Eberron Novels-Where Should I Start? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Eberron Novels-Where Should I Start? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Gareson
07-21-06, 10:16 PM I am just learning about Eberron from the Campaign Book and I was wondering which of the Eberron novels are good to start with for reading pleasure? I hear that some are much better than others? What's your advice for me?
Hideous Phidias
07-21-06, 10:32 PM The keith baker books are the best of course. ut I just started readinf the Rich wulf book "Voyage of the mourning Dawn" andI like it.

But if you want to get a taste of may of the writers of eberon the book I think you may want to start with is Tales of the last war.
KhanSemus
07-22-06, 01:08 AM For future reference: Novel discussions are banned.

Go to Worlds of DnD Forums (http://worldsofdnd.com/forum/)

All the Eberron authors are there to discuss with you.
Tom McCarthy
07-22-06, 09:32 AM Personally, I'd recommend:

Keith Baker's novels
Don Bassingthwaite's novels
Edward Bolme's Orb of Xoriat
Tales of the Last War

Unfortunately, I was only so-so on Crimson Talisman, and while I enjoyed Road to Death, the first volume (Marked for Death) was one I didn't enjoy as much.

I've not read Tim Waggoner's Thieves of Blood novel yet, nor the new Voyage of the Mourning Dawn.
Edymnion
07-22-06, 12:37 PM For future reference: Novel discussions are banned.

Go to Worlds of DnD Forums (http://worldsofdnd.com/forum/)Which is the correct answer.
The White Sorcerer
07-22-06, 01:01 PM For future reference: Novel discussions are banned.
Actually, I heard from WizO_the_Hutt that they've lifted the ban to see if people can be civil about novel discussion. So far I've heard nothing to the contrary.

The Dreaming Dark books are the best Eberron novels I've read, so I recommend you start there.
The Lost Mark books are okay, but I cringe everytime I read someone calling the Silver Flame or the Blood of Vol gods. *shudder*
The Dragon Below is okay too, much better than TLM actually.
The War-Torn series is of variable quality. The Orb of Xoriat seems good, but The Crimson Talisman has so far chased me away from itself with its many unforgivable mistakes.
Edymnion
07-22-06, 01:13 PM Actually, I heard from WizO_the_Hutt that they've lifted the ban to see if people can be civil about novel discussion. So far I've heard nothing to the contrary.I've heard nothing about this, and I've been talking with Sith about just this sort of thing, with this topic specifically coming up, and he didn't say anything about this.

And from what I understand, it is not within the WizO's power to lift this ban, it is not within Paradox or Mel's power to lift the ban either. So, unless you can link to where this was officially said in open forums, we can't take your word for it, I'm afraid.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-22-06, 01:59 PM Here is the link to WizO_the_Hutt's 'novel discussion is ok' post:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9526951&postcount=4

Now, on to my comments:

The best Eberron novels I have read are the 'Dreaming Dark' and 'Dragon Below' trilogies (or, at least, the two of each released so far). Both have great characters (with maybe The Dragon Below series being a little better in that respect), excellent grasp of Eberron concepts (with The Dreaming Dark series ahead for this one), and a gripping writing style.

Marked for Death was a reasonable read, but parts of it seem a little off when it comes to the Eberron feel. In its praise, it does have some good imagery (I particularly liked the city of Construct). I haven't read the second in the series, so I can't comment on the series as a whole.

As for the War Torn series, I enjoyed both the Orb of Xoriat and the Crimson Talisman, though the former much more than the latter. The Orb of Xoriat is worth picking up, but the Crimson Talisman has a few flaws as far as Eberron lore goes that hurt it a little. It's still an enjoyable read, IMO, but if you want a book that really highlights Eberron, then I'd stick with the Dreaming Dark and Dragon Below series.
Fabius Maximus
07-22-06, 02:26 PM Here is the link to WizO_the_Hutt's 'novel discussion is ok' post:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9526951&postcount=4
Well, if that's the case...

