There’s a lot going on in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons this year. In celebration of their 40th anniversary, there are multiple projects releasing in the coming months, not the least of which is The Sundering. It’s an apocalyptic event that’s reshaping the Forgotten Realms and it’s being kicked off with a 6-book series.

The series features six of the finest authors writing today and it just so happens that I got the chance to interview Richard Lee Byers, the man who penned The Reaver, fourth book in The Sundering. We talked about a variety of D&D-related topics and I even got to ask him a couple of questions about his interests and influences. Read the interview here below for more about this remarkable author and his works.

You read that correctly, it’s been four decades since Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson created what is arguably the greatest of all role-playing games, Dungeons & Dragons. Originally produced by TSR (Tactical Studies Rules, Inc.), the franchise was acquired by Wizards of the Coast in 1997. Both companies produced a wide variety of materials to supplement the game system, including pre-made modules, novels, trading card games, and much, much more. There are many different editions and the standard rules have changed much over the years, but throughout it all there is one common theme: fun. Because seriously, if it wasn’t fun, then why would we still be playing it 40 years later?

Wizards of the Coast initiated a reshaping of the Forgotten Realms this past August with a multi-part event they dubbed “The Sundering.” Taking place over the course of six books penned by different scribes, weekly D&D Encounters events, and even mobile gaming for your smartphone or tablet, this storyline will span a full year and cause extensive upheaval in the realms as we know them.

I was fortunate enough to be granted the opportunity to ask a few questions of one of the pivotal authors involved in this undertaking. It pleases me to no end to introduce you to Erin M. Evans, author of many Forgotten Realms books including Book 3 in “The Sundering,” titledThe Adversary.

Without further ado, here we go!

While video games, Blu-rays, and toys are common gifts to give for the holiday season, nothing brings joy like giving and receiving a good book. This year, there were lots of interesting and enjoyable novels and novelty books from the Star Wars, Star Trek, Game Of Thrones, Doctor Who, and Marvel universes, as well as fun selections for the geek in your life (like a geek’s guide to dating, for instance).

Check out here below our Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2013 for Books and eBooks for our favorite holiday gift picks for this year.

The Legend Of Drizzt
Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter Tales
Written by R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore
Art by Agustin Padilla
Colors by Leonard O’Grady
Letters by Chris Mowry and John Barber
Cover by Gonzalo Flores
IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Cover Price: $19.99

I love graphic novels. Don’t get me wrong, I was brought up on monthly comics. It’s just that as I’ve gotten older I have a deeper appreciation for contained stories. Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter Tales: The Legend Of Drizzt is a prime example. Having missed the first issue, I was originally a wee bit behind. Thanks to this wonderful book, that is no longer the case!

Written by R.A. Salvatore and son Geno Salvatore, this story takes place during the Neverwinter Saga of books. But the tale itself is all inclusive and doesn’t tie directly in with those novels, so you can enjoy one without having read the other. The really interesting thing about this particular one is that it centers around a lesser-known character from the books, Thibbledorf Pwent. As leader of the Gutbuster Brigade of Battleragers, Pwent was always at the forefront of any battle, charging ahead with no regard to his own mortality. This time around, though, things are quite different. No spoilers from me, but everyone thought he had died defending his king. Lost for so long, Pwent’s plight is a dark and lonely one that is fully explained here.