I was disappointed by the scant content in the other two books—especially considering the price—but I just finished reading through the Xaryxis adventure, and I have to say I had low expectations but I actually really like what they did.
This has to be the most readable adventure I've encountered in 5e. The text isn't dull and it's organized—with chapter summaries! Unlike other adventures, it even seems like something that could be run chapter to chapter pretty successfully.
I've read complaints that it railroads, and I guess there is a sense of that, but my players prefer more narrative games anyway (they tend to find sandboxes overwhelming because they are determined to follow every hook and open every door) and I don't think the railroading is that bad TBH. I also find (and like) that there is still plenty of space for DMs to insert their own adventure content and NPCs, leaving this as an overall story arc that should help to tie together homebrew episodic sessions if wanted.
I think each of the chapters had something that made me think "oh that sounds fun!" and I got a kick out of the numerous pop culture references. And it fleshes out the setting a bit more than the anemic Astral Adventurer's Guide. I would still prefer more, but it makes it a bit better.
So all in all, I'm pretty excited to run it, and I think my group will love it. My only real complaint about the adventure itself is that we started with Spelljammer Academy and I expected a seamless tie-in... which this does not provide. I actually find marrying the two to be pretty awkward (more so than if we had started with something like Phandelver). That said, it's a pretty minor gripe and I'll work it out.
I felt the same way! The tie in is very awkward, but I think I'm going to change the first chapter of light of xaryxis rather than change spelljammer academy!
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I felt the same way! The tie in is very awkward, but I think I'm going to change the first chapter of light of xaryxis rather than change spelljammer academy!