City of Towers – Review (No Spoilers) [Archive] - Wizards Community

City of Towers – Review (No Spoilers) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sarlax
02-02-05, 04:48 PM Before replying to this post, please make an effort to not include spoilers. This thread should be available to those who have yet to finish the book.

The City of Towers is the story of four soldiers of Cyre who are looking for a place in the world after the destruction of their homeland and the end of the Last War. They are Daine, a human captain in the Cyre military; Pierce, a warforged warrior who has fought on behalf of Cyre for nearly three decades; Lei d’Cannith, a dragonmarked artificer of House Cannith who works with Cyre to maintain their military equipment (including Pierce); and Jode, a fast-talking halfing who bears the Mark of Healing.

The novel opens with a battle scene that occurs just before the Mourning. Afterward, the four journey to Sharn, each seeking purpose now that their war has been lost. They are soon caught up in a number of intrigues and discover that they must use the skills and friendships they developed in the Last War to survive in the city.

I’ll open by saying that I did enjoy this book. It’s a fun, fast read. The book’s greatest strength is that it makes Eberron very accessible to both players and dungeon masters alike. Unlike like the Eberron Campaign Setting, The City of Towers doesn’t contain spoiling information mixed among player-safe text; an alternate title for The City of Towers might be Player’s Guide to Eberron. The book does a very good job of introducing the setting, and specifically Sharn, to the reader. As one who dungeon masters a weekly Eberron game, I intend to get all of my players to read this book, and I’d encourage other DMs to do the same. With a cover price of $6.99 USD, it makes an excellent and affordable supplement for the game.

The story, the characters, and the events all do a fine job of conveying the nature and mood of Eberron to a reader. In addition to the story, the appendix of the novel contains a strong primer for readers new to Eberron. It covers history, currency, the calendar, the Dragonmarked Houses, Sharn, the planes, religions, and magic. Finally, there is a good glossary at the back that details both Eberron terms and provides useful bits on characters and places in the novel.

The City of Towers helps the reader to understand Eberron. We learn more about the politics of the Dragonmarked Houses, for instance. The story also introduces the reader to a bit of the slang of the setting – “Side of the Traveler” is a euphemism like our own “Devil’s Advocate.” We also get into the mind of the warforged. While Pierce is typically silent, we learn much about warforged thinking from his actions as well as from the occasionally narratives we receive as he thinks to himself. Players and dungeon masters alike will enjoy getting more depth from the setting through this novel.

The novel does have a few weaknesses, however. Fortunately, none should prevent any one from not enjoying the story. The first relates directly to the novel’s strength, and that is the solid amount of information it contains. At times, it can feel as though there is too much occurring in the span of this single book. The plot isn’t convoluted, but I did have the occasional feeling that some information was being fed to me – information about Eberron doesn’t always come to the reader “naturally.” This is entirely understandable, however: given that it’s both a story and an introduction to the setting, it is necessarily going to be a little more front-loaded with information than a novel might otherwise be.

The novel reads like a good Dungeons & Dragons adventure. As a long-time player and dungeon master, I don’t mind this at all. In fact, it’s a great way to make the setting available to readers who play the game. However, this does make the story and setting less accessible to people new to the game. It’s a comfortable format for D&D players, but I believe that a typical reader will be less able to enjoy the story.

Indeed, much of the story relies heavily on the assumption that the reader is familiar with D&D. Non-human creatures are introduced and explained in a matter of a line or two. For players of D&D, this is good; a five page dissertation on the society and physiology of gnolls wouldn’t serve any purpose. An unfamiliar reader, however, will likely be left very confused.

The writing style is neither polished nor terrible. As a first novel and a D&D novel, it’s good. It isn’t strong (nor particularly weak) when measured against other novels in the fantasy genre, though. The style isn’t especially evocative. Likewise, the dialogue, while entertaining and enjoyable, isn’t highly developed – it is several notches above written D&D adventures. This isn’t any judgment of success or failure in the writing, of course – I think it’s good for a first novel and I expect more good work.

To conclude, I think The City of Towers is a good book for players of Dungeons and Dragons. It’s fun, informative, and cool. Those both familiar and new to Eberron should like it, and DMs should love it as a way to show the setting to their players. The book might be a bit distant to those who aren’t gamers, but that’s fine. Do take a look at it - I think you'll enjoy The City of Towers.

