Amph The Realm of Fae'Run: Forgotten Realms discussion (Books, games etc)

I liked Promise a lot. It's been described as a lot "tighter" than his other stuff, especially in light of the Hunter's Blades. It's basically a dungeon crawl, but with the added purpose of seeing where Entreri's emotional and psychological development is going. There are a couple of pretty good dialogue scenes between him and Jarlaxle, and a lot of action scenes. Some have complained that it just seems like a bunch of fight scenes strung together, but all in all I think it's fun, and watching Entreri's character development is always a treat. A lot of supporting characters, some more interesting than others, and there is a bigger story arc concerning local power struggles that sort of takes a backseat to the rest of the action but is brought to the fore at the end.

I'm actually pretty fond of Denning, but I think the reason we haven't seen much of Salvatore is the backlash after Vector Prime. It's a shame, really, but he's thinking of doing another DemonWars novel soon.

 

I have to admit that I've never really liked the Artemis character. I don't know why but there just doesn't seem to be much to him. That said, I haven't read Promise yet and I doubt I will until it comes out in paperback. Is Entreiei's character expanded beyond just him being an assassin?

 

Have you read Salvatore's short stories in the more recent "Realms of..." anthologies (Realms of Shadows, Best Of the Realms, and Realms of the Dragons, in that order)? They basically have Entreri trying hard to maintain the personality he has, but being drawn - or forced - by Jarlaxle to start changing his behavior a little bit at a time, since he's left his old high-paying lifestyle behind and is out on the frontier. In the Dragons story he gets what seems like a relatively minor item, that he hangs on to throughout Promise, and some people are actually complaining/worrying over at the rasalvatore.com boards that due to its influence, Entreri might start getting soft. Things are changing with him, I think, though he still has his share of he's-annoying-so-maybe-I'll-just-kill-him thoughts, I admit. If you haven't read the short stories and have no particular desire to, I guess I can summarize them.

 

I have to admit that the short story format is probably my least favorite in literature. I typically don't go looking to buy those antholigies. So a summary of those stories would be great!

 

I know what you mean. Only reason I started was to keep up with Entreri. Sometimes I do find other things that are interesting, and it seems that more and more the authors are using them to set up or clarify things for future novels.

Anyway:

***SPOILERS***












Realms of Shadow: "That Curious Sword" - Entreri and Jarlaxle have made it pretty far north since the events of Servant of the Shard, to Heliogabalus in Vaasa. While they're in a tavern waiting for what they ordered, Entreri shouts at the serving girl that she's "taking far too long!" Jarlaxle says "You've flustered her," and suggests that a man like Entreri doesn't need to sink to the level of yelling at bar wenches. Entreri gets up, starts walking across the room, stares down anyone who gets in his way, and when he reaches the girl gets down on one knee, gives her a gold coin, and sort-of-apologizes. Jarlaxle laughs. Then they're approached for a job to steal a figurine; they break into the second-story apartment where it's supposed to be, and are caught in a trap by a shade with hounds. Entreri kills the shade with his dagger and absorbs some of his essence, making his skin a little gray. Jarlaxle suggests that he'll be an even better assassin now, and it turns out that Charon's Claw is a Netherese artifact the shade was trying to get his hands on. It now responds better to Entreri.

Best of the Realms: "Empty Joys" - A curious Jarlaxle and a bored Entreri team up temporarily with some wannabe highwaymen. At this point Entreri has realized that his absorption of the shade's essence seems to have slowed his aging, and Jarlaxle's given him a new shirt with metal threading to replace his leather armor. Entreri suffers a rare bout of introspection and also realizes that he seems to have no real reason to stick with Jarlaxle, and in fact suspects that one day Jarl'll get them into a situation out of which there is no escape, but seems resigned to the fact that Jarlaxle is his friend, and he can't quite give that up. After a couple of tendays, the highwaymen have succeeded only in capturing a baker; they were going to kill him but Jarlaxe convinced them to spare him, tasted a cookie, and demanded he stay on. Entreri is growing increasingly agitated, although Jarlaxle is having his fun messing with their heads in gambling. Finally, the bandits bring in two fishermen's daughters. While they're all distracted, Jarl gives Entreri the body language suggesting "have it your way," and they kill or disable all the highwaymen. Jarlaxle announces "You're a hero!" to Entreri, who can't quite bring himself to care. We learn that Kimmuriel Oblodra's been meeting periodically with Jarl to give him new trinkets or replace existing ones, so that Jarl can keep Entreri off-balance. Jarlaxle keeps the bird-summoning feather in his hat; he's grown fond of it. The story ends with Jarlaxle deciding he should find Entreri a woman, and also deciding to set the baker, Piter, up with a proper shop.

