| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 01 Aug 2005 : 16:57:02
Behold the teaser page copy from Queen of the Depths:
The Inner Sea
Ruled by Chaos
Crawling with Dragons
"This Cult of the Dragon. They must be mighty wizards with a profound knowledge of wyrms to warp their lives into undeath and leave their minds intact."
"I suppose."
"Then you will help me find them, for that is your craft. They will then tell me how to stop the dragons threatening Serôs. I will do so in Umberlee's name, and afterwards, the other shalarins will return to her altars in penance and thanksgiving."
Anton shook his head. "You don't understand. There's no reason to assume the cult has what you need, and it wouldn't matter even if they do. They worship dragons. They won't help anybody hurt or hinder them."
"If they won't give up their secrets willingly, we will take them."
The Year of Rogue Dragons author Richard Lee Byers crafts a tale of vengeance and deception that can only be felt in the hearts of
The Priests |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 03:04:50
Very glad you liked it, RF. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 20 Sep 2005 : 23:10:34
Finished this book a few days back, and I was not at all disappointed. The ending where the shalarin actually embraces Anton surprised me, and made me feel all warm inside. And the description of the underwater locales was superb, especially the note about the water being "aglitter" with colorful fish.
Makes me want to go for a swim in the Inner Sea. |
| Dart Ambermoon |
Posted - 17 Sep 2005 : 01:49:20
Ah, that was one thing I had forgotten in my original comments. Fantastic fighting scenes vs the dragon.
Finally, mortality sets in and well-thought out tactics are used in order to win and especially survive the encounter.
Really liked that scene, it was very grippingly written IMO not clear in its outcome UNTIL its outcome. You couldnīt tell what was going to happen. Nice spellwork, too. And the tactics...sheesh, my players mustnīt read this *grins*. |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 16 Sep 2005 : 21:31:32
Eric: Very glad you liked it.
My red dragon is indeed the same one the source material mentions. No reason to make up a new one when the preexisting Realmslore already provides one. |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 16 Sep 2005 : 18:49:26
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
I didn't get to check ... was Eschaz mentioned in Pirates of the Fallen Stars and/or Sea of Fallen Stars? I seem to recall a nasty red dragon sleeping on one of the islands in old Realmslore.
--Eric
OOh really? I'm taking a look at both of the products over the weekend (hopefully tonight) after my interest has been rekindled since readng the novel. I hope that Eschaz is in there, he is by far the most fearsome dragon I have read in an FR novel! I'm also interested to see if Tam is covered and take a deeper look into the Pirate Isles. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 16 Sep 2005 : 15:01:36
Richard,
My congratulations as well. This was a great read. I really enjoyed the characters, the story, and the Realmslore. I know I'm hooked when every time a secondary character dies I think to myself "Oh, not him/her!!!"
I didn't get to check ... was Eschaz mentioned in Pirates of the Fallen Stars and/or Sea of Fallen Stars? I seem to recall a nasty red dragon sleeping on one of the islands in old Realmslore.
--Eric
|
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 16 Sep 2005 : 14:59:07
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Glad you liked it, thekosta.
I'm honestly not sure exactly how old Jorunhast is (he's a preexisting character from the Sea of Fallen Stars sourcebook.) It's pretty obvious he's a person of mature years, but I'm not sure if he's normal-guy mature or magically preserved centuries-old mature. Maybe Steve Schend will enlighten us all.
Jorunhast is very old. He preceded Vangerdahast as the chief wizard of Cormyr. The reasons for his exile are given in one of the short story chapters in Cormyr: A Novel. I leave it at that so as not to give spoilers. |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 15 Sep 2005 : 21:59:34
Glad you liked it, thekosta.
I'm honestly not sure exactly how old Jorunhast is (he's a preexisting character from the Sea of Fallen Stars sourcebook.) It's pretty obvious he's a person of mature years, but I'm not sure if he's normal-guy mature or magically preserved centuries-old mature. Maybe Steve Schend will enlighten us all. |
| thekosta |
Posted - 15 Sep 2005 : 14:49:22
Well it's been awhile since i've posted here or anywhere for that matter. I really liked the book. thanks. One question though how old would Jorunhast be? I've been trying to figure it out but obviously I haven't. Not important just wondering.
|
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 15 Sep 2005 : 04:57:27
Oops, I forgot to say, I figure the Rage makes dragonkin more irritable, but it doesn't drive them bonkers like it does actual dragons. |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 15 Sep 2005 : 04:55:56
Thanks for the kind words, Rad. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Vitan and devitan are simply ranks in the theocratic power structure of the 'chitls. |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 14 Sep 2005 : 23:33:24
Well I wrapped this novel in less than 2 days as I just couldn't put it down An excellent book and I loved the story and how it was written.
SPOILERS BELOW
As Alaundo said previously, the prologue was a wonderful display of the underwater world. Great intro and I was happy to be reading of the Rage again. Again, that contrast against the first chapter was great.
