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Ravenloft: Strahd #2
I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin
...Some of the parchment pages were the color of cream, thick and substantial, made to last many, many lifetimes. Other pages were thin and desiccated, positively yellow from age, and crackled alarmingly as Van Richten turned them over. There were no ornate illuminations, no fussy borders, only lines of plain text in hard black ink. The flowing handwriting was a bit difficult to follow at first; the writer's style of calligraphy had not been in common use for three hundred years. No table of contents, but from the dates it looked to be some kind of history.
He turned to the first page and read:
I, Strahd, Lord of Barovia, well aware certain events of my reign have been desperately misunderstood by those who are better at garbling history than recording it, hereby set down an exact record of those events, that the truth may at last be known . . . .
He caught his breath. By all the good gods, a personal journal?
He turned to the first page and read:
I, Strahd, Lord of Barovia, well aware certain events of my reign have been desperately misunderstood by those who are better at garbling history than recording it, hereby set down an exact record of those events, that the truth may at last be known . . . .
He caught his breath. By all the good gods, a personal journal?
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
26 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
P.N. Elrod
95 books591 followersPatricia Nead Elrod is an American fantasy writer specializing in novels about vampires. Her work falls into areas of fantasy and (in some cases) mystery or historical fiction, but normally not horror, since her vampires are the heroes. -Wikipedia
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May 19, 2021
Con la scatola rossa delle regole base di Dungeons & Dragons, pubblicata dall'Editrice Giochi nel lontano 1985, (ed i librogame di Lupo Solitario scritti da Joe Dever) iniziò il mio eterno amore per il fantasy e la mia lunga carriera di giocatore, e soprattutto Master, di una lunga ed interminabile serie di giochi di ruolo cartacei da tavolo.
All'epoca con i miei amici frequentavamo assiduamente da bravi nerd un negozio romano chiamato Strategia & Tattica (Un po' come fa il cast di The Big Bang Theory con il negozio di fumetti di Stuart, per intenderci! XD), punto di riferimento per tutti gli appassionati di giochi da tavolo e di ruolo capitolini, spendendo le nostre paghette settimanali comprando miniature, moduli avventura ed accessori di quello che era il nostro passatempo preferito.
Il negozio vendeva anche materiali di importazione ed un modulo in particolare attirava sempre la mia attenzione...
Capirai, avevo da poco divorato "Dracula" di Bram Stoker e "Le notti di Salem" di Stephen King: i vampiri erano una delle mie passioni e quella copertina era a dir poco stupenda.
Purtroppo all'epoca la mia conoscenza ancora nulla dell'inglese ed il fatto che il modulo fosse un'avventura per l'allora ancora sconosciuto per me (ancora per poco) Advanced Dungeons & Dragons mi dissuadevano ogni volta dall'acquistarlo… Ma l'incontro con l'oscuro signore di Castle Ravenloft era solo rimandato.
Nel 1991 infatti la casa editrice EL di Trieste, specializzata nella pubblicazione di librigame, pubblicó nella sua collana Advanced Dungeons & Dragons…
Nel 1991 infatti la casa editrice EL di Trieste, specializzata nella pubblicazione di librigame, pubblicó nella sua collana Advanced Dungeons & Dragons...
Fu amore a prima vista!
Il protagonista sei tu!" recitava lo slogan in quarta di copertina dei librogiochi della EL: in questo caso interpretavi un paladino alle prese con il malvagio conte vampiro Strahd Von Zarovich per la salvezza della bella Ireena nella maledetta terra di Barovia avvolta dalle nebbie.
Storia ed illustrazioni erano talmente belle che lo avrò finito senza esagerare almeno 20-30 volte… Senza contare tutte quelle in cui sono morto! XD
Da allora la mia conoscenza dell'inglese migliorò notevolmente grazie ai giochi di ruolo: finiti i primi tre livelli base di D&D in poche settimane mi toccò comprare le successive regole Expert in inglese perché ancora non erano state tradotte e pubblicate dalla EG. XD
Così con i miei amici passammo dopo qualche anno a giocare ad Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Mentre il D&D classico aveva una sola ambientazione fantasy alla "Signore degli Anelli", quella di Mystara, quelle dell'Advanced erano molteplici: fantasy classiche ed epiche come Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms e Dragonlance, post apocalittiche (Dark Sun), fantasy/fantascientifiche (Spelljammer), le Oriental Adventures ti permettevano di interpretare Samurai e Ninja: ce n'era veramente per tutti i gusti.
Mentre leggevo un numero americano dell'orrenda serie a fumetti Marvel di Robocop nel 1990 (una vera schifezza, ma Alex James Murphy è sempre stato uno dei miei personaggi preferiti da quando rimasi traumatizzato dalla visione al cinema del capolavoro creato da Paul Verhoeven, quindi la compravo e soffrivo in silenzio...), il mio cuore nerd ebbe un sussulto vedendo una pubblicità: alle suddette ambientazioni stava per aggiungersene finalmente una dedicata all'horror gotico.
Nientepopodimeno che quella di RAVENLOFT!!! *Rullo di tamburi*
L'ambientazione o Campaign Setting si differenziava dalle altre fantasy per svariati motivi.
Il termine Ravenloft non indicava più soltanto il castello di Strahd il vampiro, ma un mondo alternativo denominato "Semipiano del Terrore" suddiviso in diverse terre chiamate "Domini", letteralmente strappate dai loro piani d'origine e collocate su questo piano da misteriose ed enigmatiche "Potenze Oscure".
Ogni dominio ha quindi il suo "Signore Oscuro", persona o creatura che ha commesso azioni talmente malvagie da attirare l'attenzione delle Potenze Oscure, che governa la propria terra.
Questi Signori Oscuri sono imprigionati nei loro domini ma possono uscirne in alcune situazioni particolari quali allineamenti celesti et similia, possono percepire l'arrivo di uno straniero ed impedire l'uscita a chiunque, bloccando il territorio con un solo pensiero, sollevando quelle stesse nebbie che tengono loro stessi prigionieri. All'interno dei loro domini infatti, i Signori Oscuri sono continuamente in preda al tormento di non riuscire ad ottenere ciò che più di tutto desiderano, che è spesso, ironicamente, ciò per cui hanno commesso il crimine che ha attirato l'attenzione delle Potenze Oscure : nel caso di Strahd il fratricidio spinto dall'amore per la bella Tatyana, evento descritto meravigliosamente nel primo volume delle memorie di Strahd. Il conte vampiro, intrappolato nella sua Barovia circondata dalle Nebbie, è condannato ad un eterno purgatorio destinato a rivivere ogni volta la morte dell'amata ogni volta che questa si reincarna in una delle fanciulle di quel luogo maledetto.
