| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 25 May 2004 : 13:18:20
There is a sample chapter in the back of Dawn of Night for Annihilation which is set to come out in July.
The sample chapter is eight pages and when I last looked was still not online this morning.
It drops the reader immediately into a battle featuring Valas and Danifae against a portal drake. The duo, natch, wins, mostly thanks to Valas.
The chapter ends with them near a portal about to use it after Danifae harvests some poison from the creature's corpse. There is no indication they are waiting for anyone. Thus, it looks like the party has been split up again and these two are traveling alone.
I wonder how long before Danifae attempts to charm Valas? I don't trust that one. Wait, they are both drow. I don't trust either of them. 
The sample chapter was very good. I've never read anything by Philip Athans before. Has anyone else read some of his work? Liked it? Didn't?
Anyway, just an update for those interested in the series. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 13:04:38
I liked that Jeggred was as powerful and frightening as he should have been. Its why I was annoyed Quenthel survived. |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 12:06:30
It might not be my place to say so - but you should ease down on your wording a bit and propably read the Code of Conduct again. So much for that....
As for the inconsistency in Ryld fighting provess - it can be explained, to some extent at least, by his new surroundings. He is not used to the world above. He has trained for hundred years to be the best in the underdark after all. that might be some irritating factor.
Besides - in books some heroes just have to die to bring the story along!!!! And moreover - Ryld was not one of the main, or I should rather say, one othe the important characters in this series!
Ergdusch |
| Carcharoth |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 11:53:21
WUt UP Home BookIES?!! Right well if you do a trace on my net connection you shall find I am out of your reach unless you somehow want to come to my boring state. At any rate I am disappointed I got no feedback on my sage writ... Was it too much of a rant? Did the frankness offend? I hate to say it but it was a WAYYYY **** off novel- And yes I have the right to Dis it Those spoil sports got my Big dollar Hard back clams.
I want to know why he changes from a unstoppable force who rips through the first book - Only cowardly Magic users can hit him - and then becomes a Fat slow moving clueless fool who is nearly slain by some large forest creature - then later he is wasted by THAT HATEFUL and Disgusting / sick / gross / morbid Demon. ? !!! that was soooo lame!!! I am going to sue Wizards / and the authors for their character defamation of their character that I grew fond of...
YOU KILLED RYLD !!!
Anyhow the book was ok but the first held so much potential then it went up and down and in the end YOU EVESERATED MY BOY
how can I get a Ryld Novel or appearance when you freaks split his guts open on a logger bar room board deck...?
RIght well I do not know where else I can go on this Tirade - If i do it at 'work' it would not get much play...
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Hello everyone! Ok let me say I liked the books in some parts very much. And, on the other hand I detested them and quickly skimmed over these sicko portions. But, having made the investment into the character of Ryld I decided to persevere the disgusting, sickening, and all together evil vile parts... but let's just say I may have speed read them a bit...
Right my whole memory is a skewed since it has been a while since I read them, but I think Ryld started as a great hero and ended as a rather ordinary, if moderately skilled, fighter.
In the start he was the Weapon Master the best of the fighters in a city of the hundreds and hundreds of years spanned as a fighter. He slaughtered Hobgoblins like cheesedogs when escaping a house in the poor section of the city. Also, in the first book he went WARRIOR FOCUS KILL CRAZY and wasted some fighters and a Drider that had him cornered unarmed! The first book rocked!
And then the other goof ball writers have him torn by a troll! What are you thinking? A forest troll is faster and out feints a Master of Feints who has fought for hundreds of years?! He should know every subtle guise in the manual! Do you not think in those hundreds of years he did not have to defend his life against hired thugs, summoned monsters, and the best of assassins who wanted to have his job given to another!?!
