Skyrim Book Reviews, Ancient Tales of the Dwemer

It has come to my attention that I missed the Ancient Tales of the Dwemer when I reviewed the titles beginning with A. For some reason, in the Dovahkiin Gutenberg they are listed under T for Tales instead of A for Ancient.

There are seven volumes of Ancient Tales of the Dwemer that you can find in Skyrim, although gaps in the numbering imply that more exist.

Although they differ widely in storytelling style and quality of writing, one thing they all have in common is that they are purported to have been recorded by Marobar Sul, and each of them includes a publisher's note analyzing Marobar Sul's scholarship, or rather lack thereof, and whether or not the tale presented was actually Dwemer in origin. The majority of them are determined to have been from other cultures, and that Marobar Sul slapped some Dwemer-sounding names on the characters.

This scholarly analysis of each text makes the set so much more interesting than each volume might have been individually. If you read all seven books together, the unnamed editor's seven notes together tell their own kind of story about Marobar Sul's shenanigans. Because these publisher's notes provide a unifying thread for these seven otherwise loosely-related books, the set as a whole merits it's own rating.

Four stars for the "complete" set (seven volumes, numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10). Ratings for individual volumes follow.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part I: The Ransom of Zarek, by Marobar Sul

This is an interesting tale told indirectly, as a son relates his escape to his mother. Of course, there can be no suspense in a story told this way, because the reader already knows the son is home safe. However, curiosity about how he managed to get away from his captors keeps the reader's interest.

The jarring use of thy and thou as one might see in formal, archaic language, when the rest of the dialogue was modern and somewhat variable in formality, grated on my nerves. However, the boy's method of escape was reasonably clever.

Two and a half stars.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part II, by Marobar Sul

This is the only book in the set that lacks a unique title. If I were to give it one, it might be The Woodsman and the Hist, or perhaps, The Argonan's Revenge. The publisher's note refers to the source tale as "The Seed." Despite its inclusion in the Dwemer series, this story prominently features Argonian lore and culture. An old Argonian woman wins the friendship of a young Dwemer (probably actually Dunmer) girl, and gives her a seed to plant. The story is engaging and well-written. It flows smoothly and reaches a satisfying conclusion, which I shan't spoil for you.

Four and a half stars.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part III: The Importance of Where, by Marobar Sul

While each of the Ancient Tales is told in a distinctive voice, this one has perhaps the most unique flavor. It is the tale of a warrior who must contend with a priest and a healer who attempt to steal the credit for his deeds. The writing has a particular cadence, which makes it seem very much like an ancient epic handed down through an oral tradition, and the story is clever, involving a delightful play on words.

Five stars.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part V: The Song of the Alchemists, by Marobar Sul

This story is told in a painful, sing-song rhyme. The meter is inconsistent, and many of the rhymes are contorted. The tale is of a contest between two alchemists to brew an invisibility potion, and the conclusion did not strike me as nearly so clever as it tried to present itself. The saving grace is the publisher's commentary, which slams the poem hard.

Two and a half stars.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part VI: Chimarvamidium, by Marobar Sul

This is the first of the Ancient Tales that might actually represent Dwemer culture accurately. It also prominently features the Chimer, who were the ancestors of the Dunmer. The plot is a variation on the story of the Trojan Horse, and thus familiar and predictable. The writer was inconsistent with tenses, a clumsy error that could have been fixed with better proofreading. Nonetheless, this was overall an enjoyable story.

Three stars.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part IX: Azura and the Box, by Marobar Sul
Another actual Dwemer tale, this one also featuring a Chimer and a Daedra. This is a tale of how a mortal tricked a goddess, with consequences implied but unshown. It presents science and skepticism in opposition to faith. The writing is decent, but unmemorable. This is another story made better by the publisher's commentary at the end, where the Dunmer and Aldmeri versions of the story.

Three stars.

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Ancient Tales of the Dwemer, Part X: The Dowry, by Marobar Sul

This is the story of a wealthy father who establishes stringent conditions to be met by any suitors who might pursue his daughter, and the clever suitor who bests those challenges through trickery. The writing is solid, if unremarkable. It's not the most original story, but it is an enjoyable read.

Three stars.

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Note: I am not connected to Bethesda in any way, and no one asked me to do these reviews. I am doing this purely for my own fun, as time allows. I don't have an agenda, other than the joy of reading and writing. If I panned your favorite Skyrim book, sorry. If I gave five stars to one you thought was awful, also sorry. These are my opinions and mine alone. You're entitled to your own.

Read these books within the game Skyrim, on The Elder Scrolls Wiki or on the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, or download the Dovahkiin Gutenberg.

Skyrim Book Reviews, Titles Beginning with B

Well, my PlayStation 3 has succumbed to the infamous Yellow Light of Death. Dead, dead, deadsky. My Skyrim disc is trapped inside, so I will have to disassemble the machine to rescue my disc. (Before you say, "but that will void the warranty," I'll just mention that I bought the PS3 used and so I have no warranty.) My save files are, of course, toast. Nothing survives the YLOD. Rest in peace, Sekhmet the Khajiit Warrior Librarian, Level 51, and Wemi the Dwemer-Obsessed Argonian Mage, Level 32.

