{"title":"90s","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"earthbound-by-ken-baumann","title":"EarthBound by Ken Baumann","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease date: January 15, 2014\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e192 pages\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-00-5\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eForeword by Marcus Lindblom\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eAn RPG for the Super NES that flopped when it first arrived in the U.S., \u003cem\u003eEarthBound \u003c\/em\u003egrew in fan support and critical acclaim over the years, eventually becoming the All-Time Favorite Game of thousands, among them author Ken Baumann.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing a heartfelt foreword from the game's North American localization director, Marcus Lindblom, Baumann's \u003cem\u003eEarthBound \u003c\/em\u003eis a joyful tornado of history, criticism, and memoir.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBaumann explores the game’s unlikely origins, its brilliant creator, its madcap plot, its marketing failure, its cult rise from the ashes, and its intersections with Japanese and American culture, all the while reflecting back on the author's own journey into the terrifying and hilarious world of adults.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/kenbaumann.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKen Baumann\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eacted for ten years in feature films and TV\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e. He is the author of the novels \u003c\/i\u003eSolip\u003ci\u003e and \u003c\/i\u003eSay, Cut, Map. \u003cem\u003eHe lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and currently attends St. John's College.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/entropymag.org\/best-of-2014-non-fiction-books\/\" title=\"Entopy Magazine's Best Non-Fiction Books of 2014 featuring Ken Baumann\"\u003eEntropy Magazine\u003c\/a\u003e's of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20150623202805\/http:\/\/entropymag.org\/best-of-2014-non-fiction-books\/\" title=\"Entropy Magazine Best Nonfiction Books of the Year list\"\u003eBest Non-Fiction Books of 2014\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"At last, \u003cem\u003eEarthBound\u003c\/em\u003e gets the paperback it deserves.\" - Kill Screen\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Ken Baumann is breaking new ground.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20140606220244\/http:\/\/thecollagist.com\/the-collagist\/2014\/2\/4\/earthbound-by-ken-baumann-boss-fight.html\" title=\"The Collagist Ian Denning review of EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003eThe Collagist\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"As much an exploration of the creation, content, and legacy of the role-playing classic as it is a self-reflective deep dive into the author's own psyche.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20141024005452\/http:\/\/www.joystiq.com\/2014\/05\/21\/why-a-tv-star-gave-up-acting-and-wrote-a-book-about-earthbound\/\" title=\"Andrew Hayward's Joystiq article about EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003eJoystiq \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"It’s a book that aims to mirror the segmented, bizarro structure of \u003ci\u003eEarthBound\u003c\/i\u003e, and it’s a book that succeeds.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/salpane\/gamings-greatest-cult-hit-gets-the-treatment-it-deserves\" title=\"Interview with Ken Baumann and Gabe Durham by Salvatore Pane about EarthBound and Boss Fight Books\"\u003eBuzzFeed\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The breadth of Baumann's interests and his infectious love for humanity make him the perfect writer to do this game justice.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/therumpus.net\/2014\/01\/horn-reviews-earthbound\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThe Rumpus\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I was rapt. I never thought I would be.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/htmlgiant.com\/reviews\/25-points-earthbound-by-ken-baumann\/\" title=\"Quincy Rhoads review of EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003eHTMLGIANT\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Excellent.\" 10\/10 - \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eNerdlife\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"So much fun.\" - Bookrageous podcast\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Well-structured, sincere and compelling.\" -  \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/thefanzine.com\/when-i-was-younger-i-too-saved-the-earth-many-times-a-review-of-earthbound\/\" title=\"Frances Dinger's review of EarthBound by Ken Baumann in the Fanzine\"\u003eThe Fanzine \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"T\u003cspan class=\"userContent\"\u003ehe best nonfiction book I've read in a long time\u003c\/span\u003e.\" - Matt Bell, author of \u003cem\u003eIn the House Upon the Dirt\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Ken Baumann simply does an amazing job elevating a game that deserves all of its attention and sharing his own story along the way.\" - \u003ca title=\"Jason Capp reviews EarthBound by Ken Baumann for Nintendo Link\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20141024005452\/http:\/\/www.joystiq.com\/2014\/05\/21\/why-a-tv-star-gave-up-acting-and-wrote-a-book-about-earthbound\/\"\u003eNintendo Link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Long-time fans of the game will join in Baumann’s nostalgia for the classic RPG and dust off their Super Nintendo controllers. Newcomers will hunger to play the game in all its strange, rosy weirdness. Both will discover a book and a writer that are bold, wild, funny, smart. Just like the game that inspired them.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20141028175628\/http:\/\/pankmagazine.com\/2014\/10\/28\/review-earthbound-ken-baumann\/\" title=\"Kelsie Hahn reviews EarthBound by Ken Baumann in PANK\"\u003ePANK\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.pastemagazine.com\/articles\/2014\/02\/earthbound-by-ken-baumann.html\" title=\"Paste review of EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003ePaste\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/19386071-earthbound\" title=\"Goodreads review page for EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/EarthBound-Boss-Fight-Books-Baumann-ebook\/dp\/B00HVP5D2C\" title=\"Amazon ebook review page for EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003eAmazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoverage and Author Interviews: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2014\/5\/21\/5739106\/earthbound-boss-fight-books-ken-baumann\" title=\"Alexa Ray Corriea's Polygon article about EarthBound by Ken Baumann\"\u003ePolygon\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20130618233609\/https:\/\/gameological.com\/2013\/06\/ken-baumann-actor-and-writer\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"EarthBound author Ken Baumann What Are You Playing This Weekend?  interview\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eGameological Society\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/salpane\/gamings-greatest-cult-hit-gets-the-treatment-it-deserves\" title=\"Interview with Ken Baumann and Gabe Durham by Salvatore Pane about EarthBound and Boss Fight Books\"\u003eBuzzFeed\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/what-the-f-k-kind-of-game-is-earthbound-580416562\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e (or check out the hyperlink version at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/poetry.rapgenius.com\/Ken-baumann-199x-chapter-1-earthbound-annotated\" title=\"Kotaku excerpt of the first chapter of EarthBound by Ken Baumann, 199X, now with annotations by the author\"\u003eGenius\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Google Code for Book Purchase Conversion Page --\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":434613285,"sku":"101","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":434615541,"sku":"103","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook Combo","offer_id":643684829,"sku":"104","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":31383093444721,"sku":"105","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_10_3202a3bd-534f-4341-9f97-a2c7a52bf510.png?v=1773248448"},{"product_id":"chrono-trigger-by-michael-p-williams","title":"Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: April 1, 2014\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-01-2\u003cbr\u003e192 pages\u003cbr\u003eForeword by Ted Woolsey\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Boss Fight Books first gave fans the chance to vote for the game they most wanted to read a book about, they chose the epic time travel RPG \u003ci\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing new interviews with translator Ted Woolsey and DS retranslator Tom Slattery, Michael P. Williams's book delves deep into connections between Crono’s world and ours, including \u003cem\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/em\u003e's take on institutions such as law and religion, how the game's heroes fit and defy genre conventions, and the maddening logical headaches inherent in any good time travel plot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan face=\"arial, sans-serif\"\u003eFrom the Magus dilemma to the courtroom scene, find out why many consider this game the high point in the entire role-playing genre in this in-depth examination of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan face=\"arial, sans-serif\"\u003e, a ton of fun and a true work of art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan face=\"arial, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/theunfakempw\/\" title=\"Twitter account of Michael P. Williams, author of Chrono Trigger\"\u003eMichael P. Williams\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis a writer, researcher, and Japanese specialist at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. He has taught English in Fukushima City, Japan, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan face=\"arial, sans-serif\"\u003eand he lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecommended in Kotaku's \u003ca title=\"Kotaku Holiday Gift Guide 2014 featuring Chrono Trigger\" href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/kotakus-2014-gift-guide-books-1665949858\/\"\u003e2014 Holiday Gift Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"At once an autobiography, an enthusiast’s ode to the early years of gaming, and a coming of age story of boy-meets-cartridge.\" - Ted Woolsey\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"If writing about video games had always been this good, we'd be having very difficult discussions about the medium right now.\" - \u003ca title=\"Chrono Trigger by Michael P Williams Reviewed in Ninendo Life by Philip J Reed\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2014\/04\/review_boss_fight_books_chrono_trigger_by_michael_p_williams\"\u003eNintendo Life\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The strength of this book comes from his desire and ability to look at the social codes, the basic assumptions, that enabled specific forms of development for the game he is analyzing. This comes in various forms ... that get to the heart of the material hardware restrictions and symbolic linguistic decisions that ultimately determined the shape \u003ci\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/i\u003e took for the Anglophone world.\" 8.3\/10 - \u003ca title=\"Cameron Kunzelman's Paste review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avclub.com\/chrono-trigger-by-michael-p-williams-review\"\u003eA.V. Club\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You had me at a 194-page book on \u003cem\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/em\u003e.\" - Kill Screen\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Williams is willing to engage with videogames both from theories native to and outside of the medium, and to do so without being showy.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20150131093748\/http:\/\/heavyfeatherreview.com\/2014\/04\/23\/chrono-trigger-by-michael-p-williams\/\" title=\"Jeremy Behreandt's review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams in Heavy Feather Review\"\u003eHeavy \u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca title=\"Jeremy Behreandt's review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams in Heavy Feather Review\" href=\"https:\/\/heavyfeatherreview.org\/2014\/04\/23\/chrono-trigger-by-michael-p-williams\/\"\u003eFeather Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Williams leads the reader through an exploration of the game in a warm, joyful manner. His keen attention to detail makes trivial elements of the game, for instance Frog’s archaic speech patterns, worthy of deep reflection and contemplation.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.barnowlreview.com\/reviews\/williams.html\" title=\"Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams reviewed by Jacob Euteneuer in Barn Owl Review\"\u003eBarn Owl Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The book makes me want to dig for the box I know contains my copy of \u003ci\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/i\u003e and all its siblings. ... Isn’t that what these books are all about? To not only remind us of why we love these games, and make us want to play them, but also to render them new again?\" - \u003ca title=\"Joel Hans's Review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams in Cartridge Lit\" href=\"http:\/\/cartridgelit.com\/2014\/04\/15\/chrono-trigger-book\/\"\u003eCartridge Lit\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Fascinating.\" - \u003ca title=\"Dial H for Houston review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams\" href=\"http:\/\/dialhforhouston.wordpress.com\/2014\/05\/13\/michael-p-williams-chrono-trigger-a-review-of-the-book-not-the-game\/\"\u003eDial H for Houston\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Anyone who has nostalgic, deeply personal feelings for a favorite game should be able to find something to relate to.\" - \u003ca title=\"Zach Welhouse review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams at RPGamer\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20140628065332\/https:\/\/rpgamer.com\/features\/2014\/books\/bossfight.html\"\u003eRPGamer\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Instead of feeling like a flat lecture, reading the book almost becomes a conversation ... [W]ith each and every page you fully understand the love the author has for his source material and how excited he is to be sharing it with his readers.\" - \u003ca title=\"Andy Hoover's Nintendojo review of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendojo.com\/games\/reviews\/book-review-chrono-trigger-by-michael-p-williams\"\u003eNintendojo\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"As a love letter to the game and the indelible mark it left on him, \u003ci\u003eChrono Trigger \u003c\/i\u003esucceeds mightily. Anyone who loved the game at any age will instantly be transported back to that time in her life, with the added bonus of leveling up in historical knowledge and empathic engagement with a meticulous, passionate author.\" - Foxing Quarterly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Williams did a great job. He remarkably balanced everything in the book while showcasing the right amount of personal insight, technical data and trivia to keep the reader engaged page after page.\" - 4 Color Rebellion\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"In between similar engrossing academic explorations lie insightful tales of the possibilities and impossibilities of capturing the magic of adolescence.