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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Apr 2005 : 17:13:29
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I'm reading this novel for the second time in anticipation of Book VI's release later this week. I'm about a hundred pages away from finishing it and have some thoughts about my second go around with this novel:
Static: I was discussing this novel via email with another Realms fan and he used this term to describe the novel. I have to agree. This novel more than any of the previous ones in the series seems to be very static. Little progress is made as our party is largely confined to the ship. I think this fact hurt the novel.
Danifae: I thought her development from battle-captive to master manipulator of the group was too fast. One novel ago, we had this character not knowing when to hold her tongue with Quenthel. Now, she can do no wrong when it comes to playing others. I don't mind seeing this aspect of her personality come out, but I think it was rushed. If the goal was for Danifae to emerge as the ultimate drow for lack of a better term, I think they should have used done a better job in the other novels of setting this up.
Combat: More than perhaps the other novels in this series, this book seems to focus on combat over anything else. I know there were those who enjoyed Gromph versus Dyrr, but it went on way too long for my tastes. Moreover, my biggest problem with the aforementioned duel and the match between Ryld and Jeggred is the outcome. To me, the outcome of both matches was never in doubt. I did not see a novel with R.A. Salvatore's name on it having Gromph die. Moreover, based on the way Jeggred has been featured in the past novels, I knew there was no way he would die at Ryld's hands. Thus, as a reader I had countless pages of combat where the results were never in doubt. Therein lies the same problem I had with the siege of Menzoberranzan. Did anyone ever think that the city would fall? I certainly did not.
Oh no, I worship Eilistrae now so I don't have a brain: There is a mindset I've seen online from mostly fans of Lolth and some fans of a certain dark elven ranger. This mindset has the credo that becoming an Eilistraee follower means your wisdom and intelligence immediately plummet to the levels of a pre-schooler or worse. To me Athans does a fine job of using similar thinking in writing Halisstra's actions in this novel. For three novels, we've seen Halisstra's internal thoughts comment on the fact she knew that she could not trust Danifae. But, now that Halisstra has gone over to a deity oppossed to Lolth and the binding is gone, well, let's just have a few secret meetings with her away from any allies and trust everything Danifae says. Please  . To me this is one of the biggest flaws in the story.
Continuity: I've mentioned before the continuity problems with Nimor and Aliisza. They are just annoying this time around. But, I do not drop this entirely at the author's feet. There were editors that should have seen these errors.
I'll finish by stating that while I did not enjoy this novel any more this time around, I still am curious about Mr. Athans release later this year. I hope it is a more enjoyable reading experience than this tome. |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2005 : 19:10:50
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Sirius, I agree with your review on the novel. I myself did not enjoy the book, and when I purchased it I already didn't have high hopes as I've read Philip Athan's previous works. I only bought the novel because I already bought the other books in the series and I wanted a whole complete set of WotSQ.
Like you, I was quite annoyed with the character changes in the novel, especially the changes in Quenthel, Jeggred, and Danifae.
I'm not even going to rant about the battle scenes, as I and many other members have talked about it way too many times... |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2005 : 19:20:54
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quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
Sirius, I agree with your review on the novel. I myself did not enjoy the book, and when I purchased it I already didn't have high hopes as I've read Philip Athan's previous works. I only bought the novel because I already bought the other books in the series and I wanted a whole complete set of WotSQ.
Thanks for the feedback. I was the exact opposite in expectations when compared to you. Although I had read on the WOTC site some very negative things about Mr. Athans' previous work, I was very eager to read this tome and thought it would be entertaining. I was mistaken.
I definitely am going to keep the first four books in this series. However, whether or not I keep Annihilation this time around largely depends on the final novel in this series. If I enjoy Mr. Kemp's tome, I'll probably keep Annihilation for the same completeness that you mentioned.
However, if I do not enjoy Mr. Kemp's soon to be released (hear me shipping Gods!) tome, I won't keep either the 5th or 6th novel.
