paizo.com Recent Reviews of Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trustpaizo.com Recent Reviews of Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust2021-08-11T02:56:12Z2021-08-11T02:56:12ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Surprisingly effective - just a bit long in the middle (4 stars)Majubahttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2021-08-11T02:55:42Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p>Majuba2021-08-11T02:55:42ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: A Bucket Full of Bards! (4 stars)Jhaemanhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2020-04-30T02:20:47Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>NO SPOILERS</p>
<p>If you like bards, you are going to love <b><i>The Dagger of Trust</b></i>. The novel is full of bards—the singing kind, the storytelling kind, and even the puppet-show kind! I'm pretty sure the characters reflect various Pathfinder class archetypes. The book does an impressive job matching the game effects of bardic powers like inspire courage, and various spells like rope trick, into exciting and colourful descriptions that correspond. With the strong use of world lore, this isn't one of those RPG tie-ins you read and think "no 'real' adventuring party could every do that!" There are some sections of the book that are a bit repetitive, and the resolution of a mystery plot isn't 100% satisfying. Overall though, this was an enjoyable read.</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>NO SPOILERS</p>
<p>If you like bards, you are going to love <b><i>The Dagger of Trust</b></i>. The novel is full of bards—the singing kind, the storytelling kind, and even the puppet-show kind! I'm pretty sure the characters reflect various Pathfinder class archetypes. The book does an impressive job matching the game effects of bardic powers like inspire courage, and various spells like rope trick, into exciting and colourful descriptions that correspond. With the strong use of world lore, this isn't one of those RPG tie-ins you read and think "no 'real' adventuring party could every do that!" There are some sections of the book that are a bit repetitive, and the resolution of a mystery plot isn't 100% satisfying. Overall though, this was an enjoyable read.</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>Jhaeman2020-04-30T02:20:47ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Who knew Bards could be so fun? (4 stars)BenShttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2018-07-15T05:18:18Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>I thoroughly enjoyed this. I liked the various party members (mostly bards—a class I've never played in roughly 40 years of RPGs), the setting, the factions, the sympathetic villains (I'm leaning toward antagonists as a general term), and the dialogue. The story had drama, pathos, humor, and lots of witty dialogue. A few serious belly laughs ("I love a good debriefing!").</p>
<p>Also, though a small part of the book, the "true neutral" druids really hit home what that would mean in a fantasy setting. Or could mean. I'm sure some people wrote that off as cliche, but it made me view true neutral druids a little differently than I had previously.</p>
<p>I also liked how it avoided a cliche happy ending w/ not 1 but 2 different romances. Characters that didn't survive the conflict. Side characters I cared about. The effort put into the songs behind the bardic spell casting. All good stuff.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>I thoroughly enjoyed this. I liked the various party members (mostly bards—a class I've never played in roughly 40 years of RPGs), the setting, the factions, the sympathetic villains (I'm leaning toward antagonists as a general term), and the dialogue. The story had drama, pathos, humor, and lots of witty dialogue. A few serious belly laughs ("I love a good debriefing!").</p>
<p>Also, though a small part of the book, the "true neutral" druids really hit home what that would mean in a fantasy setting. Or could mean. I'm sure some people wrote that off as cliche, but it made me view true neutral druids a little differently than I had previously.</p>
<p>I also liked how it avoided a cliche happy ending w/ not 1 but 2 different romances. Characters that didn't survive the conflict. Side characters I cared about. The effort put into the songs behind the bardic spell casting. All good stuff.</p>BenS2018-07-15T05:18:18ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Scooby Doo episode (2 stars)strangeporkhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2016-04-30T23:41:51Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>Ha I just saw Darkrist said same thing. Here is the review i wrote for goodreads and amazon before coming here and reading his:</p>
<p>Just all around not good. I was rooting for this book, because it covered a lot of crucial lore territory in the Pathfinder world - Taldor, Andoran, and the druids of the forests in between. Add in the very secretive Lion's blade organization and I read every page, hoping it would get better. </p>
<p>The plot is a Scooby Doo episode
<br />
The Lions blades comes off very cartoony as well.
