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Ed GreenwoodCanadian science fiction writer
Country:
 Canada |
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Biography of Ed Greenwood
Ed Greenwood, a Canadian science fiction writer and one of the creators of the popular gaming setting Forgotten Realms, was born in 1959 in Toronto. He grew up in New York and Ontario, and studied at Ryerson Polytechnic University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree with a specialization in journalism. He currently resides in an old farmhouse near Cobourg in the province of Ontario.
Writer, Editor, and Game Developer
Greenwood has amassed a large collection of books, with approximately 40,000 editions. Throughout his career, he has worked as a librarian, journalist, editor, and game developer. In 1984, he received the title of the best player in the open AD&D tournament at GenCon. His game designs have won several awards, and in 1992, he was inducted into the Gamer's Choice Hall of Fame. He is well-known in the role-playing community and has been a guest of honor at various conventions from Stockholm to Melbourne, often appearing in the costume of his character Elminster.
Greenwood began writing about the world of Forgotten Realms in 1967-1968. With the release of "Dungeons & Dragons," he first adapted the Forgotten Realms world into a gaming format in 1975. The first publication about the "Realms" in a gaming context was an article in the 30th issue of Dragon Magazine. In 1986, Greenwood sold his campaign setting to TSR, which marked the beginning of the successful gaming project Forgotten Realms.
He has worked on almost all of TSR's projects and has contributed to numerous computer role-playing games, including "Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor" and the "Baldur's Gate" series. Greenwood is the author of several novels and numerous short stories set in the world of Forgotten Realms, often co-writing with other authors. One of his most famous creations is Elminster, a powerful wizard who appears in both the books and games of Forgotten Realms. His first hardcover novel, "Elminster: The Making of a Mage," was released on December 26, 1994, and all 75,000 copies were sold out before the New Year.
A Passion for Fantasy
Greenwood's love for fantasy literature began at a young age. He avidly read books by J.R.R. Tolkien, William Morris, Fritz Leiber, Lord Dunsany, and others. Inspired by Leiber's habit of writing standalone stories that all took place in the same world, Greenwood decided to do the same with his (terrible) fantasy stories. He started creating stories set in Forgotten Realms, focusing mainly on Mirt, a fat rascal reminiscent of Falstaff, who was his own "pathetic Conan, old and wheezing." Greenwood's passion for the world of Forgotten Realms grew alongside his involvement in AD&D games and his contributions to Dragon Magazine.
Ed Greenwood's impact on the gaming industry and fantasy literature is undeniable. Through his creativity and dedication, he has brought to life a world that has captivated millions of people around the globe.