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.austinchronicle.com\/daily\/arts\/2016-06-16\/bedside-manner-making-and-experiencing-video-games\/\" title=\"Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams praise in the Austin Chronicle\"\u003eThe Austin Chronicle\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca title=\"Kotaku excerpt of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams, posted by Luke Plunkett - What Happens When You Study An RPG World Like It Was Real\" href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/what-happens-when-you-study-an-rpg-world-like-it-was-re-1522545991\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e (or check out the hyperlink version at \u003ca title=\"Kotaku excerpt of Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams, Steel and Pure Logic, now with annotations by the author\" href=\"http:\/\/poetry.rapgenius.com\/Michael-p-williams-steel-and-pure-logic-excerpt-from-chrono-trigger-annotated\"\u003eRap Genius\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview: \u003ca title=\"Chrono Trigger author Michael P. Williams on My So Called 8bit Life Podcast\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20140902053218\/https:\/\/cosmicradio.tv\/8bitlife\/chrono-trigger-dance-party\/\"\u003eMy So Called 8Bit Life\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Gabe Durham interviews Michael P. Williams about Chrono Trigger for Boss Fight Books\" href=\"http:\/\/bossfightbooks.com\/blogs\/news\/13965825-editor-vs-author-boss-fights-gabe-durham-chats-with-chrono-trigger-author-michael-p-williams\"\u003eBoss Fight Blog\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParty Like It’s 1999: Japanese Retrofuturism and \u003cem\u003eChrono Trigger\u003c\/em\u003e - related article by Michael P. Williams in \u003ca title=\"Article in the Appendix by Michael P. Williams on Chrono Trigger\" href=\"http:\/\/theappendix.net\/issues\/2014\/7\/party-like-its-1999-japanese-retrofuturism-and-chrono-trigger\"\u003eThe Appendix\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads review page for Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/20809893-chrono-trigger\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan face=\"arial, sans-serif\"\u003eAudiobook: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan face=\"arial, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audible.com\/pd\/B07G4JWT2P\/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-124076\u0026amp;ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_124076_rh_us\" title=\"chrono trigger michael p. williams audible audiobook\"\u003eAudible\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Google Code for Book Purchase Conversion Page --\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":434643253,"sku":"601","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":434643329,"sku":"603","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook Combo","offer_id":643688377,"sku":"604","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098815520938,"sku":"605","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_47.png?v=1739581315"},{"product_id":"zzt-by-anna-anthropy","title":"ZZT by Anna Anthropy","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: June 2, 2014\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e144 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-02-9 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1991, long before Epic Games was putting out blockbusters like \u003cem\u003eUnreal\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eInfinity Blade\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eGears of War\u003c\/em\u003e, Tim Sweeney released a strange little MS-DOS shareware game called \u003cem\u003eZZT\u003c\/em\u003e. The simplicity of its text graphics masked the complexity of its World Editor: players could use \u003cem\u003eZZT \u003c\/em\u003eto design their own games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis feature was a revelation to thousands of gamers, including Anna Anthropy, author of \u003cem\u003eRise of the Videogame Zinesters\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eZZT\u003c\/em\u003e is an exploration of a submerged continent, a personal history of the shareware movement, ascii art, messy teen identity struggle, cybersex, transition, outsider art, the thousand deaths of Barney the Dinosaur, and what happens when a ten-year-old gets her hands on a programming language she can understand. It’s been said that the first Velvet Underground album sold only a few thousand copies, but that everyone who heard it formed a band. Well not everyone has played \u003cem\u003eZZT\u003c\/em\u003e, but everyone who played it became a game designer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.auntiepixelante.com\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAnna Anthropy\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is a game creator, historian, and thirty-year-old teen witch. Her previous books include Rise of the Videogame Zinesters and Star Wench, which she recently made a ZZT version of. She lives in Oakland, California with her familiar, a little black cat named Encyclopedia Frown.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"Anthropy has set the gold standard for book-length studies of games with \u003ci\u003eZZT\u003c\/i\u003e, and I would strongly encourage anyone even thinking about writing about games to start here.\" 9.8\/10 - \u003ca title=\"ZZT by Anna Anthropy review by Cameron Kunzelman for the AV Club\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avclub.com\/zzt-by-anna-anthropy-review\"\u003eThe A.V. Club\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eZZT\u003c\/em\u003e should be required reading by anyone interested in game design.\" - \u003ca title=\"Sarah Clemens's review of ZZT by Anna Anthropy in Videodame\" href=\"https:\/\/videoda.me\/children-of-the-glow-4419aba9d3d6\"\u003eVideodame \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"Informative and evocative, \u003ci\u003eZZT\u003c\/i\u003e shows how a game can be not just a toy but an important means of individual expression.\" - \u003ca title=\"Sparky Clarkson reviews ZZT by Anna Anthropy for GameCritics\" href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/ztJDy2iP2I\"\u003eGameCritics\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Read it, whether you’ve played ZZT or not, and be blown away by the possibilities latent in even the simplest games.” –The Well-Red Mage\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eMoving and interesting even if you've never played the game—and that might be the truest mark of a successful piece of criticism.\u003c\/span\u003e\" - \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eMatt\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eBell\u003c\/span\u003e, author of\u003cem\u003e In the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"Reading through ZZT was such a joy. I say that as someone who had only the vaguest knowledge about it before reading. Although I had never touched the program, never played a game designed with it, or anything of the sort, I couldn’t help but keep reading. Anna is simply a tremendous writer.\" - \u003ca title=\"Marcus Estrada reviews ZZT by Anna Anthropy at Cliqist\" href=\"http:\/\/cliqist.com\/2014\/06\/02\/boss-fight-books-zzt-by-anna-anthropy-reviewed\/\"\u003e Cliqist\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"I’m glad somebody finally wrote the story of my people ... Highly recommended.\" - Bill Meeks, author of \u003cem\u003eDogboy Adventures\u003c\/em\u003e series\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"Her analysis effortlessly straddles computer science, design, art history, anthropology, and gender theory, all wrapped in a personal story of her childhood. It is a very easy, enjoyable, and insightful read.\" - \u003ca title=\"Robert Yang writes about ZZT by Anna Anthropy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.blog.radiator.debacle.us\/2014\/08\/im-young-and-i-love-to-be-young-on-zzt.html\"\u003eRobert Yang\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"It’s so grounded, so accessible, and so clear and, unsurprising for Anthropy, so grounded in a broader sense of culture and politics and not just Videogames as this thing disconnected from the rest of society. Easily the best book produced by Boss Fight Books to date.\" - \u003ca title=\"Brendan Keough recommends ZZT by Anna Anthropy in his Favorite Videogame Writing of 2014 List\" href=\"http:\/\/brkeogh.com\/2014\/12\/14\/my-favourite-writing-about-games-in-2014\/\"\u003eBrendan Keough author of \u003cem\u003eKilling is Harmless\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"Fantastic.\" - Abnormal Mapping\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"Anthropy’s \u003cem\u003eZZT\u003c\/em\u003e invites the reader into a world where anything is possible.\" - \u003ca title=\"Kelsie Hahn reviews ZZT by Anna Anthropy in Heavy Feather Review\" href=\"http:\/\/heavyfeatherreview.org\/2015\/03\/31\/zzt-by-anna-anthropy\/\"\u003eHeavy Feather Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kotaku.com\/before-gears-before-unreal-there-was-zzt-1567410306\" title=\"Excerpt of ZZT by Anna Anthropy in Kotaku\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads review page for ZZT by Anna Anthropy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/22012129-zzt\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- Google Code for Book Purchase Conversion Page --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\nvar google_conversion_id = 977718338;\nvar google_conversion_language = \"en\";\nvar google_conversion_format = \"3\";\nvar google_conversion_color = \"ffffff\";\nvar google_conversion_label = \"6MyJCJGC5FgQwpib0gM\";\nvar google_remarketing_only = false;\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/www.googleadservices.com\/pagead\/conversion.js\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e \u003cnoscript\u003e\n\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;div style=\"display:inline;\"\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;\n\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" style=\"border-style:none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.googleadservices.com\/pagead\/conversion\/977718338\/?label=6MyJCJGC5FgQwpib0gM\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;guid=ON\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;script=0\"\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;\n\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;\/div\u0026amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;\n\u003c\/noscript\u003e \u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n\t\"@context\": \"http:\/\/schema.org\/\",\n\t\"@type\": \"Book\",\n\t\"name\": \"ZZT\",\n    \"position\": \"3\",\n\t\"author\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\"name\": \"Anna Anthropy\", \n        \"description\": \"Anna Anthropy is a game creator, historian, and thirty-year-old teen witch. Her previous books include Rise of the Videogame Zinesters and Star Wench, which she recently made a ZZT version of. She lives in Oakland, California with her familiar, a little black cat named Encyclopedia Frown.\"\n\t},\n\t\"datePublished\": \"2014-06-02\",\n\t\"image\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/products\/ZZT-cover-nospine-shadow-wide_1024x1024.jpg?v=1391546508\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/bossfightbooks.com\/products\/zzt-by-anna-anthropy\",\n\t\"inLanguage\": \"English\",\n\t\"isbn\": \"978-1-940535-02-9\",\n\t\"numberOfPages\": \"142\",\n\t\"publisher\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t\t\"name\": \"Boss Fight Books\"\n\t},\n    \"description\": \"In 1991, long before Epic Games was putting out blockbusters like Unreal, Infinity Blade, and Gears of War, Tim Sweeney released a strange little MS-DOS shareware game called ZZT. The simplicity of its text graphics masked the complexity of its World Editor: players could use ZZT to design their own games. This feature was a revelation to thousands of gamers, including Anna Anthropy, author of Rise of the Videogame Zinesters. ZZT is an exploration of a submerged continent, a personal history of the shareware movement, ascii art, messy teen identity struggle, cybersex, transition, outsider art, the thousand deaths of Barney the Dinosaur, and what happens when a ten-year-old gets her hands on a programming language she can understand. It’s been said that the first Velvet Underground album sold only a few thousand copies, but that everyone who heard it formed a band. Well not everyone has played ZZT, but everyone who played it became a game designer.\",\n    \"offers\": [\n\t\t{\n            \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n            \"name\": \"paperback\",\n            \"price\": \"14.95\",\n            \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\"\n\t\t},\n\t\t{\n            \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n            \"name\": \"e-book\",\n            \"price\": \"4.95\",\n            \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\"\n\t\t},\n        \t\t{\n            \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n            \"name\": \"paperback + e-book combo\",\n            \"price\": \"17.95\",\n            \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\"\n\t\t}\n \t],\n      \"review\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Review\",\n      \"author\": \"Paste\",\n      \"description\": \"Anthropy has set the gold standard for book-length studies of games with ZZT, and I would strongly encourage anyone even thinking about writing about games to start here.\"\n      },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Review\",\n      \"author\": \"Videodame\",\n      \"description\": \"ZZT should be required reading by anyone interested in game design.\"\n    }\n  ]\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":434644613,"sku":"301","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":434644805,"sku":"303","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook Combo","offer_id":756844897,"sku":"304","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098826334378,"sku":"305","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_37.png?v=1721360878"},{"product_id":"jagged-alliance-2-by-darius-kazemi","title":"Jagged Alliance 2 by Darius Kazemi","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: August 25, 2014\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e138 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-04-3\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForeword by Rob Zacny\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe turn-based tactical role playing series Jagged Alliance has been sequeled, expanded, modded, optioned, multiplayered, and kickstarted, but the series’ many fans usually point to \u003cem\u003eJagged Alliance 2\u003c\/em\u003e as the high water mark, and one of the finest turn-based video games of all time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJagged Alliance 2\u003c\/em\u003e brings to the table a wicked sense of humor, simulation-driven character design, a combination of strategic overworld and tactical battles reminiscent of the X-COM series, and a surprisingly deep open-world RPG experience reminiscent of the Ultima or Elder Scrolls games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on \u003cem\u003eJA2\u003c\/em\u003e′s development history and basing his book largely on new personal interviews with the game’s developers, game designer and web technology developer Darius Kazemi delves deep into the legacy of a game that still has much to teach gamers and game-makers 14 years after its release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/tinysubversions.com\/\" title=\"Darius Kazemi's personal web page\"\u003eDarius Kazemi\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003emakes \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/tinysubversions.com\/projects\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eweird internet stuff\u003c\/a\u003e. His best known work is the Random Shopper, a program that bought him random books, DVDs, and CDs from Amazon each month. He also has a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tinysubversions\/darius-kazemi-s-bots\/members\" target=\"_blank\"\u003esmall army of Twitter bots\u003c\/a\u003e that he builds because they make him laugh. He works as an API Evangelist at Akamai in Boston. Before he moved into internet technology, he was a game developer for ten years.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"[Kazemi's book] weaves together industrial history, design analysis and Robert Yang-style code diving. The result is not just a good read, but also a blueprint for holistic critique.\" 8.0\/10 - \u003ca title=\"Austin Walker reviews Jagged Alliance 2 by Darius Kazemi for Paste\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pastemagazine.com\/articles\/2014\/10\/jagged-alliance-2-by-darius-kazemi-review-a-materi.html\"\u003ePaste\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A\u003cspan id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1408737564597_511\" style=\"font-size: 15px;\"\u003en essential read about an overlooked game.\u003c\/span\u003e\" - Marshall Sandoval\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eJagged Alliance 2\u003c\/em\u003e has the perfect guide in Darius Kazemi.” - Rob Zacny\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I can confirm that this book is dope.” - Keith Calder\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads review page for Jagged Alliance 2 by Darius Kazemi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/22886428-jagged-alliance-2\"\u003eGoodread\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca title=\"VICE Motherboard excerpt of Jagged Alliance 2 by Darius Kazemi\" href=\"http:\/\/motherboard.vice.com\/read\/how-mercenaries-and-gun-culture-shaped-one-of-the-best-strategy-games-ever-made\"\u003eVICE\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy I Wrote a Book About an Obscure '90s Computer Game - \u003ca title=\"Darius Kazemi writes about Jagged Alliance 2 in The Atlantic\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2014\/08\/why-i-wrote-a-book-about-an-obscure-90s-computer-game\/379181\/\"\u003eKazemi on JA2 in The Atlantic\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinding Treasures in the Code - \u003ca title=\"Polygon Article on Darius Kazemi's Presentation on Jagged Alliance 2 and Source Code\" href=\"http:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2014\/3\/17\/5519536\/finding-treasures-in-the-code-why-the-source-code-of-classic-games\"\u003ePolygon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at Source Code - Kazemi's Presentation in \u003ca title=\"Darius Kazemi Presents on Jagged Allinace 2 source code at Critical Proximty\" href=\"http:\/\/critical-proximity.com\/2014\/03\/16\/looking-at-source-code\/\"\u003eCritical Proximity\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Google Code for Book Purchase Conversion Page --\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":434645905,"sku":"501","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":434646037,"sku":"503","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook Combo","offer_id":907960297,"sku":"504","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098818797738,"sku":"505","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_35.png?v=1721360880"},{"product_id":"baldurs-gate-ii-by-matt-bell","title":"Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eRelease Date: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eJune 22, 2015\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eApprox. 