TSR, WOTC, and now HASBRO all seem to struggle a bit when it comes to marketing, and sometimes they release books that simply make no sense.
Take, for example, How Not to get Eaten by Owlbears.
Random House (DK)
Now, in Hasbro's defense I have to say that the material may have been licensed by Penguin Random House, and that the book may have been published by Penguin Random House.
I'm not sure. But even then it doesn't make much sense.
Contents
Tidbits about the Forgotten Realms, a small nod to other planes, a mentioning of Volo. If you expect any useful information (gaming rules, specific information on locales, maps, secrets, motivations, storylines, characters) then feel free to be disappointed. There's nothing.
This little book is a nice little browse-through without any meat. It's fluff. Embellishment. Flavor. But it is of little to no help to those playing the Table Top Dungeons & Dragons, nor does it matter to those who play the computer game Baldur's Gate.
In fact - and that's why I say the owners of D&D sometimes struggle with their marketing - it not only offers no new information whatsoever, but on top of that it is not even mentioning the D&D game, the Baldur's Gate computer game, the Honor Among Thieves movie, or any other Forgotten Realms related products. There is nothing but some pretty pictures and pleasing text. Maybe it's intended as a coffee table book, but then the format is way off.
Purpose - does it have any?
I might consider these 130 pages of fluff and flavor an introduction to the D&D Forgotten Realms setting, but then it's way too large and it doesn't mention the D&D game, nor the Forgotten Realms game products.
I'm just utterly confused what its purpose is.
Data
Generic
Name: How Not to get Eaten by Owlbears
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Type: other - introduction (kind of)
Author / design: Anne Toole / Sandra Perry
Copyright / publication: August 2024
About: Kind of fluffy introduction to the Forgotten Realms with nice artwork but no gaming content
Package
Format: A5 hardcover
Pages: 128 (including index)
Score
Pages:
-2 - 128 pages
Positive:
+0
Negative:
-1 - minimal new information
Opinion:
-2 - what's its purpose?
Total Score:
-5 - I'm absolutely not impressed
The Verdict
Don't buy this thing, it's of little to no use to gamers, and not interesting enough to be used as a coffee table book.
To be fair, I just can't figure out it's purpose...
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