| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| silverwizard |
Posted - 24 Jul 2008 : 22:16:42
I was wondering, is there any Realms novel (apart from the ones featuring Erevis Cale) that kinda resembles the Thief computer game series in tone and feel?
Also, with the moderators' permission, I would like to ask our esteemed scribes not to limit their answers to the Realms. In other words: if you know of any similar work of fiction, even not related to the Realms, please do share that knowledge. |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Karzak |
Posted - 25 Jul 2008 : 21:20:14
I was going to recommend Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies (some of the best caper tales out there - equivalent Realms characters can only wish they were half as witty or entertaining as Locke), but they don't have much in common with the Thief games in "tone and feel," although you might still enjoy it. Pseudo-Renaissance pseudo-Venice for the first book, featuring a team of con artists headed by the titular Locke. Yeah, it's one of those "semi-selfish thief out for himself is dragged into an OMG EPIC AND CITY-THREATENING PLOT" (which is, oh, every fantasy story of this type ever), the characters are stock types that don't have much depth to them, and the plot is predictable as anything, but if you're reading Realms novels anyway, it's not like it's going to be a step down. Plus, the quality of prose and dialogue is well above that of your average Realms novel, as well as the vividness of the city. As long as you don't think too much, TLoLL is a fun, light read.
Alan Campbell's Scar Night is set in Deepgate, which does bear some resemblance to the City in the Thief games (it's sort of steampunk with sword and sorcery thrown in), and though there's no thief character, there's an assassin. Rachel Hael doesn't have much in common with Garrett, though. I liked her: she comes from a privileged family, and is what Thazienne Uskreven might have been like if Thazienne had been written well and weren't a walking list of cliches who never grows beyond being that.
I also have a feeling you might like the tone and feel, as well as the protagonist, of The Witcher. The RPG by CD Projekt, I mean, though there're books too. If you've read Erevis Cale, then - well, Geralt makes Cale look like a silly whining teenager who spends too much time on his ass wrapped up in the emo angsty darkness of his life. The author of the Witcher books and CD Projekt actually confronts you with a world where there's not much in ways of good and evil. Everyone is some shade of gray; Geralt's inclination toward picking no sides often makes things worse, not better, and hardly leaves him guiltless. One quest has you choose between a selfish witch and a bunch of villagers guilty of various crimes, great and petty (including but not limited to rape and murder. The witch knows about all this, and abetted in some of it). At one point you have to choose between two factions: fanatic knights or anti-human terrorists? Both are equally self-righteous, prejudiced and violent. There're several novels, but only one's been translated into English currently, titled The Last Wish. It suffers from flawed translation, much like the game, but as I said: no worse than the writing of Realms fiction. If you can read Erevis Cale without cringing (and I do cringe), this will present no obstacle.
I've read The Black Bouquet and Crimson Gold. The first I remember nothing about, which suggests it was very very bland, neither remarkable nor egregiously bad. Just flat. The second I didn't enjoy, since Thazienne is a boring stock figure and - unlike Locke Lamora and co - doesn't even have fun dialogue (or decent prose) to compensate for the fact.
Oh, there's also Assassin's Creed. I haven't played it or anything, so I've no idea if it's remotely close to what you're looking for. |
| Aulduron |
Posted - 25 Jul 2008 : 05:49:40
Ever read Thieves World? |
| The Red Walker |
Posted - 24 Jul 2008 : 23:35:50
Never played it, so I can't say for sure. I think the Rogues series is enjoyable for different reasons. The Black Bouquet has dealings with the worst types in a town full of thieves.
The Alabaster Staff has a couple of nice "thieving" scenes , but mostly about different factions trying to control an artifact for various reasons.
The Crimson Gold I am enjoying because it features Tazi Uskevran, one of my favorite rougues, getting into trouble in Thay.
The Yellow Silk , I have not read yet. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 24 Jul 2008 : 22:39:44
quote:
Originally posted by silverwizard
I was wondering, is there any Realms novel (apart from the ones featuring Erevis Cale) that kinda resembles the Thief computer game series in tone and feel?
Also, with the moderators' permission, I would like to ask our esteemed scribes not to limit their answers to the Realms. In other words: if you know of any similar work of fiction, even not related to the Realms, please do share that knowledge.
I have not read them, but I would not be surprised if the Rogues series has at least 1 or 2 (out of the 4) that does. Other scribes may have better analyses than I though. |
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