| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 27 Apr 2005 : 23:35:59
Well met
Herein is the list of tales within this tome. I'll certainly look forward to picking this up. Please post any reviews or comments on this book in this thread or any other questions to the authors can also be directed to their dedicated threads or the generic Anthology Authors thread in the Chamber of Sages. Thank ye.
Faerie Ire - Erin Tettensor
The Woman Who Drew Dragons - Rosemary Jones
The Hunting Game - Erik Scott de Bie
The Road Home - Harley Stroh
How Burlmarr Saved the Unseen Protector - Kameron M. Franklin
A Tall Tale - J. L. Collins
The Book Dragon - Jim Pitrat
Freedom's Promise - Ed Gentry
Possessions - James P. Davis
Queen of the Mountain - Jaleigh Johnson
The Strength of the Jester - Murray J.D. Leeder |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 26 Sep 2005 : 19:50:42
quote:
Originally posted by J L Collins
Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts Rinonalyrna, it is appreciated. I am glad you liked the story, though I am curious what made the story seem it was "going all over the place..."
True, I should have been more clear: I just felt that the story changed viewpoints a lot, whereas less viewpoints might have felt more cohesive. There is no "right or wrong", here (and a lot depends on the author's intent), I just felt a little jarred when the story went from seemingly being about Nollo (sp?)--who was in my opinion a worthy character--to focusing on the half-elf and the quiet, sensible boy who liked her. Or was the baby dragon the center of the story, where none of the kids were?
quote:
Your absolutely correct that a novice Forgotten Realms reader would not have understood that dragons in this world are highly intelligent, and not just another monster. I wanted to try and capture some of the raw emotion and rage of such powerful creatures however, and in these particular circumstances, conversing with the lesser races probably wouldn't have been too important. I hope I conveyed that the big brass at the end did communicate her feelings in one special way.
You did. :) And surely enough, you showed that stealing a dragon's egg isn't the same as stealing and egg from a hen...
quote:
I'm glad the story made you smile when all was done.
Thank you both.
You're welcome! |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 26 Sep 2005 : 19:45:14
quote:
Originally posted by Jaleigh J.
Sorry you didn't enjoy, Rinonalyrna, but thank you for your feedback. :)
You're welcome!
quote:
If it helps, there isn't an overreaching point, other than two old women wanting to die in peace. The fact that one of them is a dragon complicates things, and I wanted to show how dragons can--by their natures and sometimes just by their existence--affect the lives of ordinary people.
Point taken--in that way, the story was effective, and I had meant to say before that it the story was well-written (I didn't type it right ). There were no actual bad stories in this anthology, but some grabbed me more than others. Anyway I look forward to reading your forth-coming FR work.  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 26 Sep 2005 : 19:40:02
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Hmm. I would only add to that, "which would be especially appropriate seeing as how he has spent the entire work convincing people that dragons are after him, but they didn't believe him because he's a lunatic." 
I agree that it would be fertile ground for a story. Heaven knows I like reading about people getting into trouble and having to find a way back out.
quote:
You truly did not, lady. I was worried that I had inadvertently offended you instead.
Perhaps by sounding, as my uncle would put it, "un-American." Rest assured, such is not the case.
No offense taken!
quote:
Murray has the right of it: Would you consider posting a review on Amazon, perhaps? Or Lord Rad, for that matter? Or anyone who's interested?
(And feel absolutely free to be as honest as you like, of course.)
Cheers
Hmmm, perhaps I will. :)
Looking forward to Ghostwalker.  |
| J L Collins |
Posted - 22 Sep 2005 : 04:41:59
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
A Tall Tale
I liked this story, but it kind of goes all over the place. Also, the Harper's admonishment that stealing a baby dragon is "stealing a life" might have been served more effectively if the dragons in the story had acted more like characters than just like speechless monsters. Still, the baby dragon was quite cute, and the story ended on a nice, humorous note.
Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts Rinonalyrna, it is appreciated. I am glad you liked the story, though I am curious what made the story seem it was "going all over the place..."
