Synopsis: Sandpoint. An ordinary town on the Lost Coast of Varisia. When Ezren, Merisiel, Valeros and Harsk arrive, seeking rest from their adventures, it seems the town’s annual Swallowtail Festival will give them what they need – until goblins attack during a ceremony to consecrate the town’s rebuilt church.
After defending Sandpoint, the adventurers discover a sinister plot to return an ancient evil to Varisia. Can they discover the sinister connection between the goblin attack and the removal of mortal remains from a crypt in the town’s graveyard?
Review: In a departure from their penchant for doing audio drama’s based on classic television properties as well as their own drama’s and comedy projects. Big Finish have began a new series based on the popular Pathfinder series of books, which were spun off from a popular D&D style tabletop game.
I must admit to knowing very little about Pathfinder going into this review. My only exposure was reading issue one of a Pathfinder story that began publication via dynamite comics last year. Which I found quite enjoyable.
The same can be said for my exposure to Big Finish’s first outing with ‘Rise Of The Runelords: Burnt Offerings’.
The introduction to the characters is kind of typical of the fantasy genre, which often sees the action start in a town or in a tavern. The music cues are fun but not as epic as you want them to be. I’d have liked to have heard something akin to the music from the original Conan The Barbarian film when swords started to clash.
I loved the banter between Merisiel the elf (Kerry Skinner) and Harsk (Ian Brooker) and Trevor Littledale
seems to be perfectly cast as the wise and considerate Ezren the wizard.
There are plenty of fun exchanges between all the characters and the story is a great introduction, but perhaps a little to lightweight for Big Finish listeners. While listening I could not help but feel that this particular story with all its visceral action would have been better suited for film or television, but Big Finish doe an excellent job of conveying much of it.
And action is something there is plenty of.
The story moves at a frantic pace, but much of the mystery is uncovered during the quieter moments when our adventures are journeying to follow the clues to their source to find the mysterious longshanks.
Written by Mark Wright and directed by John Ainsworth ‘Pathfinder: Rise Of The Runelords: Burnt Offerings’ is a pretty solid beginning for a new direction from Big Finish Audio.
Although much of the action conveyed in this drama would have worked better if seen in a movie or on television. Big Finish do a fantastic job of conveying the images via their extensive sound liberty.
I’m giving this a 4 out of 5 and will be looking forward to further entries in this fantasy series.
- You can get your copy of Pathfinder 1.1 Rise of the Runelords: Burnt Offerings at: www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/rise-of-the-runelords-burnt-offerings-965
Score 4/5
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