I read both 'The Dreaming Dark' and 'The Lost Mark' novels. Both are of mixed quality.

'City of Towers' was a nice book. Not really good, but a nice read. It lacked somewhat character-wise. They are quite wooden. And the story picks up speed rather late.
'The Shattered Land' is a lot better. Both story and characters are more interesting. The story is quite a ride and the book ends with a terrible cliffhanger. :)

With 'The Lost Mark', it's reverse. The first book ist a lot better than the second one.
'Marked for Death' has really interesting characters and a nice catching story. It describes a very hard part of Eberron (well, it's the Mournland).
'Road for Death' was a letdown. The characters change motivations and relations seemingly without reason, Mr. Forbeck lets them babble redundant stuff, and the new ones don't get enough "screen time". The story does not change that much, but the BBEG in the end is a big joke and destroyed the whole reading experience for me.
jimbo7987
07-22-06, 03:19 PM I've enjoyed the dreaming Dark series so far, I can highly reccomend it. Daine is da man!
ccerose
07-22-06, 06:54 PM I've read almost all the novels. I've just started reading Voyage of the Mourning Dawn, but I am enjoying it so far. The only other book still on my to read list is In the Claws of the Tiger.

Tales from the Last War presents a nice foundation for the world and the way things are. Plus a few of the stories are prologues of sorts for some of the novels.

I would recommend the Dreaming Dark series, especially City of Towers if you are planning on running adventures in Sharn. There are also some nice House Relations issues developed that can help in your campaign. The Shattered Land, the second book in the series takes the adventure Xen'drik and can really help to add flavor if you take your game there.

The Dragon Below series has a great cast of characters, plenty of action, and introduces some of the new races and monsters of the campaign setting. It'll make you look at orcs in a whole new light.

Thieves of Blood from the Blade of the Flame series also introduces some great characters. The story takes place in one of the wilder, less sophisticated nations in the campaign setting. Plus it has pirates. Only the first book is out, but its a great read.

Marked for Death, the first book in Marked for Death series will take you into The Mournlands. It brings in elements of the Church of Silver Flame as well as the warforged.
Raziel_Brokodar
07-22-06, 07:12 PM Pick up the Dreaming Dark and the Dragon Below series'.
treehouse916
07-22-06, 08:19 PM I picked up City of Towers at Borders a month ago. Haven't read it yet as I am still trying to finish George R. R. Martin's latest, but it's the next one on my list. I'm glad to hear that the Dreaming Dark series is so well liked.
Edymnion
07-22-06, 10:24 PM Here is the link to WizO_the_Hutt's 'novel discussion is ok' post:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9526951&postcount=4Well hot damn, I stand happily corrected!
Tek
07-23-06, 04:38 AM In all honestly, in terms of writing quality, characters, plot, and just plain goodness, I recommend... The Dragon Below series. The Binding Stone and The Grieving Tree are really well written, everything 'clicks' from dialog, to the tone of the book, to the character's actions.

Next up, I'd recommend Dreaming Dark - it's a very accurate representation of Sharn and Xen'drik, considering that it's written by the system creator himself. I don't think it's -quite- as polished as the Dragon Below series, but it's still a very good read.
The Necromancer King
07-23-06, 03:23 PM Well, I can't honestly say that I've sat down to read any of the novels thus far. I started to read Marked for Death, but found the whole book bogged down by horrible characterization and a plot that read like a ping-pong match. We got the girl. We've lost the girl. We've got the girl. We've lost the girl again. The only character I found I cared about at all was Espre, and by the second kidnapping, not even she could bring me back to it. That has, I will admit, rather colored my impression of the Eberron novels; I'll give it a few months and try again...

