Pathfinder Tales: Prince of Wolves

I had low expectations coming into this because of my prior reading in tabletop based fantasy books but this was a good one. Definitely worth the money.

Prince of Wolves is the first in a line of novel-length fiction set in the world of Golarion, home of the Pathfinder role-playing game. Written by Dave Gross, the book consists of alternating chapters told from two points of views: an aristocratic Pathfinder (professional explorer and knowledge-hunter) named Varian Jeggare and his bodyguard, a rough-and-tumble streetsmart Hell-touched bodyguard named Radovan. The pair are on a mission in Ustalav (a land of mists, moors, and the undead reminiscent of Ravenloft) in order to find out the fate of another missing Pathfinder. Both of the main characters are interesting, as neither fits squarely into an "adventuring class" and they have distinct but likable personalities. The plotting seems a bit rough in spots, but was solid overall. Gross wasn't shy about littering the book with references to Golarion, so fans of the campaign setting should be happy. After reading the book, I learned there were some short stories published on the Paizo website that gave a great deal of backstory to the characters--I wish the novel would have mentioned them!

I really liked Prince of Wolves. I bought it in digital format and I really enjoyed the reading. I wanted to read this before the beginning of our Carrion Crown adventure (as a player) and it was really a good investment: I learned so much about Amaans and some of its inhabitants that the GM was impressed. My character will come from Kavapesta area and, as a Pharasma Inquisitor, I will have many stories to tell about the region. Moreover, I really enjoyed the story, the protagonists and their link with the history of Ustalav. I also suggest this book for non-native English readers (like me) because it was quite an easy lecture, I found it easier to read than some short Pathfinder tales which appear inside the Adventure Paths.

I admit that I haven't quite finished this book at this time...but I'm already enjoying it. This is the kind of book that you think of when people say "fantasy": a half-elf and half-demon in a strange kingdom in an adventure with werewolves. Honestly, if that description doesn't at least make you curious, then you're not the kind of person who would enjoy this book. If you are at least vaguely intrigued by the concept, then I'd recommend this book. The protagonists are likable, the lore isn't too hard for people who are new to Pathfinder (thanks partly to the index at the back and the fact that Ustalav is like every classic horror movie rolled into one gothic place), and the pacing is actually pretty good.