Unlike Faces of Sigil, Faces of Evil: The Fiends (1997) is not an NPC book detailing noteworthy fiends. I got this one not too long ago and never really looked through it because I am ambivalent to NPC books. Boy was that a mistake. This book is awesome!

Basically, it is a guide to the lower planes. The box sets dedicated to the Outer Planes largely focused on place, while this books gives a thorough accounting of inhabitants. Devils and demons, sure, but also hags, Yugoloths, Gehreleths and all sorts of other. It is in the same vein as the later Guide to Hell (1999) for 2e and the Fiendish Codex books for 3e. I love those books! I love this one too! There are zero mechanics here, just lore, all of it interesting, all of it still usable — unlike the Guide to Hell and the Fiendish Codex, which feel more tied to their specific editions. This one is all diabolical flavor. 

Interior art is all Adam Rex, who is sort of the unsung illustrator who picked up a lot of the Planescape art commissions as DiTerlizzi became unavailable. He hews close to the established TD style of the setting while giving his subjects their own energy. I dig it. Robh Ruppel did the cover. I generally like Ruppel’s work but this one is a bit confounding. That dude’s mouth is distracting and I am just not sure what is going on here. Is the ponytail guy a sacrifice? I feel like we should have a big demon front and center for this one.