BEN RIGGS is a writer, teacher, and podcaster. He traveled the world teaching in his 20s. During his journeys, he tutored a princess, saw both the Sahara and Mt. Fuji at dawn, and discovered his wife and fellow traveler, Tara. He has settled down in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he teaches English and history, and he and Tara have a son, Simon. Ben's RPG podcast, Plot Points, has been running for a decade, and his work has appeared on NPR and Geek & Sundry. Slaying the Dragon is his first book.
"Ben Riggs manages to walk the fine line between historical
accuracy and fun about as well as anyone and SLAYING THE DRAGON is
equal parts historical accuracy and entertainment. It was an
essential read for me while directing and producing the Official
D&D documentary but I'd recommend it to anyone regardless of
the subject material. It's a wild and fun ride through the
turbulent history of one the most influential brands in our
lifetime." -- Joe Manganiello "...a compelling adventure in itself"
--The Washington Post "Riggs weaves a tale of corporate intrigue,
personal ego, and failed saving throws that will fascinate any fan
of D&D. Whether you're a grognard, still clutching your red box
rules and grumbling about THAC0, or a recent convert to the
greatest game the world has ever played, you're going to love
Slaying the Dragon!" --Tim Akers, author of Knight Watch "Herein
are the secrets and myths, the highs and lows, and hidden world of
the magical realm of TSR and its creation: Dungeons & Dragons. An
indispensable account about the legends and truth from the people
that worked there. Highly recommended!" --Mike Mason, co-designer
of Call of Cthulhu 7th edition "Through in-depth interviews with
the creators themselves, Ben has put together a deeply personal
account of so many of the behind-the-scenes going-ons, the good and
the bad, at TSR." --former TSR artist Brom "When I was thirteen and
sitting on the other side of the DM screen, using all my latent
psionic talent to roll a 20 on that bugbear, I never thought I
would ever want to read a book about the economic history of
D&D . . . yet here we are. Riggs has written a fascinating and
dishy account of the business hits and whistling misses of a band
of dreamers, writers, artists, and geeks and the real-life,
sometimes terrifying adventures that eventually destroyed the
company behind arguably the most imaginative American game ever
created, though it was never just that. A must-read for fighters,
magic-users, and even bards--and everyone else, too." --Brad Ricca,
Edgar-nominated author of Mrs. Sherlock Holmes and True Raiders
"Far from a fluff piece on a beloved hobby, this book goes behind
the GM's screen to take a hard-nosed look at the people and
circumstances that first gave rise to D&D, then nearly killed
it--twice. Riggs takes you on a roller-coaster from boom to near
bankruptcy, but never loses sight of the individuals involved, the
good, the bad, and the geeky." --Marie Brennan, Hugo-Award
nominated author of the Lady Trent Memoirs series "A fascinating
and colorful page-turner that explores the rich history of Dungeons
& Dragons and it's role in the development of role-playing games.
Ben Riggs's engrossing Slaying the Dragon takes us into the
basements of Wisconsin and boardrooms of Los Angeles where the
popular role-playing genre evolved--against impossible odds--from
board games to virtual reality. And he does so by speaking with the
geeks who inherited this Earth, putting their wild stories to paper
for the first time. 900 XP to Riggs for his achievement!" --Sean
O'Connell, managing director of CinemaBlend and author of Release
the Snyder Cut and With Great Power
"With a trove of research and candid interviews, Riggs investigates
the many missteps that would ultimately sour "years of stunning
success" for the tabletop gaming giant...A compelling corporate
saga mired in mythmaking." --Kirkus Reviews "So here's the thing.
I've never played a game of Dungeons & Dragons in my life. And I've
also already read Of Dice and Men, the D&D history that is the
jumping-off point for this work, which promises to uncover some of
the less-known dealings of Lake-Geneva-based TSR's downfall. And
yet I found Slaying the Dragon thoroughly enjoyable, partly because
of the near-local setting, and partly because Riggs is a good
storyteller who also highlights the corporate missteps in a way
that I think will appeal to folks who read business narratives. And
to think, Milwaukee finally has enough hotel rooms to keep GenCon,
only 19 years too late." --Daniel Goldin, Boswell Book Company,
Milwaukee WI "Meticulously researched and passionately written, Ben
Riggs' book Slaying the Dragon is essential reading for anyone
intrigued by the absurdities of the gaming industry. This chronicle
of errors answers longstanding questions about the rise and fall of
roleplaying's most famous game and provides an entertaining
step-by-step guide for how NOT to run a corporation. Absolutely
recommended!" -- Satyros Phil Brucato, designer and core author of
Mage: The Ascension, Powerchords: Music, Magic & Urban Fantasy,
Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, the Mage 20 series, and more
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
