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Gwelf: The Survival Guide
We welcome and encourage tourists of all kinds in Gwelf. The survival guide will tell you what to expect, what equipment to pack, who to trust and hire as a guide, and where to rest for the night in this magical land steeped in history and mystery.
Indeed, so charming and wondrous is Gwelf that occasionally tourists decide to stay and become citizens, joining the ranks of the border patrol; settling in a town as a merchant, artist, or voyeur; or simply retiring to the country or farmlands.
Tragically, there have been some that have stayed, but not by choice. We, the council, fear that this has cast a negative light on our beauteous realm. Rest assured that should you follow the precautions outlined in our guide, you will be quite safe, as it is the council’s intention to provide this book as a resource so that future mishaps might be avoided . . . Larry MacDougall has done that thing—created a fantasy world that is completely believable, super charming, and more than a little bit dangerous. I love it so much. I want to wander around in it but wouldn't want to get caught alone in it after dark. -- Mike Mignola
Indeed, so charming and wondrous is Gwelf that occasionally tourists decide to stay and become citizens, joining the ranks of the border patrol; settling in a town as a merchant, artist, or voyeur; or simply retiring to the country or farmlands.
Tragically, there have been some that have stayed, but not by choice. We, the council, fear that this has cast a negative light on our beauteous realm. Rest assured that should you follow the precautions outlined in our guide, you will be quite safe, as it is the council’s intention to provide this book as a resource so that future mishaps might be avoided . . . Larry MacDougall has done that thing—created a fantasy world that is completely believable, super charming, and more than a little bit dangerous. I love it so much. I want to wander around in it but wouldn't want to get caught alone in it after dark. -- Mike Mignola
136 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 2021
33 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 9, 2023
The artwork is fantastic throughout, has big Wind in the Willows vibes. Written as a travel/destination guide including many of the shops and locations throughout Gwelf. My biggest issue was with the text being quite repetitive in the first half of the book, constantly reminding the reader of magical candles, sigils, talismans, amulets, restaurants and inns; it felt a little much considering it was mentioned in just about every section multiple times. The interesting parts came in the latter half of the book where some of the old historical battles were discussed, some more of the haunted places, and enemies in the far reaches of the Scrublands.
It seems like MacDougall's next Gwelf book might address these issues, moving away from the travel guide format and more into an adventure chronicle. Looking forward to it.
It seems like MacDougall's next Gwelf book might address these issues, moving away from the travel guide format and more into an adventure chronicle. Looking forward to it.
October 29, 2022
This is a unique book that written as a guidebook for the land of Gwelf. The entire book is written as a guide for a visitor and gives information about the types of inhabitants, villages and terrain, where to stay, where to eat, what to bring/pack, and unique landmarks. The land of Gwelf has the good inhabitants - Sparrows, Mice, Otters, Foxes (our narrator), Rabbits, Badgers, and Racoons and the evil inhabitants - Ravens, Ragteeth, and Rats. The inhabitants are locked in a battle of magic so the guide is helpful in how to navigate these types of magic and not be caught off guard.
The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I put this book on hold after I saw the cover because it reminded me of the Mouse Guard graphic novels. While this is definitely not a graphic novel it's a really unique fiction book. It would make a great coffee table book as well with all the great illustrations. I definitely hope there are some sequels or further books about Gwelf.
The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I put this book on hold after I saw the cover because it reminded me of the Mouse Guard graphic novels. While this is definitely not a graphic novel it's a really unique fiction book. It would make a great coffee table book as well with all the great illustrations. I definitely hope there are some sequels or further books about Gwelf.
April 13, 2025
Bello, bello, bello.
Questo libro è una guida alla terra fantastica di Gwelf e non solo.
Usi, costumi, magia, abitanti, luoghi e chi più ne ha più ne metta.
Le illustrazioni son molto suggestive e il tutto mi ricorda parecchio The mouse Guard e vagamente anche Redwall (e pure qua i tassi spaccano 🔥) .
