| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 22:02:15
I am curious about what others think of some of the recent Realms Trilogies like: Chosen of Nendawen, the Lady Penitent, Blades of the Moonsea, and the Empyrean Odyssey. I haven't read any of these yet so please don't give away anything specific. Just really trying to get a feel for what to read next.  |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 16 Oct 2011 : 12:21:31
quote:
Originally posted by entreri3478
I am curious about what others think of some of the recent Realms Trilogies like: Chosen of Nendawen, the Lady Penitent, Blades of the Moonsea, and the Empyrean Odyssey. I haven't read any of these yet so please don't give away anything specific. Just really trying to get a feel for what to read next.
I have read them all.
Chosen of Nendawen & Blades of the Moonsea are really good.
Lady Penitent and Empyrean Odyssey are alright.
YMMV |
| Dennis |
Posted - 16 Oct 2011 : 09:01:31
Agreed, Wooly. That is one of the many reasons the said series failed to endear itself to me. I also found most of the main hero's exploit verging on the impossible. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 17:20:27
quote:
Originally posted by entreri3478
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
quote:
Dennis
If you’ve read [nearly] all the fantasy novels published in the last four decades, you’ll see that ALL classes [types of characters] are overdone.
Worse than that, the character builds are increasingly more exotic and sophisticated. Who wants to read or write about (or play) a basic "elf fighter/mage" without specifying a detailed and fantastic hybridized bloodline, without a complex optimized collection of multiclass or prestige class abilities, without pages of unique magical tools and powers? I sometimes wonder where all the simple fighters and thieves are, logic suggests they're the most common adventurers around but the reality is that they're something more like an endangered species. The novels constantly glorify the newest and most exciting (and for a time, game-breaking) options, they don't center stories around staple characters.
The Realms novels of late do tend to favor the ultra-fantastic. I actually miss the "normal" characters from the Realms novels of the 90's. Those characters always seemed like they could be picked from nearly ANY gaming group and thrown into a novel; which made it more "down to Earth/Toril" for me.
One of my few complaints about the Rogue Dragon books was the overly exotic composition of the party. I don't mind the exotic, but I prefer that it be the exception instead of the rule... Like my minotaur PC, that I ported to the Realms as an NPC -- I crafted a party of NPCs for him to be a part of, and aside from him, the only thing exotic is this strange animal thing that one of the characters has. The rest of his group is a human, a couple of half-elves, and a dwarf. |
| Marc |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 16:18:18
I know one, A Dance with Dragons, instead of dealing with battles you get diarrhea |
| Dennis |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 14:48:12
They're going with the trend in fantasy literature. These days, you can hardly find a fantasy novel that doesn't deal with epic battles. And it's not bad in itself. I've enjoyed many. |
| Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 14:33:02
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
quote:
Dennis
If you’ve read [nearly] all the fantasy novels published in the last four decades, you’ll see that ALL classes [types of characters] are overdone.
Worse than that, the character builds are increasingly more exotic and sophisticated. Who wants to read or write about (or play) a basic "elf fighter/mage" without specifying a detailed and fantastic hybridized bloodline, without a complex optimized collection of multiclass or prestige class abilities, without pages of unique magical tools and powers? I sometimes wonder where all the simple fighters and thieves are, logic suggests they're the most common adventurers around but the reality is that they're something more like an endangered species. The novels constantly glorify the newest and most exciting (and for a time, game-breaking) options, they don't center stories around staple characters.
The Realms novels of late do tend to favor the ultra-fantastic. I actually miss the "normal" characters from the Realms novels of the 90's. Those characters always seemed like they could be picked from nearly ANY gaming group and thrown into a novel; which made it more "down to Earth/Toril" for me. |
| Tyrant |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 03:58:48
The only one of those that I have read is Blades of the Moonsea and I enjoyed it. I agree with Diffan on the Moonsea/Hulburg lore. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 03:10:28
quote:
Dennis
If you’ve read [nearly] all the fantasy novels published in the last four decades, you’ll see that ALL classes [types of characters] are overdone.
Worse than that, the character builds are increasingly more exotic and sophisticated. Who wants to read or write about (or play) a basic "elf fighter/mage" without specifying a detailed and fantastic hybridized bloodline, without a complex optimized collection of multiclass or prestige class abilities, without pages of unique magical tools and powers? I sometimes wonder where all the simple fighters and thieves are, logic suggests they're the most common adventurers around but the reality is that they're something more like an endangered species. The novels constantly glorify the newest and most exciting (and for a time, game-breaking) options, they don't center stories around staple characters. |
| Therise |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 02:31:08
quote:
Originally posted by MrHedgehog
The Lady Penitent Series was very well written and engaging. I think Lisa Smedman is the best Forgotten Realms author (That i've read).
I really loved the Lady Penitent series also. I didn't like the final outcome (what happened to Eilistraee and Qilue, mostly), but overall it's one of my favorite trilogies. Smedman is terrific.