<br />
The character interactions are DeGrassi High or some other teenage tv show. </p>
<p>It is not good. </p>
<p>I hate writing bad reviews - and its rare if you check mine - so let's focus on the positive for a moment. </p>
<p>- you have a character who is into puppetry as a serious artform, which is just awesome.
<br />
- a relatively strong case is made for non-democratic governments - the Taldor loyalists are believable in their discourse, not played off as simple crazies or power freaks.
<br />
- the poetry and song, especially the Andoran patriotic ones, are just fantastic. I wish i had a book with all of them collected in one place! Fantastic stuff. </p>
<p>If you are a Pathfinder junkie, fight your way through it and you will be grateful for the content you can glean from it. If you are just looking for a decent yarn, move on to something else.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>Ha I just saw Darkrist said same thing. Here is the review i wrote for goodreads and amazon before coming here and reading his:</p>
<p>Just all around not good. I was rooting for this book, because it covered a lot of crucial lore territory in the Pathfinder world - Taldor, Andoran, and the druids of the forests in between. Add in the very secretive Lion's blade organization and I read every page, hoping it would get better. </p>
<p>The plot is a Scooby Doo episode
<br />
The Lions blades comes off very cartoony as well.
<br />
The character interactions are DeGrassi High or some other teenage tv show. </p>
<p>It is not good. </p>
<p>I hate writing bad reviews - and its rare if you check mine - so let's focus on the positive for a moment. </p>
<p>- you have a character who is into puppetry as a serious artform, which is just awesome.
<br />
- a relatively strong case is made for non-democratic governments - the Taldor loyalists are believable in their discourse, not played off as simple crazies or power freaks.
<br />
- the poetry and song, especially the Andoran patriotic ones, are just fantastic. I wish i had a book with all of them collected in one place! Fantastic stuff. </p>
<p>If you are a Pathfinder junkie, fight your way through it and you will be grateful for the content you can glean from it. If you are just looking for a decent yarn, move on to something else.</p>strangepork2016-04-30T23:41:51ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: I don't think Bards do that... (3 stars)Moojiihttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2015-06-07T17:47:48Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>So, throughout the book Mr. Wilrich refers to Gideon 'preparing' his spells in the morning, but Bards are spontaneous casters that don't prepare spells. I would hope that if someone wanted to write a story set in an established, specific world, that they would at least try to understand the basics of the classes they are writing about.
<br />
That glitch aside, the story is fine and helps illuminate the secret life of bards fairly well. As others have mentioned, the metaphors get severely strained at some points, and there are more than just a few major cliches.
<br />
However, I am easy to please, and this book filled my want for a fantasy book to read while I am sitting on the toilet.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>So, throughout the book Mr. Wilrich refers to Gideon 'preparing' his spells in the morning, but Bards are spontaneous casters that don't prepare spells. I would hope that if someone wanted to write a story set in an established, specific world, that they would at least try to understand the basics of the classes they are writing about.
<br />
That glitch aside, the story is fine and helps illuminate the secret life of bards fairly well. As others have mentioned, the metaphors get severely strained at some points, and there are more than just a few major cliches.