E finalmente arriviamo alla recensione di questo libro,. Grazie della pazienza avuta finora, caro lettore o lettrice di questa recensione.
Purtroppo noi vecchi nerd nostalgici talvolta tendiamo a divagare.. XD
Più che un seguito del primo volume delle memorie di Strahd, questo seconda parte ne forma insieme un unico appassionante racconto.
In "Io, Strahd" abbiamo letto gli eventi che hanno trasformato il conte baroviano nell'iconico vampiro di Dungeons & Dragons, in "La guerra contro Azalin" assistiamo alla sua ascesa a Signore Oscuro e alla nascita di Ravenloft, il "Semipiano del Terrore".
A Barovia infatti si aggiungono altre terre, strappate dalle Nebbie ai loro mondi di appartenenza, ed i loro Signori, il tutto mentre Strahd impara a conoscere i suoi poteri e limiti di Signore Oscuro, alle prese con il potentissimo lich Azalin, in una forzata alleanza che li vede alleati nel tentativo di fuggire dalla loro prigione avvolta nella nebbia.
Scopriamo inoltre come sia nato il vincolo che lega il Signore di Barovia ai Vistani, rappresentazione stereotipata degli zingari ispirata ai film horror della Hammer, e da sempre occhi ed orecchie del Conte in ogni modulo, racconto o videogame, a lui dedicato
Le esplorazioni delle nuove terre aggiuntesi ai confini di Barovia, stuzzicano inoltre l'immaginazione del lettore invogliandolo a leggere gli altri romanzi di Ravenloft, di cui purtroppo ben pochi sono usciti in italiano ed uno dei quali è ormai praticamente introvabile.
(Promemoria: devo procurarmi prima o poi i due vecchi videogames in DOS per Windows di Ravenloft)
Se proprio dobbiamo fargli qualche critica, allora..
1) la copertina all'epoca mi aveva dissuaso dal comprare questo romanzo dandomi l'idea di un seguito raffazzonato alla bene e male per sfruttare la fama del personaggio.
Per la serie: le apparenze ingannano.
2)La guerra contro Azalin scoppia solo dopo 250(!) pagine per venirne poi liquidata in una cinquantina neanche.
A parte questi piccoli difetti, il libro si legge che è un piacere, i due antagonisti non-morti sono due personaggi a dir poco interessanti e la storia è un must-read per tutti gli amanti di D&D, dei vampiri e del caro vecchio orrore gotico.
In definitiva un gran bel racconto da leggere subito dopo il primo libro.
All'epoca con i miei amici frequentavamo assiduamente da bravi nerd un negozio romano chiamato Strategia & Tattica (Un po' come fa il cast di The Big Bang Theory con il negozio di fumetti di Stuart, per intenderci! XD), punto di riferimento per tutti gli appassionati di giochi da tavolo e di ruolo capitolini, spendendo le nostre paghette settimanali comprando miniature, moduli avventura ed accessori di quello che era il nostro passatempo preferito.
Il negozio vendeva anche materiali di importazione ed un modulo in particolare attirava sempre la mia attenzione...
Capirai, avevo da poco divorato "Dracula" di Bram Stoker e "Le notti di Salem" di Stephen King: i vampiri erano una delle mie passioni e quella copertina era a dir poco stupenda.
Purtroppo all'epoca la mia conoscenza ancora nulla dell'inglese ed il fatto che il modulo fosse un'avventura per l'allora ancora sconosciuto per me (ancora per poco) Advanced Dungeons & Dragons mi dissuadevano ogni volta dall'acquistarlo… Ma l'incontro con l'oscuro signore di Castle Ravenloft era solo rimandato.
Nel 1991 infatti la casa editrice EL di Trieste, specializzata nella pubblicazione di librigame, pubblicó nella sua collana Advanced Dungeons & Dragons…
Nel 1991 infatti la casa editrice EL di Trieste, specializzata nella pubblicazione di librigame, pubblicó nella sua collana Advanced Dungeons & Dragons...
Fu amore a prima vista!
Il protagonista sei tu!" recitava lo slogan in quarta di copertina dei librogiochi della EL: in questo caso interpretavi un paladino alle prese con il malvagio conte vampiro Strahd Von Zarovich per la salvezza della bella Ireena nella maledetta terra di Barovia avvolta dalle nebbie.
Storia ed illustrazioni erano talmente belle che lo avrò finito senza esagerare almeno 20-30 volte… Senza contare tutte quelle in cui sono morto! XD
Da allora la mia conoscenza dell'inglese migliorò notevolmente grazie ai giochi di ruolo: finiti i primi tre livelli base di D&D in poche settimane mi toccò comprare le successive regole Expert in inglese perché ancora non erano state tradotte e pubblicate dalla EG. XD
Così con i miei amici passammo dopo qualche anno a giocare ad Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Mentre il D&D classico aveva una sola ambientazione fantasy alla "Signore degli Anelli", quella di Mystara, quelle dell'Advanced erano molteplici: fantasy classiche ed epiche come Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms e Dragonlance, post apocalittiche (Dark Sun), fantasy/fantascientifiche (Spelljammer), le Oriental Adventures ti permettevano di interpretare Samurai e Ninja: ce n'era veramente per tutti i gusti.
Mentre leggevo un numero americano dell'orrenda serie a fumetti Marvel di Robocop nel 1990 (una vera schifezza, ma Alex James Murphy è sempre stato uno dei miei personaggi preferiti da quando rimasi traumatizzato dalla visione al cinema del capolavoro creato da Paul Verhoeven, quindi la compravo e soffrivo in silenzio...), il mio cuore nerd ebbe un sussulto vedendo una pubblicità: alle suddette ambientazioni stava per aggiungersene finalmente una dedicata all'horror gotico.
Nientepopodimeno che quella di RAVENLOFT!!! *Rullo di tamburi*
L'ambientazione o Campaign Setting si differenziava dalle altre fantasy per svariati motivi.
Il termine Ravenloft non indicava più soltanto il castello di Strahd il vampiro, ma un mondo alternativo denominato "Semipiano del Terrore" suddiviso in diverse terre chiamate "Domini", letteralmente strappate dai loro piani d'origine e collocate su questo piano da misteriose ed enigmatiche "Potenze Oscure".
Ogni dominio ha quindi il suo "Signore Oscuro", persona o creatura che ha commesso azioni talmente malvagie da attirare l'attenzione delle Potenze Oscure, che governa la propria terra.
