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

I'm slowly exploring what I can of the Realms. I'm interested in trying at least one book, though I already know what I'll be reading, experienced as I am with Star Wars. I probably won't be able to avoid the dreaded elfs, but something sans dragons is equably preferable. My key advantage is that as a new entrant regurgitated material would be new material for me. Where do I choose . . .

What's Denning's books like there?

 

Try Doug Niles Moonshae trilogy. Its the first and most underrated of the Realms books and maybe the most original as well as the most adult oriented. Personally I think Salvatores Dark Elf Trilogy transcends the Tolkien influenced, Gary Gygax D&D format of the Realms and even the fantasy genre in general, but you said no elves so try Moonshae.

 

Suggestion noted. Will look into it.

Moonshae, the first Realm titles ever published, right?

 

I'd also say the Realms Of books have some decent short stories in them. Realms of Magic, Realms Of valor, Realms Of Infamy and so on.

 

Moonshae, the first Realm titles ever published, right?





Sort of. The first Forgotten Realms book published was Darkwalker On Moonshae, book one of The Moonshae Trilogy, in 1987. And that book by itself is good read. The next book from Forgotten Realms is Salvatores' The Crystal Shard, in 1988.

 

Was reading a preview of Salvatore's latest trilogy, the one called Promise of the Witch King? Where Entreri and the night elf are hunted by a lich. The way he wore magic-abosrbing gloves, or anti-magic missile neclace, it's right out of a Realms game. It's one thing to kill a lich, challenging as that is, and then seeing it speak to you.

 

Theres no doubt that the Realms books translate into role playing games. Its their formula, actually, but there are some good writers that made their name under the TSR/Wizards of The Coast logo, particularly Salvatore, Greenwood, Denning, Weiss, Hickman, and Niles. Salvatore, Weiss, and Hickman were the first multi-millonaire author to come out of the Tolkien/D&D inspired literary boom that started in the late 80's. Salvatore and his creation, Drizzt, have become a cottage industry. It wouldnt suprise me at all if anyone at all is thinking about making a film about the dark elf.

 

There have been times when an author says the title of a particular magic item, and it does not come across well as written in the story, it sounds like a game stat. Others have been better about this by simply describing the effect as it occurs rather than rattle off the name of the item. It's an old writer's rule: Show, don't tell.

 

Yes, its true, the better writers disguise the role playing aspects as well as differentiating themselves as much as possible with LotR, but its not like the TSR is a breeding ground for future Pulitzer Prize winners. Most of the Forgotten Realm and Dragonlance narrative reads like a LotR Mad Lib - which is the idea behind D & D. Salvatore, Weiss, and Hickman are above average fantasy authors but no ones confusing them with Shakespeare, or even Stephen King, although Im seeing that Salvatore is receiving grand revisionistic treatment already in his relatively short career by alot of established literary circles. He does indeed write magnificent action sequences as well as likable characters - I wasnt just imagining that when I was eleven.

 

I've read a number of FR and Dragonlance novels (mostly the former), and I've also read a lot of better quality Fantasy.

It seems to me like FR and all other forms of D&D Fantasy are sort of B-grade Fantasy. I haven't read a single FR novel that could match even the worst David Gemmell novel (and Gemmell doesn't even go as far out there as FR does).

But, for B-grade Fantasy, some of the stuff is decent. But, like SW novels, you get your mix of good writers and absolutely horrible writers (like that dude who wrote the Baldur's Gate novelizations ).

My favorite FR novels are all written by Salvatore. I have fond memories of Homeland and Legacy especially.

In regards to Drizzt, he was cool for the first three trilogies (a pretty good run), but then Salvatore kept doing the on-again-off-again thing with Cattie-brie, trying to play an annoying soap opera card that made me lose interest in his writing and his characters.

I don't think my interest in him has ever been rekindled. I gave him a try again last year by reading The Hunter's Blades trilogy. Of the three of them, The Lone Drow seemed to have the most character development (*gasp* character development in a Salvatore Drizzt novel? OMG! ), but then it all seemed to amount to nothing come the third book.

