#garrickrecs

Do you consider yourself a nerd? Are you a Dungeons & Dragons player or dungeon master? Or are you perhaps a fan of the lore or fantasy stories? Maybe you're just a fan of Stranger Things and you're generally curious about the game.

Well, if you've answered 'Yes' to any of those, then this selection of books just might catch your fancy.

Some you might be familiar with; others might be something completely unexpected. Read them to inspire your DnD campaign, or maybe just entertain yourself!

Not sure what to pick? Well, why not decide with the roll of an 8-sided die? Happy reading!

(All of these are of course available at your library, assuming your library is LCPL. Yes, even the official manuals!)

1. Endless Quest: Into the Jungle by @mattforbeck

Get ready! As a Dwarf-cleric, you've been given a task to rescue an adventurer who holds a very important artifact. Can you survive the jungles of Chult? Trust me: in this land, everything's a danger to you, and even victory might not feel so sweet, either. I love choosing my path in these stories, but these ones feel heavy. Good luck! *Only available in audiobook format.

2. ORCS! (Vol. 1) by Christine Larsen

A fun, somewhat juvenile, little trade paperback (without the paper if you get the Hoopla version) featuring a family of orcs banished because of a squirrel-related incident following a frustrating adventure. They'll cross paths with monsters and humanoid races common in fantasy adventures, while winding up on new adventure tying in with another ongoing story.

3. Goblin Quest by @jimhines

Now this is a fun alternative to the classic D&D-esque tropes we're all familiar with. Here we've got a klutzy, near-sighted goblin named Jig who's essentially the runt of his community... a community of cannon-fodder for adventurers! Naturally, you'd think he'd be dead when living with these bullies (especially after crossing paths with a team of adventurers). Instead, he's now their “guide” on a mission that's all too likely to get him killed.

4. The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint McElroy & @careydraws

If you want some laughs, good art, a surprisingly well-thought-out story, and a even a little bit of seriousness, this might be the book for you. You've got a human warrior, a dwarf cleric, and an elf wizard being guided by the dungeon master on an adventure based on a particularly popular podcast. Too bad this trio is so incompetent! Think they can manage some basic “gerblins” before things get really challenging? See for yourself.

(Editor's note: More titles under the cut to save your dash, you're welcome)

It might not be Halloween season* but it sure is damp out there! But warm or hot, it's never not the time for some enjoyable tales of horror. While Dracula and Frankenstein might be classics, why not try cracking open something more nontraditional or unexpected?

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

You might (or might not) be familiar with the movie, but did you know it started as a novel? Fictional horror elements are weaved well into the historical moments surrounding the life of President Lincoln that this book touches upon as the man has encounters with vampires hidden among the American community, even encountering a greater conspiracy that could make this nation everything it stands against. The pacing isn't too slow, and the world is immersive.

Star Wars: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber

“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” a Sith Lord, who runs an academy for training new recruits, accidentally unleashes a plague on the planet in his attempts to gain immortality. The result: a horde of Sith zombies!

This was something rather unexpected when I came across it. A Star Wars horror story? Fans of the series, new and old, get a look at the lengths the Jedi's long-time enemy, the Sith, will go to in order to cement their power, no matter the risks.

Five Nights At Freddy's Fazbear Frights #1: Into the Pit by Scott Cawthon and Elley Cooper

The beginning of a series of books based on the popular indie horror series, this is a collection of three frightening vignettes (plus the start of an ongoing story featured across the rest of the series' collection) in an alternate universe from the games. New readers will be disturbed; fans of Five Nights at Freddy's will recognize familiar characters (or allusions to characters, too, possibly). If you're looking for a quick but scary tale, this might be just for you!

Batman: Vampire by Doug Moench

What happens in an alternate universe where Dracula invades Gotham City? A dark story where a Dark Knight becomes even darker. Indeed, to take on this new foe and his growing list of children, Batman himself may have to become his worst foe in order to even the odds (even with help). But then… what happens next? How long can a vampire keep the dark urges in check (especially when he's out fighting crime)? Highly recommended for fans of an older style of comic book art, horror enthusiasts, or just people who love Batman.

See more of Garrick's recs

Do you consider yourself daring? Smart? Curious? Are you intrigued by the idea of choices or branching paths? Are you a reader who's read something and said to yourself, “He did that?! Come on! I'd so have done this instead, and it would've worked out so much better!”?

Well, then, these books and others like them might just be the kind for you. You, the reader, are the main character (or sometimes control the main character) in the story. When there's a choice to make, it's up to you to decide and find out where it leads... GOOD OR BAD!

So, what are you waiting for? Check one of these out from your local library and start your interactive adventure today!

Give Yourself Goosebumps: Trapped In Batwing Hall by R.L. Stine

You're the new kid in town and you've just joined a club of horror-enthusiasts who are meeting in an abandoned mansion for a scavenger hunt. Choose your team, and face unexpected horrors in this adventure.

As someone who enjoys high-stake monster-related stories, this was a personal favorite of mine from this series!

Choose Your Own Adventure: Through the Black Hole by Edward Packard

An opportunity of cosmic proportions has presented itself and you, a trained astronaut, are selected to investigate. A black hole is suddenly reachable, and it just might be the key to untold discoveries. Will you brave the journey through it, or will you be the one to offer support from the other ship? Be ready: nobody's done this before, and anything can go wrong in space.

While the space theme caught my interest and seemed comprehensible as a kid, the fact is that you're in front of a black hole! One misstep is all it takes for everything to go wrong (even when you think it may be the smart move). Naturally, the tension gets high, making for an exciting story.

Endless Quest: Escape the Underdark by @mattforbeck

You, a heroic fighter, have been taken prisoner to be sold as a slave in the mysterious, dangerous territory of the Underdark. It's up to you to figure out a means of escaping this pit of horror. But be warned: the prison is just one of many dangers out there, and not even the prison may be safe in the end. How you make your way out is up to you... if you last long enough, of course.

As a recent fan of Dungeons and Dragons, I just had to read this series. And this was most certainly one of its best.

Dipper and Mabel and the Curse of the Time Pirates' Treasure by Jeffrey Rowe

Iconic, mystery-solving adventurer twins Dipper and Mabel cross paths with an old time-traveling companion who needs their help to find a mysterious treasure lost in time and space. You, the reader, are the trio's guide as they traverse specific time periods, making the tough calls as they face dangers of those eras, strange-lookalikes, and potential time-paradoxes. Will you find treasure, or is perhaps the real treasure the adventure itself? (Probably the former...)

As a fan of Gravity Falls, time travel and alternative timeline stories, and scenarios with multiple outcomes, I just couldn't not read this. Definitely worth it!