Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rauric 10-16-07, 02:15 PM	I read the 1st one and figured to not really bother with the rest? What happened in the final plotline?
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-16-07, 07:18 PM	I may get grilled for saying this, but... Read a synopsis of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, and you'll have the basic plot of this trilogy. Seriously.
Red_Wizard 10-16-07, 09:03 PM	No grilling, it is almost an exact copy. But that was what was intended, and for that it did a great job. Definitely one of Phil Athens best pieces.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-16-07, 09:24 PM	No grilling, it is almost an exact copy. But that was what was intended, and for that it did a great job. Definitely one of Phil Athens best pieces. I didn't care for the trilogy, on the whole. And I passionately hate a certain character in that series, so that colors my opinion even more.;)
MarkusTay63 10-16-07, 11:41 PM	Seriously, are any FR series good? I've enjoyed some of the one shots, but the series leave me pretty flat.
18DELTA 10-17-07, 12:02 AM	Seriously, are any FR series good? I've enjoyed some of the one shots, but the series leave me pretty flat. "The Erevis Cale" trilogy freakin rocked! His next trilogy is shaping up to be awesome! "The Twilight War" is what its called, the third book will be out in May 2008 "The Shadowrealm". Yeah its shadowcrap, but its shadowcrap covered in awesome FTW!:D
Fabius Maximus 10-17-07, 06:53 AM	"The Erevis Cale" trilogy freakin rocked! His next trilogy is shaping up to be awesome! "The Twilight War" is what its called, the third book will be out in May 2008 "The Shadowrealm". Yeah its shadowcrap, but its shadowcrap covered in awesome FTW!:D QFT. I wouldn't use the exact words, though. ;)
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-17-07, 10:35 AM	Indeed--if someone's gotta write about "shadowcrap", well, Paul S. Kemp does a great job.:)
MarkusTay63 10-17-07, 03:40 PM	Alright, already - I'm SOLD! I'll go to Borders today, for Chrisakes! I've never encountered this '100% exceptance, no complaints' about anything FR before! Sheesh! :rolleyes: :cool: ;)
18DELTA 10-17-07, 05:17 PM	That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!:D
MarkusTay63 10-18-07, 01:47 PM	Besides, I get to 'hang over' the young Oriental girls again. ;)
18DELTA 10-18-07, 02:35 PM	Besides, I get to 'hang over' the young Oriental girls again. ;) Can I tag along? Young Oriental girls gone wild! FTW!!!:D
ExtinctionBeta 10-18-07, 03:48 PM	"The Erevis Cale" trilogy freakin rocked! His next trilogy is shaping up to be awesome! "The Twilight War" is what its called, the third book will be out in May 2008 "The Shadowrealm". Yeah its shadowcrap, but its shadowcrap covered in awesome FTW!:D Because Cale will always prevail like Drizzt no matter what? In fantasy where good always triumphs over evil? Where indeed I do belive this is a fantasy novel for in the real world things don't always turn out for the best. If I were to ever play this RPG game this forum is based from, I would be a Paladin: Gauenteed to always win no matter if AO himself attacked me...for I am a good guy!;)
Neyvn 10-18-07, 05:21 PM	I guess I am one of those that doesn't really care what is written as long as it can hold my attention. I just like to read. I liked the Icewind Dale trilogy originally because I liked the action & I got into Artemis, not Drizzt. I also realized that as much as I wished it so Artemis wasn't going to win. He's the bad guy... but I made a decision to enjoy it for what it was not ruin it for myself. Just a thought.
Rauric 10-19-07, 01:25 AM	Because Cale will always prevail like Drizzt no matter what? In fantasy where good always triumphs over evil? Where indeed I do belive this is a fantasy novel for in the real world things don't always turn out for the best. If I were to ever play this RPG game this forum is based from, I would be a Paladin: Gauenteed to always win no matter if AO himself attacked me...for I am a good guy!;) Most protaginists come out on top in their books, especially fantasy novels. Nothing new with that concept.
Storm_Silverhand 10-19-07, 04:32 AM	Heya, Because Cale will always prevail like Drizzt no matter what? In fantasy where good always triumphs over evil? Where indeed I do belive this is a fantasy novel for in the real world things don't always turn out for the best. If I were to ever play this RPG game this forum is based from, I would be a Paladin: Gauenteed to always win no matter if AO himself attacked me...for I am a good guy!;) I wouldn't count on that. DMs can be vicious at times... and some of them make a point of aiming to kill the party. Personally, while I'm not that kind of DM, I don't shy away from giving the party true setbacks (though I do have the bad habit of getting attached to certain NPCs and finding myself unable to kill them, even if it would serve the plot best to do so). If you're looking for fiction where good doesn't always win, ExtinctionBeta, Forgotten Realms novels and short stories are probably not the best place to be looking.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-19-07, 12:04 PM	Storm, Rauric, don't waste your time. ExtinctionBeta has told us again and again what he wants, and no amount of explanation will dissuade him.
ExtinctionBeta 10-19-07, 12:07 PM	Storm, Rauric, don't waste your time. ExtinctionBeta has told us again and again what he wants, and no amount of explanation will dissuade him. Or perhaps none of you can sastify my answer I been seeking. I even look forward to trying DnD so I can hopefully turn things out the way I should seek it. I am sorry that you settle for so little and limit your imagination to a repeating process of novels. I intend to read much more other than FR...this is just a checkpoint for me. A job that pays the bills and barely gets you by would be sufficent...but would you not want one that could afford you a car and other luxarys eventually? I am not as close minded as you think, and I do not think you are as well...at least I hope so..
