[FR Novel] The Summoning

[machine]

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potential SPOILERS FOLLOW





Hi all!

I've just finished "The Summoning".

I thought it was pretty good. It's only the 2nd D&D novel I've read.

After completing the book, I was more interested in the Netherese and the 'shades' so I started nosing around in the FRCS, Magic of Faerun, and Lords of Darkness.

I noticed the 'shades' entry in LoD and found {SPOILER} one of the main characters listed, Melegaunt.

Here's my question: Melegaunt is listed as Div16/Sha3. I know what Sha3 is. But I can't find Div listed. Can anyone help someone who is curious?

I thought it might Divine Disciple but the FRCS lists that as Dis. After some searching, albeit late at night when I should have been asleep, I can't find the class, Div. What's up?

Thanks in advance for the help!

BTW, has anyone else have thoughts on the story?

machine.

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[TW]

Div should be Diviner, as in specialist wizard. (-:

 

[Tom Cashel]

And "Sha" is Shadow Adept, I believe. It's a Prestige Class in the FRCS book.

But to comment on The Summoning, I found it very disappointing. First, let me say that I bought Death of the Dragon and The Summoning when I started DMing the Realms again six months ago, and after hating Dragon, I left Summoning on the shelf for a while. But since I paid for it, I had to read it, despite my fears.

I won't be buying the other two books in the series, however. All the info I need is in Lords of Darkness. Troy Denning did not succeed in making me care about his characters, or the plotline, in the least.

For one thing, using Elminster and Khelben is such a cop-out: just as Denning believes there should be no need to give any description whatsoever of spells or monsters (because the name should be enough for anyone who plays D&D), the simple naming of Khelben/Elminster is supposed to suffice. They're well-established, overused, tired, worn-out paper dolls that have been characterized so many times before...there really is nothing for Denning to do with them except dress them up in his story.

It really is sad how D&D novelists have become slaves of the game mechanics. The ability to tell a good story is hampered by, among other things, the need to keep [iconic villains] Wulgreth and Jhingleshod "alive." And two Wulgreths...? What?

Finally, WotC needs some real editors. Setting aside the massive amount of plain old typos, is the plural of phaerimm "phaerimms" or "phaerimm"? He switches to a different usage about halfway through the book.

That was the last D&D novel I'll ever read. Total, unmitigated crap.

I recommend Russell Banks' Cloudsplitter to all without hesitation.

 

[PaulKemp]

It really is sad how D&D novelists have become slaves of the game mechanics. The ability to tell a good story is hampered by, among other things, the need to keep [iconic villains] Wulgreth and Jhingleshod "alive." And two Wulgreths...? What?

Finally, WotC needs some real editors. Setting aside the massive amount of plain old typos, is the plural of phaerimm "phaerimms" or "phaerimm"? He switches to a different usage about halfway through the book.

That was the last D&D novel I'll ever read. Total, unmitigated crap.

Tom,

Normally I don't speak to these kinds of posts, because in the end, whether a person likes a book or not is a subjective evaluation. Still, because I am a WoTC author (albeit a relatively new one), I thought I'd at least respond to a couple of points.

First, in general, the authors needn't be slaves to game mechanics. Some may be, but others aren't. I like to think that I'm not. We are writing in the context of a game, however, so sometimes the rules occasionally leak through. Truth is, if the books deviate from the game mechanics, the author hears about it from angry fans, and if the book adheres strictly to game mechanics, the author hears about it from other angry fans. That's the price we pay for writing game fiction, I suppose. I wouldn't have it any other way. Nevertheless, your point is well-taken -- there ought to be a balance, and the prose should not read like a combat round.

As for the rest, I haven't read "The Summoning," so I couldn't comment even if I wanted to (which I don't). If you deem the characters too superficial and the plot unengaging, that's a fair criticism. Taste is subjective, by definition, and I wouldn't presume to argue the point with you. I hope you'll think about reading additional FR novels, though. They differ in quality, tone, characterzation, etc. as much as do non-gaming related fantasy fiction. There are good and bad books in both camps.

Paul

 

[machine]

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Thanks TW and Tom!

I did like the story and not having read anything else but "The Pool of Radiance" it filled a niche for me.

It was interesting for me to realize who the players were, ie, Blackstaff and Elminster but I was more interested in the FRCS material in the story. It's interesting to 'see the sights' that I've read in the gaming books. I was a little disappointed with some Evereska's mythal effects: spider climb on the walls. That made me laugh but I suppose that is mentioned in the FRCS. I dunno, I just can't see elves spider-climbing their to the market and then home. It seems a little goofy to me. But that is probably not the novel's fault -- just an example, for me, how the Realms can be a little over the top.

All in all, I liked the story and earlier this evening I bought the 2nd book, "The Siege".

Thanks for the assists and have a great day!

machine.