140 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN 13: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003e978-1-940535-08-1\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon its release in 2000, BioWare's PC role-playing epic \u003ci\u003eBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn\u003c\/i\u003e was hailed as a paragon of its genre and named \"RPG of the Year\" by IGN, GameSpy, and GameSpot. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA game like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eBaldur's Gate II\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e requires not just a master wordsmith but a dungeon master. Enter award-winning novelist Matt Bell, author of four works of fiction\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and co-author of the Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons novel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Last Garrison\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBell's book explores \u003ci\u003eBG2\u003c\/i\u003e's immersive narrative and complex mechanics, unpacks how RPG systems enable our emotional investment \u003c\/span\u003ein characters, investigates the game's non-linear story, \u003cspan\u003eand relates his own struggle to reconcile being a \"serious\" adult with his love of D\u0026amp;D and video games. Dig in, geek out, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003ego for the eyes, Boo!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003ca title=\"Matt Bell author website\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mattbell.com\/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatt Bell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is the author of the novels \u003c\/em\u003eScrapper\u003cem\u003e and \u003c\/em\u003eIn the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods\u003cem\u003e, a finalist for the Young Lions Fiction Award and the winner of the Paula Anderson Book Award, as well as two previous books, \u003c\/em\u003eHow They Were Found \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e Cataclysm Baby\u003cem\u003e. Born in Michigan, he now teaches creative writing at Arizona State University.\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e*\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI simply plowe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ed through this book in two sittings. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBaldur's Gate II\u003c\/em\u003e is a great read [...] I highly recommend you don't avoid it.\" - Dan Wickett, editor and publisher of Dzanc Books\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"The manner in which Bell writes about these events feels so surprising to me: with straightforward clarity, full of anxious prevarication. This voice is [...] disturbingly open and honest. And disturbing in a good way: Bell clearly still struggles to reconcile these two selves—writer and gamer—and struggles too to figure out why it’s so hard for him.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.bkmag.com\/2015\/07\/13\/what-does-it-mean-to-love-a-video-game-talking-to-matt-bell-about-baldurs-gate-ii\/\" title=\"Molly McArdle review Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell in Brooklyn Magazine\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBrooklyn Magazine\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"Authors are far from free to write what they want [...] \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBaldur's Gate II \u003c\/em\u003eis about exactly that. It’s an uneasy, courageous, and ultimately vulnerable attempt to bridge a divide [between literary fiction and genre fiction] most of us are unwilling to admit exists. Bell’s book succeeds because it lays this conflict bare.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/therumpus.net\/2015\/07\/baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn-by-matt-bell\/\" title=\"Samuel Sattin reviews Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell for The Rumpus\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Rumpus\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAt once a memoir, a lecture on storycraft, an apology, and a love letter to the classic Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons video game. [...] \u003c\/span\u003eBell reminds us that to write well—and to live well—we must remain true to our hidden, buried selves.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151121035123\/http:\/\/fictionadvocate.com\/2015\/07\/20\/love-the-player-love-the-game\/\" title=\"Kaj Tanaka reviews Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell in Fiction Advocate\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFiction Advocate\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"The book thrives on those tensions between shame and love, denial and gratitude.\" -\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lareviewofbooks.org\/review\/the-deep-wound\" title=\"Ian Denning reviews Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell in the LA Review of Books\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e LA Review of Books\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBaldur’s Gate II \u003c\/em\u003eis successful in nearly all aspects. It’s a book that offers something for every kind of reader [...] It is a book that comes from the heart, the story of becoming comfortable in your own skin, of embracing the things you once loved and probably, if you tried again, would probably still love.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/atticusreview.org\/role-playing-and-life-a-review-of-baldurs-gate-ii-by-matt-bell\/\" title=\"Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell reviewed in The Atticus Review\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAtticus Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"A pleasure to read. [...] [T]his is as fine a work in this genre and theme that you’re likely to find.\" - Paste\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBaldur’s Gate II\u003c\/em\u003e (the book) is the best sort of writing, and an exemplary of the essay form: it enlivens the subject at hand, it places it in a broader context (here, the place of games in culture, and it gives insight into the mind of the gamer), makes creative analogies (writing as analogy to character creation in gaming), and, most importantly, it is reflexive, it gives insight into the author and invites our own reflection.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mikewoodsarbin.wordpress.com\/2015\/07\/04\/how-our-stories-were-found-on-matt-bells-baldurs-gate-2\/\" title=\"Blogger Mike Woods reviews Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMike Woods\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"Bell shows the humanity that lies between the lines of any RPG.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/heavyfeatherreview.org\/2015\/09\/09\/baldurs-gate-ii-by-matt-bell\/\" title=\"Ryan Werner reviews Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell in Heavy Feather Review\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHeavy Feather Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"Bell's book shows that it's okay to embrace the things you love because they're what make you who you are.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com\/2015\/09\/drew-reviews-baldurs-gate-ii.html\" title=\"Drew Broussard reviews Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell for The Next Best Book Blog\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Next Best Book Blog\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eExcerpts: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20150616124335\/http:\/\/entropymag.org\/baldurs-gate-ii\/\" title=\"Excerpt of Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell in Entropy Magazine\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEntropy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/cartridgelit.com\/2015\/06\/22\/paper-dolls\/\" title=\"Excerpt of Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell in Cartridge Lit\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCartridge Lit\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/25667759-baldur-s-gate-ii\" title=\"Goodreads page for Baldur's Gate II by Matt Bell\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":1044131708,"sku":"1101","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":2617508868,"sku":"1103","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":2617530308,"sku":"1104","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":31667962216561,"sku":"1102","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_31.png?v=1721360878"},{"product_id":"bible-adventures-by-gabe-durham","title":"Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eRelease Date: March 30, 2015\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e168 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-07-4\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eIn the beginning, a small unlicensed game development company was hit with divine inspiration: They could make a lot of money (and escape the wrath of Nintendo) by creating games for Christians. With the release of the 1990 NES platformer \u003cem\u003eBible Adventures\u003c\/em\u003e, the developers saw what they had made, and it was good. Or, at least, good enough.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eBased on extensive research and original interviews with Wisdom Tree staff, Gabe Durham's book investigates the rise and fall of the little company that almost could, the tension between faith and commerce in the Christian retail industry, culture's retro\/ironic obsession with \"bad games,\" and the simple recipe for transforming a regular game into a Christian game: throw a Bible in it and pray nobody notices.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GabeDurham\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGabe Durham\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is the founder, editor, and publisher of Boss Fight Books, as well as the author of the Boss Fight book on Majora's Mask. His novel \u003c\/i\u003eFUN CAMP\u003ci\u003e was one of BuzzFeed's 17 Books We Loved in 2013. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Gabe Durham's Bible Adventures is a riot and a joy. A+++\" - Justin Taylor, author of \u003cem\u003eFlings\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Gospel of Anarchy\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“This fascinating book takes a look at the genesis of the infamous game company known as Wisdom Tree, as well as the development process behind its notorious video games. Gabe shares some insight into a side of early video game production that I had never stopped to consider before!” - Clyde Mandelin, author of \u003cem\u003eLegends of Localization\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Brilliantly written and meticulously researched, \u003cem\u003eBible Adventures\u003c\/em\u003e perfectly captures the wacky, wonderful story of Wisdom Tree from a larger perspective of the Christian product-consumer relationship. Featuring interviews with several ex-employees (including yours truly) and peppered with wit and personal anecdotes from the author, this book is a must-read.\" - Roger Deforest, Former Developer for Color Dreams\/Wisdom Tree\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed on Unseen 64's \u003ca title=\"Unseen 64's Best Video Game Books List includes Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unseen64.net\/2016\/11\/05\/best-video-games-books-top-100-list\/\"\u003eBest Video Game Books\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed a \"favorite nonfiction book of 2015 so far\" by Dennis Cooper, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Marbled Swarm \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e My Loose Thread\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Durham refuses to rest on the easy ironies of mostly atheist coders creating Christian games ... Durham finds humanity where others might see cynicism.\" - \u003ca title=\"Amy Long reviews Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham in Heavy Feather Review\" href=\"http:\/\/heavyfeatherreview.org\/2016\/01\/28\/bible-adventures-by-gabe-durham\/\"\u003eHeavy Feather Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What brings it all together is the author’s sense of humor and his touch of earnestness ... I’m not one to impart my personal beliefs on anyone; but my opinion is you should probably read this book.\" - Obtain Potion\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Tells a fantastic story of very unusual area of the games industry ... The funniest videogame business book I've ever read.\" - \u003ca title=\"At Dome.fi Jukka O. Kauppinen reviews Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160913024839\/http:\/\/dome.fi\/peli\/artikkelit\/bible-adventures-matkailua-pelibisneksen-raamatullisella-kulmalla-kirja\/\"\u003eDome.fi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Compelling ... There’s  more to the story than just discussing that game’s mechanics, marketing, and development. Durham digs in with the developer’s history – and it’s more interesting than it has any right to be.\" - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/cliqist.com\/2015\/03\/30\/boss-fight-books-bible-adventures-book-review\/\" title=\"Marcus Estrada reviews Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham for Cliqist\"\u003eCliqist\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeatured in: \"\u003ca title=\"Jacob Geller YouTube video featuring Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8dkB-KTMB3o\"\u003e'I am Jesus Christ' and Other Games About Jews\u003c\/a\u003e\" by Jacob Geller\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpts: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/electricliterature.com\/spiritual-warriors-from-bible-adventures-by-gabe-durham\/\" title=\"Excerpt of Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham in Electric Literature\"\u003eElectric Literature\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"www.gamedeveloper.com\/design\/how-a-hellraiser-tie-in-became-i-super-3d-noah-s-ark-i-\" title=\"Game Developer excerpt of Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham\"\u003eGame Developer\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePodcast: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/newbooksnetwork.com\/bible-adventures\" title=\"Gabe Durham discusses Bible Adventures on NBN Game Studies podcast\"\u003eGame Studies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads page for Bible Adventures by Gabe Durham\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/25018327-bible-adventures\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAudiobook: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Bible-Adventures-Boss-Fight-Books\/dp\/B078NZDFG9\/\"\u003eAudible\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":1048249496,"sku":"801","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":1217370884,"sku":"803","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":1217371596,"sku":"804","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098813784234,"sku":"805","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_33.png?v=1721360879"},{"product_id":"metal-gear-solid-by-ashly-and-anthony-burch","title":"Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eRelease Date: August 17, 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e178 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-09-8\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan face=\"Open Sans\" color=\"#555555\"\u003eBefore they co-created the hit web series \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eHey Ash, Whatcha Playin'\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003cspan face=\"Open Sans\" color=\"#555555\"\u003e, Ashly and Anthony Burch were just a brother and sister who shared a weird obsession with Solid Snake and his 3D debut, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eMetal Gear Solid\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan face=\"Open Sans\" color=\"#555555\"\u003e. And why wouldn't they? Hideo Kojima's 1998 game featured groundbreaking stealth mechanics, a gruff and hunky leading man, a brilliantly claustrophobic setting, tons of cinematic cutscenes, shocking fourth wall breaks, and terrifying bosses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe only problem: The Burches grew up but their all-time favorite video game didn't. After nearly two decades, \u003ci\u003eMetal Gear Solid\u003c\/i\u003e's once-innovative stealth mechanics seem outdated, the cutscenes have lost some of their action movie punch, and the game's treatment of women is often out of touch. Witness a celebration\/takedown of this landmark game with the combination of insight and hilarity that Ashly and Anthony have made their careers on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/ashlyburch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAshly Burch\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis a voice actor and writer, and she speaks about representation and issues of gender and identity in the games industry. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/reverendanthony\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAnthony Burch\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cem\u003ewas lead writer of Borderlands 2 for Gearbox Software and is currently a writer for \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eRocket\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eJump\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"HULK'S FAVE TAKE ON THE MIND OF KOJIMA.