| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ateth Istarlin |
Posted - 07 Nov 2006 : 14:48:31
My brother has just got the latest "Evris Cale?" novel & I glanced at the back cover - I may be wrong, but I think it mentioned an event that "will shake the realms".
I pray that I'm wrong & I'm hoping someone has more information about this. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MerrikCale |
Posted - 19 Dec 2006 : 12:29:55
I also liked Mistress of the Night very much. But I must say I am tired of shades and hope they go away for awhile. |
| Mkhaiwati |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 02:32:21
quote:
Which of course brings me back to my first comment in this thread . . .
I accuse you, KnightErrantJr, of the Crime of Circular Commenting!!  (penalty is hanging by your big toes while hamsters scamper over your body)
Away from the RSE stuff, it is a really great novel, and as you pointed out, ties in a lot of books into it. Since I liked Mistress of the Night, it was cool to see it referenced as something important in consequences. |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 02:17:05
I for one really enjoy the "hero who sacrifices all for the greater good" plotline. It just strikes a chord no matter how many times or in how many ways I read that type of story. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 01:25:13
quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
Unfortunately, whilst being a timeless classic, the 'reluctant adventurer develops into a good person and saves his village and friends in the process' has been done to death.
Stories are coming out bigger and better than the ones before them, and short of any crazy new villains/artifacts/evil long forgotten horror/ etc. the easiest way to have an 'impact' is to stretch the results over as wide an area as possible.
Stories can be original without having to be bigger and "better", or more epic in scope. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 00:04:42
Of course Kaladorm's comments bring us full circle with Paul's Twilight War books, as they tie into the events of Paul's last trilogy, the Return of the Archwizards trilogy (both very directly), and mention the events of the Year of Rogue Dragons trilogy, and even the events of the Mistress of the Night novel, as well as giving the nod to a few other books and trilogies as well.
Which of course brings me back to my first comment in this thread . . . |
| Faraer |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 23:35:34
I suspect the segment of the audience that keeps buying RSE novels is the segment least likely to appreciate 'confusing', 'disjointed' references to things outside a linear narrative. |
| Kaladorm |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 23:19:15
Unfortunately, whilst being a timeless classic, the 'reluctant adventurer develops into a good person and saves his village and friends in the process' has been done to death.
Stories are coming out bigger and better than the ones before them, and short of any crazy new villains/artifacts/evil long forgotten horror/ etc. the easiest way to have an 'impact' is to stretch the results over as wide an area as possible.
I'd like some link up between the RSEs though. For something so big you rarely hear characters talking about 'wow did you hear what happened over in Cormanthor?' or 'Thank god we've only got a dead Khelben to deal with. Those guys over there have a whole Shade 'city' on their hands' |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 22:44:49
I think that WOTC and the general Realms fandom kind of see RSE as being somewhat akin to the "big summer crossovers" in comics. Some of these events are truly major events where established characters die, reality is greatly altered, and a lot of characters really do have some significant residual effects (Infinate Crisis, House of M . . . ). Others are just "big" events that are a good enough excuse for getting a bunch of superheroes together, but don't really have long lasting effects, and aren't long remembered (Evolutionary War, Bloodlines).
The Realms have had a lot of events that are important to at least one major nation, will likely at least peripherally involved one or more major NPCs, and should do something significant to the lives of those that live in the main region of the event, and that gets referenced for years in setting.
I can only think of two RSEs that really have affected all of Faerun, the Time of Troubles and the Year of Rogue Dragons. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 22:23:11
We had this discussion when Sanishiver argued that 'RSE' should be reserved for events that shake the life of everyone in literally the whole Realms, according to which narrow definition only the Time of Troubles would count, and that isn't how the term is understood by Wizards or most of us. |
| Mkhaiwati |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 22:12:54
Did all the troubles that Cormyr had count as a RSE, or how about Tethyr or Unther?
I guess one of my points would be outside of Sembia and the immediate environs (Dalelands, Cormyr, Cormanthyr), who else would be affected?
Impiltur? outside of merchants (who would find different costers, there are a lot of them) nothing much politically or socially.
Amn? Same as Impiltur.
Waterdeep?
Chessenta?
the list goes on, and merchants can find other ways of transporting goods (someone is always there to fill the vacuum).
My real point is, where is it leading. Sembia turning into a mess would cause economic waves that would diminish according to distance and time elapsed, but very little in the long run. Something else would have happen for it, at least in my book, to qualify as a RSE.
Mask wrestling the Shadow Weave away from Shar might be interesting, but without any change in the Shadow Weave, kinda just superficial.
