skinnydwarf
Explorer
Michael Tree said:
Thanks for all the feedback, guys! Now I know who to look for next time I'm in the mood for gaming fiction.
D&D Novels- best authors?
- Thread starter skinnydwarf
- Start date
Thanks for all the feedback, guys! Now I know who to look for next time I'm in the mood for gaming fiction.
Jack of Shadows
Explorer
ColonelHardisson said:
"Nobody touches the Faery!"
Loved those books. Not great writing but very fun to read. I wish he'd write more.
Jack
D&D Novels, Harlequin Romance for Gamers.
WilliamAndersen
First Post
Hi there,
My favorite author of a D&D book (assuming that FR books count) is Elaine Cunningham. Her writing style is vivid and clear, and her stories are very good.
William
ComStar
Publishers of content for d20, Action!, Fudge and soon the Hero System
http://www.comstar-media.com
My favorite author of a D&D book (assuming that FR books count) is Elaine Cunningham. Her writing style is vivid and clear, and her stories are very good.
William
ComStar
Publishers of content for d20, Action!, Fudge and soon the Hero System
http://www.comstar-media.com
Evilhalfling
Adventurer
George RR Martin
Jack Vance
Guy Gavriel Kay
Terry Prattchet (for humor)
Elizebeth Moon
There is a lot of good fantasy out there, don't read mediocre books if you have a choice.
with the gord the rogue and first six DL you have already read the cream of D&D fiction.
Jack Vance
Guy Gavriel Kay
Terry Prattchet (for humor)
Elizebeth Moon
There is a lot of good fantasy out there, don't read mediocre books if you have a choice.
with the gord the rogue and first six DL you have already read the cream of D&D fiction.
Vraille Darkfang
First Post
From a D&D standpoint.
The only D&D novels I've read that approaches 'Great' Status in that I'd throw them in for serious contention in a Top 50 list of Fantasy Novels are:
The Legend Of Huma. The best DL book. The orginal Chronicles were good, but Legend of Huma seemed to have more. (Plus, it had an ending, the 'Core' DL series goes on forever).
P.N. Elrod's Strahd Ravenloft Novels. These were miles above the level of the rest of the Ravenloft 'Horror' (the term was used very loosley) novels. Elrod was a repevted horror writer before (and still is) before dabbling in the Mists.
Otherwise, I only read FR nowdays. I've given up DL for Warhammer. The recent FR novels seem to be (for the most part) on the average to above average level. Treat them as episodes within a series. They are written on deadline and have to follow certain rules and guidelines. This leads to certain 'watering down' and simliarity bewteen different authors.
Overall, Salvatore seems to be the one FR author people like best. His last series was really good, more like a return to the frenzied action of his earlier works.
Greenwood is more of a love him or not guy. He's got a very distinct style. I like it, but I haven't tried to read six of his novels in a row either.
It's been a while since I read any of Denning's work, but he always seemed to have a Great book 1, Great book 2, Below Average book 3.
Oh, stay away from the Avatar Series, esp Crucible.
The only D&D novels I've read that approaches 'Great' Status in that I'd throw them in for serious contention in a Top 50 list of Fantasy Novels are:
The Legend Of Huma. The best DL book. The orginal Chronicles were good, but Legend of Huma seemed to have more. (Plus, it had an ending, the 'Core' DL series goes on forever).
P.N. Elrod's Strahd Ravenloft Novels. These were miles above the level of the rest of the Ravenloft 'Horror' (the term was used very loosley) novels. Elrod was a repevted horror writer before (and still is) before dabbling in the Mists.
Otherwise, I only read FR nowdays. I've given up DL for Warhammer. The recent FR novels seem to be (for the most part) on the average to above average level. Treat them as episodes within a series. They are written on deadline and have to follow certain rules and guidelines. This leads to certain 'watering down' and simliarity bewteen different authors.
Overall, Salvatore seems to be the one FR author people like best. His last series was really good, more like a return to the frenzied action of his earlier works.
Greenwood is more of a love him or not guy. He's got a very distinct style. I like it, but I haven't tried to read six of his novels in a row either.
It's been a while since I read any of Denning's work, but he always seemed to have a Great book 1, Great book 2, Below Average book 3.
