Roll to Hit: An Unofficial History of Dungeons and Dragons

"It might be unauthorized, but this book sure is comprehensive. This isn't just a book about a game. The author focuses on the people who created it and expanded it over the decades as well as the people whose contributions have been hidden in the shadows. A richly detailed, exciting, and frequently surprising history." -Booklist

Roll to Hit: An Unofficial History of Dungeons and Dragons is a deep dive into the story behind the world's most popular tabletop roleplaying game. From its humble beginnings in a basement in a house in a small town in Wisconsin, through the Satanic Panic and the boom and bust of the 90s, all the way to a modern resurgence that has seen the game become a true pop-culture phenomenon, the book tells the tale of the people who have shaped D&D through every step of its development. But more than that, it's a story of leaps of imagination, of shocking circumstances and tragedies, of conflicts and comings-together both on the table and off. From HG Wells playing with toy soldiers to multi-million dollar movie deals, from early war simulations to crazy homebrew campaigns, the book explores the history of D&D and asks why, even after all this time, its name remains a shorthand for the tabletop roleplaying experience. As Dungeons & Dragons reaches its fiftieth birthday, and with the game is as popular as it's ever been, regular players, old school gamers and newcomers are going to find something here to excite and entice. After all, without them, without the players, there'd be no Dungeons & Dragons at all.

Author: Harry Slater
Publisher: White Owl
Published: 08/30/2025
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.61h x 6.93w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9781036121051


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 07/01/2025 pg. 18

About the Author
Slater, Harry: - Harry has been a video game and technology journalist for over a decade, writing features, reviews and more for countless magazines and websites. He's a published short story writer, been nominated for a number of awards, has an MA in creative writing and also works as a professional editor. He's played more hours of D&D than most other people have had hot dinners and isn't afraid to admit it.