All Topics  
T. H. Lain

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

T. H. Lain



 
 
T. H. Lain was a collective pseudonym
Pseudonym

A pseudonym, , is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name. In some cases, pseudonyms are adopted because it is part of a cultural or organizational tradition, as in the case of Religious names used by members of some religious orders and "cadre names" used by Communist party leaders such as Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin....
 used by nine separate authors writing under Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is an United States publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by pur...
's Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by TSR, Inc....
 novels imprint.

According to Peter Archer, WotC's Director of Publishing, the decision to credit the Dungeons & Dragons novels to just one author was made to ensure they would be shelved together, as well as to spark a certain measure of curiosity and speculation as to T.H. Lain's identity.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'T. H. Lain'
Start a new discussion about 'T. H. Lain'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


T. H. Lain was a collective pseudonym
Pseudonym

A pseudonym, , is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name. In some cases, pseudonyms are adopted because it is part of a cultural or organizational tradition, as in the case of Religious names used by members of some religious orders and "cadre names" used by Communist party leaders such as Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin....
 used by nine separate authors writing under Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is an United States publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by pur...
's Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by TSR, Inc....
 novels imprint.

According to Peter Archer, WotC's Director of Publishing, the decision to credit the Dungeons & Dragons novels to just one author was made to ensure they would be shelved together, as well as to spark a certain measure of curiosity and speculation as to T.H. Lain's identity. However, it was already obvious to many from the stylistic differences between volumes that Lain's output was the work of many authors rather than one. In December 2003, WotC formally announced the eight authors whose work was published under the T.H. Lain name:

Authors

  • Philip Athans
    Philip Athans

    Philip Athans was raised in Chicago. He graduated from film school in 1985 and started small circulation literary magazine called Alternative Fiction & Poetry....
    , Managing Editor for Wizards of the Coast
    Wizards of the Coast

    Wizards of the Coast is an United States publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by pur...
     Book Publishing and editor of the Forgotten Realms
    Forgotten Realms

    The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, created by game designer Ed Greenwood, around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories....
     novel line.
  • Cory Herndon, a freelance writer and one-time editor of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game
    Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Wizards of the Coast)

    The Star Wars Roleplaying Game is a d20 System-based roleplaying game set in the Star Wars universe. The game was written by Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins and JD Wiker and published by Wizards of the Coast in late 2000 and revised in 2002....
    .
  • Bruce R. Cordell, an RPG designer with TSR, Inc.
    TSR, Inc.

    TSR, Inc. was an United States game publishing company most famous for publishing the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The company was purchased in 1997 by Wizards of the Coast, which no longer uses the TSR name for its products....
     and Wizards of the Coast
    Wizards of the Coast

    Wizards of the Coast is an United States publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by pur...
    .
  • Ed Stark, Design Manager and Creative Director for the Dungeons & Dragons
    Dungeons & Dragons

    Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by TSR, Inc....
     line.
  • Johnny L. Wilson, writer for Computer Gaming World and co-author of High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Games.
  • Nate Levine, a freelance writer.
  • Murray J.D. Leeder, a freelance writer.
  • Dave Gross, Editor-in-Chief for Star Wars Gamer and Star Wars Insider.
  • Jess Lebow, an editor in the Wizards of the Coast
    Wizards of the Coast

    Wizards of the Coast is an United States publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company popularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by pur...
     Book Publishing department.


In addition, Steve Winter acted as line editor, starting with The Living Dead.

Books

Ten books were published under the T.H. Lain pseudonym between July 2002 and December 2003, collectively following the exploits of the iconic characters of Dungeons & Dragons. The Savage Caves was the first in the series of novels featuring the iconic heroes of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The books in the series included:

  • The Savage Caves — Philip Athans
  • The Living Dead — Cory Herndon
  • Oath of Nerull — Bruce Cordell
  • City of Fire — Ed Stark
  • The Bloody Eye — Johnny L. Wilson
  • Treachery's Wake — Nate Levine
  • Plague of Ice — Murray J.D. Leeder
  • The Sundered Arms — Dave Gross
  • Return of the Damned — Jess Lebow
  • The Death Ray — Philip Athans


External links