| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Athrogate777 |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 14:23:51
Hello community, just joined the forums, although I'm not new to the Realms.
I have read all of the Drizzt novels. The Sellswords trilogy. the knights of myth drannor series as well as the Elminster series.
I am about to finish up the avatar series and am looking to read more of the pre spell plague novels.
Anyway was looking for some advice on series or standalone novels.
Thanks in advance. |
| 28 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Aulduron |
Posted - 27 Dec 2012 : 17:54:30
Arilyn and Liriel are both good names. When I took Spanish class, there was always someone who took the name Matteo. |
| ElaineCunningham |
Posted - 20 Dec 2012 : 01:19:20
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Given your prevalence for Slavic-elements used in many of your tales, I'm inclined to think your usage of Danilo was another example of this?
Not directly, no. Waterdeep really doesn't have a Slavic vibe. The name Danilo is used all over Europe, which did away with the need to pinpoint a particular area. And it has the added benefit of sounding, at least to Americans, like a made-up fantasy name.
 |
| ElaineCunningham |
Posted - 20 Dec 2012 : 01:16:49
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
When you created the character, was there a particular reason for choosing that name, or did you just like the sound of it?
Yes.  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 20 Dec 2012 : 01:10:22
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
Danilo is a real name? I thought it was made up, as it's not one I'd seen before. From what ethnicity does that name originate?
I gather you've never been to the Philippines? Danilo is a pretty common name here. One celebrity even bears that name: Danilo Barrios.
I've only been outside the continental US thrice -- once to the Bahamas, once to Vancouver (and going from the US to Canada hardly counts), and once to Ireland. I've at least a passing familiarity with names of Japanese, Gaelic, English, French, Spanish, or Italian origin, but Danilo is not one I'd seen before that long ago Christmas when I got Elfshadow.
The origin is Hebrew, and the meaning, more or less, is "only god is my judge." The English form we're most familiar with is "Daniel." Danilo is the form used in several European languages (i.e., Spanish and Portuguese) and language groups (i.e., Slavic).
Given your prevalence for Slavic-elements used in many of your tales, I'm inclined to think your usage of Danilo was another example of this?
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 20:03:44
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
The origin is Hebrew, and the meaning, more or less, is "only god is my judge." The English form we're most familiar with is "Daniel." Danilo is the form used in several European languages (i.e., Spanish and Portuguese) and language groups (i.e., Slavic).
When you created the character, was there a particular reason for choosing that name, or did you just like the sound of it? |
| ElaineCunningham |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 17:28:42
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
Danilo is a real name? I thought it was made up, as it's not one I'd seen before. From what ethnicity does that name originate?
I gather you've never been to the Philippines? Danilo is a pretty common name here. One celebrity even bears that name: Danilo Barrios.
I've only been outside the continental US thrice -- once to the Bahamas, once to Vancouver (and going from the US to Canada hardly counts), and once to Ireland. I've at least a passing familiarity with names of Japanese, Gaelic, English, French, Spanish, or Italian origin, but Danilo is not one I'd seen before that long ago Christmas when I got Elfshadow.
The origin is Hebrew, and the meaning, more or less, is "only god is my judge." The English form we're most familiar with is "Daniel." Danilo is the form used in several European languages (i.e., Spanish and Portuguese) and language groups (i.e., Slavic).
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 16:31:58
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
Danilo is a real name? I thought it was made up, as it's not one I'd seen before. From what ethnicity does that name originate?
I gather you've never been to the Philippines? Danilo is a pretty common name here. One celebrity even bears that name: Danilo Barrios.
I've only been outside the continental US thrice -- once to the Bahamas, once to Vancouver (and going from the US to Canada hardly counts), and once to Ireland. I've at least a passing familiarity with names of Japanese, Gaelic, English, French, Spanish, or Italian origin, but Danilo is not one I'd seen before that long ago Christmas when I got Elfshadow. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 16:11:57
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
Danilo is a real name? I thought it was made up, as it's not one I'd seen before. From what ethnicity does that name originate?
I gather you've never been to the Philippines? Danilo is a pretty common name here. One celebrity even bears that name: Danilo Barrios. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 16:10:21
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
Danilo is a real name? I thought it was made up, as it's not one I'd seen before. From what ethnicity does that name originate?