\" - Film Crit Hulk\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Metal Gear Solid\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a great critical book about a game that the authors clearly love, and the switching of voices between Ashly and Anthony Burch provides a nice point and counterpoint that allows the text to disagree with itself fairly often. What emerges is some firm yet friendly back and forth analysis that opens up a canonical videogame further than it ever has been before.\" \u003c\/span\u003e9\/10 - \u003ca title=\"Cameron Kunzelman reviews Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch for Paste\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pastemagazine.com\/articles\/2015\/08\/metal-gear-solid-by-ashly-and-anthony-burch-review.html\"\u003ePaste\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Ashly and Anthony Burch's work here is fascinating, thought-provoking stuff that has me considering the game in ways I hadn't thought of before. It also serves as a reminder that we can love something and be critical of it all at once.\" \u003cem\u003e-\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Joel Couture reviews Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch at IndieGames.com\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151113090935\/http:\/\/indiegames.com\/2015\/08\/metal_gear_solid_book_review_-.html\"\u003eIndie Games\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Exceptional book about an exceptional game. [...] The Burches take off their silken gloves and hack the game to pieces with their analyst hammer. With love.\" - \u003ca title=\"Dome.fi review of Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch\" href=\"http:\/\/dome.fi\/peli\/artikkelit\/metal-gear-solid-kirja\"\u003eDome.fi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/metal-gear-solid-a-celebration-and-a-takedown-1723516705\" title=\"Excerpt of Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch - from the\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/25959628-metal-gear-solid\" title=\"Goodreads page for Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":1048252656,"sku":"901","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":4271716421,"sku":"903","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":4271739269,"sku":"904","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098819256490,"sku":"905","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_5_3e5a6889-58e0-469b-bcbd-8bf601efa9bc.png?v=1752530404"},{"product_id":"super-mario-bros-3-by-alyse-knorr","title":"Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eRelease Date: July 18, 2016\u003cbr\u003e176 pages\u003c\/div\u003e\nISBN: 978-1-940535-13-5\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \n\u003cp\u003eUpon its 1990 NES release, \u003ci\u003eSuper Mario Bros. 3\u003c\/i\u003e flew in on the P-wings of critical raves, intense popular demand, and the most sophisticated marketing campaign Nintendo of America had ever attempted. Shigeru Miyamoto's ultimate 8-bit platformer lived up to all the hype and elevated Mario from mascot to icon. But what exactly made this game the phenomenon it was?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the help of her friends and family, critics inside and outside the realm of gaming, and former Nintendo of America employees, Alyse Knorr traverses the Mushroom World looking for answers. Along the way, Knorr unearths \u003ci\u003eSMB3\u003c\/i\u003e's connections to theater and Japanese folklore, investigates her own princess-rescuing impulses, and examines how the game's animal costumes, themed worlds, tight controls, goofy enemies, and memorable music cohere in a game that solidified Mario's conquest of the NES era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Alyse Knorr's Author Website\" href=\"alyseknorr.com\"\u003eAlyse Knorr\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis an associate professor of English at Regis University and the co-editor of Switchback Books. She is the author of the 2023 Boss Fight book, \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003eGoldenEye 007\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, as well as the poetry collections \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eMega-City Redux\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eCopper Mother,\u003c\/span\u003e and \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eAnnotated Glass\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Alyse Knorr has written a wonderful book about Super Mario Bros 3, and even if the reader has never played the game they will be charmed, delighted, and intellectually stimulated. Knorr’s work has given me new understanding and appreciation of the game because of how passionate she is about video games.  I can’t wait to reread this book.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.accordionsprout.com\/blog\/super-mario-3-by-alyse-knorr-book-review\" title=\"Joshua Smith reviews Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr for the blog Accordion Sprout\"\u003eJoshua \"Jammer\" Smith\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"10\/10 – Fun and informative, but also humbly moving. For me, the strongest of the Boss Fight Books, and as good a piece of writing on video games as anything I’ve read so far!\" - \u003ca title=\"The Bookwarm Mage reviews Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr for The Pixels\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240412220220\/https:\/\/the-pixels.com\/2019\/06\/21\/super-mario-bros-3-by-alyse-knorr-boss-fight-books\/\"\u003eThe Bookwarm Mage in The Pixels\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Unlike typical university lectures, this book won't bore you. Like a good game designer, Alyse intertwines information-rich parts of the book with her own stories from childhood, making the book fun to read.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=B1zjBBjA6TE\" title=\"Khud0 reviews Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr on YouTube\"\u003eKhud0\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSuper Mario Bros. 3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is worth a look, especially if that mustachioed plumber holds a place of reverence in your own nostalgic heart.\" - ZAM\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"It really opened me up to a different way of considering the game. [...] a fascinating exploration of a game that is the root of nearly every game since.\" - Eric's Binary World\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed one of Dennis Cooper's \u003ca title=\"Dennis Coopers Favorite Books, Music, and More of 2016\" href=\"http:\/\/denniscooperblog.com\/mine-for-yours-my-favorite-fiction-poetry-nonfiction-film-music-art-internet-of-2016\/\"\u003eFavorite Nonfiction Books of 2016\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Knorr’s writing is so pleasant, her stories are so heartwarming and engaging, and her persepctive so refreshing, that it seems obvious that I have to recommend this book.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/derpycalamity.wordpress.com\/2016\/06\/13\/why-you-should-read-super-mario-bros-3-by-alyse-knorr\/\" title=\"Review of Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr at Derpy Calamity\"\u003eDerpy Calamity\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/the-making-and-legacy-of-super-mario-bros-3-1773499946\" title=\"Excerpt of Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr in Kotaku\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/30046802-super-mario-bros-3\" title=\"Goodreads page for Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":17425361157,"sku":"1401","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":18322618949,"sku":"1403","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":18322619013,"sku":"1404","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":31336297234545,"sku":"1405","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_11_08144562-1481-47e3-8e0a-910cc854dbb3.png?v=1773270521"},{"product_id":"mega-man-3-by-salvatore-pane","title":"Mega Man 3 by Salvatore Pane","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eRelease Date: September 26, 2016\u003cbr\u003e168 pages\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-14-2  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCapcom's Keiji Inafune followed the unexpected success of \u003ci\u003eMega Man 2\u003c\/i\u003e with a \"kitchen sink\" sequel that included eight new robot masters, a canine companion, a mysterious new frenemy, and a melancholy tone that runs through the game from its soft opening notes. \u003ci\u003eMega Man 3 \u003c\/i\u003ewas the biggest, messiest, and most ambitious Mega Man game yet. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut why do we hunger for twitchy, difficult platformers like \u003ci\u003eMega Man 3\u003c\/i\u003e decades later when the developers, the franchise, and the Blue Bomber himself have all moved on? Investigating the development of the Mega Man series alongside the rise of video game emulation, the YouTube retrogaming scene, and the soaring price of NES carts, novelist Salvatore Pane takes a close and compelling look at the lost power-ups of our youth that we collect in our attempts to become complete again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSalvatore Pane\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the novel \u003c\/em\u003eLast Call in the City of Bridges\u003cem\u003e. He's an assistant professor of English at the University of St. Thomas and can be reached at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.salvatore-pane.com\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en\u0026amp;q=http:\/\/www.salvatore-pane.com\/\u0026amp;source=gmail\u0026amp;ust=1470163664863000\u0026amp;usg=AFQjCNH9rN6oGy6wlvT_CSKtCxsAgA5m6A\" target=\"_blank\"\u003esalvatore-pane.com\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e*\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"[A] marvel [...] Pane has penned incisive criticism that enhances its 8-bit source material.\" - \u003ca title=\"Patrick Thomas Henry reviews Mega Man 3 by Salvatore Pane in Entropy\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161121131848\/http:\/\/entropymag.org\/mega-man-3-by-salvatore-pane\/\"\u003eEntropy\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Such a thoughtful -- and poetic -- book on \u003cem\u003eMega Man 3\u003c\/em\u003e.\" - Andrew Schartmann, author of\u003cem\u003e Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"The brilliant thing is Pane never takes a side; I wouldn’t say his work is straight up clinical, rather it eschews the drama and hyperbole and sticks to the facts.\" - Obtain Potion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"The historical account is genuinely interesting and heartfelt, and takes the time to make sure you know the names behind the game. The development of franchises as big as Mega Man are fascinating and don’t require a lot of embellishment to really grab you.\" - TechRaptor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Pane does a great job of describing Mega Man 3 [...] Pane touches on the further development (and eventual decline) of the Mega Man franchise, the development of video game studies (and the challenges in preserving said games), and on the general rise of ‘retro’ gaming culture, and the subsequent rise in the price of NES game cartridges.\" - Dial H for Houston\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca title=\"Excerpt of Mega Man 3 by Salvatore Pane in Kotaku\" href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/how-mega-man-survived-its-creator-leaving-capcom-1787377120\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003ca title=\"Second short excerpt from Mega Man 3 by Salvatore Pane\" href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/mega-man-is-very-sad-1789064690\"\u003e2\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads page for Mega Man 3 by Salvatore Pane\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/31314078-mega-man-3\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":19439339077,"sku":"1501","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":19439339141,"sku":"1503","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":19439339205,"sku":"1504","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":31667969654897,"sku":"1505","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_25.png?v=1721356731"},{"product_id":"final-fantasy-v-by-chris-kohler","title":"Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: October 24, 2017\u003cbr\u003e176 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-18-0\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen\u003cem\u003e Final Fantasy V\u003c\/em\u003e was released for the Japanese Super Famicom in 1992, \u003cspan\u003ethe \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003efantasy\u003c\/span\u003e role-playing game was an instant hit,\u003c\/span\u003e selling two million copies in the first two months alone. But the game was dubbed \"too hardcore\" for a Western audience and was not released outside Japan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat didn't stop a teenage Chris Kohler from tracking down \u003cem\u003eFinal Fantasy V\u003c\/em\u003e. The young RPG fan got a Japanese copy of the game, used it to teach himself Japanese, and with the help of some internet companions created the first-ever comprehensive English-language FAQ of the game.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow the acclaimed author of\u003cem\u003e Power-Up\u003c\/em\u003e and an editor at Kotaku, Kohler is revisiting the game that started his career in games journalism. Based on new, original interviews with \u003cem\u003eFinal Fantasy V\u003c\/em\u003e's director, Hironobu Sakaguchi, as well as previously untranslated interviews with the rest of the development team, Kohler's book weaves history and criticism to examine one of the Final Fantasy series's greatest and most overlooked titles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/retronauts.com\/article\/427\/retronauts-episode-106-final-fantasy-v\" data-external=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kobunheat\" data-external=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eChris Kohler\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis the author of Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life, and the founding editor of Game|Life, the Webby-nominated video game section of WIRED. He is currently Features Editor of Kotaku, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e*\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Superb. Worth reading for any JRPG fan.\" - Jason Schreier, author of \u003cem\u003eBlood, Sweat, and Pixels\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Chris Kohler, one of the most recognizable names in the retro gaming scene, penned this fantastic dive into one of the best Final Fantasy games.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/nba-jam-the-book-and-more-video-game-books-to-read-right-now\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIGN\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A fascinating look into what makes Final Fantasy V so special!\" - Peter Tieryas, author of\u003cem\u003e The United States of Japan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“A high-level treasure for JRPG fans, as well as anyone interested in how Japanese pop culture has been translated, localized, and interpreted by a global audience.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/japaneselit.net\/2020\/05\/09\/final-fantasy-v\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKathryn Hemmann, Japanese Lit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"An angle on Final Fantasy V and its legacy that really no one else could give. [...] The game is awesome and the book about its history and legacy is just as grand.\" - \u003ca title=\"Nintendo World Report Review of Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendoworldreport.com\/feature\/45163\/final-fantasy-v-book-review\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNintendo World Report\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I highly recommend this book, because of the peculiar effect it has, for it describes Kohler’s personal and winding relationship with the game through the present in terms of change, a change in Final Fantasy, in people, in the world, and therefore this book has implications beyond an individual experience with a singular video game.\" - \u003ca title=\"Final Fantasy Network Review of Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler\" href=\"http:\/\/www.finalfantasy.net\/v\/review-chris-kohlers-book-final-fantasy\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFinal Fantasy Network\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Entertaining and relatable [...] packed with information even the most diehard FF fan will find eye-opening.\" - RF Generation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“FF partisans, proud otakus, and casual RPG fans alike will find much to reward their time with this excellent retrospective.” - The Well-Red Mage\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"If you love Final Fantasy V, if you've never played FF5, if you're interested in FF5, try it, read it. I highly recommend it.\" - \u003ca title=\"Super Nerd Pals Review of Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler\" href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/supernerdpals\/snp-123-super-yoko-taro-pals\"\u003eSuper Nerd Pals\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"[Kohler] digs into this complex subject with great enthusiasm, and explains to the reader through accessible, readable, enjoyable language that never waters itself down. It is apparent in every sentence that Kohler \u003cem\u003ecares\u003c\/em\u003e.