The book was soooo irritating! He was so much more experienced and better trained then the spaz out Demon. There is no WAY the Ryld of the first book would die to the Drow Half Demon. If they had to kill him they could of at least done so via some great Paladin / Ranger / Group of Goody Powerful Druids who happen upon him after soundly beating the Drow Demon. I don't know- throw in some hidden Cult of the Dragon Wizards building a stronghold in the swamp. Just Give me somebody worthy to kill him! Well, it was too late then; they already insulted him with a troll and pseudo bear thing beating
The book made me sick. It was pulp garbage. Oh and yes I have written better. Sorry my name is not going to be said in this writ. All right all right the book had a few moments it was not sooo bad but come on he gets whipped by a troll and some kind of ridiculous weird bear!
I tell you what- if you had a guy win the Olympics in Judo and then told me the same guy was beat up in a parking lot the next day I'd think:
1- It was at least two criminals with guns. Who then hit him with the butt end of an all metal pistol.
or
2- You are lying and wanted your country to win the medal.
...and there are no guns in this fantasy.
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The Hounds of Hellish Ethos hunger for red splash alone. The open field becomes an open wound a gaping mash of filth and steel hulks with their sweet smelling roasted carcasses- and here you thought war was a sweet white march.
Mod Edit: Please watch your language and observe the "Forum Code of Conduct"
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 16:47:05
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
quote:
Originally posted by TobyKikami
It has been said that being turned into a drider is the worst punishment that can be exacted on one of Menzoberranzan's drow. Untrue. The high priestesses have perfected the art of uttering unintelligible shrieking sounds that burn the ears and send disrupting shivers through the spine, much like the famed "quivering palm" of some clerical warriors. They call it opera.
-Drizzt Do'Urden, from Tymora's Luck
There is Drizzt in Tymora's Luck???
Only that quote. The book has, in each section, a quote about opera. To quote Jeff Grubb, from something I found somewhere online:
quote:
Greetings,
Imagine my surprise that the use of the opera quotes in "Tymora's Luck" would kick off a firestorm of discussion, particularly since Raistlin's quote was one of the few that said something NICE about Opera.
A bit of explanation. When Kate and I started in on Tymora's Luck, we had the idea of being a big Wagnerian sort of to-do, very Sturm and Drang (Now I'll get letters for exploiting Sturm). I should say, very operetic. So we divided up the story much like an opera. Then, as a lark, we contacted all the other original creators for quotes by their characters on opera - Bob, Margaret, Ed, Elaine, Zeb, and Tracy (They're thanked in the book, but thanks again, folks). Rather than make up words for Raistlin, we went to the source and asked MARGARET for a bon mot from our gold-skinned friend.
Anyway, all the quotes were used but one. The editor thought one particular quote was not appropriate for either the Realms or Krynn. Tracy did it, and for the first time anywhere, I will reveal it - The Hickman-written Opera Quote, from our favorite forgetful wizard:
"There is no greater fan of Opera than I! Opera is insightful! Opera explores the human condition! Opera's weight has fluctuated from time to time, but I think that is all part of the fun of watching her. Opera is a powerful force in media. I never miss a show even if the subject is "My dwarven lover hates that I'm an Elf, on the next Opera!" Opera may be an acquired taste (just like chicken) but I'll be her fan so long as her ratings are still good."--Fizban the Fabulous
Have fun, guys.
Jeff G.
|
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 14:35:11
quote:
Originally posted by TobyKikami
It has been said that being turned into a drider is the worst punishment that can be exacted on one of Menzoberranzan's drow. Untrue. The high priestesses have perfected the art of uttering unintelligible shrieking sounds that burn the ears and send disrupting shivers through the spine, much like the famed "quivering palm" of some clerical warriors. They call it opera.
-Drizzt Do'Urden, from Tymora's Luck
There is Drizzt in Tymora's Luck??? |
| TobyKikami |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 14:24:29
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
Well, he could've landed in some opera house and endured an entire 4 hour long performance about peace and love and good happiness stuff. That would've been funny and...well...funny
It has been said that being turned into a drider is the worst punishment that can be exacted on one of Menzoberranzan's drow. Untrue. The high priestesses have perfected the art of uttering unintelligible shrieking sounds that burn the ears and send disrupting shivers through the spine, much like the famed "quivering palm" of some clerical warriors. They call it opera.