Questi Signori Oscuri sono imprigionati nei loro domini ma possono uscirne in alcune situazioni particolari quali allineamenti celesti et similia, possono percepire l'arrivo di uno straniero ed impedire l'uscita a chiunque, bloccando il territorio con un solo pensiero, sollevando quelle stesse nebbie che tengono loro stessi prigionieri. All'interno dei loro domini infatti, i Signori Oscuri sono continuamente in preda al tormento di non riuscire ad ottenere ciò che più di tutto desiderano, che è spesso, ironicamente, ciò per cui hanno commesso il crimine che ha attirato l'attenzione delle Potenze Oscure : nel caso di Strahd il fratricidio spinto dall'amore per la bella Tatyana, evento descritto meravigliosamente nel primo volume delle memorie di Strahd. Il conte vampiro, intrappolato nella sua Barovia circondata dalle Nebbie, è condannato ad un eterno purgatorio destinato a rivivere ogni volta la morte dell'amata ogni volta che questa si reincarna in una delle fanciulle di quel luogo maledetto.
E finalmente arriviamo alla recensione di questo libro,. Grazie della pazienza avuta finora, caro lettore o lettrice di questa recensione.
Purtroppo noi vecchi nerd nostalgici talvolta tendiamo a divagare.. XD
Più che un seguito del primo volume delle memorie di Strahd, questo seconda parte ne forma insieme un unico appassionante racconto.
In "Io, Strahd" abbiamo letto gli eventi che hanno trasformato il conte baroviano nell'iconico vampiro di Dungeons & Dragons, in "La guerra contro Azalin" assistiamo alla sua ascesa a Signore Oscuro e alla nascita di Ravenloft, il "Semipiano del Terrore".
A Barovia infatti si aggiungono altre terre, strappate dalle Nebbie ai loro mondi di appartenenza, ed i loro Signori, il tutto mentre Strahd impara a conoscere i suoi poteri e limiti di Signore Oscuro, alle prese con il potentissimo lich Azalin, in una forzata alleanza che li vede alleati nel tentativo di fuggire dalla loro prigione avvolta nella nebbia.
Scopriamo inoltre come sia nato il vincolo che lega il Signore di Barovia ai Vistani, rappresentazione stereotipata degli zingari ispirata ai film horror della Hammer, e da sempre occhi ed orecchie del Conte in ogni modulo, racconto o videogame, a lui dedicato
Le esplorazioni delle nuove terre aggiuntesi ai confini di Barovia, stuzzicano inoltre l'immaginazione del lettore invogliandolo a leggere gli altri romanzi di Ravenloft, di cui purtroppo ben pochi sono usciti in italiano ed uno dei quali è ormai praticamente introvabile.
(Promemoria: devo procurarmi prima o poi i due vecchi videogames in DOS per Windows di Ravenloft)
Se proprio dobbiamo fargli qualche critica, allora..
1) la copertina all'epoca mi aveva dissuaso dal comprare questo romanzo dandomi l'idea di un seguito raffazzonato alla bene e male per sfruttare la fama del personaggio.
Per la serie: le apparenze ingannano.
2)La guerra contro Azalin scoppia solo dopo 250(!) pagine per venirne poi liquidata in una cinquantina neanche.
A parte questi piccoli difetti, il libro si legge che è un piacere, i due antagonisti non-morti sono due personaggi a dir poco interessanti e la storia è un must-read per tutti gli amanti di D&D, dei vampiri e del caro vecchio orrore gotico.
In definitiva un gran bel racconto da leggere subito dopo il primo libro.
September 9, 2017
2.5 stars rounded up... I guess. Nowhere near as good as the first "I, Strahd" effort from P.N. Elrod. The writing is fine and Elrod definitely understands Strahd and the land of Barovia, but I can't believe how boring this book was... and it was a book about a war between a vampire lord and a lich. That should not be a snoozer.
November 15, 2011
I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is the sequel to I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire as well as the nineteenth book in the Ravenloft novel line. Ravenloft is a fantasy horror setting of Dungeons and Dragons. P. N. Elrod has also written The Vampire Files series which includes; Bloodlist, Lifeblood, Bloodcircle, Art in the Blood, Fire in the Blood, Blood on the Water, Chill in the Blood, Dark Sleep, Lady Crymsyn, Cold Streets, Song in the Dark, and Dark Road Rising. She wrote Jonathan Barrett: Gentleman Vampire series which include; Red Death, Death and the Maiden, Death Masque, and Dance of Death. She also wrote Lord Richard, Vampire with Nigel Bennett which includes; Keeper of the King, His Father's Son, and Siege Perilous. She wrote a sequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula titled Quincey Morris: Vampire and an original fantasy novel titled The Adventures of Myhr. I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin was released June 1998 and was published by TSR, Inc.
Strahd Von Zarovich has been trapped by the Mists that surround his land of Barovia for far too long. He seeks a way to free himself from their embrace and hopefully escape the fate that has trapped him. Unfortunately his freedom doesn't seem possible until a mysterious stranger enters his realm. Calling himself Azalin, Strahd realizes that this person may be able to help break the bonds and allow for his escape. However, Azalin may have plans of his own as the two set to work in finding a way 'home.' As the years pass, the two become more and more bitter towards one another and the delicate alliance they forged may just come undone at anytime.
Criticisms:
1) War. There are a few minor problems with I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin, but the one that stands out the most is that there isn't a war until the last forty or so pages. For war to be in the title of the novel and not have been the focus of the story is rather odd. There is the build-up something happening between Strahd and Azalin, but it felt more like a rivalry rather than a war. Even when the war happened, it just felt rushed through and didn't seem like it left much of an impact overall. Granted, the Strahd and Azalin rivalry is set up, but that's really about it. That said, the war wasn't boring and there were some interesting ideas that were introduced. Thankfully, this is only a minor problem, but it would have benefited if there was more dedicated to the actual war segments.
2) Pacing. The other problem with I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is with its pacing. The story develops very slowly. Throughout the novel, everything felt like it was in slow motion. It worked in building-up the rivalry, but it didn't with everything else. Basically, it took forever for things to develop and progress. There were even a number of times were it seemed like nothing happened, even when things were happening. There were a lot of periods were nothing happened or events resulted in nothing. Also, there seemed to be times when things seemed like they were repeated. It felt like you are reading the same thing over and over. All these things really made the story feel slow and meandering.
Praises:
1) Strahd. The characters of I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin were just fantastic, starting with Strahd Von Zarovich. Strahd in a nutshell is charismatic and sympathetic, as any good main character should be. You almost instantly like him, along with feeling bad for his situation. As the story progresses, you see that Strahd isn't as bad as you would assume he is. In fact, there were times when I was stunned by his actions and how he handled certain situations. You realize that he does care for his people's well-being. However, this is a slanted view of things because the story is told through Strahd's eyes. This makes Strahd all the more interesting because you're not sure if what he is saying (or writing) is fact or just fiction. So in reality you are being swept into Strahd's charismatic personality and that alone is rather impressive. To be that charismatic and likable in written words is an accomplishment that you hardly ever see.
