is there such thing as a good FR novel?

[Davelozzi]

Re: Bah-Humbug...

And for the correction, Troy Denning was the author of The Avatar Trilogy, not the bogus named mentioned in a post previous. He was under the alias Richard Awlson.

Troy didn't write the whole series, he wrote part of it. I'm pretty sure the other poster had it right, I think it was Scott Ceincin (sp?) who wrote Shadowdale and Tantras and Troy who wrote Waterdeep. The pen name, Awlinson, was a not-so-clever play on All-in-one.

 

[xjp]

None of the FR books are good. Some of them may be readable, if you want a diversion while you are on the plane or at the beach. These are designed to appeal to younger readers. I may have dug this stuff when I was in 5th grade, too, before I discovered works of better quality. So I can't knock it. Take these for what they are, don't expect to find a good novel in the bunch.

 

[S'mon]

Well when I read the Moonshea trilogy back when it was released I thought it was a cool series, but who knows what I'd think of it today. Spellfire was possibly the worst book I ever read, Ed Greenwood is a horrible author! I read the first book of the Avatar's trilogy and had no desire to read anymore of the book due to extreme boredom. The Crystal Shard was pretty cool, as was the book about Drizzt growing up in the underdark. But I never read anymore of his stuff and have no desire to read anymore FR novels and I'm so tired of the setting I can't take anymore. I'm looking for the Gord the Rogue novels on E-Bay, those look cool.

A man after my own heart - yes, the Gord books are cool (sadly the Colonel's later Aerth novels are _not_). On the strength of Crystal Shard I read the Icewind Dale trilogy and several of the Drow books etc but eventually dropped out after the one with Wulfgar's death, I think it was. They were becoming increasingly formulaic and uninteresting.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

the servant of the shard was probably one of my all time favoriate books, it takes place well after wulfgars obscure death. i don't think the has become formulamatic at all.

and while forgotten realms and tsr books in general don't have the complexity of wheell of time, song of fire and ice, or the sword of truth. It doesn't mean they aren't worth while. look at the elric saga or the conan books by howard, some times simple is better and not less mature

 

[Oni]

Re: Bah-Humbug...

You bunch of bandwagoning oafs. Threads like this create bias, and bias create unneeded opinions that a new reader will take to heart. When he does, he passes the story on to his other book reading buddies, who do the same thing as he and dun buy the books. Now TSR and D&D in general has lost profits. And we all know that a loss in profits is not a good thing. Ahem.

First I must say that insults are not needed. Second I must say that I would prefer to know what I'm getting into with a book before i pour my hard earned cash and time into it. I am not here to support WotC or Dnd, while I like those things I'm not about to mindlessly buy bad books, or suggest that others do so to help keep them in business.

 

[Hattersai]

I like FR novels esp Salvatore. He goes the extra mile when writing his books. His action is very vivid and jumps off of the page.


If these are not your cup of tea try this. Read any Paul Kidd Greyhawk book. Good stuff.
"No one touches the fairy."

 

[nick]

For the most part, I enjoyed the FR novels that I have read. Some were better than others, like the harper series, Salvatore, and Troy Denning ( I liked his novels). The only Salvatore novel I didn't like was the one where wulfgar came back, and that was only because his whining became extremely annoying.
FR novels may not be the best fantasy literature, but when most of them are only one shot 300 page novels, you can only expect so much from them. To me, novels are like a movie. As long as I am entertained, I enjoy it.
Of course, I read the books before I read other novels like Terry Brooks, David Edding, or Tolkien, so this may influence me somewhat.
On another note, how many books are there in the Gord the Rogue series? I have the first three, and am wondering how far the series extends.

 

[NiTessine]

Re: Re: Bah-Humbug...

Troy didn't write the whole series, he wrote part of it. I'm pretty sure the other poster had it right, I think it was Scott Ceincin (sp?) who wrote Shadowdale and Tantras and Troy who wrote Waterdeep. The pen name, Awlinson, was a not-so-clever play on All-in-one.

Actually, there were three writers in that bunch. Scott Ciencin, Troy Denning, and James Lowder. I remember that Ciencin wrote Shadowdale, but can't for the life of me recall which ones Denning and Lowder penned.

 

[Welverin]

Re: Re: Re: Bah-Humbug...

Actually, there were three writers in that bunch. Scott Ciencin, Troy Denning, and James Lowder. I remember that Ciencin wrote Shadowdale, but can't for the life of me recall which ones Denning and Lowder penned.

Denning wrote Waterdeep, can't figure out who wrote Tantras though.

 

[Black Omega]

For the most part, I enjoyed the FR novels that I have read. Some were better than others, like the harper series, Salvatore, and Troy Denning ( I liked his novels). The only Salvatore novel I didn't like was the one where wulfgar came back, and that was only because his whining became extremely annoying.

I quit reading any Salvatore books at this point and I only made it this far because I'd bought the four volumes collected into one hardback. the Dark Elf trilogy was pretty cool though not great. But after a while I got -so- tired of the "Evil will not win, no matter what, even for a moment, unless they are fighting other evil'. Though from what has been said elsewhere, this could just be the editors who decided it hads to be this way. I think Greenwade said this was a rule he had to work with in the books.