<br />
However, I am easy to please, and this book filled my want for a fantasy book to read while I am sitting on the toilet.</p>Moojii2015-06-07T17:47:48ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Shaggy!! (4 stars)Darkristhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2014-11-11T08:07:17Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>I had a bit of a problem with my willing suspension of dis-belief while reading this book. I could not shake the feeling while reading it that it was a Scooby do episode. This was more of a personal hang-up on my part than a flaw in the writing or concept. I just kept thinking "Scooby-do meets Heart of Darkness.....never get out of the boat!" That being said, I really enjoyed the book. The characters were engaging and layered. There is a lot of Golarion color/flavor throughout the book. Other reviewers have attacked the writing style and narrative, but I have to disagree. I think the writing is pretty solid beginning to ending. I would have given a fifth star if not for seeing too many ghost pirates with fog machine cartoons in my youth.... Would love to read a sequel so I can see the main characters in a different framework.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>I had a bit of a problem with my willing suspension of dis-belief while reading this book. I could not shake the feeling while reading it that it was a Scooby do episode. This was more of a personal hang-up on my part than a flaw in the writing or concept. I just kept thinking "Scooby-do meets Heart of Darkness.....never get out of the boat!" That being said, I really enjoyed the book. The characters were engaging and layered. There is a lot of Golarion color/flavor throughout the book. Other reviewers have attacked the writing style and narrative, but I have to disagree. I think the writing is pretty solid beginning to ending. I would have given a fifth star if not for seeing too many ghost pirates with fog machine cartoons in my youth.... Would love to read a sequel so I can see the main characters in a different framework.</p>Darkrist2014-11-11T08:07:17ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Warrior bug women from planet Castrovel (4 stars)Jeremy Corffhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2014-11-06T06:45:11Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>A fun ride, and hopefully not the last we will hear of Gideon and friends.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>A fun ride, and hopefully not the last we will hear of Gideon and friends.</p>Jeremy Corff2014-11-06T06:45:11ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Enjoyable bardic fantasy for Golarion fans (3 stars)Chocolate Thiefhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2014-08-11T20:19:24Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>The tenth Pathfinder Tales novel I have read, The Dagger of Trust is an adventure full of bards and bardic antics. I’ve never really understood bards in fantasy RPGs so this capable portrayal was a real plus for me. I also loved the Bogstriders and the setting along the Verduran Fork and Sellen River. The plot was reasonably paced but a little linear and singular in point of view for me. Characters held my interest and there was a nice bit of romance thrown in. All in all a solid fantasy novel, but not exceptional. I’d like to see Gideon Gull in a more eclectic adventuring party facing more tangible foes next time around.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>The tenth Pathfinder Tales novel I have read, The Dagger of Trust is an adventure full of bards and bardic antics. I’ve never really understood bards in fantasy RPGs so this capable portrayal was a real plus for me. I also loved the Bogstriders and the setting along the Verduran Fork and Sellen River. The plot was reasonably paced but a little linear and singular in point of view for me. Characters held my interest and there was a nice bit of romance thrown in. All in all a solid fantasy novel, but not exceptional. I’d like to see Gideon Gull in a more eclectic adventuring party facing more tangible foes next time around.</p>Chocolate Thief2014-08-11T20:19:24ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: A lyrical fare that could have had more depth (3 stars)joelahttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2014-05-27T00:16:57Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>Likes:
<br />
The lyrical story-telling style, much in keeping with the musical thrust throughout the story (though see below)
<br />
The spy school scenes
<br />
The use of a TEAM in much of the story (you know, like would be found in an rpg)
<br />
The effectiveness of a primarily bard-dominated group
<br />
I want a sequel.</p>
<p>Dislikes:
<br />
The lyrical story-telling style blunted much of expected emotional depth in many scenes.
<br />
The scenes on the river felt more like a bunch of half-formed scenes strung together, bad Hollyweird movie-style.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>Likes:
<br />
The lyrical story-telling style, much in keeping with the musical thrust throughout the story (though see below)
<br />
The spy school scenes
<br />
The use of a TEAM in much of the story (you know, like would be found in an rpg)
<br />
The effectiveness of a primarily bard-dominated group
<br />
I want a sequel.</p>
<p>Dislikes:
<br />
The lyrical story-telling style blunted much of expected emotional depth in many scenes.
