Future Forgotten Realms Novels: Canon or Not?

[BBQ]

Whether you like it or not, the Forgotten Realms are the Forgotten Realms, and whether you consider them to be canon is irrelevant. They are canon, and that's all there is to it.

 

[Faraer]

'Canon' is merely an agreement about which published sources writers of new material are supposed not to contradict.

(And overall, I agree with Dacileva's post, and I'll go one step further - the best novels are the ones in which it's irrelevant whether they're canon or not.)

I sympathize, but I don't think a new Cormyr sourcebook should ignore the historical chapters of Cormyr: A Novel.

 

[humble minion]

I sympathize, but I don't think a new Cormyr sourcebook should ignore the historical chapters of Cormyr: A Novel.

And I'm fine with that (you can hardly go picking and choosing as to which already-published sources are canon and which aren't), but in future I don't see the need for every FR novel to be as destructive to the established setting as the Cormyr trilogy, or the Rage of Dragons, or Evermeet, or the Last Mythal, or the Rise of the Archwizards, etc etc etc.

The Icewind Dale trilogy, the Dark Elf trilogy, the Arilyn Moonblade books, the Finders' Stone trilogy were all high quality and popular, but had a minimal effect on the structure of the game world. This is the sort of thing that should be used as a model going forward.

 

[MisterWhodat]

The Icewind Dale trilogy, the Dark Elf trilogy, the Arilyn Moonblade books, the Finders' Stone trilogy were all high quality and popular, but had a minimal effect on the structure of the game world. This is the sort of thing that should be used as a model going forward.

Exactly

 

[Moonshade]

And I'm fine with that (you can hardly go picking and choosing as to which already-published sources are canon and which aren't), but in future I don't see the need for every FR novel to be as destructive to the established setting as the Cormyr trilogy, or the Rage of Dragons, or Evermeet, or the Last Mythal, or the Rise of the Archwizards, etc etc etc.

The Icewind Dale trilogy, the Dark Elf trilogy, the Arilyn Moonblade books, the Finders' Stone trilogy were all high quality and popular, but had a minimal effect on the structure of the game world. This is the sort of thing that should be used as a model going forward.

I agree. The early "low level" novels were fun pulp that helped me get a feel for the setting's flavour, but I haven't bothered to buy the RSE novels.

I'd like the novels to be canon and get a few references in sourcebooks to reflect that, but I don't want them to be something that players feel they have to read in order to understand future sourcebooks.

 

[boerngrim]

Hi.
I enjoy the FR novels and game products. I recently ran a campaign set in the Silver Marches and chose to use the Orc invasion led by King Obold as the back drop for the game. The key is I chose to do it.
I think if a story in a novel has an impact on the overall setting, it should be mentioned in future game product, but only as fluff, only as a springboard for roleplaying and campaign ideas, not as a big change to the game. I don't think anyone should feel they must change their home campaign to reflect any novel, or game product for that matter.
Thanks.