Your absolutely correct that a novice Forgotten Realms reader would not have understood that dragons in this world are highly intelligent, and not just another monster. I wanted to try and capture some of the raw emotion and rage of such powerful creatures however, and in these particular circumstances, conversing with the lesser races probably wouldn't have been too important. I hope I conveyed that the big brass at the end did communicate her feelings in one special way.
I'm glad the story made you smile when all was done.
Lord Rad, I should take this oppourtunity to say that I did read your review, but I did not reply in a timely manner. Thank you as well for your thoughts, and I was pleased to know you enjoyed the story.
Thank you both. |
| Jaleigh J. |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 21:35:26
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Queen of the Mountain
This is another story I found hard to follow at times, and to be honest I didn't really see the point in it. Nevertheless, it was well really, and made me wonder if it's possible for dragons to communicate with the very mountains (?).
Sorry you didn't enjoy, Rinonalyrna, but thank you for your feedback. :) If it helps, there isn't an overreaching point, other than two old women wanting to die in peace. The fact that one of them is a dragon complicates things, and I wanted to show how dragons can--by their natures and sometimes just by their existence--affect the lives of ordinary people.
And I agree, post those Amazon reviews. :)
|
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 21:21:09
quote:
True! But I daresay a story about him being caught, and subsequently eaten, would make a fine sequel. O:)
Hmm. I would only add to that, "which would be especially appropriate seeing as how he has spent the entire work convincing people that dragons are after him, but they didn't believe him because he's a lunatic."
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
It really isn't, you're right. I don't mean to come across as rude, but in the past I've read some "snooty" comments from non-Americans about various types of slang and Americanisms as "pollutants" of language, and as a result I guess I've become a bit oversensitive. I suppose I just take pride in my country and its culture. My comments were directed at anyone who will read them (not specific individuals), but I hope I didn't offend you or anyone else, sorry if I did.
You truly did not, lady. I was worried that I had inadvertently offended you instead.
Perhaps by sounding, as my uncle would put it, "un-American." Rest assured, such is not the case.
quote:
I'm so pleased that so many people seem to like RotDII. I wonder if these happy readers could be convinced to post amazon.com reviews.
Murray has the right of it: Would you consider posting a review on Amazon, perhaps? Or Lord Rad, for that matter? Or anyone who's interested?
(And feel absolutely free to be as honest as you like, of course.)
Cheers |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 20:16:35
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Glad you felt that way! It was halfway intentional, after all. The concept was that you'd see the dragon-thing coming from a mile away, and still be surprised.
I certainly was.
quote:
Yes indeed. I endeavored to make her act, for want of a better description, like a dragon -- snooty, arrogant, brash, passionate, and violent.
Indeed, that was one of the things that cemented my suspicion.
quote:
If you're curious, the concept was that the Moor Walkers were impressed with her strength and skill (well, more strength), in addition to being swayed by her charisma and force of personality (the DRAGON thing), and wanted to keep her around on those bases. They never trusted her, but they (good-hearted fools that they are, or, rather, were) gave her a chance. Oops. 
Oops, is right. It cost them their lives. Too bad they didn't temper their compassion with prudence.
quote:
Oh yes, you've got Alin's number! Even as I was writing, I asked myself, "Why is this nerd the main character?" It basically came down to a couple of things:
1) While not particularly bright (average intelligence), and really not sensible (low wisdom), Alin's very charming and good at getting people to like him (high charisma); e.g. the scene in which he meets Inri and Thard. He is, in modern terms, a good bulls****er. He "gets along" with everyone because he's naive enough to praise everyone, whether they deserve it (the Moor Walkers), or not (ahem).
2) The more pathetic the main character, the mightier the supporting characters will seem. This was Ryla's story, and it couldn't very well have been so with a strong, mysterious MC.
*nods* Ah, I see your reasoning now. I think it worked, because Ryla was definitely the person who stuck out in my mind (even though I didn't like her) not Alin.
quote:
My thanks for the kind words, and I'm glad you enjoyed!
You're welcome!
quote:
Well. . . mayhap we'll find out what happens to a certain insane bard who spends the rest of his life chased by draconic laughter and carnophobia (the fear of being eaten alive). I wonder if such a thing is a fate worse than death.
