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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Jul 2011 : 11:07:15
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Anyone have any advice what books I should read first to really get into the forgotten realms? Ive read as many as I've gotten my hands on, but I don't really know what to search for, so authors or titles would be helpful. I've read the Drizzt trilogy, and the first icewind dale but it was so-so. Also by RA Salvatore, I've read the Silent Blade and the Spine of the World (are there any that come after that in that saga?) I own the 3rd book of the Lone Drow but I havent read it because I havent read the first two. I've also read a whole bunch of Ed Greenwood (incredible author) short stories and the Shadow of the Avatar series (first forgotten realms book). Almost forgot, I read Elminster: Making of a Mage, though I think I will reread. Can anyone recommend further reading? Perhaps something easier to follow lore wise, as I don't know much? And I do enjoy stories about rogues. You can never have enough roof top thievery haha. Thanks for any feedback!
Edit: Read a book list of sorts, but I am not sure about just reading all the books based on chronological order, down to the year. Doesn't sound like too much fun. I also did peruse the sticky on books to read for newcomers, very interesting, though anyone have any insight as to why read those books first over others?
Sorry if I'm asking any bone headed questions, or not doing my own searches first, it's 3 in the morning and I'm feeling a wee tired.
Thanks again.
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Edited by - alexjustdoit on 03 Jul 2011 11:10:29
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2011 : 12:31:22
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Well Met alex,
I'm not a huge fan of some of the authors that write for Forgotten Realms, I do have my favorites though.
Among my favorites are Elaine Cunningham, Jeff Grubb & Kate Novak, and of course, Ed Greenwood.
I would definitely recommend The Finder's Stone Trilogy: Azure Bonds/The Wyvern's Spur/Song of the Saurials; It's by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb and is quite an early trilogy in terms of Realms novels.
I'd also give a huge thumbs up to the Song and Swords series: Elfshadow/Elfsong/Silver Shadows/Thornhold/The Dream Spheres; This series is by Elaine Cunningham, if you like Nobles, Intrigue, Elves, and well paced dialogue these are a must.
I hope this helps somewhat?
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2011 : 13:37:25
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| I second, anything written by Elaine Cunningham. Dreamspheres is my favorite, I think. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3746 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2011 : 15:25:07
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-Generic advice I give to all first timers:
-Pick up one of the Realms of X anthologies. They're short story collections all having to do with whatever the main issue of the book is (The Underdark, War, Elves, Dragons, Magic, etc.). The short stories are written by various authors, take place at different times, are set in different places, and feature different characters. This is a good way to learn not only about a large cross-section of Faerūn, but the writing styles of different authors, and some of their 'iconic' characters. Find an author you like? Odds are, they've written other Forgotten Realms stories. A character? Odds are, there's more written written about him/her/it in other Forgotten Realms stories. A place? Odds are, it's been featured in other Forgotten Realms stories.
-You mention Rogues, specifically. The Rogues series might be a good place to start. Four stand-alone novels featuring Rogues as protagonists or antagonists: The Alabaster Staff, The Black Bouquet, The Crimson Gold, and my personal favorite, The Yellow Silk. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2011 : 19:24:29
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| Thanks for the advice guys, I'll definitely check out more Realms Of books, as well as the Finders Stone trilogy and this Rogue series you mentioned. I read the Realms of Magic and I quite enjoyed it. |
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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2011 : 19:52:03
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| Also for rogues, I would highly suggest reading the Erevis Cale series by Paul S. Kemp. Though if you want to start at the beginning of Cale's novels, I suggest you try tracking down all of the Sembia novels, each is written by a different author, showcasing a different member of a Sembian family (of which Cale is the butler/spy), and all who have rather roguely natures. Tazi, the protagonist of The Crimson Gold, is also first featured in the Sembia series. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36910 Posts |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 05:59:36
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I echo Wooly's suggestion.
It wouldn't hurt if you also read the blurbs of ALL the novels. (I did that at one point.) They're available in o-love's site, amazon, and other related sites. You may also find he reviews in this section (NOVELS) quite helpful. And if you don't mind spoilers, you can read the entries in the Book Club. Some reviews in amazon are worth reading, too. (Though most are just a nonsensical one-liner saying you should buy this and that.) |
Every beginning has an end. |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 07:23:44
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| Yeah I was looking at the Experienced Help for Recommending FR Novels, and I think I will start there. It seems like a lot of people recommend reading the Sembia series, but it just doesn't sound interesting. |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 07:33:17
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I wouldn't read it, either. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 09:32:16
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You must be the first person to say so!