2) Azalin. Not to outdone, Azalin is just as interesting. Azalin comes off as Strahd's exact opposite. He's ignorant, self-absorbed, and overly controlling. He makes the perfect opposite to Strahd, but instead of the reader hating the character, you find yourself actually liking him. He comes off as almost repulsive, but there is something about him that you can't help but enjoy. He's superiority complex may have something to do with it, or it could be the witty exchanges between him and Strahd. He's an interesting character who you want to learn more about.
3) Build-up. The build-up the war was phenomenal. As the two main characters spend more time together, you see the tension start to build and begin to wonder when it's going to break. The conversations between the two give some great insight on things to come and are just a blast reading. The differing personalities and how they clash were just fantastic. Nothing about their relationship seemed forced in to make them loathe one another, it's all natural. It's great seeing how quickly things fall apart between these characters, and the breaking point to drive them over the edge was well worth it.
Side Notes:
1) Demiplane of Dread. I did like how new areas were being created off of Barovia. The set up of how this is happening was perfect, and it gets the reader interested in learning more about these places.
2) Prologue and Epilogue. The prologue and epilogue were an interesting way to introduce you to the story and end it. It sets up the story perfectly and ends it on a high note.
3) Cover Art. I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin has some incredibly nineties artwork. At the time, it would have looked wonderful, but from the present, it just looks cheesy. Strahd looks horrible. He doesn't look like he should. He looks just ugly, for lack of a better word. On the other hand, Azalin looks interesting, but very cartoony. There is just something about him that makes me think of a Saturday morning cartoon villain than a real menacing threat. It's not terrible artwork, but at the same time, it's not great.
Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is a good sequel to I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire and makes you enjoy the character all the more. There are still problems, however. The whole premise of the novel at first glance seems to be about a war, while in reality it's just the build-up to it. It could have at least felt like a war rather than a simple rivalry. There could have been more focus on the actual war then there was. Then there is the slow pacing. Yes the pacing is meant to help with the tension between these two characters, but it only hinders the story. Things feel like they are going nowhere and there were times when things felt as though you read them before. It just drags the story on longer then it should have been. Thankfully, the two main characters were just amazing. Strahd was impressive. He's likable for being a 'evil being'. You see a side of him that you wouldn't have expected. On the other side, Azalin is the polar opposite. He's full of himself and for some odd reason, you just like that about him. When these two are together it's a blast. You see that they hate one another and as they continue to work together, you see the tension rise. It's a great build-up, even if it was a bit too slow. All in all, I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is a good story and for fans of Strahd and Ravenloft or just plan great tension-filled story-telling should check this one out.
Strahd Von Zarovich has been trapped by the Mists that surround his land of Barovia for far too long. He seeks a way to free himself from their embrace and hopefully escape the fate that has trapped him. Unfortunately his freedom doesn't seem possible until a mysterious stranger enters his realm. Calling himself Azalin, Strahd realizes that this person may be able to help break the bonds and allow for his escape. However, Azalin may have plans of his own as the two set to work in finding a way 'home.' As the years pass, the two become more and more bitter towards one another and the delicate alliance they forged may just come undone at anytime.
Criticisms:
1) War. There are a few minor problems with I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin, but the one that stands out the most is that there isn't a war until the last forty or so pages. For war to be in the title of the novel and not have been the focus of the story is rather odd. There is the build-up something happening between Strahd and Azalin, but it felt more like a rivalry rather than a war. Even when the war happened, it just felt rushed through and didn't seem like it left much of an impact overall. Granted, the Strahd and Azalin rivalry is set up, but that's really about it. That said, the war wasn't boring and there were some interesting ideas that were introduced. Thankfully, this is only a minor problem, but it would have benefited if there was more dedicated to the actual war segments.
2) Pacing. The other problem with I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is with its pacing. The story develops very slowly. Throughout the novel, everything felt like it was in slow motion. It worked in building-up the rivalry, but it didn't with everything else. Basically, it took forever for things to develop and progress. There were even a number of times were it seemed like nothing happened, even when things were happening. There were a lot of periods were nothing happened or events resulted in nothing. Also, there seemed to be times when things seemed like they were repeated. It felt like you are reading the same thing over and over. All these things really made the story feel slow and meandering.
Praises:
1) Strahd. The characters of I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin were just fantastic, starting with Strahd Von Zarovich. Strahd in a nutshell is charismatic and sympathetic, as any good main character should be. You almost instantly like him, along with feeling bad for his situation. As the story progresses, you see that Strahd isn't as bad as you would assume he is. In fact, there were times when I was stunned by his actions and how he handled certain situations. You realize that he does care for his people's well-being. However, this is a slanted view of things because the story is told through Strahd's eyes. This makes Strahd all the more interesting because you're not sure if what he is saying (or writing) is fact or just fiction. So in reality you are being swept into Strahd's charismatic personality and that alone is rather impressive. To be that charismatic and likable in written words is an accomplishment that you hardly ever see.
2) Azalin. Not to outdone, Azalin is just as interesting. Azalin comes off as Strahd's exact opposite. He's ignorant, self-absorbed, and overly controlling. He makes the perfect opposite to Strahd, but instead of the reader hating the character, you find yourself actually liking him. He comes off as almost repulsive, but there is something about him that you can't help but enjoy. He's superiority complex may have something to do with it, or it could be the witty exchanges between him and Strahd. He's an interesting character who you want to learn more about.
3) Build-up. The build-up the war was phenomenal. As the two main characters spend more time together, you see the tension start to build and begin to wonder when it's going to break. The conversations between the two give some great insight on things to come and are just a blast reading. The differing personalities and how they clash were just fantastic. Nothing about their relationship seemed forced in to make them loathe one another, it's all natural. It's great seeing how quickly things fall apart between these characters, and the breaking point to drive them over the edge was well worth it.
Side Notes:
1) Demiplane of Dread. I did like how new areas were being created off of Barovia. The set up of how this is happening was perfect, and it gets the reader interested in learning more about these places.
2) Prologue and Epilogue. The prologue and epilogue were an interesting way to introduce you to the story and end it. It sets up the story perfectly and ends it on a high note.
3) Cover Art. I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin has some incredibly nineties artwork. At the time, it would have looked wonderful, but from the present, it just looks cheesy. Strahd looks horrible. He doesn't look like he should. He looks just ugly, for lack of a better word. On the other hand, Azalin looks interesting, but very cartoony. There is just something about him that makes me think of a Saturday morning cartoon villain than a real menacing threat. It's not terrible artwork, but at the same time, it's not great.
Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is a good sequel to I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire and makes you enjoy the character all the more. There are still problems, however. The whole premise of the novel at first glance seems to be about a war, while in reality it's just the build-up to it. It could have at least felt like a war rather than a simple rivalry. There could have been more focus on the actual war then there was. Then there is the slow pacing. Yes the pacing is meant to help with the tension between these two characters, but it only hinders the story. Things feel like they are going nowhere and there were times when things felt as though you read them before. It just drags the story on longer then it should have been. Thankfully, the two main characters were just amazing. Strahd was impressive. He's likable for being a 'evil being'. You see a side of him that you wouldn't have expected. On the other side, Azalin is the polar opposite. He's full of himself and for some odd reason, you just like that about him. When these two are together it's a blast. You see that they hate one another and as they continue to work together, you see the tension rise. It's a great build-up, even if it was a bit too slow. All in all, I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin is a good story and for fans of Strahd and Ravenloft or just plan great tension-filled story-telling should check this one out.
April 10, 2022
I enjoy the Ravenloft series featuring the iconic D&D vampire character Strahd, but I admittedly found this one less interesting than the previous book featuring the titular character, 'I. Strahd'. That's not intended as a slight on the book nor the story, but only as a personal opinion.
This book explores the entrance of a nemesis to the demi-plane of Ravenloft (Barovia, ruled by Strahd) and Strahd's adventures in relation to dealing with said nemesis ('nuff said, lest unwanted spoilers enter in!).
Worth a read for fans of the Ravenloft setting in particular, and the genre in general.
This book explores the entrance of a nemesis to the demi-plane of Ravenloft (Barovia, ruled by Strahd) and Strahd's adventures in relation to dealing with said nemesis ('nuff said, lest unwanted spoilers enter in!).
Worth a read for fans of the Ravenloft setting in particular, and the genre in general.
September 26, 2010
An interesting sequel about Lord Strahd, the great vampire from "Ravenloft". In this second novel we learn more about how the world of "Ravenloft" formed and how other lands attached itself to Barovia. The reason for this is the coming of a very powerful sorcerer to Barovia. He wants to escape the prison of the accursed land and Strahd, who too has similar ambition, aids him. The thing is that the instruder, known as Azalin, is of even darker nature than Strahd and eventually
the two powerful individuals become terrible enemies and their conflict evolves into war...
The book is a good and interesting novel, with great characters. Strahd is a very charismatic vampire and every fan of Dark Lords and vampires (like me) will simply love him. Azalin is also cool, terrible villain with awesome power. Yet the book sometimes suffers from slow pace and the war happens in the very end. I hoped for more clashes between two undead, but like in "The Knight of the Black Rose", it was not to be.
Also, I didn't like the prologue as I hate righteous jerks like Van Richten. The story could have been just set as a diary like "The Vampire Lestat". Hope that in the epilogue the vampire servant takes care of the old fool :)
In the end, this was an interesting book with great concept, well-written dialogue, fun characters and dramatic ending and so I reccomend it to all vampire fans.
the two powerful individuals become terrible enemies and their conflict evolves into war...
The book is a good and interesting novel, with great characters. Strahd is a very charismatic vampire and every fan of Dark Lords and vampires (like me) will simply love him. Azalin is also cool, terrible villain with awesome power. Yet the book sometimes suffers from slow pace and the war happens in the very end. I hoped for more clashes between two undead, but like in "The Knight of the Black Rose", it was not to be.
Also, I didn't like the prologue as I hate righteous jerks like Van Richten. The story could have been just set as a diary like "The Vampire Lestat". Hope that in the epilogue the vampire servant takes care of the old fool :)
In the end, this was an interesting book with great concept, well-written dialogue, fun characters and dramatic ending and so I reccomend it to all vampire fans.
May 17, 2018
Loved this book. :) If you enjoyed the first "I, Strahd" book by P.N. Elrod then you will enjoy this sequel-ish second. It does take place rather later than where the first book left off. There are bountiful amounts of dark classic horror genre tropes. These tropes are presented in such a way that they do not come off as cliched but as fresh and like some new idea never seen in the horror genre before. If you love vampires, liches or zombies, and/or gruesome classically styled horror, then you will certainly enjoy this book. :)
May 7, 2023
Full review here:
https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...
While not as fun as the first vampire confessional, it remains engaging.
https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...
While not as fun as the first vampire confessional, it remains engaging.
March 21, 2024
Fun read, very enjoyable.
March 7, 2024
how does a book about a war between a vampire and a lich be so dull.
January 27, 2013
Another excellent book by P.N.Elrod, this one lacked the extra story telling umph that the unrequited romance of memoirs gave it, however regardless of that this story was still compelling enough to hold my attention for pretty much 2 straight days as I spent the entire day reading from the time I finished my coffee until the time I went to sleep.
October 13, 2017
I've listen to this audio book more times that I can count. The dialogue is brilliant and darkly comical as Stradh and Azalin try to size each other up before declaring all out war.....
I'm loving this dark fantasy world of Ravenloft. It reminds me of the old show Dark Shadows... A little
I'm loving this dark fantasy world of Ravenloft. It reminds me of the old show Dark Shadows... A little
December 27, 2023
A must read if you want to get a good handle of Azalin Rex's personality as a DM, not really necessary for Strahd unless you want to play him as a more active ruler, perhaps defending his land against some kind of outside threat. "Hey, no one terrifies and feeds on my people but ME!"
Is it as good as I Strahd? Close but not quite. Is it a total blast? Yes. Is it (Probably unintentionally) hilarious getting to watch the clash of two big undead personalities try to work towards a common goal? Absolutely. Is it enjoyable watching Strahd, an evil overlord, actually get out of his castle for once and lead his people to victory against Azalin, an even worse evil overlord, using both heroic and evil methods? Hell yes.
One of the reason I detracted two stars was how it drags at the beginning. It feels like we spend ages in the Mordent bookshop before getting back into Strahd's personal diary-which starts with the rather disappointing "The newest Tatyana reincarnation died-not because of anything Strahd did like last time! Of a random fever." So we start with a new problem with the series as well as my biggest problem with the last book. Not great. Honesty, the whole book drags until Azalin himself shows up. Then things really get fun.
Azalin is a petty, narcissistic jerk. And he's hilarious. He's gone from being a King of a land on the outlander world Oearth (Grayhawk to us out of universe) to being stuck in, from his point of view, a miserable backwater with superstitious fears on magic. He's someone, as noted by Strahd. used to having secret police and lackies to harshly enforce his rule, and now he's having to work for the lord of this provincial backwater by making a deal invoking old rules of hospitality between host and guest with Strahd. Rules he chaffs against but won't break as Azalin is LAWFUL evil to a t. (Lawful Evil enough to execute his own son for freeing those imprisoned by his father's draconian laws, despite regretting it ever since, which sadly is a plot point that never comes up in his book. Strahd reads Azalin's diary at one point and either he did not think it important enough to write in his own journals, or Azalin did not want to risk writing it down, or was too busy writing how much he hates Strahd in his book instead.) So Strahd and Azalin get to work together to try and escape the mists, bickering and snipping at each other the whole way with some enjoyable banter. The whole time they are trying to discover each other's weaknesses, while also trying to never reveal anything to their rival. I've described this as "Strahd gets a roommate and hates it" and it's like a Gothic horror sitcom.