True! But I daresay a story about him being caught, and subsequently eaten, would make a fine sequel. O:)
|
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 20:10:48
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Glad you enjoyed the differentiating dialogue. I cringe over the "ain't" that somehow ended up in there (I blame American culture, really), but generally I thought the dialogue flowed well.
Ya know, I never gave that a second thought. Looking at it, it flowed well with the dialog style of that character. I've seen worse Americanism's creep into books One which I personally dislike is the use of wind\wound, in the context of "you'll wind up dead", whereas it reads less American to say "you'll end up dead".
You know, not all Americans speak the same way. I'm an American and I dislike the idea that "Americanisms" are somehow a plague on language. I find it rather snooty and offensive.
Also, I have to agree that sometimes slang just fits certain characters, and it isn't always inappropriate. Not that slang only exists in American speech, right?
If I seem to be defending such a point, my lady, my apologies. I only thought it sounded inappropriate to the actual character (something more like "in't" (isn't it) would've been better). My comment about "blaming American culture" really means that I have read and watched so much with "ain't" in it that I have come to see it as an intrinsic part of slang, which isn't really the case (as you so elegantly point out).
And just to clarify, this matter was originally pointed out to me by a Brit, not an American at all. So who knows?
Suffice it to say, I don't see it as a big deal.
Cheers
It really isn't, you're right. I don't mean to come across as rude, but in the past I've read some "snooty" comments from non-Americans about various types of slang and Americanisms as "pollutants" of language, and as a result I guess I've become a bit oversensitive. I suppose I just take pride in my country and its culture. My comments were directed at anyone who will read them (not specific individuals), but I hope I didn't offend you or anyone else, sorry if I did. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 20:06:28
quote:
Originally posted by EdGentry
Quoted from Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Freedom's Promise
This tale was effective in making me feel claustrophobic, and I mean that in a good way. I feel bad for those poor people stuck inside their town, with no one to help them. At the same time, the Blue Dragon actually makes some good points, and this story has some interesting things to say about the nature of power and those who seek to wield it. Excellent!
Rin,
Thank you very much. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the story. I have not yet seen anyone else mention the claustrophobia factor in the story. The idea of being trapped in a small area for the rest of my life was certainly a large part of the inspiration for this story. Also, Gerinvioch would be pleased to know that his message has not gone unheeded. Thank you again.
You're welcome! I sometimes suffer from claustrophobia myself, so the idea of being trapped in one small place is definitely scary for me. Also, people have to die to bring in essential supplies, but at the same time that promotes heroism (that is, people dying for the benefit of others). |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 20:02:53
quote:
Originally posted by James P. Davis
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin posted:
quote:
Possessions
I didn't really get this story until the very end, and it's possible I still missed something. I assume that Count Kelmar *was* the dragon the whole time (or vice versa), until "it" took on a new body. Nice creepy atmosphere, but it wasn't all that easy to follow.
Vice versa, correct. Glad you liked the creepy and thanks for the comments!
--James
You're welcome! |
| EdGentry |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 19:50:49
Agreed, Murray. That would be terrific. |
| Murray Leeder |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 18:35:32
I'm so pleased that so many people seem to like RotDII. I wonder if these happy readers could be convinced to post amazon.com reviews. |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 17:08:48
quote:
The Hunting Game
I knew almost right away that Ryla was a dragon of some sort, but that isn't necessarily the author's fault, nor is it necessarily a bad thing.
Glad you felt that way! It was halfway intentional, after all. The concept was that you'd see the dragon-thing coming from a mile away, and still be surprised.
quote:
Also, I didn't like Ryla much either, though again, that's not a bad thing, either. The way she stormed in the inn was a bit silly, because again, I've seen so many "grand entrances" by now that at this point they just make me roll my eyes more than anything else. She also acts very antisocial for someone who claims to need help and companionship to slay a dragon (so much for being a "legendary dragonslayer"--at one point she throws food in the cook's face and then accuses her companions of rudeness! What a spoiled brat! If I were in that party, I would have let the idiot bard stay with her and gone on my own way by then.
Yes indeed. I endeavored to make her act, for want of a better description, like a dragon -- snooty, arrogant, brash, passionate, and violent.
quote:
I was a bit puzzled at one the companions stayed with her so long. The words "suspicion" and "suspicious" are uttered so often in this story, I had to wonder why then didn't just leave the bard with his dearest love and been off again.