Wizards of the Coast has provided an excerpt (http://www.wizards.com/books/downloads/products_eberronnovel_176430000.zip) of the novel on its website.
Lujayne34
02-02-05, 05:14 PM Just an FYI. This thread is against the Rules. WOTC banned discussion of their novels on the boards. There is another thread that directs you to a place where the novel will be discussed and also Keith Baker will respond there too.
Sarlax
02-02-05, 05:23 PM Just an FYI. This thread is against the Rules. WOTC banned discussion of their novels on the boards. There is another thread that directs you to a place where the novel will be discussed and also Keith Baker will respond there too.
Are you sure? I can't find anything on this in either the FAQ or the Code of Conduct. Where is this spelled out? And does it include a review that doesn't reveal anything about the story, such as mine?
spamfiltre
02-02-05, 05:30 PM Hopefully WotC realizes how foolish that stance towards discussion of their products is.

I hadn't planned on reading CoT, because the few D&D novels I have read in the past would only hold the attention of an 11 year old.

After the above review, I will probably read it, not as a novel, but as a supplement.

I wasn't aware of any restriction on discussion on these boards (I skimmed the terms & conditions, but nothing like this jumped out at me), so I could have made the same mistake.

I've seen a couple of mentions of the book to date, but haven't seen a link to any officially sanctioned area to discuss them.

There must still be a little TSR left at WotC.

[EDIT: As a general disclaimer, I'm not discussing the book, only WotC policy regarding discussion of the book. Hopefully the censors can understand the difference.]
(Psi)SeveredHead
02-02-05, 05:37 PM I was sure the ban on novels applied only to FR threads.
Ryltar Swordsong
02-02-05, 08:02 PM The Novels Ban applies to all the Wizards forums. I once asked WizO_Sith about it and he replied that it applies to all forums. The FR forum was the the forum that the ban affected most, so it received the most attention.

Novels Rules for those that need a refresher.
ArthurQ
02-02-05, 10:06 PM Just to reiterate what has already been announced, it is not permissible to post literary critiques/reviews of a Forgotten Realms novel or start a thread started specifically to discuss a novel or series novels; or to make suggestions about improving and/or altering novels; or to talk about future novels. Hopefully the Books department will be providing a list of author boards where you would be welcome to discuss those particular topics.

Emphasis mine.
ORC_Tuhteth
02-02-05, 11:40 PM Hey guys, there is unfortunately a ban on discussing WotC's novels on these forums. Sorry. :(