-Drizzt Do'Urden, from Tymora's Luck
Personally, I liked this one the least of the series. I'd found interesting scenes in the other books that "made up" for any gripes (i.e. godly slugfest vs. Amazing Planeshifting Jeggred), but I didn't find anything equivalent to make up for nitpicks like Feliane transforming into a drow. Though that might have been because I'd gotten spoilers and was out to find things wrong with it. |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 21:24:16
Well, he could've landed in some opera house and endured an entire 4 hour long performance about peace and love and good happiness stuff. That would've been funny and...well...funny |
| Crust |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:24:14
quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
The next point's that sections of the book made me laugh aloud, but I've a feeling that wasn't quite intended. There's the scene where the Master of Sorcere lecture about Dyrr's invulnerabilities and weakness, because those? Could've come out of an RPG strategy guide. The sentence describing the wizards casting protective spells on Gromph and Gromph being sure that he will be "immune to everything" made me giggle like a loon. All I could think was an MMORPG raid party preparing to face the raid boss. "Okay, everybody, the lichdrow is immune to the following spells. Nukers, don't bother with X, Y, and Z. Buffers, line up to cast buffs on the tank so he'll be immune to A, B, and C." It's so incredibly inane. And the line about Gromph "wasting energy" to cast a spell quicker? Priceless. Oh, look, he's making use of his metamagic feat, Quicken Spell, and he has to cast the spell as a higher-level one for it.
Dice rolling in the background? You've got to be kidding me; that's too complicated and earthy. I can practically see numbers floating up the characters' heads, like when I play Neverwinter Nights, along with messages that go "Character is casting spell [name]." It's that mechanical and that hilarious.
 Well said, Winterfox. Annihilation was my least-favorite of the Spider Queen books, and it's why I haven't read Whisper of Waves. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, as I enjoyed Ressurection trememdously. It's like having to read Beyond the High Road to get to Death of the Dragon, or having the read The Summoning AND The Seige (I know) in order to fully grasp Elminster in Hell.
I quoted you because I made a similar statement a while back. Once Gromph ended up in the halflings' plane, I literally threw the book down and leapt to the laptop, attacking the keys. The post is on page 4.
And what was it about that trip? Dyrr opened a gate to some random plane? Does there have to be a reason behind it? I guess it would be nice if there were, but I could see a PC of mine winding up in some random plane during a spellduel. Of course, that leads to your point of the novel resembling the game too much, which I can see. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 00:39:46
quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
And a few more funnies:
When Jeggred kills Ryld, he literally rips Ryld's heart out and eats it while it's still beating and Ryld watches:
quote:
When Jeggred pulled his hand away, Ryld's eyesight came back long enough for Ryld Argith, Master of Melee-Magthere, to see that his heart was still beating when the draegloth began to eat it.
I've seen "I'll carve your heart out and eat it while you watch" thrown around as a threat an awful lot; I just never thought I'd see a character actually do it. And it's oh, so campy. There's something about bringing cliches to life that amuses me. I wonder if this bit is supposed to be chilling?
The vipers on Quenthel's whip, apparently, has--
quote:
...cruel poison glistening on darting tongues.
Uhm durr. Snakes have hollow fangs. That's where they store their venom and how they release it. It takes, like, all of five seconds to look this up on Wikipedia. Durrrrr. Seriously, what happened to researching something before writing about it?
That's ridiculous. It's funny, but at the same time it's pretty sad.
