After years of watching Dungeons & Dragons from afar, I finally dove in when I got invited to play the Curse of Strahd campaign. This fact, along with my not-so-secret history as a Twilight fangirl, means that this campaign setting has a special place in my nerdy little heart. So, when I saw that the latest Dungeons & Dragons novel would take readers to Ravenloft, I knew I needed to read it immediately. Many thanks to Del Rey / Random House Worlds for the digital review copy!

Heir of Strahd takes readers to the mysterious land of Barovia. Five adventurers find themselves suddenly in the twisted location, with no idea how they got there or how to get out. A true D&D party comprised of a Wizard, Barbarian, Paladin, Cleric, and Artificer, the companions soon find themselves the reluctant guests of Count Strahd von Zarovich himself. For those familiar with the campaign, there’s plenty of enticingly familiar lore, but author Delilah S. Dawson tells a new story all her own in the pages of this Dungeons & Dragons tie-in novel.

Our party is comprised of five adventurers, and the story is told through alternating perspectives. Through this device, we get to know each member of our party through their own view of the world, alongside seeing them through each other’s eyes. Dawson does a brilliant job of making each character’s perspective feel unique while still telling a cohesive and compelling story that grabs the reader from the first page.

Each character is a different class from D&D, offering another layer of interest for fans of the TTRPG. We get to see the secrets behind why the orcish wizard is so aloof and what drives a barbarian with a soft, squishy heart at his core. As the adventure unfolds, we even get a novelized version of what it looks like when a party levels up, something that was handled brilliantly on the page.

If you’re wondering whether this novel has anything to offer someone who’s already played Curse of Strahd, the answer is yes. Much like every party plays a campaign differently, the novel borrows some devices from the setting and story while telling a unique tale all its own. Despite occasionally chuckling at how I knew certain things about Strahd before the characters did, I found myself surprised (and occasionally horrified) throughout the book.

Heir of Strahd tells the story of Strahd in a new way, through the latest set of adventurers to unwillingly arrive at Castle Ravenloft. The plot moves at a decent clip while still allowing space for some lore about Strahd, Barovia, and goddesses like Selune. It’s a page-turner, but not one without a little time and space to reflect or hold you in suspense.

If I thought I knew where the story was going, I was wrong. There are twists, turns, and surprises right to the very last page that will keep you engaged for all 336 pages of the story.

Final Score – 9.5/10
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In all, Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd is a solid fantasy novel in its own right, with the extra dose of inside knowledge for D&D fans. It offers something to enjoy for those familiar with Strahd’s stories while still explaining enough to carry readers who aren’t. If you’re looking for a solid TTRPG-style adventure in book form, with a dash of spookiness along with it, Heir of Strahd is sure to deliver.

Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd is an atmospheric dive back into the mist-shrouded lands of Barovia, and it delivers for fans of Curse of Strahd and Ravenloft lore. The tone is grim and familiar—yes, it feels like the Barovia you know—but with enough fresh blood (pun intended) to keep you intrigued. The book doesn’t try to replicate your tabletop experience, and while I think that is a strength some might be wanting for a different vibe. Everyone’s journey through the mists is different, and this novel embraces that by forging its own path with a cast of unique adventurers navigating the gothic horrors in their own way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

I read a good bit of Ravenloft (and played an old DOS game) during my teens in the 1990s, so this book was a total nostalgia trip. Dawson is an awesome writer, and she is superb at creating visceral and psychological horror. She put together an eclectic cast of adventurers and set them up against the greatest baddy in the realm, Strahd. This book is everything I hoped it would be.

So to begin with, I want to thank Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

With that said, D&D: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd was a great story. Dawson is a fantastic author and did an amazing job bringing the feel of a classic D&D drop-in session to the page. The story opens with five complete strangers awakening in Svalich Woods in the realms of Ravenloft. These strangers are forced to work together, but each bears a dark secret that was likely their key to the realm. They quickly fall into a rather typical Ravenloft storyline. Dawson, though, managed to keep the storyline fresh by focusing much more on the characters as they develop both individually and as a group in Castle Ravenloft. The adventure moves on at a good pace and the shifting perspectives makes it clear that Strahd's machinations are mostly just a framing story for the character development.

While I would LOVE to give the story a full five stars....I unfortunately have to drop a half star because of the decision to make Grease flammable, following in the steps of Baldur's Gate 3 rather than the 5e14 and 5e24 rules that govern most of the rest of the story.