Realms of Dragons: "Wickless in the Nether" - Entreri and Jarlaxle have been contacted through covert means to find their way to a meet point in the woods. Across from a shop selling gold stuff is a shop selling silver stuff; their clue is in the shop selling silver, and leads them to a simple cabin inhabited by a plain woman, who runs the silver shop. Her sister runs the gold shop, lives in a tower outside the city, and possesses a simple but elegant flute that the plain woman, Tazmikella, wants. Her sister is keeping it from her out of spite, she says. Jarlaxle acquaints himself with the sister, Ilnezhara, at an event in the city behind the scenes, while Entreri infiltrates the tower. Naturally, it's ostentatious, and Ilnezhara is gorgeous. She's also a step ahead of them; they get into a sticky situation and she sends them to kill Tazmikella. They figure something's not quite right, so they try to be the ones asking questions, for once. It ends with them learning that both sisters are dragons (Entreri's pissed at Jarlaxle for gett

 

I'm tediously playing though this Shadows of Amn, and know I will meet this Drizzt and co in a later assault on a major villain. The world seems large and rich in depth, but it's still generic fantasy. Forgotten Realms is every aspect of fantasy in one---vampires, dragons, elfs and all the other visceral cliche. I can see how it could be popular a decade ago, even half that, but compared to some of today's leading names like Erikson---whom I consider the master chef of fantasy---it pales. FR is just quick, light reading; even worse, you must adhere to how certain species must look and act. I'm now aware how duegar-class dwarfs and drow-class elfs will act in a book, because I just met them during the week, but I fear you're limited to what you can do and use when writing that series.

Like Dragonlance, are you not reading the same thing time and again?

 

Thanks BroodingLion! I realy appreciate the run downs of the different stories

Ex- It's fun stuff to read and that's all that really matters to me. Have you actually read any of the books?

 

Not at the moment, I have 9 alone waiting on my shelf. I did look the home site up and researched feedback in the Ampitheatre forum, but it wasn't enough. I dislike the typical fantasy cliche (elfs, dwarfs, dragons, orcs) so what fantasy I can read is very limited. What do you recommend as the best written FR book, Zebra?

 

The War of the Spider Queen series really has been quite different as far as Forgotten Realms goes, so you might like those books. Most of the main characters are Drow and there is very little goodness in the books at all. So there are no true heroics, it's everyone for themselves, the two leaders are constantly plotting to kill eachother, everyone betrays everyone else, there's quite a bit of homosexuality, most of the ones in charge are all female and they have secretely lost most of their powers. So, it's really pretty good if you're looking for some more edgy FR books.

here are the books in order:

Dissolution
Insurrection
Condemnation
Extinction
Annihilation
Resurrection

 

I've read the books focusing on Drizzt and Co. books from Crystal Shard onward and enjoyed most of them. But this most recent Hunter's Blade Trilogy was very dissapointing. Nothing new at all. Meh, another invasion.

You also meet him in Baldur's Gate 1, but very briefly. If you happen to kill him and steal his stuff, then take your character over to Baldur's Gate 2, him and his friends will kick your ass

 

Paul S. Kemp's Erevis Cale trilogy is on the grittier end of the FR spectrum; I like that a lot. There are some other books/shorts that feature some of the characters, but over on the RASalvatore.com boards Kemp is great about answering questions and all that. Erik Scott de Bie's debut novel Ghostwalker is great too.

 

The D&D game. Baldur's Gate II. You simply must play it. One of the best computer RPGs ever.

 

I know, FlareStorm. And he'll get hostile if you have his same name too, I heard! But I'll need him when assaulting Bodhi. Despite being an Undead Hunter Paladin, I just realised turning undead can scare low-level vampires away! They wouldn't approach my party yesterday!