If you're curious, the concept was that the Moor Walkers were impressed with her strength and skill (well, more strength), in addition to being swayed by her charisma and force of personality (the DRAGON thing), and wanted to keep her around on those bases. They never trusted her, but they (good-hearted fools that they are, or, rather, were) gave her a chance. Oops.
quote:
Was he so great a bard that they needed him desperately, so much that they had to appease him? No, not as I could tell. He was pretty stupid, in fact.
Oh yes, you've got Alin's number! Even as I was writing, I asked myself, "Why is this nerd the main character?" It basically came down to a couple of things:
1) While not particularly bright (average intelligence), and really not sensible (low wisdom), Alin's very charming and good at getting people to like him (high charisma); e.g. the scene in which he meets Inri and Thard. He is, in modern terms, a good bulls****er. He "gets along" with everyone because he's naive enough to praise everyone, whether they deserve it (the Moor Walkers), or not (ahem).
2) The more pathetic the main character, the mightier the supporting characters will seem. This was Ryla's story, and it couldn't very well have been so with a strong, mysterious MC.
quote:
That said, here are the things I liked about the story...the image of the green dragon rising up suddenly in the Forest of Wyrms was spectacular. Also, the eventually payoff is splendid--I never expected that Ryla was actually "in league" with the dragon she was hunting.
My thanks for the kind words, and I'm glad you enjoyed!
quote:
The ending was both surprising and chilling, but I'll be honest and say I hope the dragons catch, and eat, that bard.
Well. . . mayhap we'll find out what happens to a certain insane bard who spends the rest of his life chased by draconic laughter and carnophobia (the fear of being eaten alive). I wonder if such a thing is a fate worse than death.
Cheers |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 16:51:52
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Glad you enjoyed the differentiating dialogue. I cringe over the "ain't" that somehow ended up in there (I blame American culture, really), but generally I thought the dialogue flowed well.
Ya know, I never gave that a second thought. Looking at it, it flowed well with the dialog style of that character. I've seen worse Americanism's creep into books One which I personally dislike is the use of wind\wound, in the context of "you'll wind up dead", whereas it reads less American to say "you'll end up dead".
You know, not all Americans speak the same way. I'm an American and I dislike the idea that "Americanisms" are somehow a plague on language. I find it rather snooty and offensive.
Also, I have to agree that sometimes slang just fits certain characters, and it isn't always inappropriate. Not that slang only exists in American speech, right?
If I seem to be defending such a point, my lady, my apologies. I only thought it sounded inappropriate to the actual character (something more like "in't" (isn't it) would've been better). My comment about "blaming American culture" really means that I have read and watched so much with "ain't" in it that I have come to see it as an intrinsic part of slang, which isn't really the case (as you so elegantly point out).
And just to clarify, this matter was originally pointed out to me by a Brit, not an American at all. So who knows?
Suffice it to say, I don't see it as a big deal.
Cheers |
| EdGentry |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 14:41:58
Quoted from Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Freedom's Promise
This tale was effective in making me feel claustrophobic, and I mean that in a good way. I feel bad for those poor people stuck inside their town, with no one to help them. At the same time, the Blue Dragon actually makes some good points, and this story has some interesting things to say about the nature of power and those who seek to wield it. Excellent!
Rin,
Thank you very much. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the story. I have not yet seen anyone else mention the claustrophobia factor in the story. The idea of being trapped in a small area for the rest of my life was certainly a large part of the inspiration for this story. Also, Gerinvioch would be pleased to know that his message has not gone unheeded. Thank you again. |
| James P. Davis |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 06:49:22
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin posted:
quote:
Possessions
I didn't really get this story until the very end, and it's possible I still missed something. I assume that Count Kelmar *was* the dragon the whole time (or vice versa), until "it" took on a new body. Nice creepy atmosphere, but it wasn't all that easy to follow.
Vice versa, correct. Glad you liked the creepy and thanks for the comments!
--James |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 20 Sep 2005 : 23:06:11
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Glad you enjoyed the differentiating dialogue. I cringe over the "ain't" that somehow ended up in there (I blame American culture, really), but generally I thought the dialogue flowed well.
