Horror on the Orient Express - 2 Volume Set

As you may already know, Orient Express is a Chaosium classic and a true gem in the TTRPG hobby. The concepts are creative, the story is fantastic, and the monsters are scary. The execution is... middling, depending on the chapter. Most of the chapters are great, tightly-written investigations (Venice, Trieste, The Blood-Red Fez, etc). However, there are some exceptions to the rule -- several chapters could do with a rewrite (most infamous is the Milan chapter). That said, this is still a 5-star product and I have had so much fun with it that I would happily buy any revised edition that Chaosium produces without any qualms. It's that good.

The contents are superb…despite quibbles about this or that, we know the adventure within is CoC canon. My complaint is with the binding of the edition I received from Chaosium. The covers and back look fine, but the binding itself is of very poor quality. The spines of this two-volume set are plain black and white, like some economy brand cereal box, and look terrible and out-of-place among the rest of my library. And the glue itself has already cracked, and the binding has loosened considerably and begun to warp at the top after merely sitting on the shelf. Disappointing for a pricey purchase…if there is a word of warning on the item page, I missed it…and I do not know if this is a standard presentation, but Chaosium really should change this approach. In my opinion.

If you're wondering if Orient Express is worth the money; it is. This is a fantastic campaign that I almost regret reading as I already know what's going to happen to the players! Part of me wishes I could forget it all to experience this campaign from the player's side. The campaign is superb, my group love it. I will say this - if you're getting HotOE, buy Reign of Terror as well. It adds a fantastic piece to this campaign; if you don't play it you are missing out.

Each of the two volume set is 1" thick. Interior is B&W, but photos and some maps are a bit muddy/murky compared to the PDF images which are crisp and clean. For example Vol 2, p.23, p.26, p.206 or the Gremanci Doll Works map. It seems like Vol 1 is printed better than Vol 2 and has better contrast. I prefer a HC vs the individual softcovers from the original KS in 2014. This is one of the top 3 campaigns for CoC. In the secondary market, the out of print 1st and 2nd boxed set editions go for at least 3x the price of these HCs. This reprinted edition is already converted to 7e with some minor issues as this came out the same year as CoC 7th in 2014. It is unknown when a new Mike Mason full color treatment of this campaign will come out. Most likely in another 4+ years.

Gosh what great books! Despite the quality of some of the contained images, these books maintain a professional quality native to most Chaosium products. My single qualm with this massive adventure is the lack of bookmarks within the hardcovers, but I have extra :)

Patience is a virtue and for all those who missed out on HotOE 2nd edition first time around, here is your reward. This two volume set is arguably the most approachable (and convenient) way to fully digest this massive campaign. Within these two sewn bound hardbacks (complete with bookmarks) you will find the nineteen scenarios and all the introductory material, handouts and maps contained within the six soft bound books of the original 2nd edition. Remember those "Strangers on the Train"? The Sedefkar Simulacrum, the Scroll of the Head? They're all here. What's more, purchase direct from Chaosium and you'll receive a comprehensive list of PDFs containing every single map (and there are lots of them!) in full colour, the postcards, the stickers and - you guessed it - the matchbox! More importantly, you'll also receive The Traveller's Companion - a forty-plus page handout to give to your players at the start of their monumental journey. Everything that was in that famous big box is once again at your fingertips, and the price is a steal (Ebay and elsewhere will charge you a fortune). So, buy yourself a ticket and jump back on board or, if this is your first time on the train, get ready for the journey of a lifetime and one of the great roleplaying experiences. Coda: let us talk about Chaosium's unrivalled Customer Service. A minor issue with one volume had me contacting customer service hoping for a single replacement. Within 24 hours, another FULL SET of books was at my door (if those three words remind you of another classic CoC supplement then you've been around as long as I have). Chaosium not only make great games, they go above and beyond for their gamers. Support them.

First of all, the delivery was spot on! When purchasing this item, I thought I would have to wait weeks and encounter EU delivery issues (I live in the UK). However, the intern arrived 2 days after I purchased it! The packaging was sturdy and the 2-book delivery was great. The item itself is beautiful, including the map of the train journey through Europe and beyond. The instant PDF’s from chaosium are perfect for printing and giving to players. I think I’ll be buying a lot more from Chaosium direct from now on!