Book Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond

Dungeons & Dragons: Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond
Hardcover | Kindle
By Adam Lee
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Release Date: October 29, 2024

Good day, friends. I want to preface this review with the knowledge that I spent multiple hours writing what should have been my longest review ever, only to inadvertently lose the entire thing in the saving process. I will freely admit my editor warned me to write outside of the primary posting software, a warning that I nonetheless ignored and for which I thereby paid the highest price. So, I will do my best to replicate the review, though I admit the passion I had for this particular assignment has waned. Not because of the book itself. Dungeons & Dragons: Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond is a spectacular tome of information that dragged me kicking and screaming down memory lane. So, with that said, let me begin yet again.

Taking this from the vantage point of Mordenkainen, one of my favorite characters from any of the settings, was a stroke of genius. He humanizes the experience for all readers, interjecting humor and terror at regular intervals. Therefore, this reads less as a trite guidebook that you would get from a travel agency and more as an adventure from the perspective of a wizard with the powers of a lesser deity. From this 361-page behemoth, we will touch on the Prime Material plane, the Inner and Parallel Planes, as well as planes that exist beyond the norm, this includes outer home world planes and subplanes.

We start off, as is to be expected, in Mordenkainen’s home world of Oerth, the setting for the World of Greyhawk. This was one of my first as a new player and possibly the one I reminisce about most. It was my first box set setting and I was probably thirteen when I bought it. Books, maps, characters, and more made it a perfect way for me to start wanting to run my own campaigns. This section of Worlds & Realms dives even deeper into the background and lore of the place that spawned so many spectacular adventures. I mean, the mention of Vecna or Acererak to most older gamers will cause eyes to glaze a bit as we remember the modules that shaped our early years. This was the perfect place to begin this book, as it embodies everything that made D&D so special.

We are next presented with Mystara, or as I like to refer to it, the Basic setting. Again we get a synopsis of the creation of this world and how it fits into the Dungeons & Dragons franchise. I was a bit underwhelmed by this section, to be honest. It was never a well fleshed-out setting from my recollection. It was more of the default world, so to speak. I enjoyed playing the game during those times, but the background never made an impact. The one saving grace was the Hollow World, but I never got to experience that from a gameplay view, so even that is just something cool I read about. But for many, this may be what inspired them, I could not even begin to speak to that. But information is here for you to make your own decisions.

Next up is the world of Krynn, otherwise known as Dragonlance. The original Chronicles were the books that got me hooked on fantasy reading, but the old modules and subsequent setting update have really breathed new life into a setting that had so much potential that felt untapped in the 1980s, but has recently become my flavor of the week, if you will. The War of the Lance and the Companions are baked into my psyche and I am constantly comparing new characters to that first group, for better or worse. Dive in here, especially if you are unfamiliar, and you will find it to be rich in lore and with so many amazing personas. Freaking Lord Soth, for instance, is absolutely my go-to for lawful evil reference. My heart was happy to see this in here.

We journey next to Faerûn, located in the world of Toril and the primary landmass of the Forgotten Realms setting. Probably the best known of all, this one has had decades to grow and mature as hundreds of books, references, modules, stories, and characters emerged to become this amazing place we can all love. Icewind Dale, Waterdeep, Thay, the Sword Coast, Moonsea, Baldur’s Gate, the list is nearly endless. Of them all, this is closest to our hearts with few exceptions. I know of no one who is not a fan of Drizzt Do’Urden and the Companions of the Hall. I could gush endlessly about this world, but I will let you read it yourself. Whether you are a long-time fan or a first-time player, this world will enrich your love of the game.

Last up on the Material plane is Eberron. I will freely confess, I have little game time in this setting, mostly because it was seriously pigeon-holed from the start as a post-apocalyptic world. Many of my DMs found it constricting and I could not in good faith argue with them. I know there are diehard fans of the setting, but I never was able to embrace it like many have. This section was informative, far more so than I would have thought as I read deeper, I was more intrigued. So perhaps, one day soon, I may have to see if there is a local game going on with this as the backdrop. Regardless, I did enjoy reading this section and it piqued my interest again; so there is always a chance for redemption, I suppose.