The intro scenes with Tu'ala'keth and Anton were very well written, and I found it clever how Tu'ala'keth first arrived on Dragon Isle and how it was written from her perspective, when viewing strange farm creatures etc. The whole setting of Dragon Isle was great, very hearty and lively. I loved the whole scene when they get together with the pirates... and I couldn't believe it when Anton killed Shandri  Wow!
In fact, all through the book, I found a lot of the fighting to be quite brutal and descriptive. Fantastic and really brings the novel much more to life rather that trying to brush around violence. Anton often surprised me with his rage and brutality.
Again, when Tu'ala'keth was attacked by Vurghom, it was a tense and mature moment.. and her brutality came out when she was forced to kill the guy who she encountered when leaving Vurghom's chamber.
I was taken back by Anton's betrayal of Tu'ala'keth. A great scene which I certainly wasn't expecting and very well done. I loved how the translucent eyelids came into play 
The island of Tan was great. I loved the setting and was one of the best Cult stronghold feelings i've ever read. Eshcaz was fantastic! It's a shame he came to an end. Wow, what a dragon I certainly had the feeling of a colossal red wyrm in this book, and almost felt the dragonfear myself! 
Once scene featuring Eshcaz actually make me laugh out lad and titter for a while afterwards.... where he eats an ixitachitl and turns around to the priest of Velsharoon and says "tastes like chicken" 
The scene in Exzethlix was great. It's the first time i've actually got to know about ixitachitl in that detail and found it very interesting. Incidentally, what exactly are devitan and vitan? Yzil was great, i loved that character. Nasty what he did to that mermaid though
I liked the battle scene between the locathah's, koalinth's (two of my all-time favorite creatures) and the dragonkin. What a strange, but exciting combination I was very happy to read of the dragonkin, for the first time in an FR novel too I think. I'm a fan of draconians from dragonlance so this was great for me. I'd love to read more about them. By the way, are dragonkin affected by the Rage?
Oh, another bit that made me laugh was when Anton was running down the corridor and bumped into the fire drake and addressed it as "My Lord", and it then turned around and said "i'm a female, fool"
Great scene with Diero being questioned too. Nice tactics!
The book ended very well too. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it. A great story and it really delivered very well as a Realms novel, a priests novel and a novel tied to the Rage.
Fantastic job!! |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 13 Sep 2005 : 00:14:11
Glad you're enjoying it, Alaundo.
As Kuje observed, there's a lot of shalarin info in Sea of Fallen Stars, and that was my primary reference. |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 12 Sep 2005 : 23:40:48
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
Tell me, Richard, is it written in any FR tomes with further details of the shalarin?
Sea of Fallen Stars and Wyrmskull Throne. :)
Well met
Thank ye, Kuje. I'll take a look at these tomes later to satisfy my curiosity  |
| Kuje |
Posted - 12 Sep 2005 : 23:38:55
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
Tell me, Richard, is it written in any FR tomes with further details of the shalarin?
Sea of Fallen Stars and Wyrmskull Throne. :) |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 12 Sep 2005 : 23:27:21
Well met
Indeed. I have just opened this tome up tonight and am merely a couple of chapters in. I must say that I was drawn in instantly.
SPOILERS
The prologue was beautiful, and is one of the best underwater scenes I have read. The vast array or underwater creatures was very colorful and certainly gave a feeling of comradery against the approaching foe. A very tense scene. The inclusion of the Rage works very well here too
I enjoyed the following chapter also. Certainly a feeling of being stranded and the eerie shalarin merely observing for a while.
So far, very enjoyable.
Tell me, Richard, is it written in any FR tomes with further details of the shalarin? |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 12 Sep 2005 : 20:31:54
Glad you're enjoying it, RF. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 12 Sep 2005 : 19:32:01
I'm a little ways into this book and I'm already enjoying it. I love marine life and I find pirates exciting, thus so far it's been a real page turner (as I've come to expect from Mr. Byers). Great dialogue and characters, and I can't wait to see how it ties in with the Year of Rogue Dragons trilogy. |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 10 Sep 2005 : 03:48:31
Thanks for the kind words, Dart. Very glad you enjoyed the book.
I would have been more than happy to write more about Vladawen, but alas, it was not to be. |
| Dart Ambermoon |
Posted - 10 Sep 2005 : 00:47:12
YES! Thatīs the first reaction after just having finished the novel and having been grumpy teaching kids this morning in a prep-course for the new schoolyear, because I only slept for two hours (because I couldnīt put it down last night). Thank God the books are available in Germany a lot quicker than they used to be a few years back.
Once again I applaud your cast of characters. They are (and thatīs one of the points I like most about your work, Richard), atypical and unexpected to a cetain degree, while still delivering what we want to see in Realms Chars. The Shalarin herself kept being full of surprises and a really multi-dimensional priestess (and not a stereotypical zealot). Same goes for the wearer of purple, e.g.
īTwas a great read, Richard, and will surely be re-read several times. Fine setting, too, by not focusing on Myth Nantar underseas, but showcasing places like a Demon Ray "City". Very well-written action scenes aswell (and Iīm not "really" an action scene fan).
And, as you said in the novel thread, nice tie-ins for those that read "Rogue Dragons" Series, but it isnīt needed whatsoever.
Now...to sum it up. A fine book, giving birth to some intriguing ideas for GMīs that want to use them.
So thanks a lot, and Iīm looking extremely forward to the next novels you put out (alright, wouldīve done that enyway,īcause I was hooked on your writing after the first story I read, but anyways.)
PS: A book from you about a priest...makes me wish Vladawens story would have come as a twelve-book-epic. *wink* |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 02 Sep 2005 : 15:26:13
Yep, the novel does involve the Rage of Dragons--and the Cult of the Dragon--so it ties into the trilogy. A number of people have expressed interest in stories that tell about the effect of the Rage on parts of Faerûn where the trilogy doesn't go. This story covers one extra region, anyway.
I do want to stress again, though, that Queen of the Depths stands on its own. You don't have to read Year of Rogue Dragons to follow and (I hope) enjoy it. (Although it sure would be nice if everyone would read YoRD!) |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 22:57:59
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Lord Rad: You will may recognize locations and secondary characters from TftS, but my book is by no means a sequel to that trilogy.
I'll look forward to it I'm not sure where I read it (and I think it was from yourself anyway), but I believe the story features elements of the Rage? I'm very intrigued with this, I can imagine it to be quite exciting! I have loved the Year of Rogue Dragons trilogy so far, it'll be nice to read more on the Rage within an independant novel also. Again, this was a nice touch to read about the Rage in the final tale by Murray Leeder in Realms of the Dragons II. |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 18:57:37
Xysma: Thanks for the kind words. I'm very glad you enjoyed the book.
Lord Rad: You will may recognize locations and secondary characters from TftS, but my book is by no means a sequel to that trilogy. |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 17:17:58
I'll be reading this novel later this month. I have it on order but i'm not sure when it will arrive. As soon as i've finished City of Splendors, this and Master of Chains are on my reading list
Quick question - Does the novel have any links to the events which occured in the Thread from the Sea? I know that the trilogy was regarding Iakhovas but just wondered if there was any involvement. I must say it will be nice to read a novel on a Umberlee... I think she's the deity almost always mentioned in novels which contain any mention of sea travel  |
| Xysma |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 17:07:57
I really enjoyed this book, I liked that it tied in with the Year of Rogue Dragons, and the cast of characters was colorful and well developed. MAJOR Spoiler warning (highlight to read): In spite of how much I enjoyed this book and the characters, something didn't sit right with me, and I'll try to explain. Tu'ala'keth was the only real hero as far as I'm concerned, and she was the devout servant of Umberlee, and we all know what the Bitch Goddess is like. Tu'ala'keth only betrayed Anton after he tried to murder her in her sleep! I liked the character of Anton, but he was a completely selfish, treacherous, murderous bastard. Just when I thought I would see the good side of Anton after he killed Shandri (whom he had just been trying to bed with talk of their "future together") and started to feel remorse, he tries to kill his own partner (our heroine) as she sleeps simply because he is afraid that she'll ruin his plans. Again, I liked Anton, but he is no hero, he's barely the better of two evils, and that's comparing him to the Cult of the Dragon. The end of the book led me to believe that Anton may one day become a true hero, maybe even worthy of Torm, but he has yet to do so. As I read, I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that something was missing, and I finally decided it was a hero. I'm just curious if that feeling had struck anyone else, or if it's just me. That being said, I highly recommend this book, it is a great read. Three words, "ixitxachitl and pirates." |
| Richard Lee Byers |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 05:01:25
Glad you liked it, Dargoth.
Minor spoiler ahead
No, it's not a misprint. After washing out of paladin school, the character in question came to be a worshipper of the Red Knight. I thought it was appropriate since the RK is a deity of strategy, and Anton has an analytical, thinker's approach to his grim and violent trade. |
| Dargoth |
Posted - 01 Sep 2005 : 00:47:12
Warning contains spoils
Just finished reading it
Its a good read
The Hero is an interesting character, in D&D speak hes probably an Expert with a couple of levels of Sorcerer.
QOTD unfortunately didnt have a map which I think let it down abit (Thats WOTC oof cause not Richs)
One thing I did notice was that the main character makes repeated comments related to the Red Knight but there doesnt appear to be any reference to her in the characters history. The character tried out for a Paladin of Torm but didnt stick with it. Is that a miss print Richard? Was it meant to be Paladin of the Red Knight? |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 22:59:31
quote:
Originally posted by wwwwwww
Mine arrived in the mail just today (along with Master of Chains) from Overstock.com
Well met
Splendid, splendid Now get reading, wwwwwww, I want to hear all thee has to say, on both tomes... oh, and forthwith  |
| wwwwwww |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 22:13:53
Mine arrived in the mail just today (along with Master of Chains) from Overstock.com |
| hammer of Moradin |
Posted - 29 Aug 2005 : 20:48:38
I still have not seen this. Tomorrow is the first, and normally someone in town will have it by the first of the month. WOTC seems to have pushed production on novels back a week, or we're just getting things slower these days. Must be all of these bleepin' hurricanes that keep pushing through here. |
