Essential Eberron Novels? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Essential Eberron Novels?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
KrashKow
Apr 27, 2009 2:14:43 I recently got the wild hair to read me some Eberron novels. I dig the game world and figured I'd dive into the universe. So I go to see what novels are out there, and boy, there's a bunch, like 30-ish. Now, I'm not against reading all of 'em, but I was wondering if there were "essential" novels that move along an overarching storyline a'la the Battletech novels. Are there "spine" novels that are required reading, or is the whole series a grab bag of adventures? Is there an internal chronology? What order should they be read in? Are there particular novels that, while not essential from a storyline standpoint, should be read because they're just that good?
#2
fabius_maximus
Apr 27, 2009 5:48:25 Eberron novels don't move the timeline. And they are not considered canon.
#3
Nived
Apr 27, 2009 6:14:08 When the Eberron Campaign Setting 4th edition comes out the year will remain the same as the 3.5 ECS, 998yk, two years after the Treaty of Thronehold ended the Last War, four years after the Day of Mourning.

The novels serve as possibilities, not as a hard and fast canon for advancing the timeline.

That all being said there are a few novels that tie into each other. The authors throw in background references to other characters, most of the time its really really sutble and easy to miss. A goblin girl from the slums of Sharn is a minor character in both Keith Baker's City of Towers and Don Bassingwaite's (sp?) The Killing Song. These are generally easter eggs more than strong continuity.

There are a few series that have strong ties.
Characters from Don Bassingwaite's The Dragon Below Trilogy remain the main characters in his The Dhakaan Trilogy.

The anthology 'Tales of the Last War' has many stories that serve as preludes of side stories to various author's novel series, Jame Wyatt uses his short story in TotLW as a prelude for Claws of the Tiger, Keith's is a prelude for The Dreaming Dark Trilogy, Ed Bolme's is a prelude for The Orb of Xoriat, Paul Criley's isn't so much a prelude, but the character from his short story pops up in his The Night of Long Shadows.

That being said Tales isn't essential reading for any of those, in fact I read Tales after most of those books (and in some cases was printed afterward), they illuminate some backstory...

James Wyatt's series like to carry over into each other, from his tales short story, to the Claws of the Tiger one off, to the Draconic Prophecy Trilogy, but its again written in a way where you wouldn't be missing anythin if you didn't read the previous.

I will say the authors of the four books in the Inquisitives series seemed to get a kick out of throwing in references to each other's books. They are stand alone novels, thematically related. Still in Darkwood Mask you have the characters pass the characters from Bound by Iron on the street and such, none are called out by name, they're easter eggs, gotta be paying attention to catch the reference.
#4
Ashlock
Apr 27, 2009 14:48:45
Still in Darkwood Mask you have the characters pass the characters from Bound by Iron on the street and such, none are called out by name, they're easter eggs, gotta be paying attention to catch the reference.

You have a good eye, then, Nived. The two men encountering one another aren't the only crossovers between The Darkwood Mask and Bound By Iron, too. (The dwarf in Chapter 9 of TDM is intended to be the same one in Chapter 1 of BBI, for example. Note the day of each occurance.)

