Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Dungeons & Dragons

My latest novel “Dragon Children” has just been released by Amazon. Many people will say, “Oh, that’s that geeky stuff that is only read by children and adults who play Dungeons & Dragons and live in their mother’s basement.”

Let’s test that theory out. Let’s start with science fiction. What network TV show has created more spin-offs and has remained popular for over 50 years? Of course, it is “Star Trek.” There would have to be a whole lot of televisions in mom’s basement to keep a series going that long.

What is one of the greatest movies based on tickets sold? That would be “Avatar.” I guess those geeks have a lot of money to spend. Gee I didn’t even mention “Star Wars.”

Well, I guess geeks are more identified with fantasy stories. Okay, what was one of the most successful movie series of all time. Yes, “Star Wars” is one, but “Lord of the Rings” is right there also. Whatever those geeks are doing for a living must be making them a whole lot of cash.

Let’s go back to television. What do you think was one of the most popular HBO series? That’s right, it was “Game of Thrones.” My goodness, the geeks are overrunning the nation!

Is it that there is a horde of weird geeks controlling entertainment, or is it that science fiction and fantasy create some very entertaining and enjoyable stories?

Well, what about Dungeons & Dragons, that’s truly weird, right? Well, maybe not. Did you ever see, hear of, or maybe even participate in, improvisational theater? You know where you are given a little part in a scene, and you are supposed to make up the dialog as you go along?

That’s exactly what Dungeons & Dragons is. The player chooses a character. The character is defined by attributes and attitudes. The player plays the character in an epic saga that is created by the game master.

No one believes they are their character. No one loses touch of reality. They just play a game. A game that is more involved than a lot of other games, but it is still a game.

When the session ends everyone goes back to their normal lives. That’s what I said, normal lives. I have played D&D for over 40 years. During that time my kids grew up, I worked till retirement as a software engineer working for the Navy, and I earned a master’s belt in Tang Soo Do. Dungeons and Dragons wasn’t my life. It was a game I played regularly and nothing more.

Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Dungeons & Dragons are enjoyable pass times. Do not discount them because of erroneous stereotypes.