One Cool Thing: Curtis Jobling

As part of this year's September Shorts I've asked writer friends to contribute posts inspired by the title One Cool Thing. They'll be telling you about one cool thing they're looking forward to as Autumn approaches. It might be a book or movie, a tabletop or computer game, an event or visit to a special place, a chance to achieve something... or perhaps even an exciting new project.
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Today is the turn of the multi-talented Curtis Jobling, writer of the Wereworld novels as the Max Helsing series, as well as his extensive work on TV and film. What a guy! You can check out his website here.

​Curtis Jobling: Root

It's no secret I'm a bit of a tabletop boardgame obsessive, and lockdown provided my family with plenty of opportunities to play old favourites and new alike.

I've had ROOT on order since the beginning of the year, but believe it's been stuck in production limbo. Thankfully, it finally arrived this week, and we get to crack open the box as the dark nights set in.
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It seems the perfect game for us to play this Autumn, set as it is in a woodland with its shifting seasons and factions competing with one another. It's for two to four players, and although the manufacturers suggest it's ages 10 and up, players have said 14 is a more reasonable age to get one's head around the rules. You take on the role of one of four groups, battling for dominion over the forest - the Maquise, the Eyrie, the Alliance and the Vagabonds - with game characters including cats, hawks, foxes, rabbits, lizards, raccoons and the like.
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So put that boring old Monopoly set away, and check out something new. It really is something of a golden age for tabletop boardgames...