ROMANCE

Blood Plagues and Endless Raids: A Hundred Million Lives in the World of Warcraft

by Anthony R. Palumbi
Chicago Review. Apr. 2017. 304p. index. ISBN 9781613736845. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781613736876. HOBBIES
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Palumbi (The Extreme Life of the Sea) takes us on a journey through the unique world that World of Warcraft gamers have inhabited in the 12-plus years since the popular role-playing games (RPGs) debuted in 2004. Relying heavily on personal stories, anecdotes, and tales of love and spoils won and lost, Palumbi writes a thorough and often irreverent tour of the complex world he has come to love. While the work is detailed and original both in concept and execution, nonconverts may find themselves lost despite the admirable effort of the author. Written in a conversational style, Palumbi's journey is compelling enough to keep readers engaged, as long as the jargon doesn't prove too confusing. Owing to the personal nature of the game itself, those seeking a broader sociocultural examination of World of Warcraft and other RPGs should look elsewhere.
VERDICT Readers previously familiar with Warcraft or similar games are likely to be pleased by this colorful jaunt into one fan's experience in the broader game community, but this work will struggle to find an audience among those who enjoy technology-driven popular sociological works.
Reviewed by Ben Neal, Blackwater Regional Lib., VA , Mar 03, 2017
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