I just bought and read the novels. While I did not think that they would be masterpieces I did think that they were good. They were easy to read enjoyable and I thought that Dance was a little better. One of my complaints is that I had a hard time finding them. In fact, every AH product I own I have had to order from the internet. Maybe it is just where I live but there are several book stores in my area.

The promotional items are a mixed bag to me. Sure the Oliver Grayson ally card in the back of Ghouls makes since but I thought he should have been made into a full blown character sheet. The mythos card from Dance kind of bugs me. I do not remember any dance in the book. One of the characters was cursed by Yig but I got the impression that the main bad guys worshipped the Lord of Nightmares. Is that another name for one of the established AO or a new one. If it is a new one a better promotion would have been his AO card.

They say the next book will have a promotion for an Elder Sign card. I know the two games are somewhat related but I do not play Elder Sign. On the book cover it says Arkham Horror not Elder Sign. Let them put Elder Sign promotions in Elder Sign books. Am I missing something?

Elder sign, Mansions of Madness, Arkham Horror: all these games share the same literary background, have the same characters involved, the same monsters, the same items (even if "re-created" ex novo to suit best the game they are designed for) and, often, the same public. Who plays Arkham Horror can be interested in the other two games too, and very often s/he is. So, it's not that strange that you have promo for different games but with a similar public :-)

And happy birthday!

I didn't really like Ghouls but I thought Dance was very well written.

The story in Ghouls is fine enough, but the writing was not. I know it's technically a fanfic, but it reads like a fanfic. Names are dropped all over the place. A few characters make brief appearances and are not seen again. It's anachronistic: how are Amanda and Rita dorm mates in 1926? The dialogue is a bit cheesy, and the editor clearly didn't go over the draft too thoroughly: phrases like "the shadowy figure emerged from the shadows" are all over the place.

Dance is much better. The story revolves entirely around Tony and Daisy and it flows very well.

All that said, I plan to make one encounter card for each of the nine Arkham neighborhoods that relate to the two book series. There will be a way to get the Oliver Grayson ally card, and there will be a few new ally cards representing the more interesting characters in the series.

I have not yet gotten my copy of the Dance Mythos card. What do you have to have to pass?

Thanks for the birthday wishes Julia. As for what the Dance of the Damned Mythos card says I have no idea. Have not gotten it yet.

OK, good. It's not just me then. I know they cashed the check

Let me know when you get yours. Like to know how long the process took for you to get yours.

Well I didn't check the details, but if it's anything like the Grayson card, it would take 6 to 8 weeks, and I think I'm still within 8 weeks (but barely).

I got the Grayson card about a week after I mailed out for it, so I don't mind waiting a bit more for Dance, although Dance is arguably much more important to a game than the Grayson one.

My guess is that they're waiting for the print run to arrive, and I figured that if anyone else got it already, they'd have posted all about it on the novels forums and on BGG.

It's infuriating that the card is explicitly shown on the website, and only one or two words are hidden, but they're words that can't be inferred and are necessary to play the card.

Tibs: Oh, I'm sure that was the intention. Such are the tempting ways of FFG.

I agree that the Dance novel was better than Ghouls.

Not got the Mythos card either - I sent off for it before Christmas. It sounds like no one has it yet.

I won't be buying any of the Arkham Horror novels that don't have Arkham Horror cards in them.

i will buy the next novel. I will keep buying them until I get to stinkers in a row. After that I am only in it for the promo cards. Who knows, maybe the novels will be good enough to keep blowing $8 bucks on.

I kind of HAVE to continue with Dark Waters so that I can finish the encounter cards.

So far, Lord of Nightmares is proving to be something I'd gladly pursue even without worrying about the encounter cards.

The card arrived today - will start typing in the text below as its quicker than taking and uploading a photo.

Ok - its a Mythos card, but not as you know it.

The back has the familiar Mythos picture - but its all orange and yellow. (Unless just mine has a hideous printing error).

Text:

"Dance of the Damned

Starting Rumor Variant

Do not shuffle this card into the mythos deck. At the start of the game, in addition to normal setup rules, put this card into play.

Rumor

Ongoing Effect: Each time an investigator spends a Clue token on a skill check, place the token on this card.

Each time a headline mythos card is resolved, place a Clue token on this card.

Pass: During the Upkeep Phase, if each investigator is Blessed and has a Tome, the first player may immediately close 1 open gate at any unstable location, claim the gate marker as a trophy, and place an elder sign token on that location. Then, return this card to the box.

Fail: During the Upkeep Phase, if there are 10 or more Clue tokens on this card, all investigators are Cursed. Any investigators already Cursed are instead devoured.

Then return this card to the box."

Every investigator has to blessed and have a tome. I guess everybody will start hanging out at the South Curch then.

Should've checked my mail. I got mine too!

The red-yellow Mythos back is pretty awesome looking.

I'm jealous. They have not even cashed my check yet.

Tibs said:

I've only recently finished Ghouls. I though it was ok but upon reflection there was a far bit of character name dropping. My fault was with

<SPOILER>

were the cameo appearances of the musicians in the speakeasy never to appear in the plot again.

<END SPOILER>

I should look up Dance then based on the opinions here I think. I still havent received my card though and I can't remember exactly when I sent the cheque out but I know it hasn't been cashed yet.

Hope it turns up soon!

Out of all the things it could have been, I would have expected the Tome perhaps the least. I really like the card, though. The failure won't absolutely wreck you like many rumors will (particularly considering that, if you're trying to pass it, a bunch of investigators will probably be Blessed) but it's powerful enough that you really don't want to fail it. And since it takes such a long time to resolve, it will keep other Rumors at bay for quite a while. Fairly simple (at least as far as AH goes) and game-changing without changing the difficulty all that much. Impressive.

Thanks for publishing the info. I'll probably buy the book if I see it in Forbidden Planet (Southampton does have a FLGS sadly), but for the time being I'll be SEing this one into existence.

Jake yet again said:

No need! See this and eventually this.