The Orc King: So, what do you think? [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Orc King: So, what do you think? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Leon_Lionheart
10-02-07, 04:59 PM The first of R.A. Salvatore's Transitions novels is out now--The Orc King, to be followed over the next two years by The Pirate King and The Ghost King--and the Obould storyline has, for the time being, been wrapped up (though the Prelude hints at some future conflict between Drizzt and the Kingdom of Many-Arrows). It's been out for about a week now, so I'm sure some of y'all have had time to read it. What do you think? (Be sure to use spoiler tags where appropriate!)

Myself, I loved it. I can't give you much of an in-depth review--I'm no good at writing reviews--but I can tell you that while the book is fairly straightforward, as most Drizzt books are, it is also genuinely good. And as usual, Salvatore displays his mastery of action-writing. The book is a fine closing for the Obould arc, and a fine opening for Transitions. A worthy addition to the Legend of Drizzt. I can hardly wait until October '08, so I can get my hands on The Pirate King!
creyzi4zb12
10-03-07, 09:09 PM I was really glad that Obould wasn't a bad guy...Coz I knew he wasn't in the past books. Drizzt just misunderstood him.
killgod
10-04-07, 12:38 PM absolutely loved it!

but did anyone else notice what I noticed in the epilogue??

SPOILER SO SKIP THE REST OF THE POST IF NOT READ YET
*********
*********
*********

I noticed in the short 1 page Epilogue...that the conversation between Hralien and Drizzt takes place a century after the Treaty of Garumn's Gorge.

A CENTURY??

That would mean Catti-Brie and Wulfgar are dead. Quite possibly Bruenor and Regis...

I figured we heard the last of Entreri in Road of the Patriarch but he'd also be deceased, as would many other side characters as well.

How do you axe so many characters like that without any sort of explanation? I imagine something will be said in the next book...but still!!

I imagine with the series being named Transitions they are basically giving Drizzt a whole new set of characters to play with however how long would you think this will last for? I'm not sure at this point in time to be exact...but a century after the Treaty would place Drizzt somewhere around 200-225 years old? So potentially there could be another 20-30 books created about him?

I suppose I'm just speculating and thinking out loud here...but I'm curious on others thoughts on this and what they see coming!

*********
*********
*********
END OF SPOILED INFO! :)

Thanks

KG
Leon_Lionheart
10-04-07, 01:27 PM The prologue and the epilogue take place 100 years in the future. Not because the next book is to take place 100 years in the future, but because that's just a stylistic flourish of sorts--glimpses at the future after the events take place. The next two books in the Transitions series may or may not do the same thing, but the books are definitely going to take place during the present--while Wulfgar, Catti-brie, Regis, and Bruenor are alive, that is--because 1) Salvatore has said that when all three adventures are over, the reader will look back and realize just how much has changed in the lives of Drizzt and his friends; and 2) The Orc King sets up too much that has to be resolved prior to the period shown in the prologue and epilogue, including

1 - Catti-brie's magical education and the significance of Jack the Gnome's mage robe
2 - The fall of Luskan and the friend who dies there
3 - The cathedral that burns down
4 - Drizzt's battle with Obould II and the events that lead to it

So basically, The Pirate King and The Ghost King will still take place in the time period we know and with the friends we have come to love, and there is still time for Entreri to do an encore if indeed he is fated to do so (though with the shadowstuff absorbed through his dagger in That Curious Sword, he probably will live longer than the average human does).
Butterface
10-04-07, 06:34 PM I really liked it, although it didn't give out nearly as big of an insight into 4E FR as we were led to believe. I had read the hunter's blade trilogy just before this, however, so this was just a continuation of that same storyline.

Someone who hadn't read the previous trilogy, and just picked up this book for 4E FR spoiler material, would probably be disappointed. Especially considering most of the spoiler material was posted online where anyone could read it for free. ;)
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
10-04-07, 10:42 PM I really liked it, although it didn't give out nearly as big of an insight into 4E FR as we were led to believe.

Well, it was enough to make plenty of people hopping mad about it.
Butterface
10-05-07, 09:48 AM My point is, reading this book didn't really show me anything about 4E FR that I didn't already know from reading these boards.
GothicDan
10-05-07, 12:48 PM Uh. That's because people reacted very strongly, and posted as much on these boards.

