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Pathfinder Tales: King of Chaos

4.50/5 (based on 18 ratings)
Pathfinder Tales: King of Chaos
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Demon Apocalypse

After a century of imprisonment, demons have broken free of the wardstones surrounding the Worldwound. As fiends flood south into civilized lands, Count Varian Jeggare and his hellspawn bodyguard Radovan must search through the ruins of a fallen nation for the blasphemous text that opened the gate to the Abyss in the first place—and which might hold the key to closing it. In order to succeed, however, the heroes will need to join forces with pious crusaders, barbaric local warriors, and even one of the legendary god callers. It’s a race against time as the companions fight their way across a broken land, facing off against fiends, monsters, and a vampire intent on becoming the god of blood—but will unearthing the dangerous book save the world, or destroy it completely?

From best-selling author Dave Gross comes a new adventure set against the backdrop of the Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path in the award-winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

400-page mass market paperback
ISBN–13: 978-1-60125-558-7
ePub ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-559-4

King of Chaos is also available as a digital edition on the following sites:

King of Chaos is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. Its Chronicle sheet is available as a free download (397 KB zip/PDF).

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4.50/5 (based on 18 ratings)

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The Duo go to war! A nice war story, interesting character development

4/5 —

Fantastic!

5/5 —

NO SPOILERS

Varian and Radovan are back! It's hard to say much more without spoiling stuff, but I can say the hilarious banter, edge-of-the-seat action scenes, detailed incorporation (and development) of world lore, and a new NPC's point-of-view (alternating with Varian and Radovan) are in this novel. Dave Gross' novels have been the mainstay of the Pathfinder Tales line, and King of Chaos definitely does not disappoint. I do suggest first reading the free four-part web fiction "Killing Time", which serves as a prequel to the novel, on the Paizo website: https://paizo.com/store/pathfinder/fiction/tales/serial/killingTime Things will make a bit more sense as Gross trusts readers to catch up as the story moves along.

SPOILERS!:

It's hard to summarise this novel concisely, because there's so much packed into it. Varian's rivalry against the vampire Prince Kasiya, Radovan's rivalry with a unicorn (hilarious!), and the elven paladin Oppara's battle against an anti-paladin! All of this is mixed into an incredibly exciting incursion into the Worldwound (a wasteland where the demons of the Abyss are able to pour forth into the Material Plane). King of Chaos ties into established continuity perhaps better than any other Pathfinder Tales novel, as it has characters from previous Varian and Radovan novels, setting details and monsters from The Worldwound campaign setting book, plot developments from Robin Laws' The Worldwound Gambit, and clear tie-ins to the Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path. One of the things that Dave Gross does so well is integrate setting lore, but he's also fantastic at integrating the mechanics of the game so that what the characters do is "believable" if they were PCs. But it's all done in a way that's interesting and seamless instead of clunky and bland. The plot is complex, and I admit to getting lost a time or two (I'd like to re-read this one). Still, I can't recommend this one enough for anyone interested in Varian and Radovan or The Worldwound. It's a witty, intelligent, action-packed page turner.

Keep 'em comin!

4/5 —

Another late review, as I read this earlier in the year, but I want to catch up w/ reviews of everything I've read.

Almost hard to write reviews that don't repeat what others have said, and also b/c I don't think reviews are a strength of mine. But I love the characters, I love that the world evolves around them and doesn't stay static, and I love new characters/companions keep getting introduced (some of whom find themselves in future books). Good stuff.

It should go w/out saying, but the fact that these books can sometimes be loosely tied to the themes of an AP make them all the more interesting to me. And more desirous to run said AP. Which is what I assume makes Paizo happy. Though I buy the APs anyway ;-)

Edit: somehow I forgot to rate this originally...

Immersive Pathfinder Fantasy

5/5 —

Some Pathfinder Tales can have the feel of a generic fantasy plot dropped on to the Pathfinder setting by way of lip service to the Inner Sea World Guide. Dave Gross makes the setting his own and his Pathfinder Tales would make a top class Fantasy series by themselves. The characters are nuanced and unfold with the pages. The plots and the series as a whole are cohesive and immersive. The writing is first class, making reading a joy. The setting becomes real rather than bolt-on. Here Oparal becomes a third narrator to break the previous Varian / Radovan alternating chapter pattern. The new perspective is refreshing and effective because it is so distinct. The horrific background of the Worldwound adds tension. I loved this novel. If you are considering whether Pathfinder Tales are worth a look, then start with Dave Gross, Radovan and Varian.

5/5 —

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Webstore Gninja Minion

Announced! Cover image is a mockup and subject to change.

What hijinks are Jeggare and Radovan up to now...

Interesting, sounds like we might see another appearance by

Spoiler:
Prince Kasiya, unless Varian has managed to pick up another undead nemesis (which I'd not put past him)!
Liberty's Edge
5 people marked this as a favorite.

Prince, Master, Queen, King. Check

NEXT WE NEED A HARDBACK COMPILATION of all Jeggare and Radovan stories.
Scarab Sages

WOOT!!!!
Contributor

Man! Dave is really cranking them out! So, the real question: Will this be out in time for GenCon?
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

We still need bishops, knights, rooks, pawns, emperors and gods.
Dark Archive
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Chris A Jackson wrote:
Man! Dave is really cranking them out! So, the real question: Will this be out in time for GenCon?

