Despite the title, there is no Volume I to be found in Skyrim. This had the potential to be an excellent ghost story. Instead, passive writing, awkward sentences, punctuation errors, and a derth of description make this tale fall flat.
Two stars.
--
The Cake and the Diamond, by Athyn Muendil
This story is told in first person, and does an excellent job of staying in the point-of-view character's head. He is part of a group of thieves in possession of a magnificent diamond. An old alchemist offers to trade them some invisibility potions, in the form of cakes, in exchange for some small fragments of the diamond. They agree to her proposition in order to get the potions, never intending to part with the gem. But she has a scheme of her own. This tale was delightful in every way.
Four and a half stars.
--
Cats of Skyrim, a report by Aldetuile
I love cats, but this is just about the most useless book I've encountered thus far. This book could have been an opportunity for the game developers to provide a little supplemental information about sabrecats, perhaps something about their territorial behavior, mating habits, or even the average number of cubs in a litter. Instead, this report tells absolutely nothing that wouldn't be obvious from your first encounter with one. And as sabrecats are more common in Skyrim than copies of this book, it is a safe bet that the player will have killed dozens of them before reading the book.
One star.
--
Chance's Folly, by Zylmoc Golge
Ah, now here's a worthy story, both intriguing and clever. A thief known as Chance recruits a madman to be her muscle on a particularly risky tomb raid. But as they progress, some of the madman's nonsensical ramblings begin to seem prophetic. Does he know things he shouldn't? Or is it just a coincidence? A wealth of subtle details enrich the texture of this short tale.
Five stars.
--
The Charwich-Koniinge Letters.
This four-volume set represents an exchange between two men who are seeking Azura's Star in different locations. Overall, the writing style is quite good, however there are a few glaring errors, such as improperly conjugated verbs, incorrect words, and one sentence so broken as to be incomprehensible. (Note: I am not referring to the part of the story where the quality of writing deteriorates for a plot-related reason, but to other areas of the story where such errors are glaring because they contrast so strongly with the otherwise good writing.)
In spite of these few technical errors, the tale is actually quite good. It is another one that you should read as a single story. Don't read the volumes out of order, or you'll miss out on the delightful switchbacks in the plot. For the first part of the first volume, I felt like I was reading a bad horror story, the kind where you yell at the characters. "Don't go to the cemetery at night! Listen to the townspeople's warnings!" But the story quickly departed from genre stereotypes, and turned into something quite wonderful. I won't say any more, because I do not wish to ruin the surprise.
Four stars. (Yes, even with the technical errors.)
--
Charrus Pie: A Recipe
This book was written by a character you'll likely meet in the game--Nils, the guy who chops firewood for the inn in Windhelm. The writing captures his voice and personality perfectly. The text contains not just a simple recipe, but also tips for hunting charrus, glimpses of Nils' life, and a few disparaging comments about Imperials and Bretons. It's not especially helpful in terms of advice you can actually use in the game, and it certainly doesn't tell anything resembling a story, but it made me laugh several times during it's few short pages. A delightful little book that would make a nice addition to the kitchen area of any of the houses in the game.
Four stars.
--
Children of the Sky
This is a brief overview of the legends and mythology of the Nords, told by someone who is clearly not a Nord. Some of it seems to match up to Nord beliefs as revealed through character interactions in the game, but other parts seem to be out of left field. (I certainly haven't encountered a rope woven from the severed tongues of enemies anywhere in the game so far.) Perhaps these things were true at some point in history, or perhaps they are misunderstandings recorded by someone who hear things second- or third-hand. It kind of reads like an outdated encyclopedia entry about a third-world country.
Two and a half stars.
--
A Children's Anuad: The Anuad Paraphrased
This is the origin story for the world of Nirn. The myth is reasonably interesting, but not dynamic in the telling. The weak, flat writing render the tale unmemorable. Read it if you want to know how Mer and Men came to be, but it's not as enthralling as it ought to have been.
