The way I look at it is that the novels provide a new perspective on how the world works. The Eberron novels in particular have been helpful. There’s lot of information about the political relationships of the nations and the Dragonmarked houses, but it wasn’t until I’d read a few of the novels that I really “got” it.

I suspect that the reason we don’t always get this information in a sourcebook before the novel comes out is because the author makes it up as he goes along. Then Wizards says “We can use this information and make another sourcebook.”

I can relate to your completeist nature (I too have this sickness). But in this case I think you’ll enjoy reading Queen of Stone first. It’s a good book and it really paints an excellent picture of Droaam.

For example, my only reason for reading Keith’s original series was to get a better sense of life in Sharn (the Sharn: City of Towers supplement had facts, not feeling), The Dreaming Dark (still rather vague topic at the time), Xen’drik/Stormreach (also vague at the time), and the drow. Secrets of Xen’drik and Secrets of Sarlona, hadn’t been published yet; had they been, I would have probably skipped over the novels. After reading The Gates of Night, I desperately wanted a v3.5 Planes of Eberron book, but that ended up being slated for a series of articles on the Eberron web site, which was cancelled when 4e was announced along with DDI. (I’d still love to see some sort of v3.5 compatible Planes of Eberron material. Not a fan of the 4e cosmology for Eberron.)

In the case of this book, I would have preferred to see the background information of House Tarkanan in the Eberron supplement Dragonmarked. Additionally, I’m a bit of a completist (it’s a sickness), and I’d feel compelled to read the first book before reading Son of Khyber, which means an even longer journey to get the background info I’d want.
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