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 Realms of War: "Second Chance"
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
Admin

United Kingdom
5696 Posts

Posted - 10 Jan 2008 :  16:53:06  Show Profile  Visit Alaundo's Homepage Send Alaundo a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Well met

This is a Book Club thread for the short story entitled "Second Chance", by Richard Lee Byers, from the Realms of War anthology.

Please discuss herein.

Alaundo
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The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2008 :  22:56:54  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
A nice little tease from Richard.

Just enough to satisfy for a time, and make me anticipate his next novel even more!

Was glad to see that although Zsass dealt Kossuth a fell blow, that his order will still have a little fight left in them and a part to play in the future of Thay.

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
1814 Posts

Posted - 28 Jan 2008 :  22:30:39  Show Profile  Visit Richard Lee Byers's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Red: Glad you enjoyed it.
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Hoondatha
Great Reader

USA
2450 Posts

Posted - 29 Jan 2008 :  05:54:01  Show Profile  Visit Hoondatha's Homepage Send Hoondatha a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I must say that I read this before I read Unclean... and it still made sense. Afterward, I realized that I happened to have another RLB book on my shelf, and so ended up finally reading the book that was supposed to come before this. Oops. I liked them both.

One question, though. Why didn't Mirror come back once the fight started? How far away did he have to stay?

Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well.
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
1814 Posts

Posted - 29 Jan 2008 :  14:16:29  Show Profile  Visit Richard Lee Byers's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Glad you enjoyed it, Hoondatha. Also glad it made sense even though you hadn't yet read Unclean. I'm a big believer in the principle that every story ought to work on its own, even if it's part of a series.
We can assume that Bareris asked Mirror to stay put in some hiding place to make sure he didn't blow his cover, and Mirror did precisely that, and so missed the battle.. To be honest, though, the main reason he doesn't appear is that it would have been harder for me to make the story work if I'd tossed him into the narrative halfway through. For the benefit of those who hadn't read Unclean, I would have had to explain what Mirror's deal is, and I would have had to contrive a plausible reason why it's Bareris and the kid who take down the vilewight, and not Bareris and Mirror.
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 07 Feb 2008 :  01:31:13  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Very much enjoyed this story. It featured two sympathetic protagonists (one of whom I already know of!), as well as a mixed ending. The action in the novel was pretty exciting, and whetted my appetite for another Haunted Lands book. I wonder if we'll see some of the newly introduced characters again.

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time)
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
1814 Posts

Posted - 07 Feb 2008 :  02:30:46  Show Profile  Visit Richard Lee Byers's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Glad you enjoyed it, RF. You shouldn't have to wait too much longer for more Haunted Lands. If I'm not mistaken, Undead has a March release date, and books sometimes become available in the month before the official release date.
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 08 Feb 2008 :  01:33:55  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers

Glad you enjoyed it, RF. You shouldn't have to wait too much longer for more Haunted Lands. If I'm not mistaken, Undead has a March release date, and books sometimes become available in the month before the official release date.



That is good to hear!

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time)
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Alisttair
Great Reader

Canada
3054 Posts

Posted - 30 Jun 2008 :  21:49:10  Show Profile  Visit Alisttair's Homepage Send Alisttair a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The timing for this story is perfect. Having it as the last story is great because it is getting me prepared to start reading "Unclean" later tonight. I will get to know the events even more as I read the two first books of the trilogy, but this was a nice warmup for me.

Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)

Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore

Denmark
1076 Posts

Posted - 06 Jul 2008 :  05:37:38  Show Profile  Visit Victor_ograygor's Homepage Send Victor_ograygor a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I really liked this story Richard, and I can’t wait to read your third book, in the series.

The way he was tested so he could be purified, were really a great read, keep up the great work.

I just had to read this story, a couple of time.

Vic.

Victor Ograygor The Assassin and Candel keeps cellar master

Everything I need to know about life I learned from killing smart people.

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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
1814 Posts

Posted - 06 Jul 2008 :  05:47:24  Show Profile  Visit Richard Lee Byers's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Glad you enjoyed it, Victor.
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Kyrene
Senior Scribe

South Africa
758 Posts

Posted - 28 Aug 2008 :  07:13:39  Show Profile  Visit Kyrene's Homepage Send Kyrene a Private Message  Reply with Quote
While I enjoyed most of the story, the scene in Bareris' tent—shortly after the kid is healed and his bonds done away with—dragged on a bit and smacked a little of campiness.

The story worked, even for someone who has no interest in reading the trilogy and therefore has no idea about the character's doings preceding and following this little glimpse.

The only real gripe is the sudden—almost post-scriptic (is that a word?)—mention of Mirror during the temple exodus. I had a "WTF?" moment right there, backtracked, but didn't see any other mention of it. I feel no mention would have been better than that casual throwaway mention.

As usual, the battle scene was top notch, but I have come to expect that.

I have definitely read better shorts and novels by Richard, not that this was bad, it just wasn't excellent.

Lost for words? Find them in the Glossary of Phrases, Sayings & Words of the Realms
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