| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 30 Jan 2006 : 14:04:30
Well met
This is a Book Club thread for the short story entitled "The Bladesinger's Lesson", by Richard Baker, from the Realms of the Elves anthology.
Please discuss herein. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 02 Nov 2007 : 10:23:01
Not only that, but Sarya needed someone to fight for her. It wasn't about morality, it was about having bodies to put on the front lines. Devils may not have been the first choice, but they were readily available.
...But... We're straying from the topic.  |
| turox |
Posted - 02 Nov 2007 : 08:04:01
If I am remembering correctly, both Demons and Devils were trapped in MD without a way out. (Or was it just Demons that were trapped?) So the way I see it if you were trapped in with your enemy after a few centuries I would align with them just to find a way out, then I would continue putting them where they belong.  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 01 Nov 2007 : 23:56:46
quote:
Originally posted by HawkinstheDM
Also, I have not had the pleasure of reading The Last Mythal trilogy, so I do not know if this is a current theme in those novels.
It is. In the LM trilogy, demons and devils are both allied with the fey'ri (devil Malkizid works with half-demon Sarya), and that is a lore issue that other readers of the books have been upset by. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 01 Nov 2007 : 23:36:02
I really enjoyed this story, but did anyone else find it odd that the Fey'ri were allied with devils instead of demons? They are supposed to owe their fiendish bloodline to fornicating with demons, and normally, devils have nothing to do with demons or their spawn (other than to attempt to gut them and wear their entrails as jewelry), so why were they allied with the Fey'ri?
Also, I have not had the pleasure of reading The Last Mythal trilogy, so I do not know if this is a current theme in those novels. It was at the used book store last weekend, but I did not have the money to buy it.  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 01 Nov 2006 : 00:02:59
OK, I finished this story (and in the process, finally finished this anthology!). I have to say...it was actually pretty good. There were no parts of the story that I thought were boring, and I actually liked some of the characters, too. I really thought Nilsa should have gotten more screen time--especially considering the fact that she is so crucial to the plot--but what I did see of her made her both strong and sympathic. I'm not entirely sure why she would be chosen by the moonblade, because brave girls who defend their hometowns aren't exactly unique in the Realms...again, I really wished the story explored her character (and perhaps, her heritage) a bit more. There's only so much room in a novella, but still. The moonblade likes her character--give the reader a better glimpse at it, too.
The true nature of Lord Sarthos did surprise me...although at the same time, not really, since I've read the Last Mythal series. It's a device that's been used before, but I have to admit I didn't expect it. All in all, it was a good tale, and stands well enough on it's own. |
| Thangorn |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 20:19:01
quote:
So, there you go--I was using an older source for Mistledale and forgot to check more recent material. For what it's worth, I think the story still "works" if you assume it's "random small Mistledale village we never named before" rather than Glen. But I am sorry for making the mistake in the first place. I should have gotten it right.
Not a worry Richard. I assumed "a human village in the vicinity of Glen who call their village Glen aswell" when I read the story, theres some 5,000 people scattered all over that dale after all and that village couldnt have had more than 400 people who regularly visit/live in it.
It also made me think of when I was in Papua New Guinea, theres quite a few villages that have a 1 and 2 incidence in the Owen Stanley Ranges(eg. Efogi 1 and Efogi 2) they can be some 20km apart at times and the locals will just say they are from "Efogi" for example.
I think I'll add your little village in somewhere in my campaign since I liked the richness of your characters there.
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| RichardBaker |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 18:08:20
Thanks, Thangorn, I'm glad you liked the story!
Regarding Glen... I should've used another name for the village I had in mind. I'll explain how I made the goof: Back in 1992 I wrote the 2nd Edition FR supplement "Dalelands." In that book I described a number of small hamlets and villages throughout the Dales that hadn't ever been discussed before. (The Dales needed more villages and small towns, given the population and "feel" they were supposed to have.) So I came up with places like Glen and Peldan's Helm in Mistledale. When I wrote the Bladesinger's Lesson, I relied on my memory of "Dalelands" and a quick look at that sourcebook, not realizing that later products had come along and added even more detail to Glen. (Little description about Glen appears in "Dalelands", but I recall I wrote a paragraph or two for it that wound up not going into the sourcebook. That's the Glen I remembered.)