To stay on topic, I will say that Wyatt's Draconic Prophecy trilogy and Bassingthwaite's new Legacy of Dkakaan trilogy are the most akin to epic Eberron stories. (And the latter is best preceded by the Dragon Below trilogy, in my opinion.) But yes, they're all still officially non-canon. Sadly. ;)
#5
Nived
Apr 27, 2009 16:37:31 Dangit I don't remember catching the dwarf reference, looks like Darkwood is going back into my reading list.
#6
lyran
Apr 27, 2009 17:03:59 Well there are not really essentail Eberron, novels as was said above. But there are some staples. Things that, in my opinion, you have to read. One would be the Draconic Prophecy series. The Dreaming Dark triolgy is another. The Dragon Below is also good. I would recomend reading Tales of the Last War first, and then deside which short story you like the most. Then from their choose the Appropriate series. If you want an overarching story then you should first read James' SS in TotLW, from their go to Claws of the Tiger, and then the Draconic Prophecy trilogy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 KrashKow Apr 27, 2009 2:14:43	I recently got the wild hair to read me some Eberron novels. I dig the game world and figured I'd dive into the universe. So I go to see what novels are out there, and boy, there's a bunch, like 30-ish. Now, I'm not against reading all of 'em, but I was wondering if there were "essential" novels that move along an overarching storyline a'la the Battletech novels. Are there "spine" novels that are required reading, or is the whole series a grab bag of adventures? Is there an internal chronology? What order should they be read in? Are there particular novels that, while not essential from a storyline standpoint, should be read because they're just that good?
#2 fabius_maximus Apr 27, 2009 5:48:25	Eberron novels don't move the timeline. And they are not considered canon.
#3 Nived Apr 27, 2009 6:14:08	When the Eberron Campaign Setting 4th edition comes out the year will remain the same as the 3.5 ECS, 998yk, two years after the Treaty of Thronehold ended the Last War, four years after the Day of Mourning. The novels serve as possibilities, not as a hard and fast canon for advancing the timeline. That all being said there are a few novels that tie into each other. The authors throw in background references to other characters, most of the time its really really sutble and easy to miss. A goblin girl from the slums of Sharn is a minor character in both Keith Baker's City of Towers and Don Bassingwaite's (sp?) The Killing Song. These are generally easter eggs more than strong continuity. There are a few series that have strong ties. Characters from Don Bassingwaite's The Dragon Below Trilogy remain the main characters in his The Dhakaan Trilogy. The anthology 'Tales of the Last War' has many stories that serve as preludes of side stories to various author's novel series, Jame Wyatt uses his short story in TotLW as a prelude for Claws of the Tiger, Keith's is a prelude for The Dreaming Dark Trilogy, Ed Bolme's is a prelude for The Orb of Xoriat, Paul Criley's isn't so much a prelude, but the character from his short story pops up in his The Night of Long Shadows. That being said Tales isn't essential reading for any of those, in fact I read Tales after most of those books (and in some cases was printed afterward), they illuminate some backstory... James Wyatt's series like to carry over into each other, from his tales short story, to the Claws of the Tiger one off, to the Draconic Prophecy Trilogy, but its again written in a way where you wouldn't be missing anythin if you didn't read the previous. I will say the authors of the four books in the Inquisitives series seemed to get a kick out of throwing in references to each other's books. They are stand alone novels, thematically related. Still in Darkwood Mask you have the characters pass the characters from Bound by Iron on the street and such, none are called out by name, they're easter eggs, gotta be paying attention to catch the reference.
#4 Ashlock Apr 27, 2009 14:48:45	Still in Darkwood Mask you have the characters pass the characters from Bound by Iron on the street and such, none are called out by name, they're easter eggs, gotta be paying attention to catch the reference. You have a good eye, then, Nived. The two men encountering one another aren't the only crossovers between The Darkwood Mask and Bound By Iron, too. (The dwarf in Chapter 9 of TDM is intended to be the same one in Chapter 1 of BBI, for example. Note the day of each occurance.) To stay on topic, I will say that Wyatt's Draconic Prophecy trilogy and Bassingthwaite's new Legacy of Dkakaan trilogy are the most akin to epic Eberron stories. (And the latter is best preceded by the Dragon Below trilogy, in my opinion.) But yes, they're all still officially non-canon. Sadly. ;)
#5 Nived Apr 27, 2009 16:37:31	Dangit I don't remember catching the dwarf reference, looks like Darkwood is going back into my reading list.
#6 lyran Apr 27, 2009 17:03:59	Well there are not really essentail Eberron, novels as was said above. But there are some staples. Things that, in my opinion, you have to read. One would be the Draconic Prophecy series. The Dreaming Dark triolgy is another. The Dragon Below is also good. I would recomend reading Tales of the Last War first, and then deside which short story you like the most. Then from their choose the Appropriate series. If you want an overarching story then you should first read James' SS in TotLW, from their go to Claws of the Tiger, and then the Draconic Prophecy trilogy.