D&D General I'm reading the Forgotten Realms Novels- #202 The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson (Dungeons 2)

[Salthorae]

Was it a Christmas novel/stocking filler?
Who's idea was it?
Why?

And.

WHY?

Probably because novels were a primary part of TSR revenue back then, so churning them out was worthwhile even if the novel itself wasn't per se. SOMEONE would buy it "because Volo" or "because FR" or "because TSR made a novel and the are D&D"

Especially since TSR was in financial trouble by the date this novel was published n '95.

 

[Nebulous]

#001 The Crystal Shard by RA Salvatore (Icewind Dale Trilogy Book 1)
Read 2/8/19 to 5/8/19

View attachment 114657

Yeah, I should have started with the Moonshae Trilogy but... I picked up all three of this series in a charity shop, and after reading this one the idea came about- don't stop here, read the lot, all of the Forgotten Realms novels.

Not a review but... Drizzt is as cool as everyone says, I so wanted to dislike him but alas, I do however now really want to find out how he escaped to the surface- what came before. Thanks Salvatore, first book and I'm hooked. Learned a lot about Icewind Dale and the Ten Towns, also lots of other good stuff about- Barbarians and their honour bound crazy ways, also nice power mad Wizard (being manipulated by the Crystal Shard), and plenty of other good stuff to recommend. Loved Bruenor (I heart Dwarves, what can I say- they're dependable) superb enemy- Errtu (the Balor).

Read!

Before he was a ridiculous cliche and a redundant parody of himself, Drizzt WAS very cool! I called him "DRIZ-ZIT" for many years before I heard it was pronounced "Drisst." For that matter, he was also a "DROE" not a DROW

 

[Alzrius]

#033 Once Around the Realms Guidebook by Brian Thomsen
Read 3/12/19 to 4/12/19

In contrast to your take on it, I found this book to be a lot of fun. It can't be taken seriously, of course, but that was the amusing part about it. Yeah, the premise is flimsy, the responses the characters have to their situations are ridiculous, and the various shout-outs are made in such quick succession that they're very clearly shout-outs, but that's part of what makes the thing such a fun time. This isn't a book that's supposed to be some sort of epic, nor have much in the way of high drama; it's the equivalent of a "popcorn flick," but in book form.

Also, I like to keep in mind that Volo is one of the favorites of Tymora (goddess of good luck), so that right there tells you all you need to know.

 

[Goonalan]

Kay, but as far as characters went it seemed to lean on/name-check or else somehow co-opt (read shoe-horn) in a variety of Realms names for no other purpose than...

Same with the refs to modern fiction, Jaws et al- it all seemed so throwaway.

The scenarios played out were serious (in a Fantasy Fiction life or death for the characters style) but all pretty much worked out in the corniest way possible. I get that this isn't reality, and I get that you suspend belief (etc. etc.) but I'm attempting to buy in to a milieu here, and this book doesn't help.

As you say, it serves some other purpose- fun... not a dirty word, we all want fun- but my fun sorta isn't this.

It also left me wondering about the role of women in fantasy fiction at times, in particular the portrayal of Shurleen, and also the fat ugly ladies that even Passepout turned his nose up at.

It didn't send a shiver, and I get its from a different time- and the author didn't mess with other named strong women of the Realms but, I don't know- it felt wrong and bad at times.

As in the review, Volo was okay/good- the voice of reason, and the backbone to the plot et al.

Apologies, not trying to stir up trouble but I really didn't like it, not even as fun.

I've read whatever it is (32?) books in 125 days (or thereabouts) some of the others were slow, silly or... whatever (from my POV of course) but all the reviews (such as they are) I have left here find the positive (I think from memory- mostly). For me, there's no positive (up-side) to having read this.

Again not arguing against your opinion, just reasserting/defining mine.

Thanks as always for commenting, always appreciated.

Cheers goonalan

 

[Zardnaar]

I own Once Around the Realms. It was godawful in 1996 lol.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I stopped reading the series after Descent into Darkness (or Siege of Darkness...it really didn't leave that good of an impression on me). Could barely finish that book. My problem with Drizzt is that he's the best at everything

He's the best swordsman (let's not forget that corkscrew maneuver), he's the fastest, etc. He stopped being compelling to me after the 2nd book of the prequel trilogy. I liked him fine in the Icewind Dale trilogy.

Agreed.

The Crystal Shard was a great piece of pulp fun. And then it all got worse.

I liken the Drizzt novels to George Lucas's prequels for Star Wars: A legendary series should stop when it devolves into an unfunny parody. Lucas had gungans; Salvatore has dwarves - both races are cognitively-challenged and recognised by their speech impediments.

But I still consider The Crystal Shard a guilty pleasure.

 

[Raunalyn]

Agreed.

The Crystal Shard was a great piece of pulp fun. And then it all got worse.

I liken the Drizzt novels to George Lucas's prequels for Star Wars: A legendary series should stop when it devolves into an unfunny parody. Lucas had gungans; Salvatore has dwarves - both races are cognitively-challenged and recognised by their speech impediments.

But I still consider The Crystal Shard a guilty pleasure.

Honestly, the entire Icewind Dale trilogy was a pleasure to read...it was fun, and Drizzt was actually an enjoyable character before he became the Gary Stu to end all Gary Stu's.

 

[tglassy]

I still enjoyed all the Drizzt books that came later. The Crystal Shard trilogy was my least favorite of them, so I don’t know what y’all are talking about. Drizzt isn’t a Gary Stu. He’s the hero. He makes mistakes. He goes through problems. He just wins. Cause that’s what heroes do.

 

[Zardnaar]

Drizzt didnt really drop in quality IMHO until perhaps the silent blade or maybe around The legacy YMMV.

DET and IWD are good AKA the 1st 6 at least as far as D&D novels go.

The Spine of the World is where Drizzt novels really started trending downward IMHO. Last two I read were semi awful. Something about Gauntlgrym and a vampire Dwarf (Pwent?).

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

(snip) Something about Gauntlgrym and a vampire Dwarf (Pwent?).

In my earlier post I mentioned that Lucas's gungans Salvatore's dwarves were brain-damaged and had speech impediments; I forget to mention that they almost uniformly have stupid names.

Thanks for the reminder.

RAS had access to Ed but he insisted on stupid names for so many characters when he could have simply said, "Hey, Ed, how do I make these characters sound like they belong in the Realms rather than in a session of Hackmaster?"

Honestly, the entire Icewind Dale trilogy was a pleasure to read...it was fun, and Drizzt was actually an enjoyable character before he became the Gary Stu to end all Gary Stu's.

I liked, as a guilty pleasure, The Crystal Shard and also enjoyed Streams of Silver. The Halfling's Gem, however, was when I thought the series and its characters began the decline of the character.

Drizzt's Gary Stu-ness was never an issue for me. It's everything else - including the interminable fight scenes - that just made me stop after about book 5 or 6 (I'm not including the Homeland trilogy in that count). Plus he never did grok the Realms, IMO.