Pathfinder Tales: Master of Devils

Just announced! The cover is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.

Return of Jeggare and Radovan - yes!

Glee! Yet another reason for August excitement :)

Cool cover and yes I know it is a mock up. :)

Return of Dave Gross ... yes! :-)

Wait until you see the final artwork. James gave me a peek at it today. I've been blessed with a few great covers in past, but this one leaves them all behind. Acknowledging my obvious bias, I'm tempted to say it's the finest piece of artwork I've yet seen from Paizo ... and that is saying a lot.

Having highly enjoyed Prince of Wolves, I have to say I'm looking forward to this. Congrats on your ongoing relationship with Pathfinder Tales, Mr. Gross!

I keep wanting to break out into Metallica's "Master of Puppets" song.

This is entirely your fault Dave.

When did Varian and Radovan hit Epic level?

I keep wanting to break out into Metallica's "Master of Puppets" song.

This is entirely your fault Dave.

And that is a problem why? ;) I am looking forward to this one.

A new Varian and Radovan book? YESSSS

Prince of Wolves was such a great book. Looking forward to more awesome tales featuring those two characters.

I keep wanting to break out into Metallica's "Master of Puppets" song.

This is entirely your fault Dave.

And fixed :p

Yay for more of Count Varian Jeggare and Radovan! And in Tian Xia no less.

Very cool! I'm happy to see the first series begin in the Pathfinder Tales.

When do we get to see this awesome new cover art?!

Within the month, certainly.

*Snif*, a "twisted Master of Devils"... you guys finally decided to publish a book featuring me?

Nice. I'm reading the first one now.

A black & white pic is in the back of Worldwound Gambit, let us see the color version!

I'll do more of this sort of post closer to the release date, but here are some notes on one of the films that would have inspired Master of Devils if I'd seen it before finishing the manuscript: Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.

I've added the finished cover image.

I'll do more of this sort of post closer to the release date, but here are some notes on one of the films that would have inspired Master of Devils if I'd seen it before finishing the manuscript: Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.

I've added several more wuxia film recommendations at my blog. Another's coming on Monday.

Excellent - Prince of Wolves was a great read and was enough to convince me to sign up for a Pathfinder Tales subscription. Looking forward to some Radovan goodness, with his 'big smile'.

I was present at Paizocon for Mr. Gross to discuss this book, and he mentioned the chronological timing of this book and the next entry in the Pathfinder Chronicles fiction featuring Varian and Radovan.

I forget the order though....

I believe it was Master of Devils, THEN the Jade Regent fiction?

I know it's not important to the stories but I still like to be in order. =) Any help?

I was present at Paizocon for Mr. Gross to discuss this book, and he mentioned the chronological timing of this book and the next entry in the Pathfinder Chronicles fiction featuring Varian and Radovan.

I forget the order though....

I believe it was Master of Devils, THEN the Jade Regent fiction?

I know it's not important to the stories but I still like to be in order. =) Any help?

Let me emphasize that the order in which you read them truly doesn't matter. In fact, the Wayfinder/Web story "A Lesson in Taxonomy" is chronologically the first Varian Jeggare story, but it's much more fun to read it after experiencing the first few tales of Radovan and the Count.

Chronologically it's "A Passage to Absalom" (the web fiction starting next Wednesday), then "Husks" (the AP serial), and then Master of Devils.

I wrote them in reverse chronological order, though, so there's a good argument for going backward.

Let me emphasize that the order in which you read them truly doesn't matter. In fact, the Wayfinder/Web story "A Lesson in Taxonomy" is chronologically the first Varian Jeggare story, but it's much more fun to read it after experiencing the first few tales of Radovan and the Count.

Chronologically it's "A Passage to Absalom" (the web fiction starting next Wednesday), then "Husks" (the AP serial), and then Master of Devils.

I wrote them in reverse chronological order, though, so there's a good argument for going backward.

Thank you Dave! That reassures me.

I guess while we are on the subject (and to help those who are also HUGE fans of V&R!), what are the other orders of their stories?

I think we can obviously say Prince of Wolves is before the Tian stories, but before that, does it go A Lesson in Taxonomy -> Hell's Pawns -> Lost Pathfinder -> Prince of Wolves?

I'm OCD about chronological orders...

I finally posted a review on my blog. I had hoped to get this out before GenCon, so folks would be encouraged to pick up the novel there. Sorry for the delay.

You can read it here.

I didn't post the full review in the "reviews" section, because it's a double-feature post for Prince of Wolves and Master of Devils. It is a very long article.

I will post a link to the same article on Amazon.com when I'm able to enter a review on their website. It's still listed as "unavailable" there.

I finished reading this on the way out to GenCon and the ending was quite spectacular. The bit with the thing and the stuff was so cool!

I loved the thing and the stuff, too! I lol-ed, actually. ;-)

Quote:

Let me emphasize that the order in which you read them truly doesn't matter. In fact, the Wayfinder/Web story "A Lesson in Taxonomy" is chronologically the first Varian Jeggare story, but it's much more fun to read it after experiencing the first few tales of Radovan and the Count.

Chronologically it's "A Passage to Absalom" (the web fiction starting next Wednesday), then "Husks" (the AP serial), and then Master of Devils.

