More fun than a blue glass bottle full of elfin nail clippings (p. 62, Unique Treasures).
More fun than a night at the Reasonable Kobold Inn (p. 23, Memorable Inns).
More fun than the Night of the Red Fireflies (p. 20, Unusual Holidays).
GM Gems is more fun than all these things only because it contains all of them and thousands more ideas on how to add mystery, humor, and magic to a lull in your game. These concise little ideas really are beautifully faceted gems that will add sparkle to any setting.
I appreciate the insight Races and Classes is providing into the main inhabitants of the upcoming 4e world. Some backstory is provided, as is a glimpse of how the designers are trying to weave together the elements of the edition as they apply to the main races. If you are interested in this sort of sketch of the philosophy undergirding the design, and *only* if you are interested in it, I think this is a pretty fun booklet. I'm definitely enjoying it, and little elements like using Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell as a touchstone to illustrate the development of the Eladrin really help to pull things together conceptually.
Only for those who are really, really interested in 4e. Anyone else who buys this will probably join the several reviewers who feel the title is a ripoff. But if you are truly interested in the backstory of the 4e world, not an unenjoyable place to start.
Even though I'm way behind in my reading, I had to give KQ a try, based on the reviews here. It didn't disappoint. Great look, lots of imagination and depth. Magnificent, magnificent pub.
