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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5699 Posts |
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Baleful Avatar
Learned Scribe
Canada
161 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Aug 2007 : 16:19:02
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I think I may be the first scribe (aside perhaps from THO and Wizards staffers) to hold a copy of this tome in my hands, and I have just finished reading it.
I'd intended just to glance at the opening and then set it aside to enjoy during lunch and breaks (there's a policy of not removing copies of not-yet-released books from the warehouse for ANY reason except fire-rescue, so as not to spoil and spill secrets, e.g. Harry Potter).
I'm going to honour the spirit of this policy by discussing this book only in very general terms until I know it's "out there," and other scribes have it.
So: I LOVED it. The book grabbed me and I sat down in the warehouse and read right through what was supposed to be my morning's work. 
Caveat: I read a lot of books, some for work, and some for enjoyment. I see FR novels in the context of the wider marketplace of published fantasy novels, and judge Ed Greenwood's Realms books as among the best-written and most complex of the "low fantasy" or hack-and-sword-and-sorcery sub-genre. His non-Realms books are all over the map in terms of complexity and where they should be categorized (I hate categorization, but it's what book publishers DO), but are all well-written; good prose, but sometimes a few plot weaknesses. As a writer, I think he's learning to wrap up tales rather than "running out of room" at the end of his books.
SWORDS OF DRAGONFIRE picks up right after SWORDS OF EVENINGSTAR, with the Knights being hustled out of Cormyr. Or rather, the hustle begins, but gets temporarily sidetracked in Arabel; the Knights have to ride on from there, and get as far as Halfhap.
We get to see a very young Princess Alusair have her first "adventure." We get to see Dauntless again, and cameos from future Knights. Vangey does his usual, Dove pops up briefly, nobles are as treacherous as ever, and . . . there's more than one traitor among the War Wizards.
As I said, I loved it. If Ed could write two of these for us every year, I'd sit back and be very happy.
I now surrender the floor to other scribes, and await their reactions.
Thanks. |
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Malcolm
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 17:10:19
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Got a copy last night (not going to say how and where from, beyond this: I now owe a HUGE favor), and took it home to read after dinner.
Wow.
Finished it around 2 in the morning. I know I ate something and took my clothes off before getting into bed, but I don't remember much of any of that.
This is a great book. Lots of characters, as always with Ed, and most of the story is told "up close" with dialogue back and forth, as if the reader is floating invisibly in the middle of the group of chracters.
This time, however, Ed has provided more simple reference explanation in scenes, and most of the characters are already familiar to the reader from the first Knights book, so except in a few intentional moments, Ed never makes you go "Huh? What's going on?"
The Prologue and Chapter 1 are available for download, so I won't say anything about them. Chapter 2, "A Hasty Departure," covers TWO departures: the Knights, out of Suzail (War Wizards and Filfaeril play a part) and the Princess Alusair, itching to escape everpresent maids and minders in the Palace.
Chapter 3 takes place in Arabel, with a realistic depiction of a rainy night (ever notice how only Ed ever includes lousy weather in his Realms books when the weather isn't going to be part of the plot?) at the police station, or whatever it's called in Arabel. Dauntless and Laspeera appear, and then we're back to Alusair, who has wound up in Arabel. Of course. :}
Chapter 4 stays with her, and we get a GREAT scene of "just average Cormyreans" in a tavern, reacting to someone claiming to be a princess in their midst. Very moving; Ed Greenwood does these "average citizen taking a stand" scenes superbly.
It came as no surprise to me to read this and Chapter 5 and see that they're devoted to the Knights fighting, and Alusair getting into trouble and fighting erupting, and that their paths then "sort of" intersect. The resolution of Alusair's adventure is very realistic, and I'm glad Ed doesn't have some idiot editor insisting that anyone introduced in the book has to either be killed off, or play a part throughout the entire story. We get some great characterisation of Dove, Laspeera, and especially Queen Filfaeril when they all interact.
And in Chapter 7, Ed brings his two main secondary groups of villains onstage (the other villain having been introduced earlier in a brief "reminder" scene), and we're ready to roll.
Great book.
Why, oh why, hasn't Ed being turning these out annually, since back in 1987? We'd all have bookshelves loaded down with Realms treats we could re-read often. Some of the scenes in this book (like the Master-Understeward-of-Chambers one, in chapter 1) I've gone back and enjoyed six or seven times already.
Thank you, MASTER Greenwood!
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Edited by - Malcolm on 12 Aug 2007 05:08:20 |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2007 : 04:16:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Malcolm
Very moving; Ed Greenwood does these "average citizen taking a stand" scenes superbly.
Indeed, I agree. Can't wait to read this book. |
"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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A Publishing Lackey
Seeker
74 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2007 : 05:12:31
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Let me echo Ed's praises, too. Being in the book trade, I too have ways of getting sneak advance peeks at things. Like Baleful Avatar, I feel duty bound not to ruin things for other readers until the book is in general circulation (though Malcolm, you did a good job of not giving too much away in your post), so I won't comment on the story yet.
Except to say: yes, it's worth the price of the hardcover. Don't wait for the mass market paperback. Lots of tiny tidbits of Realmslore for Realms fans, too, so subtly slipped into the narrative that you barely notice.
A superior low-fantasy romp.
Take a bow, Ed.  |
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2007 : 02:54:29
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| Just started reading it! Loving every word of it! |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2007 : 02:12:35
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quote:
Originally posted by RodOdom
Just started reading it! Loving every word of it!
Me too! I only read the prologue so far, but the scene with Old Ghost (oooooh spooooooky!) and Hesperdan was awesome, especially because of what Hersperdan says about himself... |
"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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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2007 : 04:01:17
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Loved the opening chapters. Ed of the Greenwood certainly has the knack of making the Realms seem real and alive. The rain in Arabel, that tavern, the Princess wanting adventure, the War Wizards "handling" the Knights, Dauntless growling gruffly through another night shift . . . great stuff.
I really can't understand the people who trash Ed's books (including this one) on Amazon and other places, for having cardboard characters and suchlike. Do they really ever read his books, or just rant about another crXppy Ed novel, without bothering?
This book is a fun romp already; Ed packs a lot into a story without ever taking himself too seriously, and somehow makes it all MATTER and seem real. Great book.
Blueblade |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2007 : 17:49:12
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Everyone reacts to novels differently.
I, for one, do agree that Ed's books have "character" (in more ways than one) and that he makes the Realms come alive for me in his writing. |
"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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Warrax
Learned Scribe
Canada
128 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2007 : 21:19:13
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(There are some minor spoilers in this post, nothing huge but be forewarned)
I've just started Chapter 11 of this book... The characterization is the main draw for me, though the plot itself is pretty engaging. Ed reminds me a great deal of Robert Jordan:
Fantastic world-building, excellent characterization, good plot and execution...
And damned if I'm not annoyed at all the perspective-hopping they both do so frequently. It's frustrating sometimes because I'm just settling into a groove reading about certain characters and BAM, here's more about this guy I don't want to hear about right at the moment.
[SPOILERS]
But that's a minor quibble; seeing Alusair feisty even at a young age, feeling her suffering from the confinement imposed on her, raging at Dove for stealing the ring from her, the wretched wench-Chosen she is...[/SPOILERS]
It's all great fun and there's a lot of really entertaining moments. One thing Ed does particularly well, something I've noticed in pretty much every book of his I've read, is that he establishes and conveys camaraderie very, very well. He makes you believe the characters are sharing experiences together because he gives you little details like rivalries and banter and all the things friends do when they experience something together and that's important. |
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Swords of Dragonfire: Prologue and Chapters 1 - 7