Not the best, Svebor. Whilst KOTOR is designed for those who've never played a RPG game, Baldur's Gate 2 assumes you have, and the walkthrough is useless. Good game with good depth, I admit, but it can be utterly overwhelming for newcomers, as it was for me. I still don't understand spells, so hardly used them. That's right---I killed the famous Kangaxx and Red Dragon without spells.

Homosexuality in the Spider Queen septrilogy, Zebra? That's something I don't want. Curious, I've never seen a single review mention it.

 

You'll get a bit in Baldur's Gate 2, if you take Imoen into the Underdark and make the right choices. Alas, it's all hinted to and off screen...

(I actually might be totally wrong. I know its in the novelization, but I think its in the game)

 

Well you asked for something different Anyway, it's not much of a big deal storywise. Quenthel, the high priestess and one in charge of the party, is seduced by the battle prisoner (Danifae) of one of the other priestesses (Halisstra) on her orders. This all creates an interesting twist on who's loyal to who and who's really pulling the strings in the group. It's all just normal politics in Drow society

 

Ah, lesbianism then, is it? That's more readable for a man, then man-man relationships. Did Salvatore show it, or just tell it? If it's engaged to the plot, then, that's not as gratuitous . . .

 

Call me totally nutty, but I thought you'd say something like that

That subplot begins in Insurrection, by Thomas M. Reid, book two of the series, and he went for a 'show don't tell' policy with it. The other authors did a good gob with it too and didn't make it nasty. Salvatore didn't write any of the books but I'm pretty sure he was the main editor for keeping te story in line.

 

There is an entry in the Forgotten Realms campaign book for the city of Eversult where the city's female leader has a female consort and travelling campanion. Lesbians are all the rage.

 

What? I'm not into lesbianism. I raged over Martin's two totally and pointless moments in Storm of Swords. I'm just saying what man is going to read an ongoing homosexual relationship over a les show? Only the most free-minded intellectual.

Okay, I thought Salvatore did those books. I should have known; he's done so many Drizzt he couldn't have had time for 6 Spider Queens. Oh, Erikson hinted once in books 3 and 4 of lesbian romance, but never more than a offhand comment. That's okay.

 

Is that with the Drow woman that you have to rescue? I don't think it's in the game (though she does hit on your male character) but it has been a good while since I've played it.

I've heard the novelisations are absolutely dire...are they?

 

In a manner of speaking . . . yes. And the forthcoming Bane book is done by the same author. But benefit of the doubt.

 

I did get a bit worried when I saw he'd written the ToB novel, which is panned the most. But KOTOR was good, so hopefully he's decent.

 

The Throne of Ball's main character was called Abdul! And his chosen romance was Jaheria, I hear.

 

The Jaheria romance is really hard to pull off; if she dies, it resets even if you resurrect her. I've only managed it once; but getting Aerie knocked up and desperately in love with you is easy.

I played Undead Hunter alot, Ex, because frankly avoiding level drain was worth it a little but Carsomyr = rock. You do however turn undead equivalent to a Cleric two levels below yours as a rule for paladins. Oh, and please tell me Ex you kept rerolling stats until you were above 17 for everything?

I actually didn't mind Hunters Blade, Flarestorm, but I think it would have been far more enjoyable had Bruenor Battlehammer stayed dead, or at least died towards the end. The only "major" death was, IIRC, Delly which is meh.

E_S

 

That's why I pestered the Games forum with so many questions half a year back---I knew nothing about this stupid game, and the PDF "manual" tells you nothing you need to know. Like why I could change my attribute stats like you said when starting out. KOTOR, you are showed how to play in the Endar Spire, but this game assumes you are a DaD vetran and past Baldur's Gate player. I was neither.

But honour and stubborness demands I strike to the end, and thus far, I've spelled maybe twice. Oh, I killed the Twisted Rune at Level 12-13, but not without cost. I'll come back later, after the Underdark. When I'm even stronger.

I'm concerned that a life overview of Darth Bane could make the book too quick paced. It reminds me of Crispin trilogy.

But after Luceno's Dark Lord, is it really about Bane? Vader was hardly in his.