Inspired by the Appendix N from the AD&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, Appendix C is an ongoing series of short posts recommending works that have been influential for me as a writer and Dungeon Master.
Dinotopia is a multimedia franchise created by paleoartist James Gurney. The franchise includes multiple series of books, a miniseries, a TV series, an animated movie, and multiple video games. The franchise focuses on the hidden island of Dinotopia where humans live alongside sapient dinosaurs.
I had the first two books before I could read and was absolutely fascinated with the pictures. Gurney’s world was beautiful and exemplified good worldbuilding. The dinosaurs weren’t just stage dressing. From fire brigades to bagel sellers, dinosaurs were a visible, impactful part of life in Dinotopia.
My love of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures began with Dinotopia, as did my fascination with building other worlds. I am still fascinated by the art from this series, and my secret ambition is to create a TTRPG product with illustrations by Gurney.
Prior to creating Dinotopia, Gurney did quite a bit of work for National Geographic. In 2014, the dinosaur Torvosaurus gurneyi was named after him. Gurney is also an avid blogger.
chasetriesagain.com 