| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 22 Jul 2004 : 20:56:21
I just got my copy of this tome. Here are some initial thoughts
Cover: I never liked the cover for this novel. Yet, this is another case of an online image not doing the art justice. The cover is very nice with background details showing some House Dlardrageth members. I think the cover art by Adam Rex looks even better with the background of cracked white granite surrounding it. This book will stand out on a shelf in a bookstore.
Back cover:
quote:
Ten Millennia
Of Hubris, Betrayal,
Failure, And Retreat Are
Coming To An End
That is a nice tag line and makes me fill with hope that this will be a very encompassing tale for the Tel'Quessir of Faerun.
But, it gets better on the back cover
quote:
All in all, this is perhaps the best-written Realms novel yet.
Ed Greenwood
Whoa, talk about a fine compliment.
Inside Contents:
A map of the North with the High Forest in the center.
Six pages at the end of the book detailing Dramatis Personae. A quick flip through shows figures from Evermeet's Council and Evereska figures are included in this section.
Acknowledgements: Eric L. Boyd (the name sounds vaguely familiar), Ed Greenwood, and Phil Athans all get a nod.
Additionally, Richard Baker's dedication should touch anyone's heart
338 pages in total. This novel definitely gets my 24 bookmark. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 18:52:52
Hi all!
Sorry for resurrecting such an old thread but I could not help it.
I am reading the Forsaken House right now and already on the first few pages I stubled along something I would like to have answered. The Demon-elves (I refuse to use this freaky house name some of them go by cause I couldn't spell it properly anyway - Dlar....) so the demon-elves gate into evermeet, right? Right!
Now what kind of spell is it that they are using?!
I would have liked to read the entire thread first to find out about it but I will rather not reduce my reading enjoyment by ANY possible SPOILERS!
Thanks in advance, Ergdusch
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| Smyther |
Posted - 25 Jun 2005 : 18:54:41
Hmmm. Re-reading the book in anticipation of book 2, I found what I consider to be a major oversight.
To be short, the orcs and ogres. The Dlardrageths pride themselves on being the highest of the elves, looking done on paleblooded moon elves, and disregarding the inferior species. So why in the world would they ally with orcs and ogres, even to use them as fodder? I'd have thought them too proud to stoop to n'tel'quessir as troops, whether or not they are useful. The demon troops I can understand, but goblinoids? The scum of the earth that all elves despise?
Then there is the question of continuity, as most of the orcs and thingies were taken up into Obould's army in Salvatore's trilogy. Granted, that was two years (?) in the past, but they still wouldn't be able to ford the numbers of orcs described in the book. Actually, there are quite a few thingsthat clash between the two trilogies (Alustriel sending troops to the forest but not to Mithril Hall, the dwarves coming down to help when they are reduced in number from orcs and actually helping elves, etc). But my main thought is still that the fey'ri would use orcs as fodder.
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Jun 2005 : 17:41:28
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
Well met
Ahem, let us keep this scroll to discussing Forsaken House. Thank ye 
Sorry, Big Al. It seems we had temporarily forsaken the subject...    |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 21 Jun 2005 : 12:00:05
 Forsaken what?
Certainly Alaundo *stands at attention, and salutes, produncing an ink-stain on his temple with a quill*. ...Forsaken House (kind of sounds like the name of a James Clavell novel, doesn't it?), pretty good book yeah, anyone agree? |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 21 Jun 2005 : 11:16:01
Well met
Ahem, let us keep this scroll to discussing Forsaken House. Thank ye |
| The Sage |
Posted - 21 Jun 2005 : 05:30:58
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Just as long as he didn't name himself after Tzeentch and proclaim that he enjoyed the Baldur's Gate novels...    .
Cringe. I liked the BG novels. :)
I'll admit there were portions of the novels that seemed "alright" to me, but I don't think I'll ever take the time to read them thru again unless I don't have anything else to read.
|
| Kuje |
Posted - 21 Jun 2005 : 04:10:46
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Just as long as he didn't name himself after Tzeentch and proclaim that he enjoyed the Baldur's Gate novels... .
Cringe. I liked the BG novels. :) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 21 Jun 2005 : 02:24:36
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
Umm.......I`ve reread Return of the Archwizards and I still like it.
Well, that's what I'd expect from someone who names himself after one of the Chaos Gods -- especially when that person took the name of the Blood God!
Just as long as he didn't name himself after Tzeentch and proclaim that he enjoyed the Baldur's Gate novels... .
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 17:22:04
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
Umm.......I`ve reread Return of the Archwizards and I still like it.
