What do you think?
Rate this book
Skyrim Library #2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - The Skyrim Library, Vol. II: Man, Mer & Beast
Delve deeper into the lore behind one of the most successful and critically acclaimed fantasy games of all time, Skyrim. Featuring in-game texts on factions, landscapes, creatures, heroes, and dragons.
232 pages, Hardcover
Published March 15, 2016
32 people are currently reading
806 people want to read
About the author
Bethesda Softworks
51 books82 followersBethesda Softworks LLC is an American video game publisher based in Rockville, Maryland. The company was founded by Christopher Weaver in 1986 as a division of Media Technology Limited, and in 1999 became a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media. In its first fifteen years, it was a video game developer and self-published its titles. In 2001, Bethesda spun off its own in-house development team into Bethesda Game Studios, and Bethesda Softworks became a publisher only. It currently also publishes games by ZeniMax Online Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks and Bethesda Game Studios Austin.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 9, 2018
Some of the books contained here were surprisingly good (and finally I got to read some of the titles I kept finding within the game and feeling curious about, but not enough to commit to reading them on screen). As it is inevitable considering the nature of the writing, some were a bit boring. But all in all it was an engaging read, and it deepened my understanding of some key elements in the setting of Skyrim that the game otherwise wouldn't highlight much. And it's a shame because there's some pretty interesting content indeed!
And now I can't wait to dive into the third and most anticipated volume, the third: the Arcane!
And now I can't wait to dive into the third and most anticipated volume, the third: the Arcane!
September 11, 2019
3.5
This review and others posted over at my blog.
This is a little collection of stories, poems, and histories about the races, creatures, factions, and wars of Skyrim. I think (though I could be wrong) that these are the actual books which can be found throughout the game. If that’s the case, it’s much easier to read them in printed format than in-game.
Like any collection of shorts/lore, some stories were more interesting than others. Some of my favorites were:
Palla – a horror-esque tale about being careful what you wish for
Confessions of a Khajiit Fur Trader – much darker than I expected, very cool
The Wraith’s Wedding Dowry – this was a fun dungeon-run type story
I also enjoyed the shorts about the Nightingales and the terrible origins of the Night Mother.
My favorite art was of the wispmothers (so pretty!) and the hagravens (so badass and creepy!)
If you’re a fan of books that add to the lore and world building of video games, and you love Skryim, then I think you’ll enjoy this book. I do want to get the whole set, not only to satisfy my inner completionist, but because they’re nicely put together.
This review and others posted over at my blog.
This is a little collection of stories, poems, and histories about the races, creatures, factions, and wars of Skyrim. I think (though I could be wrong) that these are the actual books which can be found throughout the game. If that’s the case, it’s much easier to read them in printed format than in-game.
Like any collection of shorts/lore, some stories were more interesting than others. Some of my favorites were:
Palla – a horror-esque tale about being careful what you wish for
Confessions of a Khajiit Fur Trader – much darker than I expected, very cool
The Wraith’s Wedding Dowry – this was a fun dungeon-run type story
I also enjoyed the shorts about the Nightingales and the terrible origins of the Night Mother.
My favorite art was of the wispmothers (so pretty!) and the hagravens (so badass and creepy!)
If you’re a fan of books that add to the lore and world building of video games, and you love Skryim, then I think you’ll enjoy this book. I do want to get the whole set, not only to satisfy my inner completionist, but because they’re nicely put together.
December 22, 2021
Has some of my favourites, but also a few I'm not that interested in. Solid volume.
October 18, 2018
Greatly Enjoyable lore and some Amazing sketches!
July 8, 2017
The Elder Scrolls video game franchise as a whole is one of my all-time favourite video game franchises so when I saw these books, I had to buy them. Although they are good books for a collection & have beautiful illustrations, I'm not sure they are worth the money I paid as all of the content in the book features in the video game. Bethesda does a great job of creating in game lore exc.. & it really shows for example stories in the in-game books you can read, this book is basically a compilation of all of the in-game books. They are worth the money to complete a collection though.
