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

Suggestions noted. To give me an idea, what kind of Star Wars book would you compare it to, Ruins of Dantooine simplicity, Han Solo Trilogy breeziness, Corellian Trilogy fair?

 

I would compare it more to The Bacta War. Good characterization, good action, good story but you're not really going to understand it if you haven't read the previous books.

 

Thanks. I'll see what I can do. Maybe something Underdark. I'm going to meet Phaere next time I play anyway.

 

I never finished the Exile series because I don't care for drow that much.

The Crystal Shard trilogy is in effect, the Thrawn trilogy of FR; in that it spawned some of the coolest characters and was in a universe Troy Denning wrote badly in too.

Drizzt = cools.

E_S

 

Never mind, move along.

 

Salvatore's Exile trilogy wasn't one of my favorites. But I really liked Homeland. It ws great seeing where Drizzt really came from.

Troy Denning wrote bad? I rather liked The Parched Sea, The Veiled Dragon, and Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad. I have to admit that I never really got into the Return of the Archmages trilogy.

What's the word on the Twilight Giants trilogy? I've got all the books but haven't gotten around to reading them.

 

Id say from a literary standpoint, The Dark Elf Trilogy is Salvatores' high water mark. Ive read all his stuff and his action writing really is unparalleled in everything he writes. Nobody gets the blood running like him, but as far as depth and texture in the story itself, The Dark Elf Trilogy is, IMHO, his finest works.

 

I would agree with that, I was fortunate enough to have friends start reading before me so they recommended that I read the Dark Elf Trilo first, and so far nothing Salvatore has done has been in that catorgory again IMO.

I was thinking that the Hunters Blade Trilo was getting close, but that last book was weak IMO. I hate the fact that Bruenor did not really die, it was such a weak reversal and it took a lot of emotion out of the books.

 

Yeah, Bruenor does that alot . R.A.'s greatest strength is the way he writes hand to hand combat and the character of Drizzit D'ourden . He can use Tolkiens fantasy sub-type forever ( and he does and will ) and as long as he keeps writing action sequences the way he does, with the enigmatic D'ourden, he'll continue to make a gazillion dollars, keep the very cool place that is the Forgotten Realms on the map, and keep WotC, or TSR, or whoever owns Gygaxs company now, well fed.

 

What's the timeline like in Faerun? Are books in continuity with each other, like SW? Or are stories all over the place?

 

There all over the place, set in different times in their history. Theres a little intertwining with the more popular storylines and characters that suggests a consistent time frame with those storylines and characters but Ive havent heard of a serious chronology having been done with the Realms but I havent really checked either. There was an friggin awesome D&D character profile and attributes book for the Forgetten Realms around 1990 that I cant find anywhere in my Moms house and I look for that kind of valuable crap everytime I visit her. Great drawings of all the major characters at that time - including a few that were still in conception. The short runned D.C. comic series wasnt bad either.

 

That could work to an advantage. But how varied is one Salvatore-Drizzt book to another? Reviews I've seen say it's just the usual kick-the-villian-butt action after another.

Say, any Forgotten Realms comics? I can't see anything from the Dabel Brothers' 2006 agenda. A holonet search turned up some old ones.

 

That sounds about right, after a while they do tend to run together a bit. There are a few highlites throughout the Drizzt series, but all the stuff in between tends to be the standard action filler.

It is written well though. I really like the way that Drizzt is the conflicted hero, he is kind of like Spiderman in a way, so even though there is tons of action you also get to know the personality of the charater really well.

 

Its forward moving with the exception of the Dark Elf trilogy but yes it is very formulaic like your describing. The character of the dark elf is really, really good - probably a classic, and I can deal with Salvatores writing enough to see where Drizzt will land. The comics are from the early 90's and I think there was less then thirty in the series, which was pretty good. It followed a Paladin and a Sorcerer and two other companions on different 5 volume adventures, if Im remembering correctly. They shouldnt be too hard to get.

 

Yeah, Bruenor dying would have aided greatly the conclusion of the Hunters Blade books.

Ex; there is a continuity which is updated in the Forgotten Realms sourcebooks; for example, when it first came out, King Obould-Many-Arrows' reign was kicking off momentum, and Hunters Blade was but one book in.

The current editions deal with the new major events, in the North, on the Sword Coast, in the lands around Cormyr, and down south to Calimport.

E_S

 

Good idea. A source book could be just what I'm after.

 

No need for a sourcebook, try this.

From what I can tell it is a fairly accurate picture of the Faerun's history, and as an added bonus they also tell you where the books fall in place in that timeline.

 

Cool. That looks interesting!

 

I just re-read the Icewind Dale books.

There, Gwenhwyvar is described as a he; but Gwen is a "she" from Legacy onwards.

Um, I realise it's a "Wonderous" Onyx Figure, but what happened there?

ES

 

There are FR comics? Whoa, I didn't know that. Are they by Marvel, Dark Horse or...? I'll try to get some.

There, Gwenhwyvar is described as a he; but Gwen is a "she" from Legacy onwards.
LOL; remember Elminster - people of Faerun tend to change their sexes from time to time.

 

I was looking into The Avatar Trilogy, the impetus of Shadows of Amn that I'm playing. When deities did something wrong and got kicked out of heaven. That sounds like an exciting storyline!

Only most reviews I've perused warn of a very mediocre writing at best, a half-job of characterisation at worst. eg, magic is running havoc, and no one's concerned they went through an upside down forest.

And this is becoming my overall impression of Forgotten Realm. It's fast and breezy with superficial depth. Is it?

 

Yea, pretty much. It's not ground breaking literature. No grand didactic points are made. Certainly none of these stories will win the Nobel prize for changing humanity. They are (dare I say it?) just fun adventure stories. Take that as you will.

 

I would agree with that, it is a fun story and the consequences and possibilities really draw you into the story, even though there are better written books to be found it was a fun read.

I always enjoy stories about the gods and how they mingle with the world, it was interesting but by the end of it all I just wanted Cyric and Mystra to be replaced. Everything they could have been, they are not, they are both wasted potential IMO. My faith was redeemed in Kelemvore by the end though, I like this new incarnation of him, so the series is not a total loss I guess.

 

They called the murder deity Bane in the series, when Shadows of Amn called him something else. Had a goofy voice in the game too.

 

Bane is actually the god of tyranny, strife, and hatred. Bhaal is the god of murder and assassins.