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Trace_Coburn
Learned Scribe
New Zealand
137 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jul 2006 : 15:32:59
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Now, I only picked this novel up as an act of last resort/desperation, being that my FLGS didn't have the core books I had ordered/was looking for and I wanted something to help me with Realmslore. (My other choices were all the second parts of trilogies, and I refuse to only know the middle third of any story.  ) But I hear so much about how hard to find Black Wolf is, and how kick-ass a novel some scribes here think it is.
Without getting into details of the plot, as I've yet to sit down and actually read the thing - (but yes, I already know Tal is a werewolf) - can I get some hints as to why Black Wolf is so sought-after, and whether it was worth the $16.95 I coughed up for it? ō.õ
(Note to self: call my FLGS' patron distributor, put their hot-dog in a bun, and chow down. They want me to wait three months until they resupply him with core books like the DMG3.5 I want!?!? This is NOT a good/acceptable business practice!  )
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D&D collection: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual I, Complete Arcane, Arms & Equipment Guide.
FR sourcebook collection: Dragons of Faerūn, Faiths & Pantheons, FRCS, Lords of Darkness, Monsters of Faerūn, Player's Guide to Faerūn, Power of Faerūn, Races of Faerūn, Silver Marches.
I just got back into this, okay? Give me time (or better yet money) - I'll catch up soon enough.  |
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Dremvek
Seeker
70 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2006 : 16:14:18
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I don't know that it's sought after for the book itself's sake, but I think that it's because this particular book is harder to find for some reason and part of a bigger "series" that people want the full collection of.
That being said, within the next year or two, the Sembia series is getting reprinted, so availability should be improving at that time. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2006 : 17:29:36
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| I think this novel simply had a smaller print run than other books in the series... I've not heard any particular hype about this book specifically, just around the series. So I think it was numbers, more than anything else, that caused the demand. |
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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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2006 : 23:33:52
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| *nods at previous comments* I thought Black Wolf was a good novel, although I'm not sure if I'd call it "kick-ass". |
"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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Crust
Learned Scribe
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2006 : 00:20:02
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| Black Wolf was one of my favorite Sembia novels, right behind Shadow's Witness. I like Talbot. I thought the Malveens were pretty sinister. I like the actor angle. I like the Selune/Malar conflict. I'd like to see more of Talbot's story. |
"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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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2006 : 19:55:40
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Well I put Black Wolf up high in the list, along with Shadows Witness and The Shattered Mask... all DEFINATELY worth getting!!  |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2006 : 23:12:36
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I also loved Lord of Stormweather...but that is partly because I'm such a dreamer to begin with, if you catch my meaning. |
"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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Winterfox
Senior Scribe
895 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2006 : 00:12:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I also loved Lord of Stormweather...but that is partly because I'm such a dreamer to begin with, if you catch my meaning.
I really liked the dream world in that book. It's, well, considerably more imaginative than most fantasy settings. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2006 : 00:14:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
I really liked the dream world in that book. It's, well, considerably more imaginative than most fantasy settings.
Yes, that too! Dreams are often pretty weird, so it made sense that the dream world had a lot of weird but delightful things in it (like those large, flying whale-like animals). |
"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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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2006 : 08:12:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Winterfox
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I also loved Lord of Stormweather...but that is partly because I'm such a dreamer to begin with, if you catch my meaning.
I really liked the dream world in that book. It's, well, considerably more imaginative than most fantasy settings.
Well Lord of Stormweather was my least favorite of the series, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. The other books just shined more than this one. The dream world was very surreal and quite well done.
Fantastic series!
Back to Black Wolf....
The Talbot and Chaney situation was beautiful and sticks in my mind a lot. I also loved the Malveen house and the troll (someone beginning with "V" ?) who faught in the pit... great character. |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Edited by - Lord Rad on 13 Jul 2006 08:12:56 |
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mavericace
Seeker
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2006 : 06:26:01
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| for those that dont have this book yet just keep looking and you should be able to pick up a copy cheap somewhere. i managed to buy a copy on the internet for 7 bucks (including shipping). i use the site www.bookfinder4u.com to help me look, hope this helps. |
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J D Dunsany
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2006 : 06:45:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
*nods at previous comments* I thought Black Wolf was a good novel, although I'm not sure if I'd call it "kick-ass".
Hmmm... 'kick-ass' is such an imprecise phrase, but I do think 'Black Wolf' is better than just 'good'. Gross' writing style seems perfectly pitched for this type of material. And all three of the main villains are incredibly memorable characters. And very different from each other. Yup. It's worth having in your collection - and it's probably worth reading right now, even though you'll be reading it out of sequence with the rest of the collection.