Anyhow, I just got a huge collection of FR e-books. Its better than nothing. Now if I can just get the dang files converted without losing track of all the folders for each series. Theres the challenge. |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 09:37:51
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TRY THIS. It's free.
[Disclaimer: I'm not associated with that site.] |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36910 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 16:50:13
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The Sembia series comes highly recommended by the majority of its readers, and is often mentioned as an excellent starting point for new readers. That said, I am also in that small minority of folks who didn't care for the series.
Oh, and so far as I know, the majority of Realms novels are not available as e-books. I've seen at least one eBay seller claiming otherwise, but considering how Wizards has been with electronic content, I'm inclined to think that the majority of Realms e-books that are out there are in fact pirated. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 04 Jul 2011 16:52:25 |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 17:18:57
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Right. That's why I think it's high time that WotC considers reprinting more of the old novels (not just Drizzt, please). People are somewhat tempted to just download e-books (pirated, of course) because the alternatives are either ridiculously priced in online stores or available in used bookstores in crumbling state. Did I mention my copy of Spellfire, which I haven't finished yet, was from a used bookstore and in a bad, really bad condition that I have to handle it ever with care, otherwise the pages would literally fall off of it spine? |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2011 : 23:46:48
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| I do concur with Hawkins, although I haven't read all of his work, Paul Kemp's Erevis Cale and Twilight War trilogies were phenomenal. He is probably my favorite ''new'' Realms author. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 01:20:10
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| Why are the drizzt books the only ones being reprinted? And over and over too, they have all sorts of different editions of them. And why do you usually hear about drizzt the most when someone mentions FR? Do many consider them the best? |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 01:51:50
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Sorry, couldn't find the edit button for some reason.
Also, what's the difference between 3e and 4e? And how would D&D game rule changes effect novels? I see a lot of people saying they don't like 4e novels as much, etc etc.
And does RSE mean realm shift event or what? |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 02:15:26
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quote:
Originally posted by alexjustdoit
Sorry, couldn't find the edit button for some reason.
Also, what's the difference between 3e and 4e? And how would D&D game rule changes effect novels? I see a lot of people saying they don't like 4e novels as much, etc etc.
And does RSE mean realm shift event or what?
Regarding the Drizzt novels: they are the most popular and most sold realms novels, therefore the reprints and editions. Natural consequence of sales numbers.
If Drizzt novels are the best, thats quite another (and subjective) topic however.
The difference between 3e and 4e you can find in lots of threads here and on other forums. The game rules themselves do not change the novels, it is the setting that has changed. 4e realms are different from 3e realms and people who say they dislike 4e novels are most likely refering to those changes.
On this forum quite a lot of people like the 4e novels as such.
RSE is Realm Shaking Events such as the Spellplague that changed the realms and set the base for the 4e background.
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"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
Edited by - skychrome on 05 Jul 2011 02:17:17 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36910 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 04:33:41
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quote:
Originally posted by alexjustdoit
Why are the drizzt books the only ones being reprinted? And over and over too, they have all sorts of different editions of them. And why do you usually hear about drizzt the most when someone mentions FR? Do many consider them the best?
Other books have been reprinted, as well, such as the Threat From the Sea trilogy. Salvatore is a NYTimes bestseller, so keeping his stuff in print is sound business sense. Reprinting stuff like the Threat From the Sea... I'm puzzled by that one. A lot of books were more popular, so the reprint of that is just odd. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 04:51:58
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I was under the impression they're reprinting the major RSEs. So far they released TFTS, ROTA, and YORD. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 05:19:43
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But if FR is just a world based off of the D and D ruleset mechanics, how does a change to DandD change FR? For that matter, what is there to change other than D &D rules that would affect FR, because isn't FR pretty much contained within itself? Other than if you were playing the table top game, I don't see how D and D affects the world of FR anyways.
Shows how much I know. Enlightenment anyone? |
Edited by - alexjustdoit on 05 Jul 2011 05:23:14 |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3746 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 05:51:59
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quote:
Originally posted by alexjustdoit
But if FR is just a world based off of the D and D ruleset mechanics, how does a change to DandD change FR? For that matter, what is there to change other than D &D rules that would affect FR, because isn't FR pretty much contained within itself? Other than if you were playing the table top game, I don't see how D and D affects the world of FR anyways.
