Book Bunnies

Caramel reviews Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook

Last week Caramel reviewed Warhammer 40,000: Core Book, the core rule book for a tabletop game he is really keen on these days. Then he realized that he also could talk about his other favorite tabletop game, Dungeons & Dragons, and brought his rule book out. So today he is talking to Sprinkles about Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook.

Sprinkles: So, you found another rule book for another tabletop game. This one is about Pathfinder. And I am not sure everyone knows what that is. So why don’t you start by telling us something about the game?

Caramel: Sure, I suppose everyone knows about Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) but Pathfinder is a bit different from D&D. It is actually very similar to D&D version 3.5. However there are some slight differences in the character types, and I think there are some changes in the rules.

S: Okay, wait. So let us go back a bit. First there is the famous tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons. For any bunnies who might not know what that is, can we start by talking briefly about what that is?

C: Sure, good idea. D&D is also a role playing game, like Warhammer 40,000, which I talked about last week. However, instead of controlling an army, in D&D you control one person. And it is the same in Pathfinder.

S: Okay, so I looked them all up on Wikipedia, and it seems that both Warhammer and D&D are relatively old actually. D&D was first published in 1974, and Warhammer, the original game, was published in 1983. Pathfinder was first published in 2009 as a kind of a spinoff of the original D&D, or rather, the third edition of it.

C: I had an idea that the Warhammer game was that old! I knew for example that the first Warhammer 40K miniatures were made out of metal because, according to Google, at the time “plastic molding technology was not advanced enough to produce the intricate details and durability needed for tabletop miniatures.”

S: That makes sense! So anyways, last time you talked about the general setting for the game when you were telling us about Warhammer 40K. Now is there a general setting for D&D or Pathfinder?

C: Kind of. It is kind of in a fairy tale time period, where they have firearms, but getting them is very hard. Most people have simpler weapons, like swords, slings, bows and arrows, and … war hammers!

S: I see what you did there! Anyways, so this sounds like maybe the late middle ages, but there is more, right? I do hope there is indoor plumbing, because that I think is one of the most important benefits of modernity.

C: I don’t think there is indoor plumbing; they use outhouses and chamber pots mostly.

S: Hmm, not sure I’d like to live that way… But there is more, right? There is sorcery, and there are different kinds of beasts and types of humanoid characters?

C: Yes! There are elves, and sorcerers, and wizards, and bards, and so on. And there are all sorts of beasts. And as you can tell from the original name, there are dragons!

S: So it is a fantastical world, kind of like our own medieval times, but with some interesting extras!

C: Yes. But actually there is a lot of freedom in the game. You can set up your own game to be in a world with more magic or less. You can have elves in your particular story or not.

S: No wonder people do not get bored, and generations of bunnies have been playing it without running out of ideas. It sounds very versatile.

Caramel is reading Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook. — Caramel is reading *Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook*.

S: Okay so now let us get back to the book. This is the standard book with rules of the game then?

C: Yes, it is.

S: So tell me what kinds of things there are in the book.

C: There are parts on creating a character. Then there is a part on choosing a class, then skills, then feats, then equipment. Next is extra rules, combat, magic, spells, special classes. Then there is a section on how to be a GM, making NPCs, magic items, and a ton of appendices.

S: That is a lot!

C: Well there are over five hundred pages!

S: And what is a GM?

C: A Game Master. It is the person who develops the main story and the setting, and acts out all the NPCs. And before you ask, those are the characters that are not played by any of the main players. NPC stands for Non-Player Character. So the PCs are the characters the players play.

S: I see. So the GM is the main story teller in some sense.

C: Yes, but the players can and do make choices that change the GM’s original goals, I know from experience.

S: Well, that sounds more fun actually. And kind of like real life, where big and important people might have all these grand schemes, but then a little bunny comes along and does something differently, and the whole world is changed.

C: Yeah, I suppose. When I play as a GM, sometimes my players can be frustrating when they choose to do totally off-the-wall things. But I have also been a frustrating character to my own GMs so I guess it can go both ways!