My absolute favorite trilogy has to be Cunningham's Starlight and Shadows series. The development of Liriel from her own culture through the severe culture shock of learning how to truly love someone, it was perfect.
Recent novels, I'd have to go with Greenwood's new Elminster series. It reminds me of the fun and adventurous old days, filled with humor and mystery. It's not so ungodly heavy and serious as most of the new 4E novels, and it doesn't try to get the reader to identify with some inhuman deva or silly genasi type of main character. Thank goodness for Greenwood, if anyone can repair the Realms it's him.
|
| MrHedgehog |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 23:54:25
The Lady Penitent Series was very well written and engaging. I think Lisa Smedman is the best Forgotten Realms author (That i've read). |
| Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 14:40:58
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I read books 1 and 2 and a few chapters of book 3 of the Blades of the Moonsea trilogy. I really enjoyed them as each book has a different take and style (not in writing but in plot) that kept me motivated and intrigued. It's a novel shock full of lore from the Moonsea area and a city of Hullburg (which I didn't know existed prior to the novel).
I haven't read any other books that you listed so your guess is as good as mine.
Thanks for your opinions everyone! |
| Diffan |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 14:34:05
I read books 1 and 2 and a few chapters of book 3 of the Blades of the Moonsea trilogy. I really enjoyed them as each book has a different take and style (not in writing but in plot) that kept me motivated and intrigued. It's a novel shock full of lore from the Moonsea area and a city of Hullburg (which I didn't know existed prior to the novel).
I haven't read any other books that you listed so your guess is as good as mine. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 05:03:29
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Your preferences leave little room for anything other than wizards and liches, Dennis. While mine lean towards the opinion that wizards have been overdone (and priests and bards a little overdone too) so we need more of everything else; ie, fighters and barbarians and rogues.
Rangers are hard to pull off, since Drizzt has basically already done it all. Paladins and cavaliers tend to be a bit overbearing and stuffy, although some interesting characters might emerge. Monks and druids haven't really been heavily explored, at least not beyond secondary or supporting roles. Aside from a few exceptions who are - surprise! - only exciting because of their wizard class levels.
Having said all that, I think the last thing we need in the Realms is more meddling Harpers and suicidally noble champions of Lathander. I'd even prefer to read about tieflings.
If you’ve read [nearly] all the fantasy novels published in the last four decades, you’ll see that ALL classes [types of characters] are overdone.
Wizards, necromancers and liches influence my choice for picking an FR novel to read. But in other settings, I apply certain exceptions. There a plethora of fighters in Steven Erikson’s Malazan novels, but I read them still and quite enjoyed some. A number of Raymond E. Feist’s novels feature thieves and rogues and princes with no magical abilities whatsoever as main characters, and yet I had fun reading them. Maybe someday I would exercise the same exception in choosing FR books. [Though it’s probably a long shot.] |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 04:50:22
Your preferences leave little room for anything other than wizards and liches, Dennis. While mine lean towards the opinion that wizards have been overdone (and priests and bards a little overdone too) so we need more of everything else; ie, fighters and barbarians and rogues.
Rangers are hard to pull off, since Drizzt has basically already done it all. Paladins and cavaliers tend to be a bit overbearing and stuffy, although some interesting characters might emerge. Monks and druids haven't really been heavily explored, at least not beyond secondary or supporting roles. Aside from a few exceptions who are - surprise! - only exciting because of their wizard class levels.
Having said all that, I think the last thing we need in the Realms is more meddling Harpers and suicidally noble champions of Lathander. I'd even prefer to read about tieflings. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 04:39:35
I picked up the first book of Chosen of Nendawen because I liked Mark Sehestedt's previous books. I haven't started yet, my reading backlog hasn't budged.
I recommended Frostfell to a friend and he kept falling asleep. He never finished and said he donated it to the library. Different folks, different strokes. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 04:30:11
Chosen of Nendawen- Pass. Barbarians don't have a place in my heart.
Lady Penitent- Pass. Doesn't sound interesting to me. Priests tend to bore me.
Blades of the Moonsea - Pass. In my vocabulary, fighters and barbarians are synonymous.
Empyrean Odyssey - Read Book 2 and stopped at page 50-something. Boring. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 02:15:14
quote:
Originally posted by entreri3478
I am curious about what others think of some of the recent Realms Trilogies like: Chosen of Nendawen, the Lady Penitent, Blades of the Moonsea, and the Empyrean Odyssey. I haven't read any of these yet so please don't give away anything specific. Just really trying to get a feel for what to read next.
I enjoyed all of those, but Blades of the Moonsea was particularly excellent IMO. |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 22:12:33
LP has a bad taste in most people's mouth.
I wanted to read the chosen of nendawen but life issues are currently in the way of even getting a DDI account for a moth or three
nor have I read the empyrean oddyssey, wanted to, but I think that wsa around the time I lost my previous job.
never got back to around it
as for BotM.... not gotten around to it either.
on the otherhand, the ones for transition trilogy is pretty good |