Well, that's what I'd expect from someone who names himself after one of the Chaos Gods -- especially when that person took the name of the Blood God! |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 12:34:55
Well, it's good that we don't all think and feel alike, isn't it? |
| khorne |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 11:00:35
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Sounds like a line from a favorite movie of mine.
"Listen pal. You got two choices. You can sit here and freeze to death or read the Denning trilogy. What's it going to be?"
"I'm thinking."
Having almost done both (five more minutes and I'd been losing toes), I'd still pick the latter over rereading Return of the Archwizards.
Umm.......I`ve reread Return of the Archwizards and I still like it. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 07:52:44
Indeed. I've learned everything I needed to know about the plot of the books by wandering around here. Forunately, we don't need to slog through ROTAW to enjoy Last Mythal like we did with Avatar to enjoy Shadows of the Avatar.
And was it Denning that wrote Crucible? [shudder] No wonder I loathed that book so much.
Oh, and to keep this post at least a little on track, I had forgotten that the next book was due out. Time to go hunting the bookstores. And while I'm there, I'll finally get a chance to pick up Elminster's Daughter (I don't have the money for hardcovers). |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 06:37:59
Okay, maybe a bit harsh, that comment, but I'm definately happy that the Last Mythal is written by Richard Baker and not Troy Denning. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 06:21:25
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Sounds like a line from a favorite movie of mine.
"Listen pal. You got two choices. You can sit here and freeze to death or read the Denning trilogy. What's it going to be?"
"I'm thinking."
Having almost done both (five more minutes and I'd been losing toes), I'd still pick the latter over rereading Return of the Archwizards. |
| Accursed |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 05:58:32
Thanks for the advice people. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 02:55:00
Probably best if we take this to another thread if we are going to continue discussing Mr. Denning's FR novels. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 02:51:19
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
I don't wish to speak for my fellow scribes, but I have noticed a few recurring complaints about Troy Denning (and by the way, I loved Parched Sea, The Twilight Giants books, Crucible, and his Cormyr books, so I am not coming from this as hating Troy's work).
1. Willingness to destroy large swaths and/or important things/places/people. Tilverton, The Lords Who Sleep, part of Evereska, all spring to mind.
2. Troy's tendancy to have his characters "get over" on established characters. Most of the scribes really hated the way the Chosen were portrayed in the last book of the ROTAW books. I agree that they were indeed treated badly in this book, and I have seen this trend in Troy's books before, which makes me wonder why more characters in Cormyr didn't come off worse than they did. Perhaps it was because he got to create precious few new characters and instead had to use established NPCs as his mains.
I've liked a couple of his books, I've hated some others... Crucible and The Parched Sea I really enjoyed. I only read the first book of the Twilight Giants, and couldn't stand it. Faces of Deception was an utter waste of time -- it was painful to read. His Cormyr stuff didn't bother me as much, though Vangey did come off as a bit dense in places.
So I don't totally hate the author -- he's done stuff I like, and I'll give him points for that.
It's just that he's also done some horrible stuff, and the Return of the Archwizards is a great example of that. While there is some good material in there, to me it is overshadowed by the way he portrayed all the white hats that weren't his personal creations. Chosen of Mystra, wise old elves, Lords of Waterdeep, Vangey... Any time a non-Denning white hat could have thwarted the bad guys by following an obvious course of action, they willfully and stubbornly did as much as they could to make it worse. The Chosen, in particular, came off as incredible idiots.
I don't mind a tale where the bad guys are a seemingly inexorable force, apparently unstoppable by any means. I do mind a tale where the bad guys are only mildly clever, and win because the good guys were too stupid to follow the obvious course of action. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 02:39:10
quote:
Originally posted by VEDSICA
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Sounds like a line from a favorite movie of mine.
"Listen pal. You got two choices. You can sit here and freeze to death or read the Denning trilogy. What's it going to be?"
"I'm thinking."
Why does everyone here seem to have something against Troy Denning?
Troy has destroyed many things along the way.So a few folk tend not to like him because of that.Tilverton being one for instance.
I hate the way he takes established characters and turns them into ineffective and bumbling idiots, leaving his own characters as the only ones capable of dealing with the bad guys. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 02:08:57
I don't wish to speak for my fellow scribes, but I have noticed a few recurring complaints about Troy Denning (and by the way, I loved Parched Sea, The Twilight Giants books, Crucible, and his Cormyr books, so I am not coming from this as hating Troy's work).
1. Willingness to destroy large swaths and/or important things/places/people. Tilverton, The Lords Who Sleep, part of Evereska, all spring to mind.