I totally agree that Ryld's death scene is pretty campy. Of course, I've never been a fan of the way Athans does action scenes or death scenes. |
| Winterfox |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 17:34:47
Obviously, Faerunian woodcutters sell drugs on the side and are all filthy rich. |
| Krafus |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 15:43:01
What I really didn't like about the Ryld/Jeggred fight was how Jeggred destroyed Splitter. We're supposed to believe that a piddly woodcutter's axe, even it bears a minor enchantment, can cut through a sword that's been proven time and again to be *very* heavily enchanted? |
| Winterfox |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 14:23:18
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
I like a good slaughter occasionally but Jeggred's act got old pretty soon. The axe and the defeat of a master of the academy were kinda sorta overdoing it... had he done Ryld in while he was bonking Halisstra now THAT would've been:
a) neat
b) drow-worthy
c) damn cool
d) traumatic for Halisstra in a way that her "returning to the dark side" could've been explained far more reasonably...she would have been afraid, and Lolth thrives on fear. It would've shown her how "weak" Eilistraee was/is
I couldn't agree more. I don't mind main characters being killed off, but when the death is so... absurd, my suspension of disbelief goes snap. And the duel between Jeggred and Ryld just dragged on for too damn long (the same could be said of most scenes of similar nature in this novel, actually). And Halisstra's characterization is just so wtfish in this book. The way she keeps breaking into tears is just bizarre. |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 13:26:05
Hmm... I can hardly remember that...then again, I breezed through most of the book since it didn't merit all of my attention.
Many of those details blaze just by me without me bothering about them.
Poison on tongue...cute
As for Jeggred... I always thought him too much muscle and negative brain, there was so much stereotype villain in him that I tried to really rush through his scenes.
I like a good slaughter occasionally but Jeggred's act got old pretty soon. The axe and the defeat of a master of the academy were kinda sorta overdoing it... had he done Ryld in while he was bonking Halisstra now THAT would've been:
a) neat
b) drow-worthy
c) damn cool
d) traumatic for Halisstra in a way that her "returning to the dark side" could've been explained far more reasonably...she would have been afraid, and Lolth thrives on fear. It would've shown her how "weak" Eilistraee was/is |
| Winterfox |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 12:15:19
I don't dispute that a heart can continue to beat after being ripped out (since I have, like, zilch medical knowledge), no, just that the scene was campy to me. But I thought it's fairly common knowledge that snakes release venom through their fangs, and if not that it's easy to look up; it's not like I'm asking the author to take a zoology degree or anything. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 11:25:10
Both of those points bothered me, as well. A friend assured me that a heart could continue beating even after being ripped out of the chest, but that scene still didn't work for me. And the venom on the tongues part really threw me for a loop. |
| Winterfox |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 06:36:58
And a few more funnies:
When Jeggred kills Ryld, he literally rips Ryld's heart out and eats it while it's still beating and Ryld watches:
quote:
When Jeggred pulled his hand away, Ryld's eyesight came back long enough for Ryld Argith, Master of Melee-Magthere, to see that his heart was still beating when the draegloth began to eat it.
I've seen "I'll carve your heart out and eat it while you watch" thrown around as a threat an awful lot; I just never thought I'd see a character actually do it. And it's oh, so campy. There's something about bringing cliches to life that amuses me. I wonder if this bit is supposed to be chilling?
The vipers on Quenthel's whip, apparently, has--
quote:
...cruel poison glistening on darting tongues.
Uhm durr. Snakes have hollow fangs. That's where they store their venom and how they release it. It takes, like, all of five seconds to look this up on Wikipedia. Durrrrr. Seriously, what happened to researching something before writing about it? |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 06:20:55
WinterFox, truly, you bring just as many readers to these novels with your harsh (yet seemingly accurate) criticisms as the glowing reports do. :)
(With no offense given to the original author of the material in the first place. Winter's honesty is simply refreshing.) |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 05:56:27
quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
The sentence describing the wizards casting protective spells on Gromph and Gromph being sure that he will be "immune to everything" made me giggle like a loon. All I could think was an MMORPG raid party preparing to face the raid boss. "Okay, everybody, the lichdrow is immune to the following spells. Nukers, don't bother with X, Y, and Z. Buffers, line up to cast buffs on the tank so he'll be immune to A, B, and C." It's so incredibly inane. And the line about Gromph "wasting energy" to cast a spell quicker? Priceless. Oh, look, he's making use of his metamagic feat, Quicken Spell, and he has to cast the spell as a higher-level one for it.