The Inner and Parallel Planes are covered nicely here, though many adventures only touch on the outskirts of most of these. For world-building purposes, this will be exceptionally handy for those DMs who enjoy the lore and legend parts of a campaign or setting. We get an overview of the Elemental planes, the Astral plane, and the Ethereal plane. An added bonus here is the page on Githyanki, one of my favorite races in the entire franchise. I would have liked a little on the Githzerai, as well, but for travel purposes, I can see where that does not apply. I can still be wishful, though.

We next get a decent treatise on the Feywild, not something I was well versed in prior to this. In a game about magic and mythical beasts, this would be the apex. Everything that you associate with the faerie worlds is here, an all-encompassing and overlapping plane of existence that impacts all of the material planes in one way or another. I feel the section on the Seelie and Unseelie courts is too small: think Summer and Winter instead of Good and Evil. I see a mention of Titania, but maybe I missed any word on Mab. Then again, maybe they were afraid to call her.

Next up is another of my favorites, Shadowfell. You might know the word Ravenloft better, however. This plane is the home of the truly dangerous vampire lord, Strahd. Think of every gothic horror film or book you have consumed and it pales in comparison to this setting. So much fear and danger exists here that even our guide fell prey to the evil here and barely escapes with his sanity. So, if you venture here, trust no one and nothing. Illusions are real in a world built entirely on nightmares.

Part three is Beyond the Material plane and covers a wide array of things like fan favorite, Spelljammer. Taking ships from the sea and exploring space and time. Next, we are shown the Nine Hells is, well, hellish. And if that was bad, we next visit the Abyss. And where we saw torment in the previous section, this one deals more closely with insanity and driving souls into madness. It is chaos incarnate. Our final stop in the Beyond is Sigil and the Outlands. Chaos is closely bound with Law to create a dimension that overlays all and exists everywhere and nowhere, all at once. I enjoyed this section overall because it allows for gameplay to be refocused, it only takes one visit to one of these confusing areas for players to want to get back to the regular campaign. Unless you are one of those DMs who likes to send the party to its doom, that is.

The final chapter is about the Outer Planes, as if anything could actually explain them. They are wildly uncharted and difficult to define as they are elusive and few who journey out there return. And those who do are usually missing a huge piece of their sanity. If you want details, befriend a Mind Flayer if you like, but illithids are notoriously unfriendly.

Overall, this is a fun romp through the settings we have known and loved. Some sections seem to be far larger than others but then, some have seen more use than their counterparts. I would recommend this to any aging gamer or dungeon master, but also to anyone that appreciates the history of the game. It resonates with me on a myriad of levels and the wide range of worlds shows how versatile the game can be. So use this as inspiration in your games to come. But in all things, have fun and enjoy!

Worlds & Realms is an illustrated, story-driven retrospective celebrating the immersive worldbuilding of D&D since the iconic game’s inception in 1974. Legendary mage Mordenkainen takes adventurers on a fantastical journey through the multiverse, delving into memorable and fascinating lore and locations across all five editions of the game.

With Mordenkainen’s guidance, readers will revisit worlds that have come to define D&D over the decades, from the familiar realms of the Material Plane to lands beyond the Astral Sea. Mordenkainen’s philosophical musings provide a mage’s-eye view of the worlds’ unique features, creatures, and characters, captivating readers’ imaginations as they learn more about the history and mysteries of the multiverse. Additionally, readers will join adventuring parties with inhabitants of each realm through exclusive short stories by award-winning contributors Jaleigh Johnson, Jody Houser and Eric Campbell, Jasmine Bhullar, and Geoffrey Golden.

Full of exciting and enchanting artwork showing fifty years of gameplay evolution from vintage D&D through the present, with original cover and chapter-opener illustrations, Worlds & Realms is a spellbinding tour of the strange and wonderful worlds of the multiverse, appealing to both new and long-standing fans alike.