Today's Read Contributor On July 13, 2025, Critical Role fans will finally be able to read the story that started as an inside joke on the famous Dungeons & Dragons web series and turned into a fully-fledged romantasy novel. Tusk Love, written by Thea Guazon and published by Penguin Random House, will be released as a romantic fantasy novel that brings an iconic Critical Role joke to life. What started as a playful throwaway line during the show’s second campaign, spoken by the character Jester Lavorre, has captured the imagination of fans and will now be enjoyed by readers around the world in a new format.
The Critical Role phenomenon has become much more than just a weekly D&D game streamed on Twitch and YouTube; it’s a multimedia powerhouse that has expanded into comics, novels, and more. Tusk Love represents a delightful extension of the Critical Role universe, specifically its popular fanbase who have long celebrated Jester’s quirkiness and her beloved references to Tusk, a romantic character introduced during the campaign. What was initially a quirky moment has now evolved into a full-blown fantasy romance novel, much to the excitement of the fan community.
The Story Behind Tusk Love
The novel, Tusk Love, takes readers into a world of fantasy and adventure, featuring Guinevere, a young merchant’s daughter with big dreams, and Oskar, a mysterious and brooding warrior. After Guinevere is saved from a bandit attack by Oskar, they form an unlikely bond and are forced to survive the harsh realities of their world together. Despite their differences, their connection grows, leading to a romance that explores the complexities of love, duty, and destiny.
While Tusk Love is set in a different world than the one explored in Critical Role’s Exandria, it encapsulates the spirit of Critical Role storytelling—combining rich world-building, character-driven plots, and plenty of action and heart. Fans of the campaign will immediately recognize the thematic elements and humor that made the joke so beloved, while new readers will find themselves immersed in a unique world full of magic, danger, and unexpected romance.
The Rise of Fan-Driven Literary Success
Critical Role’s leap into publishing began with projects like Kith and Kin, which focused on the relationship between two of the show’s characters, and What Doesn’t Break, a novel exploring the history of Lucien and his connection to the world of Exandria. Tusk Love marks another milestone in the show’s growing literary success. As fan-driven content continues to rise in influence, this novel exemplifies how a simple inside joke can evolve into a fully developed story with global appeal.
The increasing trend of fandom-driven literary works speaks volumes about how fans are shaping not only the entertainment industry but also literary culture. The Critical Role community has always been deeply involved in shaping the stories they love, and Tusk Love is an example of how a show and its audience can transform inside jokes and ideas into tangible creative works. This collaboration between creators and fans will likely set a precedent for more immersive storytelling in the future.
