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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd is a fantastic D&D adventure packed with terrifying monsters, high-stakes battles, and a party that (almost) never agrees on anything. This was my first D&D novel and, as an infrequent player, I loved the setting and the worldbuilding Dawson brings to life in Barovia and its vampiric ruler.
The story kicks off with a classic setup: five strangers thrown together and forced into a shared conflict. Dawson’s writing is quick and concise, with short chapters that shift between the perspectives of each party member. The structure and pacing help to keep things fresh throughout the journey.
There’s a great balance between horror (true to the Ravenloft setting) and some genuinely funny or chaotic party dynamics as they try to survive the Domains of Dread. Each character’s backstory is woven in gradually, raising the emotional stakes as we learn their secrets. I loved how this mirrors the way the party opens up to each other and becomes an actual team.
The only real bump for me was the transition from middle to end. Without spoiling anything, the final battle didn’t quite carry the weight I expected after the strong setup in the first third. Still, the ending was satisfying, and there is a twist in the final pages that leaves room for more adventures with this group.
Dawson also includes plenty of D&D tropes that even casual players will appreciate. The party discovers a powerful spell combo between the cleric and the wizard, which they use repeatedly in battle. The wizard is more interested in hoarding spellbooks than finishing the mission. And there are moments so disastrous, you can practically hear someone rolling a natural 1. These Easter eggs enhance the experience for fans, but the book is still highly accessible. Readers who have never played the game will be just as eager to see what happens next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for a review.
The story kicks off with a classic setup: five strangers thrown together and forced into a shared conflict. Dawson’s writing is quick and concise, with short chapters that shift between the perspectives of each party member. The structure and pacing help to keep things fresh throughout the journey.
There’s a great balance between horror (true to the Ravenloft setting) and some genuinely funny or chaotic party dynamics as they try to survive the Domains of Dread. Each character’s backstory is woven in gradually, raising the emotional stakes as we learn their secrets. I loved how this mirrors the way the party opens up to each other and becomes an actual team.
The only real bump for me was the transition from middle to end. Without spoiling anything, the final battle didn’t quite carry the weight I expected after the strong setup in the first third. Still, the ending was satisfying, and there is a twist in the final pages that leaves room for more adventures with this group.
Dawson also includes plenty of D&D tropes that even casual players will appreciate. The party discovers a powerful spell combo between the cleric and the wizard, which they use repeatedly in battle. The wizard is more interested in hoarding spellbooks than finishing the mission. And there are moments so disastrous, you can practically hear someone rolling a natural 1. These Easter eggs enhance the experience for fans, but the book is still highly accessible. Readers who have never played the game will be just as eager to see what happens next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for a review.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Del Rey / Random House Worlds, Inklore, and NetGalley for the advance eARC!
This book captures the essence of a D&D campaign, and I mean that in the best, most chaotic way possible. Five strangers wake up in Barovia with no memory and vibes that scream “session zero gone wrong.” It’s moody, it’s fast-paced, and it absolutely feels like a group of players thrown together with barely a game plan and way too much emotional baggage. I was here for it.
The party dynamic is great. You've got the sarcastic drow barbarian, the anxious kenku cleric, the orc wizard with some serious frustration issues, the paladin with a past, and the overachieving human artificer who is way too chipper for Barovia. It reads like watching players figure each other out, with awkward moments, snarky banter, the emotional swings that only happen when someone rolls a nat 20 right after a disaster. And honestly? It works. Even the humor has that table-energy charm, complete with the occasional corny one-liner.
Pacing is quick and sharp. Every chapter moves with purpose, like a DM on a timer, and there’s a good balance between monster fights, moral dilemmas, and moments that make you pause and feel something. It even has that “new player trying a class they’ve never played before” energy... IYKYK.
Barovia is bleak, eerie, and perfectly rendered. Dawson nails the gothic dread without over-explaining the setting, which makes it super accessible. You don’t need to know anything about Ravenloft or even D&D to enjoy it, but if you do, there are little nods and flavor details that absolutely hit.
Final thoughts?
Heir of Strahd is dark, fast, chaotic, and just plain fun. It’s got the tension, the found-family vibes, and the kind of character chaos that feels straight out of a homebrew campaign. Whether you're a D&D veteran or just curious about the vibe, this one delivers.
This book captures the essence of a D&D campaign, and I mean that in the best, most chaotic way possible. Five strangers wake up in Barovia with no memory and vibes that scream “session zero gone wrong.” It’s moody, it’s fast-paced, and it absolutely feels like a group of players thrown together with barely a game plan and way too much emotional baggage. I was here for it.
The party dynamic is great. You've got the sarcastic drow barbarian, the anxious kenku cleric, the orc wizard with some serious frustration issues, the paladin with a past, and the overachieving human artificer who is way too chipper for Barovia. It reads like watching players figure each other out, with awkward moments, snarky banter, the emotional swings that only happen when someone rolls a nat 20 right after a disaster. And honestly? It works. Even the humor has that table-energy charm, complete with the occasional corny one-liner.
Pacing is quick and sharp. Every chapter moves with purpose, like a DM on a timer, and there’s a good balance between monster fights, moral dilemmas, and moments that make you pause and feel something. It even has that “new player trying a class they’ve never played before” energy... IYKYK.
Barovia is bleak, eerie, and perfectly rendered. Dawson nails the gothic dread without over-explaining the setting, which makes it super accessible. You don’t need to know anything about Ravenloft or even D&D to enjoy it, but if you do, there are little nods and flavor details that absolutely hit.
Final thoughts?
Heir of Strahd is dark, fast, chaotic, and just plain fun. It’s got the tension, the found-family vibes, and the kind of character chaos that feels straight out of a homebrew campaign. Whether you're a D&D veteran or just curious about the vibe, this one delivers.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This feels like a fun little romp you and your D+D crew might have in the Curse of Strahd setting, complete with the absolute randomness of the party makeup. We get some wild and wacky happenings, and honestly, sometimes, you just need a fun romp through a vampire castle that you know is evil and haunted, and the characters decide to fuck around and find out. Great time, highly recommended pool read.