Best FR Paperback Novel?

[HiLiphNY]

Just wondering what are some of the better Forgotten Realms Paperbacks out there - I'd like to pick up some fluff to read, but would like to avoid the absolute drivel.

Thanks!

 

[diaglo]

start with The Crystal Shard.

avoid anything from Ed Greenwood

 

[IronWolf]

You will probably get a whole range of opinions on this one, very few agreeing on one novel I don't think I could even call one novel the best from the amount of available FR novels.

I could highly recommend anything by Elaine Cunningham. I have enjoyed everyone of her novels. Maybe start with Elfshadow? You can see what she has written here:

http://www.elainecunningham.com/

 

[Brakkart]

Definately not an Ed Greenwood novel. He may have created the Forgotten Realms, but as a novelist he leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that, he praised The Last Mythal by Richard Baker as being one of the best Realms books he had ever read, and I pretty much have to agree with him.

Elaine Cunningham should be made to write Realms books for the rest of her life, she is that good at them. Elfshadow is her first and still probably the best (not read her Magehound trilogy or Evermeet yet). Others I'd recommend are:

The Parched Sea by Troy Denning
Red Magic by Jean Rabe
Crypt of the Shadowking & Curse of the Shadowmage by Mark Anthony
The Rage (Year of Rogue Dragons book 1) by Richard Lee Byers

 

[glass]

I feel the I should defend Ed Greenwood a little here. Admittedly, some of his novels have been less than stellar (I'm looking at you, Crown of Fire), but I thought Cormyr: A Novel was excellent.


glass.

 

[Faraer]

Your first Realms novel should certainly be by the man who created the Realms and is its continual inspiration and wellspring, rather than the latterday interpretation of some other writer. As you'd expect, the essence and spirit of the setting is richer in his work than in other authors', not to mention breadth of vision and depth of human spirit; anyone advising you otherwise is just out of sympathy with the Realms. As an introduction, Spellfire is unsurpassed.

He may have created the Forgotten Realms, but as a novelist he leaves a lot to be desired.

I don't believe you can make that case. You may not like his work, but it's technically excellent.

 

[Felonious Ntent]

Shouldn't this be in the Fantasy & Sci-Fi Books, Movies & TV forum?

 

[Mystery Man]

Read everything by Ed Greenwood first. Frankly no one can capture the flavor of the Realms better than him. Elaine Cunningham is top notch so pick her books up as well.

 

[CrusaderX]

Go with the Drizzt books for light entertainment. Greenwood's books are spectacularly awful, in a MST3K movie kind of way. Cunningham's writing is boring and cliched and terribly overrated.

All IMO, of course.

 

[Wraith Form]

Read everything by Ed Greenwood first. Frankly no one can capture the flavor of the Realms better than him. Elaine Cunningham is top notch so pick her books up as well.

I agree with both of these comments, although Greenwood's writing style is often hit or miss--his splatbooks are a good indication of his novel-writing style. Having said that, I have to echo a previous post that Cormyr: A Novel (with help from Jeff Grubb) was quite the awesome read.

Oh, and Greenwood is quite obviously a dirty old man. There's more T&A in 3 pages of a Greenwood novel than in 12 of Penthouse Letters. (wink)

Not enough praise can be given about Cunningham's work--it's subtle and intelligent.

The Drizzt novels are fun, too.

I often find that Troy Denning's novels are crap-tacular, and Mel Odom is forever banned from my "library".

'Course, I read the FR novels several years ago--often when they first came out--and I can't guarantee how refined your tastes might be compared to mine back then. (Hey, I was a youngster!)