Well, I've heard of a Brazilian soccer player named Danilo. [In fact, the soccer {or rather English football}-obsessed Lady K informed me of this once.] Not sure if that's a reflection of where the name might have originated, though. |
| ElaineCunningham |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 15:38:11
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
If you live in the US, Australia, or Canada, maybe. But elsewhere, Matteo is a good name. I'd love to hear you say that to a local good-looking (and talented) young actor here, and to his legions of fans (not me, thankfully).
Oh, I think Matteo is a VERY good name, or else I wouldn't have used it. It's just not common in this part of the world.
I've come to the conclusion that using real-world names in fantasy novels is a risky proposition, because things that sound "exotic" to one person are commonplace to another. A recent example can be found in the Pathfinder setting, which used the name "Jadwiga" to apply to a race of witches descended from Baba Yaga. This wouldn't be problematic if there was one character named Jadwiga, but the witches are called THE Jadwiga. Pathfinder's Polish fans found this amusing (and/or exasperating), since this is very much akin to calling a race of witches "the Elizabeths."
And apparently I've named several pseudo-Scandinavian characters after several members of one readers' family. Oops...
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 15:04:49
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
Danilo is a real name? I thought it was made up, as it's not one I'd seen before. From what ethnicity does that name originate?
On a related note, I once made up a female fantasy name that I really liked. I was so very disappointed, a few years later, to see some book in a store written by a woman with the same first name! 
I've seen it a couple of places since then, so I suspect now that I didn't make it up as I thought; instead, my subconcious recalled it from somewhere and tossed it out there.
I have, though, made up other fantasy names and seen them used by authors -- including one of the characters in the Pools books. Not making an accusation; more of a case of literary concurrent evolution. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 13:54:40
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
If you live in the US, Australia, or Canada, maybe. But elsewhere, Matteo is a good name. I'd love to hear you say that to a local good-looking (and talented) young actor here, and to his legions of fans (not me, thankfully). |
| ElaineCunningham |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 13:42:45
Danilo is a real-world name. Arilyn and Liriel are created names, but they're close enough to real-world names in sound and spelling. In fact, they'd probably be easier to live with than some of the other real-world names I've appropriated for FR characters: Ebenezer, Tzigone, Matteo, Bronwyn.
|
| The Sage |
Posted - 19 Dec 2012 : 01:46:42
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I, personally, would not even consider names from fantasy.
The Lady K and I never decided to name our daughter Narnra, specifically. It just kind of whimsically popped up on a list of possible baby names, and something we both later settled upon. We considered possibilities from numerous spheres -- both real world and imaginative. Nothing was considered too extreme in those early days. But we never set out, deliberately, to name our first born after a fantasy heroine.
quote:
That said, if I was inclined to consider them, some of ones I'd consider would be from Elaine's books. Liriel, Arilyn, Danilo... I love those characters, and those are some great names.
Danilo was a possible boy name on the list, along with both Khelben and Taern [Moonweather].
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 Dec 2012 : 18:20:36
quote:
Originally posted by Firestorm
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by Firestorm
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
I second the Starlight and Shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham. Liriel is a rare gem. ;)
hehehe. I just named one of my twin daughters after her :) Except I changed the spelling slightly. Lyriel and Cadence. My ladyfriend felt it was more musical that way
As much as I like many of the names I've encountered in FR and other fantasy settings, I honestly hate to name my *child after any of them, nor after anybody else, real or otherwise.
[*Yes, I'm gay. But I'll probably adopt or find someone willing to bear my child with NO STRINGS ATTACHED.]
hehe. My girlfriend had a strict "no fantasy book names" rule while we were arguing over names. She found the name Liriel on a babyname website and asked if I liked it. I neglected to tell her and it was the first name we agreed on!
I conveniently left a copy of Daughter of the drow on the table after the baby certificates were done! lol
I, personally, would not even consider names from fantasy. That said, if I was inclined to consider them, some of ones I'd consider would be from Elaine's books. Liriel, Arilyn, Danilo... I love those characters, and those are some great names.
Now, as an addendum to that... When my wife and I were first trying to have a baby, we came up with a name for a boy and a name for a girl. We have a boy, but if child #2 (planned for some indeterminate time in the future) is a girl, we have her name picked. My son is named after his grandfather, who was named after his grandfather (and my dad and his grandfather were practically identical!). It's not as much a family tradition as it is I simply wanted to honor my dad.
A few years back, I played Lord of the Rings Online, a lot. My wife decided to get into it, and to help her connect to her character, I came up with a fantasy name based on the name we'd picked for a little girl.