You can't judge a book's worth by what you read about it on message boards.
Leon_Lionheart
10-07-07, 02:16 AM Meh, I didn't give a darn about 4E spoilers, anyway. I only ever got up to the first kobold duo in the 3E Basic Game myself, owing mostly to a horribly inept batch of players...
Zsych
10-07-07, 04:22 AM If Cattie-brie learns magic, there's a half-decent chance that it turns out to be a plot device to keep her around.
And Artemis is a shade, so he still has a good five hundred years or so ahead of him at least... Wulfgar though is probably screwed, since we can't have too many people surviving, otherwise.. there are plenty of ways to keep him around.

I wonder if Drizzt is going to move on to epic-ness. I'm somehow not too sure he's gonna reach that level.
18DELTA
10-07-07, 02:38 PM I am in the process of reading it now. Its been pretty good so far!:)
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
10-08-07, 02:35 PM Yesterday I read the prologue and the first "journal entry". My first impression is that it looks like the beginning of politically correct orcs (and political correctness for the setting, in general).

I know "political correctness" is a dubious terms, but I think it really applies to this book.
Alediran
10-08-07, 02:41 PM Yesterday I read the prologue and the first "journal entry". My first impression is that it looks like the beginning of politically correct orcs (and political correctness for the setting, in general).

I know "political correctness" is a dubious terms, but I think it really applies to this book.

Boring, orc should still be a 1st lvl party's best target.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
10-08-07, 03:05 PM Boring, orc should still be a 1st lvl party's best target.

Not anymore. WotC thinks it would be best to end that harmful cycle of violence. Nevermind that most of the time, orcs really are bloodthirsty marauders who kill, plunder, and conquer.

One hundred years in the future, the only people who will be killing orcs are the members of the KK--er, CCC!
Alediran
10-08-07, 03:29 PM Then how 1st lvl characters will get experience :D?
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
10-08-07, 04:01 PM Then how 1st lvl characters will get experience :D?

I don't know, because we need to end the "cycle of violence". Monsters are people, too!
Alediran
10-08-07, 04:14 PM At least I have the perfect solution to make the change to 4ed FR without killing my player's characters (if I EVER jump to 4ed FR). During chapter five they will be planarwalking. I could use an accident during that time that allows them to appear again in Faerūn after the ToT 2.0, lvls in caster classes will be diminished, to show the path of relearning to foreign characters :P. I don't know how I'll make with the Fighter of my party, since it will stay powerfull while the rest doesn't. After all, skill with a sword is not affected by RDEs.
Butterface
10-08-07, 08:21 PM Uh. That's because people reacted very strongly, and posted as much on these boards.

You can't judge a book's worth by what you read about it on message boards.

Oh I know, I'm just eager for more info. Like I said, I enjoyed the book, I just felt it was built up to be more spoiler worthy. That's not the novel's fault of course. :)
Leon_Lionheart
10-09-07, 07:41 AM If Cattie-brie learns magic, there's a half-decent chance that it turns out to be a plot device to keep her around.

But, um, what about Spellplague? This could actually be quite bad...

And Artemis is a shade, so he still has a good five hundred years or so ahead of him at least... Wulfgar though is probably screwed, since we can't have too many people surviving, otherwise.. there are plenty of ways to keep him around.

Wulfgar is probably the "dear friend" that's to die during the fall of Luskan. That's my bet, anyway.

I wonder if Drizzt is going to move on to epic-ness. I'm somehow not too sure he's gonna reach that level.

If you mean his influence in the world as compared to big names like Elminster, Alustriel, or Khelben, probably not. He's made himself a fine rep, and will continue to make it, if the reactions of the Triple-C are anything to go by, but I doubt he'll be particularly epic in his impact on the Realms. There's only so much one dark elf with a fetish for enchanted scimitars can do, even with a Magical Bow of Infinite Ammunition.
Leon_Lionheart
10-09-07, 07:44 AM I don't know, because we need to end the "cycle of violence". Monsters are people, too!