Ya know, I never gave that a second thought. Looking at it, it flowed well with the dialog style of that character. I've seen worse Americanism's creep into books One which I personally dislike is the use of wind\wound, in the context of "you'll wind up dead", whereas it reads less American to say "you'll end up dead".
You know, not all Americans speak the same way. I'm an American and I dislike the idea that "Americanisms" are somehow a plague on language. I find it rather snooty and offensive.
Also, I have to agree that sometimes slang just fits certain characters, and it isn't always inappropriate. Not that slang only exists in American speech, right? |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 20 Sep 2005 : 23:00:34
Faerie Ire
This was such a cute story. I love fairy dragons, and I think the comparisions to cats is appropriate (by the way, I like cats too). The last line, where the mist dragon feels he'll someday welcome back the little thing made me go "Awwww!". Adorable.
The Woman Who Drew Dragons
Although the payoff of this story isn't quite as satisfying the wonderful buildup, I loved this story as well, mainly because of how original it was. I've read plenty of stories about dragon hunters and dragon killers; imagine my delight at a character who follows dragons around simply to study and draw them rather than kill them and take their treasure. I was impressed, and the denouement was great too, considering the details on the sign.
The Hunting Game
I knew almost right away that Ryla was a dragon of some sort, but that isn't necessarily the author's fault, nor is it necessarily a bad thing. I've read several stories already (not all of them FR stories!) about mysterious people who show up in Inns looking for heroes, than later turning out to be dragons. Therefore, that plot device just doesn't really shock me anymore. Also, I didn't like Ryla much either, though again, that's not a bad thing, either. The way she stormed in the inn was a bit silly, because again, I've seen so many "grand entrances" by now that at this point they just make me roll my eyes more than anything else. She also acts very antisocial for someone who claims to need help and companionship to slay a dragon (so much for being a "legendary dragonslayer"--at one point she throws food in the cook's face and then accuses her companions of rudeness! What a spoiled brat! If I were in that party, I would have let the idiot bard stay with her and gone on my own way by then.
I was a bit puzzled at one the companions stayed with her so long. The words "suspicion" and "suspicious" are uttered so often in this story, I had to wonder why then didn't just leave the bard with his dearest love and been off again. Was he so great a bard that they needed him desperately, so much that they had to appease him? No, not as I could tell. He was pretty stupid, in fact. That said, here are the things I liked about the story...the image of the green dragon rising up suddenly in the Forest of Wyrms was spectacular. Also, the eventually payoff is splendid--I never expected that Ryla was actually "in league" with the dragon she was hunting. The ending was both surprising and chilling, but I'll be honest and say I hope the dragons catch, and eat, that bard.
The Road Home
I liked the tone of this story--light on action, and intensely personal. I am a big fan of character studies. However, I stopped liking the protagonist when she mused (or so it seemed to me) about conquering one of the Dalelands, out of principle. Also, the pseudodragon's role in this story was a bit odd, and didn't do much for me.
How Burlmarr Saved the Unseen Protector
Excellent story. Why? Because it's a story that affirms that you are a hero based on what you do, not who you are or what powers you have. In this story, a gnome with so little power saves a gold dragon at the cost of his life. Very touching, and I don't say that lightly.
A Tall Tale
I liked this story, but it kind of goes all over the place. Also, the Harper's admonishment that stealing a baby dragon is "stealing a life" might have been served more effectively if the dragons in the story had acted more like characters than just like speechless monsters. Still, the baby dragon was quite cute, and the story ended on a nice, humorous note.
The Book Dragon
A striking tale about a Red Wizard who is too stupid to live (so much for "the power of Red Ambition!" ). The twist involving his apprentice was great, and in spite of her evil I could actually sympathize with her.
Freedom's Promise
This tale was effective in making me feel claustrophobic, and I mean that in a good way. I feel bad for those poor people stuck inside their town, with no one to help them. At the same time, the Blue Dragon actually makes some good points, and this story has some interesting things to say about the nature of power and those who seek to wield it. Excellent!