A conclusione, è un ottimo libro da leggere se si ha voglia di avventure, di D&D o semplicemente di staccare dalle lagne quotidiane della vita moderna.
Questo libro è una guida alla terra fantastica di Gwelf e non solo.
Usi, costumi, magia, abitanti, luoghi e chi più ne ha più ne metta.
Le illustrazioni son molto suggestive e il tutto mi ricorda parecchio The mouse Guard e vagamente anche Redwall (e pure qua i tassi spaccano 🔥) .
A conclusione, è un ottimo libro da leggere se si ha voglia di avventure, di D&D o semplicemente di staccare dalle lagne quotidiane della vita moderna.
October 3, 2021
WOW! This book is just gushing with creativity. I'm really just blown away at not only the content in the book but also the build quality of the whole presentation.
I loved the fact that the entire book is "in character". It really feels like this book really was published by the Gwelf Council for Tourism.
The artwork throughout the book is beautiful without feeling out of place with the theme. I especially loved the little sketches placed occasionally in the margins of the pages. It really pulls you into the world.
This is _the_ most beautiful coffee table book I own Full stop. Congrats on a breathtaking release by Larry MacDougall and I'm looking forward to what you release next!
I loved the fact that the entire book is "in character". It really feels like this book really was published by the Gwelf Council for Tourism.
The artwork throughout the book is beautiful without feeling out of place with the theme. I especially loved the little sketches placed occasionally in the margins of the pages. It really pulls you into the world.
This is _the_ most beautiful coffee table book I own Full stop. Congrats on a breathtaking release by Larry MacDougall and I'm looking forward to what you release next!
January 31, 2022
The artwork is fantastic, the writing is fitting, and the production is spot on. The book does justice to MacDouglall's watercolor work, and the text was a positive surprise for me. Having the book written in the prose of a tour guide really sold it. I'd love to see more of the world of Gwelf.
April 12, 2022
Charming illustrations and a well-crafted world. I’d like to see actual stories written for it.
January 13, 2023
Holy Hannah!
THIS IS THE BOOK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!
I’m floored. I’ve never read anything like this.
I suppose its fiction. But in this world, it could be true. Who knows. I’d believe anything at this point in our existence.
I write notes as I read normally. Then I collect all the little pieces of note paper and I compile my review. I stopped doing that about page 80 of this book because I realized I was writing the Cliff Notes to this book. I wanted to tell you, those who have not read this book yet, everything I was reading. I wanted to share all with you. It’s that good. If I was one of the Forbes 100 Richest Americans I would buy all of you a copy of this book.
Alas I am currently a stay-at-home cat mom/former Accountant. So no books. But please feel free to continue reading my review at no charge.
The artwork is all suitable for framing. Stunning. Amazing artwork. But none of us would take apart a book. We don’t treat our books like that.
I found a brilliant quote within: “There is wisdom in all knowledge”. I love this! I mean I don’t think knowledge is found in most television today but otherwise I agree with it!
So, this is a fictional (or factual??) survival guide book to the fictional (or factual) magical land of Gwelf. This guide book is highly recommended for adventurers. Your adventure could be out in the wild with things that go bump in the night, or at an Inn drinking tea or ale, or at a book shop. You decide.
As I said before the book is gorgeous thanks to the magnificent artwork but it is also wildly entertaining. It also has me longing for Elderflower Ale.
Two of my favorite features in any book are maps and endpapers. This book has both. And man did they deliver! The maps are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, if I may venture a guess. If you find yourself in Gwelf may I suggest you stay away from the section titled “Here Be Ugly Nasty Things”.
Bonus is there is no Football in Gwelf. That means husbands have free time on Sunday. Cool!
The leaders of Gwelf are magical Sparrows. They however are not politicians. They are researchers and philosophers. Brilliant huh? Mayhap we can try that. No more career politicians, please. And the leaders also know all their constituents by name. hmmm.
The guidebook goes on to tell you about all of Gwelf’s inhabitants. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. There are no humans. The animals are anthropomorphized. With the exception of beasts of burden such as ponies. They are the regular run of the mill four legged creatures.
