Puzzles Books

"The Mensa Genius Quiz-A-Day Book" contains 366 puzzles (including one for leap years). The puzzles cover a wide variety including cryptograms, picture puzzles, math puzzles, riddles, palindromes, Tom Swifties, and more. The book is divided into months and at the start of each month there is a description of how the month got its name and some other interesting facts about the month. The answers are at the back of the book and each answer tells what percentage of Mensa members got the right answer for that particular puzzle.

"The Mensa Genius Quiz-A-Day Book" is a good book for people who want to keep their mind active by doing at least one puzzle a day. The puzzles are varied in such a way that if you find a puzzle tough one day, the puzzle the next day won't seem as hard. My favorite puzzles are the word puzzles (palindromes, anagrams, riddles, mini-mysteries, etc.) while I'm not too fond of or particularly good at the math puzzles. For the most part, the book is evenly divided between the types of puzzles, but there are a few times when it seems like there are several of the same type of puzzle in a row. Although the book says Mensa, you don't have to be a Mensa member to do the puzzles (I'm not). The answer section gives a detailed explanation of each answer, which ultimately helps you solve similar types of puzzles. By the end of the book you should be able to solve or at least have an understanding of how each puzzle works.

"The Mensa Genius Quiz-A-Day Book" is hours of challenging fun for everyone.

I have purchased several of the Mensa books. There is a challenge to outwit the Mensa and I offer it to my friends on occasion in the form of a game.

My husband and I got this book to do together. We enjoy solving the quizzes and finding out the percentage of Mensans who got them correct. We gave it 4 stars because we think there are too many word puzzles. We were hoping for more number puzzles.

I bought this book prior to my taking the aptitude test that got me into Mensa. It was both fun and helpful and I at least felt a little smarter coming out the other end. I would recommend this book to anyone contemplating taking any similar test or just for a fun and challenging read. I sent this and a couple of other Mensa books to my niece and nephew. It went over pretty good with everyone in the family.

I've belonged to a couple of high-IQ societies, including Mensa, in the past, and once talked to Dr. Salny over the phone about IQ equivalents for the MAT, or Miller Analogies test, which was the one I qualified on for Mensa. Dr. Salny, who was at the University of New Jersey at Rutgers the time, was very helpful in that regard and I wanted to mention that.

This is a great collection of puzzles put together by Dr. Salny to help you keep your mental muscles tuned up, whether you're a Mensa member or not. In fact, one of the things we've learned about the brain over the last 50 years is that in many ways the brain is truly like a muscle--use it or lose it.

I was a grad student in the brain sciences and also formally studied the IQ and psychometrics area for a while, and I had some comments about the problems with testing high IQs that I thought I'd post here, especially on the problem of testing very high IQs above 150 or 160, particularly for adults.

Various writers, researchers, and members of other high IQ societies have attempted to solve this problem by constructing their own tests and standardizing them. They also claim to be able to standardize these high-end IQ tests using various special procedures and statistics. However, the problem of standardization for these sorts of tests has really never been resolved very well. Hence, many claims of IQ's that high are really just that--claims. That isn't to say that people who score high on things like the Mega test or the Langdon LAIT and so on might not have IQ's of 180, just the reliability and accuracy of such scores isn't that great.

The other problem is that the human brain is quite complex and we really don't know how to adequately test its capabilities except in the crudest sense. Most IQ tests examine a half dozen factors at most (although the well-known DAT, the Differential Aptitude Test, looked at 9 factors, but then it was technically an aptitude test and not an IQ test) and there are actually dozens or perhaps hundreds of factors involved. The eminent cognitive psychologist and psychometrician, J.P Guilford's Structure of Intellect model postulated 120 different types of intelligence (most if not all of which I find more convincing than the more standard factor models).

Another problem is the factor subtests still correlate highly with each other; for example, the typical verbal subtest correlates at the .75 level with the math subtest, although the spatial ability tests seem purer. A .75 "r" or correlation means that half the variance in one test is accounted for by the variance of the other (since the variance is the correlation coefficient squared). Hence, the factor subtests aren't very "pure," as they say, and correlate too highly with verbal skills which is too narrow a subset of skills and also is likely the most socio-economically influenced.

That having been said, ironically, the most egregious criticism of IQ tests is that you can show that the most complex IQ test known is only about 10-15% more accurate in predicting, say, college grades, than a 40 item, 20-30 minute vocabulary test.

And finally, for the coup de grace, the most famous IQ study of all time, the Lewis Terman study at Stanford in the last century, tested tens of thousands of kids and then followed 1400 of them with IQ's of 140 and over throughout their lives. A couple of dozen were as high as 180. Although a distinguished group in later life in that many of their achievements were impressive, there were no Nobel Laureates in the group. In fact, they passed over two of them--Luis Alvarez and William Shockley--who didn't test high enough to be included, both of whom later won the Nobel Prize in physics. Oops.

The second coup de grace is that research has shown that further IQ points above 120 is not as important as good social intelligence in ensuring success in life. And an IQ of 120 is enough to do anything--with few exceptions-- such as being a physicist or mathematician. After all, James Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA helix and Nobel Laureate, only had an IQ of 118. And in another classic study by Getzels and Jackson, children who were high on tests of creativity with average IQs of 120 had grades as high as those less creative with average IQs of 140.

Another thing you can see right away from visiting a few of these high-IQ society web pages and reading the discussions there, is that many of these people (most of them are men) are obsessed with the IQ business and about which test is the best, who has the highest IQ, and who gets to belong to the most exclusive societies. This produced an odd competitive race as various people attempted to form ever more rarified and exclusive and cliquish groups. There have been literally dozens of these, but most have never gone anywhere and died out after a few years, or never even got off the ground.

They also get into various inter-society and internecine debates, as I said, about who gets to belong to which high-IQ society on the basis of which test, each one claiming their test is the best, when, as I said, there really isn't any way to validate them that accurately. They've even gone, in one case, to the trouble of suing each other about the issue of the legitimacy of the testings, since few of these people are licensed psychologists. It really is a tempest in a teapot and they should go get a life. The whole thing would be funny were it not for the fact that they take the whole thing so seriously.

Of course, to some extent this is the pot calling the kettle black since I have belonged to a couple of these societies too in the past, but I also see the silliness of it all, not to mention, as I said, that it seems that for the vast majority of these people this is the only real distinction they seem to have.