S: Yes, kind of like free will. You get to choose; within all the constraints, you still have a choice. I like that. And I bet that is one of the reasons why the game works so well. There might be standard storylines and GMs might have some creative ideas, but each game turns out to be totally different because the players decide to do some things differently and the world changes. Like the butterfly effect, like in chaos theory.

C: What is chaos theory?

S: Okay, we are veering off topic a bit but chaos theory is a field of mathematics where people study systems which are extremely sensitive to small changes and seem to behave chaotically but can still be described and explained mathematically. And the butterfly effect captures that idea: “the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil can set off a tornado in Texas.” A while ago, I reviewed a couple books about famous mathematicians who worked in chaos theory for our blog. Maybe you can check those books out…

C: Cool, maybe I will.

S: Okay, so the book seems chock-full of ideas and basic rules of playing this game. I think you have read it from beginning to end several times. I also saw you often opening a random page to read. And I have a feeling that you will keep using it for the foreseeable future.

C: Yup. I like reading this book. I also really like looking at the pictures. They are pretty well drawn.

S: Yes, I can see that. Maybe this is a good time to end the review. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel expects he will continue reading Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook for many years to come! — Caramel expects he will continue reading *Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook* for many years to come!

Marshmallow reviews Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

Last year Marshmallow reviewed two advice books by cal Newport directed towards students: How to Become a Straight-A Student and How to Be a High School Superstar. This week she got into Newport’s most recent book Slow Productivity, published in March 2024. Sprinkles enjoyed reading this book immensely, so she wanted to join Marshmallow in this review.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, this is your third book by Cal Newport, isn’t it?

Marshmallow: Yes. I find him to present very thought-provoking ideas.

S: I find his books interesting as well. So we both read this one. It is titled Slow Productivity. I think he was inspired by the slow food movement, where you emphasize slowness and quality and community and local ingredients instead of mass-produced generic fast food. I also read a book a while back about slow teaching; it was also cool. So can you tell us briefly what Newport means by slow productivity?

M: Slow productivity is the idea of decreasing your workload so you can increase the quality of your work to reach certain, specific goals all the while making sure you are living a sustainable life.

S: That sounds like a very appealing goal. Tell us more.

M: So his method, Newport promises, will decrease the familiar overwhelming anxiety and stress the modern knowledge worker experiences.

S: Wait, what is a knowledge worker?

M: According to IBM, a knowledge worker is “a professional who generates value for the organization with their expertise, critical thinking and interpersonal skills.” So someone who uses computers for accounting, writes code to solve specific business problems, works as a professor, or is a freelance writer, or stuff like that. So unlike the previous Cal Newport books I’ve reviewed (which were intended to help students), Slow Productivity is aimed at adults who have already begun their careers.

S: Yes, I think so too. So I was surprised when you picked it up. But you seem to have enjoyed it, seeing how you have finished it already.

M: Yes! I started reading it so that I could be prepared for when I grow up and have my own career. I think adults are always too stressed. I wanted to go into my career with ideas on how to be productive in a healthy manner that yields professional success. I also thought this book might still have principles and methods that could be helpful to me as a student.

S: That second part makes total sense, but the first part is really interesting and would probably be surprising for most folks. Especially if they do not know you well… I am sure you are one of only a few little bunnies your age who are thinking of reading about how to be a productive well-balanced adult! Okay so tell us a bit more about the book. How do we do this slow productivity thing?

M: Well, there are three principal ideas of slow productivity. And these are: do fewer things, work at a natural pace, and obsess over quality. The book utilizes a plethora of “case studies” (as Newport calls them) to prove the author’s suggestions and theories. From each of these examples, he synthesizes (or reiterates) the related slow productivity lesson.

S: I think these are good principles for almost anyone. I mean, they are definitely meaningful for me as a working adult and parent, but also for you. You are now a busy kid going to school and doing a lot of extracurricular activities. And these principles seem to agree with the advice he gives students. Do not cram too many activities just to impress. Do fewer things but do those at such a high level that you will be impressive that way.