I can’t wait for you to read about the bookstore of Gwelf! Root Cellar Books. Sounds divine!
This book reads like a very thoughtful very detailed very entertaining guide book. Remember, before the internet, we would get brochures sent to our houses in order to plan a Vacation to VA Beach or Disney. Ya know, for those of us born in the 1900s. Well it’s like that but 100% better.
I don’t see tons of reviews There is only 13. So I hope I have piqued your interest with my feeble attempt of trying to describe not only what this book is but how fantastic it is.
THIS IS THE BOOK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!
I’m floored. I’ve never read anything like this.
I suppose its fiction. But in this world, it could be true. Who knows. I’d believe anything at this point in our existence.
I write notes as I read normally. Then I collect all the little pieces of note paper and I compile my review. I stopped doing that about page 80 of this book because I realized I was writing the Cliff Notes to this book. I wanted to tell you, those who have not read this book yet, everything I was reading. I wanted to share all with you. It’s that good. If I was one of the Forbes 100 Richest Americans I would buy all of you a copy of this book.
Alas I am currently a stay-at-home cat mom/former Accountant. So no books. But please feel free to continue reading my review at no charge.
The artwork is all suitable for framing. Stunning. Amazing artwork. But none of us would take apart a book. We don’t treat our books like that.
I found a brilliant quote within: “There is wisdom in all knowledge”. I love this! I mean I don’t think knowledge is found in most television today but otherwise I agree with it!
So, this is a fictional (or factual??) survival guide book to the fictional (or factual) magical land of Gwelf. This guide book is highly recommended for adventurers. Your adventure could be out in the wild with things that go bump in the night, or at an Inn drinking tea or ale, or at a book shop. You decide.
As I said before the book is gorgeous thanks to the magnificent artwork but it is also wildly entertaining. It also has me longing for Elderflower Ale.
Two of my favorite features in any book are maps and endpapers. This book has both. And man did they deliver! The maps are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, if I may venture a guess. If you find yourself in Gwelf may I suggest you stay away from the section titled “Here Be Ugly Nasty Things”.
Bonus is there is no Football in Gwelf. That means husbands have free time on Sunday. Cool!
The leaders of Gwelf are magical Sparrows. They however are not politicians. They are researchers and philosophers. Brilliant huh? Mayhap we can try that. No more career politicians, please. And the leaders also know all their constituents by name. hmmm.
The guidebook goes on to tell you about all of Gwelf’s inhabitants. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. There are no humans. The animals are anthropomorphized. With the exception of beasts of burden such as ponies. They are the regular run of the mill four legged creatures.
I can’t wait for you to read about the bookstore of Gwelf! Root Cellar Books. Sounds divine!
This book reads like a very thoughtful very detailed very entertaining guide book. Remember, before the internet, we would get brochures sent to our houses in order to plan a Vacation to VA Beach or Disney. Ya know, for those of us born in the 1900s. Well it’s like that but 100% better.
I don’t see tons of reviews There is only 13. So I hope I have piqued your interest with my feeble attempt of trying to describe not only what this book is but how fantastic it is.
May 31, 2023
Gwelf: The Survival Guide was a Kickstarter campaign that I backed mostly cause I thought the art was nice and I love books that are guides/pretend to be guides. I did have the impression it was more art than text, so when I couldn’t find the book after coming back to Singapore, I just figured it would show up sooner or later. Of course, this meant that I missed the second Kickstarter, which I’m begining to slightly regret because this book is so cool!
At 145 pages (excluding the afterward and sketches), Gwelf is a heft survival guide and a good introduction to the world of Gwelf. It’s a cosy fantasy world populated by all sorts of anthropomorphic animals and tinged with real danger from the ever-constant battle between the forces of death (Ravens) and life (Sparrows).
While the art is gorgeous, what brought the world to life was the worldbuilding. MacDougall has put in details of inns, magical items, shops, etc, creating a detailed world that feels very real. I finished this book wishing I could read a novel set in the world of Gwelf; I’m sure it will be very charming! Which is why I am a bit sad I missed the second Kickstarter – it’s supposed to be a bit more personal compared to this one!