Three stars.
--
The Chronicles of the Holy Brothers of Marukh, Volume IV, or, The Cleansing of the Fane
This is presented as the only surviving fragment of an ancient tale, so although it is labeled volume four, there are no other volumes to find. It is very brief, providing only the most cursory overview of what could have been a very exciting story about an infestation of devils upon the land. Except for the appropriately archaic language, it reads like a tenth-page newspaper article.
Two stars.
--
Chronicles of Nchuleft
This history piece on the Dwemer describes some rivalries and plots among and against several Dwemer nobles. It lacks the cultural context that could have made it comprehensible. Whenever Bluthanch became angry at the other nobles, I couldn't quite understand why she was upset. They had a meeting and didn't invite her? Why is this considered treason? More information is needed to make the story meaningful. As it was, I found it confusing.
Two stars.
--
The City of Stone: A Sellsword's Guide to Markarth, by Amanda Alleia, Mercenary
The title pretty well says it all. A world-weary, sarcastic mercenary explains a few basic rules for navigating Markarth, both in the literal sense of navigating the steep cliffs and in the figurative sense of knowing who to talk to (that is, those who might offer employment) and who not to talk to (that is, whoever will cause you trouble with no reward). There really isn't much advice that the player couldn't easily figure out independently, but it's a reasonably fun read. However, the use of honorific "Ms." in a pseudo-medieval fantasy setting seems terribly anachronistic and out of place to me, particularly given that term's 20th-century origins.
Three stars.
--
The Code of Malacath: A Sellsword's Guide to the Orc Strongholds, by Amanda Alleia, Mercenary
"Ms. Alleia," as she calls herself, turns her attention to Orcs, explaining the code they live by, and how strict adherence to the code makes Orcs from strongholds different from "city Orcs." She doesn't really describe the strongholds themselves in any particular detail, and she implies that she's never actually been inside one, instead having gained all of her information from listening to drunk Orcs rant. Again, it's nonessential reading, imparting nothing the player wouldn't learn on their own, but Alleia's voice is entertaining.
Three stars.
--
Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes, by Mankar Camoran
I presume this four-volume set is meant to be an aid to a quest that I have not yet encountered in the game, as the text speaks of four keys to be found. I can't speak to the usefulness of the text to the quest, but it's not the most enjoyable read. The text contains the semi-coherent ravings of a cult leader. After a few pages, all I saw was "blah, blah, blah," with the occasional bit of implied incest or cannibalism rousing me to disgust. If you like listening to madmen and zealots rant in public spaces, you'll love these books. The author refers to a source book called Mysterium Xarxes, but I don't think it can be found in Skyrim.
Two stars.
--
Complete Catalogue of Enchantments for Armor, by Yvonne Bienne, Synod researcher
And
Complete Catalogue of Enchantments for Weaponry, by Yvonne Bienne, Synod researcher
I'm reviewing these two together because there is really little to distinguish them. Open these books to collect you skill points in the game, but there's really no good reason to actually read them. The text is bland and uninspired, and pocked with a few grammatical errors. They provide no information beyond what you can learn by experience in the game.
One star.
--
A Concise Account of the Great War Between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, by Legate Justianus Quintus
It's very textbookish, but more enjoyable than A Brief History of the Empire. Perhaps that's because it deals with more recent historical events, namely the war that ended with the White-Gold Concordat, which in turn caused the civil war that features in the main plotline of Skyrim. The player encounters many characters who fought in the war described in A Concise Account, and so perhaps for that reason, the information it imparts seems directly relevant to the choices the player makes. The writing is respectably decent, if a bit dry. I was especially pleased to learn about the Redguard and Khajiit roles in the war. I had previously thought both groups were disinterested outsiders as far as the conflict between the Stormcloaks and the Empire went, but now I understand how they fit into the political structure of the gameworld. This book enriched the Skyrim experience for me.
Three and a half stars.
--
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.
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