July 20, 2016
Great way to learn about the world, stories and point of views. Reads a lot easier than in-game.
May 3, 2020
Wundervoller "Bonus" für jeden Skyrim-Liebhaber. Die Geschichten sind abwechslungsreich und daher auch nach Interesse mal mehr mal weniger interessant. Unter ihnen gab es für mich aber wahre Schätze. Meine Favoriten: "Palla" und "Mystery of Talara". Des weiteren umwerfend schön illustriert. Da möchte man direkt noch einmal nach Tamriel eintauchen und aller auf's Neue erleben.
Für jemanden, der kein Muttersprachler ist, ist das Englisch doch anspruchsvoll, was natürlich auch dem High Fantasy geschuldet ist. Schade, dass der zweite und dritte Band wohl nicht auf Deutsch erscheinen werden.
Nichts für jemanden, der Skyrim nicht gespielt hat!
Für jemanden, der kein Muttersprachler ist, ist das Englisch doch anspruchsvoll, was natürlich auch dem High Fantasy geschuldet ist. Schade, dass der zweite und dritte Band wohl nicht auf Deutsch erscheinen werden.
Nichts für jemanden, der Skyrim nicht gespielt hat!
April 29, 2025
Although Man, Mer & Beast’s numerous short stories and articles aren’t always written to a high standard, there’s still plentiful light entertainment and intriguing knowledge to be found within this second volume’s pages. Separated into four sections – Races, Creatures and Beasts, Warfare, and Factions – and illustrated with attractive art, the book can surprise with rousing tales of adventure and subterfuge, and historical accounts detailing important figures and decisive events. I particularly liked the Factions section as it contained a level of insight I’d yet to gain through simply playing the game and occasionally reading my collected books.
March 2, 2022
These three books are a compilation of all the in-game books of Skyrim. I was always curious about some of the titles I saw while playing the game, but who wants to sit and read something when playing an action packed RPG? After I received these books as a gift, I became very interested in the rich lore of The Elder Scrolls. The books (within the book) are mostly amusing and informative about events and races of the Elder Scrolls games. These videogames are set in a world with intricate, full bodied lore. I highly recommend reading these if you are a Skyrim, ESO, or fantasy fan.
November 21, 2022
The Skyrim Library Volumes (I, II, & III) are an excellent, 3-part series that includes all 300-plus book entries from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Regardless if you're well versed in Elder Scrolls lore, or (like me) you're diving in for the first time with Skyrim, these books are endlessly fascinating and very informative. The included artwork and sketches are beautiful and well crafted as well. This is well worth your money if you're even remotely interested in the world of Skyrim, or the The Elder Scrolls in general.
November 6, 2022
There are stories in here that I absolutely adore even taken outside of the context of the Elder Scrolls universe, and even the weakest feel much better than a bad essay.
Sure, my expectations are lower, given that they're in-game, so don't have the same effort that a normal published novel would have, but it's still impressive. I really REALLY need to grab a copy of The Skyrim Library, Vol III.
Sure, my expectations are lower, given that they're in-game, so don't have the same effort that a normal published novel would have, but it's still impressive. I really REALLY need to grab a copy of The Skyrim Library, Vol III.
January 21, 2023
I loved to get more insight on the races and creatures of Skyrim. I especially liked that some of these were told not just through scholarly-type books, but in the form of creative stories. A few of the more scholarly style ones were a but dry and boring. My favorite stories were Mystery of Talara and The Ransom of Zarek. Some of the tales under "factions" were a bit boring. Again, I enjoyed the illustrations.
January 29, 2019
This was better than the first book, but still a let down. The beginning of the book started out great. The stories were really interesting, etc. By the end of the book, the stories weren't that interesting and it was almost a labor to get through it.