The strange book, Leaves of the Last Night (I hope I remember correctly), seems to have some importance, we just don't know what.
Maybe the city taken by Selune would finally appear to give the Shades a strong competitor for the Netherese heavyweight title.
Hence my sentence "I am still trying to figure out where does it lead to count as a RSE." |
| Faraer |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 20:35:51
quote:
Originally posted by Reefy
...when things do get changed, it would be nice if they were followed up on rather than left in isolation.
Of course, not treating RSE effects seriously is part of what allows Wizards, in the short term, to cram so many in.quote:
Originally posted by Mkhaiwati
Would Sembia falling apart even count as a RSE, or Shade dominating Sembia?
Would [major European country] falling apart count as a Europe-shaking event? |
| Snotlord |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 19:50:53
quote:
Originally posted by Mkhaiwati
Would Sembia falling apart even count as a RSE, or Shade dominating Sembia?
Say what
When is this series set? We're talking about Shadowbred? Right? |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 18:13:01
quote:
Originally posted by Mkhaiwati
Would Sembia falling apart even count as a RSE, or Shade dominating Sembia?
IMO,
Heck yeah! 
Only Amn and Durpar are a larger economical powerhouse, with Sembia falling what would happen to the costers and trade routes? And with the Banites up north along the Moonsea (with possibly the most organized armed forces in the Eastern Heartlands) they would be poised to invade Sembia through Harrowdale and Scardale...
plus there is the possibility of Unther turning it's gaze northward accross the Sea of Fallen Stars...and if Shade took it, then there could be the seeds planted for a "Shadow Netheril"
plus the the regional chaos would seriously hinder the security of the Dales and the recovering Cormyr with a regent on the throne and a few missteps away from it's own civil war...
just a few thoughts off the top of my head... |
| Mkhaiwati |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 18:07:55
I don't think Mulhorand will get any farther. Chessenta and Unther seemed poised for a complete takeover by Tchazzar, if Dragons of Faerun is any clue. There are also too many power groups in Unther, aligned against Mulhorand. They may even lose territory there. I don't think they will fall back to the original border, they will keep part of Unther, but they will fall back.
I am still trying to figure out the RSE with Paul Kemp's series with Shade and Sembia. It has a good opening book, but I am trying to see how it turns into a RSE. If Sembia get controlled by Shade, or Sembia falls apart with Cormyr, Shade, the Dalelands all getting slices, or whatever, does that effect all of Faerun? Would a god get killed? I am still trying to figure out where does it lead to count as a RSE.
Would Sembia falling apart even count as a RSE, or Shade dominating Sembia? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 11:14:59
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
While I hope you are right about the new adventure, I think you could be wrong about the invasion (If it suceeds Chessenta could be next, along with the 2 former colonies (I can't remember their names just now) - also Thay could be in trouble ( A resurgent Mulhoran empire on one side with Aglarond & Rashamen on the other) - not to mention the possibility of Deep Imaskar returning). As far as the new Thay trilogy goes, the blurb states that it will "change the face of Faerun forever" - see WotC products for the full blurb.
I can't see the invasion going that far....
And about the Thay trilogy blurb: cover blurbs are often full of exaggeration. We've had authors say that before. Since the author hasn't given any indications of it being an RSE, I'm disinclined to buy a cover blurb that says otherwise. |
| Ateth Istarlin |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 10:55:41
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
2) The new 3-part mega-adventure.
We don't know that this is an RSE. While it certainly sounds like one, the fact that Eric said the modules could be used in any time-frame indicates (to me, at least) that it isn't an RSE.
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
3) The Mulorandi invasion of Unther.
I don't think this qualifies as an RSE, simply because it doesn't really affect the wider Realms.
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
4) The new Thay trilogy.
I don't recall seeing anything that indicated this was an RSE.
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
How many more events "that will re-shape the Realms forever" can they publish? 
Well... Though I disagreed with you on the ones above, I do think we've had far too many RSEs happen in too short a timespan.
While I hope you are right about the new adventure, I think you could be wrong about the invasion (If it suceeds Chessenta could be next, along with the 2 former colonies (I can't remember their names just now) - also Thay could be in trouble ( A resurgent Mulhoran empire on one side with Aglarond & Rashamen on the other) - not to mention the possibility of Deep Imaskar returning). As far as the new Thay trilogy goes, the blurb states that it will "change the face of Faerun forever" - see WotC products for the full blurb. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 00:50:58
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
4) The new Thay trilogy.
I'm not entirely convinced of that.