OK, now I can't wait to read this novel myself. Sounds like it's really funny! |
| Arkhaedun |
Posted - 24 Aug 2006 : 18:25:45
Its been said, over and over again, please make sure that when you offer critisisms, that you are not taking personal shots at the authors.
Also, please try to avoid hyperbole when making your point. Adding such inflamatory content, no matter how witty it may sound originally, can turn a critisism into a direct insult to the author whose work you are discussing.
Thank you. |
| Winterfox |
Posted - 24 Aug 2006 : 18:18:24
I'm a bit more than halfway through this book, and all I can say is: Whiskey tango bloody foxtrot?
The first thing that comes to mind is that the characters seem to have had their brains sucked out off-stage while I wasn't looking, so upon this book's beginning, their intelligence score has been dropped by ten points. At the outside. More than a few of them -- oh, screw that, most of them -- seem to have gotten a personality transplant. I hesitate to use this term, but pretty much all the main characters are so out-of-character they're nearly unrecognizable.
Where to start, where to start:
I'll probably echo pretty much many people's opinions with regards to the matters of Ryld's death, Jeggred's shift in loyalty, among others. (A woodcutter's axe can penetrate dwarf-made, mithril armor? Really? Your average woodsman has an enchanted axe? Really? Jeggred suddenly rejects the slavish devotion he's been holding for the entire series for no reason at all -- while the author's done zilch to convince the reader that Danifae has that kind of charisma? Really? Bitch, please.)
I skipped huge sections of battle scenes, because they bore me so very much. Athans isn't one of those authors whose action sequences can engage me, and for the most part I find the battles gratuitous and dragged out. So, if I miss anything crucial, that'll be why. I doubt that, though, because as far as I'm aware, these combat scenes are fillers the way combat scenes are filler in a great number of FR novels: to wit, they reveal no important plot points, advance no characterization, and serve as testament that, no, most authors can't make fights cinematic. All I need to do is skim the beginning of the scene and then the end to see who emerges victorious, and that's that.
Moving on to the characters' stupidity: Halisstra gives implicit trust to a drow who's been her battle-captive... why? Did switching to worship Elistraee rob her of half her IQ? Looks like it to me.
Gromph is astonishingly inept for someone who's the Archmage of Menzo. He miscalculates again and again and again during his duel with Dyrr, so much that it's pathetic. His trip to the halfling heaven is unspeakably pointless (seriously, what was the purpose of that?), and it's painful to see one of the short races treated once again either as comic relief or idiot children. Wonderful, isn't it?
What happened to Quenthel? I know she has issues, but all of a sudden she just... lost her spine. Assertion gone, hello vacillation and utter stupidity. I imagine that she's shocked with the last book's events, but still, survival instincts, anybody? The transformation from bitchy dominatrix to sniveling nitwit is nothing short of phenomenal.
The next point's that sections of the book made me laugh aloud, but I've a feeling that wasn't quite intended. There's the scene where the Master of Sorcere lecture about Dyrr's invulnerabilities and weakness, because those? Could've come out of an RPG strategy guide. The sentence describing the wizards casting protective spells on Gromph and Gromph being sure that he will be "immune to everything" made me giggle like a loon. All I could think was an MMORPG raid party preparing to face the raid boss. "Okay, everybody, the lichdrow is immune to the following spells. Nukers, don't bother with X, Y, and Z. Buffers, line up to cast buffs on the tank so he'll be immune to A, B, and C." It's so incredibly inane. And the line about Gromph "wasting energy" to cast a spell quicker? Priceless. Oh, look, he's making use of his metamagic feat, Quicken Spell, and he has to cast the spell as a higher-level one for it.