Unless something gets messed up it'll be out at Gencon.

Yes!

Ah! I'm looking forward to this one. I'm not sure if I'll end up getting the Wrath of the Rightous AP, but I'll definitely give this a read!

-Aaron
Dark Archive

stoked
Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

WANT!!! So badly want right now...

Is this the one the Paizo MMO kickstarter backers will get?
Thanael wrote:
Is this the one the Paizo MMO kickstarter backers will get?

Affirmative.

For the second MMO Kickstarter (The one that gets you Emerald Spire), not the first one (that got you Thornkeep).

-Aaron
Dark Archive
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Itchy wrote:
Thanael wrote:
Is this the one the Paizo MMO kickstarter backers will get?

Affirmative.

For the second MMO Kickstarter (The one that gets you Emerald Spire), not the first one (that got you Thornkeep).

-Aaron

Actually no. The kickstarter book will be by Rich Baker, and set in the bit of the River Kingdoms that PFO is going to be based in.

It'll be called 'The Crusader Road', and is probably another year off (it will probably come at the same time as Emerald Spire)
Dark Archive Contributor
Enlight_Bystand wrote:
Itchy wrote:
Thanael wrote:
Is this the one the Paizo MMO kickstarter backers will get?

Affirmative.

Actually no. The kickstarter book will be by Rich Baker, and set in the bit of the River Kingdoms that PFO is going to be based in.

It'll be called 'The Crusader Road', and is probably another year off (it will probably come at the same time as Emerald Spire)

Enlight_Bystand is correct. This one has nothing to do with the MMO or Kickstarter.

King of Chaos is 100% spoiler free yet still associated with the Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path. In a perfect world, every GM and player will enjoy the novel, get a taste of the region, and then play the AP. You can play the AP without reading the novel and vice versa, but it might be more fun to do both.

Ok, thanks. Will preorder this then...
Grand Lodge

Hooray! More Varian Jeggare and Radovan! I'm looking forward to this very much.
Dark Archive Contributor
5 people marked this as a favorite.

The revision has been submitted. Now it's up to James do to his magic and then loose the copy editors, which I always imagine being released rather like the Kraken.
Dark Archive

Dave! Your rock.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

So any word on which of the other "Tales" characters are making apperances? I need to make sure I've read those books before reading this. :)

Might want to get on reading the other Dave Gross "Tales" novels too...I mean, I already bought them so I may as well...
Grand Lodge

Yes! The dream team of Golarion, back in action. Can't wait!
Dark Archive Contributor

You should be able to pick up King of Chaos cold and read it without knowledge of previous stories. That said, there are some pretty big plot developments from the previous Radovan & the count stories, and you'll see some characters from other authors' stories making appearances ranging from cameo to supporting cast.

Completists want to have read Prince of Wolves, Master of Devils, and Queen of Thorns. If you haven't read all of the web fiction and novellas, you probably want to add "Hell's Pawns" and "A Lesson in Taxonomy" to your list as well.

You want to read Liane Merciel's "Certainty" and probably also Nightglass, and Robin D. Laws' The Worldwound Gambit.

Most of the short stories are still available to read free, but please consider posting a review of your favorites. That helps readers who share your tastes find the stories they'll most likely enjoy.

Once I shake off this killer bug and catch up on a few small projects, I'll write some blogs guiding new readers through the growing opus.
Grand Lodge

The plot of this novel sounds like something that should happen "in game" by PCs; especially, especially if the main characters succeed in closing the Worldwound...

That is the number one problem I had with the Forgotten Realms novels (too many major plots solved by characters in a novel and not by PCs in a game session)...

I really hope that is not the case with this novel as it would set an unfortunate precedent IMHO...
Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Events in Pathfinder Tales stories are meant to be world-changing on a *personal* scale, not a campaign-level scale.

Spoiler:
The book does not end with Golarion being destroyed.
4 people marked this as a favorite.
Vic Wertz wrote:

Events in Pathfinder Tales stories are meant to be world-changing on a *personal* scale, not a campaign-level scale.

** spoiler omitted **

Rovagug wept.

1 person marked this as a favorite.

lol@Kajehase

Love the Pathfinder Tales line of books I have them all up to Liar's Blade. So next up Is Pirate's Honor of course. Just wanted to say thank you to all the Author's for these great book's I treasure. And to you Dave Gross, it started with Hell Pawns and from then I was hooked. So I'm very much looking forward to the next book with Radovan & The Count. Keep up the good work man, that go's for all The great Author's writing for The Pathfinder Tales book's.
Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Is it August yet?
flash_cxxi wrote:
Is it August yet?

Some of us are still waiting for the May shipment to show up in our downloads.

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
Kajehase's Sockpuppet wrote:
flash_cxxi wrote:
Is it August yet?
Some of us are still waiting for the May shipment to show up in our downloads.

I would be sitting alongside you in that boat...

