The Book of Madness

Rating:
Summary: A solid entry into the Mage line . . .
Review: I admit it - I'm a relative newcomer to the world of Mage: the Ascension, and to White Wolf in general (right now, I'm in the midst of my first game ever, for which I'm the ST *gulp*). But I have to admit - next to the Guide to the Technocracy, this is probably the most solid and useful Mage book I've seen.

The book is divided into four sections - Nephandi, Marauders, Infernalists, and Umbrood. The Nephandi chapter is probably the best - it gives scads of information on all manner of Nephandic beings, practices, and yes, even the Spheres of the Qlippoth. The Nephandic chapter is solid and useful. And the art takes a turn for the disturbing . . . *shudder*

The Marauder chapter is also fun, but not quite so fun as the chapter on Nephandi. There's a lot of chatter about just what Marauders are. In short, it tells you all the things you need to know in order to create a Marauder or even to play as one.

The chapter on Infernalism is detailed and interesting, and probably the most utile one in the entire book (utile, yes, but not as interesting as the one on the Nephandi). There's information on Soul Trade, various demons, and anything you need to add the ultimate seeker of power into your chronicle. However, I wouldn't give the players the power of infernalism, considering how easy it is to become powerful quickly . . .

Finally, the chapter on Umbrood. This is where the chapter falls down. It's done almost entirely in a series of letters, which can get old really fast. In truth, I didn't even read the whole thing. It just got old very, very quickly.

All together, the Book of Madness is an essential read for anybody who wants to create a Mage chronicle involving the wilder side of the Mage universe.

Rating:
Summary: Updated Madness is Mod
Review: It was necessary to bring this book into the new framework of the post Reckoning world of darkness, and this book pulls it off with substance as well as style. Like the original it covers the denizens beyond the pale and thier dark and twisted agendas, but this version does things in a more sinister style and was worth the price for an upgrade. I recommend it, but if you aren't planning on dealing with these elements, the book may best be avoided for your campaign.