2. Troy's tendancy to have his characters "get over" on established characters. Most of the scribes really hated the way the Chosen were portrayed in the last book of the ROTAW books. I agree that they were indeed treated badly in this book, and I have seen this trend in Troy's books before, which makes me wonder why more characters in Cormyr didn't come off worse than they did. Perhaps it was because he got to create precious few new characters and instead had to use established NPCs as his mains.
|
| VEDSICA |
Posted - 20 Jun 2005 : 01:56:39
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Sounds like a line from a favorite movie of mine.
"Listen pal. You got two choices. You can sit here and freeze to death or read the Denning trilogy. What's it going to be?"
"I'm thinking."
Why does everyone here seem to have something against Troy Denning?
Troy has destroyed many things along the way.So a few folk tend not to like him because of that.Tilverton being one for instance. |
| khorne |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 22:45:53
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Sounds like a line from a favorite movie of mine.
"Listen pal. You got two choices. You can sit here and freeze to death or read the Denning trilogy. What's it going to be?"
"I'm thinking."
Why does everyone here seem to have something against Troy Denning? |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 22:12:23
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Sounds like a line from a favorite movie of mine.
"Listen pal. You got two choices. You can sit here and freeze to death or read the Denning trilogy. What's it going to be?"
"I'm thinking." |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 16:49:45
quote:
Originally posted by Accursed
Not a prob, Sirius I should've worked it out myself, as I was reading about this the other day. Doh!
Another question, I would like to soon start on on this book, but I haven't read the Return of the Archwizards trilogy yet, as I am no fan of Denning. Will it make a difference, should I just suck it up and trudge through Denning's quagmire?
I would not, under any circumstances, recommend that a person read those books.
Besides, as SB says, Death Star Denning's trilogy really doesn't have very much to do with this one. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 15:03:36
quote:
Originally posted by Accursed
Another question, I would like to soon start on on this book, but I haven't read the Return of the Archwizards trilogy yet, as I am no fan of Denning. Will it make a difference, should I just suck it up and trudge through Denning's quagmire?
No difference. You can fully enjoy this book without having read Denning's trilogy. |
| Accursed |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 14:34:08
Not a prob, Sirius I should've worked it out myself, as I was reading about this the other day. Doh!
Another question, I would like to soon start on on this book, but I haven't read the Return of the Archwizards trilogy yet, as I am no fan of Denning. Will it make a difference, should I just suck it up and trudge through Denning's quagmire? |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 13:07:33
quote:
Originally posted by Accursed
Ahhhh! Thank you! I keep forgetting about that one.
It's one of the new products, so sorry for any confusion.
My copy of Book II for this series is in the mail. Thus, I started reading this novel again last night. I am impressed once again at the level of detail in the writing. I really hope Book II lives up to the series' fine start. |
| Accursed |
Posted - 19 Jun 2005 : 07:44:03
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
quote:
Originally posted by Accursed
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlackWe at least got a Malkizid write up in CoR.
Forgive my ignorance, but CoR?
Champions of Ruin. The latest sourcbook, well, if you're not in the States it seems
Ahhhh! Thank you! I keep forgetting about that one. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 18 Jun 2005 : 15:22:02
quote:
Originally posted by Accursed
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlackWe at least got a Malkizid write up in CoR.
Forgive my ignorance, but CoR?
Champions of Ruin. The latest sourcbook, well, if you're not in the States it seems |
| Accursed |
Posted - 18 Jun 2005 : 14:14:08
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlackWe at least got a Malkizid write up in CoR.
Forgive my ignorance, but CoR?
|
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 16 Jun 2005 : 12:22:46
quote:
Originally posted by Freakboy
1. Does anyone know if Rich plans to do a write-up on the NPC's of Forsaken House like he did for WotSQ. For example I would love to see write-ups on Araevin, Ilsevele, Maressa, Seirevel, and Sarya Dlardregeth. I don't know if Rich has had time for this, but I didn't want to have to dig through all the old posts to try to see if he addressed this in one of the other threads already.
I haven't heard anything about such plans. You might want to ask him, if you haven't done so already, in his author thread. We at least got a Malkizid write up in CoR.
quote:
2. Does anyone know for sure when Farthest Reach is do out? The inside jacket says July of this year, but I have learned that release dates on Realms novels can change close to the release date.
Barnes and Noble is listing the book as ships within 2-3 days. Thus, it's out.
quote:
3. Isn't it just too cool how Rich is using a Sun Elf Wizard/High Mage as the Protagonist of this book? I don't think I have read another Realms novel where a Sun elf was featured in so prominent a way.
About time this moon elven slant from FR authors is done away with. I haven't seen such biased since I read (insert whatevever newspaper you feel is biased here).
quote:
Thanks to all and sorry for jumping on the ship so late, but if you haven't read Forsaken House yet like I hadn't, go get it and read it now!!!
And go pick up Farthest Reach now! |
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