This review and others posted over at my blog.

This is a little collection of stories, poems, and histories about the races, creatures, factions, and wars of Skyrim. I think (though I could be wrong) that these are the actual books which can be found throughout the game. If that’s the case, it’s much easier to read them in printed format than in-game.

Like any collection of shorts/lore, some stories were more interesting than others. Some of my favorites were:

Palla – a horror-esque tale about being careful what you wish for

Confessions of a Khajiit Fur Trader – much darker than I expected, very cool

The Wraith’s Wedding Dowry – this was a fun dungeon-run type story

I also enjoyed the shorts about the Nightingales and the terrible origins of the Night Mother.

My favorite art was of the wispmothers (so pretty!) and the hagravens (so badass and creepy!)

If you’re a fan of books that add to the lore and world building of video games, and you love Skryim, then I think you’ll enjoy this book. I do want to get the whole set, not only to satisfy my inner completionist, but because they’re nicely put together. ( )

Another competent compendium of in-game Elder Scrolls lore. That might not sound the most thrilling way to describe it, but it is what you get. If you are a fan of Skyrim then you likely already know if you would like this. A lot of the inclusions are middling, but there's always the odd story which satisfies (e.g. 'Mystery of Talara', 'Palla' and 'Rising Threat'). The book has a good aesthetic design and goes some way towards soothing any latent nostalgia you might feel for Tamriel. ( )

***This book was reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review***

Skyrim Library Vol. II: Man, Mer, and Beast, by Bethesda Softworks, like the first such compilation, gathers together the various books of lore to be found throughout Skyrim. This one has sections on races, creatures and beasts, warfare, and factions.

The first- races- has stories and history relating to the various groups of men, elves, and dwarves, among others. My favourite was the Ahzirr Trajijazaeri, and those parts relating to the Dunmer.

Next up- creatures and beasts- has lore and tales concerning everything from giant cats, to ice wraiths, to horkers. There's even a few recipes! My favourite was Ode to the Tundrastriders, and Cats of Skyrim.

Warfare has tales of bravery, and fierce battle, along with more practical information regarding fighting skills, armourcraft, and weaponcraft. I particularly enjoyed the Black Arrow.

Factions is the last section, and it covers various groups to be found throughout Skyrim. My favourite were the Brothers of Darkness, and the bawdy tale of the Thief of Virtue.

Each section was chock-full of wonderful artwork, to illustrate the various tales and bits of lore and history. This is especially useful for people new to the game, or who like fantasy stuff, but have no interest in playing it. There are even hidden pages of riddles and logic problems!

I've played Elder Scrolls since Morrowind, and loved them all. They are such vastly immersive games. I enjoyed finding and reading the books and tales in-game. The Skyrim Library volumes do full justice to them, and are filled with beautiful sketches and paintings. If you love Skyrim or just enjoy fantasy, be sure to check out this second volume of the Skyrim Library- Man, Mer, and Beast! ( )