Hi, I'm getting right into the lore of TES etc, anybody got any books that are a MUST read to learn about the world and Skyrim? i'd like to know about the Falmer etc, i've read wolf queen and i think thats interesting, any others?

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Main_Page

I use this and read Greg Keyed books for good stories.

If you want to know about the current-day politics of Tamriel, you have to read "The Oblivion Crisis", the "A Rising Threat" series, and "The Great War" (ideally in that order).

If you want to read more on the Dwemer and Falmer, there's a wealth of books related to them in Markath.

If you want general knowledge, the "Pocket Guide to the Empire: 3rd Edition" is great (note: this covers all of Tamriel and beyond); for history, the "Brief History of the Empire" series is interesting, and "Frontier, Conquest" details the immigration of Nedic men from Skyrim to Cyrodiil, beginning the racial distinctions between Imperials and Nords. The "2920" series is about the end of the First Era; a little aloof, but interesting if you're deeply interested in the historical past of Tamriel (Skyrim takes place in 4E 201, millenia later).

For information specifically on Skyrim, I'd say "Five Songs of King Wulfharth", "Children of the Sky", and others I can't recall right now. If you want Valenwood, read the "A Dance in Fire" series; "The Argonian Account" series for Black Marsh. Books related to Barenziah (e.g. "The Real Barenziah") talk about Morrowind and High Rock (though if you want to learn about Morrowind, you might as well play TES:III).

If you want religious information, "Varieties of Faith in the Empire" is great, but I don't think it appears in Skyrim (you can read it online in the Imperial Library or the UESP). "The Knights of the Nine" is interesting, but kind of shallow.

If you want Akavir, you'll have to go with "Mysterious Akavir" and "Report: Disaster at Ionith".

Read the 1st Edition of the Pocket Guide. It's from the Second Era, but still gives a better picture of culture and environment of most provinces, including Skyrim. The 3rd PGE is really just about political events when it comes to the regions of Nirn.

Make sure you read the Monomyth at some point. And Shezarr and the Divines.

Look here for Nordic mythology: http://imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga
http://imperial-library.info/content/shor-son-shor
http://imperial-library.info/content/song-return-skyrim-preamble
http://imperial-library.info/content/five-hundred-mighty-companions-or-thereabouts-ysgramor-returned

This explains Oblivion's MQ a bit better: http://imperial-library.info/content/nu-mantia-intercept

Just earlier today I discussed with some others The Cabin in the Woods and The Woodcutters Wife. Both are great and are wrote by the same author.

Great post, raminus

It is not related to lore in any way, but ''The Lusty Argonian Maid'' v1 and v2 make for a good laugh.

There are quite a few books on the cities and holds too too. ''Of Crossed Daggers'' describes Riften's history, ''The Windhelm Letters'' on Windhelm, ''The Bear of Markarth'', ''The Madmen of the Reach'' and ''The Legend of Red Eagle'' on The Reach and the Forsworn, ''A Gentleman's Guide to Whiterun'' on Whiterun, and many more.

If the Dwemer are more your thing, ''The Dwemer Inquiries'' series and ''Dwarves'' v1, v2 and v3 can be of use.

You will like the Mystery of Talara.

Thanks guys! I'll keep an eye out for these and track 'em down

The Real Barenziah, Daggerfall edition is always entertaining.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Real_Barenziah_(Daggerfall).

Are there any physical lore books we can buy? Id love to hold a nice big book with the lore of the entire series in it. I would happily pay ￡40+ for a book like that.

Really, I'd recommenced them all but my favorites are the short stories with a plot twist at the end, like Immortal Blood.

Same here. I haven't read many of the books (saving them until I finish the game), but A Marksmanship Lesson was superb.

I really like skill books, they usually have cool stories. My favorite books still are from Morrowind:
http://www.imperial-library.info/content/hypothetical-treachery
http://www.imperial-library.info/content/morrowind-breathing-water
http://www.imperial-library.info/content/morrowind-chances-folly

I too was wondering what I should read. Thanks for the info!

* "Likes" post *

The books in TES are great, something that I never really though I would be interested in, but they are good reads in their own right IMO.
When I found the book about an archer servant teaching his masters son archery, with that twist at the end, was so good, even my GF liked the story.

Khajiits man...


If you wan't to know how the universe was born then read:

The Annuated Anuad
The Lunar Lorkhan
The Monomyth
--------------------------------------

Also the world is not as old as would seem. The beginning of the first era was 4451 years ago. The empire isn't all that great either. It was unified in 2E 897 but weakened after the events of the Oblivion Crisis in 3E 433. I don't know how it compares to real life like the Roman EMpire, but 400 years doesn't seem that much.

Something unrelated I find amazing about the dwemer. They uncreated themselves in 1E 700, 3751 years ago from Skyrims date. Yet their machines still function to this day.

If you have an e-reader like a kindle or an iPad then you're in luck. And it won't cost you ￡40 - not even a penny! Someone took all the books in the game and made it available in electronic format.
Link: http://capane.us/