For now, reading the Dovahkiin Gutenberg on my Nook will have to satisfy my Skyrim cravings.

On to the latest batch of reviews . . .

The Battle of Red Mountain and the Rise and Fall of the Tribunal

This is an interesting history of how the Chimer became the Dunmer, and how the Dwemer came to vanish from the face of Nirn. It is presented a transcript of a historic speech by Vivec (a familiar name in Skyrim, and one of the main characters of the 2920 series), with commentary added by an unknown scribe. It provides a fair amount of worthwhile backstory in a decently readable package. It's not one I'd go back to re-read often, but it's worthwhile.

Three stars.

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The Battle of Sancre Tor

This is a brief account of one of the great victories of Talos, aka Tiber Septim. It reads like a textbook, albeit a decently well-written one. It's the kind of story that would have done nicely if expanded into a multi-volume epic like 2920 or The Real Barenziah, but as it is, it's not the most dynamic telling. It's enjoyable enough, though, even as is.

Three stars.

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The Bear of Markath: The Crimes of Ulfric Stormcloak, by Arrianus Arius, Imperial Scholar

The title and author's affiliation make the bias of this text readily apparent. The primary aim is to cast a shadow over anything positive the reader may have heard about Ulfric Stormcloak, and generally to make the Forsworn seem like they weren't really all that bad. The secondary aim is a sort of apology, presumably directed at the Aldmeri Dominion and their allies, for the Empire having granted Ulfric's people permission to worship Talos, in violation of the treaty between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion. In the end, this book comes across as a "CYA" move on behalf of the Empire.

Two and a half stars.

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Beggar Prince: The Story of Wheedle and his Gifts from the Daedric Lord Namira

Ah, here's the kind of story that reminds me of why I'm reading all of these Skyrim books. It is the kind of tale that should be told around a roaring campfire or in an alehouse. It is a cautionary tale against making deals with demons--er, Daedra. It is also the story of how a blessing can turn out to be a curse, and a curse can turn out to be a blessing.

Four and a half stars.

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Biography of Barenziah, see here.

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Biography of the Wolf Queen, see here.

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The Black Arrow, by Gorgic Guine

This two-volume set is a delight, a lovely tale of cruelty rewarded with rogue justice, with a little mystery on the side and an ending satisfying both in terms of content and storytelling technique. My only quibble is a reference to "a single black bolt of ebony," meaning the arrow for which the story is titled. Bows shoot arrows. Crossbows shoot bolts. Since the weapon in question was not a crossbow, referring to the missile as a bolt is an error. But that's a minor flaw in an otherwise highly engaging story.

Four and a half stars. Would have been five if it had said "shaft of ebony" instead of "bolt."

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The Black Arts On Trial, by Hannibal Traven, Archmagister of the Arcane University, Imperial City

Another veiled critique of academia, in the vein of The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy. This is a well-handled debate over the merits versus the impropriety of the study of necromancy. The arguments and counter-arguments swing back and forth very smoothly, making this an enjoyable and interesting read.

Four stars.

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The Black Star: An Achievement of Magic over Daedra, by Malyn Varen, Master Enchanter

I have little to say about this short text, as it is merely an informational supplement to one of the game's quests. If you're doing The Black Star quest, you'll want to read The Black Star book. If not, probably not. It doesn't really have a story; it's the journal of a coherent, articulate madman.

Two stars.

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Boethiah's Glory

I'm not certain, but at 88 words this might be the shortest book in the game. Those 88 words are creepy in the extreme. This is one of the few books I've come across in the game that has a unique picture on the cover, and so it looks great laying on a table in your in-game house. It's worth acquiring just for that, even if you have no intention of doing the Bothiah's Calling quest.

Three and a half stars.

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The Book of Daedra

If, like me, you have trouble keeping all those pesky Daedric Princes straight, this is the book for you. It's like a Who's Who list, or perhaps a field guide. Either way, it's a handy reference tome to have around.

Four stars.

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The Book of the Dragonborn, by Prior Emelene Madrine, Order of Talos, Weynon Priory

You find this book during the opening sequence of the game, in the torturer's room. Pick it up and hang on to it until your character can afford to buy a house, because with the unique cover, this book makes a cool decoration.

As for the content of the book, it's informative and provides a lot of useful background information on the gameworld, and what it means for your player-character to be dragonborn. The prophecy at the end is interesting, and I am certain that it will be important to the plot by the end of the game. (I don't know, because I never finished the game. I enjoyed tromping all over Skyrim, exploring caves and keeps, and scrupulously avoiding anything that might trigger the progression of the main plotline. Whenever I get a new PS3, I'll be starting over with a new character, so I expect it will be a long, long time before I see the end of the game.) It seems to me that this book serves a useful function in the game, but doesn't stand alone outside of the context of the game.

Three stars.

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Bravil: Daughter of the Niben, by Sathyr Longleat

This is a narrative of the history of the town of Bravil, a particular statue there, and the woman who became the town's legendary Lucky Old Lady. It's the kind of thing one might read in a travel guide. It's actually quite interesting and well written. Not essential reading, but worthwhile and enjoyable.

