Rifts
World Book Three: England , by Kevin Siembieda, adds to the volume of source material for the role-playing game: Rifts.
Picture an England of the technological future, after a horrible cataclysm has ravaged the
world. Further still, this same cataclysm has restored the Earth to its magical origins and opened up thousands of wormholes to different places in time and space. This source book attempts to adapt many of the legends and traditions associated to the Rifts system.The primary adaptation is that of the legend of Camelot. As per this sourcebook, Merlin the Magician has reappeared in this post apocalyptic Camelot and chosen a new "Arthur". It is true, but Merlin is not exactly the heroic teacher from the past. He (or it) is an evil, manipulative alien intelligence bent of world domination. His restoring of Camelot is a quick and powerful way to reunite the wild land of England under is subtle control. A new addition to the Rifts world is the creation of the Millennium Tree, a giant, skyscraper sized tree that live along a Ley Line (a line of magical energy, similar to the magnetic lines of force that encircle the globe). These Millennium Trees serve as places of refuge for any being of good nature, and they also help curb any fluctuations along the "mystic grid" of Ley Lines. For those readers that are actively playing the Rifts game, this will be a good addition to your library. Admittedly, the scenario about New Camelot seems cliché. However, Rifts: England also details two new forms of
magic, including Temporal Magic (magic dealing with the manipulation of time) and Herbalism (magic stemming from the use of natural herbs). Another exciting feature is the new character class: the Chiang-Ku Dragon. The Chiang-Ku were the creators of Tattoo Magic and helped establish Atlantis as an early human civilization (see Rifts World Book #2: Atlantis ). For those interested in other character class options, this text lists over a dozen other character classes that are centered in England.