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Topic: Forgotten Realms novels (Read 159 times) |
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SamuraiJoe
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i've heard a lot about the forgotten realms books, and i'd like to read some, but i don't know the names of any of the authors, can anyone recommend any good ones to start?
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egpaul
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The most popular author seems to be RA Salvatore. I read a few of his books and they were pretty good.
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Starbuck79
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Maybe because he's looking for recommendations?
Anyway, I've read just about everything there is. Here are my favorites:
Anything by Elaine Cunningham:
Songs and Swords
Elfshadow*
Elfsong*
Silver Shadows*
Thornhold
The Dream Spheres
* The best of the series
Starlight and Shadows
Daughter of the Drow
Tangled Webs
Windwalker
There's also the Drizzt series by RA salvatore. There's a lot of internet critics out there that like to hate, but I've never regreted buying the books. It's just fun pulp fantasy. And has Ed Greenwood says in the preface to the reprint of Homeland "10 million fans can't be wrong."
Then grab anything by Ed Greenwood. It's his baby, and his Elminster books are pretty good.
If you are looking for your very first Realms book to see if you like the style I recommend Homeland by RA Salvatore or Elfshadow by Elaine Cunningham.
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Lazybones
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I've read most of the Salvatore novels; they're definitely "light" reading but can be entertaining. I've tried reading some of the others, but I find Greenwood's stuff to be pretty poor (IMHO) and I couldn't get more than a few chapters into the first Avatars book (i.e. Shadowdale, Tantras, Waterdeep) before losing interest. YMMV. I also read the first in the new drow series (non-Salvatore, I think it's called the Spider Queen series or something like that), and while I finished it, I only found it to be average and didn't feel any desire to read the rest of them.
So I'd pick up one of the Salvatore books (again IMHO, the Homeland trilogy is the best), and see if it's your cup of tea.
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StarStuff
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I'd agree with all of the above! Additonally, the related-but-not-the-same Greyhawk and Ravenloft series of books are well worth a read, for instance: White Plume Mountain, The Temple of Elemental Evil and Descent into the Depths of the Earth by Paul Kidd from the Greyhawk series; or Vampire of the Mists by Christie Golden from the Ravenloft series. That said, David Gemmell and Katherine Kerr write far better stories IMO! Still, although the D&D books are a bit lightweight, they do give you a feel for the worlds and are an entertaining read.
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SamuraiJoe
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thanks for the replies. i only want lighter reading anyway, just something i can easily enjoy, so what you're describings sounds like what i want, thanks again.
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Starbuck79
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As longa s you know what you are getting into.
I recommend droping by a used book store. They usually have a decent cheap fantasy section.
Get a copy of Homeland by RA Salvatore.
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Alpha Omega
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Umm . . . pass on most of them. Some ideas instead (from a quick glance at my bookshelfs and hiting only some highlights, and in rough order of light to heavy reading):
Patricia Brey: Devlin’s [fill in the blank] series
Dave Duncan: start with the Tales of the King's Blade trilogy (starts with The Gilded Chain); then the Chronicles of the King's Blades trilogy
Matthew Stover: Heros Die
Steven Brust: The Vlad Taltos series (start with Jhereg, I think)
Terry Pratchett: Discworld novels - about as funny as it gets
Lois McMaster Bujold: The Miles Vorkosigan series - yeah, sci fi rather than fantasy, but the kinds of books you'll stay up late to finish
Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe and other books in series – well, not fantasy either, or at least not swords and sorcery type fantasy – but truly lol funny and you’ll never have a worse day than Arthur Dent
Roger Zelazy: The Chronicles of Amber (start with Nine Princes in Amber)
Guy Gavriel Kay: Tigana, A Song for Arbonne; The Lions of Al-Rassan (not a series)
Robin Hobb: three related trilogies; start with the "Assassin" novels
George R.R. Martin: Song of Ice and Fire series (agonizingly only on book 3 of 6); start with A Game of Thrones
Tolkien, if you haven’t already done that
Stephen R. Donaldson: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (this series isn’t one everybody likes – but I think it is extremely creative (at least as much as a Tolkien-derived work can be) and extremely well written
Ayn Rand: Atlas Shrugged; The Fountainhead
You should find all of the above to be good reads if you enjoy fantasy and sci-fi. I think doing this has actually motivated me to go back to updating the recommended reading list I started some time ago actually . . . . Enjoy.
