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I'm reading the Forgotten Realms Novels- #202 The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson (Dungeons 2)
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8274491" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p><strong>#125 The Magehound by Elaine Cunningham (Counselors & Kings 1) </strong></p><p><strong>Read 12/5/21 to 15/5/21</strong></p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]136973[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>I didn't like it, and there's two more of these to go.</p><p></p><p>But here's the thing- it's well written, twisty-turny (a bit) plot-wise and gets to where it needs to go, although... forgive me but I got to where it was going maybe less than twenty pages in, and I was proven correct, but I guess the more of these you/I read the easier at times it is to divine.</p><p></p><p>Or else it's just very obvious.</p><p></p><p>I don't like Halruaa, it's not my version of D&D- the mundanity of magic, shrugs- so mundane in fact the Halruaans need a breeding programme to come up with the Counsellor's.</p><p></p><p>The Counsellor's by the way are bred for the strength of their mind (and immunity to/lack of magic), their logic, and their ability to therefore be tactically aware at all times- accounting for every factor, they're like Spock/Data/Mentats- although with a tiny bit more humanity/emotion.</p><p></p><p>That, of course, is the problem with our Counsellor- Matteo, he's going to get emotional, involved, rather than an onlooker. Although, a majority of the good (and bad) Halruaan folk we meet have also let their emotions get involved, and in particular the Magehound from the title- Kiva.</p><p></p><p>Magic is power here in Halruaa, and Wizard kings (and Lords & Ladies) are the order of the day- and everyone else? Well, they can just keep their heads down, or else pick the crumbs that fall from the lordly tables, or are they all just living the good life? It's a dystopia, right? Then how come we barely get to see this? Halruaa comes across to me like some version of the Matrix, meets Dune (for the breeding programme & Mentats) with a Bladerunner (Do Androids etc.) side-salad.</p><p></p><p>And yet it takes two thirds of the book before we get to meet someone who's not happy with their lot- as it turns out this person is Matteo's mother, who had her magic drained and her ability to conceive more/normal children taken from her the moment she gave birth to him.</p><p></p><p>Dystopia, right?</p><p></p><p>But there's none of this, everyone we meet is well-off, or well-adjusted/skilled/adept, and doing okay thank you very much.</p><p></p><p>I get that the book's not trying to do that kind of thing (dystopia), although it hints at it plenty, but it's just the story of some nice people- Matteo & Tzigone, who discover that they've either been living a lie (and they're supposed to be bound by the truth- oh, the irony), or else their search for the truth- which although enlightening, brings little else in the way of reward.</p><p></p><p>But this one could be the start of something, payback could come later- so, I'll reserve judgement.</p><p></p><p>It must also be said that there's very little fighting/action (call it what you will) in this one, not even a lot of edge or fear, or terror- the main characters are more or less immune. Matteo is so silver-tongued, and smart, that although he frets (a little) he always rolls near to the natural '20'.</p><p></p><p>Tzigone is rolling '20's throughout, and she knows all of the answers anyway- even when she chooses not to tell Matteo them, she lets us know- so, that's a little more of the tension dissolved.</p><p></p><p>But again, it's well written- and ticks a lot of boxes, it's just not grim or perilous, it's not a place I want to take my players- Halruaa, and its politics and politicking is fun- for a bit, but it all seems a bit of a waste of time.</p><p></p><p>At the end I just thought, so what- I picked all of this stuff (more or less) out of the prologue.</p><p></p><p>I came out of it not even liking Skyships, and that's mad. I love(d) the idea of Skyships- never had one in my game (in nearly 40 years of GMing) but the potential was always there, until now.</p><p></p><p>Sulks.</p><p></p><p>Read. </p><p></p><p>Stay safe and well you lovely people.</p><p></p><p>Cheers goonalan.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 8274491, member: 16069"] [B]#125 The Magehound by Elaine Cunningham (Counselors & Kings 1) Read 12/5/21 to 15/5/21[/B] [ATTACH type="full" width="187px"]136973[/ATTACH] I didn't like it, and there's two more of these to go. But here's the thing- it's well written, twisty-turny (a bit) plot-wise and gets to where it needs to go, although... forgive me but I got to where it was going maybe less than twenty pages in, and I was proven correct, but I guess the more of these you/I read the easier at times it is to divine. Or else it's just very obvious. I don't like Halruaa, it's not my version of D&D- the mundanity of magic, shrugs- so mundane in fact the Halruaans need a breeding programme to come up with the Counsellor's. The Counsellor's by the way are bred for the strength of their mind (and immunity to/lack of magic), their logic, and their ability to therefore be tactically aware at all times- accounting for every factor, they're like Spock/Data/Mentats- although with a tiny bit more humanity/emotion. That, of course, is the problem with our Counsellor- Matteo, he's going to get emotional, involved, rather than an onlooker. Although, a majority of the good (and bad) Halruaan folk we meet have also let their emotions get involved, and in particular the Magehound from the title- Kiva. Magic is power here in Halruaa, and Wizard kings (and Lords & Ladies) are the order of the day- and everyone else? Well, they can just keep their heads down, or else pick the crumbs that fall from the lordly tables, or are they all just living the good life? It's a dystopia, right? Then how come we barely get to see this? Halruaa comes across to me like some version of the Matrix, meets Dune (for the breeding programme & Mentats) with a Bladerunner (Do Androids etc.) side-salad. And yet it takes two thirds of the book before we get to meet someone who's not happy with their lot- as it turns out this person is Matteo's mother, who had her magic drained and her ability to conceive more/normal children taken from her the moment she gave birth to him. Dystopia, right? But there's none of this, everyone we meet is well-off, or well-adjusted/skilled/adept, and doing okay thank you very much. I get that the book's not trying to do that kind of thing (dystopia), although it hints at it plenty, but it's just the story of some nice people- Matteo & Tzigone, who discover that they've either been living a lie (and they're supposed to be bound by the truth- oh, the irony), or else their search for the truth- which although enlightening, brings little else in the way of reward. But this one could be the start of something, payback could come later- so, I'll reserve judgement. It must also be said that there's very little fighting/action (call it what you will) in this one, not even a lot of edge or fear, or terror- the main characters are more or less immune. Matteo is so silver-tongued, and smart, that although he frets (a little) he always rolls near to the natural '20'. Tzigone is rolling '20's throughout, and she knows all of the answers anyway- even when she chooses not to tell Matteo them, she lets us know- so, that's a little more of the tension dissolved. But again, it's well written- and ticks a lot of boxes, it's just not grim or perilous, it's not a place I want to take my players- Halruaa, and its politics and politicking is fun- for a bit, but it all seems a bit of a waste of time. At the end I just thought, so what- I picked all of this stuff (more or less) out of the prologue. I came out of it not even liking Skyships, and that's mad. I love(d) the idea of Skyships- never had one in my game (in nearly 40 years of GMing) but the potential was always there, until now. Sulks. Read. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers goonalan. [/QUOTE]
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