<br />
The scenes on the river felt more like a bunch of half-formed scenes strung together, bad Hollyweird movie-style.</p>joela2014-05-27T00:16:57ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Bard Fighters (5 stars)Dana Crottshttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2014-03-07T16:27:52Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>Plot is pretty streamlined. The protagonist is a recovering alcoholic who studies bardery at a performers university. He is also member of a secret society of rogues within the university called the Lion Blades.</p>
<p>Reports of a mysterious fog that somehow enrages people on contact make it to his school. He is then thrust into a quest to investigate the fog. He is accompanied by his schoolmates.</p>
<p>Good pace and very interesting fight scenes with the protagonist and his bandmates using bard magic in interesting ways. I read the book in 2 days because I was enthralled by the mystery of the fog.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>Plot is pretty streamlined. The protagonist is a recovering alcoholic who studies bardery at a performers university. He is also member of a secret society of rogues within the university called the Lion Blades.</p>
<p>Reports of a mysterious fog that somehow enrages people on contact make it to his school. He is then thrust into a quest to investigate the fog. He is accompanied by his schoolmates.</p>
<p>Good pace and very interesting fight scenes with the protagonist and his bandmates using bard magic in interesting ways. I read the book in 2 days because I was enthralled by the mystery of the fog.</p>Dana Crotts2014-03-07T16:27:52ZPathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust: Not a strong entry in the series... (2 stars)paddyboomstickshttps://paizo.com/products/btpy93qy?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Dagger-of-Trust2014-03-05T05:21:49Z<p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>A flawed book, and a weaker entry in the Pathfinder Tales series. Willrich's writing has its strengths, but they are often stymied by weak prose, a predictable narrative and the slightly silly milieu.</p>
<p>Gideon Gull is attending bard school, but it's also secretly a spy school, training up bards for intelligence work. When a magical fog starts driving peopl crazy, Gull reunites with his old flame and some fellow bards to solve the mystery.</p>
<p>The first thing that leapt out at me with this book was the prose, but unfortunately not in a positive way. In an effort to lend the book a suitably bardic tone, Willrich writes with a flowery overstated style, heavy on metaphors that break the flow and possess questionable efficacy. He also seems to struggle incorporating dialogue with action; the book veers wildly between the two at times, and the dialogue was quite... odd in parts. At points, it flows very naturally, but at others it seemed stilted and forced. It felt almost performative - what someone •thinks• they would say, rather than what they would actually say.</p>
<p>It doesn't help that the book has somewhat of a stop-start plot, very episodic and also quite predictable. The druid sections work best but are featured only a little. The villain is immediately guessable and the conclusion foregone.</p>
<p>It's a shame as there are parts of the book that work, but they are sporadic and it's just too inconsistent. I don't know how much of this is down to the setting (the Harry Potter like bard/spy school really is a bit much, as is the vast and powerful array of spells that •students• have), but Willrich seems like a writer who needs to write a few more books to get up to scratch.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust</b></p><p>A flawed book, and a weaker entry in the Pathfinder Tales series. Willrich's writing has its strengths, but they are often stymied by weak prose, a predictable narrative and the slightly silly milieu.</p>
<p>Gideon Gull is attending bard school, but it's also secretly a spy school, training up bards for intelligence work. When a magical fog starts driving peopl crazy, Gull reunites with his old flame and some fellow bards to solve the mystery.</p>
<p>The first thing that leapt out at me with this book was the prose, but unfortunately not in a positive way. In an effort to lend the book a suitably bardic tone, Willrich writes with a flowery overstated style, heavy on metaphors that break the flow and possess questionable efficacy. He also seems to struggle incorporating dialogue with action; the book veers wildly between the two at times, and the dialogue was quite... odd in parts. At points, it flows very naturally, but at others it seemed stilted and forced. It felt almost performative - what someone •thinks• they would say, rather than what they would actually say.</p>
<p>It doesn't help that the book has somewhat of a stop-start plot, very episodic and also quite predictable. The druid sections work best but are featured only a little. The villain is immediately guessable and the conclusion foregone.</p>
<p>It's a shame as there are parts of the book that work, but they are sporadic and it's just too inconsistent. I don't know how much of this is down to the setting (the Harry Potter like bard/spy school really is a bit much, as is the vast and powerful array of spells that •students• have), but Willrich seems like a writer who needs to write a few more books to get up to scratch.</p>paddyboomsticks2014-03-05T05:21:49Z