June 11, 2017
Thank you Bethesda for making these books available for me to read cause I know I missed a few in multiple play-throughs. :)
January 2, 2021
Really interesting lore about the different factions and races of the Elder Scrolls
March 21, 2021
Same as my review on the previous one. Go read that. Not that you probably need reading a review if you're already at Nr. 2.
June 10, 2021
This was pretty cool, its mostly just books that you can find in the games but it has some pretty good art and since i dont really read the books when i play this was nice.
January 4, 2024
Another Skyrim book, so another 5 stars :) This one was much more interesting than the first book, in my opinion. Now on to the third!
December 15, 2024
The artwork is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
June 7, 2025
Always such a pleasure to read an Elder Scrolls story before bed. My favorite from this collection was "Mystery of Talara".
April 11, 2016
***This book was reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review***
Skyrim Library Vol. II: Man, Mer, and Beast, by Bethesda Softworks, like the first such compilation, gathers together the various books of lore to be found throughout Skyrim. This one has sections on races, creatures and beasts, warfare, and factions.
The first- races- has stories and history relating to the various groups of men, elves, and dwarves, among others. My favourite was the Ahzirr Trajijazaeri, and those parts relating to the Dunmer.
Next up- creatures and beasts- has lore and tales concerning everything from giant cats, to ice wraiths, to horkers. There's even a few recipes! My favourite was Ode to the Tundrastriders, and Cats of Skyrim.
Warfare has tales of bravery, and fierce battle, along with more practical information regarding fighting skills, armourcraft, and weaponcraft. I particularly enjoyed the Black Arrow.
Factions is the last section, and it covers various groups to be found throughout Skyrim. My favourite were the Brothers of Darkness, and the bawdy tale of the Thief of Virtue.
Each section was chock-full of wonderful artwork, to illustrate the various tales and bits of lore and history. This is especially useful for people new to the game, or who like fantasy stuff, but have no interest in playing it. There are even hidden pages of riddles and logic problems!
I've played Elder Scrolls since Morrowind, and loved them all. They are such vastly immersive games. I enjoyed finding and reading the books and tales in-game. The Skyrim Library volumes do full justice to them, and are filled with beautiful sketches and paintings. If you love Skyrim or just enjoy fantasy, be sure to check out this second volume of the Skyrim Library- Man, Mer, and Beast!
Skyrim Library Vol. II: Man, Mer, and Beast, by Bethesda Softworks, like the first such compilation, gathers together the various books of lore to be found throughout Skyrim. This one has sections on races, creatures and beasts, warfare, and factions.
The first- races- has stories and history relating to the various groups of men, elves, and dwarves, among others. My favourite was the Ahzirr Trajijazaeri, and those parts relating to the Dunmer.
Next up- creatures and beasts- has lore and tales concerning everything from giant cats, to ice wraiths, to horkers. There's even a few recipes! My favourite was Ode to the Tundrastriders, and Cats of Skyrim.
Warfare has tales of bravery, and fierce battle, along with more practical information regarding fighting skills, armourcraft, and weaponcraft. I particularly enjoyed the Black Arrow.
Factions is the last section, and it covers various groups to be found throughout Skyrim. My favourite were the Brothers of Darkness, and the bawdy tale of the Thief of Virtue.
Each section was chock-full of wonderful artwork, to illustrate the various tales and bits of lore and history. This is especially useful for people new to the game, or who like fantasy stuff, but have no interest in playing it. There are even hidden pages of riddles and logic problems!
I've played Elder Scrolls since Morrowind, and loved them all. They are such vastly immersive games. I enjoyed finding and reading the books and tales in-game. The Skyrim Library volumes do full justice to them, and are filled with beautiful sketches and paintings. If you love Skyrim or just enjoy fantasy, be sure to check out this second volume of the Skyrim Library- Man, Mer, and Beast!
November 13, 2024
It’s a beautiful book and the illustrations are amazing and so detailed. The characters, the weapons and the creatures are so wonderfully drawn.
