I've been into Glorantha since the 80s and have read and know most all about it (not to blow my own horn or to be good at a trivia quiz or anything). I read the whole book in detail and went through it with a fine-toothed comb.
Let me say, at the outset, I have no financial connection with Moon Design and am not an employee. The work I did for this publication was an expression of joy in both the subject matter and the hobby.
I found the same thing as Martin did. I was not only *really* enjoying the read but: finding inspiration for my own games, learning lots of new things about Glorantha and how to use HQ2 to run games in it, getting very excited by the 100 page campaign which includes a quest to hell _done the right way_, loving the expression of the cults in a way I can't remember doing this century, being inspired to work out (as I went along) how to use the whole lot narrativistically, realising that what we are making here is something that a complete newcomer could buy (along with HQ2) to run their own games in Glorantha's primary setting and do a pretty bloody good job too!
Reading the book also helped me with another HQ2 game I'm running presently: The Hobbit! The Colymar campaign is designed in an especially great way - this lead me to use new methods.
This book is incredibly valuable. Just think: we are getting, actually, *four* books-worth in one. Don't suggest it should be split in four - when you read it you wouldn't want that any more than I do. Moon Design bring out material as often as they can; this book took a long time and a lot of effort from not only the talented people who wrote the text but a fair number of committed individuals, working for the love of it, all dedicated to creating and honing what we have got: a really high-quality, magnum opus of Sartar. I for one am really pleased with 99% of it and that's a really high mark for a picky bastard like me (just ask Jeff what a picky, pain in the arse I can be?!).
Friends, it's probably the best book of it's type in the collection. It's massive and expensive and _worth every penny_.
Testimony:
People have been pretty negative. I attest that this post is not a swing in
the opposite direction or purely reactionary. It's just a sad fact that it
takes a lot for people to write positive things online - when it's easier to
moan. I do the same thing myself. This post is written as neutrally as I can
manage; it's a honest recommendation - if there's anyone out there who feels
the same about the hobby and setting as I do then you will really like this
book and find it worth the price.
Lastly, I also wish we'd had this when I started. We'd have had better games. A *lot* better games.
-----Original Message-----
From: WorldofGlorantha_at_yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WorldofGlorantha_at_yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dr Martin Hawley
Sent: 13 November 2009 09:33
To: WorldofGlorantha_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Sartar Kingdom of Heroes
Hi All...those that know me will know its not very often I post to any
digest...but the conversation about this has prompted me to do so.
While I was editing the manuscript for Sartar Kingdom of Heroes I did more
than just look at format and grammar check as per any editing ....I started
like this then found myself actually reading the text and thinking wow
that's interesting ...hmmm I never knew that ...or even hey that's much
better explained now and much more easy to play.
I would say that this book is an excellent read! but more than that if that
was not enough...its THE book for anyone wanting to play and understand
Sartar. For those that are long standing fans they may be thinking ..."do I
NEED" this...well its packed full of a whole heap more than what we have
seen so far on Sartar and an excellent campaign that captures the essence of
HQ.
For those new comers ..WOW I wish I had a book like this about Sartar when I
first started discovering Glorantha...indeed I recall reading in the back of
RQ1 about coming books...including a Sartar book...well now we have it. Is
it worth 50 Euros...Hell yes!!
Martin
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