Things to read in our special exhibit Level Up: Writers & Gamers
Our current special exhibit, Level Up: Writers & Gamers, explores how Americans use tabletop role-playing games and video games to define and respond to our culture. The exhibit guides visitors into the world of game writing, from the 1970s to the present. Some of the games featured includeย Dungeons & Dragons,ย Zork,ย Apocalypse World,ย Baldurโs Gate III, as well as game writers from the last 50 years such as Michael Pondsmith, Porpentine, and Tanya DePass.
There are also books to read in the exhibit! Like any multibillion dollar industry, there is a swath of writing about or influenced by gaming. There are of course how-to manuals and guidebooks, but also gaming-inspired novels, fanzines, gaming journalism, television scripts, and more. Check out the official Level Up: Writers & Gamers reading list below, then visit the exhibit in person to read these titles and experience the magic of game writing. Plan your visit today!
Alarums & Excursions
edited by Lee Gold
Alarums & Excursions was the first Dungeons & Dragons fanzine, started in 1975 and still running today. Each issue brings together different writers on all things tabletop gaming, including reviews, variants, comments, stories, and more. As such, editor Lee Gold has had a huge influence on role-playing games in the United States.
Critical Hits: Writers Playing Video Games
edited by J. Robert Lennon and Carmen Maria Machado
This anthology of essays explores video games from many different angles: as inspiration, as recreation, as a profession, and more. It brings together voices such as Hanif Abdurraqib, Charlie Jane Anders, Alexander Chee, and more.
Critical Role: Vox Machina โ Kith & Kin
by Marieke Nijkamp
This novel follows half-elf twins that were made popular by the Dungeons & Dragons web series Critical Role. Started in 2015, Critical Role has now been adapted into official rulebooks, a television series, novels, and a comic series.
Dragon Magazine
#104 (December 1985)
Dragon was one official magazine for Dungeons & Dragons, published from 1976 โ 2013. It introduced many new rules, player options, and settings. The magazine also regularly featured other games and fiction. This issue highlights games based on Marvel comics, Star Trek, and more.
Dragons of Summer Flame
by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
The Dragonlance novels were highly influential on how future novelizations were made. This novel in particular represented a turning point in game-based fiction. The authors, Maragret Weis and Tracy Hickman, are celebrated as having pioneered the entire genre.
Fallout: The Vault Dweller’s Official Cookbook
by Victoria Rosenthal
Part of building a world is establishing the mundane pieces of it, like what those people eat. Many games have inspired cookbooks based on their unique foods. Holding a cookbook based on a post-apocalyptic irradiated future might feel odd. However, cookbooks like this bring the story to life for all our senses.
The Last of Us, Episode 3: “Long, Long Time”
written for television by Craig Mazin
The Last of Us is a 2013 post-apocalyptic video game that was applauded for its rich story. It was adapted for television by HBO in 2023. This episode was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing, and shows how different writers can bring new stories to established worlds.
Nintendo Power Magazine
Vol. 34 (March 1992) โ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Nintendo Power ran as a magazine from 1988 โ 2012. It focused on strategy, reviews, and previewing new games. This volume also features a long comic section with the popular character Link, from The Legend of Zelda.
Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline
This science fiction novel imagines a near-future in which people can spend their entire lives in a virtual world called the OASIS. The main character embarks on an adventure riddled with references to ’80s pop culture, including games.
The Siege of Castellax
by C. L. Werner
The Warhammer 40,000 novels are excellent examples of game-based fiction that are entertaining for non-gamers as well. Novelizations inspire people to come up with their own worlds and concepts in a familiar framework. This book follows a legion of space marines braving an ork invasion.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
by Gabrielle Zevin
This novel is fundamentally a love story between friends who design games. The real and imagined games and how each character writes them is key to understanding their story.
World of Warcraft: Official Strategy Guide
by Michael Lummis and Daniel Vanderlip
This strategy guide is just one of an entire industry subset that were gaming guides. Before internet walkthroughs and gaming streamers existed, these game guides were one of the only ways to get expert help to beat a game.
Visit our Reading Recommendations page for more book lists.