I will say this in support of Mr. Athans' writing. If the Yor'thae situation plays out the way I believe it will, I think I found a couple of hints perhaps dropped by the writer. I may just be reading to much into the writing, but his way of describing a certain character a couple of times in this novel, were very...telling in my opinion. |
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Carcharoth
Acolyte
5 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2005 : 22:23:52
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Hello everyone! Ok let me say I liked the books in some parts very much. And, on the other hand I detested them and quickly skimmed over these sicko portions. But, having made the investment into the character of Ryld I decided to persevere the disgusting, sickening, and all together evil vile parts... but let's just say I may have speed read them a bit...
Right my whole memory is a skewed since it has been a while since I read them, but I think Ryld started as a great hero and ended as a rather ordinary, if moderately skilled, fighter.
In the start he was the Weapon Master the best of the fighters in a city of the hundreds and hundreds of years spanned as a fighter. He slaughtered Hobgoblins like cheesedogs when escaping a house in the poor section of the city. Also, in the first book he went WARRIOR FOCUS KILL CRAZY and wasted some fighters and a Drider that had him cornered unarmed! The first book rocked!
And then the other goof ball writers have him torn by a troll! What are you thinking? A forest troll is faster and out feints a Master of Feints who has fought for hundreds of years?! He should know every subtle guise in the manual! Do you not think in those hundreds of years he did not have to defend his life against hired thugs, summoned monsters, and the best of assassins who wanted to have his job given to another!?!
The book was soooo irritating! He was so much more experienced and better trained then the spaz out Demon. There is no WAY the Ryld of the first book would die to the Drow Half Demon. If they had to kill him they could of at least done so via some great Paladin / Ranger / Group of Goody Powerful Druids who happen upon him after soundly beating the Drow Demon. I don't know- throw in some hidden Cult of the Dragon Wizards building a stronghold in the swamp. Just Give me somebody worthy to kill him! Well, it was too late then; they already insulted him with a troll and pseudo bear thing beating
The book made me sick. It was pulp garbage. Oh and yes I have written better. Sorry my name is not going to be said in this writ. All right all right the book had a few moments it was not sooo bad but come on he gets whipped by a troll and some kind of ridiculous weird bear!
I tell you what- if you had a guy win the Olympics in Judo and then told me the same guy was beat up in a parking lot the next day I'd think:
1- It was at least two criminals with guns. Who then hit him with the butt end of an all metal pistol.
or
2- You are lying and wanted your country to win the medal.
...and there are no guns in this fantasy.
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The Hounds of Hellish Ethos hunger for red splash alone. The open field becomes an open wound a gaping mash of filth and steel hulks with their sweet smelling roasted carcasses- and here you thought war was a sweet white march. |
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2005 : 15:30:02
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| Can someone estimate the month (in 1372) on witch this book ends? |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2005 : 07:25:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Skeptic
Can someone estimate the month (in 1372) on witch this book ends?
I am about 90% sure that the Players guide to Faerun said it ends around the 11th month of 1372. Check the Players guide. I think you can find the date there.
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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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Paec_djinn
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 12:51:37
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I know I'm quite late in reading this novel.
But I thought this book was perhaps my second favourite novel of the series. At first it was looking very likely that it would be a very good book, until Danifae meets with Halistra. I share the same opinions with people about Hallistra not being the most liked character in the novel. The death of Ryld and the spell duel which I thought, wasn't as epic as it should have been, pulled the novel down. The events in the Astral Plane and Abyss at the end turns up the action up plenty of notches, though, making this unique novel somewhat epic.
I really liked how a lot of characters changed, despite a few of them being rather inconsistent(Quenthel and Jeggred). But I can see why they changed, just that, it happened too easily for my liking. Nonetheless, the changes made the book very good IMO. I liked the new direction Jeggred had, and it did give him some personality. I'm no fan of Danifae either, but I enjoyed her character in this book.
The fact that this story was told in numerous POV is also very good. Phil Athans captures ALL the characters personalities well IMO.