If you love fantasy, beautiful art, as well as detailed worldbuilding, Gwelf is the book for you. There is a lot to read and discover and while the book’s size would ordinarily be cumbersome, I think making it any smaller would lose a lot of detail in the images so I’m happy to have this big book!
To see images of the book, check out my original review at Eustea Reads
At 145 pages (excluding the afterward and sketches), Gwelf is a heft survival guide and a good introduction to the world of Gwelf. It’s a cosy fantasy world populated by all sorts of anthropomorphic animals and tinged with real danger from the ever-constant battle between the forces of death (Ravens) and life (Sparrows).
While the art is gorgeous, what brought the world to life was the worldbuilding. MacDougall has put in details of inns, magical items, shops, etc, creating a detailed world that feels very real. I finished this book wishing I could read a novel set in the world of Gwelf; I’m sure it will be very charming! Which is why I am a bit sad I missed the second Kickstarter – it’s supposed to be a bit more personal compared to this one!
If you love fantasy, beautiful art, as well as detailed worldbuilding, Gwelf is the book for you. There is a lot to read and discover and while the book’s size would ordinarily be cumbersome, I think making it any smaller would lose a lot of detail in the images so I’m happy to have this big book!
To see images of the book, check out my original review at Eustea Reads
August 2, 2023
An illustrated guide, not a story, Gwelf breaks the fourth wall and invites the reader into a surprisingly believable fantasy world—with a menacing edge sharper than Redwall while more restrained than D&D. This book might not qualify for a place in the long line of anthropomorphic literature that runs through Beatrix Potter, The Wind in the Willows, and Narnia, but it has certainly built an impressive scaffolding of visuals, geography, lore, and internally-consistent rules. If from this scaffolding Mr. MacDougall could, in some future endeavor, built plot and character with equal skill and imagination, the result would be magnificent.
October 5, 2023
This book acts as a guidebook for the mythical, magical, world of Gwelf. Gwelf is full of sparrows, and rabbits, and otters but also bordered by the very dangerous and evil raven and ragtooths. We originally picked this book up on a whim at Chapters while perusing the fantasy section because the artwork was absolutely breathtaking and so stinking cute with all the woodland critters. The concept for the book was SO much fun we decided to take a risk and buy it. Best choice ever. We also realized the author is Canadian and we love to support Canadian authors and artists. If you’re looking for a cozy fall read and stunning coffee table book, Gwelf is it!
December 11, 2025
"Charming" is the word that comes to mind when describing this book. While some of MacDougall's art has a bit too much of an unfinished feel, with ample amounts of white space, most of it is fantastic and does a great job transporting you to the world of Gwelf.
The world itself is quite interesting, with various animal races living in a fantasy setting. Some get along in the cute Wind in the Willows fashion, while others work their magic to enslave their fellow critters in a way that feels straight out of zombie horror. All in all, Gwelf is like if Redwall had a dash of The Witcher mixed in.
I enjoyed this a lot. I'm hoping to get the next book in the series soon.
The world itself is quite interesting, with various animal races living in a fantasy setting. Some get along in the cute Wind in the Willows fashion, while others work their magic to enslave their fellow critters in a way that feels straight out of zombie horror. All in all, Gwelf is like if Redwall had a dash of The Witcher mixed in.
I enjoyed this a lot. I'm hoping to get the next book in the series soon.
January 6, 2023
Beautiful. Now I want to visit Gwelf, or play in a rpg set there. The illustrations are fantastic, and the guidebook is charming, with plenty of warnings about the dangers in the surrounding areas.
I hope Larry MacDougall plans to create more for us to enjoy. I would love to read of the adventures the creatures that visit Gwelf, or about the hostilities between the Sparrowkind and the Ravenkind. There is so much space for more, and I want to read it.
I hope Larry MacDougall plans to create more for us to enjoy. I would love to read of the adventures the creatures that visit Gwelf, or about the hostilities between the Sparrowkind and the Ravenkind. There is so much space for more, and I want to read it.