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Venture
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on Oct 4, 2004, 1:51 AM, Alpha Omega wrote:| Stephen R. Donaldson: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (this series isn’t one everybody likes – but I think it is extremely creative (at least as much as a Tolkien-derived work can be) and extremely well written |
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(Sorry to hijack this thread, which asked about Forgotten Realms novels)
I loved these books. I remember staying up many late nights (*counts on fingers*) 20? or so years ago reading these two trilogies. I actually just started them again, having heard that there is now a 3rd trilogy coming out (first book due soon, I think). Tying this to NWN, I am now noticing Donaldson's influence on my NWN campaign world, which is based on a pen and paper world I made right around when I was reading these.
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Starbuck79
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on Oct 4, 2004, 1:51 AM, Alpha Omega wrote:
Roger Zelazy: The Chronicles of Amber (start with Nine Princes in Amber)
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My favorite series of all time.
But I think the point was he wanted to check out the FR books. I read them mostly for the setting. If you are going to play a FR game it's good to get a sense of the feel of the world.
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egpaul
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While we're making suggestions for books with a tie to NWN, you may want to check out Fritz Leiber's "Swords" books, chronicling the adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Excellent pulp fantasy that greatly influenced D&D.
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oinrot
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on Oct 4, 2004, 3:15 AM, Venture wrote:on Oct 4, 2004, 1:51 AM, Alpha Omega wrote:| Stephen R. Donaldson: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (this series isn’t one everybody likes – but I think it is extremely creative (at least as much as a Tolkien-derived work can be) and extremely well written |
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I will say that next to the Forgotten Realms books that both of the Thomas Covenant series were great. It gave a different twist to the fantasy world!!
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Jehaine
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on Oct 4, 2004, 4:10 AM, egpaul wrote:| While we're making suggestions for books with a tie to NWN, you may want to check out Fritz Leiber's "Swords" books, chronicling the adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Excellent pulp fantasy that greatly influenced D&D. |
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I've read these and I highly agree. Fritz Leiber was awarded the Grand Master of Fantasy writing (or some such lofty title). It is worth just to pick up a story and see what all the hype was about. Start with Ill Met in Lankhmar which tells the story of the first meeting of Fafhred and the Mouser if you like to start in the beginning.
I've already recommended this to others, but this is Halloween, and I can think of no better fantasy book to try then "A Night in the Lonesome October" by Roger Zelazny. It is a fast read, funny, and entertaining. And has pictures in it.  Basically, it is inspired by various horror authors...and horror movies. Expect to see Frankenstein, the Count, Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, the Werewolf, and a whole roster of horror movie favorites parade through.
Lots of good choices suggested in this thread.
-- Jehaine
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Bigbluepaw
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Well, I agree with many of the posters here that the Forgotten Realms books are definitely 'light reading'. For me, I read them for 'research' on the feel of the different venues and most notably the faithful of different deities. One of the outstanding characteristics of the FR setting is widespread following of patron deities.
In any case, if you are interested because of the same motivations, I suggest reading the avatar series. For a good feel on FR settings for thieving themes, read the rogues series, the best of which I think is 'the Black Bouquet'.
Good luck!
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hoyasaxa
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Agree wholeheartedly on the 'Rogues' series; the forgotten realms novels also provide great roleplaying ideas for the players too - on how to speak among other things. The one other series I would add would be Gary Gygax's Gord the Rogue series set in Greyhawk.
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I confused myself... 