I won't get into details, as the other reviewers here have already done a great job. Monte Cook has never let himself be constrained by the conventions that hinder the mainstream rpgs. This book has near-endless customizability--each class, spell, and even race has many options. The book contains rules, setting, and a good bestiary. If I had one gripe it would be the selection of races. Cat-people and dog-people? Come on! At least their backgrounds are fleshed out and believable. Better than your standard Tolkienesque fantasy races, which have been worn out, resurrected, and beaten to death again by many games. This book is full of original ideas, and it just begs readers to introduce their own. There are some great supplements, too, but this is all you need.

Get this one. Just buy it, sit down read and be amazed as you see all that was DnD change into what it should have been for a very long time.

Arcana Evolved is, for the most part, a very well-thought out variant of D&D. There are new races, new base classes, and a whole new spell system. Except for the magic system it sticks pretty closely to the d20 rules, so it's recognizable to the average D&D player.

For those of us who dislike the "Vancian" magic system in traditional D&D where spell casters have to memorize spells but forget them once they're cast, the new spell system is a vast improvement. At it's core it's a spell slot system much like sorcerers in 3.x D&D, but more flexible.

The spell system also lets you do a variety of things to change the power of the spells. You can cast it diminished, using a lower level slot but with less effect; you can cast it heightened, using a higher level slot for more effect; and there are spell templates that can tack on an additional effect (for example a Fire Mage would add the Fire template to do additional Fire damage).

That's the "Aracana" part of AE. The "Evolved" part refers to the concept of racial levels. Instead of ECL modifiers from D&D, several of the races have racial levels you can (optionally) take in lieu of a class level to gain the speical racial traits. In addition for all races (including humans), there are "evolved" levels. These take the racial traits and augment them.

All in all IMHO, an interesting variation on D&D. It still has many of the d20 quirks though (especially annoying is the miserly allocation of skill points)so if you really, really detest 3.x D&D because of things other than the magic system, you won't be happy here either. Everyone else should give it a try.

I will give you a quick overview of the product itself. Second, I am going to talk about its appearance, ergonomy and detail its contents. Third, I will tell you what I think are the "Critical Hit" and "Critical Miss" of this book and finally conclude with my overall appreciation of the product.

Overview

Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved can be purchased in PDF format on DriveThruRPG.com or in hardcover format at your local game stores, Amazon.com and gaming websites. It is 432 pages long, one of the first "mammoth volumes" of its kind.

First and foremost, Arcana Evolved combines materials of Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed, The Diamond Throne (detailing the default setting for Arcana Unearthed) and the Player's Guide (which was provided with the Arcana Unearthed DM Screen). If you want a "group price" for these books buy Arcana Evolved. If you have Arcana Evolved, you do not need these books at all (but for the actual DM Screen I was talking about, which is a nice product in itself, but that's another review altogether).

Arcana Evolved isn't just a compilation of previous Malhavoc products. It adds little bits and pieces to the award-winning Arcana Unearthed and makes something new and refreshed out of it. These "bits and pieces" include a new character race, a new character class, new options for your character's development on a "mechanical" level. But it also adds in terms of background, if you are interested in new ideas for your Arcana Unearthed or D&D games: the Tenebrian Seeds allowing access to "Evolved Levels" and the "Return of the Dragons" to the Diamond Throne (or your homebrew setting), for instance.

Lay Out

The first impression people get when they open Arcana Evolved is usually one of awe. First, the book is huge (more than four hundred pages, as precised above). Second, it is a full-color volume. One could expect a very confusing lay-out as a result - lots of color equals less clarity, right? Not with this book. Colors enlighten the product while not covering or confusing its contents. The lay-out is simple and efficient. The art is sometimes just okay, and sometimes outstanding, but always colored with taste. The overall impression it leaves is one of beauty, simplicity/clarity and coherence (there is a lay-out "theme" in tones, fonts and so on. This is one of these little details making for me the difference between very good and outstanding books).

The Actual Contents

Introduction: New Possibilities - This obviously presents Arcana Evolved to the reader, with its scope, its ambition, the themes and concepts that inspired it, how to use the book and how to create/level up characters. This is an important section for this review, since it states the goals of the product: bring the power back into the DM's hands, increase the player's choices, base the game on the notions of character choice, uniqueness, use a background made of rituals and traditions. With these goals in mind, we can actually know more or less objectively if Arcana Evolved fulfills its mission or not.

Chapter One: Abilities - nothing particularly new for a D&D player here. It presents the main ability scores used in AE, none of which are new. It also presents the classic tables of bonus spells and, something new here though, rites. Combat Rites are used mostly by the Ritual Warrior, the new character class in this book, but also other, revised character classes, such as the Oathsworn (at mid-level) and Warmain (at high-level).

Chapter Two: Races - First, the actual races are: Humans, Dracha (humanoid, medium-sized dragons), Faen (little feys between the PHB elves and halflings which can transform into the tiny, flying Sprytes), Giants (a noble, civilized race whose society is centered on the concept of ritual and tradition), Litorians (lion men), Mojh (humans who decide to become more draconic to uncover the mysteries of magic), Runechildren (kind of "Chosen Ones" who defend the world against agressions), Sibeccai (whose physical appearance is akin to the Egyptian god Anubis - they were animals who have been "elevated" to sentience by the giants) and Verrik (some near human beings with crimson skin. They have a cursed, heavy past and have a close relationship with magic).

Some little things change from Arcana Unearthed. For instance, the Mojh can no longer gain access to a breath weapon. This is mainly because of a larger, more significant change: the introduction of the Dracha, which is also part of an even bigger change - the Return of the Dragons to the Diamond Throne (see below). The Dracha seem very fun to play. They have a sort of "coolness" about them akin to the dragons many of us love. It's actually great to be able to play a draconic character without having to wait for high levels to do so or rely on various templates that may seem "wrong" or "artificial" when I added to a given character concept.

The main particular feature here compared to D&D is the introduction of Racial Levels and Evolved Levels. Racial Levels were already present in Arcana Unearthed. They allow players of all races but humans to take a few (between 1 and 3) levels that increase their racial abilities. Giants become bigger and stronger, Mojh gain magical spell-like abilities and the like. This is all simple and yet, original. The new additions here are obviously the "Evolved" levels. These are additional racial levels any character (including humans) can take if they've been exposed to the Tenebrian Seeds of the dragons. They are a plot device in the hands of the DM. In other words, this allows game master to monitor how these levels are accessed. Nice way of justifying them.

