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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 16:24:52
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Wow....I just flat out enjoy Ed's work. So many layers in such a small piece, its like a fine blade with layers upon layers of goodness folded into itself!
I need to digest a bit before saying more
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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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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 18:50:41
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Nice to see a bit of what the Old Sage (and his daughters?!) and Manshoon were up to during thast time period. As well as sad to see the old man suffer another crushing loss of a loved one.(and hearing him realte another daughter's death) I am thinking that as"charmed" and good of a life he has led, that maybe the responsibilites and losses are starting to more than balance the scales.
And when he said something to the effect of "Dear dead Hesperdan"...makes you want to know just what happened...As well as the meeting between Lantha(his daughter whom he also addressed as the last magister.....see goodies everywhere you look!) and Larloch, now wouldn't you love to oversee someone asking him if it's ok to parade around pretending to be him!
Maybe the most intriguing (and hopeful??) part for me was when talking with Lantha, El said Mystra was not the same as she was before(not the exact wording) .....that leaves alot of wiggle room. I hope.
And something that could be touched on in Elminster Must Die! Along with a 'Shoon clone or three. (It cant hurt to hope....right???) |
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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Edited by - The Red Walker on 26 Jan 2010 13:31:29 |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3287 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 20:09:32
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Yes, a really great short. The best one in the novel. |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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Kyrene
Senior Scribe
South Africa
757 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jan 2010 : 18:50:25
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| This is exactly the kind of Ed tale I hate. Just too fast paced with just too many characters that it all becomes a blur. Manshoon comes off as a stumbling buffoon, almost like some deadly, but still very much inept version of Inspector Clouseau. The showdown with whomever, I’m frankly still not sure who was impersonating whom, and really was actually who, was just too confusing for me to work out. *deep breath* However… Elminster’s reaction to the death of his child made up for all of that nonsense. It was almost a commentary on what WotC had achieved with the Sellplague and made me rankle at it afresh. Good people, while fictitious, had to die. (Imaginary) People we had grown to love had been murdered or had lost ones they loved because of a stupid and needless move. Anyway, well done Master Greenwood for evoking such a strong reaction from this reader, in an otherwise mediocre tale! |
Lost for words? Find them in the Glossary of Phrases, Sayings & Words of the Realms
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Malcolm
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2010 : 16:00:49
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I loved this story. Not just for the wrenching ending (boy, Ed has power in his writing when he wants to! sorta like the class clown surprises everyone with a touching poetic moment - - and then when the class bullies jeer at him, turns and clocks them all, showing himself as stronger and more ruthless with his fists), but for all the whirlwind of lore, action, tension leading up to it.
Yes, lots of characters, but that's what I look for in Ed. Someone who can bring us another look at the REALMS, not three characters taking turns doing soliloquies on an empty, lifeless stage. George RR Martin can manage the same feat, and so can Kay, but too many writers of fantasy can't seem to handle "too much fantastic at once."
So that's MY two cents' worth. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2010 : 16:07:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Malcolm
I loved this story. Not just for the wrenching ending (boy, Ed has power in his writing when he wants to! sorta like the class clown surprises everyone with a touching poetic moment - - and then when the class bullies jeer at him, turns and clocks them all, showing himself as stronger and more ruthless with his fists), but for all the whirlwind of lore, action, tension leading up to it.
Yes, lots of characters, but that's what I look for in Ed. Someone who can bring us another look at the REALMS, not three characters taking turns doing soliloquies on an empty, lifeless stage. George RR Martin can manage the same feat, and so can Kay, but too many writers of fantasy can't seem to handle "too much fantastic at once."
So that's MY two cents' worth.
I agree and I like that Ed has few if any throw away characters....you have to read each one as a vital part of the story....and usually they are in some way.....and that may be why I enjoyed the first 2 FalconFar books so much! They may not have as many characters as his realms novels, but as usual there are no throw aways....every character worth writing is well written! |
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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Edited by - The Red Walker on 02 Feb 2010 16:09:03 |
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Realms of the Dead - "Many Murders of Manshoon"