Orcs are just being mixed up a bit, is all. We still have the Gruumsh fanatics and we still have the orcs that aren't part of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. And we still have goblins, orogs, ogrillons, bugbears...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Leon_Lionheart 10-02-07, 04:59 PM	The first of R.A. Salvatore's Transitions novels is out now--The Orc King, to be followed over the next two years by The Pirate King and The Ghost King--and the Obould storyline has, for the time being, been wrapped up (though the Prelude hints at some future conflict between Drizzt and the Kingdom of Many-Arrows). It's been out for about a week now, so I'm sure some of y'all have had time to read it. What do you think? (Be sure to use spoiler tags where appropriate!) Myself, I loved it. I can't give you much of an in-depth review--I'm no good at writing reviews--but I can tell you that while the book is fairly straightforward, as most Drizzt books are, it is also genuinely good. And as usual, Salvatore displays his mastery of action-writing. The book is a fine closing for the Obould arc, and a fine opening for Transitions. A worthy addition to the Legend of Drizzt. I can hardly wait until October '08, so I can get my hands on The Pirate King!
creyzi4zb12 10-03-07, 09:09 PM	I was really glad that Obould wasn't a bad guy...Coz I knew he wasn't in the past books. Drizzt just misunderstood him.
killgod 10-04-07, 12:38 PM	absolutely loved it! but did anyone else notice what I noticed in the epilogue?? SPOILER SO SKIP THE REST OF THE POST IF NOT READ YET ******* ***** ***** I noticed in the short 1 page Epilogue...that the conversation between Hralien and Drizzt takes place a century after the Treaty of Garumn's Gorge. A CENTURY?? That would mean Catti-Brie and Wulfgar are dead. Quite possibly Bruenor and Regis... I figured we heard the last of Entreri in Road of the Patriarch but he'd also be deceased, as would many other side characters as well. How do you axe so many characters like that without any sort of explanation? I imagine something will be said in the next book...but still!! I imagine with the series being named Transitions they are basically giving Drizzt a whole new set of characters to play with however how long would you think this will last for? I'm not sure at this point in time to be exact...but a century after the Treaty would place Drizzt somewhere around 200-225 years old? So potentially there could be another 20-30 books created about him? I suppose I'm just speculating and thinking out loud here...but I'm curious on others thoughts on this and what they see coming! ***** ***** ******* END OF SPOILED INFO! :) Thanks KG
Leon_Lionheart 10-04-07, 01:27 PM	The prologue and the epilogue take place 100 years in the future. Not because the next book is to take place 100 years in the future, but because that's just a stylistic flourish of sorts--glimpses at the future after the events take place. The next two books in the Transitions series may or may not do the same thing, but the books are definitely going to take place during the present--while Wulfgar, Catti-brie, Regis, and Bruenor are alive, that is--because 1) Salvatore has said that when all three adventures are over, the reader will look back and realize just how much has changed in the lives of Drizzt and his friends; and 2) The Orc King sets up too much that has to be resolved prior to the period shown in the prologue and epilogue, including 1 - Catti-brie's magical education and the significance of Jack the Gnome's mage robe 2 - The fall of Luskan and the friend who dies there 3 - The cathedral that burns down 4 - Drizzt's battle with Obould II and the events that lead to it So basically, The Pirate King and The Ghost King will still take place in the time period we know and with the friends we have come to love, and there is still time for Entreri to do an encore if indeed he is fated to do so (though with the shadowstuff absorbed through his dagger in That Curious Sword, he probably will live longer than the average human does).
Butterface 10-04-07, 06:34 PM	I really liked it, although it didn't give out nearly as big of an insight into 4E FR as we were led to believe. I had read the hunter's blade trilogy just before this, however, so this was just a continuation of that same storyline. Someone who hadn't read the previous trilogy, and just picked up this book for 4E FR spoiler material, would probably be disappointed. Especially considering most of the spoiler material was posted online where anyone could read it for free. ;)
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-04-07, 10:42 PM	I really liked it, although it didn't give out nearly as big of an insight into 4E FR as we were led to believe. Well, it was enough to make plenty of people hopping mad about it.