Oh, stay away from the Avatar Series, esp Crucible.
skinnydwarf
Explorer
Vraille Darkfang said:
Everyone seems to really like "The Legend of Huma." I tried reading that book once or twice, but couldn't get into it. After starting his first Warcraft book and not liking that much either, I gave him up as one of the many medicore authors that write gaming fiction. But from what all of you are saying, I'll have to give him another look. I really enjoyed the first Dragonlance trilogy (even as an adult- I re-read it last spring), so it'll be nice to go back to that world.
Satori
First Post
The only authors I haven't seen mentioned are two favorites recently acquired.
Richard Baker- Wrote "Last Mythal" and one of the Dark Elven Spider Queen books. Extremely easy to read, clear and crisp detail, likeable but human (ish...most are elves) characters that are easy to identify with, nice use of intrigue and politics. I highly recommend him.
Lisa Smedman- Quite possibly my current favorite author. She has a Stanley Kubrick-esque ability to create incredibly believable and undeniably engrossing characters. Her descriptions are easily visualized without becoming Anne Rice-esque boring, and the depth of the surrounding environments that she creates feel very vivid and real. She also wrote one of the Spider Queen books, and she's currently written "Viper's Kiss" and another novel that takes place in Hlondeth. At this point I buy anything she's written out of principle.
Richard Baker- Wrote "Last Mythal" and one of the Dark Elven Spider Queen books. Extremely easy to read, clear and crisp detail, likeable but human (ish...most are elves) characters that are easy to identify with, nice use of intrigue and politics. I highly recommend him.
Lisa Smedman- Quite possibly my current favorite author. She has a Stanley Kubrick-esque ability to create incredibly believable and undeniably engrossing characters. Her descriptions are easily visualized without becoming Anne Rice-esque boring, and the depth of the surrounding environments that she creates feel very vivid and real. She also wrote one of the Spider Queen books, and she's currently written "Viper's Kiss" and another novel that takes place in Hlondeth. At this point I buy anything she's written out of principle.
Anabstercorian
First Post
I too will jump on the Paul Kidd bandwagon. Intense fun to read, real page-turners. No great literature, but great stories. They're true to the DnD rules without being cheesy, and that's no easy feat.
johnnype
First Post
First you have to get past any expectation of Shakepeare quality writing. WotC is not trying to find the next great American writer. They are however, trying to publish fun and interesting stories targeted at a certain segment of the gaming public. On the whole I'd say that they succeed at it although not all novels are equaly enjoyable.
I enjoy Paul S. Kemp stories and his characters are extremely interesting. I recommend his Erevis Cale books and short stories.
I'm currently reading Lisa Smedman's Vipers Kiss, book two in her House of Serpents trilogy. Although not as action packed as Kemp's books the writing is a bit more polished and the characters also make for fun reading.
Paul Kidd is a lot of fun although you must realize that it is very much popcorn fiction.
I've read more R.A. Salvatore than I care to admit. His fans often go on about how well he writes fight scenes. I disagree. I find them profoundly confusing and verbose. He has a strange obsession with dwarves and the last trilogy had the most boring antagonist in all of fantasy literature: orcs. SNORE! By far his best work (IMO) is the Dark Elf Trilogy and The Legacy of the Drow series. The rest reads like he called it in. The Spine of the World is (again IMO) complete garbage. How often do you read a story an hope for the protagonist to comit suicide?
I enjoy Paul S. Kemp stories and his characters are extremely interesting. I recommend his Erevis Cale books and short stories.
I'm currently reading Lisa Smedman's Vipers Kiss, book two in her House of Serpents trilogy. Although not as action packed as Kemp's books the writing is a bit more polished and the characters also make for fun reading.
Paul Kidd is a lot of fun although you must realize that it is very much popcorn fiction.
I've read more R.A. Salvatore than I care to admit. His fans often go on about how well he writes fight scenes. I disagree. I find them profoundly confusing and verbose. He has a strange obsession with dwarves and the last trilogy had the most boring antagonist in all of fantasy literature: orcs. SNORE! By far his best work (IMO) is the Dark Elf Trilogy and The Legacy of the Drow series. The rest reads like he called it in. The Spine of the World is (again IMO) complete garbage. How often do you read a story an hope for the protagonist to comit suicide?
Similar Threads
