| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| nbnmare |
Posted - 24 Apr 2006 : 21:12:10
Warning: Major spoilers!
As a huge fan of the Baldur's Gate series and an active part of the on-line community for those games, I've seen countless people slating the novelizations of the games over the years. I knew that game to book novelizations aren't exactly renowned for the quality of the writing, and also have an annoying tendency to deviate from the proper storyline, but considering the author of the first two BG novels is an editor at WotC, I never thought they could be that bad.
So with that said, after reading a few recent comments by FR designers that suggested the novels were actually being considered canon by WotC, I recently decided to finally bite the bullet and read the first novel. What I quickly discovered (literally on the first page) is that not only does it seriously deviate from the game's storyline, but it actually conflicts with FR canon... sometimes both at the same time! The writing quality is also rather poor to say the least, and the "romance" pretty much comes across as the author enacting one of his personal fantasies.
To spare anyone else the horrors of this book, here's a list of the more "interesting" aspects of the novels, such as differences with the game's storyline and conflicts with canon.
1) Abdel Adrian left Candlekeep several years ago, whereas in the games, the main character hasn't been outside the place since before his first birthday. He's a sellsword, and has travelled to both Baldur's Gate and Athkatla several times in the past. This includes a job guarding a mysterious warehouse in Athkatla. Whether this plot point will be explored in the Shadows of Amn novelization is unclear, but I wouldn't be surprised if the author completely forgets about it.
2) Abel's stepfather, Gorion, is killed by a seemingly random group of mercenaries. In the game, Sarevok personally disposed of Gorion. In the novel, it appears they *aren't* working for Sarevok, as Sarevok apparently only becomes aware of Abdel after he kills the last of the mercenaries.
3) Imoen, the main character's childhood friend in the games, doesn't appear anywhere in the entire novel. Not even a name check.
4) Tamoko, is a exceptionally skilled assassin from Kozakura in both the game and the novel. In the game, she is a mysterious and deeply torn woman; in the novel, she appears to be little more than Sarevok's sexual slave.
5) The two Zhents who accompany the main character, Xzar and Montaron, are in the employ of Sarevok. This is a plot point invented by the author, and since Abdel never even finds this out, it seems to have been done for no reason other than to provide an excuse for them to die in particularly gruesome ways.
6) At the beginning of chapter 3, we are told that "during the days of the Avatars, the Black Lord will spawn a score of mortal progeny".
Two problems with this:
- The 'days of the Avatars', which we all know as the Time of Troubles, took place in 1358. According to the official FR timeline, this novel takes place in 1368. That would make Abdel Adrian 10 years old. While many people think this is a problem introduced by the games, it is not; not once do the games specifically state that Bhaal spread his seed during the ToT.
- Read that quote again, more carefully. Note 'the Black Lord'. That would, of course, be Bane ' '.
7) Abdel is absolutely petrified of gibberlings. Admittedly when he first encounters them, it was pitch black and there were several hundred of them.
8) Abdel likes Montaron almost as soon as he meets him, but quickly develops the desire to murder Xvar.
9) Xvar's skin litterally crawls (at least on his face), and he has a frequent nervous tick. Okay, so how about giving us an explanation for why this is the case?
10) Montaron is scared of sunlight. Really. Again, no explanation for why this is so.
11) Xvar blurts out that Abdel is the son of Bhaal before they even reach the Friendly Arms Inn. No veiled message, no cryptic meanings, he just comes right out and says it. Bear in mind that in the game, this is a major plot point which is only revealed towards the very end.
Abdel doesn't believe him, and at first I thought this rather stupid seeing as he found a note on his dead foster father which was all about the children of Bhaal... then I remembered the 'Black Lord' thing - maybe Abdel was thrown, too  .
12) The guards at the FAI are all gnomes. Gnomes who are willing and able to kick arse, apparently. Kinda cool (FR novels need more gnomes!), but this isn't the case in the game, and I'm pretty sure it's not in FR canon, either.
13) There's no bounty hunter waiting at the FAI as there is in the game; instead, there's a drunkard who accidentally hits Abdel with a chair. Abdel later murders said drunkard after the drunkard throws a bottle at Abdel's head (precisely why he threw a bottle at Abdel's head will appear to go unexplained.)
14) The author... sorry, Abdel fancies Jaheira like mad from the moment he meets her, but he would never come between a man and his wife. He'll murder people and contemplate murdering others quite happily, though.