Some people have said that the book doesn't move too much, in which I agree, partially. One way to describe this novel is "unique" and I like the radical approach Athans has taken. It's a step away from the previous novels and sets up events nicely for the final novel which I'm expecting to read ASAP (already have it ready). |
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Faramicos
Senior Scribe
Denmark
468 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 13:30:26
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| Just finished book 6... Its a gem. You are in for a treat in the great finale of the series. |
"When dragons make war, worlds can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings" |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 16:09:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Faramicos
Just finished book 6... Its a gem. You are in for a treat in the great finale of the series.
I hope you're right... The series has been underwhelming, thus far. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Kiaransalyn
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
762 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 16:31:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Faramicos
Just finished book 6... Its a gem. You are in for a treat in the great finale of the series.
I wouldn't hold your breath.
It all goes a bit pear-shaped. The War of the Spider Queen started of well but got rather confused, appeared to lose direction, had some awful continuity problems and fizzled out like a damn squib.
I didn't realise people were still reading it to be honest. |
Death is Life
Love is Hate
Revenge is Forgiveness
Ken: You from the States?
Jimmy: Yeah. But don't hold it against me.
Ken: I'll try not to... Just try not to say anything too loud or crass. |
Edited by - Kiaransalyn on 08 Aug 2006 16:32:40 |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 17:12:39
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
You know Wooly, you're making it easier and easier for me to avoid reading the entire WotSQ series completely.
I didn't care for it either. Course that was partly due to:
1) RSE/PlanarSE
2) It ties in with a module that I never got to use because, like my old DM, I wanted to find out how the novels ended before I used the module.
3) Some of the characters seemed to change from author to author....
4) I don't use the new cosmology, so I'll never include these events cause I like Lloth in the Abyss. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Aes Tryl
Learned Scribe
181 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 17:18:57
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| Yep i absolutely hated how some characters like Pharuan and Ryld seemed so different from the previous novels and i can't believe they killed off Ryld, he was kinda like the drow anti-hero, a perfect replacement for stodgy, lovable old Drizzt :D. . . then bham killed by my least favourite character in the whole series. . . the draegloth |
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Kiaransalyn
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
762 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 19:33:36
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The two biggest continuity 'howlers' for me were:
1. At the end of Book 2, Danifae has armor and weapons. In Book 3 they have to buy them for her.
2. At the end of Chapter 18, Book 5 Aliisza asks, 'Who is she?' about Danifae. Which somewhat contrasts to her wanting to tear the trollop's eyes out in Book 2. |
Death is Life
Love is Hate
Revenge is Forgiveness
Ken: You from the States?
Jimmy: Yeah. But don't hold it against me.
Ken: I'll try not to... Just try not to say anything too loud or crass. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2006 : 21:00:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Kiaransalyn
The two biggest continuity 'howlers' for me were:
1. At the end of Book 2, Danifae has armor and weapons. In Book 3 they have to buy them for her.
2. At the end of Chapter 18, Book 5 Aliisza asks, 'Who is she?' about Danifae. Which somewhat contrasts to her wanting to tear the trollop's eyes out in Book 2.
The way Jaeggred went from being the servile "Yes, mistress" to Quenthel, to "You suck, Quenthel!" really was jarring. |
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Paec_djinn
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2006 : 01:09:55
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quote:
The way Jaeggred went from being the servile "Yes, mistress" to Quenthel, to "You suck, Quenthel!" really was jarring.
Given the fact that Quenthel was weakening, it's quite possible. However, as I said, the change happened too fast. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2006 : 01:38:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
You know Wooly, you're making it easier and easier for me to avoid reading the entire WotSQ series completely.
I didn't care for it either. Course that was partly due to:
1) RSE/PlanarSE
Reason 1 for me.
quote:
2) It ties in with a module that I never got to use because, like my old DM, I wanted to find out how the novels ended before I used the module.
Reason 2 for me.
Though I have yet to read CotSQ.
quote:
4) I don't use the new cosmology, so I'll never include these events cause I like Lloth in the Abyss.
Exactly.
If and when I read through WotSQ, it will be just for entertainment purposes, not because I intend to bring the events and their results into my FR. I'm happy with where Lolth is now and where her realm exists in the Great Wheel.
