to take it easier on you!”—Craig Mazin, writer/producer, Chernobyl

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“The joy of sharing a great meal with friends is only second to spending time around a gaming table. To mix the two is about as good as life gets. When you trip and fall into the beauty of this book, you’ll long for any excuse to gather, eat, and vanquish evil!”—Matthew Lillard, actor

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“If you live and breathe Dungeons & Dragons, you can now eat it too! Perfect for every quest that starts at a tavern! This cookbook is filled with mouthwatering recipes to suit every stomach. I’ll be using these recipes to up my game.”—Maude Garrett, entertainment host

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“As tabletop gamers, we gather to share adventures to faraway worlds. We join our friends and head off to the places limited only by our imaginations. With this book, we can now fill our stomachs, as well as our minds. Whether you want to butter up your bard with braised beef or woo your wood elf with a garden salad, there is truly a recipe to please any member of your party. I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. Here’s to your game nights getting a lot more delicious.”—Krystina Arielle Tigner, actor and host

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Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana - A Visual History

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“This book is an exotic, magical, and fun trip into the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS whether you’ve ever held a twelve-sided die or not.” —James Gunn, writer-director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie series

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“This tome invites the reader through every stage of the evolution of this wonderful game, engaging with incredible art, enlightening photos, and insightful anecdotes that both inform and inspire. Whether you got to experience the birth of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and want to relive that origin spark, or are new to the community and would love to adventure through the visual chronicle of its past, present, and future... I cannot recommend this book enough.” 
—Matthew Mercer, Dungeon Master of Critical Role
 
“This is the most comprehensive, mind-blowing visual history ever created about DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. Beyond the iconic artwork featured on nearly every page, the book actually serves as a complete history of the entire D&D universe. Both fans of the game and newcomers will be completely blown away by the countless hours of research and passion put into this book. There’s truly nothing else out there like it.” 
—Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs
 
“This is the definitive collection of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS artwork we’ve been waiting for all of our lives! The images contained in this book will instantly transport you back to your childhood, and conjure up memories of long forgotten adventures shared with old friends around the gaming table. This tome is an essential addition to every lifelong D&D fan's home library. Buy a copy right now—or make me a saving throw versus Death Magic!” 
—Ernie Cline, author of Ready Player One
 
“DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has shaped the imaginations of millions around the world since its conception. This visual exploration delving into where it all began is a must-read for both dedicated veterans and new enthusiasts alike. A passionate homage from the biggest fans in the industry!” 
—Maude Garrett, TV, radio, and online host and founder of Geek Bomb

“I grew up during the early days of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and it’s been decades since I’ve seen the wonders that enthralled me during that magical time. At last, familiar treasures from the depths of the vault are here. They can make you cry depending on how deep you went. This is an incredible tome of power."
—John Romero, co-creator of DOOM
 
“This is a time machine. Poring over these images forty years after I first held the Basic Set in my hands, I’m overwhelmed by the same ineffable feelings I had back in 1977.  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS unlocked something in my twelve year old brain—an exhilarating sense of possibility—that set my future course as a game designer and writer. This book inspires me all over again"
—Amy Hennig, creator of the Uncharted series

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“This fascinating deep dive into the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS will thrill both the connoisseur of role-playing games, as well as anyone interested in visual histories. I found so much information to inspire daydreams for months. I can’t wait to add this to my library of all things geeky.”
—Deborah Ann Woll, actor and D&D enthusiast

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“In the early 1980s, I spent lots of time working and gaming with D&D co-creator Gary Gygax during his ‘lost Los Angeles period;’ I went on to work closely with TSR until its end. For me, this is more than a book.  It’s a time machine back to a fantastic, fabulous time when anything was possible. For anyone who wants to understand the pure magic of D&D and where it came from, get this book at all costs.”
—Flint Dille, Screenwriter/Game Designer

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“This is no simple art book. Authors Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Petersen, and Sam Witwer have combined their lifetimes of love and experience with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS to create a comprehensive history of both the role-playing game and its legendary creators… The visual history does, of course, include all artwork you’ve dreamed of.”
—Kelly Knox, Nerdist
 
“With over 400 pages, Art and Arcana is the most comprehensive D&D history you will find anywhere. Like a treasure-filled cavern, it's packed (and we mean PACKED) with enough facts, quotes, images, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes to choke a fully grown Demogorgon.”
—Josh Weiss, SyFy.com

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"It's incredible . . . this thing is a gateway into another dimension.”
—Boing Boing

 

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Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons

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"Empire of Imagination is an absolute blast! The narrative is fast paced, while the depth of research made me feel like I was reliving the life of one of the most creative forces of our time. Witwer had me reaching for my 20 sided dice!" —Ben Mezrich, bestselling author of BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE and ONCE UPON A TIME IN RUSSIA

 

“It turns out that while we were down in the basement exploring his world, Gary Gygax was having a tremendous adventure up here in ours. Thanks to Michael Witwer's book, I finally got to experience it.” –  David X. Cohen, Executive Producer of FUTURAMA

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“We live in a time when the most important people in sports are using data--statistics, analytics--to make decisions with billion dollar consequences. We live in a time when digital gaming may be more influential in our culture than sports and movies combined. In short, we live in a world perhaps only Gary Gygax could have imagined decades ago. If you want to know where it all began, this book is as good a place as any to start.” –  Mike Greenberg, cohost of ESPN's MIKE & MIKE and bestselling author of MY FATHER'S WIVES and ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR

 

“Like most of my generation, I played D&D in high school, and I still play to this day. Still, I hadn’t appreciated the genius and the madness of Gary Gygax until I read Empire of Imagination. This story of Gygax, D&D, and TSR has all the elements of the best dungeon crawls: courage, treachery, triumph, inspiration, and treasure. The only thing missing is Beholders.” —Christian Rudder, Co-Founder of OkCupid and bestselling author of DATACLYSM

