For the last few years, Anokh “Edwin_Budding” Palakurthi has turned his passion for Super Smash Bros. Melee lore towards writing, churning out article after article with stories and factoids about the history of the game. Though the hardworking writer also lent his abilities to organizations such as SSBMRank and Melee Stats, his Smash history writing has remained his central focus throughout his career.

Last week, Edwin announced his most ambitious project yet: a book covering the entirety of Smash history, from the rise of the competitive scene through to the modern era. The sample chapter posted on the author’s website provides a good look into the riveting narratives that will define the work—and having helped edit parts of the manuscript, I can confirm that the rest of the book lives up to this chapter’s promise.

“The Book of Melee” is not the only Melee book on the horizon—with Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman’s recent announcement that he is writing an autobiography, fans of Melee lore will soon have plenty to bury their noses in. These upcoming works will join the growing library of preexisting Smash books, including autobiographical works by former and current top players Chris “Wife” Fabiszak and Masaya “aMSa” Chikamoto.  

Edwin hasn’t yet announced an official release date for his book, but in all likelihood it will be published by the end of the year. For more updates—and more previews of the book—stay tuned to his website at bignokh.com!