I’m back with a new Dungeons & Dragons book and I’m very excited to talk about this one. It’s Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd by Delilah S. Dawson. You all know I’m already a fan of Delilah’s writing and if you didn’t know, I’m also a fan of D&D and currently running a Ravenloft campaign as one of my 3 campaigns. In this book, you get what at first seems to be an attempt to tell a version of Curse of Strahd with Delilah’s own original party that also at first comes off as an attempt to cash in on the Honor Among Thieves/Guardians of the Galaxy style of adventurers. However, it doesn’t take long to see that while some of those elements are being paid tribute to they are not what’s really happening. Each chapter of the book we get a change of pov with the different party members as presented on the book’s cover that I quickly fell to enjoy. You can also see the love for iconic locations such as Castle Ravenloft that I noticed were almost directly lifted from the adventures. Honestly, Delilah S. Dawson, I’m going to be stealing some of these ideas for my campaign now. You even get to explore other parts of Ravenloft that I didn’t even consider upon this book’s title that proves it’s more than just an adaptation of Curse of Strahd that I know a lot in the D&D fandom were worried it would be from the description and book cover. So, definitely go into this with an open mind if that was your concern. Overall, if you’re a D&D fan, gothic horror enthusiast, or both I’d recommend this book. I would also love to see more of the original characters presented here and maybe a return to more Ravenloft books.

DNF @ 19%. I'm sad because I was really looking forward to this one.

Unfortunately, less than 100 pages into the book, I was already dreading picking it up because all the characters were so bitter and negative. Yes, I know, the whole point is that a bunch of seemingly unwilling adventurers are forced to work together, and they won't get along well at first. But it was not enjoyable to read at all. Every POV, even the character that seemed like they were going to be super bubbly, was so bitter, constantly complaining about the other members of the group.

I know some will find this ridiculous, but the final straw for me was when one character began internally ranting about how much he hated the drow's completely innocent tressym companion and began contemplating killing and eating it. Yeah, not for me.

Delilah S. Dawson’s Heir of Strahd drops five adventurers who find themselves transported unexpectedly into the mist-bound domain of Barovia. Once there they find that they manipulated towards Castle Ravenloft. Each step toward Castle Ravenloft brings fresh peril—and fresh revelations about themselves. From the prideful orc wizard Rotrog to the sunny human artificer Fielle, the party’s varied backgrounds spark both camaraderie and conflict as they navigate Strahd’s velvet-voiced invitations and hidden traps.

From the start Heir of Strahd is full of rich, character-driven drama with all of the different POV’s given room to breathe and let you gain insight into the the characters: you feel Rotrog’s pride, Chivarion’s sardonic wit, and Kah’s anxious faith as viscerally as Fielle’s inventive optimism. Early readers laud how every party member “brings a unique skill set and personality,” making their triumphs and setbacks genuinely matter. Right form the start Heir of Strahd had a really on par masterful horror-adventure blend. Dawson balances gothic chills—fog-shrouded forests, whispering tapestries, moonlit crypts—with pulse-quickening action and clever puzzles. The sense of creeping dread never overstays its welcome, giving way just as deftly to heart-racing set-pieces and moments of levity in a classic adventure familiar in this Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, The Mummy, etc. Delilah clearly knows her topics as there are lots of knowing winks throughout the whole book.

Strahd comes across as the Ultimate Host and far from a one-note cliche vampire, Strahd von Zarovich is equal parts gracious noble and calculating predator. His polite invitations (“Fairest Friends…dine with me tonight…”) are genuinely unnerving, and each interaction crackles with the promise of both courtly intrigue and mortal dangers. This keeps both the characters and you guessing as to what is going to happen. Delilah doesn’t hesitate to turn around what you and the characters expect and shift to something that is unexpected as the very least. The tasks that they are assigned in order to accomplish their goals are rib breaking with humour and mortifying, literally at points, throughout but add to the craziness of the situations they encounter. You and the characters are taken on adventures that you would expect so the book as well as Castle Ravenloft engages in serious world building that adds clever twists to the story as well as new lands such as Mordenheim, Lundendorf, Lamordia etc. This introduces us to a different take events and a way to overcome things than you would expect to see and adds to the zaniness of what is going on in Heir of Strahd.

Heir of Strahd is really accessible to newcomers and veterans alike you don’t need an encyclopedic knowledge of D&D lore to follow—or enjoy—the plot. Dawson peppers in just enough setting detail to satisfy longtime Ravenloft familiars without bogging down readers unfamiliar with the mechanics or backstory that makes for a very pacey adventure though of course there are plenty of nods and winks to previous adventures both in D&D and wider Science Fiction and Fantasy. Dawson keeps the pace coming throughout the book and will have you turning the pages you will find yourself up late for this one. Each chapter propels you deeper into Barovia’s mysteries. Whether it’s a wolf-hound ambush or the riddle-laden corridors of Strahd’s castle, you’ll find it hard to put Heir of Strahd!

