[1] In the foreword, Elminster writes:[2] To all who peruse this volume, these: Well met, as always, and welcome to the latest tome from the pen of Ed of the Greenwood that purports to lay bare secrets of the world I dwell in, the place best known to ye as “the Forgotten Realms.” A world so vast and rich that its secrets could fill libraries—to say nothing of the myriad passing details of everyday life, the strivings of folk mighty and simple.

[3][5] Matt Morgan, for MTV News, reported that "back in January [2012] at the Dungeons & Dragons new products seminar, lead developer Mike Mearls gave fans of a preview of the D&D supplement 'Elminster's Forgotten Realms.'

Hitting store shelves today at 192 pages, the hardcover 'Elminster's Forgotten Realms' will retail for $39.95, and manages to cram in an impressive amount of information".

[4] Appelcline wrote that "two months before the release of Elminster's Forgotten Realms, Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue (2012), appeared as an edition-neutral sourcebook, marking the end of the D&D 4e era (2008-2012).

Its cover and interior instead mixed elegant blacks with constrained parchments — a big change from the brighter colors and plainer whites used during the D&D 4e era.

[6] Matt Morgan, for MTV News, wrote "the gritty details begin with a look at everyday life in the Realms, covering everything from the local lingo and racial viewpoints to arts and medicine.

A common criticism of Dungeons & Dragons is that it's built for hack and slash fighting, but when a quality DM is armed with such detail as 15 pages on what a setting's denizens eat, you're going to get a true story that tells more than just combat tales.

[4] The Geeks of Doom review highlighted that "never in a hundred years did I think I would ever see such an in depth look as Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster’s Forgotten Realms.

Covering specifics such as how to become a noble at court and individual alliances between kingdoms, it also speaks to the more mundane things like education, local judiciary systems, and clothing differences by area.