15) Both Khalid and Jaheira's human parents were Amnian. Odd considering that Khalid's in-game biography clearly states he's the son of a wealthy Calishite merchant, and Jaheira's that she is the daughter of a Tethyrian noble. The author's excuse for this change is that it gives him excuse to have people hate Jaheria, so that Abdel can "be there for her".
16) Khalid is killed in the Nashkel mines... by Abdel. But hey, it was an accident!
17) The Iron Throne lackey in charge of the iron poisoning in Nashkel is named Mulahey. In the game, he's a an imposing and pure evil human cleric of cyric. In the novel, he's a cowardly half-orc fighter. Who wets himself.
18) Actually, Khalid isn't really dead. Hooray! Abdel is somewhat disappointed about this, because apparently he never fights to wound, only to kill. Although that reasoning makes no sense, because he didn't fight Khalid; the whole thing was an accident. Oh dear, plot hole time.
19) I guess all that speculation in the BG community over whether Jaheira worships Chauntea or Silvanus was pointless. Apparently she worships Mielliki. Who'd have thought (answer: no-one other than the author).
20) According to Jaheira, the Iron Throne are a splinter group of the Zhentarim. You'd really think even the lowest ranking Harper agent would know this is a load of cobblers.
21) Tazok and Tranzig, are both murdered by Sarevok and replaced by a doppleganger (the same one). Precisely why Sarevok does this will forever remain a mystery, since it certainly doesn't happen in the game and it isn't followed up in the novel.
22) Khalid has cheated on Jaheira at least once (with a fellow Harper), and she most certainly knows about it. If you've ever played either of the games, you'll know how utterly out of character this is.
23) Abdel and Jaheira can barely keep their hands off each other. It's usually him who pushes her away. I suspect this doesn't happen in the author's "personal version", though.
24) Khalid is dead again. This time it looks to be permanent, as most of his organs were dissolved and his entire body turned into green slime. For some reason I get the impression the author really isn't too fond of Khalid.
25) Apparently Jaheira has "modest but well-rounded cleavage", which Abdel gets to see after a spider goes down there and she rips off all her clothes trying to get rid of it. As you do.
26) Now Xan is dead, too. His head gets bitten of by a spider (a somewhat larger example of the species than the one which explored Jaheira's mammary glands).
27) Angelo is both a duke of Baldur's Gate and a good man. This simultaneously conflicts with both the game and pnp lore regarding the city.
28) Abdel is redeemed by his love for Jaheira, and her love for him. Very Sweet. Shame that this is the novelization of BG1, not BG2: SoA.
29) The complete list of joinable NPCs who actually appear in this novel: Montaron, Xzar, Jaheira, Khalid, Xan, and Yeslick. That would mean these characters are technically "canon", though it also mean all but Jaheira and Yeslick are canonically dead. I've heard rumours Jaheira dies in the novelization of SoA, too. |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| hashimashadoo |
Posted - 09 May 2006 : 15:57:02
Thanks for taking the bullet for me nbnmare. I was contemplating reading the books but that post has completely turned me off the idea. I'm glad that the Neverwinter Nights novel was cancelled if that's what's to be expected from a Bioware game novelization. I say: If you're going to base something on something else (especially something of such high quality as the Baldur's gate series) it should bear more than a passing resemblence to the original. |
| Jon Grey |
Posted - 08 May 2006 : 04:29:17
quote:
Originally posted by Reefy
I have to say I've never been inspired to pick up the novels - I love the games, and think that someone else's interpretation, particularly given all that has been said, may lessen that enjoyment.
Actually, I read this one once; it only served to heighten my appreciation for the game immensely, a la the way the Demi Moore version of 'The Scarlet Letter' did for Hawthorne's book. |
| Reefy |
Posted - 02 May 2006 : 10:42:06
I have to say I've never been inspired to pick up the novels - I love the games, and think that someone else's interpretation, particularly given all that has been said, may lessen that enjoyment. |
| DeathRage |
Posted - 02 May 2006 : 02:17:54
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I enjoyed the first two BG novels... but Throne of Bhaal was the only book of the three that didn't immediately grab me. It felt too short and didn't seem to cover as much as the first two. Though, the fact that I took so long to finish it (just over two weeks) could've contributed to my overall opinion on it -- missing crucial points for example.