So, long story short, if we have a little girl, she'll have a regular name, but her nickname will be from the fantasy version of her name. |
| Firestorm |
Posted - 18 Dec 2012 : 16:43:10
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by Firestorm
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
I second the Starlight and Shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham. Liriel is a rare gem. ;)
hehehe. I just named one of my twin daughters after her :) Except I changed the spelling slightly. Lyriel and Cadence. My ladyfriend felt it was more musical that way
As much as I like many of the names I've encountered in FR and other fantasy settings, I honestly hate to name my *child after any of them, nor after anybody else, real or otherwise.
[*Yes, I'm gay. But I'll probably adopt or find someone willing to bear my child with NO STRINGS ATTACHED.]
hehe. My girlfriend had a strict "no fantasy book names" rule while we were arguing over names. She found the name Liriel on a babyname website and asked if I liked it. I neglected to tell her and it was the first name we agreed on!
I conveniently left a copy of Daughter of the drow on the table after the baby certificates were done! lol |
| The Sage |
Posted - 17 Dec 2012 : 06:07:02
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Problematic, yes, a little. Not to mention, as Sage and I pointed out in a not so distant past, for a series that bears the name Netheril, it offers not that much lore on said realm. Still, there are MANY good parts that somehow outweigh the bad.
That was kind of my problem with the trilogy. I wasn't expecting much in the way of revelatory Netherese-lore, but I did want more than what we eventually got. It was distractingly disappointing. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 17 Dec 2012 : 05:28:54
Problematic, yes, a little. Not to mention, as Sage and I pointed out in a not so distant past, for a series that bears the name Netheril, it offers not that much lore on said realm. Still, there are MANY good parts that somehow outweigh the bad. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Dec 2012 : 05:16:54
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Oh, how could I forget The Netheril Trilogy by Clayton Emery! It's a MUST for all Realms readers. Or at the very least, the second book, Dangerous Games, where things happened that forever changed the face of the Realms, specially how magic worked.
Meh, I found the books both problematic and forgettable. I've not touched them in years. Had it not been for my intent to replace all the FR material I'd lost, I don't think I'd've bought those books the second time. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 17 Dec 2012 : 00:58:18
Oh, how could I forget The Netheril Trilogy by Clayton Emery! It's a MUST for all Realms readers. Or at the very least, the second book, Dangerous Games, where things happened that forever changed the face of the Realms, specially how magic worked. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 17 Dec 2012 : 00:56:05
quote:
Originally posted by Firestorm
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
I second the Starlight and Shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham. Liriel is a rare gem. ;)
hehehe. I just named one of my twin daughters after her :) Except I changed the spelling slightly. Lyriel and Cadence. My ladyfriend felt it was more musical that way
As much as I like many of the names I've encountered in FR and other fantasy settings, I honestly hate to name my *child after any of them, nor after anybody else, real or otherwise.
[*Yes, I'm gay. But I'll probably adopt or find someone willing to bear my child with NO STRINGS ATTACHED.] |
| Firestorm |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 23:54:52
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
I second the Starlight and Shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham. Liriel is a rare gem. ;)
hehehe. I just named one of my twin daughters after her :) Except I changed the spelling slightly. Lyriel and Cadence. My ladyfriend felt it was more musical that way |
| Dennis |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 18:34:36
I second the Starlight and Shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham. Liriel is a rare gem. ;) |
| ChurchofShar |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 17:53:44
Series:
The Last Mythal, a trilogy by Richard Baker.
Starlight and Shadows, a trilogy by Elaine Cunningham.
War of the Spider Queen, various authors, a six book set.
The Erevis Cale trilogy, and the Twilight Storm trilogy by Paul S. Kemp
The Harpers - you could call these stand alone, but they are all numbered as part of The Harpers run. Similar to The Nobles and The Fighters, etc.
The Empyrean Odyssey, a trilogy by Thomas M. Reid. You might want to check this out when/if you decide to head into post-Spellplague tales. For the most part it is pre-SP as well.
|
| Athrogate777 |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 17:49:17
Just ordered the first 2 books of songs and swords series. Will start there.
Thanks for the responses :) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 17:11:17
And the Finder's Stone trilogy, by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb. Between that duo and Ealine Cunningham, you'll get a great feel for what the Realms is about, and read some entertaining fiction, as well. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 16:02:33
The Harpers and The Wizards series. |
| Tarlyn |
Posted - 16 Dec 2012 : 14:57:27
All of Elaine Cunningham's stuff is fantastic. The two series that enjoyed most are Song and Swords as well as Starlight and Shadows. |
|
|
