A richly illustrated, encyclopedic deep dive into the history of roleplaying games. When Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, they created the first roleplaying game of all time. Little did they know that their humble box set of three small digest-sized booklets would spawn an entire industry practically overnight. In Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, Stu Horvath explores how the hobby of roleplaying games, commonly known as RPGs, blossomed out of an unlikely pop culture phenomenon and became a dominant gaming form by the 2010s. Going far beyond D&D, this heavily illustrated tome covers more than three hundred different RPGs that have been published in the last five decades. Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground features (among other things) bunnies, ghostbusters, soap operas, criminal bears, space monsters, political intrigue, vampires, romance, and, of course, some dungeons and dragons. In a decade-by-decade breakdown, Horvath chronicles how RPGs have evolved in the time between their inception and the present day, offering a deep and gratifying glimpse into a hobby that has changed the way we think about games and play. The deluxe edition will include a foil-stamped cover and slipcase with a cloth binding, a ribbon, gilded edges, and an 8.5x11-inch card stock poster of the regular edition.

The iPhone, Apple's iconic device, continues to set the pace in smart phone technology with the launch of the iPhone 5. DK's slick, full-colour Rough Guide to the iPhone unlocks the myriad of secrets of this extraordinary gadget from synchronizing for the first time and customizing your home screen, to sending SMS messages to multiple recipients. It keeps your finger on the pulse with up-to-the-minute information on all the coolest apps available to download from the iTunes App Store and news of what's hot in the world of iPhone accessories and all the new features including iCloud, Newsstand, and Notification centre.

Features include: - 16 additional pages. - Spiral binding that allows the book to lay flat when open. - Individual maps of all 50 states. - Major roadways in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. - Easy-to-use on-page indexes of cities and towns. - A "Great Destinations" city section - expanded to include 5 new cities -- featuring city maps, shopping, attractions. and visitor information. - A new section providing Canadian and Mexican border crossing information. - Express Access Codes on all maps for additional information at randmcnally.com. - A list of toll-free numbers and websites for major national hotel and car rental chains. - Editorial features found in our classic Road Atlas, including "Best of the Road," free attractions around the United States, 60 "hidden gems" just off the interstates, tourism information contacts, the mileage chart, and more.