I used to be a pretty hardcore Drizzt fan back in the day, but I've now come to find the current state of the character and his series to be rather lame and stupid.

This last trilogy had potential, and there were some really good parts, but, as usual, everything ended up like a 60's Batman episode--everything's good and dandy! ...until next time...maybe.

I kind of wanted to stop reading, but old loyalty kept me pushing on.



Has anyone read those War of the Spider Queen novels that Salvatore is supervising? How are they?



EDIT:

Before some really hardcore Drizzt/Salvatore fans bash me for incorrectly assessing that the Hunter's Blades Trilogy ended with everything being okay, I understand what didn't turn out perfect and happy, but the little tragedies still seemed lame...another try for a soap opera following.

 

I'm thinking of getting The Dark Elf Trilogy, or Homeland, at least. The storyline looks good, I just have to decide in what boxed set or boxed cover edition suits my nitpicky fany.

Say, isn't the thread title misspelled?

 

I'm thinking of getting The Dark Elf Trilogy, or Homeland, at least. The storyline looks good, I just have to decide in what boxed set or boxed cover edition suits my nitpicky fany.



Its the one trilogy in the Forgotten Realms that can stand alone as " classic " fantasy.

 

Oh I love these books the only ones I have read though are the Dark Elf Trilogy, the Icewid Dale Trilogy, the Avatar Trilogy, and the Magehound Trilogy.

All of them were great and Bruenor Battlehammer has got to be the coolest dwarf ever

 

I did some snout sniffing in store, and many Realms books are formated with pretty small font. If I want The Dark Elf Trilogy, I'm going to have to get the 3-in-1 omnibus edition. This will be my frst trade paperback. Big, but so is the print.

Anyone read Troy Denning's Beyond the High Road? I can get it dirt cheap but so is the Aust cover, compared to the radiant American one. The outrage!

How about The Wizards: Darkvision. Is that any good?

 

I loved Dennings works in The Avatar series.

 

I have read most of Icewinddale Tril.

I really liked it I found the first two books very good but not as good as Dragon Lance.

I did have to put down the book though because Bruenor encountered a "Giant Spider" and I just could not handle that again. Not that I am afraid of spiders or anything just that I was tired of reading fantasy books with giant damn spiders in them!

I made it through Shelob just fine. Then I believe that I had read another 2 or 3 fantasy books and more spiders popped up so when I got to book 3 of Icewinddale was just sick of it them.

I have been considering finishing it though after House of Chains because I have something like 15 or so FR books from the SFBC and I have only read those two to completion.

 

That's the thing about FR, they love those spiders; the books, the rpg, and the games.

 

Yeah they are everywhere in Neverwinter Nights!

 

Yes I love that game, BTW has any one heard anything about the Neverwinter Nights 2 release date? All I know is that there is supposed to be one coming out not when.

Bruenor has got to be one of my favorite characters of all time, I try to make my D&D Dwarven characters like him

 

I just exited the drow city and the Underdark yesterday---ran into what I presume was Drizzt and the gang. Some halfling, Bruenor and Cattie. They bantered about the barbarians's something turning pink, he argued it was red, and evenbtually they bothered to notice I and my compamions were waitig to be spoken to.

Is this what they do all the time?

There was a dialogue option to remind him he we'd met some earlier game and locked swords. I sensed that would not have been a smart idea, and got his help to kill some vampire I'll be fighting next instead.

 

He gets irritated if you say that, but doesn't necessarily fight you (though you can, if you like). They're pretty tough, but not nearly as bad as in BG1 (fighting some level 15 ranger with a few level 4 characters means instant death unless you perform some trickery.)

 

I love Regis the halfling (aka Rumblebelly anohter great character from the Icewind Dale Trilogy

I don't remember much about Neverwinter any more, I haven't played it in a while

 

I started playing it again yesterday because of you'se talking about it. Great, great game.

 

Yeah I haven't had the spare time to play it again lately, I have been busy with school and working full time my spare time is usually spent IMing people and working in Photoshop or Illustrator

 

Heresy! We're talking about Baldur's Gate 2, not Neverwinter Nights