\" - \u003ca title=\"Ace of Geeks review of Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170701000000*\/https:\/\/www.aceofgeeks.net\/final-fantasy-v-chris-kohler-come-trivia-stay-love\"\u003eAce of Geeks\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRetronauts \u003ca title=\"Retronauts Episode on Final Fantasy V\" href=\"https:\/\/retronauts.com\/article\/427\/retronauts-episode-106-final-fantasy-v\"\u003eepisode\u003c\/a\u003e on Final Fantasy V, featuring Chris Kohler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Kotaku Excerpt of Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler\" href=\"http:\/\/kotaku.com\/the-friendly-rivals-who-created-final-fantasy-v-1797143910\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads Reviews of Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/34552804-final-fantasy-v\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":40822359312,"sku":"1901","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":40822605904,"sku":"1903","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":40822605968,"sku":"1904","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098817650858,"sku":"1905","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_7.png?v=1721336151"},{"product_id":"nba-jam-by-reyan-ali","title":"NBA Jam by Reyan Ali","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRelease Date: Oct 22, 2019\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e256 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN 13: 978-1-940535-20-3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eNBA Jam\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003edunked its way into arcades in 1993, players discovered just how fun basketball can be when freed from rules, refs, and gravity itself. But just a few years after the billion-dollar hit conquered the world, developer Midway, publisher Acclaim, and video arcades themselves fell off the map. How did a simple two-on-two basketball game become MVP of the arcade, and how did this champ lose its title?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJournalist Reyan Ali dives deep into the saga, tracking the people and decisions that shaped the series. You'll get to know mischievous\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eJam\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003earchitect Mark Turmell, go inside Midway's Chicago office where hungry young talent tapped into cutting-edge tech, and explore the sequels, spin-offs, and tributes that came in the game's wake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilt out of exhaustive research and original interviews with a star-studded cast —including Turmell and his original development team, iconic commentator Tim Kitzrow, businessmen and developers at Midway and Acclaim alike, secret characters George Clinton and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Doom co-creator John Romero, and 1990s NBA demigods Glen Rice and Shaq—Ali's\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eNBA Jam\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ereturns you to an era when coin-op was king.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nbajambook\" title=\"Reyan Ali's NBA Jam Twitter account\"\u003eReyan Ali\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis a writer from Columbus, Ohio. His work has been published by Wired, Spin, The Atlantic, The A.V. Club, and alt-weekly papers across the country. Born in Dallas, he grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, where he devoured '90s NBA action almost exclusively through trading cards, Beckett Basketball magazine, and NBA Jam: Tournament Edition on the Sega Mega Drive II.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e*\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOptioned by BestCrosses Studios to be made into a \u003ca title=\"Variety page announcing NBA Jam documentary based on the book by Reyan Ali\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2021\/film\/global\/nba-jam-game-documentary-1234886255\/\"\u003edocumentary film\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Ali provides the perspective and insight of a professional historian ... [Jam] bestows the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the climate and process behind ‘90s sports video games.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.blazersedge.com\/2020\/6\/30\/21308786\/review-nba-jam-the-book-reyan-ali-boss-fight-books\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEric Griffith, Blazer’s Edge\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Reyan did an amazing job and tells the story wonderfully.” - Tim Kitzrow, NBA Jam announcer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“If you ever played NBA JAM in the arcades back in the day, this book about the insane success of the game (and subsequent collapse of the developers\/publisher behind it) is SUCH a good, brisk read. Makes for a perfect stocking stuffer, too!” - Brian Altano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"You really feel as though you’re in good hands with Ali. [...] This book is perfect for Jam heads, or anybody who wants to learn more about  1970s-1990s arcades.\" - \u003ca title=\"Matthew Ederer reviews NBA Jam by Reyan Ali\" href=\"https:\/\/www.operationsports.com\/nba-jam-the-book-review-worth-your-quarters\/\"\u003eOperation Sports\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"All the interviews in NBA Jam―Reyan Ali’s book on the classic arcade game from Boss Fight Books―from Shaq to DJ Jazzy Jeff to the design team at Midway offer an unvarnished authenticity and an infectious passion for the game.\" - \u003ca title=\"My Summer Lair review of NBA Jam by Reyan Ali\" href=\"https:\/\/mysummerlair.com\/nba\/under-review-nba-jam\"\u003eSammy Younan\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"Despite Ali’s exhaustive research, interviews, and expert analysis of how Jam came to be, it’s clear that Ali believes that there is magic here too: that at the end of all the excavation, there is still mystery—the same way when we observe a twisting dunk in-slow motion from every angle, we still say, out loud to no one, how did he do that?\" - \u003ca title=\"Brian Oliu reviews NBA Jam by Reyan Ali for the Under Review\" href=\"https:\/\/www.underreviewlit.com\/issue-3-winter-2021\/nba-jam-by-reyan-ali\"\u003eThe Under Review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003eI would highly recommend NBA Jam – The Book to anyone who has a fond memory of playing the game, who has an interest in game development and design, to anyone who enjoys game preservation and history, or likes reading a true story of navigating the challenges of creating something that has an impact. It will definitely make you want to pick up and play the game again.\" - \u003ca title=\"Arcade Heroes review of NBA Jam by Reyan Ali\" href=\"https:\/\/arcadeheroes.com\/2019\/10\/26\/book-review-nba-jam-by-reyan-ali-boss-fight-books\/\"\u003eArcade Heroes\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I devoured this shit like mutant cockroaches devouring a bunch of new Englanders stuck on an infested island.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/litreactor.com\/columns\/beach-reads-for-indoor-types-2\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePeter Derk, Lit Reactor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“So many great stories about the making of an awesome video game \u0026amp; the crazy arcade-game-maker business back then.” - Marc Masters\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Boom shakalaka.” - Daniel Barnes \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Ali’s book is an ideal read for video game and basketball fans as well as casual readers.” - Fansided\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dialhforhouston.wordpress.com\/2019\/11\/18\/book-review-nba-jam-by-reyan-ali\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Highly enjoyable [...] an exhaustive, documentary-level look at one of the biggest game franchises of the 90s.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rfgeneration.com\/news\/review\/Boss-Fight-Books-NBA-Jam-4031.php\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRFGeneration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExcerpt: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kotaku.com\/the-night-they-turned-on-the-first-nba-jam-machine-1797917964\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Goodreads Reviews of NBA Jam\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/36597600-nba-jam\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":40823020496,"sku":"2101","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":40823071952,"sku":"2103","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":40823072016,"sku":"2104","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098819748010,"sku":"2105","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_6.png?v=1721335827"},{"product_id":"postal-by-brock-wilbur-nathan-rabin","title":"Postal by Brock Wilbur \u0026 Nathan Rabin","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eRelease Date: April 7, 2020\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e176 pages\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-22-7\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1997, game studio Running With Scissors released its debut title, Postal, an isometric shooter aimed at shocking an imagined pearl-clutching public. The game was crass, gory, and dumb—all of which might have been forgivable if the game had been any fun to play. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePostal gained enough notoriety from riding the wave of public outrage to warrant a sequel. And DLC. And a remake. And, perhaps most surprising of all, a Golden-Raspberry-winning feature film adaptation directed by the infamous Uwe Boll. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this thoughtful and hilarious tag-team performance, Brock Wilbur \u0026amp; Nathan Rabin probe the fascinatingly troubled game and film for what each can tell us about shock culture \u0026amp; mass shootings, interviewing the RWS team and even Boll himself for answers. Like it or not, Postal is the franchise that won't die—no matter how many molotov cocktails you throw at it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brockwilbur\" data-external=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBrock Wilbur\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis a comedian and writer who is married to prominent feminist political journalist Vivian Kane, and cohabitates with three terrible cats. He produces political podcasts for Crooked Media, works in special projects for Riot Games, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Kansas City's The Pitch.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nathanrabin.com\/\" data-external=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNathan Rabin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis the author of six books, the proprietor of Nathan Rabin’s Happy Place and the cohost of the Travolta\/Cage podcast. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, dog and two sons.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e*\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Interesting read.” - Vince Desi, Running with Scissors \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“One of the strangest, funniest books I read this year; [...] one of the strongest uses of voice I’ve encountered in a book lately.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.dflovett.com\/blog\/reading-may-june-2020\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eD. F. Lovett\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Nathan Rabin and Brock Wilbur show that behind even the most forgettable trash culture footnote lies a fascinating, horrifying, weirdly poignant story.” - Elliott Kalan (MST3K, The Daily Show)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“There is no keener observer of pop culture than Nathan Rabin.” - Justin McElroy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“A+++ highly recommend.” - Eric Doty\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I read this book in one night and it’s goddamn brilliant - thoughtful, funny as hell, ingeniously structured to capture the wit and clarity of two of my favorite writers, highly recommended.” - Jason Bailey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Brock writes … with enough blunt humor to make even conversations with monsters seem appealing.” - Joseph Knoop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Wilbur and Rabin dive into one of the defining violent games of our generation, and surface with a book full of heart and soul.” - Francis Horton, What A Hell of a Way to Die podcast\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AV-02KoYDv4\u0026amp;feature=emb_title\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCaleb J Ross video review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca title=\"Excerpt of Postal at Nathan Rabin's Happy Place\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nathanrabin.com\/happy-place\/2020\/4\/21\/the-world-is-murderously-unfair-an-except-from-postal\"\u003eNathan Rabin's Happy Place\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Goodreads Reviews of Postal\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/41549864-postal\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":40823625680,"sku":"2301","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":40823625744,"sku":"2303","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":40823625808,"sku":"2304","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098821484714,"sku":"2305","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_11.png?v=1721337694"},{"product_id":"resident-evil-by-philip-j-reed","title":"Resident Evil by Philip J Reed","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eRelease Date: August 25, 2020\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e192 pages\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-25-8\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eNow a sprawling video game franchise, \u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003eResident Evil has kept us on the edge of our seats for decades with its tried-and-true brand of jump scares, zombie action, and biological horror. But even decades after its release, we can’t stop revisiting the original\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e’s thrill\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003es\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#ff0000\"\u003e, chills, and sometimes unintentional spills\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan color=\"#ff0000\"\u003ePop culture writer and\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#ff0000\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003ehorror cinephile Philip J Reed takes dead aim at 1996’s \u003ci\u003eResident Evil\u003c\/i\u003e, the game that named and defined the genre we now call “survival horror.” While examining \u003ci\u003eResident Evil\u003c\/i\u003e’s influences from the worlds of film, literature, and video games alike, Reed’s love letter to horror examines how the game’s groundbreaking design and its \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#ff0000\"\u003eatmospheric \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003efixed-cam cinematography work to thrill and terrify players—and why that terror may even be good for you.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeaturing a foreword from Troma Entertainment legend Lloyd Kaufman and new interviews with the game’s voice actors and its live-action cast, the book serves as the master of unlocking the behind-the-scenes secrets of \u003ci\u003eResident Evil\u003c\/i\u003e, and shows how even a game filled with the most laughable dialogue can still scare the pants off of you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilip J Reed\u003c\/strong\u003e is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#ff0000\"\u003eaward-winning\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e author and critic living in Denver, Colorado. He has written about games for outlets including Nintendo Life and TripleJump, and is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/diediebooks.com\/products\/the-wolfman-1941\" title=\"Product Page for The Wolf Man by Philip J Reed, from Die Die Books\"\u003eThe Wolf Man\u003c\/a\u003e from Die Die Books. Reed manages \u003ca title=\"Noiseless Chatter, Philip J Reed's website\" href=\"http:\/\/noiselesschatter.com\/\"\u003eNoiseless Chatter\u003c\/a\u003e and is allergic to cats.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA Resident Evil fan’s dream.” - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cubed3.com\/news\/30448\/1\/insight-resident-evil-by-philip-j-reed.html\" title=\"Review of Resident Evil by Philip J Reed in Cubed 3\"\u003eCubed3\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“It’s an extremely entertaining look at all aspects of horror, as well as an unexpectedly touching story of growing up in a small town with only movies and games to occupy one’s time.” 4.5\/5 - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/geektogeekmedia.com\/geekery\/reviews\/boss-fight-books-resident-evil-review\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGeek to Geek Media\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“A fascinating tale of Resident Evil nostalgia.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mmofallout.com\/book-club-2020-resident-evil-philip-j-reed\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMMO Fallout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“The way [Reed] writes about this seminal classic is ardent and infectious to the point of being a fantastic page turner.