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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Jul 2003 : 10:52:02
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I don't believe this has been formally discussed before.
What, in your opinion, are the worst FR novels? Or, to put it another way, what would you steer a newbie clear from?
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2003 : 13:42:15
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This is an interesting question.
While I have made an attempt to read every FR novel, I really wouldn't steer newbie's away from any bad novels, maybe just tell them to leave reading them until last, or at least until nothing of better quality (FR) is available to read. This is mainly because I think that whether good or bad, the novels are part of the setting you are reading, and therefore should be read, if only to maintain a sense of completeness.
But this is a pretty subjective question anyway, since one person may dislike a book, while another may really enjoy it.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2003 : 13:49:15
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I would recommend that new readers to the FR leave these novels until last -
Once Around the Realms (although I guess this is obvious)
Netheril Trilogy
Parched Sea
Finder's Bane
King Pinch
The Abduction
The Diamond
I guess that this is all...
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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lowtech
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2003 : 07:32:50
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| I wouldn't include Finder's Bane in that list, but as you said, its subjective (I find it hard to dislike anything set in Planescape...and Finder outsmarted Illsensine, for crying out loud!). I usually dislike Greenwood's books because I can't get into his writing style, but you can't really put off reading his novels because Realms events are centered around them. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2003 : 07:38:54
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| I understand about Greenwood. He's an aquired taste, but if you read them you get loads of Realmslore. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2003 : 10:30:57
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lowtech said -
quote:
I find it hard to dislike anything set in Planescape...and Finder outsmarted Illsensine, for crying out loud!).
Yes, I wish there had been more crossover-type stories between Planescape and the Forgotten Realms. The FR/PS module For Duty and Deity was also another interesting crossover, even though it was an adventure.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 05 Jul 2003 10:32:46 |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2003 : 10:40:25
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| Hmm -- I have that one in a computer file. Haven't read the adventures, though. So much other stuff, and so much RL work as well. Though I suppose I ought to look into that sort of thing, what with the adventure modual we're doing . . . . |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2003 : 10:44:20
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I like to think of that adventure though, as an extension of the Planescape adventure anthology Tales From the Infinite Staircase. They both fit nicely together.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2003 : 10:48:53
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| Well, I think the only other Planescape file I have is The Dungeon Master's Guide to the Planes. I might have confused another one with regular D&D -- I did that for that one. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2003 : 17:29:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Sage of Perth
lowtech said -
quote:
I find it hard to dislike anything set in Planescape...and Finder outsmarted Illsensine, for crying out loud!).
Yes, I wish there had been more crossover-type stories between Planescape and the Forgotten Realms. The FR/PS module For Duty and Deity was also another interesting crossover, even though it was an adventure.
I love this adventure, and I took some rather high level characters through it. They succeeded. SOme of the Characters were Rizzen, Torandar, Drandarian, and Duke Lowie of cormyr. Since they rescued Waukeen and re-established her power, these characters get this one little perk:
ALL items sold BY the characters get 30% above list price,
and ALL items sold TO the characters are at a 30% discount.
Note this is not a written law, it is a divine law. So if these characters were to buy something from FZOUL himself, he would be compelled to sell it at 30% discount. he would not know of the compulsion, or even realize the discount. The price that exits his mouth is 30% undercut, and he likes it. THis is the divine power of gods at work.
Now Rizzen a thief, who once venerated Mask, is now a majour figure in the church of Waukeen, and has since become more 'honest' in his dealings.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2003 : 03:21:56
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Wow. I like that gift . . . a gift that keeps on giving.  Are those characters still in operation? |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2003 : 07:31:49
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These characters are all of EPIC level... UBER epic level. I took them through City of the Spiderqueen for fun, and boy was that priestess surprised. The battle lasted three rounds... 18 seconds real time.
It was fun, and these characters have quite a reputation. So before many encounters occured the enemy was running to warn others.
Torandar is a Ranger with a SERIOUSLY feared reputation in the underdark, as FRIENDLY to Good dark elves, and the slayer of Rilauven's second house, House Shorzbin's entire nobility and weaponmasters.
Rizzen grew up in Rilauven, as the fourth son of the fourth house. Many Drow know him now. They USED to laugh at him in Rilauven.
