Readers may recall my previous post on Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms by Ethan Gilsdorf (The Lyons Press, 2009). This volume unfolds the personal quest of Gilsdorf as a teenage Dungeons and Dragons player and his later adult quest to understand the place of fantasy in his life. Reviewers have found the book intriguing:

“Gandalf’s got nothing on Ethan Gilsdorf, except for maybe the monster white beard. In his new book, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, Gilsdorf…offers an epic quest for reality within a realm of magic.” – Boston Globe

“Imagine this: Lord of the Rings meets Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.” – National Public Radio’s Around and About

“What does it mean to be a geek?…Freaks and Gaming Geeks tackles that question with strength and dexterity…part personal odyssey, part medieval mid-life crisis, and part wide-ranging survey of all things freaky and geeky. …playful. …funny and poignant. …It’s a fun ride and it poses a question that goes to the very heart of fantasy, namely: What does the urge to become someone else tell us about ourselves?” – Huffington Post

“Quite potent…heartbreaking…emotionally affecting …” – Washington Monthly

“Master geek theater.” – The Times of Trenton

Gilsdorf and his publisher have made a copy of the book available as a promotional item for TheoFantastique. Those interested in being part of the raffle for the volume can submit their name and address to johnm@theofantastique.com for a drawing on May 31. The winner will be notified via email.

Revision: Since the original posting of this announcement author Ethan Gilsdorf has offered to make a personally inscribed and autographed copy available to the winner.