Chapter Three: Classes - They are: Akashic (a Jack-of-all-Trades using various skills and abilities reached through a new concept named the "Akashic Memory", which is akin to an alternate plane combining all the memories of all sentient individuals through the ages), Champion (a dedicated warrior more open-ended in its purposes and allegiances than the Paladin), Greenbond (a sort of Shaman spellcasting class. The Greenbond is a healer and represents the force of "The Green", the lifeforce of all things, which is the opposite of "The Dark", the force behind dark and unnatural forces creating aberrations and undead), Mage Blade (the archetypal fighter/mage with a focus on his chosen weapon, called an Athame), Magister (the best spellcaster of the lot which, besides spells, develops various flavour abilities related to his staff and his use of magic), Oathsworn (an unarmed fighter devoted to the fulfilment of his Oaths, which he can change once they have been fulfilled), Ritual Warrior (a warrior using Combat Rites, which are comparable to feats used in a "spell-like" manner - i.e. with a number of uses per level per day), Runethane (a spellcaster able to create runes, foci of various magical effects), Totem Warrior (a fighter developping traits related to his chosen animal totem), Unfettered (the archetypal fighter/rogue), Warmain (the ultimate tank) and Witch (a primitive spellcaster focusing on manifesting particular aspects of her chosen specialty which could be Wood, Winter etc).

These classes all follow the same pattern of description: short introduction, then description fields such as Adventurers, Background, Races, Other Classes (how they combine with this class in a party), NPCs, Hit Die, Class Archetypes (describing what kind of roles they can fulfill in the game), Skills, Class Features (with the usual table summarizing the class progression). It is interesting to note that there are no "favored classes" and the like. Players can multiclass their characters freely, which is a major element of AE's gameplay when combined to racial, evolved levels, prestige classes, and other options (like those proposed by the excellent supplement Transcendence, which among other things introduces players to Ability levels, Substitution levels and more - with these two books it becomes virtually possible to take levels in every aspect of character development).

Same thing as in the races above: there are minor changes, albeit more of them. Some classes needing to be more balanced have been slightly modified for the better. For instance, the Greenbond had too few skill points (which one of the players of my gaming table experienced the hard way). This is fixed here. Oathsworn and Warmain can now use Combat Rites.

There is one major addition here of course: The Ritual Warrior. One big change when compared to the D&D Player's Handbook is the many ways in which the player can specialize and/or customize a character. The Akashic abilities one chooses with the character progression. The Causes of Champions. The Runes of Runethanes. The animal Totems of Totem Warriors. The Manifestations of the Witch. All these game elements make sure that almost no character with the exact same levels will look alike.

Chapter Four: Skills Nothing important changes from Arcana Unearthed here. There are differences when compared to the D&D Player's Handbook: there is no "Profession" skill, the available Knowledges are different (more specific to the particular flavour AE with Knowledge (Ceremony) and various racial Knowleges for instance). Differences that make the gameplay easier mostly by combining these or those skills together. But nothing groundbreaking.

Chapter Five: Feats and Talents -There are two new types of feats when compared to core D&D: the Talents, which are feats that are only available to first level characters, and Ceremonial feats, which require some type of ritual performed on the character and a True Name to be gained. True Names are one of these cool additions typical of Arcana Evolved: it's not a "groundbreaking" idea but everything's in the flavour. Each character either has a True Name or not (this is called an "Unbound" character). This defines which types of feat the character starts the game with, and which feat categories he has access to in the future. This is also important for some spells (such as Raise The Dead) which require the True Name of the target to be performed correctly. Another thing worth mentioning: metamagic feats which allow a spellcaster to gain access to "Spellcasting Templates" which are described in Chapter Eight: Magic.

Chapter Six: Equipment - This chapter mostly describes the base equipment for characters, the weapons, the items particular to the Diamond Throne and the like. I like the new ways in which you can personalize your equipment (with crystal, devanian, dire weapons and armor, for instance, which are nice additions to the classic masterwork piece of equipment).

Chapter Seven: Playing the Game - This is the core system, the reason why a DM wouldn't need a Player's Handbook to play Arcana Evolved. All the rules are here: combat, actions, types of damage and so on. It also details the mechanics of Hero Points, which can be used by the players to tweak the rules in the favor of their characters with panache. A good idea, much more opened to personal interpretations (and possibly powerful) than the similar mechanics of the Eberron Campaign Setting, for instance.

Chapter Eight: Magic - The big chunk that makes Arcana Evolved different in its gameplay than D&D. This isn't as different from D&D that one could believe, however. At least not as different as Elements of Magic would be.

There are still spell slots and spell levels, but new mechanics have been implemented to allow more flexible uses from players and DM. You can for instance use spell slots of inferior or superior spell levels to fuel your casting. Or you can cast superior (heightened) or lesser (diminished) versions of each spell with a slot of one level higher or lower than the one indicated in the spell's description. Another original feature is the way spells are not prepared daily like in D&D. You have a list of spells prepared yes, but you can keep this list as long as you want. You don't have to "revise" your spells each morning. Prepared spells are used in the same way sorcerer spells would be: you can cast the same one several times or just once, up to your number of slots per day for this spell level, or even more when you use higher or lower slots.

Perhaps it doesn't seem like much when you read it but it breaks the overall rigidity of D&D's spellcasting. Add to this the Spell Templates, which allow you to apply effects (like Flaming, Blessed, Cursed, etc) to all the spells you want, and you have a very adaptable, very open-ended magic system.

Also included are all the rules related to the magic items of Arcana Evolved. Nothing incredibly original there.

This chapter is the part of the book many fans are raving about, and for good reasons, I think, since spells are such a huge part of the D&D experience.

Chapter Nine: Spells and Combat Rites - The list of spells available is changed when compared to the PHB. There are no alignments in Arcana Evolved, and thus no alignment-related spells. There is much more balance in the spell selections. No "magic missile". No "save or die" effects. This is a bit underpowered compared to D&D spells, but with the heightened and diminished versions of each spells, the spell templates and all the other options available to spellcasters, this is in fact just as powerful.

The main particular feature here is the presence of Simple, Complex and Exotic spells within any given spell level. Most spellcasting classes only have access to Simple spells or some Complex spells with a particular descriptor. Only magisters have free access to both Simple and Complex spells. Exotic spells are unique and rare - a character may use these only through specific feats, usually.

