Critical Role’s next novel with Penguin Random House is out. And this one is fascinating. The book, Critical Role: The Mighty Nein –The Nine Eyes of Lucien, delves into the world of Campaign 2’s Big Bad. 

Now, I want to preface this review by first saying that this isn’t the end of last campaign basically told from Lucien’s perspective. We get to see everything before, during, and after what happened in Campaign 2.

Something else that I found interesting is throughout the book, there were sections that had extra story pieces alongside what was already written in that specific chapter. And there are a lot of these placed throughout the entire book. What this does is essentially add a whole extra layer of storytelling into the book, which I love about this new book. 

Something else really cool is we do get introduced to characters that Lucien has known for years, as well as those we got introduced to towards the end of last campaign. Seeing how everyone interacts with him throughout the book is awesome and exciting. 

As for the actual story, seeing places like Shadycreek Run and Aeor come to life is very fantastic. And getting a bit more insight into the locations is always fun and interesting.

One other point to mention is this book is perfect for anyone who has seen the 2nd campaign, or for those who want some insight into the character of Lucien.

All in all, The Nine Eyes of Lucien shows the innerworkings of Lucien. But it also shows how complex the villain is. And how a villain’s story doesn’t always have to be black and white. It can be complex and interesting, and still very grounded in storytelling. 

You can pick up your copy of The Nine Eyes of Lucien from Penguin Random House now.

Meanwhile, for more updates on Critical Role and release reviews, check back to That Hashtag Show.

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