Clanbook Karnstein is a very nice effort to add another bloodline to the (already much time ago overpopulated) Vampire background, besides an imaginative love letter to a very seminal work of vampire fiction. All that brief text is based on providing plot ideas and narrative elements that could surprise even veteran players, being very close to the personal horror mood of 1st and 2nd editions of the game: fortunately, there isn't anything vampion-esque or munchkin in the elements that it proposes, or in the new fan-made-up Discipline presented (even one of whose higher levels is, in fact, a sinister and dramatic plot device).

On the bad side, I think that is unnecesary and incongruous at all that "reverse stereotypes" chart - why would all the Clans have to know a very small, familiar, inbred bloodline, and have an opinion about it? And something worse: layout leaves much to be desired and even in certain parts some text appears to be missing. But in fact, those are minor defects in a nice done and very unexpensive product, that merely could need some revision.

The history and the love put into the book truly shows throughout every aspect of the book. I found everything about the Karnstein clan to be something that I would allow for my players to create in a campaign.

This clan can work so well as a pc or npc that you'll find a decent amount of storylines and plots to ensare them into.

Let me begin by saying that I adore the premise of this bloodline. The setting information is well-crafted, and the system section is largely enjoyable. The PRETENSE discipline is interesting, though I feel it could use a little more fine tuning to be in line with existing power levels of disciplines.

The two places where I see the greatest opportunity for improvement are an editing pass (the back half of the book seems fairly typo-laden, especially the character templates where some stats are missing) and the overall layout/design. The book is presented entirely in single column layout, which makes it look more like a Storyteller's homebrew notes than a finished product. With the beautiful templates provided by white-wolf, it seems that this was a dent in the quality of the book that could have been easily avoided (and could easily be remedied)

I do recommend this product, and I hope it will get some revisions soon!

Wow. Nicely done! I like the write up for Carmilla a lot and the whole Clan history is very well done, with two divergent legends about how the bloodline began (I tend to like the second one the best!). The IC parts are well-written and add flavor while also providing useful information on running Karnsteins. The Karnsteins are a nicely balanced minor bloodline which can easily be dropped into any Chronicle to add some flavor, but won't drastically distort any of the usual elements of the canonical WoD. There aren't enough of them to change politics and their signature Discipline, Pretense, is interesting without being overpowering. With archetypes provided, there are LOTS of ways to incorporate Karnsteins into a game. Right off the bat I found myself designing a Golconda "Prophet" using the Pretense powers to lure gullible marks into eradicating themselves. The Karnsteins are creepy and tragic and romantic all at the same time, which is as it should be! Recommended!