D&D General Just Read: Azure Bonds. A Faerun novel from '88

[Demetrios1453]

The second book in the trilogy is pretty good, but the third is right up there with the first.

And, far from being useless armor, Alias finds out later it's actually enchanted so the bare area is actually just as well protected as everywhere else. So she keeps using it despite how it looks.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Well Azure Bonds was GREAT. All of the characters are fantastic. I really can't recommend it enough.

Yup, one of the rare genuinely good FR novels.

I really liked the second one as a kid, too, don't know how would hold up as an adult.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Absolutely love this trilogy

Yep, that is a GREAT book. So much fun. I reckon it would have been a great story to adapt to film,

THIS! And the Matzica trilogy I can see as movie adaptations.

 

[James Gasik]

The second book in the trilogy is pretty good, but the third is right up there with the first.

And, far from being useless armor, Alias finds out later it's actually enchanted so the bare area is actually just as well protected as everywhere else. So she keeps using it despite how it looks.

I remember a joke about that from the DC Forgotten Realms comics. Alias shows up after her and Dragonbait have been hired by Elminster to assist in recovering the Hand of Vaprak. The Halfling Thief takes a look at her armor and goes "don't you find that a bit drafty?".

Alias: "It's enchanted."

Thief (amused): "Sure it is!"

 

[jgsugden]

Yep, that is a GREAT book. So much fun. I reckon it would have been a great story to adapt to film, except for the whole bit about how

Spoiler: spoiler

Dragonbait communicates using smell, which just wouldn't work on-screen at all...

Pshaw. I can do the same thing. For example,

Spoiler

Just last Tuesday night I told me family to clear the room using the same technique after a couple burritos, a milkshake, and broccoli.

 

[DarkCrisis]

The second book in the trilogy is pretty good, but the third is right up there with the first.

And, far from being useless armor, Alias finds out later it's actually enchanted so the bare area is actually just as well protected as everywhere else. So she keeps using it despite how it looks.

Which is a paper thin excuse to keep her wearing it/cover art . Apparently it’s a chain shirt +2 and if I was DMing it the front would ONLY have an AC of 2 (or 8 in AD&D terms).

Not to mention her normal armor of a Breastplate would still be better protection than a chain shirt +2.

 

[James Gasik]

I suppose an argument could be made that if the exposed area has a "bracers of defense" style enchantment, there could be a tactical advantage- trained opponents would always target that area, thinking she's unprotected, and she could adjust her fighting style to take advantage of that fact. I'm reminded of why Batman's chest insignia was brightly colored, to lure enemies into attacking him there.

It's worth noting that the armor was likely made by Cassana, an extraordinarily vain spellcaster, so the armor could be nothing more than a costume. It could be the "equivalent" of chain mail +2 (in effect, variant bracers of defense AC 3).

 

[DarkCrisis]

Ima tad bit into the 2nd book and she has

Spoiler

SISTERS!

Spoiler

How weird to have exact identical twins but different personalities. And even weirder (i read up on their biographies) that some of them marry her friends! And they are exact copies physically. That's so weird IMO.

Hi Ackbar my old friend, I see you married my exact body double. That's not weird at all. Oh and you to Giogi, the man I tried to murder once. Married my exact copy. Not weird at all.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Ima tad bit into the 2nd book and she has

Spoiler

SISTERS!

Spoiler

How weird to have exact identical twins but different personalities. And even weirder (i read up on their biographies) that some of them marry her friends! And they are exact copies physically. That's so weird IMO.

Hi Ackbar my old friend, I see you married my exact body double. That's not weird at all. Oh and you to Giogi, the man I tried to murder once. Married my exact copy. Not weird at all.

Orphan Black

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Azure Bonds holds up better than a lot of old D&D fiction. There's a lot going on with the book, but it mostly manages to thread the needle and tie it all together.