 

“Gary Gygax showed us that games could be not just fun, but a common ground for "uncool" kids to find each other. Witwer's book does a great job of conveying why Gary's life mission meant so much to people like me.” —Ken Levine, Creator of BIOSHOCK

 

“Empire of Imagination tells the story of the emperor himself, at times brilliant, sometimes tragic, but ultimately victorious.” –  Peter Adkison, founder and former CEO of Wizards of the Coast, owner of Gen Con

 

“[A] brilliant book.” —Ian Livingstone CBE, Co-Founder of Games Workshop

 

“I highly recommend Empire of Imagination to anyone interested in gaming and the creative process.” —Chris Perkins, D&D Principal Story Designer at Wizards of the Coast

 

“In vignettes which vividly illustrate Gygax's key role in the invention of modern gaming, Empire of Imagination shows us the rise of Dungeons & Dragons through the eyes of its most famous father. Gygax could not have hoped for a more attentive and sympathetic biographer.” –  Jon Peterson, author of PLAYING AT THE WORLD

 

“In this entertaining biography, Witwer follows the life and accomplishments of Gary Gygax, called here the “King of the Nerds” for his creation of the long-enduring Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game . . . a fascinating examination of the birth and growing pains of the gaming industry and of Gygax’s lasting influence on pop culture.” –  Publishers Weekly

 

“For fans of role-playing games, and D&D specifically, the book is required reading.” –  Booklist

 

"...a great achievement, a foundational biography, an important story to tell...You don’t need to roll a d20 to find out whether you should buy this book. If you even know what I meant when I wrote “d20,” the answer is yes." -Bookgasm 

 

“Witwer's respect for Gygax is evident throughout . . . informative . . . Well-researched.” –  Kirkus

 

"Gary Gygax went on a long, treacherous and challenging journey in both his personal and business life and, after reading Michael Witwer's book, I feel as though I've been on a part of that journey, too . . . The book left me feeling warm and yet somewhat sad, but it was definitely a most satisfying read . . . Most highly recommended." - Jonathan Hicks for Farsight Blogger / RPG.net

 

“[I]f you are a gamer, live with a gamer or ever had the urge to understand why gamers, geeks and nerds do what they do, you must read this book.”          –  d20radio.com

 

“[S]uccessfully tackles the monumental job of following Gary from birth (July 27, 1938) to his taken-from-us-too-soon death (March 4, 2008) and beyond . . . very interesting reading!” –  GeekDad.com

 

“If you have any interest in the origination of our hobby, read this book. . . amazingly entertaining and informative." –  GeeksandGeeklets.com

 

“The work of Michael Witwer is all I could have hoped it would be! . . . If you want to know what it was like back when D&D was being born then this book is a must have.” –  Ernest Gary Gygax, Jr.

 

“A business-proposal writer by day, Witwer's first book is a nimble, greatly dramatized biography of Gary Gygax (1938–2008) who created the legendary fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in 1974 . . . Witwer cleverly sorts the narrative into 'levels' rather than chapters; each level opens with a D&D–style scene that both foreshadows and entertains.” – Library Journal

 

“Not a dry, rigorous biographical tome . . . a fun read.” –  Frank Mentzer, former TSR staff designer and Creative Advisor to Gary Gygax

 

"A biography worthy of the creator of D&D. . . This is an excellent and enjoyable read." - Black Gate Reviews

 

". . . the most complete portrayal of Gary Gygax the man done to date." - Fat Goblin Games

 

". . . a book no geek or role player of any sort should miss out on. Get it! It is an excellent read and you owe it to the creator of the genre to read the story of his life." - Metapunk

 

 “If you’re remotely interested about the history of D&D, Gary Gygax or the hobby of roleplaying, this is a great read." –  Natural 20 

 

"If you have a love for RPGs and would like to know their creator better, I recommend the book whole-heartedly." - Expertise Dice

 

“A fascinating and well-researched book.” —Scott Thorne, ICv2

 

“Much of what I read I have known for years but seldom have I read the account told in such an engaging way.” —Under Siege

 

“Well written, well researched, and hard to put down.” —Platypus Gaming

 

“It’s the most comprehensive look at Gygax’s early life that I know of . . . Witwer excels at telling this story. . .”—Shannon Appelcline, author of DESIGNERS & DRAGONS

 

“Despite the focus on Gygax, Witwer's book makes it clear that D&D was truly a group effort. Gygax was to role-playing games what Stan Lee is to comic books: an elder statesman who is part-spokesman/part-raconteur for the hobby he loves so dearly. It's a fitting tribute to a complicated legacy.”—Michael J. Tresca, author of THE EVOLUTION OF FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING GAMES

 

“Witwer's style is light and easy to read. I found his accounts of events compelling, and actively looked forward to picking the book up again each time.”—Greyhawk Grognard

 

“I enjoyed [Empire of Imagination] with utter geekiness. . . I've loved Dungeons and Dragons and role playing games for thirty years now and reading the book was a necessary treat.”—Night Horse Publishing

 

“…anyone interested in the birth of roleplaying games, and arguably modern gaming, should give this a read.”—The Room Fills With Water

 

"Empire of Imagination entices players of Dungeons & Dragons who want to know more about the creation of this game and inspires readers to believe in their dreams, seize opportunities, and overcome obstacles with diligence and fortitude as they live their lives to the fullest."—RetroZap

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"[O]ne of the best biographical pieces I have read. A++"—Nerds of Wisdom

 

"[H]ighly recommended!"—Matthew Mercer