Also, I love how the general consensus about the widely panned module "House on Gryphon Hill" was 'Okay it happened but we don't talk about it'.
In short, if the idea of Strahd having teeth clenched teamwork with an even more powerful undead wizard that turns into open warfare between countries at the end, you'll like it. If you'd enjoy a petty bickering rivalry between two evil old man wizards, you'll love it.
Is it as good as I Strahd? Close but not quite. Is it a total blast? Yes. Is it (Probably unintentionally) hilarious getting to watch the clash of two big undead personalities try to work towards a common goal? Absolutely. Is it enjoyable watching Strahd, an evil overlord, actually get out of his castle for once and lead his people to victory against Azalin, an even worse evil overlord, using both heroic and evil methods? Hell yes.
One of the reason I detracted two stars was how it drags at the beginning. It feels like we spend ages in the Mordent bookshop before getting back into Strahd's personal diary-which starts with the rather disappointing "The newest Tatyana reincarnation died-not because of anything Strahd did like last time! Of a random fever." So we start with a new problem with the series as well as my biggest problem with the last book. Not great. Honesty, the whole book drags until Azalin himself shows up. Then things really get fun.
Azalin is a petty, narcissistic jerk. And he's hilarious. He's gone from being a King of a land on the outlander world Oearth (Grayhawk to us out of universe) to being stuck in, from his point of view, a miserable backwater with superstitious fears on magic. He's someone, as noted by Strahd. used to having secret police and lackies to harshly enforce his rule, and now he's having to work for the lord of this provincial backwater by making a deal invoking old rules of hospitality between host and guest with Strahd. Rules he chaffs against but won't break as Azalin is LAWFUL evil to a t. (Lawful Evil enough to execute his own son for freeing those imprisoned by his father's draconian laws, despite regretting it ever since, which sadly is a plot point that never comes up in his book. Strahd reads Azalin's diary at one point and either he did not think it important enough to write in his own journals, or Azalin did not want to risk writing it down, or was too busy writing how much he hates Strahd in his book instead.) So Strahd and Azalin get to work together to try and escape the mists, bickering and snipping at each other the whole way with some enjoyable banter. The whole time they are trying to discover each other's weaknesses, while also trying to never reveal anything to their rival. I've described this as "Strahd gets a roommate and hates it" and it's like a Gothic horror sitcom.
Also, I love how the general consensus about the widely panned module "House on Gryphon Hill" was 'Okay it happened but we don't talk about it'.
In short, if the idea of Strahd having teeth clenched teamwork with an even more powerful undead wizard that turns into open warfare between countries at the end, you'll like it. If you'd enjoy a petty bickering rivalry between two evil old man wizards, you'll love it.
July 23, 2024
A worthy successor to Memoirs of a Vampire if you're interested in Strahd and/or running Curse of Strahd. For CoS DMs, it features a really instructive conversation between Strahd and Madam Eva that is helpful to helping to establish what their relationship might look like and how it might have begun.
The cat-and-mouse component of Strahd and Azalin is really fun, though it starts to drag by the end of the whole affair. But overall it's an easy, fun, psychological chess game of a D&D novel.
The cat-and-mouse component of Strahd and Azalin is really fun, though it starts to drag by the end of the whole affair. But overall it's an easy, fun, psychological chess game of a D&D novel.
April 12, 2025
This book took me way too long to finish. I adored the first I, Strahd novel, but something about this one was extraordinarily different to the point where I had a hard time getting through it. The pacing felt off and things drag on way too long, and this book has an extremely unsatisfying ending. I was excited to see how Strahd would do facing off against a lich, but was unfortunately disappointed. The best part of this book was Strahd’s characterization and the writing style, and I’m really sad that this book wasn’t as good as the first.
October 9, 2025
An extremely fun read from start to finish IF you are in for a mostly character-driven, slow-burn story. As some other reviews have pointed out, the actual "war" doesn't break out until the very end, but for me that was a positive, since I simply enjoy seeing interesting character dynamics play out as Strahd and Azalin keep testing, scheming against, and (sometimes reluctantly) getting to know more about each other much more. Once again the way Elrod writes Strahd is just a delight to read, and his character alone makes even the most slow-moving parts of the plot riveting for me.
December 2, 2025
The War Against Azalin involves three plotlines: the titular war, an exploration of the "metaphysics" of Ravenloft, and two undead wizards being bad roommates at each other; the percentages of the book taken up by these plots, based on nothing more scientific than vibes, are, respectively, 20%, 10%, and 70%. These wizards are bad roommates.
Highlight AND lowlight:
Highlight AND lowlight:
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April 25, 2024Not quite as good as the first book, but still an excellent read. This one helped me understand the "as written" Vistani better before I changed how to run them.
March 15, 2025
Love the petty rivalry between Strahd and Azalin. They really act like a divorced couple without ever being together.
Two old men with large egos do not mix well.
Two old men with large egos do not mix well.
August 15, 2025
2.0 Strahd is fascinating, and the Ravenloft lore here is juicy. And yet, somehow, this book still managed to feel like reading a tax manual in slow motion - so boring.
October 8, 2025
Feels like chewing on iron and wondering why it is not getting any softer.
Pretentious in a stupid way.
Take the first Strahd novel but leave this one.
Pretentious in a stupid way.
Take the first Strahd novel but leave this one.
February 17, 2024
Like the previous I Strahd title, this book is mostly recycled content from other books, but told from Strahd's POV. Unlike the previous I Strahd title, the latter half of this book actually some untold content. It gets pretty interesting towards the end, but then a random minor character literally called Wet Pussy pops up, and completely ruins the serious tone of the story
What a farce
What a farce
October 4, 2017
From the night that the land of Barovia first fell into the darkness of the Mists, Strahd Von Zarovich has been the unrivaled master of the land. A new power, though, has come to the land, in the form of the dread necromancer Azalin. He and his dark secret may spell doom not only for Strahd, but for the land itself. This sequel to the original Strahd memoir, this is the story of his meeting with Azalin, their years working together to escape the mists of Ravenloft, their growing animosity, and their eventual open warfare against each other.
Like the original Strahd memoir, this tale is told autobiographically by both Strahd and Azalin, bouncing back and forth between their private journals. At the outset, their animosity toward each other makes for a compelling story as Strahd first attempts to learn who this powerful newcomer is, they begin to “feel out” each other, and their eventual grudging acceptance of each other and their forced cooperation. Strahd’s political maneuverings are intriguing and the counterpoint in Azalin’s blunt rebuking of Strahd’s machinations shows some good writing and storytelling – as both voices are clearly distinct. As other domains begin to join Barovia in the mists, their mutual curiosity and differing motivations become clear and helps to add another facet to a story that at times devolves into repetitive bickering between the two.
The storytelling, however, drags on. The style is good and other components are introduced in an effort to keep the narrative moving, but the “war against Azalin” becomes an unsatisfying footnote at the end of the tale instead of the driving force in what could have been a compelling story of decades or centuries of intrigue and warfare. Instead, Strahd and Azalin often come across as two grumpy old men, holed up in their lairs, bickering over who is accomplishing less in their quest to break free from their mutual prison.
There is some meat on this bone, but the book is a pale shadow of what the original story was, swapping Machiavellian intrigue for the gothic horror of the other Ravenloft novels.
Like the original Strahd memoir, this tale is told autobiographically by both Strahd and Azalin, bouncing back and forth between their private journals. At the outset, their animosity toward each other makes for a compelling story as Strahd first attempts to learn who this powerful newcomer is, they begin to “feel out” each other, and their eventual grudging acceptance of each other and their forced cooperation. Strahd’s political maneuverings are intriguing and the counterpoint in Azalin’s blunt rebuking of Strahd’s machinations shows some good writing and storytelling – as both voices are clearly distinct. As other domains begin to join Barovia in the mists, their mutual curiosity and differing motivations become clear and helps to add another facet to a story that at times devolves into repetitive bickering between the two.
The storytelling, however, drags on. The style is good and other components are introduced in an effort to keep the narrative moving, but the “war against Azalin” becomes an unsatisfying footnote at the end of the tale instead of the driving force in what could have been a compelling story of decades or centuries of intrigue and warfare. Instead, Strahd and Azalin often come across as two grumpy old men, holed up in their lairs, bickering over who is accomplishing less in their quest to break free from their mutual prison.
There is some meat on this bone, but the book is a pale shadow of what the original story was, swapping Machiavellian intrigue for the gothic horror of the other Ravenloft novels.
May 6, 2021
The War Between Pretentious Men
Teachability: 1/5
Techniques: Foreshadowing (barely)
This is a major let down from “I, Strahd”. We are finally offered a real foil for our pitiful anti-hero, but they spend 3/4 of the book playing a pretentious version of cat and mouse. Azalin at first comes across as a potential challenger to the throne of evil, but he turns out to be the exact same kind of arrogance as Strahd. They are more like feuding brothers than opponents. By the end of it, I didn’t really care who won.
This book expanded the known world of Ravenloft past Strahd’s kingdom of Barovia, but didn’t offer must exposure to the new lands and their inhabitants. We are briefly offered a glimpse at what kind of creatures exist in one of the new lands, but it feels more like a jeep safari than a revelation. We are even told about the new masters of these new lands, but none of them interact with Strahd. Despite these new lands and their new political leaderships, No one cares to learn anything about their neighbors.
The book opens with a prophecy for Strahd, and an encounter with outsiders that seems to imply something bigger. However, the challenge he faces with his early encounter seems totally unrelated to the rest of the novel. Strahd catches wind that a wanderer has arrived. The wanderer demonstrates his power to Strahd’s subordinates and Strahd is immediately intrigued. They become frenemies and use each other to improve their ability to get out of dodge. Azalin eventually finds himself ruler of an adjacent territory and sabers rattle. However, before any real war occurs, Strahd makes some moves and defangs Azalin before anything really happens. The end. Really.
It seems like Elrod wanted this to be a sort of chess game, but there aren’t any particularly clever moves, no surprising twists, no sacrifices. Just two adult men bickering and trying to hide their truth from one another. Bo-ring.
However, this does set the stage for Azalin’s stand alone book which was much better. So, if you want to read Lord of the Necropolis (OOP, so look on ebay) this is a decent preface, just not an exciting one.
Teachability: 1/5
Techniques: Foreshadowing (barely)
This is a major let down from “I, Strahd”. We are finally offered a real foil for our pitiful anti-hero, but they spend 3/4 of the book playing a pretentious version of cat and mouse. Azalin at first comes across as a potential challenger to the throne of evil, but he turns out to be the exact same kind of arrogance as Strahd. They are more like feuding brothers than opponents. By the end of it, I didn’t really care who won.
This book expanded the known world of Ravenloft past Strahd’s kingdom of Barovia, but didn’t offer must exposure to the new lands and their inhabitants. We are briefly offered a glimpse at what kind of creatures exist in one of the new lands, but it feels more like a jeep safari than a revelation. We are even told about the new masters of these new lands, but none of them interact with Strahd. Despite these new lands and their new political leaderships, No one cares to learn anything about their neighbors.
The book opens with a prophecy for Strahd, and an encounter with outsiders that seems to imply something bigger. However, the challenge he faces with his early encounter seems totally unrelated to the rest of the novel. Strahd catches wind that a wanderer has arrived. The wanderer demonstrates his power to Strahd’s subordinates and Strahd is immediately intrigued. They become frenemies and use each other to improve their ability to get out of dodge. Azalin eventually finds himself ruler of an adjacent territory and sabers rattle. However, before any real war occurs, Strahd makes some moves and defangs Azalin before anything really happens. The end. Really.
It seems like Elrod wanted this to be a sort of chess game, but there aren’t any particularly clever moves, no surprising twists, no sacrifices. Just two adult men bickering and trying to hide their truth from one another. Bo-ring.
However, this does set the stage for Azalin’s stand alone book which was much better. So, if you want to read Lord of the Necropolis (OOP, so look on ebay) this is a decent preface, just not an exciting one.
May 22, 2021
Book was stellar. Definitely as good as the first. If it doesn't feel like a 4.0+ book generally I will turn it off. There was a moment I had to take a break halfway through but when I got back into it I really enjoyed the story.
Yet again it's the tale of Strahd who performed a heinous act of pure evil with the idea that he would gain power and acquire the love of his life. He received one of those things, and the other was lost in brutal fashion. Not once, but twice. Again and again his eternal love, Tatiana is reincarnated in his tomb of a country, "Barovia" over which he reigns. The people live in terror, as they well should. The slightest lie about taxes and a city mayor or burgomaster will lose his or her head in an instant. This book touches upon the growing relationship Strahd has with his only agents, the Vistani (a gypsy culture) who are his eyes and ears, and the eventual problem of having to deal with another power that has entered his realm and can't escape.
