| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Matt128 |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 04:55:18
Hi everybody, I have played and beaten baldur's gate series and icewindale nwn, I'm just curious what book I should start with? I really want to get into reading forgotten realms novels but don't know where to start, I don't want to jump in cold. I know R.A Salvatore and ed. greenwood write novels Im sure there are other authors that write FR novels. I know somewhat of the history of FR but not to much. Any advice for someone who has played some FR games but no sure where to start like should I start from the very beginning? If so where is that? I also heard drizzt series is very good. |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Matt128 |
Posted - 13 Oct 2010 : 02:44:26
hmmm this will take some pondering. thank you all for all the advice. if you have any more feel free to post because i have yet to decide which one or have not yet purchased any novels but plan on doing so soon. |
| brando |
Posted - 20 Sep 2010 : 03:35:59
I started off with Spellfire, it is still one of my favorite novels. Other recommendations would be to read some of the Realms Anthologies, many of the stories are great and then from there you can find a few authors to follow up on. R.A. Salvatore, Elaine Cunningham, and Paul S. Kemp are some of my favorites personally. |
| wintermute27 |
Posted - 19 Sep 2010 : 05:01:32
Good to know. My exploration into the Forgotten Realms novels is long overdue. I read Icewind Dale in middle school back before I had even heard of the Forgotten Realms, then last year I started reading Ed's novels. I got through Spellfire, Cormyr: a Novel, the Elminster series, and Knights of Myth Drannor and now I crave more. During the aforementioned trip to the book store I also picked up Crown of Fire and Beyond the High Road to add to my reading queue. If anyone lives in the area, Mr. Mike's Used Books in Cary, NC has a rather nice selection of Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms paperbacks. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 19 Sep 2010 : 01:11:01
quote:
Originally posted by wintermute27
I have recently decided to start reading more of the novels, and based on recommendations from various threads here at the keep, I picked up Elfshadow, Elfsond, and Azure Bonds from my local used book store. Some of these I noticed are part of the Harpers series. Should I try and find a copy of The Parched Sea or can I start in at any point?
You can start where-ever you wish. But do remember that many of "Harpers" novels often have follow-up books later in the series, like the Elfshadow/Elfsong combination and the two Mark Anthony books. So there is some benefit to reading them in an order that follows that trend. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 Sep 2010 : 22:32:21
quote:
Originally posted by wintermute27
I have recently decided to start reading more of the novels, and based on recommendations from various threads here at the keep, I picked up Elfshadow, Elfsond, and Azure Bonds from my local used book store. Some of these I noticed are part of the Harpers series. Should I try and find a copy of The Parched Sea or can I start in at any point?
Elfsong is a sequel to Elfshadow. |
| Ghaunadaur |
Posted - 18 Sep 2010 : 20:28:34
The Harper novels are pretty much standalone novels. Most of the later novels (starting with book 8)are standalone sequels to earlier ones, but they can be read in any order.
Curse of the Shadowking is a sequel to Crypt of the Shadowking
Veiled Dragon is a sequel to Parched Sea
Crown of Fire is a sequel to Spellfire
Masquerades features characters from Azure Bonds
Silver Shadows is a sequel to Elfsong
A good list of all FR novels with short descriptions can be found here:
http://www.o-love.net/realms/fr_books.html |
| wintermute27 |
Posted - 18 Sep 2010 : 20:01:28
I have recently decided to start reading more of the novels, and based on recommendations from various threads here at the keep, I picked up Elfshadow, Elfsond, and Azure Bonds from my local used book store. Some of these I noticed are part of the Harpers series. Should I try and find a copy of The Parched Sea or can I start in at any point? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 17 Sep 2010 : 01:36:06
I've seen no better answer than this from The Hooded One, one of the players in Ed's campaign, on where to start with Realms fiction:-
quote:
. . . I would recommend the following books to get a grounding in the breadth of FR fiction:
Ed Greenwood: Spellfire, Elminster: The Making Of A Mage, Elminster's Daughter, Swords of Eveningstar
Ed Greenwood & Jeff Grubb: Cormyr A Novel
Ed Greenwood & Elaine Cunningham: City of Splendors
Jeff Grubb & Kate Novak: Azure Bonds
Elaine Cunningham: Elfshadow, Evermeet
Bob (R.A.) Salvatore: Homeland
lots o' folks: Halls of Stormweather
Then I'd stop, take a breather, and consider Paul Kemp's Erevis Cale trilogy and Blackstaff by Steven Schend. Then back to Elaine . . .
