Meiville gets a lot of inspiration for his writing from old AD&D monster manuals. He has crafted a really interesting world that melds creepy Kafka-esque motifs with high-concept and bizarre fantasy. His role-playing days really reflect in his writing because the novel sometimes feels like a fully-fleshed out module, but it is particularly interesting when he comments on different aspects of fantasy. For example:
The heroes of the novel need some hired muscle to fight the big bad monster and they decide on hiring some adventurers. This is the conversation that takes place:
"Apparently, there's a few serious adventurers in town right now, claiming to have just liberated some major haul from the ruins in Tashek Rek Hai. Might be up for a little paid work."
. . .
"I don't trust them, though. Thrill-seekers. They court danger. And they're quite unscrupulous graverobbers for the most part. Anything for gold and experience."
As soon as I read that, I thought of RPPR and laughed.
