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Skuldren
Acolyte
USA
2 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Sep 2012 : 13:42:30
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I figured this would be a good place to share an interview I did with author Troy Denning at Star Wars Celebration VI. I talked with Troy about some of his Star Wars books and characters, but I also asked him about his upcoming novel The Sentinel. Troy spoke a little bit about which characters will be in his story, what the general plot will be, as well as how he got offered the project.
Here's a link to the interview which includes audio and a transcript:
http://roqoodepot.com/2012/09/11/roqoo-depot-interview-with-troy-denning-at-cvi/
Realm's Highlights:
Q: Now big announcement last week was your new Forgotten Realms novel, The Sentinel. What can you tell us about that one?
TD: Oh, that’s going to be a cool, cool concept. WOTC (Wizards of the Coast) asked me to come out last November to talk about doing a Forgotten Realms novel and me being no fool said ‘Sure, free airplane ride to Seattle to see some of my buddies and gab and talk with WOTC, a company I haven’t worked with for ten years, I’ll at least go out and talk.’ I went out and talked. We had three days of meetings and by the end of three days we had plotted not only my novel but the other five novels in the series. And I was so excited about it I couldn’t wait to just get going on it. Like we had said, it’s obviously a Forgotten Realms novel, part of The Sundering series. Bob Salvatore will start it off with The Companions, Ed Greenwood will finish it with The Herald, and I’m going to be next to last with The Sentinel. The Sundering itself is going to tell the story of a major event in the Realms, a major arc that happens to the Realms itself. Each will tell the story of a certain set of characters that are involved in the series, so you’ll be seeing it through six different sets of eyes, because each set of characters is different. Each book will be stand alone. So if you want to read book three you won’t have to have read books one and two, but if you want to get the whole story of what’s happening in the world, you would just start reading with book one, The Companions, and then go through all the way to the end.
It’s going to be fun. My characters involve an embittered paladin who’s been worshiping the dead god, Helm, for his entire life. Of course his god is dead so he hasn’t had much luck with it. He ends up being thrown in with a princess who is a very noble princess, but she has a somewhat self-important view. She’s a little bit delusional about her own importance in the world. They end up being thrown together in an adventure with one of my old Forgotten Realms characters, who’s Cyric, Prince of Lies. He ends up being thrown into an adventure with my embittered paladin and delusional princess. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a story of forbidden love, many kinds of different forbidden love, driving the plot.
Q: When will that one be out?
TD: That one is April, 2014. I don’t know how much your readers are aware, but WOTC is retooling D&D. As part of that, they’re going to retool The Forgotten Realms, and they’re really taking their time to do it right. They’re getting a lot of audience feedback, and they’re allowing the audience’s feedback to dictate most of the elements of the game design. Same thing with the Forgotten Realms; they’re going to allow the audience’s choices to dictate the direction of the Realms in the future. It’s an exciting project. It was just one of those things that ended up being so exciting I couldn’t say no.
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2012 : 22:06:44
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| Cyric is thrown into an adventure? |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 00:44:41
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Hmm. It looks like there's really nothing in it that would work for me. A paladin, a princess, and a silly god. Meh. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Tanthalas
Senior Scribe
Portugal
508 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 00:57:34
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| I think that Cyric part mean Malik el Sami yn Nasser and not Cyric himself. |
Sir Markham pointed out, drinking another brandy. "A chap who can point at you and say 'die' has the distinct advantage". |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 01:12:37
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| Yes, I read elsewhere, that it was the Seraph of Lies, Malik.....I think he is even in that really cool Sundering artwork with the main characters. |
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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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 02:55:01
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| I am delighted to see Malik will be back! I just hope by then WoTC will have resolved the content restrictions for eBooks outside the US, otherwise I will have to pass on this one too, just like with 90% of all FR eBooks.... |
"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 |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3290 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 03:15:07
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Is it going to be ebook or hardcover?
If it's ebook I wont buy it.
I want hardcovers... |
"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 |
Edited by - Brimstone on 12 Sep 2012 03:15:50 |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 03:31:55
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quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
I am delighted to see Malik will be back! I just hope by then WoTC will have resolved the content restrictions for eBooks outside the US, otherwise I will have to pass on this one too, just like with 90% of all FR eBooks....
That issue shoud be aout resolved, from Paul S Kemp's site:
First, apparently Wizards of the Coast has signed a new distribution agreement with Random House and the heretofore elusive and never-before-seen-on-camera international ebook versions of WotC novels will soon be available. Print versions have been available in various languages for time immemorial, and now ebooks will join them. Rock on. EURASIA, EREVIS CALE IS IN YOU!
I think Erik Scott de Bie has commented on this issue also |
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 12 Sep 2012 03:34:51 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 04:05:20
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The Sundering novels are all planned for hardcover.
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Hmm. It looks like there's really nothing in it that would work for me. A paladin, a princess, and a silly god. Meh.
HELM a silly god? Blasphemy! :Shadowbane smites:
Also,iIf anyone is wondering about a Shadowbane connection (both paladins worshipping Helm), the very different characters aren't connected directly, though there might be a reference or two. You'll just have to read it and find out!
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 04:14:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
The Sundering novels are all planned for hardcover.
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Hmm. It looks like there's really nothing in it that would work for me. A paladin, a princess, and a silly god. Meh.
HELM a silly god? Blasphemy! :Shadowbane smites:
Also,iIf anyone is wondering about a Shadowbane connection (both paladins worshipping Helm), the very different characters aren't connected directly, though there might be a reference or two. You'll just have to read it and find out!
