5 out of 5 rating for The Guide to Glorantha
I doubt that many game related books would have quite as much 'oomph' hitting the table as the combined mass of these two tomes. It's a near 50 year old setting in the making with a detailed, anthropological take on fantasy. This is a complex world of varied cultures, very much with an ancient world/bronze age feel - like ancient Greece or northern germanic tribes, with a dash of Native American thrown in for good measure. Think Herodotus and Gilgamesh rather than Western Medieval. Familiar fantasy tropes are spun in entirely off beat ways - like Elves that are literally plant people, and Dwarves made of rock. Oh, and Ducks and Trolls and DragonNewts and Dinosaurs and Broo...
The buzzword throughout is 'myth' and, indeed, Greg Stafford's original creation is very much steeped in a sense of deep religious connection to his own fantasy world. Myths compete against each other, can be mutually contradictory to each other and form the basis of the 'reality' of this world and the conflicts within. As a setting book, it is completely system free although at least three different games will be supporting it (HeroQuest, 13th Age and the original RuneQuest). It's magnificent attention to detail and beautiful, full colour illustrations make it one of the wonders of the gaming world. Get it while you still can!