Best RPG Books to Read

[Crothian]

From the master of such threads like What Do you do if followed by a Raven? and How Fast do New Characters Join The Group?. From the creator of such classics as SharK World and the Epic Oozemaster. The Postmaster General and Worlds Worst Lurker now boldly asks the question:

What RPG Books are best to Read?

I'm referring to the ones that are just fun to sit down and start reading even though they have been read many times over. For me Grimtooth Traps is always a great read that I constantly enjoy. The new Paranoia XP and its supplements I've found to also be very enjoyible to read.

A lot of RPGs can be dry and just too rules heavy. Some are just bogged down with edescrioptions but it gets boring to read pages and pages of dull texts. So, which ones do you find fun to read? d20, GURPS, Vampire, Ars MAgica, generic RPG book...it doesn't matter, what are the ones that are fun to read?

 

[diaglo]

Men & Magic
Monsters & Treasure
The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures

 

[Arnwyn]

Modules, by a long shot. I also enjoy the Fuzion futuristic/sci-fi anime gamebooks (like BGC).

I despise reading d20 rulebooks (even though they're great references during a game - horrendously brutal reading, though).

 

[The_Universe]

Specifically, my favorite RPG book to read is "Fragments from the Rim" for the D6 Star Wars roleplaying game. It's a joy to read!

Apart from that, I tend to like supplements for D20 with spell, monster, or item descriptions - its those things that really get the ideas flowing, for me.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I loved reading the "Midnight" campaign setting book when it first came out. I loved the world history, and remember thinking, "wow, this is so cool" as I was reading it. And, it gave me a lot of good ideas.

And, I love reading the "Kalamar" campaign setting book because it has so many good ideas in it as well.

 

[DMH]

I know I am in the minority with enjoying Transhuman Space, Blue planet, d20 Gamma World (GMG and CA&UE), vs Monsters and Mechanical Dream (even if I can't stand the rules for MD).

Other stuff- Shaping the Self*, Oathbound (DotF, PoP and W&R), 1st box set for Dark Sun, Swarm of Stirges/Maze of the Minotaur, Seven Civilizations, Crime and Punishment, Book of Broken Dreams, When the Sky Falls and GURPS Y2K, Russia, Low Tech, Bio Tech, Aztecs and Mars.

*If I need to burn time, this is the first rpg book I grab. vs Monsters and Unearthed Arcana are even for second, but I don't consider UA a fun read.

 

[Samothdm]

For "story" stuff, I enjoy reading the Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad.

For general rules stuff to pull out and read (even if I'm not using them for gaming at the time), I tend to hit up my 1E Player's Handbook, DMG and Unearthed Arcana, the 2E Historical Reference Charlemagne's Paladins and A Mighty Fortress, and the 3E Manual of the Planes, Unearthed Arcana, Iron Kingdoms Character Guide, Conan OGL Game, Fading Suns d20, Nyambe, and Hammer & Helm. There are a lot more, but I tend to pull those ones off the shelf the most.

Oh, and I also enjoy going back and reading my old 1st Edition Gamma World rules book, Empire of the Petal Throne book, and old issues of Dragon.

 

[KB9JMQ]

Well I like to read modules and they are set up like stories for the most part.
A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe was a good read.
I have read two sections of World's Largest Dungeon so far.
I like to read the DMG of any version and always prefer the DMG to the PHB for some reason.
But mostly modules. I have bought many I will never play just to read them.

 

[Turjan]

There are lots of books I like, but I might just mention 'Dragon Pass - A Gazetteer of Kerofinela'. This booklet somehow manages to capture the atmosphere of Glorantha (at least a small portion of it) in just 72 pages, and it's a fantasy feel that's completely different from your usual D&D setting fare.

 

[Voadam]

The 2e god books,

Most everything with fiends. Any system

Well done monster books are good for short reading periods since individual entries can be fun.

Ars Magica books are usually very interesting reads, I enjoyed Mystic Kabballah a lot even without playing AM.