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45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow., 30 Jun 2001
I've only had this book a few days, but I'm already looking forward to running it. Several years ago I took a group through the original module and I have fond memories of it, in particular their spectacular failure at the end! This module revisits the same locations in epic style, now updated and with an obvious respect for both the theme and style of the original. Hommlet is now a thriving town, with many of the original NPCs in positions of authority, and the characters are initially sent to investigate the Moathouse that formed the backbone of T1... but things have changed dramatically. From here, the Temple once again beckons, but before that there's the small matter of a new, massive location, the Temple of All-Consumption, to spend several months exploring.I love the way that small clues in the early parts seem to lead to major plot points and huge discoveries later, so that there's a lot more to this than a simple dungeon-bash. Everything about it feels epic and - at least from an initial read-through - it's an adventure that the players can really get involved in and feel that they are achieving something. The attention to detail is particularly impressive, obviously gained from extensive playtesting. For example, all the creatures have a motivation or a reason for being where they are, and they have contingency plans based on the players' actions. This makes decision-making on the characters' part essential to the way the story is told and makes the whole thing a lot less linear. Also, the appendixes are comprehensive, with over 40 pages of NPC stats to make DMing stress-free. A lot of imagination has been put into this adventure, giving it a real "wow" factor - and I recommend it, even if you've never played through the original campaign, as it manages to recapture the spirit while updating the level of detail and realism. But if you've been there before, then this is a good excuse to convert your old PCs to 3rd edition (for part 2, in particular) or roll up a completely new group and get stuck in - you won't be disappointed.
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by Robert J. Schwalb
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