To what degree is the Realms still Greenwood's?

[The Grumpy Celt]

I've alwayes disliked (hated?) the uber-NPCs the Realms are full of...

For what ever it is worth, Ed has said the focus on the Chosen was not his idea, but something decided by first TSR and then WotC. They are the ones cutting the pay checks, so they call the shots.

 

[Cmarco]

I dunno. I liked a lot of the Ed Greenwood work I've read so far. My opinion, that's all.

 

[Traycor]

Does this mean that Mr. Greenwood is a poor writer or that you just don't like his style? If you've never managed to finish Moby Dick or Ulysses or War and Peace does this mean that Herman Melville, James Joyce, or Leo Tolstoy are bad writers or that you just aren't fond of their style? Just because you don't like someone's work doesn't make them a bad author, just like my dislike of anise doesn't mean it's a bad flavor - it's just not the one for me.

This type of view really gets me angry. Not everyone is a good writer. And just because someone enjoys their work doesn't make them good either. Writing is a skill, just like art is a skill, just like building a bridge is a skill.

Ed Greenwood publishes books and is a very skilled world builder, storyteller, and character creator. I usually buy his novels because I love the story. But Ed is not a good writer by any stretch of the imagination. Enjoying someone's style doesn't change their mastery of prose.