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It's not bad, not terrible. Finished Godsrain a few hours ago and felt the need to write a brief review. While I have never had high expectations for RPG novels, I usually enjoy them or at least find them interesting. That’s not to say I didn’t with the story here, but I did struggle a bit.

The book has nuggets of excellent writing scattered throughout but suffers from the typical problems of RPG novels. By the story's end, the anticipated “Behold Mortals and Tremble for Doom is at Hand!” moment feels more ordinary and pedestrian than epic or awe inspiring. In short, the gods we know are shown to be essentially just empowered characters defeating an enormous monster without any absolute terror or horror behind the Great Devourer or its capture. It's all rather mechanistic.

I'll give it three stars for effort, cool lore dumps, and the thrill of seeing Mythic Ezren in action. However, the iconic characters are another issue.

Maybe I've been spoiled by the voice actors from the Pathfinder Legends audio dramas, but at times, they come across as shallow here, except for Merisiel and Ezren. Amiri's portrayal is out of place, and Kyra remains one dimensional throughout. Maybe we were meant to feel the way Merisiel felt? Perhaps. However, I did enjoy the brief moments between Meri and Kyra. Would for sure buy a much more grounded story about them.

And then there are the two Mythic Icons. The brief, offscreen defeat description was a letdown. I'd rather they hadn't appeared at all if it meant offering a proper, respectful take on their trials. Instead, they're relegated to side roles supporting the Big Four.

Anyway, if you're a Pathfinder fan and want more War of Immortals lore, give it a read.

Man o man it's been almost 10 years since I wrote a review! Hmm well, maybe not so much a review but commentary on what I enjoyed about the book! Now, onto the review!

Highhelm is a detailed guidebook that takes you on a journey through the city of Highhelm. This compilation of Dwarf information from 1e is a testament to the Lost Omens dev team!

The book is divided into three main sections: an introduction, a gazetteer, and options. The introduction provides an overview of Highhelm, delving into its history, government, law, crime, trade, industry, culture, customs, and notable figures. It paints a vivid picture of the city, allowing readers to immerse themselves in its rich tapestry.

The gazetteer section is a comprehensive guide to the city's various districts, including King's Crown, King's Heart, Stonebreach, The Depths, and the region of the Five Kings plus extras. It offers a detailed exploration of each area, providing Gms and players alike with a wealth of information to fuel their games.

The book's strength lies in its attention to detail and the depth of its content. It is beautifully illustrated, enhancing the reader's experience and bringing the city of Highhelm to life. The book also includes helpful options for characters interacting with various parts of the city, adding a practical dimension to its narrative richness.

In conclusion, Highhelm is a must-have for any Pathfinder enthusiast. It offers a deep dive into one of the game's most fascinating cities, providing both a rich backdrop for storytelling and practical tools for gameplay. Its high-quality design and comprehensive content make it a valuable addition to any RPG library.

Overall, I was happy with this book, and quibbles aside, such as Droskar's information being left out, it's an exploration worth embarking on!

EDIT: Almost forgot the map! That brings it up to 5 out 5!

I have been waiting for a longtime for a Numeria book. When I got this, I started looking at it immediately. Maybe I overhyped myself because when I finally started reading the book, I was a little disappointed by it. Perhaps the Linnorm Kings, Distant Worlds and Worldwound guides setup my expectations because that was the same quality of content I wanted to find in Numeria. I wanted Thundarr the Barbarian mashed up with Conan and Golarion. I don’t feel like that is what I got. Maybe I haven’t read far enough into the book, but I found the information on Starfall, the Technic League and other places a bit bland. This could be because the stuff I am looking for will be in the Technology Guide.

Another issue I had with the book was the lack of Starfall information. As a Campaign setting sourcebook, I expect that kind of information to be in the book. I mean why the change from Rule of Fear, Linnorm Kings, Osirion, Irrisen, etc. I guess it was due to that info being in the Iron Gods AP. If so that irks me as I now have to buy two books (three if you count the Technology Guide) to get all the campaign information that should have been in this book.

Last was the bestiary. While as a GM I appreciate the addition of NPC’s, I really was looking for something more that captured the theme of Numeria. Still what was offered wasn’t all-bad. Maybe in the next Bestiary Hardcover, we will get additional aliens, weird monsters and critters.

Still, overall I liked this book, but I hope when I get back to reading it, the material will inspire me.

First, let me say thank you for bringing back the map! They were greatly missed and the $1 increase on price is worth it in my opinion. Second, I love Magnimar, much more so than Sandpoint. I will be on the lookout for Easter Eggs!

As for the comic itself, I’m excited that this first arc seems to be an adaptation of one my favorite Pathfinder modules. The BBEG in the module terrorizes my players to this day. It will be interesting to see where the writer takes the story.

Regarding the art, Leandro Oliveira does a superb job with the characters and the setting. The style is very detailed and while not as dynamic as Andrew Huerta’s art, it is still pleasing to the eye. The same cannot be said of Ross Campbell’s coloring. I’m not sure if it was just this comic, the process or what but I found the coloring to be boring, almost to the point of ruining Leandro’s efforts. The characters just seemed so lifeless. Here is to seeing a bit more vibrancy in the next issue!