Our first section lists the books which tell stories of the different races of Tamriel. These are some of the most interesting books in the game because they are so informational. The first books are regarding the Nords. These are the natives of Skyrim and either the protagonists or antagonists (depending who you side with) in the civil war which is raging in Skyrim when the player first starts. Then books on the Elves. We have the Bosmer (Wood Elves), the Dunmer (Dark Elves) and the Altmer (High Elves) and these guys make up the majority of the Aldmeri Dominion. We also have a series I like to re-read which is the Mystery of Talara which when read all together, there are five volumes, practically is the same size as a novella. There are stories about the Reachmen of Markarth, the Falmer, the Dwarves, the Khajiit and the Orcs.
We then have the creatures and beasts. Ice Wraiths, Wispmothers, Hagravens, Death Hounds, Frostbite Spiders, Trolls, Chaurus, Horkers and Werewolves. After that we have books on warfare. War is a very big theme in Skyrim at the time of playing and you as the Dragonborn play a pivotal role.
And then the last section has the books which detail the different factions, and as the player can join most of these factions, books on them are interesting no matter what type of playthrough you are going for. The Blades, the Companions, the Dark Brotherhood, the Thieves Guild (I especially find the Shadowmark book by Delvin the most useful), the Nightingales and the Thalmor.
Our first section lists the books which tell stories of the different races of Tamriel. These are some of the most interesting books in the game because they are so informational. The first books are regarding the Nords. These are the natives of Skyrim and either the protagonists or antagonists (depending who you side with) in the civil war which is raging in Skyrim when the player first starts. Then books on the Elves. We have the Bosmer (Wood Elves), the Dunmer (Dark Elves) and the Altmer (High Elves) and these guys make up the majority of the Aldmeri Dominion. We also have a series I like to re-read which is the Mystery of Talara which when read all together, there are five volumes, practically is the same size as a novella. There are stories about the Reachmen of Markarth, the Falmer, the Dwarves, the Khajiit and the Orcs.
We then have the creatures and beasts. Ice Wraiths, Wispmothers, Hagravens, Death Hounds, Frostbite Spiders, Trolls, Chaurus, Horkers and Werewolves. After that we have books on warfare. War is a very big theme in Skyrim at the time of playing and you as the Dragonborn play a pivotal role.
And then the last section has the books which detail the different factions, and as the player can join most of these factions, books on them are interesting no matter what type of playthrough you are going for. The Blades, the Companions, the Dark Brotherhood, the Thieves Guild (I especially find the Shadowmark book by Delvin the most useful), the Nightingales and the Thalmor.
November 14, 2025
A truly beautiful collection of tales and lore from one of the most dynamic universes ever created. I will cherish these books for the rest of my life.
I want to go where nightshade blooms
And two moons greet each other each night
Where the Wolf Queen sits on her hallowed throne
And the Calm taught the Storm to sing
I want to go where Blackreach lies
And ancient warriors never rest
Where the Daedra chose their champions
And stones call to the heavens
I want to go where the Wolfblood howls
And the Night Mother whispers to those who Listen
Where the Nightingale becomes shadow
And the Eye waits for its master
I want to go where Vampires roam
And the First and Last shall meet
Where fragments of creation are bound in a scroll
And the Dragonborn has come
I want to go where nightshade blooms
And two moons greet each other each night
Where the Wolf Queen sits on her hallowed throne
And the Calm taught the Storm to sing
I want to go where Blackreach lies
And ancient warriors never rest
Where the Daedra chose their champions
And stones call to the heavens
I want to go where the Wolfblood howls
And the Night Mother whispers to those who Listen
Where the Nightingale becomes shadow
And the Eye waits for its master
I want to go where Vampires roam
And the First and Last shall meet
Where fragments of creation are bound in a scroll
And the Dragonborn has come
December 30, 2024
this collection is like the best gift my parents have ever gotten me
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews