Tomes of Other Realms: Pools of Darkness

Tomes of Other Realms

Welcome to the lands of swords and sorcery, where people live and die by the sword and only the bravest of souls stand between the common folk and the forces of darkness. Join me as I wander different planes and hear the stories of their greatest defenders and the sagas of their worthiest warriors.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Pools of Darkness
Author: James M. Ward & Anne K. Brown
Publisher: TSR, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1992

Thanks to the efforts of Shal, Tarl, and Ren, the city of Phlan had begun a steady recovery from the plagues and problems of years past. Then, however, the forces of darkness struck again, this time ripping the entire city--among others--from the surface of the planet and hiding it away in great and terrible darkness. Now it's up to Shal and Tarl to defend Phlan from the evil forces assaulting its beleaguered walls, and it's up to Ren and what new allies he can muster to bring Phlan back. But can even a skilled ranger, a sorceress, a shapeshifting familiar, two druids, and an undead paladin provide the key to success when the people of Phlan are battling not merely the forces of an evil god but the corrupted powers of a Pool of Darkness?

Pools of Darkness takes up where Pool of Radiance left off, continuing the chronicle of Shal, Tarl, and Ren's adventures. It introduces new friends and allies, and new foes and opponents, both human and inhuman. And of course, there are also those who aren't exactly friend or foe, but the ambitious fence-sitters who wait to take advantage of the outcomes of any conflicts that fall in their path.

Perhaps one of the more interesting facets of this book is that a druid, whom many might dismiss as being merely a nature lover with a few magical gifts, could stand head-to-toe with evil fiends and match a dark wizard spell for spell. Or it might be that an undead being could still somehow be a paladin and remain wholly devoted to his god (i.e., not evil). Or it might be that a mishap with a Pool of Radiance in transition to a Pool of Darkness could have the unexpected side-effect of youthening a mature wizard, leaving her memory mostly intact but her spells forgotten. Or maybe the interesting thing is that all of these combine together to create one of the most well-rounded groups of adventurers ever seen. Who knows?

Pools of Darkness is everything a person could ask for in a sequel, and everything a Dungeons & Dragons fan could want from a TSR publication. Don't believe me? See for yourself!

Rating: Thumbs up! Battling undead, fiends and clerics, dueling wizards, rangers and druids...what a story!

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