Brendan Burns 
Darkstar: The Java Game Server [PDF ebook] 

So, you have a great idea for the next big multiplayer game. Maybe it’s a virtual world based on your favorite sci-fi television show. Or maybe it’s an online bowling league for you and your friends. Regardless, the challenge of building a networked multiplayer computer game goes far beyond having a great idea. It can be so significant that it prevents great games from becoming reality.Darkstar breaks down this barrier of complexity. It provides an easy-to-use library of functions that handles the challenging aspects of networked game development for you. Further, it provides a robust, industrial-strength server that can scale with your game as it grows in popularity. With Darkstar, you can quickly turn your idea for a multiplayer game into a (virtual) reality.