I wrote them in reverse chronological order, though, so there's a good argument for going backward.

Thank you Dave! That reassures me.

I guess while we are on the subject (and to help those who are also HUGE fans of V&R!), what are the other orders of their stories?

I think we can obviously say Prince of Wolves is before the Tian stories, but before that, does it go A Lesson in Taxonomy -> Hell's Pawns -> Lost Pathfinder -> Prince of Wolves?

I'm OCD about chronological orders...

That's right.

I'm wondering if there's any copies out there, besides mine, that had issues with faintly printed pages. They aren't so faint I can't read the pages but there is quite a difference in those pages and other pages.

I'm wondering if there's any copies out there, besides mine, that had issues with faintly printed pages. They aren't so faint I can't read the pages but there is quite a difference in those pages and other pages.

Precisely ONE page of mine had this problem, so I know what you are talking about, at least.

I checked mine and it has a number of pages where the text looks a lot more like very dark grey than black. I could tell some text was lighter than other text. None of it is so light as to be hard to read though.

I'm wondering if there's any copies out there, besides mine, that had issues with faintly printed pages. They aren't so faint I can't read the pages but there is quite a difference in those pages and other pages.

That's a printer error. The inking looks good on all the copies I've seen. I'll alert customer service to this and see if they can't take care of you.

Chris Ballard wrote:

I'm wondering if there's any copies out there, besides mine, that had issues with faintly printed pages. They aren't so faint I can't read the pages but there is quite a difference in those pages and other pages.

That's a printer error. The inking looks good on all the copies I've seen. I'll alert customer service to this and see if they can't take care of you.

Email sent :D

Just wanted to let you all know in case any one else had the same issue.

Mine's certainly not illegible, but the print is noticeably weird.

Same here. Some pages are very faint, not unreadable but faint.

That said, it's a great book so far. I bow to Dave's knowledge of eastern movies and tropes. Great fun!

Same here. Some pages are very faint, not unreadable but faint.

That said, it's a great book so far. I bow to Dave's knowledge of eastern movies and tropes. Great fun!

I agree. This is definitely one of my favorites; I'm just under half done and it's going fast.

So now for the nerdy part. I know i know it's a novel and doesn't have to 100% follow the PF rules, but indulge me.

Radovan was revealed to be a CL7 (rog5/mnk2) character in KQ14. I don't know at which point in the novels/stories that is but it feels about right for before Prince of Wolves. Now in Master of Devils without doubt both Jeggare and Radovan gain a few levels, learning some monkish skills...

So now for the nerdy part. I know i know it's a novel and doesn't have to 100% follow the PF rules, but indulge me.

** spoiler omitted **

Another look at Chapter Six might answer your question, but if not I'll give you the blunt answer if you can join us on the 29th.

Master of Devils Chat
Monday, August 29, 9:00 ET, 6:00 PT

To join the chat, point your browser to chat.dmtools.org, choose a screen name, and type /join PFTales.

Thanks for the answer Dave. I reread chapter 6 , but i still don't get it.

Will see if I can make the chat.

BTW Dave, i read on your facebook page that you're searching for a reasonably priced copy of Snake in Eagle's Shadow. I do hope you have at least seen the film, or did you really not? It's a great classic, and has been broadcast on TV here in Germany quite a few times.

BTW Dave, i read on your facebook page that you're searching for a reasonably priced copy of Snake in Eagle's Shadow. I do hope you have at least seen the film, or did you really not? It's a great classic, and has been broadcast on TV here in Germany quite a few times.

No, I still haven't seen this movie, I've only read about it and viewed a few scenes. It's one of the remaining major gaps in my wuxia movie education.

If you don't catch me in the chat room Monday night, you can find me there on and off much of the time. Just shoot me a message, and I'll give you that straight answer, assuming no one else has done so before then.

BTW Dave, i read on your facebook page that you're searching for a reasonably priced copy of Snake in Eagle's Shadow. I do hope you have at least seen the film, or did you really not? It's a great classic, and has been broadcast on TV here in Germany quite a few times.

Also, Flames Rising has posted five more of my kung fu movie recommendations. I'll resume my regular blog recommendations soon.

Well I couldn't make it to the chat. Care to let the cat out of the bag, Dave?

Well I couldn't make it to the chat. Care to let the cat out of the bag, Dave?

The chat's still about six hours away. If you still can't make it, I'll respond under a spoiler-tag, but it's a BIG spoiler for those who haven't read the book. If you come to the chat room soon, you might catch me while I'm hanging out and eating my lunch for the next little while. Go to chat.dmtools.org and pick a username.

So now for the nerdy part. I know i know it's a novel and doesn't have to 100% follow the PF rules, but indulge me....

** spoiler omitted **

Awesome book. Best to date. Thanks Dave.

Written a review (summary: I really like the book).

I personally don't care about any speedy advance in power that wouldn't happen in-game, because the rules aren't written to make good fiction.

I loved this book! I ESPECIALLY love the appearance of my favorite simian demigod as I never get enough of him in any sorts of media. I've been wanting to read an asian-themed fantasy D&D story since I've started playing so I'm grateful you wrote it.