Just like Strahd in many ways, Azalin is a powerful wizard of sorts and stuck in Barovia. At first they don't know how to handle the existence of the other, and whether or not they should be trying to exterminate each other. The ensuing rivalry is intense and fun to experience, especially during the inevitable collapse of any civility towards one another, and the many twists and turns that take place. Without spoiling anything else, I can say I loved this book and its predecessor, as it was everything I was looking for and more. It helped me understand Strahd and Barovia much better (from the perspective of a DM who was trying to pull a game together) and painted an interestingly sympathetic picture of a madman. To be honest it was almost like reading a behind the scenes version of Dracula's life from his point of view, but with other unique powers and limitations such as the recurring reincarnation of his bride-to-be and the inability for this "Dracula" to leave his own land even if he wanted to.
Yet again it's the tale of Strahd who performed a heinous act of pure evil with the idea that he would gain power and acquire the love of his life. He received one of those things, and the other was lost in brutal fashion. Not once, but twice. Again and again his eternal love, Tatiana is reincarnated in his tomb of a country, "Barovia" over which he reigns. The people live in terror, as they well should. The slightest lie about taxes and a city mayor or burgomaster will lose his or her head in an instant. This book touches upon the growing relationship Strahd has with his only agents, the Vistani (a gypsy culture) who are his eyes and ears, and the eventual problem of having to deal with another power that has entered his realm and can't escape.
Just like Strahd in many ways, Azalin is a powerful wizard of sorts and stuck in Barovia. At first they don't know how to handle the existence of the other, and whether or not they should be trying to exterminate each other. The ensuing rivalry is intense and fun to experience, especially during the inevitable collapse of any civility towards one another, and the many twists and turns that take place. Without spoiling anything else, I can say I loved this book and its predecessor, as it was everything I was looking for and more. It helped me understand Strahd and Barovia much better (from the perspective of a DM who was trying to pull a game together) and painted an interestingly sympathetic picture of a madman. To be honest it was almost like reading a behind the scenes version of Dracula's life from his point of view, but with other unique powers and limitations such as the recurring reincarnation of his bride-to-be and the inability for this "Dracula" to leave his own land even if he wanted to.
January 24, 2024
The War Against Azalin? What war?
I struggled with rating this book . I wish there were half-stars as I would give it a 2.5. This book is not what I expected. I don't expect Tolstoy from what I call my "gamer books," but I do expect that they at least follow up on what they promise. This book was not about a war at all, at least not the one I expected from the title and cover. It's a psychological cat and mouse game between vampire Strahd and lich Azalin. They spend about 90 percent of the book trying to escape the land of Barovia, bickering and trying to outsmart the other. It's sort of like a Gothic Odd Couple.
The last section is titled WAR, but there is no war. There is the leadup to a war, but it gets resolved pretty quickly.
The book is well-written, but so strange and slow. Lots of talking and scheming but not much action.
I struggled with rating this book . I wish there were half-stars as I would give it a 2.5. This book is not what I expected. I don't expect Tolstoy from what I call my "gamer books," but I do expect that they at least follow up on what they promise. This book was not about a war at all, at least not the one I expected from the title and cover. It's a psychological cat and mouse game between vampire Strahd and lich Azalin. They spend about 90 percent of the book trying to escape the land of Barovia, bickering and trying to outsmart the other. It's sort of like a Gothic Odd Couple.
The last section is titled WAR, but there is no war. There is the leadup to a war, but it gets resolved pretty quickly.
The book is well-written, but so strange and slow. Lots of talking and scheming but not much action.
December 8, 2021
This definitely is not as good as the first. I wouldn't call it "bad" per se, but it lacks the structure and cohesiveness of the first.
One of the problems was with the introduction of other domains of dread. They had a significance in the bigger picture, (Barovia ceased to be a single entity in the Shadowfell) but as far as the narrative is concerned, it lacked other substance. It would have made more sense to limit it to only Barovia and Darkon because of their respective significances to the overarching plot, and nothing much would have changed if they excluded Forlorn altogether.
The other problem was more of a gripe with Strahd, despite having an army at his disposal, he chose to do everything significant himself. It is on one hand, understandable because of the way he is: controlling, ruthless, perfectionist. But on the other, why put significance on the army at all if they only amount to canon fodder.
The things I enjoyed were Strahd and Azalin's dynamic. Watching them bicker was very entertaining and I somewhat wish we heard more from Azalin's point of view. I am not surprised the book was dominated by Strahd. The writing was still good, but wasn't as in depth as the first which was a bit sad, but it was still gripping and hard to put down.
One of the problems was with the introduction of other domains of dread. They had a significance in the bigger picture, (Barovia ceased to be a single entity in the Shadowfell) but as far as the narrative is concerned, it lacked other substance. It would have made more sense to limit it to only Barovia and Darkon because of their respective significances to the overarching plot, and nothing much would have changed if they excluded Forlorn altogether.
The other problem was more of a gripe with Strahd, despite having an army at his disposal, he chose to do everything significant himself. It is on one hand, understandable because of the way he is: controlling, ruthless, perfectionist. But on the other, why put significance on the army at all if they only amount to canon fodder.
The things I enjoyed were Strahd and Azalin's dynamic. Watching them bicker was very entertaining and I somewhat wish we heard more from Azalin's point of view. I am not surprised the book was dominated by Strahd. The writing was still good, but wasn't as in depth as the first which was a bit sad, but it was still gripping and hard to put down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2021
This book took so long to get anywhere, and then so much happened in the last 1/4 that it all seemed very Sudden. It didn't really seem to end as much as it seemed to stop, which, now I think about it, might have been the point? I thought I knew where I stood with this book until the Epilogue, which confused me all over again.
Strahd and Azalin bickering like an old married couple WAS funny though, so I've added an extra star on for that.
Strahd and Azalin bickering like an old married couple WAS funny though, so I've added an extra star on for that.
January 6, 2018
This book made me make a 2018 resolution to stop finishing books that put me to sleep.
Listen, Strahd is the friggin man. Er. Vamp. Whatever. But where the original I, Strahd gives you some insight into the mind of the Boravian dark lord, this one makes you realize that maybe living forever is just really, really boring. Because the book sure as hell was.
Listen, Strahd is the friggin man. Er. Vamp. Whatever. But where the original I, Strahd gives you some insight into the mind of the Boravian dark lord, this one makes you realize that maybe living forever is just really, really boring. Because the book sure as hell was.
May 26, 2018
Another enjoyable tale from my favourite corner of the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse: Ravenloft: The Demiplane of Dread. This time around, it is a story of two rivals in an unstable alliance, working together to seek an escape from their shared imprisonment, told across decades. This one's a must for Ravenloft and fantasy horror fans.
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January 4, 2023Picks up from the fun, pulpy vampire adventures that were the last third of the first book. If you're a fan of the game setting, this book delivers on establishing the rivalry between it's two most powerful players. It also integrates spells and game mechanics into the narrative in clever ways along with the "lore." Along with the first "I, Strahd," I'd put this as the peak of the series.
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