Book Review: "Fear" by Bob Woodward.

Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A really terrifying look inside the Trump White House, as relayed by insiders to the grandmaster of American political journalism.

Seeing how Trump runs his administration like a nob boss on the one hand, and how he acts like an easily distracted toddler on the other is eye-opening. Time and again we see the head of our state act solely on impulse, ordering things and then forgetting about them hours later. All the time demanding praise from all around him.

Sadly, the book has already been overtaken by events. Most of the players named are gone, and Trump has only gotten more random. Also, there was no narrative flow to this, no guides to carry the reader along as we go from crisis to crisis. Still a good read and a piece of important political history.



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Game review: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes by Wizards RPG Team

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If I needed one word to describe the sourcebooks coming out for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, that word would be "depth." Books like Volo's Guide to Monsters take D&D standards and make them people, with cultures, religions, and ways of life. But where Volo's focussed on tradition "monster" types, the Tome of Foes dives deep into the Elves, Dwarfs, Halflings, and Gnomes, as well as their darker counterparts like the Drow and Duergar. These chapters are a treasure for both Dungeon Masters and players looking to play one of these races with a deep history.

But the book pays attention to threats as well! The opening chapter concerns demons and devils, the unending Blood War fought between the two sides and the structure and politics of both the Nine Hells and the Abyss. Again, they become living places for high-level adventures to explore and the DM knowing the various needs of the Princes of Hell and the Lords of the Abyss, you might find your characters bargaining for souls or sneaking into a library that stretches on for eternity.

The Gith are also covered, both the eternally warring githyanki and the philosophical githzerai. These refugees from 1981's truely atrocious Fiend Folio are now two complete cultures, ready to be friends or foes.

The second half of the book is a comprehensive bestiary. The nice thing is all the creatures make sense in the context of the material presented earlier. So, if your party is raiding Hell, there are plenty of infernal critters and devils listed.

Really, really good resource for any DM and their players.



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