Last, the dialog was hit or miss for me. Perhaps Jim Zub can read Douglas Adams, Judy Blume or Elmore Leonard for dialog tips. Regardless, there seemed to be little in the way of catchy conversations and even less characterizations. A great example of some truly unforgettable characters and witty dialog can be seen in Rat Queens, a dark fantasy comedy comic by Image of four drunken death-dealing female adventurers that would give Valeros a run for his coin!

Overall, I was happy with this issue and quibbles aside, even more excited to see where the story goes!

James L. Sutter delivers another excellent Salim Ghadafar story with the Redemption Engine. From the wonderfully strange city of Kaer Maga and its equally weird citizens to far off planar locales, this story never slows down. Oh. Be on the lookout for two characters who in my opinion almost stole the show. To sum up, I really love this story, its characters and its locations. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. You will not regret it!

Inner Sea Gods arrived Monday. Lots of win but a few misses too. Mainly Milani, Groetus and so on should have got full pages. Moreover, the Custom Summon tables should have been included. All in all a solid if bit overpriced product.

While I miss the map, I collect the comic for the story of Pathfinder in comic book form.

Now that out of the way, I have to say that the art in this issue is a big step up from the first six issues. So much so that I can tell what is going on when all the characters are grouped up.

I'm also looking forward to the reveal of the creature as I thought it was going to be something a bit more devilish!

It is up there with Lords of Madness, Book of Fiends and Demonomicon of Iggwilv in the amount and quality of information it provides on the various Empyreal Lords and the other celestials. The author should be proud of this creation!

As for the material, there is an awesome list of new sources for divine casters as well as other information on new celestial creatures. I especially like the inclusion of Tabriss, the Celestial Realms, Concordance and the Fallen Celestials.

Do yourself and your players a favor, go out and pick up this book now!

I have been a huge fan of ghouls ever since I read The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and take much delight when encountering something new about them!

I cannot add much more to what the other reviewers have already said but to say that Mr. Bulmahn has done it once again by putting together a great package that offers everything a GM needs to surprise players who think they know everything about ghouls they could know. However, don’t worry, as the tasty bits are just as useful to players!

All in all Monster Focus: Ghouls is a tasty product that would make Vincent Price cackle with glee!

As a GM, I'm always looking for interesting beasties and locales to toss at my players. Typically, this is an easy task when it comes to monsters but locations are a different thing, at least for me.

Enter Favored Terrain. Here the author has not only provided an interesting location with flavor but also NPCs and plot hooks. Regarding background information, I would have liked to seen something for Knowledge (Local) rolls similar to what we see in the Monster Focus series but the excellent map more than makes up for it.

All in all a great, drop-in location encounter for any GM who needs something quick and has no time for preparation. All at a bargain price too! I give it five stars.

continues with the second installment of the Monster Focus line. Before it was Skeletons, now it's Zombies!

I will join the rest of the reviewers in praising that the Feats, Spells, and Items are useful and balanced. I especially enjoy the introduction information from a gamemaster perspective.

All in all a great product, at an unbeatable price with an old school feel!

The Monster Focus is in the right price range for me. Add in the heaps of info plus items and you have a great product at an affordable price. I also liked the old school feel of the product. I look forward to the next installment!

Do yourself a favor, like me, read In the Event of My Untimely Demise by Robin D. Laws before reading Blood of the City. It will add a bit of spice to the flavor of the story.

Mr. Laws I enjoyed the ride, learning about Luma and seeing Magnimar through her eyes. I look forward to the next story!

...to go along with your Handy Haversack!

This guide provides all of a player's preparation needs regarding tomb raiding, dungeon delving and crypt breaking, as well as covering traps, treasures and monsters.

In addition to those topics, it is packed with useful tips, handy tricks, and new rules and options, such as hirelings and alchemical equipment!

This is a must have for any dungeon delver type of player!

Not sure what Matt is talking about but Shards of Sin is the type of Roleplaying Dungeon adventure my group is looking for, with a detailed city, home base and roleplaying elements to support the party as they delve the secrets of the dungeon.

Neil Spicer and the Legendary Games Design Team, everything from the flavor to the build choices is excellent. These are awesome heroes and fit nice with the NPC Codex as well as Gothic Heroes.

I can't wait to see what you do with Pirates and Dungeoneers (Shackles and Shattered Star)!

I have to agree with Nasha! I loved the book, Salim, his backstory, the setting but towards the end, I felt that large chunks could have been cut. Two examples, the side trip to the demons realm, while cool, really seemed like filler and the Satyr march into the First World, though the encounter with Eldest was fun.

All, in, I give it 4.5 and will recommend it to all my friends.

for The Land of the Linnorm Kings book as well as a must have for The Witchwar Legacy and Reign of Winter AP.

This is the kind of book as a GM and gaming fanatic that I purchase! It is full of so much cool information about the Witches and the Northlands! Great job Paizo!

This is the kind of book as a player I purchase. It is chock full of ideas, suggestions, new content, maps and more.

This will be a great aid for my players when I launch my Reign of Winter campaign. Good job Paizo!

Stratagemini summed it up best. All I can add is that Artifacts & Legends is a beautiful book that provides awesome illustrations for the listed items.