NetGalley Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd by Delilah S Dawson
Hey all, Sam here.
In a very weird timely coincidence, today I am posting the review for this book…and tonight my friends and I are going to be sitting around the gaming table taking on Strahd. Wish us luck. Hopefully the dice are on our side for the next couple of sessions (because we already think this fight will end up taking two sessions. Strahd has been a delightfully terrifying opponent the past 30+ sessions).
I’m also very much looking forward to having the finished editions of this story in my hands (because yes, as soon as I heard about this book, I went and pre-ordered the hardcover and the audiobook). That being said, I should mention that this book is out very soon, with a release date of May 13th.
I requested this book because I’ve been enjoying the recent D&D tie-in novels, and because one of my current campaigns I’m playing in is Curse of Strahd. Plus, I’ve read a few books by author Delilah S Dawson before, so I figured this would be a great read. All that being said, my rating and review on this was not influenced by getting an early digital copy. I would still be reading and reviewing this book even if I hadn’t been approved on NetGalley. Still, I am grateful for Del Ray/Random House Worlds and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.
Let’s get into the review.
My Thoughts
A party of adventurers must brave the horrors of Ravenloft in this official Dungeons & Dragons novel!
Five strangers armed with steel and magic awaken in a mist-shrouded land, with no memory of how they Rotrog, a prideful orcish wizard; Chivarion, a sardonic drow barbarian; Alishai, an embittered tiefling paladin; Kah, a skittish kenku cleric; and Fielle, a sunny human artificer.
After they barely survive a nightmarish welcome to the realm of Barovia, a carriage arrives bearing an
Fairest Friends,
I pray you accept my humble Hospitality and dine with me tonight at Castle Ravenloft. It is rare we receive Visitors, and I do so Endeavor to Make your Acquaintance. The Carriage shall bear you to the Castle safely, and I await your Arrival with Pleasure.
Your host,
Strahd von Zarovich
With no alternative, and determined to find their way home, the strangers accept the summons and travel to the forbidding manor of the mysterious count. But all is not well at Castle Ravenloft. To survive the twisted enigmas of Strahd and his haunted home, the adventurers must confront the dark secrets in their own hearts and find a way to shift from strangers to comrades—before the mists of Barovia claim them forever.
Rating: 5 stars
The only reason this book took me a few days to read was because I got busy at work, and because I wanted to try and savor it. But honestly, if I hadn’t had my workweek in the way, I definitely would have just sat and read this whole thing in one sitting.
Delilah S Dawson perfectly captured the eerie haunting horror that is Barovia. I sank into the atmospheric descriptions so quickly. It was captivating, and I loved every moment of the time spent in the Domains of Dread. This would absolutely be a perfect Spooky Season read (and honestly I’ll probably re-read it for Spooky Season, because the vibes are immaculate).
The characters were an interesting mix, and I enjoyed them all in different ways, although there were some who I liked more than others. I’m a corvid obsessed girlie, so I definitely felt a kinship with Kah the Kenku. I loved Fielle’s sunny disposition, although I definitely worried about how she’d fare in a place like Barovia. Chivarion (and Murder) and Alishai were both serious, strong, fierce characters and definitely very focused on getting out of their predicament, even if that meant using brute force to do so. The one who aggravated me the most was Rotrog, but I completely understood his desire for information and knowledge, and being fully focused on that.
Each of the characters had a lot going on that was slowly revealed as the story progressed, and we learned more about what had been happening to them in the moments/hours/days leading up to being drawn into the mists and landing in Barovia. They all had secrets. None of them knew each other before waking up in Barovia, and it was the journey that sort of forced them to team up and band together to try and get out together.
I’m sure as soon as my partner reads this book (he’ll probably listen to the audio), he’ll have all sorts of ideas for where our Curse of Strahd campaign will go next…because our party has not spent much time inside Castle Ravenloft…whereas most of this book was centered there. It was fascinating to watch each member of this group interact with Strahd and to see how he pulled at the strings attached to them all. It was a masterclass in amping up the eerie nature of not just the domain of Barovia, but also those who inhabit it.
I devoured this book, and while the story wraps up well-enough, I can’t help but feel like there is definitely an option for more to come. Considering the ending, I am REALLY hoping that we’ll get more with these adventurers, because wow, I want to know more about them and how the time in Barovia has affected them.
I’m reading the sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: The Fallbacks book soon, and that gives me hope for the possibility of more Barovia tales as well (or at least more with this circumstances-forged party). Please, Delilah S Dawson. Please, Del Ray/Random House Worlds. Please Wizards of the Coast. I definitely feel like Heir of Strahd deserves a sequel.
All right, that is all from me for today. Once again, Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd will be out May 13th, so go pick up your own copy wherever books are sold. Thank you so much for stopping by, I need to go and make sure my dice are ready to face Strahd tonight, and I’ll be back soon with more geeky content.
