L5R 4E book warning!

[Treebore]

The nice beautiful looking core book for L5R has a hidden fatal flaw.

The glue that holds the binding to the spine.

AEG claims that their printer tells them it was just a "small batch", but that small batch has made it to LGS' across the country as well as Amazon and into my home.

So if you have bought this book and left it on the shelf you may not be aware of this problem possibly being in your book.

The "solution" offered by AEG is to ship the book back to them, as far as I can tell at your own expense, but I haven't called their customer service, which is what you HAVE to do since they apparently have a problem just publicly posting the info on their Forums. But if your willing to do that they will replace your $60 book.

Personally I am now running a weekly game. Well my daughter is, using my book. We are not willing to put the game on hold for however long it takes to get a new book back from them. Fortunately for me I have someone who used to work as a book binder who will simply re-glue it for me.

Anyways, if you have this book and have not been putting it through its paces, check it out, get it replaced if needed, so you don't have to put a game on hold some time in the future to get the "good" copy.

 

[Diamond Cross]

I'd just take it apart and put it in a notebook.

 

[Holy Bovine]

I've had this happen to lots of RPG books (and a bible) over the years. I use Lepage #4 epoxy, squirted down the spine, to repair them. Works every time. Just remember to open the book up first, put a small amount of glue in at the top of the spine, let it ooze slowly down toward the bottom, then close the book, wiping off any excess glue that comes out. Takes about 5 minutes plus drying time (at least 24 hours but check it frequently in case more glue oozes out).

 

[Treebore]

I've had this happen to lots of RPG books (and a bible) over the years. I use Lepage #4 epoxy, squirted down the spine, to repair them. Works every time. Just remember to open the book up first, put a small amount of glue in at the top of the spine, let it ooze slowly down toward the bottom, then close the book, wiping off any excess glue that comes out. Takes about 5 minutes plus drying time (at least 24 hours but check it frequently in case more glue oozes out).

Yeah, that is what my friend essentially described the process as. Edit: They did say that there is a tightening technique they will need to do since mine has come undone that the groups of pages are pulled apart with gaps between them. So to make sure they pull back together and seat in with the glue properly there will be some kind of tightening trick involved.

Still, leaves me to wonder, just how much do you have to pay to have a book competently made? Kind of like that old commercial of how many licks does it take to get to that chewy center?

 

[Treebore]

I'd just take it apart and put it in a notebook.

Personally I prefer to keep $60 hard covers looking like $60 hard covers.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Personally I prefer to keep $60 hard covers looking like $60 hard covers.

Another reason why I don't really care for expensive hardback books.

Sixty dollars for a single book that falls apart easily.

Holy YIKES!

 

[Treebore]

Another reason why I don't really care for expensive hardback books.

Sixty dollars for a single book that falls apart easily.

Holy YIKES!

Agreed. This is the first AEG book I have had fall apart on me, though. I have bought a lot of AEG books over the years too, most of them being L5R books. So I know they aim for quality, its just that their book printer failed to deliver this time.

 

[RangerWickett]

Another reason why I don't really care for expensive hardback books.

Sixty dollars for a single book that falls apart easily.

Holy YIKES!

Then definitely don't go to med school. (Well, okay, the books hold up pretty well, to be honest, but $200+ for one book is a little crazygonuts.)

Thanks for the heads-up Treebore.

 

[Odhanan]

I absolutely hate this. RPG books that are made to be pretty but that have a binding that just can't hold six months without cracking or falling apart. RPG books are meant to be used, not just manipulated carefully while sitting on a couch, people! If you write your RPG book to be read or be pretty rather than played, just tell me right away on the blurb at the back: I'll know NOT to buy your product, that way. Thanks.

 

[Treebore]

I absolutely hate this. RPG books that are made to be pretty but that have a binding that just can't hold six months without cracking or falling apart. RPG books are meant to be used, not just manipulated carefully while sitting on a couch, people! If you write your RPG book to be read or be pretty rather than played, just tell me right away on the blurb at the back: I'll know NOT to buy your product, that way. Thanks.

Not sure what your saying here, but I am sure AEG wants them to be played, as well as look darn good. The third edition of L5R proved that.

With this book, though, I only started seriously using it about 2 weeks ago when my group agreed to convert some old 3E characters over and create new PC's for new players. So 2 weeks of regular use, by my son, daughter and myself, who have all handled plenty of other books just fine, and this one has started to fall apart due to bad glue. I don't know if the glue was a bad formula of glue, or if the job was just done wrong, but whatever the reason, with in two weeks of "normal" use it is falling apart.

Definitely a serious disappointment.

I think I am going to wait a while before I buy anymore, because I don't want to have to fix it myself or send it in for a replacement, I want it good from the beginning, like all my 3E books were. HC and softcovers.