| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Bionic Man |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 18:26:07
Hey everyone. Im an old Realms fan whose interest is rekindled. I know the realms has gone through a bit of a reboot, and was wondering what were the key novel series of the modern era of the realms. Back in the old days, I read Avatar Series, Drizzt, Cleric Quintet, etc. Which of the current day stuff is most important to the modern continuity. Also, which of them are best. Thanks in advance.
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| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dennis |
Posted - 17 Aug 2012 : 03:17:53
Or he's using what consist of the small expendable lackeys of Shade. |
| phranctoast |
Posted - 16 Aug 2012 : 13:46:40
*Based off of Neverwinter trilogy*
I ask since there seems to be some major changes to the Shadovar than what I was used to.
They appear to consists of many non humans... Namely, a decent amount of Tielflings. There's no use of Shadow magic, other than shadow stepping back into the Shadowfell. Two of the main Shadovar characters are Warlocks, and there seems to be no mention of Shar anywhere.....
Now that I think of it the Thayans are a bit out of character than what I'd expect too. Employing Ashmadai, and having a half elf lead them (Dhalia).......
It almost seems like RAS failed to read any other novels based off these races... |
| drkissinger1 |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 21:08:56
Twilight War and the Haunted Lands are the two series I would most recommend to "set the scene" for a post-Spellplague Faerun. They're still set in the 1300s, but they cover some of the biggest changes that the 1400s have to deal with. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 20:37:42
quote:
Originally posted by phranctoast
@Dennis
Is there any other books that talks about the Shadovar posts SP? I heard their power was greatly reduced by the elimination of the Shadow Weave...
TW is the last series where the Shadovar played a major role.
Ed mentioned somewhere that like Elminster, the Shadovar were significantly weakened that they're now resorting to manipulating people. There's hardly enough lore to support that one-liner, though. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Most definitely there will be an explanation in PSK's soon-to-be-released Godborn. |
| phranctoast |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 17:44:41
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by phranctoast
I didn't realize that the The Twilight War ended post spell plague. I guess it's been a few years..
The last chapter of Shadowrealm's header is in The Year of Lightening Storms (1374 DR) but the Epilogue is set in 1479. If you're like me, in the past I didn't pay much attention to a book's epilogue, so it's easy to miss.
Ahhhh.. Thank you. I probably did read but didn't really register as post spellplague at the time.
@Dennis
Is there any other books that talks about the Shadovar posts SP? I heard their power was greatly reduced by the elimination of the Shadow Weave... |
| Delwa |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 16:30:29
quote:
Originally posted by phranctoast
I didn't realize that the The Twilight War ended post spell plague. I guess it's been a few years..
The last chapter of Shadowrealm's header is in The Year of Lightening Storms (1374 DR) but the Epilogue is set in 1479. If you're like me, in the past I didn't pay much attention to a book's epilogue, so it's easy to miss. |
| Delwa |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 16:24:35
The Spellplague didn't "reboot" anything as far as I know. It jumped the timeline forward and made magic go, "the way everything works has changed."
Novels already written did happen as written, but the exact mechanics for things has since changed.
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| phranctoast |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 16:21:26
I didn't realize that the The Twilight War ended post spell plague. I guess it's been a few years.. |
| Bionic Man |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 14:32:39
Is all the stuff before the Spellplague still valid, or did the Spellplague essentially reboot everything? |
| Dennis |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 07:22:09
The Spellplague, a malady that struck Realmspace on 29th Tarsakh, 1385 DR, heralded the "new era." Many novels aren't just set in one 'era.' For instance, PSK's The Twilight War trilogy started before the Spellplague, and ended years after. The events in RLB's The Haunted Lands trilogy happened before, during, and after the SP. And B. Cordell's The Abolethic Sovereignty started a short while after the SP devastated Toril. To make it easier for you, just start with the novels published after August 2008, the date when 4E was officially (?) introduced. |
| Bionic Man |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 02:59:39
When does the "new era" officially begin? With which books, i mean. |
| HardKano |
Posted - 15 Aug 2012 : 02:10:35
I hope i'll be in the new era books in few years ! for now i'm actually on earlier books :) |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 06 Aug 2012 : 23:30:20
At the risk of being that guy that comes online and recommends his own book (aheh!), I might suggest you take a look at the 6-book Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep series (of which I wrote book 3, Downshadow). They're very loosely connected (in the same city and the same general timeframe) and present what I think are classic Realms stories that are very true to the past and forward-looking.
