This is an exciting and much anticipated release. The rules and content have been discussed and described elsewhere and I have few quibbles with what has come before. I found the setting to be intriguing and well thought out abet a bit derivative; which I think was, at least partially, intended by the author. However, I have two, major issues with the book.
The text: The text appears, throughout, to be essentially the author’s research notes dumped straight into the book. The text is repetitive, redundant, and, in places, contradictory. In some instances it appears as if the original research notes and the first rewrite of the sentence or paragraph were both included; either immediately adjacent or later in the same description.
This makes the content of the book painful and confusing to read and brings me to my second issue, the editing: There does not appear to have been any editing…
Reading the discussions there was clearly some but if the author or the publisher actually paid anyone to edit this tome they need to take them to small claims court and recover their money. The author and publisher need to find whatever money they can and hire an editor for the future printings of this text. Freshperson English majors should be available and affordable…
To summarize: This is an intriguing concept and an exciting and interesting setting that is brutally hamstrung by the writing and editing. I grade freshperson and sophomore essays for my classes and this tome sparked painful flashbacks and made me want to bang my head against the wall every couple of pages.
I look forward to a well edited second printing that will do justice to the excellent setting that has been presented here.
Godu
