The Guild: The Official Companion introduction by Felicia Day. Titan Books 2013. 160 pgs (paperback). Humor, entertainment, web TV series.

  The Guild has become an Internet phenomenon, with over 150 million views. Created, written by and starring Felicia Day, it follows the story of a Guild of online gamers who finally meet in real life. Here at last is the official companion to the show that fans have been waiting for, featuring an intro from Felicia, in-depth interviews and scores of photos.

Despite not having watched one episode of The Guild before receiving this book from Titan Publishers, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed reading this companion to the popular web series. This companion guide is written with the words from the actors, producers, and designers of the show, so reading it was like listening to multiple interviews about The Guild, with topics ranging from casting, props, and conventions they’ve attended. Day_TheGuild

There are never-before-seen photographs of sets, props, and costumes, as well as behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and crew. Even though I knew next to nothing about The Guild at the beginning, I became engrossed in the journey of the companion, from Season One through the most current Season Six.

Following from season to season, each actor gives their own take on what it was like being a member of The Guild, both as actors and as characters. From what they’ve included, to me it seemed a very tight-knit group of friends, all acting toward the same goal. Felicia even comments at one point that The Guild became a family and that they would always be one, even after the show is over.

Each character is given equal treatment, with full-page pictures and interviews done about the character, revealing their motivations, their history, and what may be in their future. Each actor also gives a little taste of what it was like being their character, and how much influence they had over their character’s arc. I enjoyed reading about the characters and their relationships to each other.

I will say that what Felicia Day did was no small feat. She took a common misconception about gamers (overweight, introverted males), and actually shed light on the reality of the gaming community. There are gamers of all shapes and sizes, of all nationalities and religions, of all genders. Gamers are not, and have never been, confined to one gender or one personality type. I think Felicia did a fabulous job showing each character as an individual with their own quirks and problems, but also showing the passion they have for their game and their guild.

If you like Felicia Day, Geek and Sundry, or anything web series related, make sure to pick up a copy of The Guild: The Official Companion. After reading this book, I started watching The Guild series and am enjoying Season Two as I’m typing this review. It’s fantastic and I highly recommend it!