This was a good generic module and a happy change for anyone who doesn't feel like developing their own adventure but campaign in their own setting. It can be almost drop fitted into an ongoing campaign. While this module *can* stand on its own, it is highly tied into the Eye of Pain and Eye to Eye. I gave it 4 out of five stars because of its inability to be a true stand alone adventure.

This book had very detailed pictures. Just by looking at the pictures you could feel them. The pictures are just unspoken for. It goes right along with any other black family. NOT that i'm not already proud of my color but see these pictures really make me proud to be black. I like to thank the authors for the idea of this book. The pictures could't be more real.

This is a supplement for 2nd edition D&D that covers the historical period of the Roman empire and translates roman myths and folklore into D&D terms.

It provides a good timeline for the empire, an okay section on roman adventures and the roman world, but the great section is the 2nd edition class and kit write ups. It provides for political soldiers, gladiators, oratory before the Senate, street thugs in the capitol city, witches, and priests for all the ectsasy cults and Roman gods. It is set in a low magic background as are all the historical settings but the magical details are great including the three witch spells it includes (dream curses, love charms and protective amulets).

This is the ideal way to introduce new characters into the heroic spectacle of a Dragonlance campaign. The arcane sword of Sturm Brightblade, the valorous knight who fell in the War of the Lance, has been stolen - and it is up to the adventurers to bring the culprits to justice! But once the pursuit begins, they find themselves caught up in a dark web of power far greater than anyone suspected... a great dungeon adventure, and very well scripted.

Anyone who fondly remembers Expedition to the Barrier Peaks is gonna like this great campaign adventure. It can be pretty deadly, considering the characters' equipment will be largely useless against the main villains, who happen to be intelligent robots. The gist of the story is that a computer has warred for ages against the alien Rael, a race much like humans or elves. The war is brought to the campaign world when a Rael ship crash-lands with the robots not far behind. Equipment, history of the war, and a section on converting AD&D to Alternity supplement the adventure. The only problem I have is that this adventure doesn't quite feel as epic in scale as it should. Too bad they didn't try to crossover with the old Expedition adventure.

Eye of pain was a half decent adventure and it ties in well with Eye of Doom and Eye to Eye. I felt the plotline is good in the way it builds up to the finale in Eye to Eye but it could be fleshed out just a little bit more. Its not to good, but its not too bad either. I enjoyed it none the less and so did most of the other players. I, Tyrant is not nessecery in my opinion but provides a valueable background sourcebook for this adventure. Recommended for all lovers of giant spell-casting eyeballs.

An interesting story with some interesting characters but more detail into their lives and thoughts would have made this a better book. That being said, I think it is clearly the second-best of the Grayhawk series, behind the ever-popular Justicar books by Paul Kidd. The journey of the central character Shanhaevel from self-absorbed scholar to boon companion is rather well-done, and the supporting characters display just enough individualism to remain interesting. The storyline will be familar to old-time D&Ders, but I think that Reid did a reasonably good job of transferring a role-playing game into a novel, and those who are not familar with the game or that module will still enjoy reading this book. There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep readers interested in the last page, and a tag at the last of the book insinuates that there may be another novel in the future dealing with these same characters, which I would welcome.

I have to admit that with most of the D&D related stuff I've been reading lately, I was beginning to think everything coming from the D&D genre was fluff. However, I picked this book up when I bought the new D&D 3E module "Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil", and I've been intrigued ever since. I found that the storyline is fluid and interesting. The characters are mysterious and enjoyable. I relate this one to my first reading of the Dragonlance Chronicles. Good stuff. I hope the newer novels are all like this one - might start a new trend to eradicate the fluff and market something with substance! I recommend this book to anyone interested in fantasy in general, the greyhawk series, or D&D.

The Temple of Elemental Evil is my favorite roleplaying adventure of all time. Many an adventurer has fallen amongst its deadly walls. I was mixed with delight and fear when I heard that a novel about this extraordinary piece was being written. I am happy to say that this novel does it justice. For those who have played the adventure before, you will relive past glories and defeats as images of Temple come back to you.

The setting with Hommlet, Nulb, the moathouse, and the Temple itself have remained the same, and you will remember some old faces like Burne, Elmo, Otis, Ostler, Rufus, and more. Reid's descriptions of the Temple and the surrounding areas are incredible and put you there again with a new band of adventurers. The characters are wonderfully portrayed and they remind me of many adventurers that I have played. The main character in the story is Shanhaevel, an elven wizard, who is thrust into the adventure of his life, ill prepared and scared out of his wits, after his mentor is slain. Shanhaevel arrives in Hommlet to meet with Burne and representatives from the King of Furyrondy and soon finds himself along on a journey to discover what new evil threatens Hommlet and to determine if the Temple has awaken again. As the adventure begins, Shanhaevel rides out with a veteran warrior from the first battle against the Temple's forces named Melias who leads the expedition, a rogue named Ahleage, a warrior talented with a bow named Draga, a half-elven druid named Shirral, and Elmo a warrior who turns out to be more than he appears. The characters are developed through their actions and garb and are not simply described by class like in the novel Against the Giants. For instance, Govin who they meet later is not described as a paladin, but it can be inferred from his actions and abilities. And Elmo's true character can be determined from his hidden talents.

Aside from all this let me just say...you will enjoy this book whether you are new to The Temple of Elemental Evil or not. The storyline is exciting and entertaining from the beginning and holds you till the end, unsure quite how it will all end up. I give this novel my highest recommendation. If you like this novel there is also a new adventure coming out called The Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, which I hope will also live up the standards of the original.

The book, on the surface seems to be interesting. Beautiful woman, forced to work for crime syndicate because they hold her brother hostage meets convict hacker recruited (and saved from a long jail term) by law enforcement agency. They fall in love and...

I don't know what happens next. I just could not finish this book. Actually having to slog through the tedious detail just proved too much for me.

The book seems to be written in support of a RPG, and there is a lot of detail from the game that is introduced enough to confuse you. Luckily, it's not central to the book. Except there's enough of it to really detract and make you wonder what exactly *is* central to the book.

And the story and characters just don't cut it. Nothing I can put my finger on, but I found myself completely disinterested in what happens to them. The story itself is easy enough to flesh out and make the characters more than shallow stereotypes, but it never seems to happen. The author is trying to pack a lot of background into the story, while keeping it moving and just doesn't succeed.

These things happen.

It reminds me of the first Shadowrun trilogy. I guess I'm more impatient than I was in those days. Or, as someone who has never seen the game system, just not that interested in the story for its own merit (or lack thereof).

First off, I highly recommend this novel. Sure at times the writing may seem a bit amateurish, but the story is so good you will hardly take notice. The characters are also a little thin but not so much that you cannot emphathize with them. I found myself really caring about them. Once the story gets moving it is very exciting and so action packed that it is hard to put this book down. Be warned though, this book doesn't really seem to belong in the Stardrive universe. It has more of a Shadowrun type of feel to it with its techno thriller storyline. Based on this novel, expect big things from this author in the future.

This book cannot be referenced because it offers no copywrite,editor(though there is one, he only refers to himself as H.) or any other bibliographic info...save your money, go photo copy and bind Reid's Inquiry at a library.