Storm_Silverhand 10-19-07, 08:37 PM	Heya, Or perhaps none of you can sastify my answer I been seeking. I even look forward to trying DnD so I can hopefully turn things out the way I should seek it. I am sorry that you settle for so little and limit your imagination to a repeating process of novels. I intend to read much more other than FR...this is just a checkpoint for me. A job that pays the bills and barely gets you by would be sufficent...but would you not want one that could afford you a car and other luxarys eventually? I am not as close minded as you think, and I do not think you are as well...at least I hope so.. From the point of view of a writer (and no offense intended to anyone who has ever written or will ever write a Realms novel or short story - I write this kind of stuff as well), the novels of the Forgotten Realms are pretty pulpy. You're not going to find the heights of literature within their pages... Not even Salvatore, despite his consistent appearance on the Bestsellers list (which only means his novels are popular, not that they're works of literary genius). No wonder you're not satisfied with Realms novels. As I advised you, you should look elsewhere for what you want. Literature is full of novels where good guys aren't exactly good, or if they are, where bad guys often get the upper hand. Yes, life is full of shades of grey, I heartily agree with you. But novels don't necessarily have to follow suit. But Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy world, where there are distinct rules about what is Good and what is Evil, what is Law and what is Chaos. It is not quite black and white, but by the same token, it only has a few shades of grey and not the whole spectrum, if you catch my drift. This is why Realms novels will probably never provide what you're looking for. Unfortunately, I don't really have any recommendations for you. I tend to avoid reading about bad guys winning - when I read, I'm reading to escape what I face every day... Some people, of which you are obviously one, are different... But whatever floats your boat. :)
GothicDan 10-20-07, 05:40 PM	The protagonist (NOT 'Good guy' - for all of your pedantry, Beta, your frequent overuse of this term just seems ironic) always wins in the end of every major literary work I can think of. This does not mean that he or she always lives happily ever after, however. To read a novel, or series, building up to an event, often following them for years, only to be completely and utterly let down in the end, would make readers feel as if they've lost countless hours of attention and emotional intrigue. I read fiction only for pleasure, for aesthetic appeal. If I want philosophy or otherwise added depth, I read nonfiction. Of course, not many people seem to be able to (or like to) delineate things as clearly as I do - just like I'd never want the parts of the Realms I've changed or liked the most to be highlighted above others in lore, or the way that I still wish they hadn't added on the TSR-analogues despite my love of Egypt, Rome, Greece, and the Celts and Teutons.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-20-07, 10:36 PM	For what it's worth, I think the Erevis Cale books do a good job of presenting protagonists who aren't particularly good, and the antagonists get the upper hand fairly often. But ExtinctionBeta doesn't seem to care for those, either, going by his posts. While I'm not fond of the Watercourse Trilogy (subject of this topic!), I can attest that there are few purely good characters there, as well.
ExtinctionBeta 10-21-07, 12:55 PM	For what it's worth, I think the Erevis Cale books do a good job of presenting protagonists who aren't particularly good, and the antagonists get the upper hand fairly often. But ExtinctionBeta doesn't seem to care for those, either, going by his posts. While I'm not fond of the Watercourse Trilogy (subject of this topic!), I can attest that there are few purely good characters there, as well. And as of the Twlight War series what is Evris Cale now? What is his allignment? He would give his life for anyone in need. So let's say he at one point kicked ass and took names. Once again, just like Artemis...he starts to turn good. Yes, there is reasons...the flute....Jacks promise...all excuses for good guys to win in the end. But Rinonalyrna Fathomlin doesn't care for reading into future novels of the characters to understand their new persepctive. So it goes..
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 10-21-07, 06:44 PM	:rolleye2: Whatever you say.
Zsych 10-22-07, 03:13 AM	I thought the Clerical Quintet was quite decent as well. Elaine Cunningham's books are typically good. The whole transformation of Lloth sequence(forget the name of the series) wasn't bad either. ... I didn't like any of the Netheril novels(including RotA) And the current series focussed on Thay, starting with Unclean shows some promise. Interesting things may be happening in Thay. I hope though, that its not this war that leaves Thay destroyed(although that being the case would probably cause groups of Red Wizards to spread out into Faerun possibly causing an increase in magic everywhere, which I think might be a good thing... in a hundred years :))
ExtinctionBeta 10-22-07, 12:58 PM	I thought the Clerical Quintet was quite decent as well. Elaine Cunningham's books are typically good. The whole transformation of Lloth sequence(forget the name of the series) wasn't bad either. ... I didn't like any of the Netheril novels(including RotA) And the current series focussed on Thay, starting with Unclean shows some promise. Interesting things may be happening in Thay. I hope though, that its not this war that leaves Thay destroyed(although that being the case would probably cause groups of Red Wizards to spread out into Faerun possibly causing an increase in magic everywhere, which I think might be a good thing... in a hundred years :)) Yes, especially when you have everyone backstabbing each other in that novel. A personal question though, do you think the king that destroyed his kingdom was origianlly Sazz Tam? The story told when Mirror 1st appeared as a character.
Rauric 10-22-07, 01:11 PM	Stop hijacking the thread. Ask your mom for a hug or something.
ExtinctionBeta 10-22-07, 02:14 PM	Stop hijacking the thread. Ask your mom for a hug or something. Excuse me? Does everyone see this? Have I made my point clear? I ask about a novel and look what I get? I almost felt like reporting it, but I remembered my princaples and I rather work out the conflict with somone else rather than through a moderator.