I've been horribly spoiled, though. The likes of Neil Gaiman and Jacqueline Carey and George R.R. Martin set the bar pretty high when it comes to fantasy reading. Game-influenced fiction doesn't really appeal to me very often. I'd like to read Keith's books, as I've heard they are on par with some of Martin's earlier work (Wildcards et al).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gareson 07-21-06, 10:16 PM	I am just learning about Eberron from the Campaign Book and I was wondering which of the Eberron novels are good to start with for reading pleasure? I hear that some are much better than others? What's your advice for me?
Hideous Phidias 07-21-06, 10:32 PM	The keith baker books are the best of course. ut I just started readinf the Rich wulf book "Voyage of the mourning Dawn" andI like it. But if you want to get a taste of may of the writers of eberon the book I think you may want to start with is Tales of the last war.
KhanSemus 07-22-06, 01:08 AM	For future reference: Novel discussions are banned. Go to Worlds of DnD Forums (http://worldsofdnd.com/forum/) All the Eberron authors are there to discuss with you.
Tom McCarthy 07-22-06, 09:32 AM	Personally, I'd recommend: Keith Baker's novels Don Bassingthwaite's novels Edward Bolme's Orb of Xoriat Tales of the Last War Unfortunately, I was only so-so on Crimson Talisman, and while I enjoyed Road to Death, the first volume (Marked for Death) was one I didn't enjoy as much. I've not read Tim Waggoner's Thieves of Blood novel yet, nor the new Voyage of the Mourning Dawn.
Edymnion 07-22-06, 12:37 PM	For future reference: Novel discussions are banned. Go to Worlds of DnD Forums (http://worldsofdnd.com/forum/)Which is the correct answer.
The White Sorcerer 07-22-06, 01:01 PM	For future reference: Novel discussions are banned. Actually, I heard from WizO_the_Hutt that they've lifted the ban to see if people can be civil about novel discussion. So far I've heard nothing to the contrary. The Dreaming Dark books are the best Eberron novels I've read, so I recommend you start there. The Lost Mark books are okay, but I cringe everytime I read someone calling the Silver Flame or the Blood of Vol gods. shudder The Dragon Below is okay too, much better than TLM actually. The War-Torn series is of variable quality. The Orb of Xoriat seems good, but The Crimson Talisman has so far chased me away from itself with its many unforgivable mistakes.
Edymnion 07-22-06, 01:13 PM	Actually, I heard from WizO_the_Hutt that they've lifted the ban to see if people can be civil about novel discussion. So far I've heard nothing to the contrary.I've heard nothing about this, and I've been talking with Sith about just this sort of thing, with this topic specifically coming up, and he didn't say anything about this. And from what I understand, it is not within the WizO's power to lift this ban, it is not within Paradox or Mel's power to lift the ban either. So, unless you can link to where this was officially said in open forums, we can't take your word for it, I'm afraid.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-22-06, 01:59 PM	Here is the link to WizO_the_Hutt's 'novel discussion is ok' post: http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9526951&postcount=4 Now, on to my comments: The best Eberron novels I have read are the 'Dreaming Dark' and 'Dragon Below' trilogies (or, at least, the two of each released so far). Both have great characters (with maybe The Dragon Below series being a little better in that respect), excellent grasp of Eberron concepts (with The Dreaming Dark series ahead for this one), and a gripping writing style. Marked for Death was a reasonable read, but parts of it seem a little off when it comes to the Eberron feel. In its praise, it does have some good imagery (I particularly liked the city of Construct). I haven't read the second in the series, so I can't comment on the series as a whole. As for the War Torn series, I enjoyed both the Orb of Xoriat and the Crimson Talisman, though the former much more than the latter. The Orb of Xoriat is worth picking up, but the Crimson Talisman has a few flaws as far as Eberron lore goes that hurt it a little. It's still an enjoyable read, IMO, but if you want a book that really highlights Eberron, then I'd stick with the Dreaming Dark and Dragon Below series.
