The world of The Elder Scrolls is incredibly detailed when it comes to the amount of lore, stories, and characters that inhabit it. In fact there are so many details that Bethesda has been releasing a series of books that gather all the more important things from Tamriel in one place, allowing readers to discover new things at their own pace. The latest release is The Elder Scrolls Online – Tales Of Tamriel Book II: The Lore which, as you may have guessed, is about the tales and myths within Bethesda’s MMO.
The first thing to note about the book is how it looks, made to mimic what one would imagine if they heard the word tome. The 232 page book feels heavy in hand, and the hardback cover alone feels smooth to the touch. The Lore is bound together very well too, allaying any concerns that it may fall apart. The book should easily last an incredibly long time, even if read or referenced again and again. The pages are made to look like they’ve aged for years, with the paper having a browned and yellowed effect applied to it. They also feel a little thicker than a standard book page, which contributes to the heavy feel that Bethesda is going for with Tales Of Tamriel.
It is the contents of The Lore that will hold your attention though. There are a number of different sections within in it, some dealing with Oblivion and the Daedra while others discuss stories and beliefs of the various races found within Tamriel. Each of these texts is authored by inhabitants of Tamriel, mainly professors and mages of sorts that are conducting their own research on people, places, and artefacts. These aren’t just standard research notes either as some will attack other authors and their theories, while another set becomes a bit of a complicated love story with a bit of research thrown in.
However there are some points where some information is repeated, with the most blatant example being the section about the gods that each race worships. Since there is so much overlap between the pantheons of gods you’ll find you may read similar descriptions across this section of the book, but it is kind of understandable when the majority of religions within Tamriel stem from the same root. Outside of this part of the book though the entries are unique, and I personally found the lore surrounding the Dwemer to be the most intriguing considering they disappeared so long ago. 
There’s also quite a lot of exclusive artwork within The Lore that depicts things from individuals to a double page image of a battlefield. There is a lot of intricate detail in these pieces of work, with the artists taking considerable care to depict images that can show powerful artefacts exuding power, and environmental art that can give off the kind of tone or feelings you may have if you were there. Some of the art is little more than sketches but even they tell their own tales.
The Elder Scrolls Online – Tales Of Tamriel Book II: The Lore is a good purchase for someone that is a fan of the Elder Scrolls series as whole. While the texts can be found and read within Elder Scrolls Online this collection has them arranged well in the correct categories. The quality of the book and its print is top notch too. There may be some repetition in the passages but overall The Lore serves as good introduction to one facet of the Elder Scrolls universe.
bunimomike
What a lovely idea (for any game which a rich enough lore). Hope it sells well. :-)