Oh thank GOD. I thought I was the only one who read this book and thought it was dull. I felt the author missed the boat on trying to parody a clichéd plot and just delivered a clichéd plot, sprinkled with fairly obvious RPG stereotypes.
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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Game Night, by Jonny Nexus. You need to read it:)
- Thread starter Teflon Billy
- Start date
Oh thank GOD. I thought I was the only one who read this book and thought it was dull. I felt the author missed the boat on trying to parody a clichéd plot and just delivered a clichéd plot, sprinkled with fairly obvious RPG stereotypes.
Jonny Nexus
First Post
Yeah, we will. We've got a stall to sell Game Night, and I'm hoping to get on a panel.
(I go to Dragonmeet every year, so even if I didn't have a stall, I'd still be there).
Will you be there?
Jonny Nexus
First Post
Well I'm sorry to hear you didn't like it. I'm pretty happy with the response I've got back from Game Night, in terms of feedback, reviews, and - of course - the ENnie nomination. But I'm not so naive as to belief that I could write a book that everyone could like.
I know from my own, personal experience that there are books I rave about that other people are distinctly "meh!" about, and books that I'm distinctly "meh!" about, that other people rave about. And if you want a guilty confession, I've never been able to get into the Lord of the Rings. Given the number of people that love it, and the degree to which they love it, it's clearly a brilliant book. But I guess it's not my kind of brilliant. (I'm not going to be so arrogant as try to claim that Game Night wasn't "your kind of brilliant" either, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I accept that I can't write something that everyone will like, and whatever you write some people are going to like it and some people won't).
The only thing I would perhaps say, in reponse to your post and the post you were quoting, is that I wasn't trying to create characters who were RPG stereotypes; I was instead trying to create characters who were RPG archetypes, representing patterns of behaviour I've seen at the gaming table. (And behaviour that I've done myself at the gaming table). I've had a lot of fun over the years playing some fairly dysfunctional games (with frequent breaks for laughter) and I wanted to try and capture a slice of a typical roleplaying game, the good, and the bad. There would be no point writing a novel about a good roleplaying game, because you'd have no conflict, and it's conflict that drives a story.
Anyway, having said that, I am sorry you didn't like Game Night, and hope that perhaps you'll live the new novel that I'm currently working on.
P
PaulofCthulhu
Guest
I hope to, we may even have our own item to plug by that point.
The issues are often expense with travelling down from "Up North" and trying to arrive in time to catch the show after battling British public transport!
Jonny Nexus
First Post
I hope to, we may even have our own item to plug by that point.
Sounds interesting. Look forward to seeing it.
Luckily, we only have to brave British public transport for about 35 minutes on the tube from Hounslow to Kensington High Street.
P
PaulofCthulhu
Guest
Well, with some good luck it may be out in time: Tales from the Table - YSDC 10th Anniversary DVD
We've just made our Fundable target (in four days - it's still open for another 22)!
I'll have to pick up a copy of Game Night from you at Dragonmeet.
Paul
Jonny Nexus
First Post
Is that the recordings of sessions of Horror on the Orient Express and Masks of [thing I can't spell]?
If so, I'd be quite interested in listening to the latter, as we spent about three years playing it. (I'd have to put the former away in a box, as I think we're just about to start playing it).
Well that's a commercial transaction I'll be very glad to engage in. Thank you.
P
PaulofCthulhu
Guest
Aye, those are they.
We're currently on the tail end of getting the content together. Once we've teted it and produced a master it shouldn't be long before it's out.
Any news on your second book?
We're currently on the tail end of getting the content together. Once we've teted it and produced a master it shouldn't be long before it's out.
Any news on your second book?
Jonny Nexus
First Post
Well I spent quite a while working on its plot, so I've only just started writing it, but I'm currently on chapter four and it's going well. But it will be next year before it's out.
(It's not a Game Night sequel by the way. It's a more general fantasy humour piece.)
clockworkjoe
First Post
I interviewed Jonny Nexus about Game Night for my podcast, RPPR. Check it out Interview with Jonny Nexus of Critical Miss and author of Game Night | Role Playing Public Radio
