Looking for the best WotC (D&D) novels from the last 15 years.

[Alisair Longreach]

City of the Dead by Rosemary Jones for FR is a good book. It's heartwarming and has a spunky heroine with an interesting family.

The Moaning Diamond also by Rosemary Jones is an interesting adventure with a quirky group.

Paul Kidd's Greyhawk novels are really funny.

The Yellow Silk by Don Bassingwaithe is another good read.

The Gotrek & Felix books by William King are hilarious but they are set in Warhammer Fantasy universe.

The Anubis Murders, Samarkand Solution and Death in Delhi by the late Gary Gygax are also good books. Think Sherlock Holmes in a fantasy world.


Most Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms novels are mediocre books but the Diablo novels are worse and Warcraft novels not written by Christie Golden are even worser.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

If you like Eberron at all, I highly recommend Keith Baker's works. They are fun reads that really help illuminate the setting.

 

[RangerWickett]

You could, especially if it can be acquired from amazon. Lulu is just horribly expensive and slow, if you live in Europe.

I meant the one being released online, a few chapters each month. Link in my sig, or in the Blogs section here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/blogs/rangerwickett/1970-war-burning-sky-novel.html

 

[Dragonhelm]

I would highly recommend the Dragonlance series of novels, particularly the ones written by Margaret Weis (one S) and Tracy Hickman.

Many of the novels have some D&D-isms in them. For example, Margaret has asked for D&D spells to use in her novels, Doug Niles incorporates some AD&D-isms, and Lucien Soulban recently referenced several D&D-isms in his novel, Renegade Wizards. And, as Tracy has often said, you can practically hear the dice rolling in the Chronicles trilogy.

What's cool about the Dragonlance novels is that they're very story-driven and are a lot of fun.

My recommendation would be to read the Chronicles and Legends series (aka the "Holy Six"), then go into Lost Chronicles to fill in the gaps.

 

[DaveyJones]

My recommendation would be to read the Chronicles and Legends series (aka the "Holy Six"), then go into Lost Chronicles to fill in the gaps.

i would have too...

but they are closer to 25 years old

i have a pretty good collection. actually i have every single D&D novel from the beginning to feb 2006. of the ones from 1995 to 2006 i would suggest look for ones based on characters you like to play.

erevis cale books run for thieves.

also they have some books meant for really young readers. (tweens) and some for the 2000ed specifically. with the characters from the phb. like ember, regdar, and such.

 

[Dragonhelm]

i would have too...

but they are closer to 25 years old

Not sure why this is an issue. You still have a lot of the D&D archetypes.

 

[Jack99]

Not sure why this is an issue. You still have a lot of the D&D archetypes.

Probably because I asked for books from the last 15 years. I have read pretty much everything released by TSR up until 95 or so. That includes the Drizz't series, Canticle, Chronicles, Legends, Dragons of ...-series, all Dark Sun books and such classics as I, Strahd and many many others books which names I do not recall any longer.

@DaveyJones Since I am almost always the DM, which character is at center stage matter very little to me, although I probably have a weak spot for rogues and wizards, if I had to name some classes. With that said, are there really none that you would recommend over others?

 

[Dire Bare]

Kemp has parted ways with WotC and a planned trilogy of his was cancelled . . . .

Really?!?! That sucks! I was looking forward to those!

 

[DaveyJones]

Probably because I asked for books from the last 15 years. I have read pretty much everything released by TSR up until 95 or so. That includes the Drizz't series, Canticle, Chronicles, Legends, Dragons of ...-series, all Dark Sun books and such classics as I, Strahd and many many others books which names I do not recall any longer.

@DaveyJones Since I am almost always the DM, which character is at center stage matter very little to me, although I probably have a weak spot for rogues and wizards, if I had to name some classes. With that said, are there really none that you would recommend over others?

well i like the greyhawk ones. white plume mountain, temple of elemental evil, keep on the borderlands (not technically greyhawk). but that is the kind of humor my group tends to play in game too.

don't bother with the baldur's gate ones.

keith baker does a very good job for a new author (or at least he was at the time of the release of his novels) and well eberron is his baby.

the forgotten realms are full of authors and different story lines. you've covered some of them.

for some way back try Quag Keep. not great literature. but easy reading for a D&D player of any edition.

edit:

Not sure why this is an issue. You still have a lot of the D&D archetypes.

the thread title mentioned 15 years and Jack99 confirmed it. wasn't sure if you cared. but that's how i read the OP.

 

[ferratus]

The best Dragonlance trilogy released in the last 15 years would probably be the Kingpriest Trilogy by Chris Pierson. The Ergoth Trilogy by Paul B. Thompson and Tonya Cook, and the Plainsmen Trilogy by the same are pretty good too.

The Anvil of Time series seems to also be thought highly of by the fanbase but I've only read Renegade Wizards. Renegade wizards is okay, but requires you to be a "setting insider" to get some of the references to 5th Age magic and how it works.

The Lost Chronicles (filler Chronicles books) are merely okay.