Skyrim Book Reviews, Titles Beginning with L

Well, I haven't reviewed all of the titles beginning with L, but here are a few I wrote way back in September. Then I got busy with schoolwork and work-work, and I didn't have time for recreational reading. And now that I have a little time between semesters, I'm finding myself wanting to read other things.

So even though I didn't even make it halfway through the alphabet, I'm ceasing this Skyrim book review project. If anyone has actually been reading these, I'm sorry to abandon you midstream, but I hope you've enjoyed reading these.

Here are the last few I completed:

Lady Benoch's Words and Philosophy.

I think when you find this book in the game, it is only titled Words and Philosophy. The lady in question was a warrior of renown, and this book was the summary of three interviews with her conducted by the anonymous author. The text could have benefited from some careful editing. There were multiple tense-shifts, which are one of my pet peeves. (For example, one quotation is marked with "she said" and the next with "she says," when they are quoting the same interview.) However, the stories told by Lady Benoch were rather entertaining, especially her recounting of her first face-to-face kill, so the book is worth reading.

Three stars.

--

The Last King of the Ayleids, by Herminia Cinna.

This history text is on the dry and dull side, unfortunately. It's a general overview of the decline of Ayleid power in Cyrodiil during and after the time of Alessia. Only the last paragraph mentions "the last king," and then with so little detail that the reader can not even imagine his role in the battle linked to his name.

Two stars.

--

The Last Scabbard of Akrash, by Tabar Vunqidh.

A blacksmith receives daily visits from a veiled lady. An unknown vigilante dispatches slave-traders. The suspense and mystery may not be strong, but the story is engaging and well-written, with clear and vivid descriptions. It's the details, and the nice way the author brings the tale full circle with no loose ends, that makes this great.

Four stars.

--

The Legendary City of Sancre Tor, by Matera Chapel.

Sancre Tor was Alessia's holy city, which was apparently poorly situated for defense, as it was repeatedly conquered by various enemies. It's a decent overview of the history of this city, but a little on the boring side.

Two stars.

--

The Legendary Scourge.

A disjointed fragment tells of a mace named Scourge, an ebony weapon of Malacath. This seems like it ought to be part of a larger work, and it does not stand well on its own. It does harbor a few nicely turned phrases, though.

Two stars.

--

The Legend of Red Eagle, by Tredayn Dren, Archivist of Winterhold.

This book provides more information about Red Eagle than the player would learn just through completing that subquest. It's also one of the relatively few stories about the native people who lived in Skyrim before the Nords took over. So even though it's just a brief overview, roughly on par with an encyclopedia entry, it's a nice supplement to the game.

Three stars.

--

The Legend of the Krately House, by Baloth-Kul.

This ghost story is presented in script format, requiring a two-story set. The stage directions--especially the lighting directions--create a vivid, spooky ambiance. The sense of suspense holds until the end. I would pay real-life money to see this performed live on stage. Too bad it's so short (well, long for a Skyrim book, but short for a play) that it would be cost-prohibitive to produce.

Five stars.

--

Light Armor Forging, by Revus Sarvani.

I expected this to be as bad as Heavy Armor Forging--it certainly started off just as poorly, seasoned with a smattering of grammar errors. However, this text surprised me with an interesting little story about how the crafting of Elven armor came to be known to non-Elves, which actually made this book worth reading beyond the skill point it awards.

Two 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 ScrollsPages, or download the Dovahkiin Gutenberg.