Shows how much I know. Enlightenment anyone?
-Well, your rules and setting information (colloquially known as 'crunch' and 'fluff', respectively) need to be in sync. Since the Forgotten Realms (along with Eberron, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, and all the others) are WotC owned D&D-based campaign settings, they need to be compatible with the current D&D rules. So, for example, in our new D&D rules, Dwarves can spontaneously grow wings and fly. Your setting needs to take this into account- and, Dwarves with wings could, in theory, have a major impact on how Dwarven cities are designed, how Dwarves act towards each other and others, and so on. Also, it needs to be decided if the change is a retcon (retroactive alteration to continuity) or an actual change from a specific point going forward. This would also have a major impact on those Dwarves- did the cities from 1,000 years ago need to be assumed to have contained flying Dwarves, or just from this point on?
-So, there's a quick crash course as to why. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
Edited by - Lord Karsus on 05 Jul 2011 05:53:14 |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 06:18:49
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| Ah I see, great explanation? So what happened between 3e and 4e and what is spellpague, in a story sense. I already know that it's purpose was to record figure the realms according to 4e. |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3746 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2011 : 07:02:42
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-The Spellplague is explained in detail in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, the main 4e D&D Forgotten Realms book. Basically, to make a long story short and be as non-sectarian as possible, Cyric is able to sneak into Dweomerheart, Mystra's divine realm, and murder her. Her death- being the Goddess of Magic and The Weave incarnate- causes magic to go on the fritz. The Spellplague is/was basically a manifestation of magic going haywire, and the world being plunged into chaos for a limited time before things normalized in the wake of her death.
-WotC skipped ahead 104 years between the last 3e product and the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, and purposefully left most of the stuff that happened during that period in-between vague. So, the sources where you see the Spellplague "in action" are few. Asides for the above mentioned Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide/Players Guide, there's also scenes in Bruce Cordell's Abolithic Soverignty trilogy and Thomas Reid's Empyrean Odyssey trilogy. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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alexjustdoit
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2011 : 06:37:19
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| What changed in the realms that required the happening of the spell plague to build things from scratch again? |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3746 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2011 : 18:27:59
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quote:
Originally posted by alexjustdoit
What changed in the realms that required the happening of the spell plague to build things from scratch again?
-The D&D rules, primarily. For a lot of things that were changing in the rules (how spellcasters cast spells, for example), it was used to be the explanation. Setting-wise, more things changed because of the decision to bump up the timeline roughly 100 years (people come and go, nations change, etc.). The biggest change to the setting that was caused by the Spellplague was the addition of 'Abeir', a mirror planet that randomly swapped certain areas with 'Toril' (before this retcon, the name of the planet was Abeir-Toril, and for simplicity's sake, most people left off the 'Abeir', and just called it 'Toril'). So, for example, Mulhorand disappeared (presumably, it went to 'Abeir'), and a part of 'Abeir' appeared on what used to be Mulhorand. Happened in a few places. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2011 : 19:54:56
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quote:
Originally posted by alexjustdoit
And why do you usually hear about drizzt the most when someone mentions FR? Do many consider them the best?
Bob quickly developed a fan base separate from the Realms' to a fair extent -- he's read by a lot of people who like his style or his characters but don't read other Realms fiction. TSR and Wizards played to his popularity, and Elminster's, by sticking their likeness all over the place.quote:
Originally posted by alexjustdoit
But if FR is just a world based off of the D and D ruleset mechanics, how does a change to DandD change FR?
The Realms precedes D&D and isn't based on its rules, though Ed incorporated a lot of elements from its original versions. But the recession led Wizards to consolidate its products to two core brands, Magic: The Gathering and D&D, so that RPGwise the Realms became more of a secondary adjunct to the game, made up of a pair of sourcebooks, rather than something with a strong independent identity of its own. The design of the 2008 version of the setting was more driven by the wish to sell as many copies as possible of those two books than by the rules change per se, a concern for continuity of any kind, or any other single factor. |
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Aryalómė
Senior Scribe
USA
666 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2011 : 13:31:26
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| Read whatever interests you. I have only been able to read things about people or races that I like. Good authors that I like Elaine Cunningham, Lisa Smedman (even though she killed my favourite drow gods), Richard Baker, Ed Greenwood, and Bruce R. Cordell. |
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