Butterface 10-05-07, 09:48 AM	My point is, reading this book didn't really show me anything about 4E FR that I didn't already know from reading these boards.
GothicDan 10-05-07, 12:48 PM	Uh. That's because people reacted very strongly, and posted as much on these boards. You can't judge a book's worth by what you read about it on message boards.
Leon_Lionheart 10-07-07, 02:16 AM	Meh, I didn't give a darn about 4E spoilers, anyway. I only ever got up to the first kobold duo in the 3E Basic Game myself, owing mostly to a horribly inept batch of players...
Zsych 10-07-07, 04:22 AM	If Cattie-brie learns magic, there's a half-decent chance that it turns out to be a plot device to keep her around. And Artemis is a shade, so he still has a good five hundred years or so ahead of him at least... Wulfgar though is probably screwed, since we can't have too many people surviving, otherwise.. there are plenty of ways to keep him around. I wonder if Drizzt is going to move on to epic-ness. I'm somehow not too sure he's gonna reach that level.
18DELTA 10-07-07, 02:38 PM	I am in the process of reading it now. Its been pretty good so far!:)
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-08-07, 02:35 PM	Yesterday I read the prologue and the first "journal entry". My first impression is that it looks like the beginning of politically correct orcs (and political correctness for the setting, in general). I know "political correctness" is a dubious terms, but I think it really applies to this book.
Alediran 10-08-07, 02:41 PM	Yesterday I read the prologue and the first "journal entry". My first impression is that it looks like the beginning of politically correct orcs (and political correctness for the setting, in general). I know "political correctness" is a dubious terms, but I think it really applies to this book. Boring, orc should still be a 1st lvl party's best target.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-08-07, 03:05 PM	Boring, orc should still be a 1st lvl party's best target. Not anymore. WotC thinks it would be best to end that harmful cycle of violence. Nevermind that most of the time, orcs really are bloodthirsty marauders who kill, plunder, and conquer. One hundred years in the future, the only people who will be killing orcs are the members of the KK--er, CCC!
Alediran 10-08-07, 03:29 PM	Then how 1st lvl characters will get experience :D?
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-08-07, 04:01 PM	Then how 1st lvl characters will get experience :D? I don't know, because we need to end the "cycle of violence". Monsters are people, too!
Alediran 10-08-07, 04:14 PM	At least I have the perfect solution to make the change to 4ed FR without killing my player's characters (if I EVER jump to 4ed FR). During chapter five they will be planarwalking. I could use an accident during that time that allows them to appear again in Faerūn after the ToT 2.0, lvls in caster classes will be diminished, to show the path of relearning to foreign characters :P. I don't know how I'll make with the Fighter of my party, since it will stay powerfull while the rest doesn't. After all, skill with a sword is not affected by RDEs.
Butterface 10-08-07, 08:21 PM	Uh. That's because people reacted very strongly, and posted as much on these boards. You can't judge a book's worth by what you read about it on message boards. Oh I know, I'm just eager for more info. Like I said, I enjoyed the book, I just felt it was built up to be more spoiler worthy. That's not the novel's fault of course. :)
Leon_Lionheart 10-09-07, 07:41 AM	If Cattie-brie learns magic, there's a half-decent chance that it turns out to be a plot device to keep her around. But, um, what about Spellplague? This could actually be quite bad... And Artemis is a shade, so he still has a good five hundred years or so ahead of him at least... Wulfgar though is probably screwed, since we can't have too many people surviving, otherwise.. there are plenty of ways to keep him around. Wulfgar is probably the "dear friend" that's to die during the fall of Luskan. That's my bet, anyway. I wonder if Drizzt is going to move on to epic-ness. I'm somehow not too sure he's gonna reach that level. If you mean his influence in the world as compared to big names like Elminster, Alustriel, or Khelben, probably not. He's made himself a fine rep, and will continue to make it, if the reactions of the Triple-C are anything to go by, but I doubt he'll be particularly epic in his impact on the Realms. There's only so much one dark elf with a fetish for enchanted scimitars can do, even with a Magical Bow of Infinite Ammunition.
Leon_Lionheart 10-09-07, 07:44 AM	I don't know, because we need to end the "cycle of violence". Monsters are people, too! Orcs are just being mixed up a bit, is all. We still have the Gruumsh fanatics and we still have the orcs that aren't part of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. And we still have goblins, orogs, ogrillons, bugbears...