So, there you go--I was using an older source for Mistledale and forgot to check more recent material. For what it's worth, I think the story still "works" if you assume it's "random small Mistledale village we never named before" rather than Glen. But I am sorry for making the mistake in the first place. I should have gotten it right.
quote:
Originally posted by Thangorn
This was definitely the best of the bunch for my money. Character development was excellent and it kept me on the edge of my seat enough. I'm really interested to read more now..
only minor criticism I might have is what happened to Glen? I did some serious homework on this village as I am about to use it in my campaign.. where did my beloved dwarves go?
all in all, you outdid yourself again Richard. Well done.
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| Thangorn |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 11:29:10
This was definitely the best of the bunch for my money. Character development was excellent and it kept me on the edge of my seat enough. I'm really interested to read more now..
only minor criticism I might have is what happened to Glen? I did some serious homework on this village as I am about to use it in my campaign.. where did my beloved dwarves go?
all in all, you outdid yourself again Richard. Well done. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 02:07:15
Of course. My criticisms are what they are, a mix of positive and negative. I didn't insult anyone personally, so if anyone takes offense, they should think very carefully about why they are so offended. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 00:41:57
Let's try and keep things civil, okay?
If either of you intend to carry this "critical" discussion further, please do so through PMs and leave this scroll just for the discussion about the story itself.
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| Wandering_mage |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 00:08:24
Hello Rinonarlyrna. I have to say you drop some harsh criticism on this story whereas you speak well of other portions. I think we all know each author has his/her own particular strong points when writing and your criticism comes off a little like a newspaper critics view or something of the like. It almost seems a little adolescent how you try to describe Mr Baker's writing style at times like you are trying to prove some skilled proficiency at editing. Having read most of Mr Baker's books I think he is awesome and I can relate to what he emphasizes in his writing. He comes off as a fiction writer with a fine eye for the details that relate to making a scene feel the way he wants it to feel. He isn't Tennyson or Tolkien but he is a good writer. So enjoy his story and if you don't care for it oh well. It's just really sad that you should leave a message like, "...and I'll post more comments when I finish it." You aren't even finished and you criticize the story? Come on, that is a poor show of manners. Just be thankful you have the story to read about a fantasy world that we all share and love. You have nothing to prove either so relax.  I truly hope I did not insult you because that was not my intention. I just think you should tone it down.  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 29 Oct 2006 : 20:43:17
I'm about halfway through this story right now. I have to admit it is pulling me along, which perhaps is the most important thing for a story to do (dont bore the reader!).
I'll begin my comments by getting two things out of the way. Number one: it's no big secret around here that I do not like the Last Mythal series (neither the premise nor the actual writing), and since this story is somewhat connected to that larger story arc, I'm already prejudiced against it at least a little. That's just how it is, sorry, but I'm going to talk about the short story here, not the LM trilogy. Number two: it's also pretty well known that moonblade lore in this story is not to everyone's taste--I can't say I love it, myself, but I'm not fond of the original concept for moonblades to begin with, anyway, so again I'm just going to talk about the story and how entertaining it is rather than harp about moonblades and what they should and should not be.
Okay--like I said, I'm actually rather liking this story, and finding it pretty easy to get into. It's definitely the kind of story one can enjoy reading on a cold, blustery October night. Mr. Baker definitely has a knack for describing environments, and the prose in this story is not an exception to that. I don't care for the protagonist very much--Daried, a gold elven bladesinger--but I have to admit, I did feel sorry for him when he found that his house and the remains of his dead relatives had been looted and picked through like refuse. I would have been angry, too, so can't blame him for acting like an a-hole to many of the people he encounters later on. The little storytelling bit at the inn in the town of Glenn was interesting, and the idea that a hero to some might well be a "plundering villain", to someone else was not lost on me. I also liked how Daried totally underestimated the Chondathan mercenaries he had been trailing...that's just not something that happens OFTEN enough, for goodness sake! I really wish more "dirty, ugly, gruff, lowlife (and usually evil) mercenaries" turned out to have some real power, and give their opponents (usually golden heroes) a run for their lives (nevermind a run for their money). Very good twist there.