Combat Rites are akin to temporary feats. They allow you to score a critical on your next it. Or move faster. Or add to your Armor Class by taking a particular stance. In use, they are like spells: your character can use a number of them per day. There are divided per "rite level" the same way spells are. These are great addition to the game: they give to warriors the same potential flexibility as the spellcasting characters. It was about time to have someone come up with that kind of addition to the core rules, wouldn't you think?

Chapter Ten: Diamond Throne Gazetteer - The contents of this chapter are mostly taken from the Diamond Throne supplement to Arcana Unearthed. There are some changes though: first, the Tenebrian Seeds and the concept of evolution, experiments of the dragons that led to the creation of the Dramojh (the bad buys of the setting) are introduced. Second, the Dragons are back, and they intend to recover what is theirs: the Lands themselves now in the care of the Giants. This may be the source of endless adventures with the PCs torn apart between Dragons and Giants and both of their claims on the Diamond Throne. What really makes this background addition flavorful is that none of the factions is either "right" or "wrong". They are both understandable and somehow justified in their claims. This makes for great role-playing moments potentially.

Another thing worth mentioning is the way the Diamond Throne and all its geographical, historical, sociological elements are described: they are summarized and leave the DM as the real master behind the world. As a DM, you can choose to interpret this or that element of the background as you want. It makes the Diamond Throne "your" world more than any other published world could be while still detailing what is absolutely essential to it.

Chapter Eleven: Prestige Classes - They include Beast Reaver, Crystal Warrior, Darkbond, Dragon Kith, Esoteric Mage, Giant Paragon, Knight of the Axe, Mage Priest, Nightwalker, Ollamh Lorekeeper, Rune Lord, Somnamancer. I have not much to say here, apart of their balance which is perfectly fine, and their design, which covers many of the possibilities for character development while tying each particular class to a concept or another of the setting itself. That's in my opinion what Prestige Classes are for: to give more flexibility to characters while tying them mechanically to the world around. That's exactly what these Prestige Classes do.

Chapter Twelve: Creatures - This chapter includes Alabast, Chorrim, Cyclops, Dark Warden, Dragon, Dream Hunter, Evolved Creature Template, Harrid, Inshon, Radont, Rhodin, Shadow Troll, Slassan, Undead Creature Templates, Xaaer (Death Ooze).

Let's just say the basics are covered: the setting-specific grunts, higher level grunts, and various classics from the Diamond Throne. The Dragons are especially original. No dragon is defined by its color here. They are each unique creatures, and all the rules to build them are presented here. The Corporeal and Incorporeal Undead templates are really winners because they allow you to create creepy baddies with virtually any creature from any source you might possess. Which is especially cool when used with the undead-creation spells given in this book.

And that's it. An annex describes possible conversions between AE and D&D, the character sheet is well organized and designed with good taste (like the book itself - see the Overview above). Same thing applies to the Index, particularly useful for a mammoth like AE, and the mandatory OGL follows.

Critical Hit

First, let's remember why Arcana Evolved is conceived the way it is: : bring the power back into the DM's hands, increase the player's choices, base the game on the notions of character choice, uniqueness, use a background made of rituals and traditions.

Here is the Critical Hit, in my opinion: AE does exactly what it's supposed to do. It opens horizons for players and DMs in terms of character customization, game setting and rules flexibility. It offers many options, none of which seem superfluous or useless. Everything can find its own appeal in an Arcana Evolved game. Most importantly, and this is the real critical hit, it lets the reader open the "hood" of the system to find out how it works: it provides guidelines to create your own causes for Champions, totems for Totem Warriors, and so on. In clear, it gives you the tools to make this game your own.

If only for an understanding of how the d20 system works and can be modified in original new ways, this is a must for any DM and player of the game.

Critical Miss

Arcana Evolved suffers from its Critical Hit. As it offers more and more options, variants, possibilities for DMs and players, it is not a product for beginners. Sure, it is always possible to use it with newbies, but the DM would then have to know the system inside out and be able to break it down for the players. This isn't "D&D for Dummies" in clear. Which is great for some gamers, and a potential source of headaches for others, not because it is especially "complicated" (it isn't any more complicated than D&D is), but because there is so much stuff in there, so many game elements and so many choices for DMs and players.

Conclusion

In the end, the versatility of AE is its best trait and worse enemy at the same time. It all depends what you want out of your game: something simple where newbies can come in and play without much to explain, or a complete game allowing you to "put your hands in the motor" and make it your own.

If the second approach is the most interesting to you, you will rave about Arcana Evolved like I do. Even with newbies, it is possible to have great gameplay (I run a tabletop campaign with five newbies to RPGs), but it will require some work and patience on your part as a DM.

Once that is said, Arcana Evolved shines for its own qualities: it is one of these rare products on the d20 market exploring new ways in which to use the d20 mechanics while doing it with talent and knowledge such as none other than one of its original designers could have. And, away from these gamist considerations, it is simply an awesome, fun game to play: all the archetypes are here, all the options are available to have some great game sessions out of this product. You can buy Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved with a blindfold covering your eyes: the probability of being disappointed is nearly non-existent.

From what I understand, Arcana Evolved (previously a black and white book called Arcana Unearthed and a thin paperback Diamond Throne setting primer now married in one book with color versions of mostly the same art from the first book) is the attempt of Monte Cook to make use of the benefits of the Open Game License to push past what he saw as meaningless and arbitrary restrictions imposed on "Official" D&D material.

His goals are commendable. He wanted to get rid of arbitrary game mechanics that limited the growth of characters (like alignment requirements or race based limitations on multiclassing). He also wanted a clean Player's Handbook, that DM's could use for any fantasy setting, without a bias toward the published setting. Unfortunately this is not Arcana Evolved.

Most of the classes in Arcana Evolved cannot be multiclassed. Some, such as a combination Warmein/Unfettered (Only use heavy weapons and armor/Only use light weapons and armor) are so flatly contradictory as to be a joke in our group. The Oathsworn (basically a monk) can't use any weapons or armor at all. The Magister "disdains the way of the sword" having chosen to channel all of his magic through a staff, whereas the Mage Blade channels all of his magic through an athame or key weapon. Champions are so fanatically devoted to a single ideal that it endows them with paladin-like abilities. Hard to see that devotion leaving room for any other class pursuits.