M: Yes, I’ve recently seen this idea of his show up in the Atlantic under the name of a spike applicant (one who is exceptionally good at one thing.

Marshmallow is reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport while the friendly but slightly annoying little duckling is joined by several others. — Marshmallow is reading *Slow Productivity* by Cal Newport while the friendly but slightly annoying little duckling is joined by several others.

S: I remember a colleague who said, “Everyone talks about well-rounded students; what is wrong with a sharp knife?” I loved his analogy. I think this spike idea is similar. I mean not everyone is or needs to be a sharp knife, but we do need sharp knives, and they often find their niche. But I also think it makes sense for young bunnies to explore different types of activities to see what they enjoy and what they are good at. Those explorations provide a lot of insight and you can be surprised by what you end up liking and being good at.

M: Yes. In this book though, Cal Newport focuses on maintaining a low, easy workload so you can finish larger goals over long periods of time and build your expertise in your field.

S: That is a different life stage than the exploration stage I was talking about. Of course, his student advice is also about being selective with extracurricular activities, but one needs to figure out what they like and what they want to productively focus on. There is serendipity, some portion will always be about chance, but one also needs time to try out new things. At least that is what I think. But what do I know? I have not written any productivity books!

M: Well that’s okay! Cal Newport gives you the tips so you can focus on other things you like to do and how you can become a fuller person as a whole by managing your workload. In his book for high school students, he focuses on becoming a more interesting person for the sake of college applications (personal growth too I suppose, but primarily applications). In this book, he focuses more on the idea of growing yourself to be a more complete, content individual. I found his idea of pseudo-productivity being unnatural to be quite stimulating. Cal Newport’s books all have this underlying idea that the general consensus (whether in college apps or in careers) is bad because it has been unnaturally perverted towards pseudo-productivity, or doing things just to seem like you’re productive. His main mission is to convince you that this is not the correct way of things and that the situation can be improved by acting in a more natural, original way.

S: Yes, I think that is a good way to put his message in these three books together. I too find his books always give me good ideas. And I am glad you appreciated this book too.

M: Yes! I found his ideas to be very useful, even as a child bunny.

S: This is already quite a long post. Shall we wrap it up?

M: Sure! In summary, I would really recommend this book for all adults who work in the knowledge sector. Even as a bunny in school, I can see that the current work system is set up in a way that is not sustainable for individuals and society as a whole. I hope the situation improves before I join the workforce for my sake. But for the sake of others, I hope this book is more widely read so more people can enjoy full lives with more success.

S: That is a nice sentiment! So how would you rate this book?

M: I would rate this book at 100%. I really liked it and I found it to be very helpful. Cal Newport’s methods are quite logical.

S: That sounds just about right! Okay, what do you want to tell our readers as we wrap this up?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!

Marshmallow rates Slow Productivity by Cal Newport 100% and hopes it will provide some cover, while the ducklings continue to amass. — Marshmallow rates *Slow Productivity* by Cal Newport 100% and hopes it will provide some cover, while the ducklings continue to amass.

Caramel reviews Warhammer 40000: Core Book

Today Caramel is talking to Sprinkles about his new Warhammer 40,000: Core Book.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, today we are talking about your new Warhammer 40000: Core Book. So maybe start by telling us a bit about it?

Caramel: Sure, this book is a rule book for the Warhammer 40,000 game. It includes a description for every army in the game and tells you about some of the units in the army.

S: Wait, let us start a bit slower. I know you like this game but honestly I do not know much about it. On the book website I read “In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.” That sounds utterly terrifying.

C: Yeah, I suppose.

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.

In the 41st Millennium, warring factions from ancient civilisations and upstart empires fight endless battles across innumerable worlds. Humanity stands alone, beset on all sides by the heretic, the mutant, and the alien. There is no mercy. There is no respite. Prepare yourself for battle.

– https://warhammer40000.com

S: So this is supposed to be the future of our universe, right?