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sarlax 02-02-05, 04:48 PM	Before replying to this post, please make an effort to not include spoilers. This thread should be available to those who have yet to finish the book. The City of Towers is the story of four soldiers of Cyre who are looking for a place in the world after the destruction of their homeland and the end of the Last War. They are Daine, a human captain in the Cyre military; Pierce, a warforged warrior who has fought on behalf of Cyre for nearly three decades; Lei d’Cannith, a dragonmarked artificer of House Cannith who works with Cyre to maintain their military equipment (including Pierce); and Jode, a fast-talking halfing who bears the Mark of Healing. The novel opens with a battle scene that occurs just before the Mourning. Afterward, the four journey to Sharn, each seeking purpose now that their war has been lost. They are soon caught up in a number of intrigues and discover that they must use the skills and friendships they developed in the Last War to survive in the city. I’ll open by saying that I did enjoy this book. It’s a fun, fast read. The book’s greatest strength is that it makes Eberron very accessible to both players and dungeon masters alike. Unlike like the Eberron Campaign Setting, The City of Towers doesn’t contain spoiling information mixed among player-safe text; an alternate title for The City of Towers might be Player’s Guide to Eberron. The book does a very good job of introducing the setting, and specifically Sharn, to the reader. As one who dungeon masters a weekly Eberron game, I intend to get all of my players to read this book, and I’d encourage other DMs to do the same. With a cover price of $6.99 USD, it makes an excellent and affordable supplement for the game. The story, the characters, and the events all do a fine job of conveying the nature and mood of Eberron to a reader. In addition to the story, the appendix of the novel contains a strong primer for readers new to Eberron. It covers history, currency, the calendar, the Dragonmarked Houses, Sharn, the planes, religions, and magic. Finally, there is a good glossary at the back that details both Eberron terms and provides useful bits on characters and places in the novel. The City of Towers helps the reader to understand Eberron. We learn more about the politics of the Dragonmarked Houses, for instance. The story also introduces the reader to a bit of the slang of the setting – “Side of the Traveler” is a euphemism like our own “Devil’s Advocate.” We also get into the mind of the warforged. While Pierce is typically silent, we learn much about warforged thinking from his actions as well as from the occasionally narratives we receive as he thinks to himself. Players and dungeon masters alike will enjoy getting more depth from the setting through this novel. The novel does have a few weaknesses, however. Fortunately, none should prevent any one from not enjoying the story. The first relates directly to the novel’s strength, and that is the solid amount of information it contains. At times, it can feel as though there is too much occurring in the span of this single book. The plot isn’t convoluted, but I did have the occasional feeling that some information was being fed to me – information about Eberron doesn’t always come to the reader “naturally.” This is entirely understandable, however: given that it’s both a story and an introduction to the setting, it is necessarily going to be a little more front-loaded with information than a novel might otherwise be. The novel reads like a good Dungeons & Dragons adventure. As a long-time player and dungeon master, I don’t mind this at all. In fact, it’s a great way to make the setting available to readers who play the game. However, this does make the story and setting less accessible to people new to the game. It’s a comfortable format for D&D players, but I believe that a typical reader will be less able to enjoy the story. Indeed, much of the story relies heavily on the assumption that the reader is familiar with D&D. Non-human creatures are introduced and explained in a matter of a line or two. For players of D&D, this is good; a five page dissertation on the society and physiology of gnolls wouldn’t serve any purpose. An unfamiliar reader, however, will likely be left very confused. The writing style is neither polished nor terrible. As a first novel and a D&D novel, it’s good. It isn’t strong (nor particularly weak) when measured against other novels in the fantasy genre, though. The style isn’t especially evocative. Likewise, the dialogue, while entertaining and enjoyable, isn’t highly developed – it is several notches above written D&D adventures. This isn’t any judgment of success or failure in the writing, of course – I think it’s good for a first novel and I expect more good work. To conclude, I think The City of Towers is a good book for players of Dungeons and Dragons. It’s fun, informative, and cool. Those both familiar and new to Eberron should like it, and DMs should love it as a way to show the setting to their players. The book might be a bit distant to those who aren’t gamers, but that’s fine. Do take a look at it - I think you'll enjoy The City of Towers. Wizards of the Coast has provided an excerpt (http://www.wizards.com/books/downloads/products_eberronnovel_176430000.zip) of the novel on its website.
Lujayne34 02-02-05, 05:14 PM	Just an FYI. This thread is against the Rules. WOTC banned discussion of their novels on the boards. There is another thread that directs you to a place where the novel will be discussed and also Keith Baker will respond there too.
Sarlax 02-02-05, 05:23 PM	Just an FYI. This thread is against the Rules. WOTC banned discussion of their novels on the boards. There is another thread that directs you to a place where the novel will be discussed and also Keith Baker will respond there too. Are you sure? I can't find anything on this in either the FAQ or the Code of Conduct. Where is this spelled out? And does it include a review that doesn't reveal anything about the story, such as mine?
spamfiltre 02-02-05, 05:30 PM	Hopefully WotC realizes how foolish that stance towards discussion of their products is. I hadn't planned on reading CoT, because the few D&D novels I have read in the past would only hold the attention of an 11 year old. After the above review, I will probably read it, not as a novel, but as a supplement. I wasn't aware of any restriction on discussion on these boards (I skimmed the terms & conditions, but nothing like this jumped out at me), so I could have made the same mistake. I've seen a couple of mentions of the book to date, but haven't seen a link to any officially sanctioned area to discuss them. There must still be a little TSR left at WotC. [EDIT: As a general disclaimer, I'm not discussing the book, only WotC policy regarding discussion of the book. Hopefully the censors can understand the difference.]
(Psi)SeveredHead 02-02-05, 05:37 PM	I was sure the ban on novels applied only to FR threads.
Ryltar Swordsong 02-02-05, 08:02 PM	The Novels Ban applies to all the Wizards forums. I once asked WizO_Sith about it and he replied that it applies to all forums. The FR forum was the the forum that the ban affected most, so it received the most attention. Novels Rules for those that need a refresher.
ArthurQ 02-02-05, 10:06 PM	Just to reiterate what has already been announced, it is not permissible to post literary critiques/reviews of a Forgotten Realms novel or start a thread started specifically to discuss a novel or series novels; or to make suggestions about improving and/or altering novels; or to talk about future novels. Hopefully the Books department will be providing a list of author boards where you would be welcome to discuss those particular topics. Emphasis mine.
ORC_Tuhteth 02-02-05, 11:40 PM	Hey guys, there is unfortunately a ban on discussing WotC's novels on these forums. Sorry. :(