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/obtainpotion.wordpress.com\/2020\/08\/14\/the-horror-that-happened-to-be-a-game-a-book-report-on-resident-evil-by-philip-j-reed\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eObtain Potion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"Really well-written ... a book that presents a fantastic history of an iconic game that’s had a history, up to this point, that’s been fueled by plenty of speculation versus actual facts. [...] If you’re looking for a great book on gaming to read, this is one that’s well worth picking up.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thatjerseygamer.wordpress.com\/2020\/08\/10\/resident-evil-boss-fight-books-review\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDaniel Stransky, That Jersey Gamer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“A rewarding read that will leave you’ll with a greater understanding and appreciation of this shlocky survival horror classic.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.gamespew.com\/2020\/07\/book-review-philip-j-reed-unlocks-resident-evil-with-this-survival-horror-deep-dive\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGameSpew\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“A whole lot of horror with a little dash of life. [...] Whether you only remember the early Resident Evil games or are still a fan of the franchise today, this deep dive into survival horror is easy to get through and worth your time.” - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/deadentertainment.com\/2020\/07\/20\/review-boss-fight-books-resident-evil-explores-the-storied-origins-of-survival-horror\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDead Entertainment\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“A spectacular book.” - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0dn2JokMRg8\" title=\"Video Review of Resident Evil by Philip J Reed\"\u003ePaul Werkema\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/53309314-resident-evil\" title=\"Goodreads Reviews of Resident Evil\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":31822773059697,"sku":"2601","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":31822773092465,"sku":"2603","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":31822773125233,"sku":"2604","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":37098822172842,"sku":"2605","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_3.png?v=1721334887"},{"product_id":"final-fantasy-vi-by-sebastian-deken","title":"Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: July 13, 2021\u003cbr\u003e224 pages\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-28-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerra the magical half-human. Shadow the mysterious assassin. Celes the tough, tender general. Kefka the fool who would be god. Each of the many unforgettable characters in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eFinal Fantasy VI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehas made a huge impression on a generation of players, but why do we feel such affection for these 16-bit heroes and villains as so many others fade? The credit goes to the game’s score, composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArmed with newly translated interviews and an expert ear for sound, writer and musician Sebastian Deken conducts a critical analysis of the musical structures of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eFF6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, the game that pushed the Super Nintendo’s sound capabilities to their absolute limits and launched Uematsu’s reputation as the “Beethoven of video game music.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeken ventures deep into the game’s lush soundscape—from its expertly crafted leitmotifs to its unforgettable opera sequence—exploring the soundtrack’s lasting influence and how it helped clear space for game music on classical stages around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca data-external=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sebsational\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSebastian Deken\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is a writer and musician born in St. Louis, Missouri. He studied music and French literature at Washington University in St. Louis, then went on to receive his MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University School of the Arts. He currently lives in New York City with his husband, Brett White.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\" data-id=\"28823804\" data-caption=\"\" data-alt-text=\"\" class=\"template asset\"\u003e*\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-id=\"28823804\" data-caption=\"\" data-alt-text=\"\" class=\"template asset\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-id=\"28823804\" data-caption=\"\" data-alt-text=\"\" class=\"template asset\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"If you’re at all interested in video game music or are a huge fan of FFVI and Uematsu, then this latest release from Boss Fight Books is absolutely worth your time. [...] I fell in love with FFVI all over again and relived it through the music because of this book.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.rpgfan.com\/feature\/rpgfan-chapters-review-boss-fight-books-final-fantasy-vi\/\" title=\"Review of Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken in RPGFan\"\u003eRPGFan\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Remarkably well-researched. [...] Even if you’re a more casual fan of \u003cem\u003eFinal Fantasy\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eor games in general, Deken’s \u003cem\u003eFinal Fantasy VI \u003c\/em\u003emakes for an illuminating read on both a gaming classic and the evolution of music in the medium.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mobilesyrup.com\/2021\/07\/10\/boss-fight-books-final-fantasy-vi-sebastian-deken-review\/\" title=\"Review of Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken in Mobile Syrup\"\u003eMobile Syrup\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eI learned so much. I can tell you what chests to leave for the World of Ruin, all of Sabin’s blitz combo inputs or how to earn infinite experience early on but never realized how vital the game’s music is as a whole.\"\u003c\/span\u003e - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.obilisk.co\/final-fantasy-vi-boss-fight-books-review\/\" title=\"Review of Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken in Obilisk\"\u003eObilisk\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thebeliever.net\/logger\/noun-music-the-soundtrack-of-final-fantasy-vi\/\" title=\"Excerpt of Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken in the Believer\"\u003eThe Believer\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=U54w1FcLL-4\" title=\"Sebastian Deken discusses what Final Fantasy VI means to him in Youtube Video for Triple Jump\"\u003eTriple Jump\u003c\/a\u003e (video), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.devgameclub.com\/blog\/2021\/7\/14\/dgc-ep-267-bonus-interview-with-sebastian-deken\" title=\"Sebastian Deken on Dev Game Club podcast\"\u003eDev Game Club\u003c\/a\u003e (podcast), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dTtqYjOZtK0\" title=\"Sebastian Deken discusses Final Fantasy VI on GameDev Breakdown Podcast\"\u003eGameDev Breakdown\u003c\/a\u003e (podcast)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/54926165-final-fantasy-vi\" title=\"Goodreads page for Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":40353489256618,"sku":"2901","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":40271261499562,"sku":"2903","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":40856867340458,"sku":"2904","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":46455036117162,"sku":"2905","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_1.png?v=1721334247"},{"product_id":"goldeneye-007-by-alyse-knorr","title":"GoldenEye 007 (Standard Paperback Edition) by Alyse Knorr","description":"\u003cp\u003e256 pages\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRelease Date: December 1, 2022\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-29-6\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mb1\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"23qlv\" data-offset-key=\"184es-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"184es-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"184es-0-0\"\u003eBond—James Bond. In the 80s and 90s, the debonair superspy’s games failed to live up to the giddy thrills of his films. That all changed when British studio Rare unleashed \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"184es-0-1\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003eGoldenEye 007\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"184es-0-2\"\u003e in 1997. In basements and college dorms across the world, friends bumped shoulders while shooting, knifing, exploding, and slapping each other’s digital faces in the Nintendo 64 game that would redefine the modern first-person shooter genre and become the most badass party game of its generation.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"184es-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"184es-0-2\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mb1\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"23qlv\" data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-0\"\u003eBut \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-1\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003eGoldenEye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-2\"\u003e’s success was far from a sure thing. For years of development, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-3\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003eGoldenEye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-4\"\u003e’s team of rookie developers were shooting in the dark with no sense of what the N64 or its controller would be like, and the game’s relentless violence horrified higher-ups at squeaky clean Nintendo. As development lagged far behind the debut of the tie-in film \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-5\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003eGoldenEye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-6\"\u003e, the game nearly came out an entire Bond movie too late.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6usfp-0-6\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mb1\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"23qlv\" data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\"\u003eThrough extensive interviews with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-1\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003eGoldenEye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-2\"\u003e’s creators, writer and scholar Alyse Knorr traces the story of how this unlikely licensed game reinvigorated a franchise and a genre. Learn all the stories behind how this iconic title was developed, and why\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-3\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003e GoldenEye 007\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003e has continued to kick the living daylights out of every other Bond game since.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Excerpt of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr in Ars Technica\" href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/gaming\/2022\/07\/book-excerpt-anti-game-design-and-the-making-of-goldeneye-007\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/alyseknorr.com\" title=\"Alyse Knorr website\"\u003eAlyse Knorr\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis an associate professor of English at Regis University and the co-editor of Switchback Books. She is the author of the 2016 Boss Fight book, \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"text-italic\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"bold\"\u003eSuper Mario Bros. 3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, as well as the poetry collections \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"text-italic\"\u003eMega-City Redux\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"text-italic\"\u003eCopper Mother,\u003c\/span\u003e and \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"text-italic\"\u003eAnnotated Glass\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Absolutely the best book I've read about a videogame -- or a film -- and I'm not just saying that because it's, you know, GoldenEye. It's warm, personable, and surprisingly filled with minor dramatic incidents. Considering that a videogame is essentially a long process where a number of people sit down at computers for a long time, that is impressive.\" - Martin Hollis, Director of \u003cem\u003eGoldenEye 007\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"GoldenEye 007 (the book) is a thrill to read, just like GoldenEye 007 (the game) is to play.\" - \u003ca title=\"Max Frequency review of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\" href=\"https:\/\/maxfrequency.net\/2022\/07\/19\/goldeneye-007-book-review\/\"\u003eMax Frequency\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The writing is excellent [...] clear-eyed and yet profoundly informative about a halcyon era in video games. The wealth of information, anecdotes, and analysis is delightful.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.the-pixels.com\/2023\/07\/13\/goldeneye-007-the-making-of-an-n64-classic-by-alyse-knorr\/\" title=\"Review of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr on The Pixels\"\u003eThe-Pixels\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/gaming\/2022\/07\/book-excerpt-anti-game-design-and-the-making-of-goldeneye-007\/\" title=\"Excerpt of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr in Ars Technica\"\u003eArs Technica\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wpr.org\/ongoing-legacy-nintendos-goldeneye-007\" title=\"Wisconsin Public Radio interviews Alyse Knorr about GoldenEye 007\"\u003eWisconsin Public Radio\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cartridgelit.com\/2022\/11\/09\/alyse-knorr-goldeneye\/\" title=\"Elizabeth Deanna Morris Lakes interviews Alyse Knorr in Cartridge Lit\"\u003eCartridge Lit\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/ep-286-goldeneye-007\/id1212157511?i=1000574979505\" title='Alyse Knorr guests on \"Da\" Podcast'\u003e\"Da\" Podcast\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Alyse Knorr discusses her GoldenEye book on Remember 64\" href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/remember-64\/id1612172126\"\u003eRemember 64\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Alyse Knorr discusses GoldenEye on History of the 90s Podcast\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/podcast\/256-the-history-of-1995-30942576\/episode\/violence-in-video-games-46-119626903\/\"\u003eHistory of the 90s\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Alyse Knorr discusses GoldenEye 007 on the Retrograde Podcast (Spotify)\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/6yELMgxefCz1LZbAXf7L3z?si=ac5RqMMsRZCDGtcl77448g\u0026amp;nd=1\u0026amp;dlsi=b18094ff699742f8\"\u003eRetrograde\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/hot-button-interview-with-alyse-knorr-on-goldeneye-007\/id1442963939?i=1000613700383\" title=\"Alyse Knorr on Hot Button podcast discussing GoldenEye\"\u003eHot Button\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca title=\"Goodreads page for GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/61343014-goldeneye-007\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/GoldenEye-007-Alyse-Knorr\/dp\/1940535298\" title=\"Amazon page for GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\"\u003eAmazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLooking for the Deluxe Hardcover Edition? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bossfightbooks.com\/products\/goldeneye-007-deluxe-hardcover-edition-by-alyse-knorr\" title=\"Deluxe hardcover edition of GoldenEye 007\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGo here!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43237280153770,"sku":"3101","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":43237280186538,"sku":"3103","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":43237280219306,"sku":"3104","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":45292716163242,"sku":"","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_2.png?v=1721334656"},{"product_id":"parappa-the-rapper-by-mike-sholars","title":"PaRappa the Rapper by Mike Sholars","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mb4\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"8utp6\" data-offset-key=\"dbk70-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"dbk70-0-0\"\u003e \n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRelease Date: June 6, 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-31-9\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e200 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"dbk70-0-0\"\u003eIn the mid-90s, a Japanese prog rock star, an American visual artist, and their small team of collaborators made a colorful cartoon hip hop rhythm game that looked and played (and kicked! and punched!) like nothing else on the market. Initially dismissed by some as a curiosity, \u003cem\u003ePaRappa the Rapper\u003c\/em\u003e was a hit with players that would eventually sell millions of copies, receive two sequels, and inspire entire genres into being. And for author Mike Sholars, \u003cem\u003ePaRappa \u003c\/em\u003eleft a lasting impact.