The races have also given me fits when trying to create non-Diamond Throne settings. As opposed to races like gnomes or elves that can hop settings with very little baggage, there are some races in Arcana Evolved that are really tough to transplant. Sibbecai, for example, are a race of jackalmen raised to sentience by the Giants in Diamond Throne, which is responsible for a lot of their cultural identity. So you either keep that bit of history in every setting (which would be very odd) or you are forced to create a new origin for them that keeps their personality, but does not recreate the Diamond Throne history every time. Likewise the Mojh are a group of humans who have transformed themselves into draconic hybrids out of devotion to the hated Dramojh who were once owned the Diamond Throne's inhabitants as slaves. Hard to break the Mojh apart from the Dramojh of the Diamond Throne--not impossible, but it certainly doesn't seem like a step toward a clean PHB.

Now what Arcana Unearthed has going for it is impressive. The classes are beautifully developed, even if they don't stack very well, and full of fresh, exciting ideas. The weapons list is one of the few I've seen in D20 products that expands on the standard list of D&D weapons to provide some fun new inventions like battle claws, spikesticks, and dire weapons. The list of feats is huge (the summary list is two full pages in tiny eight point font), with a much greater focus on drama and customization. It's divided into General, Ceremonial (connected with the custom of recieving a true name, a big part of the Diamond Throne setting) Item Creation (only a few, but organized based on the duration and nature of the enchantment, rather than whether the item is a staff, rod, or a ring, which always seemed a bit arbitrary) and Talents (Feats that define inherant qualities of the character, and as such must be picked up at character creation or not at all).

The character classes are a bit mediocre. While they're not the typical elves and dwarves, they're not too much more original than that. You have jackalmen (Sibeccai), lionmen (Litorians), halflings that metamorphose into pixies (Faen, two kinds), half-giants (called Giants, but closer to the D&D style half-giant in look), red-skinned pragmatist near humans (Verrik) and a yuan-ti style race of transformed dragon-men (Mojh). There's also a mechanic for leveling up in race instead of class. I'm not sure how I feel about this. While it adds a certain amount of customization to characters, it tends to feel a bit like an arbitrary mechanic--as though someone can grow larger, or gain a breathweapon or claws and teeth through experience? Age maybe...special ritual perhaps...but probably not through multiclassing in your race when you level up. That's just weird.

The art in the book on the whole is rather good. There's only a couple of bad pieces and quite a few that are really nice stuff. Most of it is printed too small--stuff relegated to the margins or a dollar sized art insert, forcing you to squint at it. Likewise the layout is awful. Most of the book looks like it's printed in 8-point font broken into two columns. There's no white space, no rest for your eye. It's dense and impenetrable. Every page feels like every other page. It can get really straining and claustrophobic if you have to read too much of it in a sitting.

So yeah, the content is pretty darn good. Not what I think the authors were trying to make at all--but good stuff nonetheless. The layout and tiny font are excruciating, though the art now being in color helps a bit. Could definitely use more art and graphical playing around with.

This is the most interesting & best bridge book I have read. It is even entertaining, which is unusual in a bridge book.

From the Rule of 20 to the right and wrong way to use the Big Double, Marty Bergen has set the standard for modern bridge tip books. His engaging storytelling style and insightful teaching provide clarification to readers of all levels, although the book is clearly aimed at the novice to intermediate crowd.

A great re-entry to the book arena by Marty. I just miss the mad scientist who wrote the "Better Bidding with Bergen" books!

This book is filled with entertaining stories along with easy-to-understand tips and techniques that will improve every facet of your game. 1996 Bridge Book of the Year.

Marty Bergen's "Points Schmoints" is a fun-to-read book that offers a dozen tips on how people who've already mastered the basics of bidding and play can improve their game. The Law of Total Tricks, in particular, is extremely useful for duplicate games.

While Bergen writes with wit and flair that keep this book engaging, I wish he'd done a bit less story-telling and provided a bit more depth of content instead. For the price I feel his book is a bit thin, and that's the one thing that keeps me from rating it 5 stars.

This is the perfect book for players who more-or-less have the basics in place. This will correct your misconceptions and raise your game a couple of levels. The first half of the book is all about bidding, and rather than just talking about basic bidding, tells you what to do in those tough borderline situations. A great example is his "Rule of 20", used to decide whether to open the bidding or not: If the sum of your HCP and the number of cards in your two longest suits is 20 or more, open with your normal 1-level bid; else pass. Very effective, and better than counting short-points or long-points, since this takes into account the ENTIRE distribution.

The second half of the book is about declarer play and defence, and is equally good. What distinguishes this book from the rest is that the author doesn't waste space on the basics, and instead concentrates on the intermediate-to-advanced stuff.

I gave this book to my friend's daughter and she absolutely adores the book. It's so imaginative, beautiful and well-written that any "princess" you know is bound to love it.

The illustrations are gorgeous, and the writing is enjoyable for an adult to read as well, because there's a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor sprinkled with some fairy dust throughout that had me purchasing my own copy after I gave it as a gift!

An absolute charmer from start to finish, Princess Crafts is a magical mixture of craft projects and handbook for princesses both
young and old. Full of fun, fashion, and oodles of glitter, the
craft projects are creative without being complicated. From
Rapunzel Ribbon Wigs to Fancy-Prancy Dancing Slippers, this crafty
book will surely bring out your inner princess!

Both of my goddaughter's LOVED this book! Each had their favorite craft---Your Carriage Awaits allowed Nicole to have the most glamorous bicycle on the block---she was certainly the princess on her custom designed chariot! Nicole was also inspired to have a princess party with her friends! Alexa loved making the Rapunzel hair and couldn't wait to show her dad how fun it was to have cool super-long ribbon hair! This book was so well written--easy to follow instructions and entertaining factoids. Little girls love to play dress up and it's great that there are ideas for all kinds of beautiful princesses---sparkly, glittery fuzzy & more!

This book is chock full of fantastic craft ideas for kids of any age, economic status and creativity. The author is able to take items we already have around the house and make fun and diverse craft projects. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has a princess in THEIR family.