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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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Winterfox
Senior Scribe
895 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2006 : 18:18:24
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I'm a bit more than halfway through this book, and all I can say is: Whiskey tango bloody foxtrot?
The first thing that comes to mind is that the characters seem to have had their brains sucked out off-stage while I wasn't looking, so upon this book's beginning, their intelligence score has been dropped by ten points. At the outside. More than a few of them -- oh, screw that, most of them -- seem to have gotten a personality transplant. I hesitate to use this term, but pretty much all the main characters are so out-of-character they're nearly unrecognizable.
Where to start, where to start:
I'll probably echo pretty much many people's opinions with regards to the matters of Ryld's death, Jeggred's shift in loyalty, among others. (A woodcutter's axe can penetrate dwarf-made, mithril armor? Really? Your average woodsman has an enchanted axe? Really? Jeggred suddenly rejects the slavish devotion he's been holding for the entire series for no reason at all -- while the author's done zilch to convince the reader that Danifae has that kind of charisma? Really? Bitch, please.)
I skipped huge sections of battle scenes, because they bore me so very much. Athans isn't one of those authors whose action sequences can engage me, and for the most part I find the battles gratuitous and dragged out. So, if I miss anything crucial, that'll be why. I doubt that, though, because as far as I'm aware, these combat scenes are fillers the way combat scenes are filler in a great number of FR novels: to wit, they reveal no important plot points, advance no characterization, and serve as testament that, no, most authors can't make fights cinematic. All I need to do is skim the beginning of the scene and then the end to see who emerges victorious, and that's that.
Moving on to the characters' stupidity: Halisstra gives implicit trust to a drow who's been her battle-captive... why? Did switching to worship Elistraee rob her of half her IQ? Looks like it to me.
Gromph is astonishingly inept for someone who's the Archmage of Menzo. He miscalculates again and again and again during his duel with Dyrr, so much that it's pathetic. His trip to the halfling heaven is unspeakably pointless (seriously, what was the purpose of that?), and it's painful to see one of the short races treated once again either as comic relief or idiot children. Wonderful, isn't it?
What happened to Quenthel? I know she has issues, but all of a sudden she just... lost her spine. Assertion gone, hello vacillation and utter stupidity. I imagine that she's shocked with the last book's events, but still, survival instincts, anybody? The transformation from bitchy dominatrix to sniveling nitwit is nothing short of phenomenal.
The next point's that sections of the book made me laugh aloud, but I've a feeling that wasn't quite intended. There's the scene where the Master of Sorcere lecture about Dyrr's invulnerabilities and weakness, because those? Could've come out of an RPG strategy guide. The sentence describing the wizards casting protective spells on Gromph and Gromph being sure that he will be "immune to everything" made me giggle like a loon. All I could think was an MMORPG raid party preparing to face the raid boss. "Okay, everybody, the lichdrow is immune to the following spells. Nukers, don't bother with X, Y, and Z. Buffers, line up to cast buffs on the tank so he'll be immune to A, B, and C." It's so incredibly inane. And the line about Gromph "wasting energy" to cast a spell quicker? Priceless. Oh, look, he's making use of his metamagic feat, Quicken Spell, and he has to cast the spell as a higher-level one for it.
Dice rolling in the background? You've got to be kidding me; that's too complicated and earthy. I can practically see numbers floating up the characters' heads, like when I play Neverwinter Nights, along with messages that go "Character is casting spell [name]." It's that mechanical and that hilarious.
Let's see if the rest of the book, uh, lives up to the record it's set thus far. |
Edited by - Winterfox on 24 Aug 2006 18:33:01 |
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Arkhaedun
Senior Scribe
869 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2006 : 18:25:45
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Its been said, over and over again, please make sure that when you offer critisisms, that you are not taking personal shots at the authors.
Also, please try to avoid hyperbole when making your point. Adding such inflamatory content, no matter how witty it may sound originally, can turn a critisism into a direct insult to the author whose work you are discussing.