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"dbk70-0-0\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"8utp6\" data-offset-key=\"n070-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"n070-0-0\"\u003eFeaturing exclusive interviews with creators Masaya Matsuura and Rodney Greenblat, original voice cast member Saundra Williams, and a medley of sharp game critics and music experts, Sholars’ \u003cem\u003ePaRappa the Rapper\u003c\/em\u003e is equal parts recap, remix, and recollection.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"n070-0-0\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mb4\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"8utp6\" data-offset-key=\"1fp10-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"1fp10-0-0\"\u003eSholars uses his love of hip hop and gaming to celebrate \u003cem\u003ePaRappa\u003c\/em\u003e‘s unprecedented mechanics, art, humor, cultural specificity, and uplifting themes as he pairs energetic game history with personal memoir to explain how a game about a rapping dog helped him feel seen when he needed it the most. Funny, informative, and sincere, Sholars’ book is a heartfelt reminder why we all gotta believe.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"1fp10-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"1fp10-0-2\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mb4\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"8utp6\" data-offset-key=\"fnrmn-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"fnrmn-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"fnrmn-0-0\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.mike-sholars.com\/\" title=\"Mike Sholars website\"\u003eMike Sholars\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eis a writer, editor, podcast host, Creative Director, and former full-time journalist who got tired of getting laid off all the time. His work can be found in HuffPost, Kotaku, Polygon, and VICE. He lives in Toronto, Canada. All Canadian spellings of words are therefore intentional.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"fnrmn-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"fnrmn-0-0\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Mike did an excellent job of recounting the game's history and weaving it into his personal history. It is a wonderful book.\" - Video Game Book Club\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Really enjoyed Mike Sholars' PARAPPA THE RAPPER - a funny, heartwarming, and informative tribute to a delightful oddball of a game. Excellent reporting and interviewing of the team involved as well!\" - Eric Stirpē, lead writer of \u003cem\u003eControl 2\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Pa Rappa the Rapper does what my favorite Boss Fight Books do, and that’s to [...] use the game as a catalyst for examinations of history, culture, and as a platform for the author to get a bit personal and introspective.\" - Caleb J. Ross\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"A beautiful and careful examination. [...] Scholar’s book is yet another great addition to the series. His passion, his analysis, his investigations, his methodology, everything is well executed.\" - \u003ca title=\"Joshua Jammer Smith of Accordian Sprout reviews Parappa the Rapper by Mike Sholars\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accordionsprout.com\/blog\/parappa-the-rapper-by-mike-sholars-book-review\"\u003eJoshua “Jammer” Smith\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003ePaRappa the Rapper \u003c\/em\u003eis the [Boss Fight Books title] that made the biggest mark on me. It [...] surprised me by how moved and absorbed it made me feel. [...] Stop what you’re doing and go buy it.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/posts\/book-review-by-132201473\" title=\"Pixels and Polygons review of Parappa the Rapper by Mike Sholars\"\u003ePixels and Polygons\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview: \u003ca title=\"Roddy Nikpour talks with Mike Sholars about PaRappa the Rapper on KEXP\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240809110859\/https:\/\/www.kexp.org\/podcasts\/50-years-of-hip-hop\/2023\/5\/26\/1997-parappa-the-rapper\/\"\u003eKEXP's \"50 Years of Hip Hop\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title='Mike Sholars guests on \"Da\" Podcast' href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240809110859\/https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-70840107\/ep323-mike-sholars\"\u003e\"Da\" Podcast\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/104670956-parappa-the-rapper\" title=\"Goodreads page for PaRappa the Rapper by Mike Sholars\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44611143237802,"sku":"3301","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":44611143270570,"sku":"3303","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":44611143303338,"sku":"3304","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Scuffed\/Dented Paperback","offer_id":46455035691178,"sku":"","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_15.png?v=1721338739"},{"product_id":"minesweeper-by-kyle-orland","title":"Minesweeper by Kyle Orland","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRelease Date: July 12, 2023\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-32-6\u003cbr\u003e208 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIf you had some free time and a Windows PC in the 1990s, your mouse probably crawled its way to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMinesweeper\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, an exciting watch-where-you-click puzzle game with a ticking clock and a ton of “just one more game” replayability.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOriginally sold as part of a “big box” bundle of simple games, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMinesweeper \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ebecame a cornerstone of the Windows experience when it was pre-installed with every copy of Windows 3.1 and decades of subsequent OS updates. Alongside fellow Windows gaming staple \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSolitaire\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMinesweeper\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e wound up on more devices than nearly any other video game in history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSweeping through a minefield of explosive storylines, Journalist Kyle Orland reveals how \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMinesweeper\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e caused an identity crisis within Microsoft, ensnared a certain Microsoft CEO with its addictive gameplay, dismayed panicky pundits, micromanagers, and legislators around the world, inspired a passionate competitive community that discovered how to break the game, and predicted the rise of casual gaming by nearly two decades. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Kyle Orland Twitter Page\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KyleOrl\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKyle Orland\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e got his start writing about video games at the age of 14, when he founded ‘90s fan site Super Mario Bros. HQ on his parents’ AOL web space. Since then he’s somehow put together a career writing and saying millions of aggregate words about games for dozens of outlets ranging from NPR and MSNBC to Electronic Gaming Monthly and Paste Magazine. He’s been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012. Kyle is the author of Wiley Publishing’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWii for Dummies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFarmville for Dummies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, as well as two collections of reporting and criticism—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Game Beat \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSave Point\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e—both published by Carnegie Mellon’s ETC Press.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Your next book should be Minesweeper by Kyle Orland. All of the Boss Fight Books’ books are fantastic and this one is no different. [...] This is for gamers who remember Windows 3.1 just like I do and for gamers who think Minesweeper is a free-to-play game on the Microsoft Store.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.deargamers.net\/reviews\/minesweeper-by-kyle-orland-boss-fight-books-review\" title=\"Review of Minesweeper by Kyle Orland on Dear Gamers\"\u003eDear Gamers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Kyle Orland’s Minesweeper is a great example of how everything we listen to, watch, and play has a story behind it regardless of whether we look into it.\" - Nerds of a Feather Flock Together\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kotaku.com\/microsoft-games-xbox-minesweeper-tetris-bill-gates-book-1850154914\" title=\"Excerpt of Minesweeper by Kyle Orland in Kotaku\"\u003eKotaku\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.gamesindustry.biz\/how-do-you-monetize-minesweeper\" title=\"Excerpt of Minesweeper by Kyle Orland in GamesIndustry.biz\"\u003eGamesIndustry.biz\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInterview: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/retronauts.com\/article\/2079\/retronauts-episode-539-minesweeper-shareware\" title=\"Kyle Orland Minesweeper episode of Retronauts\"\u003eRetronauts\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/gamehistory.org\/ep-110-minesweeper\/\" title=\"Kyle Orland Minesweeper episode of Video Game History Foundation podcast\"\u003eVideo Game History Foundation\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-70840107\/ep327-kyle-orland\" title=\"Kyle Orland on Da Podcast\"\u003e\"Da\" Podcast\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/codexhistoryofvideogames.libsyn.com\/episode-262-minesweeper-with-kyle-orland\" title=\"Kyle Orland on Codex Podcast\"\u003eCodex\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/122781364-minesweeper\" title=\"Goodreads page for Minesweeper by Kyle Orland\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44538721108138,"sku":"3401","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":44538721140906,"sku":"3403","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":44538721173674,"sku":"3404","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_16.png?v=1721339467"},{"product_id":"day-of-the-tentacle-by-bob-mackey","title":"Day of the Tentacle by Bob Mackey","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eRelease Date: October 9, 2023\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-33-3\u003cbr\u003eForeword by Larry Ahern\u003cbr\u003eAfterword by Tim Schafer\u003cbr\u003e160 pages \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSix years after helping the Edison family defeat the designs of a malevolent meteor in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eManiac Mansion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, college student and classic nerd Bernard Bernoulli once again finds himself at the front door of the infamous mansion. With two weird friends, Hoagie and Laverne, Bernard must stop the evil Purple Tentacle from conquering the world—by freezing hamsters, pushing old ladies down the stairs, abusing Swiss bank accounts, and ever so slightly changing some of the most significant moments in American history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDave Grossman and Tim Schafer’s 1993 time-trotting point-and-click adventure game \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDay of the Tentacle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e brought LucasArts' game design to a new standard of excellence with smart puzzles, hilarious characters, and an animation style that harkened back to classic Warner Bros. cartoons. And somehow, they fit it all on a fat stack of floppy disks!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this definitive oral history as told by the game’s designers, musicians, and artists, writer Bob Mackey tells the inside story of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDay of the Tentacle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e’s lightning-in-a-bottle production, and reveals how two first-time directors boiled down the lessons of past adventure games into a tight and satisfying experience, how their team grappled with evolving technology to achieve the coveted status of \"multimedia\" at the dawn of the CD-ROM age, and how a remastered edition brought \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTentacle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eto a new generation of fans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/123029070-day-of-the-tentacle\" title=\"Day of the Tentacle by Bob Mackey Goodreads Page\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBob Mackey\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer, podcaster, and video game historian, and has been the co-host of the classic gaming podcast, Retronauts, since 2011. He's also the co-host and co-creator of the Talking Simpsons and What a Cartoon podcasts, and transitioned to being a full-time podcaster after video game websites simply stopped existing. You can find him in Vancouver, BC with his wife and parrot, though often not at the same time. This is his first book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Bob did an excellent job. [...] It shines a light on a game I had previously passed over and shared the game’s history with me.\" - \u003ca title=\"Paul Werkema review of Day of the Tentacle by Bob Mackey\" href=\"https:\/\/paulwerkema.com\/2023\/11\/15\/a-review-of-day-of-the-tentacle-by-bob-mackey\/\"\u003ePaul Werkema\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan class=\"Formatted\"\u003eMackey's passion and thorough research emanate from every chapter of this book. It's a quick, entertaining, and insightful read for fans of Day of the Tentacle, for fans of all adventure games, and for fans of how great games are made.\u003c\/span\u003e\" - David L. Craddock, author of \u003cem\u003eShovel Knight\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInterviews\/Podcasts: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nR4nvmczpVo\" title=\"Bob Mackey on Matt Chat\"\u003eMatt Chat\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t\u0026amp;source=web\u0026amp;rct=j\u0026amp;opi=89978449\u0026amp;url=http:\/\/retronauts.com\/article\/2184\/retronauts-episode-579-writing-about-video-game-history\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwirj6rk0aiNAxXjLUQIHaDYOI84HhAWegQIIhAB\u0026amp;usg=AOvVaw1uy6NCFywB2MItTDEjIFXv\" title=\"Bob Mackey on Retronauts Episode 579: Writing About Video Game History\"\u003eRetronauts\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/123029070-day-of-the-tentacle\" title=\"Day of the Tentacle by Bob Mackey Goodreads Page\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":45058700640426,"sku":"3501","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":45058700673194,"sku":"3503","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":45058700705962,"sku":"3504","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background.png?v=1721333959"},{"product_id":"goldeneye-007-deluxe-hardcover-edition-by-alyse-knorr","title":"GoldenEye 007 (Deluxe Hardcover Edition) by Alyse Knorr","description":"\u003cp\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-30-2 \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e256 pages \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePrinted Lithocase Hardcover\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e6 x 9\"\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBlack \u0026amp; white interior\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mb1\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"23qlv\" data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\"\u003eThrough extensive interviews with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-1\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003eGoldenEye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-2\"\u003e’s creators, writer and scholar Alyse Knorr traces the story of how this unlikely licensed game reinvigorated a franchise and a genre. Learn all the stories behind how this iconic title was developed, and why\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-3\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-text=\"true\"\u003e GoldenEye 007\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003e has continued to kick the living daylights out of every other Bond game since.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-0\" class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003edeluxe hardcover edition\u003c\/strong\u003e contains everything from the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bossfightbooks.com\/products\/goldeneye-007-by-alyse-knorr\" title=\"Standard paperback edition of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\"\u003estandard paperback edition\u003c\/a\u003e, plus:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA new cover drawn by illustrator \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.towmel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003eMel Tow\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and designed by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/coryschmitz.