Customer Reviews

Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role Playing Games

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I began role-playing in the late seventies, when all of the earliest role-playing games were still available for sale. Reading "Heroic Worlds" is like returning to those early days, both in its comprehensive listing of every role-playing game release available up through 1990, and in its evocation of the state of the art of role-playing games in its early days. This book is bound to be a classic for a number of reasons: one, it's the only place that will serve the collector hoping to buy every single supplement for their favorite game; two, it's the best history available on the subject, even today; and three, it will serve the game designers of the future, in seeing what has already been done, and what still remains to be done. It's a wonderful read, as well. Now all we need is a second edition, that updates the subject to the present day!

Ok, this book isn't even close to being current. However, it lists all the great classics from the past- and even a few that aren't so classic (like the small supplement I wrote!).

Great reference guide.

I like the book, however, the definitions are arbitrary, and applied unevenly, and there are a number of errors and omissions that are not attributable to the age of the book. The book also has mistakes in some of the historical data.

The real value of this book lies with the descriptions that it has of different gaming products available at that time. Ignoring the errors and definitions, this book would be useful to a collector of old games.

I hope that we will see a new version of this book released which fixes these problems and updates it to the present.

I have spent way way too many hours over the years poring over my battered but beloved copy of this book. An ultra-detailed reference to RPGs from the dawn of roleplaying through 1991, it's a wonderful treat for the RPG fan.

Now all we need is a 2nd edition or vol. 2, covering the revolutions of Vampire/dramatic roleplaying, LARPs, d20 and all the innovations of the last 17 years!!! Still, this book as it stands is a great reference. D&D fans especially will be delighted at the ton of info. covering the early years of their favorite game.

This book has it all for collectors of RPG material from the earliest days to 1990. One can only hope that a sequel can be published eventually that would cover 1991-present. The book is divided into sections of role-playing based on genre. Each item has a general description followed by how many different editions were published, how many pages, any inserts and other pertinent information. There are also special notes on special collectable items and quotes from many of the original designers themselves on their creations and how they were created. This book really contains just about every RPG product ever published, even the small press items that are impossible to come by. The author really knows his area and did his homework. This book is sine qua non for the RPG collector. Absolutely superb!

Complete compendium of RPGs from their origins up to 1991. Includes excerpts from interviews, lists and commentary by the author. It's the sine qua non book for the true collector.

What can I say? When you see a work like this on a hobby you're passionate about, you pick it up, and hope it's good. Schick delivers the goods here, but I would have liked to have seen more commentary from more people. Hopefully, like the other reviewer here, there will be a sequel for the past 9 years, there having been a real boom in certain games (White wolf, Deadlands, etc....)

Lawrence Schick's book captures the essence of
an era. More than a mere collection of titles,
Heroic Worlds gives insight and commentary well
worth the read.
A must for the RPG collector.
If you don't have it, get it!

What can I say? This is simply the greatest. If you collect role playing games, you absolutely have to have a copy of this book. The only question I have is -- when can we look for a sequel??? Mr. Schick, take pity on us and give us an update, please!