C: Yes, we are in the 41st century

S: And there are no humans or bunnies, I presume?

C: No, there are humans, but they mainly worship the God Emperor of Mankind.

S: Hmm, not loving that at the moment, but okay. And are they based on Planet Earth or is the main scene elsewhere in the universe? And are they the main heroes or villains or just one among many other races?

C: They are somewhere in between, not too evil, but not great people, either. And they do inhabit thousands of planets but their civilization has stagnated. Not terribly optimistic.

S: I see. So the game you play takes place about forty thousand years in the future when there is constant war in the universe. So what is the game like? Do you role play individual heroes? Do you lead armies or nations or planets?

C: You lead a single army, and the size of the army is determined by a point system. You usually have 1000 points, but in some game rounds, you can have more or less.

S: And do you cooperate with friends when you are playing with them? Or are you usually battling one another?

C: Both. Occasionally you have allies. At other times, it is just you and your army against all the other players’ armies.

S: I see. So are the battles random battles for power over a resource or a planet? Or is there an overarching goal, like beating the main baddies of the galaxy or pushing back invaders and reestablishing the dominion of an empire?

C: I think usually it is a battle over resources or knowledge that causes battles.

S: So why do you like this game? Because it is a neat strategy game?

C: Yes, I like the strategy needed to win..

S: And you like having an excuse to hang out with friends for an extended period of time?

C: Yes.

Caramel and Aeldari friend are reading and enjoying Warhammer 40000: Core Book. — Caramel and Aeldari friend are reading and enjoying *Warhammer 40000: Core Book*.

S: Alright, let us get back to the book. So the book is the rule book for the game then, right? But you were playing the game without it, so it is not only a rule book, is it?

C: Oh, it is a rule book. The way I was playing was by asking my friends about the rules.

S: So this is more like the Dungeons and Dragons type of thing, where the rules are quite complex and there is a wide range of things you can do or types of beings you can be.

C: Yes, kind of, but in Warhammer you control an army, In D&D, you control one person.

S: I understand that, I think. Okay, so tell me more about the book. It is a large-format and full-color book, printed on rather nice paper and with solid binding. I am assuming you look a lot at the pictures.

C: Yes, that is what I do a lot, but I also read the rules and the descriptions.

S: So do you think you will keep it as a reference book as you continue to play the game with your friends?

C: Yes, I think I will.

S: But you have already read this whole book from cover to cover? How long is it? How many pages does it have? It does look pretty thick.

C: It has 220 pages.

S: Hmm, so not too thick, you have read much thicker books before. So maybe it is the high quality paper that makes it so thick. Okay. But you have not yet answered all my questions. Maybe I should have asked them one at a time. So I will ask again. Have you read the whole book from cover to cover yet?

C: Yes, many, many times.

S: Well, that sounds very much like a strong endorsement! So I am guessing you like the book then.

C: Yes, greatly.

S: Here is the hard question though: would you have enjoyed this book at all if you did not know about Warhammer or did not like to play it already?

C: Well, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the book if I didn’t like the game, but I think maybe, the pictures and stories might have drawn me in if i just got to look at the book a bit.

S: Yeah, I can see that. You already like space-related things, you like Star Wars, you enjoy reading and learning about wars more generally, and you like fiction with aliens and spaceships. You also like role-playing games. I am guessing this has a lot of the things that you would like.

C: Yes, that is true. This Warhammer book has almost everything that I like: spaceships, robots, elves, and to top it all off, PICTURES!!!

S: There are elves?! That is awesome!

C: Well, technically they are called the Aeldari, but they are basically space elves with guns and cool armor, but I might be biased.

S: That does sound cool! But I think I know why you said almost everything though. There are no dragons!

C: Well, they have these things called heldrakes, which are robot dragons, but they are kind of sadistic.

S: I see. You probably prefer the dragons in Wings of Fire or How to Train Your Dragon. The ones who have different kinds of personalities, but can be kind and friendly and generous as well, right?

C: Yes, I do.