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003eCory Schmitz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePages of \u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003edrawings, photos, and design docs\u003c\/span\u003e that take you behind the scenes from the development of \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eGoldenEye 007\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn \u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003eadditional\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003echapter\u003c\/span\u003e, \"The Shots Heard Round the World,\" that goes deep into the story of how Graeme Norgate and Grant Kirkhope created \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eGoldenEye\u003c\/span\u003e's iconic soundtrack, and how Norgate and Martin Hollis tweaked the game's sound effects to make them shine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlyse Knorr\u003c\/strong\u003e is an associate professor of English at Regis University and the co-editor of Switchback Books. She is the author of the 2016 Boss Fight book, \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bold\"\u003eSuper Mario Bros. 3\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, as well as the poetry collections \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eMega-City Redux\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eCopper Mother,\u003c\/span\u003e and \u003cspan class=\"text-italic\"\u003eAnnotated Glass\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e*\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Absolutely the best book I've read about a videogame -- or a film -- and I'm not just saying that because it's, you know, GoldenEye. It's warm, personable, and surprisingly filled with minor dramatic incidents. Considering that a videogame is essentially a long process where a number of people sit down at computers for a long time, that is impressive.\" - Martin Hollis, Director of \u003cem\u003eGoldenEye 007\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"GoldenEye 007 (the book) is a thrill to read, just like GoldenEye 007 (the game) is to play.\" - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/maxfrequency.net\/2022\/07\/19\/goldeneye-007-book-review\/\" title=\"Max Frequency review of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\"\u003eMax Frequency\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The writing is excellent [...] clear-eyed and yet profoundly informative about a halcyon era in video games. The wealth of information, anecdotes, and analysis is delightful.\" - \u003ca title=\"Review of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr on The Pixels\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-pixels.com\/2023\/07\/13\/goldeneye-007-the-making-of-an-n64-classic-by-alyse-knorr\/\"\u003eThe-Pixels\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003eExcerpt: \u003ca title=\"Excerpt of GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr in Ars Technica\" href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/gaming\/2022\/07\/book-excerpt-anti-game-design-and-the-making-of-goldeneye-007\/\"\u003eArs Technica\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterview: \u003ca title=\"Wisconsin Public Radio interviews Alyse Knorr about GoldenEye 007\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wpr.org\/ongoing-legacy-nintendos-goldeneye-007\"\u003eWisconsin Public Radio\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Elizabeth Deanna Morris Lakes interviews Alyse Knorr in Cartridge Lit\" href=\"https:\/\/cartridgelit.com\/2022\/11\/09\/alyse-knorr-goldeneye\/\"\u003eCartridge Lit\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title='Alyse Knorr guests on \"Da\" Podcast' href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/ep-286-goldeneye-007\/id1212157511?i=1000574979505\"\u003e\"Da\" Podcast\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/remember-64\/id1612172126\" title=\"Alyse Knorr discusses her GoldenEye book on Remember 64\"\u003eRemember 64\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/podcast\/256-the-history-of-1995-30942576\/episode\/violence-in-video-games-46-119626903\/\" title=\"Alyse Knorr discusses GoldenEye on History of the 90s Podcast\"\u003eHistory of the 90s\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/6yELMgxefCz1LZbAXf7L3z?si=ac5RqMMsRZCDGtcl77448g\u0026amp;nd=1\u0026amp;dlsi=b18094ff699742f8\" title=\"Alyse Knorr discusses GoldenEye 007 on the Retrograde Podcast (Spotify)\"\u003eRetrograde\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Alyse Knorr on Hot Button podcast discussing GoldenEye\" href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/hot-button-interview-with-alyse-knorr-on-goldeneye-007\/id1442963939?i=1000613700383\"\u003eHot Button\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-offset-key=\"6a8g2-0-4\"\u003eMore Reviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/61343014-goldeneye-007\" title=\"Goodreads page for GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Amazon page for GoldenEye 007 by Alyse Knorr\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/GoldenEye-007-Alyse-Knorr\/dp\/1940535298\"\u003eAmazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44522743791786,"sku":"3201","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":44522743824554,"sku":"3203","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardcover + eBook","offer_id":44522743857322,"sku":"3204","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFB_Covers_with_Color_Background_5.png?v=1721335433"},{"product_id":"everquest-by-matthew-s-smith","title":"EverQuest by Matthew S. Smith","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficial Release Date: December 3, 2024\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-35-7\u003cbr\u003e224 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re in our world now.” This bold tagline led Sony’s 1999 ad blitz for \u003cem\u003eEverQuest\u003c\/em\u003e, the year’s most anticipated massively multiplayer game. Though just five words long, it challenged players to live in a virtual world beyond anything they’d experienced before—and delivered. The game that proved the MMORPG’s potential, \u003cem\u003eEverQuest \u003c\/em\u003eoutsold all prior entries in the genre and was the most popular subscription game in North America for five years until Blizzard’s World of Warcraft overthrew it. Yet \u003cem\u003eEverQuest \u003c\/em\u003elives on, with tens of thousands of players logging in every day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on new interviews with \u003cem\u003eEverQuest \u003c\/em\u003edevelopers and veteran MMORPG developers, journalist Matthew S. Smith explores \u003cem\u003eEverQuest\u003c\/em\u003e's unlikely creation at a studio built to develop sports games, a rocky release which overwhelmed the game’s ill-prepared datacenter, the enticing game loops that placed \u003cem\u003eEverQuest \u003c\/em\u003ein a media firestorm around gaming addiction, and the real-money black market for \u003cem\u003eEverQuest \u003c\/em\u003eitems that foretold the future of digital goods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/mattontech.me\/\" title=\"Matthew S. Smith Homepage\"\u003eMatthew S. Smith\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is a technology and gaming journalist from Portland, Oregon. His work is published in IEEE Spectrum magazine, Wired, The Verge, Kotaku, PC World, and USA Today, among other publications. Matthew also films and edits short documentaries about retro PC games on his YouTube channel, Computer Gaming Yesterday.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterviews\/Podcasts: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/no\/podcast\/matthew-s-smith-everquest-boss-fight-books-2024\/id1711930320?i=1000680415142\"\u003eGame Studies\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t\u0026amp;source=web\u0026amp;rct=j\u0026amp;opi=89978449\u0026amp;url=https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch%3Fv%3D4F2QpRmOHSI\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2gqbqirCNAxUVJkQIHY1oKLgQwqsBegQIDRAF\u0026amp;usg=AOvVaw1RKChf-5sK7Gt15lm22Cy1\"\u003eStill Loading\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iifX5BJfj4M\"\u003eCodex: History of Video Games\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/117393477-animal-crossing\" title=\"EverQuest by Matthew S. Smith Goodreads Page\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46316726419626,"sku":"3701","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":46316726452394,"sku":"3703","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":46316726485162,"sku":"3704","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/EverQuest-Mockup3DCover.png?v=1721362400"},{"product_id":"dance-dance-revolution-by-jessica-doyle-and-jordan-ferguson","title":"Dance Dance Revolution by Jessica Doyle and Jordan Ferguson","description":"\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: June 24, 2025\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-38-8\u003cbr\u003e192 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn September 26, 1998, a video game made its debut in Japanese arcades. It was over seven feet tall and weighed just over 900 pounds. It had no characters, no story, no quests to fulfill or bosses to beat. What it had was a metal platform on which you were supposed to stand, put your feet into the right place at the right time, and dance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin two music critics, long-ago players, and Sota Fujimori fans as they take you on the astonishing journey through the artists, influences, and innovators of\u003cem\u003e Dance Dance Revolution\u003c\/em\u003e, a game two and a half decades in the making and still going -- in homes, arcades, and expos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom its unexpected appearance to its social heyday to its reappearance in the American market, \u003cem\u003eDDR \u003c\/em\u003ehas taken many forms -- not all of them sanctioned by Konami. It has spawned community, creativity, competition, lawsuits, 1,000+ songs that range from wacky to tacky to beautiful, and yes, a lot of dancing. While we were all leaning on the back bar, working up a sweat, \u003cem\u003eDDR \u003c\/em\u003emanaged to change the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJessica Doyle\u003c\/strong\u003e has a Ph.D. in city planning and a love for writing about the connections between pop music, globalization, and the built environment. She cares for her family in the Atlanta suburbs.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJordan Ferguson \u003c\/strong\u003eis the author of J Dilla’s Donuts, #93 in the 33 1\/3 series of record guides, and co-host of the Geekdown, a podcast about fandoms. He lives and works in Toronto, Canada. Find him online @jordan_ferguson.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"This was a fascinating book [...] about a series of games, and of the fans trying to keep the game alive.\" - Paul Werkema, Video Game Book Club\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePodcast: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/newbooksnetwork.com\/dance-dance-revolution\" title=\"Jessica Doyle and Jordan Ferguson discuss Dance Dance Revolution on Game Studies podcast hosted by Rudolf Thomas Inderst\"\u003eGame Studies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com\/a-review-of-dance-dance-revolution-from-boss-fight-books\/\" title=\"Review of Dance Dance Revolution by Jessica Doyle and Jordan Ferguson in Old School Gamer\"\u003eOld School Gamer\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/219148771-dance-dance-revolution\" title=\"Goodreads page for Dance Dance Revolution by Jessica Doyle and Jordan Ferguson\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46567987413162,"sku":"4001","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":46567987445930,"sku":"4003","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":46567987478698,"sku":"4004","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/DDR-Mockup3DCover.png?v=1740015748"},{"product_id":"legend-of-the-river-king","title":"Legend of the River King by Alexander B. Joy","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: 5\/12\/26 (and available now!)  \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-39-5\u003cbr\u003e240 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing a baseball-capped kid who leaves his tiny village for the wilds beyond to catch valuable creatures, Victor Interactive's 1998 Game Boy classic \u003ci\u003eLegend of the River King\u003c\/i\u003e arrived in North America mere months before \u003ci\u003ePokémon Red\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBlue\u003c\/i\u003e, raising the question: What if \u003ci\u003eRiver King\u003c\/i\u003e, the world’s first portable fishing RPG, had been the game to change culture forever?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou're invited to play along with writer and scholar Alexander B. Joy on a travelogue through the game's meadows, forests, lakes, and rivers, stopping along the way to explore \u003ci\u003eRiver King\u003c\/i\u003e's valuable insights in the fields of art, culture, philosophy, and ecology. Drawing connections to the work of Rachel Carson, Plato, Pearl Jam, David Foster Wallace, Richard Brautigan, and more, Joy shows \u003ci\u003eRiver King\u003c\/i\u003e to be a work of art in its own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you’re a diehard fan of the game or just learning of it now, Joy’s work of digital nature writing encourages readers to take a closer look at \u003ci\u003eRiver King\u003c\/i\u003e’s surprisingly rich meditations on humankind’s relation to the natural world, our fragility in the face of elemental forces, and the duty of care we owe other living beings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlexander B. Joy\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer from New Hampshire. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and is the editor of Flaxman Low: Occult Detective (MIT Press, 2026). Find him on Bluesky at \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/aeneas-nin.bsky.social\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e@aeneas-nin.bsky.social\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e, and see more of his work at \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/alexanderbjoy.com\"\u003e\u003ci\u003ealexanderbjoy.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e*\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eLegend of the River King \u003c\/em\u003eis the definitive text on a charming little game, a lovely read that justifies Boss Fight Books’ entire mission statement. Reading it made me wish that every game I’ve enjoyed could receive a love letter as thorough and heartfelt as this one.\" - Ben Love in \u003ca title=\"Ben Love reviews Legend of the River King by Alexander B. Joy for RPGFan\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rpgfan.com\/feature\/boss-fight-books-legend-of-the-river-king\/\"\u003eRPGFan\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReviews: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/237391500-legend-of-the-river-king\" title=\"Goodreads page for Legend of the River King by Alexander B. Joy\"\u003eGoodreads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47505524818090,"sku":"4101","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":47505524850858,"sku":"4103","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback + eBook","offer_id":47505524883626,"sku":"4104","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFBCoverswithColorBackground_2.png?v=1751973250"},{"product_id":"age-of-empires-by-richard-moss","title":"Age of Empires by Richard Moss (Pre-Order on Kickstarter)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/gabedurham\/age-of-empires-how-ensemble-studios-made-history\" title=\"Age of Empires by Richard Moss Kickstarter page\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreorder Now on Kickstarter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-940535-42-5\u003cbr\u003e208 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Tony came in one day, out of the blue, and said to everybody in the room, ‘Hey, would any of you rather be programming games than databases?’”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon its release in 1997, the real-time strategy game \u003ci\u003eAge of Empires \u003c\/i\u003eturned heads with its varied campaigns, competitive online play, “Hollywood” approach to history, and its bright and colorful aesthetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHelmed by brothers Tony and Rick Goodman, \u003ci\u003eAge of Empires\u003c\/i\u003e was a game about bringing thousands of years of human history to life—and making it fun and accessible. Over the course of its three-year development, the game shifted from an ancient-world twist on \u003ci\u003eSimCity\u003c\/i\u003e to a historical real-time strategy game, but through all its iterations \u003ci\u003eAge\u003c\/i\u003e never strayed from that core vision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on interviews with 29 former Ensemble and Microsoft executives and staff, documentarian Richard Moss tells the story of how a scrappy team of first-time developers partnered with the biggest tech company in the world on a game that would test the brothers’ relationship like nothing before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in \u003cstrong\u003eebook\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003epaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003edeluxe hardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e formats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/gabedurham\/age-of-empires-how-ensemble-studios-made-history\" title=\"Age of Empires by Richard Moss Kickstarter page\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNow Funding on Kickstarter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boss Fight Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48566237233322,"sku":"4401","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"eBook","offer_id":48566237266090,"sku":"4403","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0313\/4361\/files\/BFBCoverswithColorBackground_13.png?v=1774898253"}],"url":"https:\/\/bossfightbooks.com\/collections\/90s.oembed","provider":"Boss Fight Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}