Cheers |
| phranctoast |
Posted - 06 Aug 2012 : 15:05:32
Forgot about the Last Mythal. Read that after the Return of the Arch Wizards. Not sure where it exists with the other books though. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 11:50:34
The new Drizzt books are good. But we prepared for them to be darker than the Drizzt novels of yore.
Also try out the Last Mythal series if you like elves, it describes the reclaiming of Cormanthor. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 21:14:46
quote:
Originally posted by Bionic Man
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
The best? Yes. Most important? Probably, as their plots are connected to several other series in the current and previous timelines.
How important/good would you say the new Drizzt series is? I read the first book, and thought it was ok.
You're asking the wrong man. Not a fan of Drizzt, or any fighters for that matter. Never finished a Drizzt novel ever. The last one I read, The Pirate King, I couldn't finish.
I might need to make an exception with any future books in the Nevewinter saga IF Szass Tam plays a MAJOR role. What I heard from our fellow scribes who read the novels is that he's doing some sort of a cameo role. He just lets his servants do the job... |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 21:09:32
Ah, yes. Forgot about RotA. I second that. In fact, I recommend you start with it. |
| phranctoast |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 21:02:37
I wouldn't limit myself to just 4th edition books even in preparation.
I'd read with the return of the archwizards trilogy
http://www.amazon.com/Return-Archwizards-Forgotten-Realms-Omnibus/dp/0786953659/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344023744&sr=8-2&keywords=archwizards
Followed by the Everis Cale trilogy
http://www.amazon.com/Erevis-Cale-Trilogy-Paul-Kemp/dp/0786954981/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344023791&sr=1-1&keywords=everis+cale
Then read the book Dennis mentioned (Twilight War trilogy)(sorry..no omnibus)
http://www.amazon.com/Shadowbred-Twilight-War-Book-1/dp/0786940778/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344023833&sr=1-2&keywords=twilight+war
Also few book bring you right to the doorstep of the spell plague like the Empyrean Odyssey
http://www.amazon.com/Empyrean-Odyssey-Books-1-3-Fractured/dp/B002PNKUC8/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344023957&sr=1-6&keywords=fractured+sky
I would also highly recommend the Abolethic Sovernity trilogy
http://www.amazon.com/Plague-Spells-Forgotten-Realms-Sovereignty/dp/B00878HTMY/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344024071&sr=1-8&keywords=abolethic+sovereignty |
| Bionic Man |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 20:48:45
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
The best? Yes. Most important? Probably, as their plots are connected to several other series in the current and previous timelines.
How important/good would you say the new Drizzt series is? I read the first book, and thought it was ok. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 20:40:06
The best? Yes. Most important? Probably, as their plots are connected to several other series in the current and previous timelines. |
| Bionic Man |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 20:26:07
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
The Twilight War Trilogy by Paul S. Kemp.
The Haunted Lands Trilogy by Richard Lee Byers.
So, would you say that those are the most important (lynch pin?) stories? Or are they the ones you think are the best. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 19:57:49
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
The Twilight War Trilogy by Paul S. Kemp.
The Haunted Lands Trilogy by Richard Lee Byers.
Seconded.
Also try out the Brotherhood of the Griffon series and the War of the spider queen is great if your a drow fan |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 19:01:41
The Twilight War Trilogy by Paul S. Kemp.
The Haunted Lands Trilogy by Richard Lee Byers. |
