So, I finished reading
Book of the Lost, and I really enjoyed it. Tons of adventure and campaign ideas formed in my mind as I was reading, which I think was the point, but it worked. A lot of the proposed stories and plots are very interesting (and I like how the writers used this opportunity to advance a few old metaplots as well). Even something that could have been silly (Taco Temple) was actually quite intriguing. And the puzzles and riddles hidden in the cards promise to be a lot of fun (and headaches) for runners and GM alike. Good job
That being said, there are two things I didn't like in the book:
- Lack of clear distinction between chapters that can be read by everyone or are written from an in-universe perspective and chapters that are GM only. It goes back and forth between the two, and there are times when, within the same section of the book, you really can't tell anymore if you're reading Game Information or Jackpoint posts. I prefer when the GM-only info is gathered at the end of the books in a dedicated section.
- The
Power of the Cards chapter. While I understand the need to include something for players who want direct rewards from collecting the Tarot cards, these often feel random and sometimes even, well, silly ("Lofwyr’s ten-ton gold coin", really? Does it simply appear from thin air in front of the runners? Yet the first lines of the chapter clearly states teleportation is impossible in Shadowrun...) Fortunately this section is only 9 pages long.
