John D. Rateliff (born December 9, 1958[1]) is an Americanindependent scholar offantasy literature and author ofroleplaying games. He specializes in the study of the works ofJ. R. R. Tolkien, particularly hisMiddle-earth writings,[2] and wrote and edited the 2007 bookThe History of the Hobbit.
John D. Rateliff was raised inMagnolia, Arkansas.[3] He moved to Wisconsin in 1981 to study Tolkien's manuscripts atMarquette University.[4] Rateliff is an expert inTolkien studies,[5] and he earned a Ph.D in 20th-century British literature from Marquette.[6][7]
Rateliff has helped organize several major conferences on Tolkien.[8] He contributed essays toTolkien's Legendarium: Essays on The History of Middle-earth (2000) and to a volume marking the fiftieth anniversary of the publication ofThe Lord of the Rings, and editedThe History of The Hobbit, containing drafts of Tolkien'sThe Hobbit with extensive commentary.[8] Having written his dissertation onLord Dunsany, Rateliff likes to describe his degree as "a Ph.D in fantasy."[8]
He worked for the game companiesTSR,Wizards of the Coast, andHasbro, contributing to a large number of products in theDungeons & Dragons line.[9][10] In addition he worked as a freelancer for companies includingDecipher Inc.,Green Ronin,White Wolf,Guardians of Order, andChaosium.[3]
Rateliff was the co-editor of the third editionD&DPlayer's Handbook andDungeon Master's Guide (the originald20 System game rules), and worked on such titles asMark of Amber,Night Below,Return to the Tomb of Horrors, theEberroncore rulebook, andDecipher'sLord of the Rings Roleplaying Game.[8] He is the author of the adventuresThe Standing Stone andReturn to the Keep on the Borderlands, and co-editor of and contributor tod20 Cthulhu.[8]
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