S: Okay, Caramel, I think this is already a very long post. So let us wrap things up. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel and Aeldari friend will continue to read and enjoy Warhammer 40000: Core Book for many months and years to come. — Caramel and Aeldari friend will continue to read and enjoy *Warhammer 40000: Core Book* for many months and years to come.

Marshmallow reviews The Lost Words: A Spell Book by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris

Today Marshmallow reviews a beautiful large-format book by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris: The Lost Words: A Spell Book, published in 2017. Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Marshmallow reviews The Lost Words: A Spell Book written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris. — Marshmallow reviews *The Lost Words: A Spell Book* written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, let us begin. I thought this was a beautiful book, so I am very happy we get to talk about it today.

Marshmallow: Yes, it is a really beautiful book. Majestic, I could say. Each page is almost like a work of art.

S: I heard about this book a while back. I read the following and it stuck with me:

The book began as a response to the removal of everyday nature words – among them “acorn”, “bluebell”, “kingfisher” and “wren” – from a widely used children’s dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion. But The Lost Words then grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us, as well as a celebration of the creatures and plants with which we share our lives, in all their wonderful, characterful glory. –https://www.thelostwords.org/lostwordsbook/

M: Well, I did not know about this when I began reading the book. But it totally makes sense. The book is kind of like a children’s alphabet book. Approximately one word for each letter of the alphabet. For “A” for example there is an entry for “acorn” and another for “adder”. And for “B”, there is “bluebell” and “bramble”. but there is nothing for “E” for example. But anyways, each word chosen is a word for an animal or plant, some object of nature that used to be more familiar to young bunnies many years ago, but now that most of us live in much more urbanized environments, we do not always see or hear about them. So I really like that the authors decided to bring back these words to us.

S: Yes, me too! Okay, so then there should be about twenty-five words, then.

M: Not quite. There were apparently forty words that were dropped from that children’s dictionary, and the people who created this book picked twenty of those words and focused on those.

S: The book is not only twenty pages though.

M: Of course not, Sprinkles! That would be kind of too short. There are six pages for each word.

Marshmallow is reading The Lost Words: A Spell Book written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris. — Marshmallow is reading *The Lost Words: A Spell Book* written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris.

S: I see. So what happens on each of those pages?

M: What they do with each word is actually really amazing. For each word, there is first a two-page spread showing the letters making up the word in a way that is aesthetically pleasing. The letters making up the word are kind of hiding among many other letters, kind of reminding us that the word is lost somehow, but if we look carefully, we will find it again.

S: That is beautiful, Marshmallow.

M: Yes, the book is really beautifully designed. Anyways, after the first two-page spread, then there is a second two-page spread for the word. The left hand side there is an acrostic poem describing the word, and on the right hand side there is a water color painting of the animal or plant that the word depicts.

S: Remind our readers what an acrostic poem is maybe?

M: Sure. Basically when you take the letters of the first word on each line and put them in a vertical line, they make up a word. So for example here is the poem for IVY:

ivy

I am ivy, a real high-flyer.
Via bark and stone I scale tree and spire.
You call me ground-cover; I say sky-wire.

S; That is lovely!

M: It really is! I love the paintings! They are kind of like portraits! And then there is a final two-page spread, which is a large picture showing the animal or plant in its natural environment. Again the paintings are beautiful.

S: I agree with you completely Marshmallow. I have been looking through the pages for the last hour or so and I am amazed. The poems are quite neat too.

M: Yes, agreed. Each poem has a deeper meaning; they do not just provide a physical description, but also what it might represent, what makes it unique and special, and how it is a part of nature. I really liked the book!

S: I can see that. So if you were to rate it–

M: -I’d rate it 100% for sure!

S: That is wonderful Marshmallow. I am glad we were able to read this book.

M: Yes.

S: So let us wrap up this review then. What would you like to tell our readers?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!

Marshmallow rates The Lost Words: A Spell Book written by by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris 100%. — Marshmallow rates *The Lost Words: A Spell Book* written by by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris 100%.