Three and a half stars.

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Breathing Water, by Haliel Myrm

This is a great story horribly marred by one recurring error, and that is the frequent and consistent use of breath as a verb. Breath is a noun. The verb is breathe. One may breathe and one may take a breath. Every time I ran across the phrase "to breath water" I wanted to take a red pen to my screen (which of course would have damaged the screen horribly).

If you can get past that error, the tale told is actually quite good. It is engaging and clever, with a nice zinger at the end. I do recommend reading it.

Three stars. (Would have been four if someone had simply corrected breath to breathe.)

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A Brief History of the Empire, by Stronach k'Thojj III, Imperial Historian

This four-volume set is as advertized, a history textbook about the Empire from its founding by Tiber Septim until the reign of Uriel Septim VII. That means it is a few centuries out of date, as far as the current events in Skyrim are concerned. If you are interested in the history of the gameworld, do read this text. It's your best one-stop-shopping place for all of the Pelagiuses, Uriels, and other Imperial rulers. If you're having trouble keeping them straight, and if you care enough to want to, this is your essential text.

That said, it is written like a textbook. It is well edited and coherent, but deathly boring. Although it covers several exciting historical events, it does so in that history-textbook way of glossing over the interesting stuff in favor of bombarding the reader with names and dates. I'm sure that's exactly what the author (the real author, not Stronach k'Thojj III) intended: to create the textbook that schoolchildren all over the Empire would be forced to read and despise.

Two and a half stars.

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The Brothers of Darkness, by Pellarne Assi

This brief history text provides a little background on the Dark Brotherhood's ascent (or descent, if you prefer) from obscure cult to untouchable assassins guild. There's really not much to say about this book. It's decently written, but not especially exciting. If you're playing an assassin, you might find it interesting. If you're not, you might not.

Two and a half stars.

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The Buying Game, by Ababael Timsar-Dadisun

This is general advice on buying, selling, and negotiating prices, much of which can't actually be used in gameplay because trade happens automatically based on your speech skill. However, it is very interesting, and it highlights some of the cultural differences between the races in Skyrim. It's a short book, but worth reading.

Three stars.

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Note: I am not connected to Bethesda in any way, and no one asked me to do these reviews. I am doing this purely for my own fun, as time allows. I don't have an agenda, other than the joy of reading and writing. If I panned your favorite Skyrim book, sorry. If I gave five stars to one you thought was awful, also sorry. These are my opinions and mine alone. You're entitled to your own.

Read these books within the game Skyrim, on The Elder Scrolls Wiki or on the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, or download the Dovahkiin Gutenberg.

Skyrim Book Reviews: The Wolf Queen

As with the books about Barenziah, I decided that it would be best to treat the two Wolf Queen titles together.

The Wolf Queen, by Waughin Jarth

This eight-volume set tells an engaging and interesting story about a woman who is unredeemably evil. It reads like historical fiction, because it occasionally contains speculation about events that there wouldn't have been any survivors to record. It has a well-plotted story cycle, with an ending that links back to the beginning. A few scattered typos and misused words detract from otherwise fine writing.

Four stars.

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Biography of the Wolf Queen, by Katar Eriphanes

I wish all of the good things I said about the multi-volume set The Wolf Queen could be set about the single volume Biography of The Wolf Queen, but alas, this book is dreadful. It is presented as a historical account (that is, lacking dialogue or other traits typical of fiction), however much of the text is lifted verbatim from narrative passages of The Wolf Queen. This wouldn't be a problem, except that they abridged the story too much, compressing things to the point at which they made no sense.

For example, in one paragraph, Uriel is born. The next paragraph begins, "Two years later, Pelagius II died . . ." The following paragraph begins, "Mantiarco King of Solitude, died the springtide after Pelagius II. Uriel ascended to the throne, ruling jointly with his mother. Doubtless, Uriel had the right and would have preferred to rule alone . . ."

I read those paragraphs over and over again, to see if I missed any indications of the passage of time. As it stands, the text implies that a three-year-old child "would have preferred to rule alone." That's sloppy writing, or at least sloppy editing. It's all the worse because it would have been so very easy to fix, simply by adding a phrase such as, "Once he reached the age of majority . . ."

Throughout the whole Biography of the Wolf Queen, I had a great deal of trouble identifying how much time passed between events. That meant I spent far too much time asking, "Huh?" and flipping back to previous pages.

Skip this book. Biography of the Wolf Queen doesn't contain one single piece of information not included in The Wolf Queen. It is completely and absolutely worthless.

Zero stars. Yeah, that's right. Zero.

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Note: I am not connected to Bethesda in any way, and no one asked me to do these reviews. I am doing this purely for my own fun, as time allows. I don't have an agenda, other than the joy of reading and writing. If I panned your favorite Skyrim book, sorry. If I gave five stars to one you thought was awful, also sorry. These are my opinions and mine alone. You're entitled to your own.

Read these books within the game Skyrim, on The Elder Scrolls Wiki or on the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, or download the Dovahkiin Gutenberg.