Princess Crafts celebrates the "modern princess," as it combines classic princess ideas from literature and film with a modern twist for the soon to be independent woman. The creative and fun craft projects (which mostly require simple and easy to obtain supplies) will entertain little girls endlessly (and some adults too). The text, charmingly written by Hauser, is clever and humourous yet consistently provides clear instructions on the projects. Parett's dynamic illustrations and high quality photographs also provide a solid road map for the crafts. Finally, one of the best aspects of this book is that the projects and activities are sure to inspire these young princesses to be creative and crafty beyond the scope of this fantastic and original book for kids.

It all starts when James and the not so very Sarah, get black lab puppies that look exactly the same, from the same litter. On Pet Day, both James and Sarah bring their Black Labs. They both get loose. This is when it turns into a real puzzle. Finding the puppies leads Mandy Hope (who loves animals) and James (the owner of one Black Lab puppy)to some great adventures. It's a very exciting book. It's one of the very few books I actually enjoyed. I couldn't put it down! I recommend this book for kids 7-11. I suggest you read Puppy Puzzle now and read all the - packed adventures that happen in this awesome book!

Puppy Puzzle is a fun book about a nine-year-old girl named Mandy, and two little puppies, Licorice and Blackie. Mandy is an animal lover, and though she doesn't know everybody in her town, she certainly knows every animal. Both her parents are veterinarians, and they have enough responsibilities with other people's pets. When a litter of puppies arrives in the Hope's animal hospital, Animal Ark, Mandy does not get to keep a single one, but she does keep in touch when two of the puppies end up staying in Welford. Mandy's new friend, James, chooses the runt of the litter, Blackie, and Licorice, the largest puppy, is bought by the snot-nosed Sarah Drummond. As the puppies grow, the three children begin to realize that training puppies is a lot harder than it looks, and, after a catastrophic `Pet Day' at their school, both puppies escape! It is up to Mandy and James to find the puppies, and, of course, tell them apart.


--I have to read 100 childrens books for a class project; this is definitely one of my favorites!

Mandy and James are always bringing animals into Animal Ark, Mandy's parents veterinary office. In this story, James and a girl from school, named Sarah, get matching black lab puppies. Guess what? They get away on "Pet Day" at school! They find one puppy, but which one is it? It is a race against time to find the other puppy before he gets hurt.

This was a good mystery book. Mandy is always trying to help the animals. There are a lot of other interesting characters in it also. There are very nice pictures too. I loved this book!

Welford Elementary School is having a pet show, and James and Sara are both bringing in their new puppies. The only problem is, is that they look exactly the same. Will James and Sara figure out which dog is who's before it's too late?

I like the variety of puzzles in this book...as opposed to all crossword,etc. One has to figure out the rule before solving the puzzle.

this book is amazing! i teach middle school (6-7-8) english, and i use these puzzles with my students. they can't get enough! for any fans of the npr sunday morning puzzle, this book is a must.

As a fan of Will Shortz's other puzzle books I was eager to try the puzzles in this volume. There is a good variety ranging from fairly easy to extremely challenging puzzles. The topics are varied with both puzzles and answers presented in an easy to use format. Many puzzle books do not provide adequate space to properly fill in your answers but this book does.

Will Shortz has delighted puzzle lovers world-wide for years. This collection is another excellent offering from the man who has dedicated his life to the pleasure of solving puzzles.If you have neither listened to Will's radio show nor purchased this book,you're missing out on a great opportunity to have a good deal of challenging fun. I still get a kick ( and feel honored) when Will features one of my puzzles on his show because of the way he makes it come to life with his enthusiasm. If you don't know by now, Will Shortz is the master of wordplay. Do yourself, friends, and family a favor. Get this book for hours of good,clean-cut fun and then tune in his show on NPR for more.

If you listen to Will Shortz on Sunday's Weekend Edition, you know what kind of puzzles are in this volume. Half the puzzles are of the type that he conducts with a call-in listener. This usually involves a series of word puzzles with short answers you can come up with on the spot. The other half of the puzzles in The Puzzlemaster Presents are of the sort that he leaves us with to solve during the week. They are harder and have one correct answer.

The first type of puzzle is fun, but the second type is my favorite because you usually have to do these in your head. I like to keep one or two in mind for occasions like being stuck in traffic or standing in line. They really make the time fly and you don't need pencil and paper. I find they are also great if you have trouble getting to sleep. Concentrating on a tricky word puzzle or arithmetic calculation sure keeps your mind from wandering all over the place.

And don't look for clever tricks with these puzzles. One thing about Will Shortz is that even though he loves puzzles, he is scrupulously fair. He gives you all the information you will need to solve each problem.

In my opinion, Return to White Plume Mountain is one of the very best adventure modules out there! It features a very clever central plot, realistic encounters, logical combat situations, and several opportunities to roleplay and interact with the dungeon's inhabitants.

This supplement provides very clear and detailed histories for both Keraptis and White Plume Mountain. The plot is unique, realistic, and intriguing. The effects of roleplaying and of interacting with the non-player characters is outlined. In addition, the dungeon crawl itself is not linear at all, allowing the players to roam at will. And the maps look great!

Although a lot of information is presented, the module can easily be altered or customized. There is no setting specific material, so White Plume Mountain can easily be inserted into any ongoing campaign. However, no addition work is needed to fully enjoy this adventure.

I have run this module with 3 separate groups of players, experiencing 3 very different, yet wonderfully memorable, adventures. Do yourself a favor, purchase Return to White Plume Mountain - it is worth every penny!