On to the stuff I don't care for so much. The dialogue here is just nothing to write home about, for the most part--very flat, to-the-point, and humorless. Also, Daried is as I alluded to above, a "golden hero"--in looks, at least, even if his manner is somewhat marred by prejudice. We are told that this person is exceedingly handsome, "even by the high standards of gold elves". That's just annoying. He's a gold elf, and so would be handsome to the eyes of most readers...just leave it at that. I guess just being your average, unbelievable gorgeous gold elf just isn't enough, Daried has to be even BETTER, like an angel. Another thing that annoyed me: the supposedly unbiased narrator mentions Daried's "perfect eyes" (almost undoubtedly in terms of appearance, not function). OK...as opposed to what, "imperfect eyes"? What do "perfect eyes" versus "imperfect eyes" look like on a gold elf? And why is the narrator so enamored of this character, that Daried is spoken of in such loving terms? Silly descriptions like that really need to go.
But all in all, it's a worthwhile story, and I'll post more comments when I finish it.
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| GothicDan |
Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 04:26:13
It's a 2E book, in which things like the Bladesinger were first introduced. |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 04:24:13
umm cool is there really such a book (ok if u're pulling my leg Dan i know i'm gonna look like a dork) if not where can i find it, arghh it sounds really cool. .. |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 23:35:37
Or, for a better look, check out Complete Book of Elves. :) |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:33:09
Well according to the latest class descriptions(whatever its worth) a bladesinger can only use his specialised abilities when holding a longsword or rapier in one hand (or in some cases elven thinblades and lightblades) and nothing else in the other. Bladesingers actually derived their name from the fact that they were so skillful that their blades "sang" in battle, whats known as the blade song is a kind of martial focus to attune themselves to their swords, u might wanna look at Fighters: The Bladesinger for a bit on that because that style is the same as what Mr Baker used. |
| ode904 |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:18:00
A fine story. My favourite character are those bladesinger spellblades etc. so story was read quite quickly too! And yes, name ''bladesinger'' means that the character uses a melee weapon and spells. Though I would say most of them use sword. A pity I don't have that Farthest Reach so I can't continue reading Last Mythal. I have Forsaken house, which I read in a blink of an eye, and Final Gate.. |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 19 Jul 2006 : 23:14:54
Not all Bladesingers used swords, so obviously the name does not just come from the sword. Originally, bladesinger lodges used any of a number of weapons. |
| Aaron L |
Posted - 19 Jul 2006 : 22:07:55
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
And why does a bladesinger fight silently, without the, um, blade song that only characterizes the entire class?
Because bladesingers dont actually sing? Thier swords hum as they cut the air, naming the technique.
Some hum a wordless tune matching the blades humming, but singing isnt part of the martial art. |
| El Magnifico Uno |
Posted - 30 Jun 2006 : 22:38:08
Read halfway thru this last night, and I gotta say I love the elven view of time vs humans.. The whole "I just left this place 70 years ago and it's ALREADY looted?! WTF?!" was a real nice twist.. And combine with that the realization that 3 generations of humans have passed since that time only reinforces the "timeless elf" image.. Thumbs up! |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 26 May 2006 : 23:56:09
Sigh. I wanted this one to be good, since I have, by and large, enjoyed Last Mythal, a series that has well-captured the feeling of various parts of the Realms.
So why couldn't Mr. Baker pay attention to 15+ years worth of established lore on moonblades?
And why is the dwarven town of Glen suddenly human?
