Review of Sorcerer

[greyorm]

I was bopping around the web tonight and by means random and illogical happened to come across a review of Sorcerer on Websnark.

[Ron Edwards]

The author contacted me about it a bit ago, in the course of an email exchange about something-or-other. I think it's one of the nicest reviews the game's ever received.

One quibble: the core book "out of stock" at IPR is only due to one warehouse not replenishing the other. It should be fixed very soon. On the other hand, I should really get moving and get Sex & Sorcery re-printed, it's due.

Best, Ron

[pete_darby]

Hmmm... I'd also quibble about...

Well, Sorcerer's "what if" is pretty simple. "What if the only paranormal power in the world came from intentionally summoning demons?"

I'd say the "what if" was "What if the most effective way of getting what you want is also the most personally corrupting thing you can do?"

Because when folks realize that about Sorcerer, that's when you get the Neo "whoah" moment.

PS BTW, hello again folks! Gosh I've been away longer than I thought... you've changed your hair, I like it.

[Eric Burns]

Hmmm... I'd also quibble about...

Well, Sorcerer's "what if" is pretty simple. "What if the only paranormal power in the world came from intentionally summoning demons?"

I'd say the "what if" was "What if the most effective way of getting what you want is also the most personally corrupting thing you can do?"

Because when folks realize that about Sorcerer, that's when you get the Neo "whoah" moment.

I actually think this is less seminal to Sorcerer than demon-summoning as the only path to power. While I agree that humanity loss and management is basic to the game, I don't think a gamemaster has to make it the centerpiece of a game he or she runs. It could be a background element as easily as a foreground element.

Demon summoning, on the other hand, is at the core of the game. If you're not summoning something for power -- regardless of the special effects surrounding it -- you're not actually playing Sorcerer. So I stand by the What-if as I listed it.

That said, if I went one level deeper than the core assumption of the game, and defined the core question of the game as I see it, I guess that question would be "what price are you willing to pay for power?" With "why?" a close followup question.

Which is hardly a deep insight, since I think Edwards actually explicitly says this in the game. But there it is.

[Eric Burns]

One quibble: the core book "out of stock" at IPR is only due to one warehouse not replenishing the other. It should be fixed very soon.

As soon as the status changes, I'll post a link to the order page. Work?

[Ron Edwards]

More than works! Many thanks.

Best, Ron