Appendix N Readings over at TOR

Appendix N is the literary wellspring of the DCC RPG. Discuss it here, along with related subjects: D&D history, pulp sci-fi/fantasy magazines, pre-genre literature, etc.

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Lansingmike
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Appendix N Readings over at TOR

Post by Lansingmike »

A couple of guys are reading an Appendix N book every week and posting their thoughts over at the TOR website. Here's the link:

http://www.tor.com/features/series/adva ... s--dragons

The nostalgia is making me want to reread a bunch of stuff from my high school and college days. I've been using their comments as a guide to what I might skip (where my memories of the book may be better than the book really deserves).
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finarvyn
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Re: Appendix N Readings over at TOR

Post by finarvyn »

A little bump here, in case anyone is thinking about reading the Appendix N books.

The list of what they have read and reviewed so far:
  • A. Merritt
  • Robert E. Howard
  • Poul Anderson
  • Sterling E. Lanier
  • Fritz Leiber
  • Edgar Rice Burroughs
  • Jack Vance
  • August Derleth
  • Roger Zelazny
  • L. Sprague de Camp
  • L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt
  • Gardner Fox
  • Andre Norton
  • Michael Moorcock
  • Jack Williamson
  • Lin Carter
  • John Bellairs
  • Fred Saberhagen
  • Frederic Brown
  • Stanley G. Weinbaum
  • Manly Wade Wellman
  • Fletcher Pratt
  • H. P. Lovecraft
Each author has his own link, so you can pick and choose which ones to investigate. 8)
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975

"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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TimCallahan
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Re: Appendix N Readings over at TOR

Post by TimCallahan »

We wrapped up our Appendix N reread right around the new year, but we do have plans to follow it up with some things that might interest DCC players.

First up, is our read of the M.A.R. Barker books (and at least one discussion of Empire of the Petal Throne). That should last about 5 or 6 posts, and take us through the spring.

Then we want to tackle the recommended reading list from Moldvay's 1981 Basic D&D rules. There's some good stuff in there that is Appendix N worthy!
Tim Callahan

Writer/Publisher of Crawljammer for DCC: http://crawljammer.blogspot.com/
Co-writer of Peril on the Purple Planet and writer of Advent of the Avalanche Lords for Goodman Games.
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finarvyn
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Re: Appendix N Readings over at TOR

Post by finarvyn »

Hey, Tim -- nice to see you check in here!

With your scifi interest, I'm surprised that you guys aren't looking at old "planetary romance" stories and "pulp scifi" classics.

Nice job on the reviews so far, I might add!
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975

"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
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TimCallahan
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Re: Appendix N Readings over at TOR

Post by TimCallahan »

Oh, I'm sure we'll get to the planetary romance stuff at some point. It didn't really fit into the Gygax reread, since we were framing it around a D&D focus, but the planetary romance stories and novels I DID read during that period absolutely inspired my to work up the beginnings of Crawljammer.

That and coming up with the name.

But then I realized I kind of actively dislike the actual rules and setting of Spelljammer, so any resemblance is purely coincidental!
Tim Callahan

Writer/Publisher of Crawljammer for DCC: http://crawljammer.blogspot.com/
Co-writer of Peril on the Purple Planet and writer of Advent of the Avalanche Lords for Goodman Games.
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