Heir of Strahd is a triumph of D&D storytelling: vivid characters, a hauntingly atmospheric setting, and a villain who’s as charming as he is deadly. Whether you’re gearing up for your next tabletop session or simply crave a dark fantasy page-turner, this novel delivers on every front. Heir of Strahd is full of twists and neatly sets things up for further adventures.. With its prominent naming dropping of Castle Revenloft, Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter etc. Heir of Strahd has the feel feel of no holds barred adventure with dysfunction but competent team with but at the same time humour filled that compliments all the action and scurrilous goings on perfectly that add to the book feel good factor that is there from the start. Heir of Strahd is full of twists you won’t see coming as character motivations are revealed, epic adventure as the characters encounter new places that have unusual requests and action packed book from the start. It is worth bearing in mind the title of the books as well as you are taken along for the ride. Highly recommended—five stars for blending horror, humor, and heroism into an irresistible adventure.

The only reason this book took me a few days to read was because I got busy at work, and because I wanted to try and savor it. But honestly, if I hadn’t had my workweek in the way, I definitely would have just sat and read this whole thing in one sitting.

Delilah S Dawson perfectly captured the eerie haunting horror that is Barovia. I sank into the atmospheric descriptions so quickly. It was captivating, and I loved every moment of the time spent in the Domains of Dread. This would absolutely be a perfect Spooky Season read (and honestly I’ll probably re-read it for Spooky Season, because the vibes are immaculate).

The characters were an interesting mix, and I enjoyed them all in different ways, although there were some who I liked more than others. I’m a corvid obsessed girlie, so I definitely felt a kinship with Kah the Kenku. I loved Fielle’s sunny disposition, although I definitely worried about how she’d fare in a place like Barovia. Chivarion (and Murder) and Alishai were both serious, strong, fierce characters and definitely very focused on getting out of their predicament, even if that meant using brute force to do so. The one who aggravated me the most was Rotrog, but I completely understood his desire for information and knowledge, and being fully focused on that.

Each of the characters had a lot going on that was slowly revealed as the story progressed, and we learned more about what had been happening to them in the moments/hours/days leading up to being drawn into the mists and landing in Barovia. They all had secrets. None of them knew each other before waking up in Barovia, and it was the journey that sort of forced them to team up and band together to try and get out together.

I’m sure as soon as my partner reads this book (he’ll probably listen to the audio), he’ll have all sorts of ideas for where our Curse of Strahd campaign will go next…because our party has not spent much time inside Castle Ravenloft…whereas most of this book was centered there. It was fascinating to watch each member of this group interact with Strahd and to see how he pulled at the strings attached to them all. It was a masterclass in amping up the eerie nature of not just the domain of Barovia, but also those who inhabit it.

I devoured this book, and while the story wraps up well-enough, I can’t help but feel like there is definitely an option for more to come. Considering the ending, I am REALLY hoping that we’ll get more with these adventurers, because wow, I want to know more about them and how the time in Barovia has affected them.

I’m reading the sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: The Fallbacks book soon, and that gives me hope for the possibility of more Barovia tales as well (or at least more with this circumstances-forged party). Please, Delilah S Dawson. Please, Del Ray/Random House Worlds. Please Wizards of the Coast. I definitely feel like Heir of Strahd deserves a sequel.

This is the first D&D novel I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Five strangers, thrown together, find an entertaining way to navigate their unusual situation. The characters are engaging and grow together, as stressful interactions tend to cause.

This was a fantastic story with very good characterization. The story telling was on point. Having played curse of Strahd the campaign I would have loved even more. It could probably go on for 1200 pages. It was very close to the campaign itself and was nice seeing beyond the mists. It would have been amazing if it could even have been a duology, trilogy or even more. Very entertaining and very well written.

The twenty-fourth in the Ravenloft series finds five strangers armed with steel and magic awakening in a mist-shrouded land, with no memory of how they arrived. This band of misfits each have their own secrets, but must join together to get back to Baldur's gate.

Having not read any other books in this series, I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but that turned out to be okay. Dawson is good at bringing you into the story and keeps things moving forward.

3.5

This wasn't for me but I know just know that there's an audience for it. I've never played D&D and felt a bit at sea with the whole construct. Made it to about 20. percent before giving up. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

The Heir of Strahd was a fun Dungeons and Dragons adveenture. As a player, I could see this being an actual introductory adventure for a campaign. You don't need to know anything about Dungeons and Dragons or Ravenloft to enjoy this book.

Thank you so much to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore and Netgalley for access to this eARC! I always appreciate the opportunity to read and review ahead of release day.

As an avid D&D fan, I actually haven't picked up any of the official D&D novels until now - I went into Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd expecting some horror elements, classic D&D fantasy adventure, and dark / grim tones. It was all of this and more, and I'm so glad I chose this ARC as my first foray into the world of D&D novels.