Fabius Maximus 07-22-06, 02:26 PM	Here is the link to WizO_the_Hutt's 'novel discussion is ok' post: http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9526951&postcount=4 Well, if that's the case... I read both 'The Dreaming Dark' and 'The Lost Mark' novels. Both are of mixed quality. 'City of Towers' was a nice book. Not really good, but a nice read. It lacked somewhat character-wise. They are quite wooden. And the story picks up speed rather late. 'The Shattered Land' is a lot better. Both story and characters are more interesting. The story is quite a ride and the book ends with a terrible cliffhanger. :) With 'The Lost Mark', it's reverse. The first book ist a lot better than the second one. 'Marked for Death' has really interesting characters and a nice catching story. It describes a very hard part of Eberron (well, it's the Mournland). 'Road for Death' was a letdown. The characters change motivations and relations seemingly without reason, Mr. Forbeck lets them babble redundant stuff, and the new ones don't get enough "screen time". The story does not change that much, but the BBEG in the end is a big joke and destroyed the whole reading experience for me.
jimbo7987 07-22-06, 03:19 PM	I've enjoyed the dreaming Dark series so far, I can highly reccomend it. Daine is da man!
ccerose 07-22-06, 06:54 PM	I've read almost all the novels. I've just started reading Voyage of the Mourning Dawn, but I am enjoying it so far. The only other book still on my to read list is In the Claws of the Tiger. Tales from the Last War presents a nice foundation for the world and the way things are. Plus a few of the stories are prologues of sorts for some of the novels. I would recommend the Dreaming Dark series, especially City of Towers if you are planning on running adventures in Sharn. There are also some nice House Relations issues developed that can help in your campaign. The Shattered Land, the second book in the series takes the adventure Xen'drik and can really help to add flavor if you take your game there. The Dragon Below series has a great cast of characters, plenty of action, and introduces some of the new races and monsters of the campaign setting. It'll make you look at orcs in a whole new light. Thieves of Blood from the Blade of the Flame series also introduces some great characters. The story takes place in one of the wilder, less sophisticated nations in the campaign setting. Plus it has pirates. Only the first book is out, but its a great read. Marked for Death, the first book in Marked for Death series will take you into The Mournlands. It brings in elements of the Church of Silver Flame as well as the warforged.
Raziel_Brokodar 07-22-06, 07:12 PM	Pick up the Dreaming Dark and the Dragon Below series'.
treehouse916 07-22-06, 08:19 PM	I picked up City of Towers at Borders a month ago. Haven't read it yet as I am still trying to finish George R. R. Martin's latest, but it's the next one on my list. I'm glad to hear that the Dreaming Dark series is so well liked.
Edymnion 07-22-06, 10:24 PM	Here is the link to WizO_the_Hutt's 'novel discussion is ok' post: http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9526951&postcount=4Well hot damn, I stand happily corrected!
Tek 07-23-06, 04:38 AM	In all honestly, in terms of writing quality, characters, plot, and just plain goodness, I recommend... The Dragon Below series. The Binding Stone and The Grieving Tree are really well written, everything 'clicks' from dialog, to the tone of the book, to the character's actions. Next up, I'd recommend Dreaming Dark - it's a very accurate representation of Sharn and Xen'drik, considering that it's written by the system creator himself. I don't think it's -quite- as polished as the Dragon Below series, but it's still a very good read.
The Necromancer King 07-23-06, 03:23 PM	Well, I can't honestly say that I've sat down to read any of the novels thus far. I started to read Marked for Death, but found the whole book bogged down by horrible characterization and a plot that read like a ping-pong match. We got the girl. We've lost the girl. We've got the girl. We've lost the girl again. The only character I found I cared about at all was Espre, and by the second kidnapping, not even she could bring me back to it. That has, I will admit, rather colored my impression of the Eberron novels; I'll give it a few months and try again... I've been horribly spoiled, though. The likes of Neil Gaiman and Jacqueline Carey and George R.R. Martin set the bar pretty high when it comes to fantasy reading. Game-influenced fiction doesn't really appeal to me very often. I'd like to read Keith's books, as I've heard they are on par with some of Martin's earlier work (Wildcards et al).