Every page of this beautiful looking product is packed full with awesomeness. After reading about four pages I already imagined how I could lure my players to Kaer Maga while I was still sucking up word for word of the wonderfully designed and written content.

I never normally review Paizo items, simply because of bias, however, in this case I wanted to tell people on the boards just how good I think this product is.

I can remember reading the original Vault of the Drow as a lad, and being amazed. I wanted to run adventures in the teeming city and vault, take characters through the souks and alleys of the drow, and do so right away. It was more than just an adventure, it was inspiring, a product whose use would outweigh its price a thousand fold. My battered old vault still sits before me now, to use as inspiration when it's needed.

I got the same thrill from reading City of Strangers.

Make no bones about it, this is Pathfinder grown up. The city is no place for the young to venture into, but for those of us who like our fantasy a little darker, this could be one of the most perfect settings ever. If the vertical, teeming city itself doesn’t take your breath away, the numerous districts, all of which are written in tantalising details – begging for more exploration – will. These could each become sites for numerous adventure paths in their own right.

Couple this would some incredible radical thinking and invention – I for one will never think of trolls the same again – and some great crunchy rules, encounters and suggestions, and you have a product that, like Vault of the Drow, is going to useful for years to come.

My only regret is that I’ve just started a Hot War AP as a change of pace, and now I’m thinking about wrapping that up quickly so I can unleash Kaer Maga on my players.

So, if you’re a fan of dark fantasy, and like your settings a little on the Styes side, check this product out, it is inspirational.

This is a great volume, and a perfect balance of crunch vs. fluff. The city is described in vivid detail, and it makes for a very interesting adventuring area. I'm very, very tempted to take many of the best bits, if not the entire city, and plop it into my homebrew setting.

My only gripe with the book is with some of the art. All of the images a are beautiful and well done, as always, but I noticed a distinct lack of pictures of Kaer Maga itself! The image at the top of Chapter 1 is highly stylized and is pretty obviously not the real city, what with the mountain being made of skulls and the skyline not matching any of James Sutter's great descriptions. Chapter 2's first image is a rather nice view of a Downmarket bazaar, but the city is only in the background.

I really would have liked to see a painting or two of the city either from the outside, with a view of the monolith, or of some of the honycombed buildings that are Kaer Maga's architectural hallmark.

Still, don't let that deter you from buying this book. The city itself is a wonderful location, and I can't wait to use the Bloatmage prestige class against my players!

City of Strangers offers a hodgepodge of seemingly disparate elements, servicing the cliche of the "City of Anarchy", reminding me of 7th Sea's Freiburg and Exalted's Nexus.

Paizo pulls it off with more panache and style than most other offerings, though. The city is kept just on the very brink of believability, and for all its oddness and quirks remains a charming vista (though by no means pleasant place to live.)

Secrets of the city are revealed every other line, though usually the promise made in the opening section holds true - for every curtain pulled back, you are less content with what you know, asking even more questions. The background mysteries just keep coming, but keep tight enough to not overburden the reader.

All in all, an excellent "location book". Not too limiting, but sparking all the right ideas.

Merisiel battling a bloat mage high over Kaer Maga - it's reminiscent of a Die Hard movie (although Merisiel is much better looking than John McClane) and the picture exudes a level of action that just makes you want to play or run in the city of Kaer Maga – a city of outcasts. A city of strangers.

Paizo’s layout is high quality as always and the two column standard layout is easy to read. The sections are clearly defined and the art is once again top notch throughout the book.

The city of Kaer Maga itself has tones of Sanctuary, New Crobuzon, and Sigil, to name a few, but comes together in a cohesive setting that allows a GM’s mind to wander while enticing players to wander the rings that make up the city itself.

The cast of NPC’s, organizations, monsters and magic enforce the darker side setting of the city. A resourceful GM could run adventure upon adventure with this book alone and never want for more.

While standard Pathfinder stats are present this book, along with most in the Chronicles line, could be used with any fantasy rpg making it an excellent buy for any GM looking for a city of magic and mayhem.

I would like to echo the previous reviews - this book is both full of amazing ideas and hooks and yet vague enough to leave space for DM to work his stuff in.

And it's a very important quality, given that Kaer Maga is the perfect sidetrek for the first three APs. In partciular, GMs running CotCT should grab this book ASAP.

After a long string of collaborative work in the Chronicles line, it's great to see a one-man book - it has much more focus and personal imprint.

My only nitpick is - why no poster map ?

Mind you that I have only scratched the surface of this new Chronicle, but it has me fascinated every time I flip a page. James Sutter has really outdone himself. You know how it feels when you watch a fantasy or sci-fi film that teases you with a vivid and intriguing universe? Well City of Strangers feels like nothing is being withheld anymore, like you can take your time and peel the city like an onion on your own terms. There's a lot to absorb, more than a GM will ever be able to introduce his or her players to. Products like this is why Paizo is such a great company. I can't do City of Strangers justice with this review. You need to buy it and find out for yourself.

I highly recommend this book as the backbone of any ongoing homebrew campaign. Kaer Maga is a fascinating city, and Mr. Sutter's description is excellent. He is able to give you just enough detail to grab your imagination, but not so much as to become burdensome. I can't wait to start running my players through a Kaer Maga campaign!