Possessions
I didn't really get this story until the very end, and it's possible I still missed something. I assume that Count Kelmar *was* the dragon the whole time (or vice versa), until "it" took on a new body. Nice creepy atmosphere, but it wasn't all that easy to follow.
Queen of the Mountain
This is another story I found hard to follow at times, and to be honest I didn't really see the point in it. Nevertheless, it was well really, and made me wonder if it's possible for dragons to communicate with the very mountains (?).
The Strength of the Jester
The strength of this story (no pun intended) is the ending. It is rather inevitable, but not in a predictable way, and it definitely tugged at my heart strings. Seeing good dragons lose their minds is sad thing, and this story uses that fact very effectively. |
| Erin Tettensor |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 17:51:40
Glad you enjoyed the anthology, Lord Rad. As to your question, the Uluu Thalongh does indeed exist in Realmslore. There is a text box in the FRCS (chapter on Chult) that describes this fearsome and mysterious creature. Whether it has appeared in other Realms fiction, I can't say for sure. |
| Asgetrion |
Posted - 31 Aug 2005 : 13:11:55
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
Anthology Overview
Well that's the end of my reviews on this anthology. I must say i've thoroughly enjoyed the journey and thank all the authors for their stories. Some made me laugh out loud, some made me shiver, some made me also cry! But ALL drew me into the realms and gave me a lot of enjoyment. Well done! Great work and I look forward to reading more from you
I highly recommend this anthology, it's a great way to see various aspects of the Realms from all angles, and to read about one of the less seen types of creatures of the Realms. There are many different dragons featured in these stories, and I never expected such a diverse array.
Damn you, Lord Rad and Paec! Now I have to go and spend my last copper pieces to buy this tome, instead of inventing my money on all those quill pens and parchements I also needed  |
| EdGentry |
Posted - 30 Aug 2005 : 14:20:49
Paec_djinn,
To the best of my knowledge, there are no plans to continue the story at this time. That said, I know how I would continue the story and would be anxious to write it given the opportunity.
Who knows, it could happen somewhere down the road. Let's hope. |
| Paec_djinn |
Posted - 30 Aug 2005 : 09:12:21
Speaking of which, do you have any plans to continue your story. There's so much potential in it and I would definitely look out for a sequel. |
| EdGentry |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 19:34:44
Lord Rad and Paec_djinn, thank you very much for the kind words. I'm really glad you enjoyed the story. It's gratifying to learn that the feeling I was going for with the scenes in Llirress came through. Thank you both.
Quoted from Lord Rad
quote:
A few questions - What IS the Evise Jhontil? Has it ever been described before? Same as Lliiress? Is this a location of your own creation?
I invented both the Evise Jhontil and Llirress. You can learn more about the Evise Jhontil in Dragon Magazine #332 (the 29th anniversary edition) which includes some excellent art by Matt Stawicki. |
| Murray Leeder |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 18:03:17
Lord Rad: Thanks so much for your comments on "Strength of the Jester." I'm really glad you liked it. I'm especially pleased you were surprised by the tragic ending, since I was worried that my ending would seem more inevitable than shocking. |
| James P. Davis |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 16:29:54
quote:
Just out of interest, why did you choose Zazesspur? And where did you research the material from? Have you read War in Tethyr also?
Zazesspur was large enough and urban enough that the challenge of placing a dragon inside the city, a fang dragon no less, just became more intriguing. My primary research came out of the Lands of Intrigue 2E boxed set and War in Tethyr.
--James |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 16:00:34
Anthology Overview
Well that's the end of my reviews on this anthology. I must say i've thoroughly enjoyed the journey and thank all the authors for their stories. Some made me laugh out loud, some made me shiver, some made me also cry! But ALL drew me into the realms and gave me a lot of enjoyment. Well done! Great work and I look forward to reading more from you
I highly recommend this anthology, it's a great way to see various aspects of the Realms from all angles, and to read about one of the less seen types of creatures of the Realms. There are many different dragons featured in these stories, and I never expected such a diverse array.
|
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 15:56:41
The Strength of the Jester (by Murray J.D. Leeder)
Excellent! It wasn't until I started to read this tale that I realised it's the only tale in the anthology that features the Rage  I was very happy to read more of this (after having enjoyed both of Richard Lee Byers novels in the trilogy previous). The mention of the Rage in the Dales\Moonsea region etc. brought it all back to me and it was nice to read a story coming from a different angle whilst leaving common elements within, such as the mention of the council with Lareth and the city under the Moonsea.
