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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PaulKemp" data-source="post: 1064176" data-attributes="member: 2809">First, a disclaimer:  I'm an old-time, grognard-gamer and a writer of gaming fiction (in WotC's Forgotten Realms line).Now, a genuine question:  It seems to me -- and this seems especially true among fellow old-timers -- that gaming fiction gets slagged hard.  Generalizations are offered without qualification: "gaming fiction blows chunks!" On the other hand, non-gaming fantasy fiction is cut much more slack, even when much of it is (at least IMO) pretty bad.  No real generalization there; or, to the extent a generalization is offered, it is done so without the same level of vitriolic assuredness.  Why is that?  (and I know that question creates in your mind innumerable pithy responses; those are fine, but the thoughtful responses are what I'm looking for).I mean, it seems to me that there is bad gaming fiction and bad non-gaming fiction in about equal proportions, yet gaming fiction is generally regarded as the mange-ridden, hare-lipped stepchild of fantasy fiction.  Now, I must acknowledge that the percentage of bad gaming fiction novels released by TSR back in the day was pretty high.  But it is equally clear to me that such is no longer the case today, yet the stigma remains.  Is this because many potential readers regard gaming fiction as too juvenile?  Too likely to be drek?      Thoughts?  (I'm genuinely just curious; not trying to push my own books here, slam anyone, or anything else).Paul</blockquote>

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