Then I'd take stock of who I liked, of the above titles, and go from there in reading their other works, each series in order of course (we scribes can help).
Swords of Eveningstar would be my first choice for a first novel, with Spellfire close behind.
|
| Kilvan |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 18:37:09
quote:
Originally posted by Ghaunadaur
I'd recommend those for starters. I'm not into Ed Greenwood's stuff so i can't really recommend his novels, you will either love them or loathe them.
Spellfire is a great novel to start, as you'll be presented with Myth Dranor, Elminster, the Seven Sisters, The Zhentarim, The Cult of the Dragons, The Malaugrym, The Knights of Myth Drannor, The Harpers, Cormyr... and much more I can't think of now.
It is also quite easier to read than some of Ed's book (Shadow of the Avatar trilogy comes to mind) |
| Ghaunadaur |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 16:51:48
Icewind Dale Trilogy + Legacy of the Drow Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, classic stuff
Elfshadow by Elaine Cunningham
Erevis Cale Trilogy by Paul Kemp
I'd recommend those for starters. I'm not into Ed Greenwood's stuff so i can't really recommend his novels, you will either love them or loathe them.
The Avatar trilogy isn't that bad either, although its nowhere near the above recommendations.
There are alot of bad FR novels out there, but some of them are real gems.
|
| The Red Walker |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 15:39:46
I always suggest Darkwalker on Moonshae, since it was the first novel and the trilogy it is part of I enjoy.
Another great starting point might be the Harper series, 16 novels set all over Faerun, about many varied subjects.
The Erevis Cale novels would be great if you like darker and gritty. |
| skychrome |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 15:21:55
I agree that the Avatar series provides you a with a very good background. However I was not much thrilled with the writing style of the first 3 books.
Starting with the Songs & Swords series seems the perfect start to me personally, considering that Azure Bonds and its trilogy is out of print.
Apart from that you might also start with some good stand alone novels like City of Ravens, The Black Bouquet and such.
The anthologies mentioned in this thread are also a good option. You might also try Halls of Stormweather which has a series of good short stories from Sembia.
You will most likely find further useful answers in the thread, where others have asked similar questions before:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4893
|
| Alisttair |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 14:08:13
The Avatar trilogy is a good one becasue its very Realms generic in that you meet many realms personalities and in many realms locations. |
| mensch |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 13:52:49
When I didn't know a thing about the Realms I started with "Evermeet" by Elaine Cunningham, but that's not a good novel to get acquainted with the Realms. I only read it because the current campaign where I'm one of the players is largely set on Evermeet.
After "Evermeet" I read the Avatar trilogy ("Shadowdale", "Tantras" and "Waterdeep") and the two subsequent novels ("Prince of Lies" and "Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad"). For me they neatly explained a lot of the Forgotten Realms, its heroes, pantheon and the recent Godswar. Our campaigns are set roughly before 1370 DR, so the 4e Spellplague construct is largely ignored in both our groups.
I'm currently reading the "Song and Swords" series by Elaine Cunningham, "Elfshadow", which Dracons mentioned, is the first part in that series and I can recommend it as well. |
| Dracons |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 10:59:26
ElfShadow.
Also try out the antholgy books, like Realms of Valor, Realms of Magic, Realms of Infamy.
They're collections of short stories of popular arthors, and star many of the famous characters of the realms. |
| Kno |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 08:31:05
Start with Azure Bonds |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 06:22:11
I have to agree with Kentinal here. Knowing more fully the setting of the stories you are reading will make it easier to choose WHO you want to read about.
For me, I honestly don't read that many Forgotten Realms novels...though I wish I could. I just don't have the time to read them all! |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 16 Sep 2010 : 05:24:35
There is no easy way to answer your question. Some books are out of print (last I knew) and others clearly can be about parts of the Realms you might not find interesting.
At best all any can provide you with are books that they value as good or the best books.
Some indeed like the Drizzt series, however what samples I have read I would not advise killing trees for.
If you really want to get a better sense of the Realms I would advise seeking Realms source material as opposed to any novel. |