Cheers
I think he was surely calling Cyric a silly god not Helm....sinceTroy mistakenly said Cyric instead of Malik. I mean Helm silly.....not bloody likely! |
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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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 06:02:29
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Yes, I meant Cyric, not Helm. The latter doesn't matter, because he's dead. Whether he's dead for good or will be back (as probably the whole bunch of dead deities will do, anyway), I couldn't care less.
As for Malik. Hmm... He's one of the very few non-magic users I like, so, yes, maybe, I'll give this a try. May Ruha also return.
However, the paladin as the main character would be a major discouraging factor for me, so... |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3290 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 13:47:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
The Sundering novels are all planned for hardcover.
Thank you. |
"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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phranctoast
Learned Scribe
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2012 : 20:14:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
The Sundering novels are all planned for hardcover.
Thank you.
I hope that doesn't mean we have to wait 6 months for a paperback or reasonably priced E-book now.
These books are already going into 2014....... |
Currently reading: Spider and Stone by Jaleigh Johnson: Sequel to Mistshore |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2012 : 01:30:51
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
That issue shoud be aout resolved, from Paul S Kemp's site:
First, apparently Wizards of the Coast has signed a new distribution agreement with Random House and the heretofore elusive and never-before-seen-on-camera international ebook versions of WotC novels will soon be available. Print versions have been available in various languages for time immemorial, and now ebooks will join them. Rock on. EURASIA, EREVIS CALE IS IN YOU!
I think Erik Scott de Bie has commented on this issue also
Wow, that´s great news! I find little time lately to log in here, so I am not keeping up on the whole 5e issue and eBook news. Would be great to have the eBooks available soon and finally get to use my Kindle more.
Of course anything with Erevis I always bought in paper. Man, I would have flown to the US to get Kemp's books if that had been necessary. But I am glad that the other authors will be available in bits and bytes soon over here!  |
"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 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2012 : 02:14:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Yes, I meant Cyric, not Helm. The latter doesn't matter, because he's dead.
Heh, I can tell you haven't read my Shadowbane books then.
quote:
However, the paladin as the main character would be a major discouraging factor for me, so...
Why so? I find paladins to be full of potential for extremely interesting tension. I mean, I've written three novels about a paladin (well, at least he's a kind of paladin).
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2012 : 13:08:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
quote:
However, the paladin as the main character would be a major discouraging factor for me, so...
Why so? I find paladins to be full of potential for extremely interesting tension. I mean, I've written three novels about a paladin (well, at least he's a kind of paladin).
Cheers
Other than they don't wield arcane magic?
Paladins are worse than priests (which, by the way, I don't like either). Sticking to what is good and moral just sounds so linear and boring. I prefer characters who are essentially of shades of gray. Neutral, or at the very least, chaotic evil. Fallen paladins, on the other hand, sometimes hold an appeal; the only problem is, they tend to brood. A lot. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2012 : 16:06:22
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In those cases, you might want to check out my Shadowbane series. The two main characters are a thief turned paladin who is constantly treading the edge of a fall from his lawful (not necessarily good) oaths (and he does fall on occasion) and an amnesiac wizard who can wield sometimes frightfully powerful arcane magic.
But this is off topic.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Skuldren
Acolyte
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 15:23:45
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We did another interview with Troy Denning for his latest Star Wars book and I squeezed in some discussion of The Sundering toward the end.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VAV7B0abbD0
Troy doesn't give out too many details, but I thought it was interesting that he might be looking toward writing some more Forgotten Realms books after The Sundering, though nothing is official yet. |
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Lilianviaten
Senior Scribe
489 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 18:59:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
quote:
However, the paladin as the main character would be a major discouraging factor for me, so...
Why so? I find paladins to be full of potential for extremely interesting tension. I mean, I've written three novels about a paladin (well, at least he's a kind of paladin).
Cheers
Other than they don't wield arcane magic?
Paladins are worse than priests (which, by the way, I don't like either). Sticking to what is good and moral just sounds so linear and boring. I prefer characters who are essentially of shades of gray. Neutral, or at the very least, chaotic evil. Fallen paladins, on the other hand, sometimes hold an appeal; the only problem is, they tend to brood. A lot.
I'm going to strongly recommend Erik's "Shadowbane" series to you. He gives roughly equal face time to paladins, monks, wizards, bards, warlocks, and multiclassers. Yes, the series is named for a paladin, but there's a lot of magic being thrown around. As for issue of moral character, Kalen is not exactly virtuous (nor does he necessarily intend to be).
Also, each god mentioned in the series has multiple followers trying to achieve goals that contradict each other. I don't want to say more than Erik would want me to, but it's REALLY good. I can tell by your posts that you are passionate about the Realms. If you don't read it for the excellent story, at least read it for the Realmslore. Luskan, Waterdeep, and Westgate all come alive in the books. Not to mention tidbits dropped about Halaster, Manshoon, the Night Masks, and other people/organizations you might find interesting. |
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Lilianviaten
Senior Scribe
489 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2013 : 19:03:55
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| On Troy's upcoming book "The Sentinel", I'm very much looking forward to it. My introduction to the Realms was his "Return of the Archwizards Trilogy" (along with "Servant of the Shard" and "The Moonshae Trilogy"). I haven't read it in years, but I recall Malik being the most compelling character. I wasn't rooting for him, but it's hard to root against him. I wonder a) how he's still alive, and b) if he still has Mystra's curse. |
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Thauranil
Master of Realmslore
India
1591 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2013 : 13:22:20
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| Another great book to look forward. Helm was always one of my favorite gods. |
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Gyor
Master of Realmslore
1632 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2013 : 23:19:50
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Since 4e I've always thought a Doppelganger Paladin of Sharess would be cool.
Imagine getting a lapdance and you dancer summons her magic full plate armour while on your lap ;p
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Interview with Troy Denning and The Sentinel
