Elminster? Really? Why is he so popular?

[frankthedm]

And if Ed's writing, Elminster is probably part of the package.

Yeah, Wotc is being like the Alien franchise was with Signorine Weaver. They gotta have Greenwood / Weaver in the subsequent books / movies no matter what because that's what they think drives book / ticket sales.

Is there anything about Greenwood's Prose that Wotc couldn't get another author to ape?

 

[delericho]

Is there anything about Greenwood's Prose that Wotc couldn't get another author to ape?

Given my experience with "Spellfire", I'm tempted to snarkily respond "nothing good".

In fairness, though, IIRC although I didn't like the book, I believe it was written in a particularly idiosyncratic style (actually, just like he spoke in that Keynote...), that might be quite difficult for another author to duplicate.

Might be worth trying having some other author (preferably, one of their best) to write a novel about Elminster (without duplicating Ed's style), and see how that sells...

 

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

...because we like him even if he doesn't sell all that well.

To be more clear, Elminster is popular, just not as popular as he appears to be. Drizzt is more popular, for example. But Elminster has taken on a silly kind of momentum for Greenwood and WotC, a recognizable bit of pop culture in geek circles which they just go with at this point rather than risking a new character. The same phenomena is behind the endless remakes from Hollywood Land - banking on recognizable media to sell, rather than introducing news stories, settings and characters.

Some readers, believe it or not, don't even know there's a game behind it.

...What?

 

[El Mahdi]

But, honestly, are there fans out there who really dig Eliminster? Or do they just buy the Elminster novels because they are written by Ed Greenwood?

For me, Yes and Yes...both are true.

 

[Dire Bare]

To be more clear, Elminster is popular, just not as popular as he appears to be. Drizzt is more popular, for example. But Elminster has taken on a silly kind of momentum for Greenwood and WotC, a recognizable bit of pop culture in geek circles which they just go with at this point rather than risking a new character. The same phenomena is behind the endless remakes from Hollywood Land - banking on recognizable media to sell, rather than introducing news stories, settings and characters.

Okay. Not sure where you're pulling that from, and I think you kinda denying the obvious reality . . . but the only folks with sales figures are WotC, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[Desdichado]

Okay. Not sure where you're pulling that from, and I think you kinda denying the obvious reality . . . but the only folks with sales figures are WotC, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

I think the obvious reality is that Bob Salvatore Drizzt novels are a gravy train for WotC's novel publishing arm, and everything else is leftovers. They're the face of D&D novels, they get much more promotion and attention than anything else, and they're ubiquitous on the shelves of every bookstore and library I've ever been in. The same cannot be said for your average Elminster novel.

That said, if sci-fi and fantasy are like the ghetto of literature, then D&D novels are like the ghetto within fantasy and sci-fi. I think Salvatore has definitely managed to become a major writer in the genre based on his D&D fiction. Weis and Hickman managed to become big names too--although curiously once they were, they wandered into their non-D&D Deathgate and Darksword and whatever else cycles. Anyone else?

Small potatoes compared to most of what goes on outside of D&D novels.

 

[Jupp]

I think that a lot of the distaste towards FR and Elminster (and I am not an FR fan myself) also come from the fact that the Realms were the main setting for TSR/WotC during a period where the quality of adventure modules and setting accessories was in average mediocre at best in numerous cases. Towards the mid-end of the 2e era a lot of things were published that should not have seen the light of day from the start.

If you look at the number of appearances Elminster had in the setting (not really counting in the books because they do not count as setting specific per se) then it wasn't that much really.

 

[Matt James]

Elminster sells. We can argue about anything and everything inbetween, but the fact remains that there is a large segement of the FR readership that enjoys him and pays money to read about his adventures and exploits. I think part of the reason that he sells is because he isn't a cut and paste generic wizard. He has depth and a quirkiness that isn't found in other parts of fantasy fiction. The character provides a contrast that is oddly attractive to many. I don't believe for a moment that he is expected to appeal to all.

The best part about being human and having free-will is that we can choose to read or not read the book. I hope everyone can judge the book on its merits and not a one-line review in an EN World thread.