Well, I've just completed Book I for the first time, and I have to say I enjoyed every minute of it.
I've just spent a little time trying to marshal my thoughts in case I could come up any any observations that would be helpful for Book II. However, I quickly realised I was often comparing Eschalon to games like Baldurs Gate in my observations, and suddenly most of what I was saying seemed rather petty. At the point you're putting something up against one of the most wildely acclaimed PC RPGs ever, it's got to be something special.
So all I can say to everyone involved is well done, and thankyou - I think you can be justly proud of yourselves!
I'll restrict myself to one plea for Book II, which may well be unnecessary, and may seem quirky as my sole request (ha, well, aside from all the other forums posts I'll no doubt make...). That is, keep those little textual descriptions of locations flowing! They add so much depth and texture, and let the imagination paint pictures that the best graphic artist would struggle to match. To draw a pen-and-paper game analogy, it's the difference between the DM saying:
You enter an empty room, around eight feet by twelve. You see broken furniture on the floor, and there is a door in the east wall.
... and ...
The door creaks open to reveal a small chamber of rough-hewn stone blocks. The flagstone floor is bare aside from a few shattered remnants of furniture, and the walls are unbroken save for a similar door opposite you. The air has the stillness of a tomb, and everything is covered in a thick layer of fine dust which curls into the air with each step you take.
If I were a player, I know which room I'd spend more time in...