Being a fan of the old Changeling game, I was accustomed to the concept of "modern fantasy". Changeling the Dreaming revolves around the Fair Folk trying to survive in the mortal world. Changeling the Lost deals with people who were abducted by the Fae. They were tortured, made into servants, and transformed by magic. By sheer luck or coincidence, they managed to escape and return to the mortal world. Now they are trying to rebuild their lives, while trying to evade their masters' grasp.
Changeling the Lost made several changes and improvements, as compared to the old Changeling game. First of all, the Fae are now the enemy. They are the oppressors, the tormentors, and the eternal bogeymen that hunt down the changelings. The book did a good job in creating these mysterious antagonists, from their origins and secrets. Changelings would surely run away in terror at the mere presence of these powerful creatures.
I also loved the process of creating Changeling characters. Unlike the old game, where you can only base your character from several kiths or stereotypical Fae types, the new game gives you more options and concepts to build around your character. You can choose one from six basic seemings, then one of several different kiths for each seeming, and one of four courts. This way, your Changeling character is unique and possesses different sets of gifts as compared to other characters.
As players, you are also encourage to create a back story for your character. Like what he was before the Fae kidnapped him. What happened to him when he was trapped in Arcadia? How he managed to escape and what is he trying to do now that he is free? These questions would tie in to the choice of your character's kith, court and seeming.
Another improvement for the game is the way the writers created the game to apply to different settings -- you can set your campaign in America, the Philippines, China, or even during the dark ages. Since each region has its own myths and stories of the Fae, the rules and concepts can easily apply to any time or place.
My only main criticism about the game is the elaborate and well-detailed structure of the Changeling society. In the book, these changelings have managed to form their own societies and courts, imitating the fuedal titles and hierarchy of their Fae masters.
I'd imagine these Changelings to be more scattered and disorganized, since they come from different walks of life and their experiences in Arcadia are uniquely personal. Plus the fact that there aren't that many Changelings who succeeded in running away from their masters (otherwise the Fae would be stupid to have legions of servants slip pass their watch). Those who do escape wouldn't really form alliances with other escapees, unless they banded together to escape or to defeat one common enemy.
But then again, the book is only offering options and ideas. If I'd run a Changeling the Lost campaign, I'd remove the Courts and the organized societies. I would like to have my player character be on the run all the time. Sure they'd meet other Changelings along the way, but they would be solitary characters who are suspicious and reluctant to offer help to them.
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