Everything Rich has been able to tell us about the trilogy so far, at least, doesn't suggest this is the case. I'd say we should want until we learn more about the books themselves, the plot of the trilogy, and the characters involved before determining the trilogy status as an RSE.
|
| Reefy |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 22:56:04
What Wooly and Mace said. There's so much there that a shake up isn't needed, and when things do get changed, it would be nice if they were followed up on rather than left in isolation. |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 18:25:48
Cool |
| Brenigin |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 18:23:47
I think Paul or Eric confirmed that they are at least related, if not closely tied together. |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 17:55:13
Hopefully Shade will hold more importance after the Twilight War trilogy. Anybody think that the happenings in that series will tie into the 3 part mega adventure? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 17:34:41
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
Personally I'd like to see no RSE for a long time.
I concur! Smaller stories can be just as compelling, if not moreso, than the larger ones... Heck, some of the most well-liked Realms authors are Elaine Cunningham and the duo of Jeff Grubb and Kate Novak, and they didn't craft RSEs in their novels. Those novels are still among the most highly recommended...
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
Shade's appearance still hasn't been that important in terms of repercussions,
I actually expected a much larger impact... Other than Evereska getting trashed, Tilverton disappearing, and the Anauroch changing a bit, it's really not been Realms-shaking.
I thought, when I first read about the return of Shade, that it was going to be the vehicle used to offer an in-game explanation for the rule changes of 3E, much like the Time of Troubles was used to explain the (relatively minor) rule changes of 2E. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 17:29:06
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
2) The new 3-part mega-adventure.
We don't know that this is an RSE. While it certainly sounds like one, the fact that Eric said the modules could be used in any time-frame indicates (to me, at least) that it isn't an RSE.
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
3) The Mulorandi invasion of Unther.
I don't think this qualifies as an RSE, simply because it doesn't really affect the wider Realms.
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
4) The new Thay trilogy.
I don't recall seeing anything that indicated this was an RSE.
quote:
Originally posted by Ateth Istarlin
How many more events "that will re-shape the Realms forever" can they publish?
Well... Though I disagreed with you on the ones above, I do think we've had far too many RSEs happen in too short a timespan. |
| Ateth Istarlin |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 15:54:32
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
Personally I'd like to see no RSE for a long time.
There are so many that still have to be dealt with. Shade's appearance still hasn't been that important in terms of repercussions, and I think that is the major problem with RSEs, the repercussions. The stone is tossed into the pond but after a few ripples we see nothing more of it.
You've definitely hit the nail on the head there! - perhaps WotC will slow things down a bit soon, but I doubt it! |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 14:20:04
Personally I'd like to see no RSE for a long time.
There are so many that still have to be dealt with. Shade's appearance still hasn't been that important in terms of repercussions, and I think that is the major problem with RSEs, the repercussions. The stone is tossed into the pond but after a few ripples we see nothing more of it. |
| Ateth Istarlin |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 11:15:53
Has anyone else noticed how many potential RSE's there are of late?
1) The new Everis Cale trilogy.
2) The new 3-part mega-adventure.
3) The Mulorandi invasion of Unther.
4) The new Thay trilogy.
How many more events "that will re-shape the Realms forever" can they publish? |
| Besshalar |
Posted - 09 Nov 2006 : 10:37:45
Spoileralert paste to read
You might say that the appearance of another city of netheril is pretty much realms shaking as well as a sembian civil war
So yes it's definately mr Kemps book. Which by the by is an excellent read. |
| Dart Ambermoon |
Posted - 07 Nov 2006 : 21:36:51
Well, to be honest, I had really looked forward to this series, then the RSE-stuff had me worried (just in terms of an overkill of RSEs in recent lore, not really novel-wise), but then again I like Paul S. Kempīs writing style and depth of lore and character so much that he is one of the current FR-authors Iīd actually LIKE to write a RSE. Hereīs to trust in him, that itīll all work out well (again, lore-wise - I havenīt the slightest doubt Iīll love the trilogy as novels per se). |
| EytanBernstein |
Posted - 07 Nov 2006 : 21:10:56
I wouldn't worry too much. Paul really cares a lot about the Realms and is a really responsible (not be mention awesome) writer. Anything he does shake up will probably be for a good reason and well done (and I can't say anything more :) |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 07 Nov 2006 : 14:54:35
Probably not. Paul S Kemp himself has identified the current series as a RSE. I would keep an open mind and just read the series though. I always felt that the Shadovar had a lot of potential, but they just kind of stalled out after the ROTAW books, so I think it will be good to see them in action again. Paul is an excellent writer, so I'm going to enjoy the ride and see where it goes. |