I agree with you, the BG 3 was a total zero star out of five stars. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 02 May 2006 : 01:45:49
I enjoyed the first two BG novels... but Throne of Bhaal was the only book of the three that didn't immediately grab me. It felt too short and didn't seem to cover as much as the first two. Though, the fact that I took so long to finish it (just over two weeks) could've contributed to my overall opinion on it -- missing crucial points for example.
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| Kuje |
Posted - 01 May 2006 : 17:56:35
quote:
Originally posted by quajack
I feel a bit alienated for saying this, but I actually enjoyed all 3 BG novels. Let it also be noted that I have never played the computer game (or any computer game for that matter).
From the perspective of a FR novel reader who has never "gamed" and has only read the books, I thought the concept of the offspring of an Avatar was a 'novel' (pun intended) idea.
So did I, because I realized they weren't the game and the authors had a different take on the events. Pluss, they were probably restricted by WOTC because WOTC probably wanted certain things to appear in the novels that didn't happen in the games. |
| quajack |
Posted - 01 May 2006 : 16:17:05
I feel a bit alienated for saying this, but I actually enjoyed all 3 BG novels. Let it also be noted that I have never played the computer game (or any computer game for that matter).
From the perspective of a FR novel reader who has never "gamed" and has only read the books, I thought the concept of the offspring of an Avatar was a 'novel' (pun intended) idea. |
| Alexis Merlin |
Posted - 01 May 2006 : 11:45:31
Any chance you could tell me about the Free Comic, Lucius? I don't think I've read or heard of it before... |
| Lucius |
Posted - 01 May 2006 : 11:35:14
To be honest, it would have been better done if it was in the style of the free comic which came with the game. Picking two NPC's and shoing their background stories. Far more enjoyable read. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 01 May 2006 : 08:13:22
Well he is the Spawn of Bhaal.
I tend to have the weird idea that if I read the Berserk Manga as Baldur's Gate, its going to be more similiar.
;-)
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| Alexis Merlin |
Posted - 30 Apr 2006 : 22:33:27
I was sadly disappointed in this book too...although admittedly it was partly because I read it hoping to recognise similar experiences to those I had in the game - my character was a Chaotic Good Mage, and many of my favorite characters were missing such as Ajantis and Coran. Even though I tried to go into the book with an open mind, I found myself immensely disliking the main character and the choices he made. |
| Lucius |
Posted - 29 Apr 2006 : 19:06:14
I've read as far as Abdel and Jaheira being rescued by the Duke, after exploring a warehouse. I've had to put it down since. It really is as bad as they say. Not just because of how far it is from the games, but in the way it is written. Terrible book. |
| SirUrza |
Posted - 29 Apr 2006 : 13:43:39
Ahhh the BG novels... so fun to read, yet such a headache. |
| NiTessine |
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 02:22:04
Excellent summary.
However, you forgot to mention the bit about Xan not having any particular magical ability, and being specifically mentioned to not possess even a sword. In the games he was an enchanter, and wielded a moonblade. 
Also, I seem to recall that Gorion choked out his last words of wisdom to Abdel after being shot through the eye with a crossbow. Quite a feat, that. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 02:12:36
Well no offense, a lot of video game movies are better than the movies they WOULD have been. |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 18:58:48
I haven't read them since I figured they wouldn't be as much 'fun' as the games... then again novels based on a comp game... just think of all the *good* movies that could have been made instead of Alone in the dark, resident evil etc |
| Kuje |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 18:12:51
quote:
Originally posted by BlackAce
I remember reading them not long aftwer finishing Shadows of Amn and being rather disapointed. It's been a long time since I read them but the old axiom about never judging a movie by what book it's based on applies here I think, just the other way round.
Exactly, since they are based on the games. They aren't THE games and so the novels should not be compared to the games, since, as I said, they are based on the games. |
| BlackAce |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 14:27:12
I remember reading them not long aftwer finishing Shadows of Amn and being rather disapointed. It's been a long time since I read them but the old axiom about never judging a movie by what book it's based on applies here I think, just the other way round. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 24 Apr 2006 : 22:53:58
I salute your accuracy.
You missed the part that the books are dull, violent, misogynist, and of rather dubious character development. I personally bought all three though so there was something engaging me about them but I don't feel particularly "good" about having read them. It's sort of like seeing the worst parts of Toril and Faerun paraded before you. Then again, I happen to love Berserk and I somewhat think the main character took more than a few traits from that work. |
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