And why does a bladesinger fight silently, without the, um, blade song that only characterizes the entire class? (though, to be fair, this may date back to RotAW, and therefore not be entirely Mr. Baker's fault)
If you entirely ignore the ending and turn the town into some other one, this is a great short story. As it stands, it's probably the worst in the anthology. |
| Tamsar |
Posted - 06 May 2006 : 13:23:26
Was Nilsa even a fully fledged half elf? I just took her to be a human with traces of elf blood in her ancestry. Either way a bloody good story. |
| dannyfu |
Posted - 11 Apr 2006 : 21:35:25
that is exactly how i feel about this story as well Swordsage. i'm a huge fan of the last mythal tril, but felt another half-elf moonblade wielder was all around lack-luster |
| Swordsage |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 10:56:34
I liked this story but struggled to come to terms with another half-elf being given a moonblade to wield. I've read Mr Baker's response to this event and basically it seems to come down to him making a literary choice because he could. Personally (and I know that my personal whims and desires aren't worth a hill of beans) I would have much preferred that the magical sword in question wasn't a moonblade, but rather another magical sword made especially for Daried's family. Mr Baker could have even tipped his hat and used the term "akin to a moonblade" and we all would have known what he was talking about and where he was going. It seems that with the advent of 3E the purpose of moonblades (to choose the ruler of the elves on Faerūn) has been lost. It's not a situation I'm comfortable with, I hate to say. Mr Baker is a creative force, I'm very much enjoying his Last Mythal trilogy, but it would have been nice to see him not go back to the well (being found worthy by a moonblade has already been done by Elaine Cunningham, twice: Arilyn and Elaith) and come up with something original. Still liked the tale and enjoyed Daried as a character.
The Swordsage
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| ShadowJack |
Posted - 04 Apr 2006 : 15:28:04
I just the anthology. Mr. Baker, what a great short story! I really enjoyed the way you developed Daeried. A noble sun elf who has honor, compassion and can learn hard lessons about "lesser" races. Even though he was never overtly prejudiced towards Moon elves, half-elves, or humans, he still thinks of them a little less than his own people. I loved the way he assumed that Nilsa was the product of a violent act againist an elf... The book never says, but yet he assumes it is true. I wonder what he will think if he finds out that Nilsa (hope I remembered her name right...) is a distant cousin? Maybe an old family secret from the last days of Cormanthor... I really am hungry for more adventures with Daerid, what a great portrayal of a Sun elf. Excellent! |
| dannyfu |
Posted - 08 Mar 2006 : 18:35:35
i know i'm a little late talking about this story so i apologize. if any of you have read my other posts you know that my absolute favorite story to talk about right now is the last mythal. i love it and i love all the characters richard has incorporated. i also enjoyed this story a great deal, but does anyone else besides me feel that another female half-elf moonblade wielder was a little lack luster as far as twist surprises go??
some of you also showed interest in seeing more of this character in future stories. for me, with so many character possiblities based on D&D races and classes to write about, this just seems redundant to me. |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 04 Mar 2006 : 17:41:20
This was a fantastic story and just oozed the feel of the Realms
The start of the story was just beautiful. The feeling of being there in the manor was perfect and I totally drawn in the whole time. The click of the devils claw on the flagstone which alerted Daried was a great way to drop the tension and change the pace of the scene too.
I also loved the scene at Glen and the tavern scene was one of the best tavern scenes i've read. The interaction between the innkeeper and the character with the pipe (sorry, don't recall his name), was very well done. I got a true feel of the tavern here. Excellent.
I thought Daried's character was very well portrayed as a typical elf, with his views on the amount of wood used to build the tavern and then with his view of half-elves when he met Nilsa.
Again, another great scene when he found the camp. Sarthos was a great character too, and the scene where Daried thought he couldn't be seen when he stepped into this tent was very tense.
Fantastic story. Rich sure does great elven tales  I wish again that this story was the start of a complete novel rather than just a short
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| darkcrow |
Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 04:10:41
I think Daried's lesson was to never under estimate your enemy ( nor your ally ) for they just might be more than what they seem. And he learned that lesson at least three times in this story. |
| bedhead782001 |
Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 00:26:33
What i liked about this story was how the noble sun elf learned that humans aren't what he thought them to be: "I am sorry that I did not think betterof your people(dalefolk) before I had the honor to fight alongside them." To me this quote reveals that the Daried learned that you can judge a human till you meet them. Plus the fact he return the moonblade to Nilsa when she offered it to him at the end of the story should the amount of growth that Daried went through in the story. |
| darkcrow |
Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 00:00:22
I've just finished The Bladesinger's Lesson and I really enjoyed reading it. I feel that the moonblade activated it powers because Nilsa happens to be a part of the Morvaeril bloodline. And if this is true (which I believe it is) then I hope to read more about it in future tales. A great story Richard. Thanks for yet another great read. |
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