On the long, bitter-sweet journey through life, can you ever go back home? Sadly, no. But you can plop down and stay at some really cool motels, replete with cable, mints, and mini-fridges, on your wayward jaunt into the unknown. Such is my mundane, quasi-philosophical revelation after DM'ing this adventure. No, it's not quite as profound as the "Belarius maturity conundrum," but hey, it's enough for a few weekends' worth of glorious casual play. Which is all we really need sometimes! Old-timers (*hack, cough*) on the Greyhawk scene will probably be most enthusiastic about the adventure's detailed "world" trappings, more so than with the actual plot. Remember Erol Otus' cryptic, enchanting pictorial map of the Mountain's environs, in the original S2? Now, we actually get to meet Thingizzard (and find out why her potions are something to be wary of!), hack our way through the Twisted Thickets, and perhaps even fall into the beguiling clutches of Dragotha. But, once the adventurers venture into the shadows of a cave known to hundreds of thousands as the Wizard's Mouth, everything changes. And that's where both the problem and the beauty lie. Anyone looking for a mere re-tread of the original spectacle of Lawrence Shick's magnum opus is bound to be disappointed. It's a new age. Now, monsters need food, logical housing, a reason to live, and a reason to die. (I guess Belarius wasn't the only one psychologically scarred 20 years ago.) Dungeons need architecture. And adventures need a conclusion, answers to questions, and yes, sadly, a plot. If you can detach yourself from the nostalgia of the original, and appreciate this work as an entirely separate entity, you'll be absolutely thrilled with the sheer ingenuity of Bruce Cordell's story. I can virtually guarantee that no veteran AD&D'er will be able to figure out what's going on until they're well in over their heads. Keraptis' ancient experiments, it seems, have left quite a magical legacy; a new, mutated form of meta-magic, nearly sentient, has evolved in the dungeons below White Plume Mountain, with horrifying (and extremely amusing) repercussions. As the adventurers enter, several power-mad warlords are fighting desperately to control Keraptis' dreaded Indoctrination Center, and the notorious weapons of the first White Plume module are being used as the primary symbols of power and destruction. (I'm being intentionally vague here, because if you haven't read it, get this module! You're in for a treat.) A few of the encounters are misplaced, or over-powered - Mossmutter, a corrupted great wyrm, may well wipe out all but the most experienced adventurers in an eyeblink, and Killjoy the efreeti is more of a cardboard cutout than a true, deep-thinking nemesis. But these are merely trivial concerns - the adventure is a joy to run (and experience!), the full-color maps of the dungeons are gorgeous, and veteran players will get a serious overdose of nostalgia as they slog through the original level and witness the cataclysmic changes two decades of chaos and mayhem have wrought. New players may be overwhelmed by the colossal challenges and Byzantine intrigues awaiting them on the Indoctrination Level, but nevertheless, a great time will be had by all - and hey, if you have to lose a character, what could be cooler than having his soul schlorped into Blackrazor? Minor reservations aside (which are fixable anyway with an hour's worth of fine-tuning), Return to White Plume Mountain is easily the 2nd-best adventure of 1999. (Only Return to the Keep on the Borderlands is better.)

At first thought, the original WPM would seem to be a poor candidate for a "modernized" sequel. Contemporary players would probably laugh at Lawrence Schick's 1980 classic as an archaic dungeon crawl full of over-complicated traps and large, deadly monsters that sit in tiny rooms with nothing better to do than wait for a group of PCs to come along and (hopefully) provide some much needed feed. Which, of course, is exactly what WPM was, but it was loads of fun nonetheless. Revisiting WPM and injecting a more logical and realistic story framework without destroying the familiar aspects of the original is a daunting task, but the Silver Anniversary edition succeeds beyond any expectation.

RTWPM starts by detailing many of the mysterious NPCs and strange locales that were only hinted at in the original. Thingizzard and her potions, the cursed ruins of Castle Mukos, the Great Swamp and the dracolich Dragotha finally get their due and Keraptis' infamous Indoctrination Center plays a central role in the scenario. While these details are entertaining in their own right, the strength of RTWPM is a central plot device involving "sentient magic" that is not only consistent with the events of the original WPM scenario, but is exceedingly clever in its own right. It wouldn't do to reveal the secrets of the story here, but the execution is a brilliant example of how to create a subtlety challenging and wildly novel situation for the PCs without violating the spirit of the D&D game, using heavy-handed DM tactics or requiring a substantial rework of any existing campaign standards. The NPCs are wonderfully sketched and run the gamut from sturdy locals to deranged gnomes and rebellious efreet. Hardened veterans and green novices alike will be entertained by ample doses of humor, danger and drama that culminate with a surprise ending.

Flaws are few and minor in nature. The map are pleasing to the eye but have been printed on the inside front and back covers which means that the DM cannot refer to the map and text at the same time, but must flip back and forth. One area (the old inverted ziggurat) has a monster that should have been encountered and destroyed by the existing denizens long before the PCs come on the scene and the answer to the feasibility of feeding and keeping happy a large number of creatures in a relatively small number of caves doesn't seem entirely adequate.

While the nostalgic aspects may be lost on the half-dozen or so players who didn't play the original version in their youth, RTWPM will definitely entertain all comers in high fashion. Although WPM was originally set in Greyhawk, there really isn't any setting specific material here and the scenario can easily be dropped into any campaign world. Best of all, RTWPM is a veritable bargain combining a relatively low price with enough high-quality material sufficient to keep the average group of players busy for several sessions. RTWPM deserves the highest recommendation.

This is easily one of the best adventures for D&D that I've ever seen. It's very imaginative, well-written, and has plenty of information for DMs. It's got just enough story backing up the hack-n-slash to keep players interested, and the final encounter is monumental. It's great fun to play for both DM and PCs.

The original S2 was one of the more clever and interesting A&D modules I ever read. Most of the others were just an excuse for hack and slash and grab the booty.

The original adventure encompassed more thinking and even a little negotiation which was uncommon in 1st edition AD&D.

So, that's why I'm happy to see a revision to the old module into a book form. This new edition has some very interesting twists and a big moral dilemma at the end which I thoroughly appreciate. It also has a method in it that potentially will ruin the lives of foolish PCs so DMs may want to be careful in playing this one out if their players aren't the thinking or cautious types.

Overall, there's a lot more room for negotiations in this series. I like that as I'm trying to push more roleplaying in my players. Moreover, the storyline is set up with four warring factions; all evil but I plan to change that to a few neutrals since the PCs in my campaign are all good and would never negotiate alliances with evil groups.

This game is great for an adventuring group from 7-10. I would add that they should be interested in thinking out possible traps and tricks and also be adequate (or better) at negotiations. The weapons may unbalance the game so make them either super evil, which means good PCs must destroy them, or have them destroyed at the climax (will make sense when you read it). Lastly, you may want to give the different warlords more allies as the module gave them a skeleton crew of thugs.

I have bought many books here but have never submitted a review. For this book I have to say its one of my best buy. 5 stars!!

This book begins with the very basics, how the board is set up, how the pieces move, the basic rules. The book then progresses at a steady pace introducing strategy and tactical tools. The book goes further than just explaining principles, and offers "chessercizes" at the end of each section to ensure the reader fully grasps each concept before moving on. I have read several chess books and browsed many more and this is hands down the best one. If you play chess or want to learn, you must read this book.