Dice rolling in the background? You've got to be kidding me; that's too complicated and earthy. I can practically see numbers floating up the characters' heads, like when I play Neverwinter Nights, along with messages that go "Character is casting spell [name]." It's that mechanical and that hilarious.
Let's see if the rest of the book, uh, lives up to the record it's set thus far. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 09 Aug 2006 : 01:38:55
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
You know Wooly, you're making it easier and easier for me to avoid reading the entire WotSQ series completely. 
I didn't care for it either. Course that was partly due to:
1) RSE/PlanarSE
Reason 1 for me.
quote:
2) It ties in with a module that I never got to use because, like my old DM, I wanted to find out how the novels ended before I used the module.
Reason 2 for me.
Though I have yet to read CotSQ.
quote:
4) I don't use the new cosmology, so I'll never include these events cause I like Lloth in the Abyss.
Exactly.
If and when I read through WotSQ, it will be just for entertainment purposes, not because I intend to bring the events and their results into my FR. I'm happy with where Lolth is now and where her realm exists in the Great Wheel.
|
| Paec_djinn |
Posted - 09 Aug 2006 : 01:09:55
quote:
The way Jaeggred went from being the servile "Yes, mistress" to Quenthel, to "You suck, Quenthel!" really was jarring.
Given the fact that Quenthel was weakening, it's quite possible. However, as I said, the change happened too fast. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 21:00:21
quote:
Originally posted by Kiaransalyn
The two biggest continuity 'howlers' for me were:
1. At the end of Book 2, Danifae has armor and weapons. In Book 3 they have to buy them for her.
2. At the end of Chapter 18, Book 5 Aliisza asks, 'Who is she?' about Danifae. Which somewhat contrasts to her wanting to tear the trollop's eyes out in Book 2.
The way Jaeggred went from being the servile "Yes, mistress" to Quenthel, to "You suck, Quenthel!" really was jarring. |
| Kiaransalyn |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 19:33:36
The two biggest continuity 'howlers' for me were:
1. At the end of Book 2, Danifae has armor and weapons. In Book 3 they have to buy them for her.
2. At the end of Chapter 18, Book 5 Aliisza asks, 'Who is she?' about Danifae. Which somewhat contrasts to her wanting to tear the trollop's eyes out in Book 2. |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 17:18:57
Yep i absolutely hated how some characters like Pharuan and Ryld seemed so different from the previous novels and i can't believe they killed off Ryld, he was kinda like the drow anti-hero, a perfect replacement for stodgy, lovable old Drizzt :D. . . then bham killed by my least favourite character in the whole series. . . the draegloth |
| Kuje |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 17:12:39
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
You know Wooly, you're making it easier and easier for me to avoid reading the entire WotSQ series completely.
I didn't care for it either. Course that was partly due to:
1) RSE/PlanarSE
2) It ties in with a module that I never got to use because, like my old DM, I wanted to find out how the novels ended before I used the module.
3) Some of the characters seemed to change from author to author....
4) I don't use the new cosmology, so I'll never include these events cause I like Lloth in the Abyss. |
| Kiaransalyn |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 16:31:47
quote:
Originally posted by Faramicos
Just finished book 6... Its a gem. You are in for a treat in the great finale of the series.
I wouldn't hold your breath.
It all goes a bit pear-shaped. The War of the Spider Queen started of well but got rather confused, appeared to lose direction, had some awful continuity problems and fizzled out like a damn squib.
I didn't realise people were still reading it to be honest. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 16:15:56
You know Wooly, you're making it easier and easier for me to avoid reading the entire WotSQ series completely. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 16:09:35
quote:
Originally posted by Faramicos
Just finished book 6... Its a gem. You are in for a treat in the great finale of the series.
I hope you're right... The series has been underwhelming, thus far. |
| Faramicos |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 13:30:26
Just finished book 6... Its a gem. You are in for a treat in the great finale of the series. |
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