Best wishes,
JDD |
"How content that young woman looks, don't you think? How content, and yet how flammable." - Lemony Snicket, The Unauthorized Autobiography |
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quajack
Seeker
86 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2006 : 05:06:48
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| As far as the Sembia novels go, Black Wolf was second olny to the Shattered Mask, in my opinion. |
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ShadowJack
Senior Scribe
USA
350 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 17:55:24
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| Black Wolf was my favorite Sembia novel. Followed closely by Shattered Mask. I loved this novel and am glad that Mistress of the Night featured some of the auxiliary characters. |
ShadowJack |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 20:55:48
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| Its been a few years since I read Black Wolf, but I cant remember it being that good actually. Fair, but nothing more, but I must admit I read it at a time when I got rather disillusioned with the realms and it was only a couple of years ago that I read the other Sembia books. The interplay with the other novels was therefore lost on me. |
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Paec_djinn
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 01:05:24
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quote:
The interplay with the other novels was therefore lost on me.
Because Talbot lived on his own outside of Stormweather Towers, this book definitely had the least mention of the other Uskeverens. However, it does tie in well with the other novels. Black Wolf for me is easily my second favourite Sembia novel, after Shattered Mask. The dark, gritty feel to it was there and I found myself loving it, especially Radu Malveen. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 21:17:32
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I would just like to encourage any who are trying to locagte Black Wolf to keep trying. Until first thing a few mornings ago the best price I had found for it online was $31.95 Then ,while checking ebay for a auto part, I searched for Black Wolf again, for about the 20th time in the last month and voila
Someone in Israel had just listed it, with a buy it now of $2.99 and only $5 to ship to the US. Now, to run down the rest of the series. |
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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Archwizard
Learned Scribe
USA
266 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 21:47:23
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| It seems like WotC is reprinting the Sembia series with new covers (even though the books are less than a decade old and done in the more current style in terms of color and detail). That should bring the prices down a bit. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 23:07:34
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
I would just like to encourage any who are trying to locagte Black Wolf to keep trying. Until first thing a few mornings ago the best price I had found for it online was $31.95 Then ,while checking ebay for a auto part, I searched for Black Wolf again, for about the 20th time in the last month and voila
Someone in Israel had just listed it, with a buy it now of $2.99 and only $5 to ship to the US. Now, to run down the rest of the series.
That's the weird thing about eBay -- sometimes, things go for insane prices, but then you can stumble across an absolute bargain like that. I just picked up two of the older 3E D&D books, ones I had skipped, for $7 a piece! And it's not the first time I've done that...
Me, I'm just going to wait for the reprints. It's easiest. |
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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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2006 : 04:53:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
I would just like to encourage any who are trying to locagte Black Wolf to keep trying. Until first thing a few mornings ago the best price I had found for it online was $31.95 Then ,while checking ebay for a auto part, I searched for Black Wolf again, for about the 20th time in the last month and voila
Someone in Israel had just listed it, with a buy it now of $2.99 and only $5 to ship to the US. Now, to run down the rest of the series.
That's the weird thing about eBay -- sometimes, things go for insane prices, but then you can stumble across an absolute bargain like that. I just picked up two of the older 3E D&D books, ones I had skipped, for $7 a piece! And it's not the first time I've done that...
Me, I'm just going to wait for the reprints. It's easiest.
I have had good luck at times with used books on Amazon, but alas Black Wolf there it has been $31.
I thought about waiting for the reprints as well Wooly, but I kept reading peoples high opinions of Erevis Cale and decided I could not wait for all the reprints to read his books. I also prefer to read the whole Sembia series in order rather than just pick up the one that focuses on Cale. That is why I snatched up Black Wolf, as the others seem to be in good supply. |
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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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 00:07:06
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
I have had good luck at times with used books on Amazon, but alas Black Wolf there it has been $31.
It's not worth that much (IMO). |
"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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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 00:55:12
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| I can confirm what Archwizard said: All the Sembia books are coming out in new editions. Don't spend thirty bucks for a secondhand copy of Black Wolf unless you're absolutely frantic to read it without delay or you're a collector who wants the first edition. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 01:00:53
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| Agreed. There are plenty of other books to read in the meantime, and it's not going to kill you if you read the Erevis Cale trilogy without having read Black Wolf first. I know some people have read the EC trilogy without having read the Sembia books, and I have no doubt they enjoyed the books anyway. |
"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 03:36:42 |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 02:23:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
I can confirm what Archwizard said: All the Sembia books are coming out in new editions. Don't spend thirty bucks for a secondhand copy of Black Wolf unless you're absolutely frantic to read it without delay or you're a collector who wants the first edition.
Hmmm...Guess I better not spend $25 on that copy of The Black Boquet then.....
If i do find another Black Wolf at a nice price thou, I think I will by it , have a drawing for it here and give it to the winner! I hate to see a willing reader without a book. |
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 27 Aug 2006 02:25:57 |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 02:36:00
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| Black Bouquet is still in print. The Borders people had it at Gen Con. So no, don't spend triple the cover prce for that, either. |
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Archwizard
Learned Scribe
USA
266 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2006 : 02:40:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Black Bouquet is still in print. The Borders people had it at Gen Con. So no, don't spend triple the cover prce for that, either.
The man is in the know. |
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2006 : 02:37:07
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| Frankly, I though Black Wolf was the best of an average series. |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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Black Wolf - worth the hype? (possible spoilers)