The tavern talk also depicted how the news had spread throughout the Realms as well, amongst the general populace, giving the story that epic involvement.
Khalt was a good character too. I took a liking to him straight away (cool tattoo as well ). The arrival of Trinculo to the elves in the forest was nicely done. This was a good scene for me as elves are my favorite race and I felt they, and the setting, were portrayed beautifully (as was the dreamy talk of Evermeet later in the story).
The scenes featuring Chalitash were excellent. The people of Beregost must have got one hell of a show when the two dragons were fighting in the skies It was quite sad that Trinculo was fighting his old friend, especially being a brass dragon too, due to their nature.
The ending was extremely sad  I thought it was going to be a nice happy ending with them both arriving at Evermeet, but instead ended in tragedy and the split between two life-long friends. Excellent writing, and all the better for the ending too.
A great tale and perfect on which to end the anthology. |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 15:49:11
Queen of the Mountain (by Jaleigh Johnson)
Eek, that opening scene in the mountain cavern with the rock crushing down and the stalagtite pressing against the dragons back left me feeling very claustophobic 
The aftermath\rumbles from the dragons death were nicely done. I loved how scene started with hawks flying down to the lake where the old woman was. A bit like how it's done in the movies.
The old familiarity between the old woman (sorry, her name has slipped me) and Bahrns was nice. I liked how she recalled hitting him with a broom when he was younger. The fact that he turned out to be quite respectful was a pleasant surprise for her too.
The story mentioned two dots on his forehead, I don't recall what this means but it rings a bell with me after reading Thomas M. Reid's Scions of Arrabar - I assume this to be the same method of identity? Something about each dot meaning something specific about magic? 1 to read, 2 to read and write, and 3 to read, write and cast?
Quite a nice scene where Arlon speaks from the darkness of the cavern and then appears. The conflict in the cave was well done, I liked the differences between the characters and the battles of flying gems and coins. The wyrmlings were creepy too, reminds me of a couple of movies i've seen lately (The Cave, The Descent).
Nice tale. I'd liked to have read more about the dragon though. It would be have been nice to hear more about her rather than just her last sad moments |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 15:41:18
quote:
Originally posted by James P. Davis
Thanks for the comments Lord Rad, I'm glad you enjoyed the story and that those subtler details of Zazesspur resonated well with you. This story involved a bit more reseach than I'd anticipated when selecting a location, it's good to know I got them right.
Yup, I think you got it pretty spot on. As I said, i'd only just finished a novel on that very same location\event so I was looking out for details on this, and it delivered well 
Just out of interest, why did you choose Zazesspur? And where did you research the material from? Have you read War in Tethyr also? |
| James P. Davis |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 10:06:19
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
Possessions (by James P. Davis)
Well i was particularly happy when this tale started, as it's set in Zazesspur just after the war and the book I had read prior to this was War in Tethyr, which deals with this very location and event It was all very familiar so struck a chord with me straight away.
The opening scene with the guards in the alleyway with the "begger" was great. Reminded me a little of Alien, when the tail-barbs shot through one of the guards chest! The fangs shining in the dark! EEK! A nice dark, scary scene.
I loved the evil nature of the fang dragon, and it's lethal weapons of the fangs (of course) and the tail barb, how it sliced through torso and disembowled people! Nasty!
The ending was very spooky. The wrap-up passages made me shiver, and the whole return of memory about the days on the farm, then the guard who returned and had a sudden recollection of the past events - seeing his own death! Brrrrrrrrr
A very clever tale, I went back to read the last couple of pages again, just to get the chill-factor for a second time
Great tale of a nasty variety of dragon, with a nice twist at the end.
Thanks for the comments Lord Rad, I'm glad you enjoyed the story and that those subtler details of Zazesspur resonated well with you. This story involved a bit more reseach than I'd anticipated when selecting a location, it's good to know I got them right.
Best,
--James |
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