Thank you. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 05:56:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
The sentence describing the wizards casting protective spells on Gromph and Gromph being sure that he will be "immune to everything" made me giggle like a loon. All I could think was an MMORPG raid party preparing to face the raid boss. "Okay, everybody, the lichdrow is immune to the following spells. Nukers, don't bother with X, Y, and Z. Buffers, line up to cast buffs on the tank so he'll be immune to A, B, and C." It's so incredibly inane. And the line about Gromph "wasting energy" to cast a spell quicker? Priceless. Oh, look, he's making use of his metamagic feat, Quicken Spell, and he has to cast the spell as a higher-level one for it.
OK, now I can't wait to read this novel myself. Sounds like it's really funny! |
"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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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 06:20:55
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WinterFox, truly, you bring just as many readers to these novels with your harsh (yet seemingly accurate) criticisms as the glowing reports do. :)
(With no offense given to the original author of the material in the first place. Winter's honesty is simply refreshing.) |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me
"That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Winterfox
Senior Scribe
895 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 06:36:58
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And a few more funnies:
When Jeggred kills Ryld, he literally rips Ryld's heart out and eats it while it's still beating and Ryld watches:
quote:
When Jeggred pulled his hand away, Ryld's eyesight came back long enough for Ryld Argith, Master of Melee-Magthere, to see that his heart was still beating when the draegloth began to eat it.
I've seen "I'll carve your heart out and eat it while you watch" thrown around as a threat an awful lot; I just never thought I'd see a character actually do it. And it's oh, so campy. There's something about bringing cliches to life that amuses me. I wonder if this bit is supposed to be chilling?
The vipers on Quenthel's whip, apparently, has--
quote:
...cruel poison glistening on darting tongues.
Uhm durr. Snakes have hollow fangs. That's where they store their venom and how they release it. It takes, like, all of five seconds to look this up on Wikipedia. Durrrrr. Seriously, what happened to researching something before writing about it? |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 11:25:10
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| Both of those points bothered me, as well. A friend assured me that a heart could continue beating even after being ripped out of the chest, but that scene still didn't work for me. And the venom on the tongues part really threw me for a loop. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Winterfox
Senior Scribe
895 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 12:15:19
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| I don't dispute that a heart can continue to beat after being ripped out (since I have, like, zilch medical knowledge), no, just that the scene was campy to me. But I thought it's fairly common knowledge that snakes release venom through their fangs, and if not that it's easy to look up; it's not like I'm asking the author to take a zoology degree or anything. |
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader
Germany
2296 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 13:26:05
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Hmm... I can hardly remember that...then again, I breezed through most of the book since it didn't merit all of my attention.
Many of those details blaze just by me without me bothering about them.
Poison on tongue...cute
As for Jeggred... I always thought him too much muscle and negative brain, there was so much stereotype villain in him that I tried to really rush through his scenes.
I like a good slaughter occasionally but Jeggred's act got old pretty soon. The axe and the defeat of a master of the academy were kinda sorta overdoing it... had he done Ryld in while he was bonking Halisstra now THAT would've been:
a) neat
b) drow-worthy
c) damn cool
d) traumatic for Halisstra in a way that her "returning to the dark side" could've been explained far more reasonably...she would have been afraid, and Lolth thrives on fear. It would've shown her how "weak" Eilistraee was/is |
Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware! |
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Winterfox
Senior Scribe
895 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 14:23:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
I like a good slaughter occasionally but Jeggred's act got old pretty soon. The axe and the defeat of a master of the academy were kinda sorta overdoing it... had he done Ryld in while he was bonking Halisstra now THAT would've been:
a) neat
b) drow-worthy
c) damn cool
d) traumatic for Halisstra in a way that her "returning to the dark side" could've been explained far more reasonably...she would have been afraid, and Lolth thrives on fear. It would've shown her how "weak" Eilistraee was/is
I couldn't agree more. I don't mind main characters being killed off, but when the death is so... absurd, my suspension of disbelief goes snap. And the duel between Jeggred and Ryld just dragged on for too damn long (the same could be said of most scenes of similar nature in this novel, actually). And Halisstra's characterization is just so wtfish in this book. The way she keeps breaking into tears is just bizarre. |
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Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 15:43:01
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| What I really didn't like about the Ryld/Jeggred fight was how Jeggred destroyed Splitter. We're supposed to believe that a piddly woodcutter's axe, even it bears a minor enchantment, can cut through a sword that's been proven time and again to be *very* heavily enchanted? |
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Winterfox
Senior Scribe
895 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 17:34:47
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| Obviously, Faerunian woodcutters sell drugs on the side and are all filthy rich. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 00:39:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
And a few more funnies:
When Jeggred kills Ryld, he literally rips Ryld's heart out and eats it while it's still beating and Ryld watches:
quote:
When Jeggred pulled his hand away, Ryld's eyesight came back long enough for Ryld Argith, Master of Melee-Magthere, to see that his heart was still beating when the draegloth began to eat it.
