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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 1:01AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 25, 2010
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Hi!
I am looking at reading D&D novels again especially Forgotten Realms novels. The problem I have is I want to find the good ones from the dross. I find Drizzt ones bad and Elminster far too self-congratulory (yes this is my way of pre-empting the Salvatore and Greenwood recommendation).
Are there any further recommendations?
That which does not kill me, makes me stranger.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 1:40AM
#2
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Date Joined:
May 12, 2011
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This is of interest to me as well.
and like OP I tried... tried to read some Salvatore and couldnt do it. Maybe im expecting too much from game based novels. I mean its the same thing for Warhammer novels, Dan Abnett is their version of Salvatore I suppose, but I coudnt finish reading - forgot the name... it was one of the Inquisitor omnibus. I should probably give them another chance though (both Salvatore and Abnett).
A friend of mine says I should read Steven Erikson's Malazan novels. Might not be actual D&D, but I was told it was based on his d&d homebrew campaign, not sure if thats true or not. Anyway, my friend says its actually good writing, he says its up there with Glen Cooks' Black Company, and thats saying alot (to me at least).
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 1:56AM
#3
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Date Joined:
May 12, 2011
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Oh also, I just read 2 issues of the IDW D&D comics and thought they were great! (for comics that is...) So maybe its about expectation. They are light hearted, not too serious, hammy yet campy in a good way. And thats what is needed in a d&d comicbook. As for a novel, it might work as well. I remember enjoying the Myth-Adventure series by Robert Asprin. The writing was not literary genius, but it was good fantasy comedy, much like the kind of D&d sessions I remember from the past. I prefer gaming with campy witty fellows, rather than wannabe amateur actor thespians. I dont know if Robert Asprin is alive, but they should let him write a d&d book or two. But if I had to choose a serious D&D novel to start reading blindly, this looks promising, but it doesnt come out til tuesday... Untold Adventures www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/p...
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 2:10AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 11, 2006
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If you're willing to look beyond the Forgotten Realms-based novels, the Eberron novel line seems to have a good reputation overall. Pop down to the Eberron setting forum and ask for specific recommendations.
Outside of that... most of the early to mid-era FR novels I've seen suffered from the inclusion of gamespeak or overt rules references in the narrative and even the dialogue, so avoid those.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 3:32AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Nov 13, 2004
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The 'Dragon Below' & 'Heirs of Ash' Eberron trilogies were both pretty good, IMO.
4e D&D is not a "Tabletop MMO." It is not Massively Multiplayer, and is usually not played Online. Come up with better descriptions of your complaints, cuz this one means jack ****.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 5:42AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Oct 25, 2010
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This is of interest to me as well.
and like OP I tried... tried to read some Salvatore and couldnt do it. Maybe im expecting too much from game based novels. I mean its the same thing for Warhammer novels, Dan Abnett is their version of Salvatore I suppose, but I coudnt finish reading - forgot the name... it was one of the Inquisitor omnibus. I should probably give them another chance though (both Salvatore and Abnett).
A friend of mine says I should read Steven Erikson's Malazan novels. Might not be actual D&D, but I was told it was based on his d&d homebrew campaign, not sure if thats true or not. Anyway, my friend says its actually good writing, he says its up there with Glen Cooks' Black Company, and thats saying alot (to me at least).
I found Eisenhorn to be the better of the two. Ravenor is the other. But the difference between Abnett and Salavator is that Abnett has a vocabulary and is not afraid to use it. I tried reading Pirate King and couldn't get past the first 20 pages. It was clumsily written segueway for nonsensical combat.
But yes, what about Forgotten Realms novels? Or are we saying that outside of two hallmark writers. Nothign worth reading?
That which does not kill me, makes me stranger.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 5:42AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jun 16, 2004
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Ditto, but those are Eberron awesomeness, rather than FR awesomeness. Uhhhhh......Elaine Cunningham wrote some good books, IIRC.....I never really bothered much with the Realms, sorry.
edit: Eisenhorn is a fantastic trilogy, and I'm a fan of Abnett. He's quality. Also for 40k, I like Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphus Cain books. However, those are both sci-fi, so its not really what the OP is looking for. However, I guess it is a similar problem; a lot of 40k books are drivel, as are quite a few D&D books. To be honest, some of the Eberron books are crap as well, though there are quite a few more that are just all sorts of fantastic.
Gold is for the mistress, silver for the maid Copper for the craftsman, cunning at his trade." "Good!" said the Baron, sitting in his hall, "But Iron -- Cold Iron -- is master of them all." -Kipling Defenders: We ARE the wall! I've replaced the previous Edition Warring line in my sig with this one, because honestly, everybody needs to work together to make the D&D they like without trampling on somebody else's D&D. Miss d20 Modern? Take a look at Dias Ex Machina Game's UltraModern 4e! I am a hero, not a chump.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 5:59AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Apr 15, 2001
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The Lynn Abbey Darksun ones are good and an old one called the Iron Throne from the TSR days for Birthright.
Reducing a character to a list of dice rolls and modifiers is not role playing*
*pg 30, AD&D 2nd Ed DMG, 1989.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 6:03AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Oct 31, 2009
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I found the first two series of the Dragonlance chain to be enjoyable when I read them when they came out. It might depend on your age, however, as they haven't aged well in my mind. But good for light popcorn reading if you will.
I would also mention Paul Edwin Zimmer. He wrote four books before he died & built a marvelous world that was heavily influenced by the Lovecraftian mythos. It isn't a D&D book but the combat portions are written by a man who understood them and we loved them so much in high school that a friend created a whole D&D campaign based on Zimmer's books.
Kato
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2 years ago ::
Jun 04, 2011 - 6:07AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Mar 31, 2010
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I quite enjoyed 'The Dreaming Dark' trilogy. It's Eberron based.
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