I would like to preface the rest of my review for other D&D fans specifically, by saying I am a character and collaborative storytelling-forward player of D&D, so my review is influenced particularly by my love of characters and the narrative-driven growth of an adventuring party.

This story follows an adventuring party that is thrown together by chance, having never met until they wake up in the eerie mists of a new realm they've never been to before. This is classic for a Strahd campaign, and I was quickly invested - especially with the changing POVs and beautiful writing style of Delilah Dawson. Each of these characters have different feelings on how they should proceed (alone, together, overly confident, scared, etc) stemming from their different skills and backgrounds but this is quickly disregarded because, frankly, the mists don't care what you want.

What I didn't expect was how humorous this story would be! I was worried the grimdark vibes of a Strahd setting might overpower what I love most about D&D: a variety of characters with all different backgrounds and motivations and how they shape the story. Quickly my worries were settled - the first battle especially was clumsy, and felt exactly like getting your bearings as a low-level character just trying to survive - add to that a world completely unlike your own with rules you don't yet understand, and it's chaos. I loved every single second, and I was amazed at how easily the familiar mechanics like healing or spells were translated yet still recognizable - truly a perfect balance and I could even see myself recommending this book as an introduction to D&D to my reader friends.

Delilah Dawson perfectly balanced the eerie atmospheric tone of a Strahd campaign with the high stakes and horror elements that you'd expect if you know anything about the IP, and the genuine heartfelt humor and connections that can only come about while playing in a campaign with your friends. As a DM and player with 10 years of adventuring experience, this story was everything that I wanted it to be - a solid, enjoyable reading experience that didn't require too much brain power to process the setting or mechanics.

I rated Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd a 4/5 stars. I would recommend this to any reader, with or without D&D or tabletop experience. Obviously the more knowledge you have the easier certain specifics (like spell names, gods, classes, etc) will be to understand, but on the flip side you may go in with too high of expectations. I think readers who don't know much about the Strahd campaign specifically, but do know D&D jargon or have watched liveplays about other campaigns, may be the perfect audience - you'll go into this with less expectations of what and who Strahd is about, and you can just focus on the journey.

Delilah can write any genre, and this just proves it. Maybe it's her expertise with cozy, unsettling horror that made the atmosphere of the Domains of Dread feel so foreboding, made Strahd such a menacing presence. Smashing all of Curse of Strahd into one novel is no small feat, but Delilah manages to pull it off quite well! Speaking as a seasoned DnD player, there were several instances where I went *oh, someone is DEFINITELY screaming at their dice right now.*

I was given an advanced copy of this work for review purposes. I have read many D&D and Forgotten Realms novels. This ranks right up there with them. It had familiar types of characters in a similar situations. These characters started out as unknown companions and came to be partners. It kind remind me of Delicious in Dungeons a little bit. Although, there were complaints about the fish stew. Nothing special but a quick read. I like my fantasy darker.

This feels like a fun little romp you and your D+D crew might have in the Curse of Strahd setting, complete with the absolute randomness of the party makeup. We get some wild and wacky happenings, and honestly, sometimes, you just need a fun romp through a vampire castle that you know is evil and haunted, and the characters decide to fuck around and find out. Great time, highly recommended pool read.

A barmaid, a mercenary creature with his cat-like companion, an orc, an unfeathered bird and an elf-like being all wake up in an unknown forest in an unknow country. They must face monsters of all kinds as well as their own dark thoughts in an adventure that lands them in the castle of the resident vampire fighting for their lives. They go on a quest to save their "friend" the barmaid who is being pursued by the vampire who thinks she possesses the soul of his long lost love. The group meets a myriad of challenges and dangers making this a great story of perilous adventure. Will they survive, will they secure the means to save their friend, will they ever be able to return to their home??
I have read the "Kill the Farm Boy " series the author wrote with Kevin Hearne which also involved impossible, fantastical quest so I was prepared for her style of writing and this book did not disappoint! It was a most enjoyable read!

I have never played D&D myself, but I've seen shorts of campaigns from groups and it always left me feeling fascinated by how funny some campaigns could go.

This book, for the most part, does feel like a group of newbies decided to start a campaign and did nothing but roll natural 1's for most of the campaign with the occasional better throw.

I enjoyed the first half of the story a lot and it was quite intriguing, but the latter half felt a tad weird to me and it took me a lot longer to get through. The ending however with Fielle made up for it!

So in the end, this went from a 3/5 to a 3.5/5! I am curious if there'll be a sequel to this.

I love Delilah S. Dawson, so I was excited tor read her take on the D&D universe. The writing is high and tight and the pacing is fantastic! That said, you don't *need* to know anything about D&D to enjoy this book, but I'm sure people who have that background will enjoy it more than those of us who do not. I probably missed a lot of inside jokes, etc., simply because I'm unfamiliar with the universe. Super quick and fun read!