This book is so long and diverse in topics that I think it will be a while before anyone writes a full-length review. However, Duke Omote has written the longest commentary so far over on the Necromancer Message Boards (I am going to quote it in toto because it's not super-long, but it's here).
This is what Omote has to say (and thank you for taking time to write it, Omote!)
"So I snagged this gem the other day. The only review I can say at this point is how much great reading is packed within; not typical prose type of reading, but lists, and lists of pure idea-generating gold.The pre-order page (you get the pdf NOW) is here. The price is $42 for the book/pdf. It's a hardback sewn in 16 page signatures (ie, super high quality). 300 pages of tables, 7 pages of indexing material.
I started reading page-by-page and got to around page 40 before I put the Tome of Adventure Design down (well, it's an electronic copy, but you know what I mean). I comtemplated for a second or two about what I wanted to do with this book, and then just typed in random pages in the .pdf viewer. I can't believe how easy it is to instantly start generating adventure idea by flipping to a random page of this book! Simply look for a list heading, and voila, adventure ideas galore!
We've seen books tackle this type of subject matter before, but you can rest assured that never in the history of this hobby has this subject been more thuroughly... randomly generated! TOAD covers 4 types of "books." Each book within this single tome goes over a single aspect of the fantasy RPG game in the form of quick-tables. Cities, dungeons, etc., roll 'em up! But more then randoming rolling stuff, just reading down the lists themselves gave me some great ideas for a DragonLance game I am running this Thursday.
FGG is really impressing the industry and the fanbase as a whole with it's rash of spectacular releases (with Tome of Horrors Complete for S&W, PF) and Tome of Adventure Design is no different. This is the type of book every GM should have.
~O "
There's a preview (this is a direct download) but it uses the old working title.
Fitz also posted this on DF: "OK, having taken a quick trip through the PDF, I can now say THIS IS FANTASTIC! Seriously, if you have any interest at all in adventure building, if you're a DM now or if you think that some day you might like to have a go at DMing, you should absolutely buy a copy of this book. It is the BEST adventure-building resource I've ever seen in thirty years of DMing."
ReplyDeleteRPGNet has a thread at http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?595000-Tome-of-Adventure-Design
ReplyDeleteIntriguing! I'll have to get a copy of this. :)
ReplyDeleteIt really sounds good and I would like to read the rest of the story. I have recently download Treasure Island PDF eBook online and read the complete novel. I will download ebook copy for me.
ReplyDelete