This is an art book, for personal use, similar in many ways to Larry Elmore's recent book. This will be a short review due to the nature of the beast. Do you like black and white line art that's highly detailed? If so, buy this product. If you don't, this isn't for you.
I enjoy products like this. It's a PDF file, split in two, one for the items, the other for the characters. The characters are done two to a page and have marks where they can be cut out and folded. My personally? I use the old Select Image in Acrobat and put them into my character sheets. The characters for the most part, are in standard adventuring gear and standing positions, as if they're getting ready to take action.
There's a wide variety of types too: Female scout, assassin, magic user, warrior-rogues, warriors, archer, male warriors, sorcerers, rogues, and even monks. Some of the illustrations did seem a little off. For example, one of the elf monks looks like he's ready to fall over and one of the characters, a male elf archer, has no mouth. Most of them however, are perfect for player use or NPC use. My only other complaint would be no heavily armored elf. Sure, it's unlike to see them as any sort of archetype in that manner, that's the dwarf territory, but to go against the grain would be better since player characters with elf fighters are going to armor up as heavily as possible.
The items come four to a page to the smaller ten to a page, and range from belts, gauntlets swords, arrow-heads. They have cut outs for ease of use as well and are perfect for throwing at a player. Want to illustrate that ring of Void? Use the one of the ring with pulsating energy. Want to give elf weaponry a different edge or feel without knowing how to draw yourself? Use the various swords found here. Almost like leaf blades in some instances. This doesn't count the illustrators own take on unique weapons like the three bladed knife, the edged shield with blade or the double bladed, two swords on one side, swords.
The armor on the other hand looked a little off to me. While I can understand 100% why the author did not illustrate someone in the armor, it sometimes just looks goofy as opposed to the weapons which look cool by themselves.
Anyone running a campaign with players or focus on the elf and their race should look over this Elven Edition.