I LOVE epic campaigns. I just like the power involved, and I enjoy putting high level characters in low level modules once in a while, so the players can really understand their rewards.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2003 : 07:51:52
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You should have continued on Mournblade, through Tales From the Infinite Staircase. It would have been interesting to see how your high level characters fared.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2003 : 21:54:25
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| How epic are they? I found all the epic-level information to be a bit off, I thought; of course, I've no idea how fast a character can gain levels. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2003 : 05:35:01
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After Converting Torandar to third edition he is a 42nd level ranger. The characeter has been a PC since 1988. Duke Lowie is a 36th level character he's been a character since 1992, Rizzen is 32nd and has been around since 1995. They are still adventurers, and funny enough, Torandar hires himself out as a caravan guard for 20,000 g.p., yet will occasionally accompany pilgrims, and lone merchants for free. The way these guys are in my campaign, is their sheer presence will often ward OFF encounters. For example, most humanoids and Dark elves will stay out of Torandar's path unloess they are numbered in the hundreds. In my campaign these characters are as much movers as Elminster and Khelben. They have earned their levels:)
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2003 : 05:49:09
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| Cool! I would have thought it would get too boring after a while. I'm glad to know that you can still have fun with those levels, if you try hard enough. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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MuadDib
Senior Scribe
South Africa
442 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2003 : 07:11:58
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I hated book 1 & 2 of the Horselord trilogy, and a few of the Nobles books irritated me as well...
Other than that, there was a book called Faces of Deception (i think) about a half-ogre who wanted to become a priest of Selune. Twas terrible
those are the only FR novels i have actively disliked, although i admot i have not read nearly as much as i would like (they dont stock them where i live) |
MuadDib - Candlekeep Inn Barhand |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2003 : 09:31:31
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Bookwyrm said -
quote:
I'm glad to know that you can still have fun with those levels, if you try hard enough
That, and if you have enough of a creative DM, to make the adventures and challenges exciting and difficult enough to keep the player's interest. A few epic campaigns I have played in are nothing more than rehashed older and lower-level campaigns that have only had the EL's changed.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2003 : 17:26:56
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| Well im only 1/2 way through but so far its quite unbearable - The Dream Spheres! Please someone tell me that it picks up....big time! |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 07:44:06
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| Really? I found that book to be passable. Not as good as Elfshadow or Elfsong, but not as bad as Silver Shadows or Thornhold. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
Edited by - Bookwyrm on 10 Jul 2003 07:45:05 |
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MuadDib
Senior Scribe
South Africa
442 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 08:01:01
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if, and i repeat IF, dream spheres is the book im thinking of, there is a very rememberable battle with Elaith and Arilyn, which alone makes it worth reading
I also found it quite passable |
MuadDib - Candlekeep Inn Barhand |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
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MuadDib
Senior Scribe
South Africa
442 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 14:10:44
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I have never heard of that series...
Who is the author and who are the main characters? Any notables i might know?
How many books in the series? |
MuadDib - Candlekeep Inn Barhand |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 14:20:30
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The 'Songs and Swords' series are all written by Elaine Cunningham. There are 5 books in the series -
Elfshadow
Elfsong
Silver Shadows
Thornhold
Dream Spheres
The main characters are Arilyn Moonblade, Danilo Thann, Elaith Craulnober, and an assortment of other curious characters.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Mythander
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 17:13:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
Really? I found that book to be passable. Not as good as Elfshadow or Elfsong, but not as bad as Silver Shadows or Thornhold.
I have to agree. I have haven't read a Cunningham book that I did not like. |
Wow! That has no saving throw written all over it. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 17:18:15
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Well, I have . . . Thornhold started out good, but really fell. However, I've said that before here; in fact, it was my very first post, way back when. I just showed up and pronounced judgement.  |
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Mythander
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2003 : 17:40:18
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Well, I do have to admit that it did not rise to the caliber of the rest of the series. I did enjoy the start of the growing rift between Danilo and Blackstaff.
Did you enjoy the Counselors and Kings Trilogy I found it a great read. |
Wow! That has no saving throw written all over it. |
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Bad books