April 19, 2023
Within this very attractively illustrated guidebook to the world of Gwelf, Larry MacDougall’s anthropomorphic creatures show great imagination in their design and essence, populating a place of danger and conflict, and charming commonplace events. His sketchy watercolours are full of earthy details, strong personality, adventure and menace – everything correctly fits the setting, and the images are supported by nice explanations and good page layouts.
December 19, 2021
I absolutely loved this book! The illustrations were the most delightful and beautiful book illustrations I have ever seen! It was written in such a lovely way! This book has been a balm for my sorrows. It has brought so much joy and excitement into my life and it continues to do so whoever I think of Gwelf or look at the illustrations all over again.
December 27, 2021
A very cozy book. This is a cute concept and I would love to read an actual story that takes place in this world. Parts of it definitely sounded like propaganda but it made it more realistic as it is meant to be written by the leaders/tourism department of the town. The illustrations are adorable and so detailed.
November 8, 2024
This is absolutely adorable and the perfect book for me to pickup. This book has wonderful illustrations which guide you through the city and the world of Gwelf. Where should you shop? What supplies will you bring? And will you meet friend or foe?
It was super cute. I'll probably pick up the second one eventually.
It was super cute. I'll probably pick up the second one eventually.
November 29, 2024
This is what happens when you combine a travel guide with a D&D manual. The illustrations are beautiful, the world of Gwelf is well thought out, and oh how I'd love to visit someday.
This is unlike anything I've ever read before, and I appreciate the love and care put into it.
Can't wait for the next instalment.
This is unlike anything I've ever read before, and I appreciate the love and care put into it.
Can't wait for the next instalment.
June 2, 2025
I disegni sono a dir poco stupendi; le descrizioni ti invogliano a prendere zaino, scarponi comodi e Candela Particolare per dirigerti a prenotare un soggiorno nella città omonima.
L’unico problema é che non credo esista ancora un romanzo/trilogia ambientato in questi territori..ma solo un proseguo di questa guida.
Uffa.
L’unico problema é che non credo esista ancora un romanzo/trilogia ambientato in questi territori..ma solo un proseguo di questa guida.
Uffa.
January 16, 2023
Delightful read. If you love world-building and fantasy, it’s a must-read. Gwelf is a full, thought out world.
The perspective of a potential tourist is a lovely way to share these ideas and histories without being overwhelming.
I have every intention of visiting one day ;)
The perspective of a potential tourist is a lovely way to share these ideas and histories without being overwhelming.
I have every intention of visiting one day ;)
October 27, 2023
Charming with a capital C! Just a lovely book all around. The art is phenomenal and really immerses you into Gwelf. I finished this book yearning for an actual book series about this world. Maybe one day!
September 20, 2021
Charmingly illustrated and warmly narrated. A fun little window into a unique fantasy world.
December 17, 2021
This book is incredible! So creative!! and I will definitely read it again.
March 15, 2022
Gwelf is a fun little book that is beautifully illustrated. MacDougall does a wonderful job building out this detailed world.
January 2, 2024
Beautiful art! Also an intricate world and fun adventure story told as a Visitors Guide. Love to reread.
February 28, 2024
Pretty reminiscent of Dinotopia, and when I was done I sort of wanted it to be a source book for a tabletop game, or have more of a plot. A good art book, as is.
May 12, 2024
Gave me all the Redwall vibes while still being wholly original.
Adored it- and already booked my trip.
Adored it- and already booked my trip.
July 7, 2024
Otrolig konst och berättelser. En fantastisk värld.
September 26, 2024
I mean the art is simply gorgeous. It's cute with a horror edge that I really appreciate.
October 19, 2024
What an absolute treasure of a book. Curl up with it on a cold day and journey through the region of Gwelf. The world building is spectacularly unique, and makes the reader crave for more.
January 9, 2025
Red wall and D&D had a cozy baby and I’m in loveeeeeee. Stunning illustrations, well developed lore, and fomo for SO many places that I unfortunately cannot visit because they sadly don’t exist.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews