| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 11 Aug 2005 : 18:25:00
Well met
Strangely, I couldn't find a scroll on this particular tome, so opened one up myself 
I have just picked up the tome and started reading today. First impressions.....stunning! The story continues at the very point where The Ruby Guardian left off. I certainly remember the last line in that book - "It was Uncle Kovrim"...which sent shivers down my spine. This book continues just as though there had not been a break. Perfect 
Again, Thomas' writing style is outstanding. The character's actual feel alive, written in a way I have never read before and the depth and feel of the story had that solid, familiar grasp on me within the first couple of pages.
So firstly, i'd like to thank Thomas for what has started (and i'm sure will continue) to be an amazing tale for the Realms and bringing me great joy with this trilogy.
Secondly, I highly recommend this trilogy and would very much like to hear from others who have read this novel to post thy thoughts herein.
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| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Mapolq |
Posted - 21 Nov 2012 : 19:31:51
*Resurrect scroll*
I just finished this trilogy, and enjoyed it quite a lot. Especially since I'm planning a campaign involving intrigue within Chondath...
I have a question for everyone. Is it stated anywhere whether Laithe is Eles Wianar's (bastard) daughter? Darvin calls her half-sister when talking to Eles, and the dialogue kinda leads me to believe she's his sister from his mother's side and not Eles'... but it seems very unclear. I don't think anyone mentioned whether she died or not either.
Oh, and I assumed the Ruby Guardian was Hetta. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 18 Jun 2007 : 23:58:54
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
In Chapter three, after Lobra has the other conspirators turn over Emriana, she uses one of the doppleganers to look like Denrick and "finish what he started." Emriana thinks it is Denrick somehow and in Chapter Seven, its noted that Emriana "didn't have the strength to fight him" anymore, and then the doppleganger tells Lobra that he "tires of this."
Ah, NOW I remember. Thank you for refreshing my memory, even though that part of the book was disturbing.
quote:
I noticed that you mentioned Arbeenok being one of your favorite characters in the other thread RF, I was wondering what you liked about him. I liked him, but at the same time, felt that he was one of those characters that (neccissarily) didn't get a lot of time to shine, other than to be at the "right place at the right time" in terms of using the scepter.
I totally agree with you that he didn't have enough time to shine--that was in fact one of the things that disappointed me about this last book. What did I like about him? He was very strange, but strangely human (I still remember his delight when he tried a certain soup). I remember him as being gentle, but also courageous--a hero. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 16 Jun 2007 : 04:00:29
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
This may come off as a bit stupid, but...it's been a while since I read these books, and I honestly don't remember the rape scene(!).
Could one of you relate what happened, and what chapter it took place in? If you'd jog my memory a bit, I would really appreciate it.
In Chapter three, after Lobra has the other conspirators turn over Emriana, she uses one of the doppleganers to look like Denrick and "finish what he started." Emriana thinks it is Denrick somehow and in Chapter Seven, its noted that Emriana "didn't have the strength to fight him" anymore, and then the doppleganger tells Lobra that he "tires of this."
Until I read how she reacted, I briefly thought that perhaps the doppleganger was tired of struggling with her, but it seem pretty clear that he followed through on his threats. So its not graphic, but its pretty much spelled out.
The disturbing thing, other than the fact that a very likeable main character has been violated in this manner, is that Lobra is sitting back at watching this, enjoying the "punishment" that she has arranged for Emriana killing her brother.
I noticed that you mentioned Arbeenok being one of your favorite characters in the other thread RF, I was wondering what you liked about him. I liked him, but at the same time, felt that he was one of those characters that (neccissarily) didn't get a lot of time to shine, other than to be at the "right place at the right time" in terms of using the scepter. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 23:31:31
This may come off as a bit stupid, but...it's been a while since I read these books, and I honestly don't remember the rape scene(!).
Could one of you relate what happened, and what chapter it took place in? If you'd jog my memory a bit, I would really appreciate it. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 20:34:31
Yeah, I read your books in tangled order (Sapphire Crescent, then The Gossamer Plain, then the last two books of the Scions of Arrabar). All very good, by the way.
I didn't want to get too far off track with that, because one of the things that I liked about Emriana is that she starts off as spoiled but likeable, becomes a bit more responsible, but still sounds a tad elitist in the second book, then really has to realize what's important in this one. It was a good progression.
I also liked that a lot of her development played off of people other than Vambran (the "star"), but also off of her grandmother and Xaphira, so that we got to see her emulating the female rolemodels in her life as well as her big brother.
Thanks for responding Thomas.  |
| Thomas M. Reid |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 20:27:25
Hey, all.
Saw there was some activity on the thread and thought I'd throw in a few comments.
First off, thanks for the praise. I'm really glad you enjoyed the book and the series.
As for the issue in question, I think the main reason it strikes a dissonant chord in you is, to be frank, it feels more real than murder and torture. Many of us know someone who was the victim or the near-victim of such a crime. Few of us know someone who was murdered. Sexual assault happens across so many different social, class, and age levels. And, if you are really honest with yourself, there's probably a touch of projection (in the Jungian vein) going on between you and the perpetrator -- it's a tiny bit easier to imagine committing a misstep or two with what starts off as an innocent date than it is to project your Shadow onto a murderer. I did have one fan who does work in crisis intervention tell me that he felt like what I wrote was both real and handled well, so make of that what you will.
Be that as it may, I certainly didn't want it to become the focal point of the novel. This is heroic fantasy, after all, and too much inner angst and turmoil detracts from what is supposed to be a raucous romp of an adventure. I wanted to show Emriana as juvenile and petulant at the beginning, but with a tough nature who could withstand much more than even she might realize by the time I reached the end of the story. After all, her grandmother saw a lot of potential in her, and there was a reason for that. Em was mentally tough enough to overcome the crime and to understand that she had done nothing to contribute to it and to thus feel guilty about (a major hurdle for many victims to overcome). I guess you could argue that such an approach contributes to the idea of clearly defined good vs. evil that is prevalent in heroic fantasy.
Anyway, thanks for all the comments! If you enjoyed this series, I hope you will take a look at my new book, The Gossamer Plain, which is book one of the Empyrean Odyssey trilogy.
Thomas |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 17:04:23
Oh I definately don't want to dwell on it too much. It was a great book and a really good trilogy. And that element worked, its just that it was very viceral, which I guess goes to show that it was well written and not just a "shock value" scene. |
| J D Dunsany |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 12:08:55
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
One of the things that I was thinking was that we don't see Emriana much outside of her ordeal. I guess it does make sense to be able to function in a crisis, when you are worried about your city, your friends, and your family. It would be interesting to see her long term, to see how this affects her, but that's outside the scope of this particular story. Having the violation occur because of a creature like a doppleganger makes it even more creepy, though. I would imagine Emriana might be a bit irrationally paranoid for a while after this.
Its also interesting that rape "off screen" (for example, the presumed origin of many half orcs or half ogre) don't cause too much of a ruffle, but when we are presented with it directly, its much more difficult to deal with . . .
Yes, indeed. There is, iirc, an attempted rape in one of the earlier books, but Emriana manages to escape. The doppelganger being the perpetrator is particularly unpleasant in this case and, again iirc (it's been a while since I've read the novel and I don't have the book to hand), it's instigated by a female villain - which makes it even more difficult to read.
Still, we're probably going on too much about this point - it shouldn't detract from the fact that the book itself is very readable and, as you say in your first point, a good, solid story. I'd be certainly interested in reading more about Vambran and Emriana at some point - they're both interesting enough characters to warrant another outing, I think, and the region as a whole is definitely worth another look.
All the best!
JDD |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 11:27:40
One of the things that I was thinking was that we don't see Emriana much outside of her ordeal. I guess it does make sense to be able to function in a crisis, when you are worried about your city, your friends, and your family. It would be interesting to see her long term, to see how this affects her, but that's outside the scope of this particular story. Having the violation occur because of a creature like a doppleganger makes it even more creepy, though. I would imagine Emriana might be a bit irrationally paranoid for a while after this.
Its also interesting that rape "off screen" (for example, the presumed origin of many half orcs or half ogre) don't cause too much of a ruffle, but when we are presented with it directly, its much more difficult to deal with . . . |
| J D Dunsany |
Posted - 15 Jun 2007 : 09:28:26
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
I really liked this book, and it was a good, solid ending to a good, solid, satisfying trilogy. While Chondath "feels like the Realms," it still manages to feel like a new place that we haven't seen before as well.
Yes. I wasn't really familiar with that area of the Realms until reading the book and I thought Thomas Reid did a good job of making it come alive. The magic plague - the dots on the forehead - the importance of mercenary companies protecting trade routes in a land where Waukeen is a vitally important goddess - and, of course, the subsequent rivalry between trading families that this engenders - all were portrayed very well and really helped the sense of immersion I got when reading the series. Vambran's a great character too - and I loved the druids in this novel - they really came across as being tough guerilla fighters. Very cool! 
quote:
I really liked how Vambran and Pilos were portrayed. Thomas seems to "get" clerics in a way that some authors struggle with. Neither is a mindless servant spouting chapter and verse and acting as a tool for their god, nor are they iconoclasts that rarely think about their god other than when they have to pick up their holy symbols. They are individuals for whom their faith is an important aspect, who have their own quirks and strengths and weaknessess, but also have the ability to abandon themselves to their faith when they need to. I really liked this aspect of their characters.
Yes, I'd agree with this. I particularly liked the way the organisation of the Waukeen clergy was portrayed, complete with politicking and in-fighting. It gives the whole thing a different layer of intrigue and drama.
quote:
I really liked the Realms version of the "zombie plague" genre. While the characters still weren't quite as helpless as your typical zombie victims, and the plot definately didn't have the same ending that you normally would have in a zombie story, there was still a feeling of desperation and immediacy in the situation.
Again, I'd agree. I found those scenes terribly impressive, with a real sense of the plague spreading and, as you say, the desperation of a dwindling band of uninfected trying to survive. Works well.
quote:
<snip>
What happened to Emriana was VERY disturbing. While I don't think it was glossed over at all, there were times that Emriana seemed a little to "together" when she had to act in the story, though I know sometimes people in stressful situations dive into resolutions to avoid thinking about the things they just went through. I'm not sure why, but for what happened to Emriana, I guess I was waiting for something more to happen with her, but then again, there was a lot to resolve in this book.
Like you, I found this very disturbing - mainly, because I find the whole notion of rape incredibly repulsive, but also because of Emriana's relative youth and (presumably) virginity at the time. Rape is, in fact, one of the few things that really seem out of place to me in fantasy novels. More so than violence or torture. I'm not sure why this is, particularly, because, as a weapon of torture and/or war, it's been deployed for a long long time, but... I don't know. I just always feel very uncomfortable when coming across it in a fantasy milieu that features wizards and gods and monsters etc... To be fair, I thought the author handled it with commendable sensitivity and it didn't come across as gratuitous particularly, as its use here makes a sick kind of sense. As to Emriana's ability to recover and function after her ordeal, well, I was just relieved really. Perhaps it was a little unbelievable, but Emriana's such a central (and likeable) character, I was just very glad that Thomas didn't make things too dark for her after what happened to her.
quote:
Overall, a great trilogy. It was very compelling and kept me interested the whole way through . . .
Yes, I'd agree with that assessment. (Hmmm... doing a lot of agreeing here...) The opening book was, I thought, so-so, but the second and third were particularly gripping and I'm looking forward to reading Unclean when I finally get around to it.
All the best!
JDD |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 13 Jun 2007 : 22:53:01
I really liked this book, and it was a good, solid ending to a good, solid, satisfying trilogy. While Chondath "feels like the Realms," it still manages to feel like a new place that we haven't seen before as well.
I really liked how Vambran and Pilos were portrayed. Thomas seems to "get" clerics in a way that some authors struggle with. Neither is a mindless servant spouting chapter and verse and acting as a tool for their god, nor are they iconoclasts that rarely think about their god other than when they have to pick up their holy symbols. They are individuals for whom their faith is an important aspect, who have their own quirks and strengths and weaknessess, but also have the ability to abandon themselves to their faith when they need to. I really liked this aspect of their characters.
I really liked the Realms version of the "zombie plague" genre. While the characters still weren't quite as helpless as your typical zombie victims, and the plot definately didn't have the same ending that you normally would have in a zombie story, there was still a feeling of desperation and immediacy in the situation.
I was pretty happy with all of the secrets that turned up. Again, they came just at the right time to keep the story moving forward. The family members of Lord Wiannar are certainly an interesting lot. And I liked the fact that even though Wiannar was the architecht of this whole situation, he ramained removed enough from the situation to sit back and start planning again. I do get worn out with the "Hollywood Ending" where all of the villains get what's coming to them, and are permanantly removed from the picture. I liked the amount of resolution versus continuing conflict.
What happened to Emriana was VERY disturbing. While I don't think it was glossed over at all, there were times that Emriana seemed a little to "together" when she had to act in the story, though I know sometimes people in stressful situations dive into resolutions to avoid thinking about the things they just went through. I'm not sure why, but for what happened to Emriana, I guess I was waiting for something more to happen with her, but then again, there was a lot to resolve in this book.
I do wish we had a little more information on Jhamdaath in this book, but at the same time, there is a lot to deal with in the story. I was just happy to have a reference to the lost nation, and some presense in fiction for both the nation itself and their conflict with the elves.
Oh, and at this rate Elminster and James Bond will both be trailing behind Vambran if he runs into any more lovely females.
Overall, a great trilogy. It was very compelling and kept me interested the whole way through . . . |
| Thomas M. Reid |
Posted - 07 Oct 2005 : 05:37:12
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Well, that'll teach me to post while sleep-deprived. The things we were using in theater weren't trestles, they were trellises.
And for the record, the word 'trestle' never appeared in any of the manuscripts I turned over to the editors, though the word 'trellis' did on multiple occasions, and the definition below is accurate. Yes, Arrabar has lots of vine-covered lattices and arbors.
quote:
And, for the record, the definition of trellis (also from Dictionary.com) is:
trel·lis n.
1) A structure of open latticework, especially one used as a support for vines and other creeping plants.
2) An arbor or arch made of latticework.
Thomas |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 05 Oct 2005 : 15:10:23
Well, that'll teach me to post while sleep-deprived. The things we were using in theater weren't trestles, they were trellises.
And, for the record, the definition of trellis (also from Dictionary.com) is:
trel·lis n.
1) A structure of open latticework, especially one used as a support for vines and other creeping plants.
2) An arbor or arch made of latticework. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 05 Oct 2005 : 04:25:28
tres·tle n.
1) A horizontal beam or bar held up by two pairs of divergent legs and used as a support.
2) A framework consisting of vertical, slanted supports and horizontal crosspieces supporting a bridge.
(From: Dictionary.com - - so I'm getting my masters in library science, sue me)
I got the feeling that a bunch of the trestles in the books were more like lattices, thin strips of wood laid at right angles to create a semi-opaque barrier (think a chain link fence). They can be painted, or used to have plants grow on them, blocking the sun and letting wind through. We had some really bad experiences with lattices in theater one year (we called them trestles, which is why I was reminded). They were eight feet long and four wide, but they had to be carried by two people because if you carried them in the middle they snapped under their own weight.
I sure hope the people of the Reach have the sense to build their trestles out of something sturdier than 1/4 inch balsa wood... |
| DDH_101 |
Posted - 02 Oct 2005 : 07:25:13
I thought the cover was Emeriana too. But it was the dagger that gave me the clue. After all, Xaphira fights unarmed and at the start of the 2nd novel she gave a set of daggers to Emeriana. |
| Lina |
Posted - 30 Sep 2005 : 15:21:09
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Realmslore
* I was convinced for a very long time it was Xaphira on the cover of Ruby Guardian, until it became obvious it was Emriana instead. Isn't Em just a young girl, 15ish or so?
I thought Thomas M. Reid had stated it was Xaphira in another thread. Perhaps I'm mistaken. What made it obvious to you that it was Emriana?
SB
I'd guess the descruption of Em wearing that exact outfit as she's about to enter the party at the beginning of the book's end. (And yes, she does look a bit, um...grown up on that cover, doesn't she? )
That got me too. I didn't think it was Em until near the end. |
| jameslt0 |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 15:56:58
I am familar with Forgotten Realms, I own every Champaign setting book for 3rd Ed. I just resently bought several trilogy books. I have not read many...varities of Forgotten Realms novels.
James |
| VEDSICA |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 02:19:23
Setting is mostly city.Arrabar to be exact.With Reth becoming involved.Chondath is the region.It really hasn't been covered until now.That's assuming that you are a long time Realms reader.If you're new then I don't see why you can't start with this.Though I recommend something different.Which is in another thread,and won't be discussed here.
All in all this is a great read.Thomas is a wonderful writer,and he did a reall good job.The story was intriguing,and had some likable characters.I highly recommend it. |
| jameslt0 |
Posted - 21 Sep 2005 : 00:42:33
I had thought about getting this trilogy, but I am unsure about it. Were is the setting for it? What region is it? What are some of the major locations?
James |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 20 Sep 2005 : 22:12:13
That's true--I thought it was Xaphira, but the description of Emriana's party wear matched the red dress on the cover.
Still though, the inside of the cover has a blurb about Xaphira, but she had very little screen time in that book. Also, I really like Arbeenok (he might well have been my favorite character), so I felt he deserved a little more "screen time" than he actually got.
Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable end to a great trilogy. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 18 Sep 2005 : 10:48:04
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Realmslore
* I was convinced for a very long time it was Xaphira on the cover of Ruby Guardian, until it became obvious it was Emriana instead. Isn't Em just a young girl, 15ish or so?
I thought Thomas M. Reid had stated it was Xaphira in another thread. Perhaps I'm mistaken. What made it obvious to you that it was Emriana?
SB
I'd guess the descruption of Em wearing that exact outfit as she's about to enter the party at the beginning of the book's end. (And yes, she does look a bit, um...grown up on that cover, doesn't she?) |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 18 Sep 2005 : 02:52:45
quote:
Originally posted by Realmslore
* I was convinced for a very long time it was Xaphira on the cover of Ruby Guardian, until it became obvious it was Emriana instead. Isn't Em just a young girl, 15ish or so?
I thought Thomas M. Reid had stated it was Xaphira in another thread. Perhaps I'm mistaken. What made it obvious to you that it was Emriana?
SB |
| Lina |
Posted - 18 Sep 2005 : 02:49:03
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Couldn't put it back down once I picked it up (explains the bags under my eyes the next day at work :) I loved how Thomas tied up the story but left the ending open-ended. One or two more novels to add to the series, perhaps? |
| Brian R. James |
Posted - 18 Sep 2005 : 01:10:50
Some rambling thoughts about the trilogy...
* I was convinced for a very long time it was Xaphira on the cover of Ruby Guardian, until it became obvious it was Emriana instead. Isn't Em just a young girl, 15ish or so?
* What happens to Emriana in Emerald Scepter was just a little disturbing (especially considering her age).
* I still don't know who the Ruby Guardian is (Em, Xaphira, other ???)
* The ending of the Emerald Scepter felt rushed. As much as I enjoyed it (hell write an entire trilogy set there), the Jhaamdath chapters felt out of context and could have trimmed down considerably or cut out entirely. The true story was the plague and the politics back in Arrabar.
* I enjoyed watching Pilos mature throughout the trilogy. I'd like to read more about him in the future.
* While I enjoyed the characters, I felt the Horial/Edilus/Adyan side-trek in the 3rd novel could have been shortened, so more pages could be devoted to the main plot points.
* I really enjoyed the fleshing out of Arrabar's holidays and celebrations like Sammardach and Night of Ghosts. Great realmslore.
* I'm still not 100% sure what a trestle/tressel is, but I know Arrabar sure has alot of them
The Vilhon Reach has not received much attention in novels & sourcebooks over the years. Overall the trilogy was very enjoyable and I would recommend it to all. |
| Thomas M. Reid |
Posted - 17 Sep 2005 : 00:06:40
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
The most dangerous situation he faced in the whole darn novel.
Thomas |
| Braveheart |
Posted - 16 Sep 2005 : 15:00:02
Compliments to Mr. Reid for a trilogy that was very interesting to read.
The best situation was probably right at the end where Vambran is trying to cope with the loss of Hetta and Kovrim, you can find some good quotes there...
The only thing that was a bit disturbing was that, everytime when Vambran ran out of options, he gets just the right new spell from Waukeen to move on (yes, I know, it was Waukeen's scheme from the beginning, but it still sounds a bit weird). It's not as weird as in the Last-Mythal-Trilogy by Baker where a healer pops up everytime the last one get's lost or killed, though.. ;-)
|
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 15 Sep 2005 : 16:02:54
quote:
Originally posted by VEDSICA
I got a good chuckle out of scene when all three of Vambran's ummmmm...women were in the same place at the same time.
The most dangerous situation he faced in the whole darn novel. |
| VEDSICA |
Posted - 14 Sep 2005 : 17:45:16
I enjoyed this tome,as well as the previous two.I think that this was a fabulous trilogy.I too like that the story was picked up right where The Ruby Gaurdian left off.Yes the story meandered back and forth to all of the characters involved,and at times it could be construed as confusing.That IMO,is what makes it a good read.
I enjoyed where Vambran ends up when it is all said and done.Thomas I feel left the door open for his story to continue.Especially since some of the villians didn't die.I got a good chuckle out of scene when all three of Vambran's ummmmm...women were in the same place at the same time.Emriana had a little poke at him about that one.That was a good one. |
| khorne |
Posted - 14 Sep 2005 : 10:01:19
quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
I haven`t read the book yet but I simply MUST know if that damn priest of Waukeen(one of the conpirators) gets what he deserves!
You find out at the end...
Spoiler, highlight to read:
The priest Lavant gets imprisoned in a magical mirror under the control of Lord Wina at the end of the novel as punishment for his failures.
MUAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! Just what I was hoping for! |
| DDH_101 |
Posted - 14 Sep 2005 : 02:33:19
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
I haven`t read the book yet but I simply MUST know if that damn priest of Waukeen(one of the conpirators) gets what he deserves!
You find out at the end...
Spoiler, highlight to read:
The priest Lavant gets imprisoned in a magical mirror under the control of Lord Wina at the end of the novel as punishment for his failures. |
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