One important starting point: Dan Harms knows his Cthulhu Mythos. You almost forget that this could be a scholarly work as you page through the entries on various creatures, places and entities of the Mythos fiction started by H.P. Lovecraft. Like with previous editions, there is so much information crammed into this book that the reader can learn something new and different on each reading. My suggested method for finding inspiration is to open the book up to a random entry and then follow the "read also" entries until full. You won't come away from it without something to inspire you. This book is set up like an encyclopedia and it charts the various people, places and things from the Cthulhu Mythos started by Lovecraft and embellished by so many other creators in the decades after his death. Unlike previous editions, this edition deemphasizes the Call of Cthulhu RPG from Chaosium in favor of further Mythos-inspired fiction. I don't think that is a bad idea because, for me, it elevates this present edition above being just a gaming supplement and turns it into something that can have a wider appeal, whether the read is a gamer or non-gamer. There is plenty in this book to inspire for years to come.
If I had a complaint, it would be that the electronic format was not fully embraced. I am not sure if this is possible, but I think that it would be much more useful if the "see also" lists at the end of each entry were hyperlinked to allow for better movement from one entry to another. This, however, does not take away from the otherwise high quality content of the book.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] |