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The game of Dungeons & Dragons has a long and storied history, one with as many twists and turns and as much drama as any decent campaign a Dungeon Master might dream up. Starting off as a few pamphlets of arcane rules made by wargamers for wargamers, the game leveled up through the years until it became the monolith it is today. At this point, even your grandmother knows what D&D is, although she probably still thinks it’s Satan’s game. (Oh, 1980s Satanic Panic, I do so dearly miss you!)
D&D’s success was far from a given. The fact that it has survived (and thrived) for well over forty years is a miracle in itself. The game’s popularity has waxed and waned over the years, but somehow it always comes back. Its history is the stuff of legend, and a big part of that history is the evolution of its artwork. Each edition of D&D has its own look and feel, and every D&D book since the beginning has its share of iconic art. And now, at long last, we have a collection of this art, along with the chronicle of its evolution, in one hefty, beautiful tome.
Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History is an oversized book, solid and well put together, weighing in at just over five pounds. It’s printed on heavy, glossy paper that showcases the artwork in fine detail. The table of contents reveals nine chapters, each cleverly named after a D&D spell and focusing on the different editions of the game and significant events in the game’s history. Flipping past the TOC, we find a vintage advertisement opposite a forward by True Blood and Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello, a D&D aficionado and YouTuber. Then, after another introduction, we finally get into the meat of the book.
Although the focus of the book is art, we get a little insight into the genesis of D&D. It started with a game called Chainmail, created by Gary Gygax, a gamer whose enthusiasm for wargames in general and the medieval period in particular moved him to create his own games. When he added a fantasy supplement to Chainmail (so that one’s medieval foot soldiers, knights, and lancers could be backed up by wizards, elves, and dragons), fellow wargamer David Arneson adapted those rules for his Blackmoore campaign. Blackmoore, in addition to staging massive battles, took individual heroes into the dungeons below the titular castle, where they could battle monsters and find treasure to fund their ongoing wars.
It was an ingenious departure from the standard wargame, and it set Gygax’s imagination on fire. The two men worked together on a new set of rules, which soon became the original version of Dungeons & Dragons.
As we move through chapter one, we are treated to some primitive, but charming, early D&D artwork. TSR, the company Gygax formed to publish D&D, didn’t have money to pay artists, so they relied on any friends or family who displayed a modicum of artistic talent. These artists often copied earlier works, even comic book panels.
From there, we move on to the next chapter, which features art from “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” first edition. The game had become more sophisticated, and TSR made the unprecedented step of releasing high-quality, hardcover game manuals. The art was still primitive, but it was definitely a step up from the amateur sketches on display in the original pamphlets.
In addition to a chronological journey through the various editions of D&D, we are invited to bear witness to the evolution of various monsters and characters through recurring features such as “Evilution” and “Many Faces of…,” These two-page spreads contain different versions of creatures spanning each edition. It’s fascinating to see how the characters changed through the years as the art become more and more sophisticated.
Another feature throughout the book, “Deadliest Dungeons” highlights some of the classic Dungeons TSR (and later Wizards of the Coast) published over the years. For those that owned or played through iconic adventures like “Tomb of Horrors” or “Keep on the Borderlands,” the nostalgia is palpable.
For more than four hundred pages, we are walked through every edition of D&D, from the five numbered editions, to the various boxed “Basic” and “Expert” sets that catered to a younger, less sophisticated audience. The artwork tells the story of changing direction of the game: the characters shift from the scruffy mercenaries and treasure hunters of first edition, to the more heroic warriors and wizards of second and third, to the over-the-top action superheroes of fourth, and finally back to the more down-to-earth adventure-seekers of fifth edition.
We are treated to advertising, spin-offs and licensed products, dice and miniatures, maps, video game screenshots, beautiful scenery from classic D&D settings, and more. It’s truly a feast for the eyes and a lightning bolt to the imagination.
I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. I’ve taken it in page by page, reading all the text and gazing lovingly at the artwork. It brings me back to my youth, and my geeky days playing first and second edition D&D in my friends’ parents (and sometimes grandparents’) basements. And now I’m playing fifth edition with some of the same friends, groups of new friends, and even (sometimes) my college-age daughter and my young nieces. D&D is here to stay, and it’s inspiring the imagination and creativity of a new generation, just as it did for mine. And truly, what could be better than that?
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From the Publisher
Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History
Very heavy book
This is a very large, high-quality book. So much like a textbook that I am surprised it didn't come with a dust jacket. I am looking forward to many hours of reading through it. Corners got banged-up pretty bad because Amazon just threw it into a box with no protection. I guess long-gone are the days where they used stretch-plastic with a cardboard backer to secure books in place. Original suggested price was half a Benjamin/66 for Canada.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2018
- Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2024
Top reviews from other countries
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LimonDudeReviewed in Mexico on June 5, 2020
Hermosos Coffe table book. Exelente costo beneficio
Últimamente pienso muy bien antes de comprar, en formato físico, una aventura o source book de Dungeons & Dragons. Los libros digitales oficiales en D&D Beyond son muchas veces mas prácticos. Pero aún así sigo comprando los libros cuando el arte lo amerita, nada como pasar las páginas del Monster Manual de una edicion vieja para inspirarte antes de dirigir una sesión. Bueno, pue este Coffe Table Book es como comprar una selección del mas grandioso e icónico arte de todas las ediciones de D&D desde los 70's . Si eres un fan de este tipo de juegos es una pieza imperdible para tu colección.LimonDudeHermosos Coffe table book. Exelente costo beneficio
Reviewed in Mexico on June 5, 2020
Este libro de casi 500 páginas es una ganga para lo que cuesta. La calidad de impresión es, como WoW exige, perfect. El formato es enorme y contiene, además de las ilustraciones, fotografias y publicidad y la historia de Dungeons & Dragons desde su creación en los circuitos de convenciones de juegos de guerra en los 70s hasta la 5ta edición con su actual resurgimiento de popularidad. No se van a arrepentid de adquirirlo.
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RobertoReviewed in Spain on January 10, 2019
Una edición impecable. Imprescindible.