2 people marked this as a favorite.

I am a boat... ;)

I just found out about this upcoming book!
Desna smiles.
I wish I could pre-order the ePub.
Just two weeks ago I read Prince of Wolves and was hooked.
So all of my reading time for the last 2 weeks was taken up by everything Dave has written. (Finished Queen of Thorns last night) and I fully understand why Dave is a fan favorite.

Well, Winter Witch is next, but I will definitely add "Certainty," Nightglass, and The Worldwound Gambit to my queue.

You may be able to read King of Chaos cold, but reading everything that came first would be well worth your time.
Dark Archive Contributor
Brodymeister Meisterbrody wrote:

I just found out about this upcoming book!

Desna smiles.
I wish I could pre-order the ePub.
Just two weeks ago I read Prince of Wolves and was hooked.
So all of my reading time for the last 2 weeks was taken up by everything Dave has written. (Finished Queen of Thorns last night) and I fully understand why Dave is a fan favorite.

...

Thanks for the kind words. Maybe you'd like to join us over here today for a free-for-all Q&A. The reason for the meeting is another line of books, but it's called Ask Me Anything, so Pathfinder Tales is a totally legitimate topic.

Dave, I love your books. I have read Prince of Wolves and Queen of Thorns. I know now that these are out of order but I needed to get an elf fix. I am going to go back and read the 2nd book! Thanks for these wonderful works.
Dark Archive Contributor
2 people marked this as a favorite.
Shalafi2412 wrote:
Dave, I love your books. I have read Prince of Wolves and Queen of Thorns. I know now that these are out of order but I needed to get an elf fix. I am going to go back and read the 2nd book! Thanks for these wonderful works.

You are very welcome, and thanks for the kind words.

If you need more stories to fill the time before King of Chaos arrives, check out the ePub stories (you can convert them to mobi format easily, if you want to read them on a Kindle) available here.

I'm particularly fond of "Husks," but "Hell's Pawns" is where it all started. All of the shorter works are still available for free, with gorgeous artwork, on the Web Fiction page, too.

Don't forget the dozens of other great stories by other authors, all of them still free to read online. Browsing them is a great way to decide which novel you'd like to try next.

Thanks for the advice. I am a great Weis and Hickman fan especially their DL works but I am really becoming a fan of Randovan.
Webstore Gninja Minion

Updated product with final cover and description.

That's a really pretty cover! Who is the artist? The Spiral of Pharasma in the back really grabs the eye. I am interested to see what the rest of the picture is; the part that wraps around the spine and onto the back cover*.

But I must ask

spoiling questions.:
Why is Radovan fighting Oparal? I thought they were friends.

I was going to write, "Why is Radovan fighting Oparal in a ruined temple of Pharasma?" The obvious answer is: "Because the battle between Radovan and Oparal takes place in a ruined temple of Pharasma."

I am certainly looking forward to this story.

*:
I like that the cover art for the novels is a single picture that wraps all the way from front cover to back cover. I always find the back of the book intersting to look at. Maybe not as interesting as the front, but interesting nonetheless.
Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

The cover art is by Tyler Walpole.

Spoiler:
Things may not be as they appear.

Spoiler:
Or maybe they are.
Grand Lodge

Hey peeps,

Prince of Wolves and Queen of Thorns are great but many of you seem to have missed Master of Devils. So read all three to get the full story.

Anyways, I like Radovan but I'm a Varian Jaeggare man myself. Brute strength and cunning are great but I'll take brains over brawn any day of the week.
Vic Wertz wrote:
The cover art is by Tyler Walpole.

Thanks! I'll hunt around to see more of his stuff. :)

Spoiler:
"Do not go to the elves for advice, for they will tell you both yes and no."

Maybe it's a lover's quarrel?

I ALMOST typed that last part with a straight face.

Spoiler:
I wouldn't be surprised at all to find things are exactly as they seem she did slash him open during one of the fights.

I find it funny how the king of chaos i riding a sweet magical unicorn "oh what will the king of chaos do next?" maybe he will fly on rainbows next. oh what joy. just kidding i love it!
Dark Archive Contributor

Tierce posted an awfully nice first review of King of Chaos right here. Thanks, Tierce!

I've posted a retrospective on the earliest novella, novel, and short story over on my new website. Check it out, and leave a comment there.
Sovereign Court

I should thank you, it was an excellent read. Couldn't put it down!

Are there any plans for more(mis)adventures for the boys?
Dark Archive Contributor
havoc xiii wrote:
Are there any plans for more(mis)adventures for the boys?

There might be a story coming soon. Other than that, nothing in the short term.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Just finished. That was awesome. I'm just curious about one thing.

Lots of interesting revelations, and whoo summoners.

Spoiler:
Varian, sage bloodline?
Dark Archive Contributor
Matthew Morris wrote:

Just finished. That was awesome. I'm just curious about one thing.

Lots of interesting revelations, and whoo summoners.

** spoiler omitted **

Answer: To be revealed at a later date. The truth is I've had at least three competing ideas in mind and haven't settled on one.

Dark Archive Contributor

Another review has hit, this time from Mordicai at tor.com.
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