New Book Chronicles History of the Traveller RPG

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First released in 1977, Traveller remains one of the longest running sci-fi RPGs of all time. Now, a new book from current owners Mongoose Publishing offers a detailed retrospective on the history of game.

Entitled This is Free Trader Beowulf (the name of the very first Traveller product ever created), the book looks back at nearly 50 years of publisher turmoil along with the game’s unique themes of planetary exploration, intrigue and action. Below, we take a closer look at this slice of sci-fi RPG history.

What is “This is Free Trader Beowulf” about?

This is the Free Trader Beowulf is a brand new book from Mongoose Publishing that details the history of the Traveller roleplaying game. The title is also the same name as the very first Traveller product, which debuted in July 1977 at the Origins III Game Fair.

The book itself chronicles the rise, fall and rise again of Traveller, from its early days with GDW, to its long history with numerous other publishers (including Imperium Games and QuikLink Interactive), before settling with its current owner Mongoose Publishing. It also includes never before released interviews, along with original artwork and print materials.

Notably, This is the Free Trader Beowulf is written by game designer and TTRPG historian Shannon Appelcline, who is also the author of the popular Designers & Dragons books.

How much is “This is Free Trader Beowful”?

The print version of the book retails for $60 USD (not including shipping, handling and taxes). A PDF version is also available for $30 USD via the Mongoose Publishing website, as well as DriveThruRPG.

Final Thoughts

Traveller remains one of the most iconic TTRPGs of all time and the book sounds like a fascinating deep dive into its complicated publishing history and its evolution into a game that’s still going strong today.

You can order This is Free Trader Beowulf now from Mongoose and DriveThruRPG.