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The World Wound is a wicked place but this story left me wanting. Demon tales don't start my fire but I managed a flicker with David Gross' recent book, King of Chaos. Maybe that partly explains my lackluster opinion of the story; although I am working hard not to allow that personal penchant much credence when evaluating the book.

Pathfinder Varian Jeggare and bodyguard Radovan are as fun as usual. The relationship is campy yet deep. It continues to evolve as we learn new things about each of them. In fact, one of the best things about the story is the new things we learn about both of them. Their banter is always something to look forward to while the respect they have for one another is the foundation for their playful exchanges. The addition of a particular unicorn was more fun than a backward saddle on a camel. As a matter of fact, there are a couple new characters that I'm glad to see in Golarion. The book is full of new ideas and great additions to the world of Golarion.

Unfortunately, the story did not thrill me. At the risk of over simplifying the work Mr. Gross so obviously put into the story I'm going to summarize my experience of the book very briefly. The book boiled down to a quest for an item. After that it was fight-run-fight-sneak-fight-banter-fight-fight-fight. The item is found. Fight-fight-fight. The end was anticlimactic. Did you get there were a lot of fight scenes? Thankfully, those were often interesting but I wanted more of a story; mystery, a plot twist, or questions about what might happen would have made this reader more happy.

Clearly David Gross is an awesome writer and I absolutely loved Price of Wolves. Queen of Thorns, also by Mr. Gross, is next on my list to read and sits on my bookshelf ready to go. Apparently you should read his books in this order: Prince of Wolves - Queen of Thorns - King of Chaos. I messed that up but doubt it was the reason I feel so cold toward this book.

If it were mechanically possible to give this 3.5 stars, I would.

I rolled a QC (Quality Check) and it was good. Prince of Wolves by David Gross is a howl and a half. It was also my first Pathfinder novel so maybe I'm bathed in the glow of sentimentality but only by a rakshasa's whisker. This book is fun! It establishes the character's relationships well; Pathfinder Varian Jeggare and bodyguard Radovan create a dynamic duo that should last long into the future. The intriguing Transylvania flavor of Ustalav provide a rich backdrop for the Golarion country that has is so ripe for further exploration. This review comes long after I read the book but it's safe to say it was a fun romp through Ustalav with plenty of world enhancing nuggets. The story arc was interesting. The characters were hilarious and well drawn. Prince of Wolves made me want more!

Liar's Blade by Tim Pratt is my new Pathfinder Tales gold standard. Of the seven tales I've consumed Liar's Blade was simply the most fun. A combination of simple but intriguing story, strong characters, mystery, and clever dealings put Liar's Blade on top. Liar's Blade is a fun romp in the north-east region of Galorion and provides a sense of travel and adventure; a classic quest across the River Kingdoms and Brevoy. It's rich in Galorion nuggets although on this point I wanted even deeper details. The plot keeps a brisk pace and provides constant short-term suspense, intermediate page turning anticipation, and long-term mystery. Who's the bad guy? What is really going on? Who is truly loyal? Can man and sword form an intimate bond? All these questions are answered.

It's a quest tale seen from the perspective of two hoot provoking hireling's. It's a buddy story. The main characters Rodrick (the human) and Hrym (the sword) made me laugh throughout the adventure. Rodrick's fertile mind produces some unique and creative solutions to encounters that inspire more mirth than you can stuff in a bag of holding. The other characters are also well developed and add a great deal to the story. There are some truly gruesome but enthralling character driven moments to keep you on your hoofs!

As I write this Liar's Blade is 7th on the top 10 list for Paizo novels but in my humble opinion it should be higher. I just want everyone to enjoy this book as much as I did.

Issue #1 was fun. The artwork is wonderful and the story moves along. I like what Paizo does so well, crossing over their products to create a rich world you can immerse yourself in, even if you don't have a D&D group.

Negative: The story is shorter than expected. It's not the deepest story either, and they took no risks, but it was fun nonetheless. The female characters looked too much alike.

Pros: Great art. Added depth to the Inner Sea World. The 10 page Gazetteer at the end is fantastic! Even if the story was awful, which is not the case, this could make the purchase worth it for many people. The depiction of Sandpoint and Varisia, and the character profiles, breathed a lot of life into the story. The full page map was a bonus. These features put the comic book over the top and make it more than an extra (thin) storyline. The comic book doubles as an additional resource and that is a huge benefit.

This is one ongoing subscription that will continue for a while. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could. Good product!