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mavericace
Seeker
USA
84 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Feb 2007 : 07:51:15
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| Ironic that books about the Drow are mainstream and books about Dwarves are a rarity. I think that most of the Authors that work in the Realms do do a good job of coming up with unique characters but as of yet none of them have been Dwarven main characters. |
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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2007 : 13:44:30
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I was disappointed that they didn't at least do a Dwarven in stallment for the Fighters series. The Elves got a bladesinger book.
I'd love to see a dwarven trilogy, but I've gotten used to disapointment. |
"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2007 : 21:19:48
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Don't get me wrong, I love elves for what they are, but even I can admit that they always seem to get everything, and the "shorter folks" always seem to get shafted. I'm used to this.
And again--if there truly is no market for "shorter" protoganists, then what is with all the Dragonlance novels having to do with dwarves? |
"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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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2007 : 17:02:08
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| I often wonder why we don't see more dwarves (or gnomes or halflings for that matter) as major characters in the novels. Is it pecause they aren't pretty enough? Are they considered too alien, too nonhuman? Is there really a market predisposition against them, or is this a marketing misconception? |
"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 20:43:47
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quote:
Originally posted by bitter thorn
I often wonder why we don't see more dwarves (or gnomes or halflings for that matter) as major characters in the novels. Is it pecause they aren't pretty enough? Are they considered too alien, too nonhuman?
It's possible they're considered that way, but like KEJR I don't see why. I've met more people who are like dwarves than are like elves (at least, going by how they tend to be portrayed). |
"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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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2007 : 20:50:46
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| Alien? The hobbits are Tolkien's familiar-to-the-reader starting point in The Lord of the Rings. But many people read fantasy for wish-fulfilment, and a lot of people's fantasy is apparently to be skinny, fey and ageless, not short and hairy. It's damn ugly -- and that's without considering people who want to be drow. It doesn't mean a dwarf-themed Realms novel wouldn't be successful, but I dare say the bean-counters are right to be a little biased away from the risk. |
Edited by - Faraer on 19 Feb 2007 20:51:58 |
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Ilztfryn Claddghym
Seeker
Canada
60 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 03:53:12
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| R.A. Salvatore's books focus on tons of dwarven characters! But this has been my pet peeve too. I hope some of the authors at this site will see this thread and write a trilogy for all of us dwarf fans! |
Ever dreamed of role playing in Faerun? Battling Obould's forces in the North or Pirates at sea? Join this board www.faerunrp.com/forum |
Edited by - Ilztfryn Claddghym on 20 Feb 2007 03:55:37 |
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mavericace
Seeker
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 04:12:32
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| I would be part of that crowd that really doesnt care for Evles that much. They always seam to cocky for me and pale with no meat on them doesnt exactly appeal to me lol. The ageless thing shouldnt be that big of a concern since the lifespan of a Elf is not that much longer than that of a Dwarf (at least in the mind of a short lived Human lol). |
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1076 Posts |
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader
Germany
2296 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 13:32:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Alien? The hobbits are Tolkien's familiar-to-the-reader starting point in The Lord of the Rings. But many people read fantasy for wish-fulfilment, and a lot of people's fantasy is apparently to be skinny, fey and ageless, not short and hairy. It's damn ugly -- and that's without considering people who want to be drow. It doesn't mean a dwarf-themed Realms novel wouldn't be successful, but I dare say the bean-counters are right to be a little biased away from the risk.
True, most people like to see their wishes fulfilled, in their fantasy at least, but the BS about dwarf novels not selling. Well, marketing should actually try and publish just one novel with the option of continuing the story with sequels IF the novel sells. Hell, TSR did that with DragonLance, why not do it with a Realms dwarf novel? |
Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware! |
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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 17:18:25
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i heartily agree!!
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Alien? The hobbits are Tolkien's familiar-to-the-reader starting point in The Lord of the Rings. But many people read fantasy for wish-fulfilment, and a lot of people's fantasy is apparently to be skinny, fey and ageless, not short and hairy. It's damn ugly -- and that's without considering people who want to be drow. It doesn't mean a dwarf-themed Realms novel wouldn't be successful, but I dare say the bean-counters are right to be a little biased away from the risk.
True, most people like to see their wishes fulfilled, in their fantasy at least, but the BS about dwarf novels not selling. Well, marketing should actually try and publish just one novel with the option of continuing the story with sequels IF the novel sells. Hell, TSR did that with DragonLance, why not do it with a Realms dwarf novel?
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"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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nbnmare
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
205 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 18:42:45
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Perhaps WotC could try producing a Realms of the Dwarves anthology. If it proves to be commercially successfully, they could then use characters introduced in those stories as part of either a trilogy or a series of unrelated stories (ala the class novels).
EDIT: Oh, and they should of course include a short story focusing on Bruenor Battlehammer, in order to really push it to the public  . |
Edited by - nbnmare on 20 Feb 2007 18:46:17 |
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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2008 : 04:43:42
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I reckon this won't happen now in a form that I would buy.
quote:
Originally posted by nbnmare
Perhaps WotC could try producing a Realms of the Dwarves anthology. If it proves to be commercially successfully, they could then use characters introduced in those stories as part of either a trilogy or a series of unrelated stories (ala the class novels).
EDIT: Oh, and they should of course include a short story focusing on Bruenor Battlehammer, in order to really push it to the public .
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"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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Aulduron
Learned Scribe
USA
343 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2008 : 15:50:00
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| I, for one, would love Dwarven main characters, in a good book. RAS did a great job with Mithral Hall, and I really felt for the dwarven charaters. I loved their honor, and devotion to their kin. They were the opposite of the dark elves for which he's so famous. |
"Those with talent become wizards, Those without talent spend their lives praying for it"
-Procopio Septus |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 19 Sep 2008 : 16:14:55
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| Although a dark dwarf, The Crimson Gold has a good dwarf character who is the second to Tazi's lead character and is in much of the 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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Question Re: Dwarven Main Characters In Novels
