★★★★★ 5
Stunning set will be loved by any Elder Scrolls fans
Format: Hardcover
It's hard to overstate how fantastic the production values on this set are. Bringing together the three previously published "Skyrim Library" volumes into a single box set, this is more than a collection of printed Elder Scrolls lore: it's a genuine collector's piece.
As noted, this set is made up of three hardcover volumes, each of them previously published as individual books. They are collected here in a beautifully designed box. The box is a clamshell design that completely encloses the books so you can't see their spines while on the shelf. The carving on Alduin's wall from the game Skyrim is depicted on the outside, along with display text for your bookshelf, and the interior has an illustration of Alduin himself.
Inside are the three hardcover books, and WOW are they gorgeous. Each is roughly 230 pages or so, give or take. The covers are a textured faux leather emblazoned with the Skyrim symbol. They feel hefty and weighty and are VERY well made. Truly impressive stuff.
Also impressive are the interiors. Each book is jam-packed with in-game texts, lore, and more from the Elder Scrolls series (though branded as "The Skyrim Library," much of the material here can be found in games like Oblivion and Morrowind, too). The pages are a thick, study paper stock and almost every page is lavishly illustrated.
As for the contents, they are terrific for any lover of the Elder Scrolls, Tamriel, and fantasy lore. Newbies will find this interesting and easy to get into, and old vets will delight in having this stuff in a nicely printed form.
Vol. 1 is The Histories. The four sections within -- History, Skyrim, Morrowind, and Dragons -- offer a pretty comprehensive reading of Tamriel history from the perspective of mankind, from the early days of man to current, along with loads of Skyrim-specific lore, a quick overview of Morrowind (too quick; I hope they one day publish something similar on that setting), and stuff on dragons.
Vol. 2 is Man, Mer, & Beast, covering the people and creatures of the world. In four sections -- Races, Creatures and Beasts, Warfare, and Factions -- you get extensive texts on the dwemer/dwarves, good material on other elves, texts on various factions operating in Skyrim, and more.
Finally, Vol. 3 is The Arcane, dealing in magic and the gods. The four sections here -- Magicka, Religion, 2910: The Last Year of the First Era, and Aedra and Daedra -- delve more into the arcane and obscure, getting into the metaphysical aspects of Tamriel lore, accounts of the world's early days, material on the minor gods, and more.
The material here is extensive, encompassing over 400 and maybe approaching 500 in-game books and texts. There is a LOT to sift through and read.
If you've read some of the series' many in-game books, you know what to expect. If not, you'll be getting dozens of well-written tales, essays and pieces about Tamriel (NOT just Skyrim) and the overall world of Nirn, presented as if they were written by people who live in the game world. They vary in quality and tone, from serious to whimsical.
That's a good thing, too. If one of the pieces doesn't catch your interest, just skip it. Each story is brief, usually only a page or two, making this a book you can just pick up and read for a few moments at a time without having to invest yourself. Things are arranged so if you want to read the books straight through you'll get clear thematic narratives, but it's not necessary to read them that way. You can skip around to the things that interest you.
All in all, this set is GORGEOUS and is PACKED with stuff that will delight fans of the Elder Scrolls series, even those who prefer Morrowind, Daggerfall, or Oblivion to Skyrim. (No one actually prefers Arena to Skyrim, right?) The retail price seems a bit steep at $100, but the production quality makes it a decent purchase. Amazon's price is far batter than that, making this a no-brainer for lovers of Tamtriel lore.
About my only complaint is the box's clamshell design, which makes accessing the books inside a bit of a pain and which does not match the equally gorgeous
. They SHOULD look like a matching set when on the shelf -- the five individual books of the these two sets certainly do when removed from their respective boxes -- but the box designs are too different for that. My best guess is that maybe the clamshell design was used because it's sturdier and these are heavy books? Just a guess.
But that's a nitpick from someone who likes his shelves to have a nice, matching look.
Overall, great stuff. Huge thumbs up for fans of the series. Whether you are new to Elder Scrolls lore or are an old fan of it, either way you'll find a lot to like here.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2017
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