This is an excellent book for beginners that does more than just teach the basics. It teaches skills needed for any level of play.

I am a very visual learner. Apparently, so are Russian children. This book is written in the manner that Russian children are taught: a chessboard is laid down, pieces placed, and a question posed, say, checkmate in two. Your job is to figure out how to get there. In the book, the first half is composed of pages of such diagrams, each geared towards either explaining visually how a piece moves, its value in trade, its best positions, etc. It is a great way to learn the game.
The book starts off slowly, explaining how the game works. You then work through various parts of the game: openings, middle moves, and closings. This game really helped me to develop a solid opening.
I have always had trouble with the middle game; this book gives the basics for that. The second volume gives a much more in-depth treatment of the game; openings, closings, and middle game strategy. But this is the book to get for a new player, or for one who always seems to get beaten. I started out losing to the computer on its easiest level, now I still lose, but at least I understand why, heh heh. Seriously, it is written in an understandable manner, and if you're a visual learner, the problem sets are really worthwhile.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

This is one excellent Beginner book; it is unique and very informative. The first 102 pages have a lot of basic fundamental information ALL beginners should learn. Pages 103 to 264 of the book are devoted to Tactics & Strategy theory of The Opening, Middlegame and Endgame-this is the meat of the book. Lev mixes games, theory and teaching diagrams artfully. The diagrams are clear; most ask you a question or two with the answers right there, no flipping pages to the back of the book to hunt for answers. Many answers are very detailed. This is a great study book for beginners. Reading it once is not enough. Good Luck.

Really good. I bought this after I beat the game. And used it to find all the "Side Events" and extras. Its good for people that want or need help during the game and for people that want to find the extras etc. One cool thing is that in the back you can see ALL the characters in Shenmue and it has a little description on them. So its good. Very good walkthrough book. Definately worth the money.

This is a great strategy guidebook for SHENMUE. It really covers a lot of information in the game. I've already played SHENMUE all the way through and I thought i had covered everything in the game. Wrong! There is a lot that I misssed! There were things in the game that you could get that I just didn't know about. For instance you can win a couple of Sega Saturn games as prizes for Ryo's Saturn at his house!

I recommend you to read this book after you've already gone through SHENMUE at least once. You'll be suprised at how much you may have missed. It may even make SHENMUE even more rewarding the second time around.

If you loved SHENMUE as much as I did, then this book is a must have!

This one is one of Prima's top guides. It is very well put together and it did exactly what I buy guides for: To help me when I am really really stuck.

The amount of information in this book really is staggering. There are individual profiles for just about every character in the game, right down to their blood type!

But what really makes this guide great is the vast amount of extras! From strategies for the arcade games, to a complete list of the mini-collectibles, this guide is loaded. It also includes a very clever "sealed section" which I greatly appreciated.

The bottom line is that if you like Shenmue, this is the ultimate companion

I've had a lot of issues with Prima not delivering a guide with all the info that it could of had. Prima's guides frequently do not deliver all but the bare essentials and can be poorly put together, but the Shenmue Official Strategy Guide does not follow tradition. From start to finish, the guide is absolutely packed full of information regarding the game and solutions to the many puzzles within it. Full, complete, well designed color pages document each event as it should happen with exact date, time and location, along with full color screen shots. It also includes complete index's of all the bonus items you can collect throughout the game and where to obtain them, as well as a full index of all note-entrys that can be imputted into Ryo's journal. As well, it features complete biographys taken from Shenmue Online, that include virtually every single individual you see in the game, regardless of weither you're ever able to interact with them or not. This is not a guide to pass up, and even if you're not one for cheating, it's virtually impossible to see all there is to see in Shenmue without this kind of a guide. A must have.

this game has a five star graphics, gameplay, and plotline. the graphics are like real people. the fighting scenes are great. in this game you can go to an arcade and play those games!! the plot is great and if fun to go to the city and get info and find all this stuff about the murder of ryo's father's death! this is a must bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please note that the five stars are for the content of the strategy guide only because, regardless of what people have to say on the subject, this strategy guide isn't needed as you wander the misty realms of Silent Hill in search of Mary and that "special place" you long to return to. In fact, it is simply a way to slight yourself and the gaming experience that you've no doubt gone out of your way to acquire. This isn't to say that it isn't useful if you feel hard-pressed and left without options and it also isn't meant to imply that it doesn't include everything one needs to take a walk through James Sutherland's life. In fact, this is quite the contrary, saying that everything is here. I've compared its content to that I've found elsewhere after I used it on my third run through the Hill and it was it was quite inclusive. That, however, is the problem if your only wanting a casual playing experience, because once you've done something you've done it and you can't repeat it. Reading a "how to" isn't always the best way to find out these little tidbits of gameplay.

Instead, one needs only to take their time and look around in their first outing, remembering that something is potentially an item or a place to go and that ever scrap of paper is a clue. It also should be taken into account that searching is needed, and that all enemies are defeatable, and that there are multiple endings based on time used, difficulty, on the items found, and the number of beasts killed. Since this takes multiple tries anyhow, one can find these out without the use of a visual aid.

Unless you like to spend hours, months even years in Silent Hill, get this book. It has everything you need to know with out giving away all the games secrets. I would have been still playing the game trying to figure out how to open the Safe or the Trick-or-Treat box without this book. It also explores alittle of the games creator's dark sick mind, a must.

The title of the review says it all. this is an awesome strategy guide. The book holds your hand and walks you through the entire game. It even tells you what all the endings are and how to get them all. There are no spoilers here. The maps are great and there are full items lists. Buy this book. You can't go wrong.

Thank goodness I had the Strategy Guide for Silent Hill, otherwise I would still be wandering around the foggy streets or some nasty, decaying hotel without a clue.

This isn't a review just a little tip. The book is great for the right system just make sure you have the right book. The Silent Hill 2: RestLess Dreams (Brown Cover)Guide is for X-Box and The Silent Hill 2 (Green Cover)guide is for Playstation 2. I Found out as soon I bought it that I had the book for X-Box. So to save someone else the trouble of getting the wrong book I decided to write it in a review. Whats the difference you ask well Restless dreams is written with the controls for X-Box in mind and there is a version in (Restless Dreams)that shows you how to control another character. So The green cover version has the controls for Playstation in mind. Hope this was helpful for anyone else who was thinking about buying the book but didn't know what the difference was.