I've seen "I'll carve your heart out and eat it while you watch" thrown around as a threat an awful lot; I just never thought I'd see a character actually do it. And it's oh, so campy. There's something about bringing cliches to life that amuses me. I wonder if this bit is supposed to be chilling?
The vipers on Quenthel's whip, apparently, has--
quote:
...cruel poison glistening on darting tongues.
Uhm durr. Snakes have hollow fangs. That's where they store their venom and how they release it. It takes, like, all of five seconds to look this up on Wikipedia. Durrrrr. Seriously, what happened to researching something before writing about it?
That's ridiculous. It's funny, but at the same time it's pretty sad.
I totally agree that Ryld's death scene is pretty campy. Of course, I've never been a fan of the way Athans does action scenes or death scenes. |
"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) |
Edited by - Rinonalyrna Fathomlin on 27 Aug 2006 00:40:16 |
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Crust
Learned Scribe
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:24:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
The next point's that sections of the book made me laugh aloud, but I've a feeling that wasn't quite intended. There's the scene where the Master of Sorcere lecture about Dyrr's invulnerabilities and weakness, because those? Could've come out of an RPG strategy guide. The sentence describing the wizards casting protective spells on Gromph and Gromph being sure that he will be "immune to everything" made me giggle like a loon. All I could think was an MMORPG raid party preparing to face the raid boss. "Okay, everybody, the lichdrow is immune to the following spells. Nukers, don't bother with X, Y, and Z. Buffers, line up to cast buffs on the tank so he'll be immune to A, B, and C." It's so incredibly inane. And the line about Gromph "wasting energy" to cast a spell quicker? Priceless. Oh, look, he's making use of his metamagic feat, Quicken Spell, and he has to cast the spell as a higher-level one for it.
Dice rolling in the background? You've got to be kidding me; that's too complicated and earthy. I can practically see numbers floating up the characters' heads, like when I play Neverwinter Nights, along with messages that go "Character is casting spell [name]." It's that mechanical and that hilarious.
Well said, Winterfox. Annihilation was my least-favorite of the Spider Queen books, and it's why I haven't read Whisper of Waves. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, as I enjoyed Ressurection trememdously. It's like having to read Beyond the High Road to get to Death of the Dragon, or having the read The Summoning AND The Seige (I know) in order to fully grasp Elminster in Hell.
I quoted you because I made a similar statement a while back. Once Gromph ended up in the halflings' plane, I literally threw the book down and leapt to the laptop, attacking the keys. The post is on page 4. 
And what was it about that trip? Dyrr opened a gate to some random plane? Does there have to be a reason behind it? I guess it would be nice if there were, but I could see a PC of mine winding up in some random plane during a spellduel. Of course, that leads to your point of the novel resembling the game too much, which I can see. |
"That's right, hurl back views that force ye to think by name-calling - 'tis the grand old tradition, let it not down! Anything to keep from having to think, or - Mystra forfend - change thy own views!"
Narnra glowered at her father. "Just how am I to learn how to think? By being taught by you?"
"Some folk in the Realms would give their lives for the chance to learn at my feet," Elminster said mildly. "Several already have."
~from Elminster's Daughter, Ed Greenwood |
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Annihilation (WOTSQ Book 5) Spoilers
