In the near future (which I would say this time next year), is there a plan to have more hardcover books in the realms?
I would like to get another Artemis book (tired of reading about Drizzt). Maybe even Jaraxle and his rhyming dwarf friend.
I haven't finished Lisa Smedman series so I don't know if we need another update on Menzoberranzan's and Baenre clan. With that said I would very much like another Elaine Cunningham work on the subject as well. The Daughter of the Drow is a great series.
Not all the way through the Elminster series to find out if there could be more written.
I did pick up Richard Baker's book but that is currently behind other books currently. (I rather have hardcover than softcover so I have to pick them up when they come out).
As in the past you weren't able to comment on the novels as per the subject (good/bad, did this or that, etc). This is more about will there be more books.
There are MANY novels planned (and I assume thats what you meant by 'hardcover?), but only a few have anything to do with the current (past) plots in the Realms.
Jarlaxle is probably still alive, but Athrogate and Artemis are only 'maybes' (although I can't see RAS ditching Artemis yet). However, any new Drizzt novels will take place in the new setting, so they will probably have very little to do with 'current' events.
Artemis left Jaraxle and Athrogate when he road off. So all 3 are still alive.
Or you mean since they will advance the timeline by 100 years? Athrogate is pushing it unless dwarves can live to be over 400. He left his homeland over 300 some years ago.
Artemis has almost an immortal timespan being a "shade".
Although there are Dwarves in canon that have lived past 600, but thats like a human living to 112 - possible, but highly improbable.
Some of the designers are writing novels set in the past (pre-Spellplague), but AFAIK, the novel-only contributors are all writing for the 'New Realms' (post-1479).
Like Richard Bakers's Swordmage? Salvatore's Orc King/Pirate King? Even Salvatore has 2 new ones that are coming out the Stowaway and the Reader's Guide to the Legend of Drizzt.
So basically how do you know on the fly? Since they don't normally list the timelines like they do for Star Wars books. Or for that matter, Dragonlance.
How would you know if the story is pre SP or post?
You'll find most of the authors who visit either here or at Candlekeep will usually be able to inform readers whether their upcoming novels will take place either before or after the Spellplague. Such as Erik Scott de Bie's recent announcement about Downshadow for example, whereupon he told us that it will be set in the 4e Realms.
Kinda like what Star Wars does with its novels. Basically running 6 time lines at once.
In the near future (which I would say this time next year), is there a plan to have more hardcover books in the realms?
The Blades of the Moonsea series is hardcover--don't know about any others.
I would like to get another Artemis book (tired of reading about Drizzt). Maybe even Jaraxle and his rhyming dwarf friend.
Could happen, but I got the impression that Road of the Patriach was Entreri's "last hurrah". After all, one promo blurb I read described it as his "swansong".
I haven't finished Lisa Smedman series so I don't know if we need another update on Menzoberranzan's and Baenre clan. With that said I would very much like another Elaine Cunningham work on the subject as well.
Only if WotC wants that to happen.
Will they be able to write stories before the Spellplague?
If WotC wants them to.
The focus will be on the "here and now", though, rather than stories set in the past (otherwise why even bother to move the timeline forward?*).*Disclaimer: I am not saying I liked this decision.
Will they be able to write stories before the Spellplague?
That depends upon the decisions made by WotC.
Certainly, there is still one pre-Spellplague novel to come. Ed's The Sword Never Sleeps -- the final book of his "Knight of Myth Drannor" trilogy.
I WotC wants them to.
*Disclaimer: I am not saying I liked this decision.
It works very nicely with Star Wars and they have 6 eras.
and 'Drizzty'. :rolleyes-why set the timeline forward if they are going to push the same cast of 'Pre-Spellplague characters? ;)
-I doubt that Cale will be around in the 4E Realms.
-Maybe his child.
18DELTA ;)
It works very nicely with Star Wars and they have 6 eras.
Star Wars novelisation is DelRey and LFL and not WoTC. The people of Wizards have only the SW RPG in mind and nothing else. The more profitable thing of the novels is a complete other company. And they can do what they want. And IMHO it does not work very well. There are too much inconsistencies even between the PT Era and the classical SW Era and much more between the things Post-Endor and the rest. The PC Games created other problems too and that is another Era and now they've created a lot boring shi... with the Legacy. No thanks its better, when they take it serious and go one step after the other. So every author knows what happened before, can use it and have to stick with it and not produce some in betweens which contradicts other stories.
It works very nicely with Star Wars and they have 6 eras.
So tell that to WotC, then. They are making the desicions, here.
However, certain people on the design team have a special 'pass' to write novels in that 'forbidden' century, so obviously it is reserved for a certain 'old boy's club' of insiders. Ras, Elaine, and Ed are not in that 'Kewl club', so they only get to play in the Spellpuke era. ;)
Star Wars is a strory - or rather a series of stories - and there is no 'vested interest' by anyone with their own agenda (except, perhaps, George Lucas). WotC novels generate LOTS of side-income for those people on '"the inside", and thats where most - if not all -these decisions are coming from.
The Realms are alive because THEY still need it (summer-home payments, ya know?), NOT because we want it, so we would do well to remember that when we ask ourselves why they didn't just go ahead and create a brand-new POL setting for 4th edition.
I'm starting to get disgusted again....
Star Wars novelisation is DelRey and LFL and not WoTC. The people of Wizards have only the SW RPG in mind and nothing else. The more profitable thing of the novels is a complete other company. And they can do what they want. And IMHO it does not work very well. There are too much inconsistencies even between the PT Era and the classical SW Era and much more between the things Post-Endor and the rest. The PC Games created other problems too and that is another Era and now they've created a lot boring shi... with the Legacy. No thanks its better, when they take it serious and go one step after the other. So every author knows what happened before, can use it and have to stick with it and not produce some in betweens which contradicts other stories.
I don't know how you think there is inconsistencies in the eras with Star Wars...
Sith
Prequel
Classic
New Republic
New Jedi Order
Legacy
That way if you like reading about certain characters or era's you stay in that time line. What I don't really care for is the Prequel era - WAY too much written around the Clone Wars time. I didn't care for that movie at all. At least RAS wrote the book (Attack of the Clones).
-I think WotC is wanting to use a 'new' set of heroes for 4E.(With the exception of 'El'
-why set the timeline forward if they are going to push the same cast of 'Pre-Spellplague characters? ;)
-I doubt that Cale will be around in the 4E Realms.
-Maybe his child.
18DELTA ;)
As long as I get another series with Artemis I will be happy. I could care less if there is another printed word that involves Drizzt again (unless he is almost dying again to Artemis)
I don't know how you think there is inconsistencies in the eras with Star Wars...
Sith
Prequel
Classic
New Republic
New Jedi Order
Legacy
That way if you like reading about certain characters or era's you stay in that time line. What I don't really care for is the Prequel era - WAY too much written around the Clone Wars time. I didn't care for that movie at all. At least RAS wrote the book (Attack of the Clones).
The inconsistencies are from character development... Unlike the realms which, for the most part, allow an author to create and develop their own characters, Star Wars keeps going back to the same core group of characters, and each author has a hand in developing them. This has led to the same character having completely different personality traits because author A wanted to emphasize them one way, and author B wanted to do it another way. The same thing happens when a Realms writer (RAS has done it the most) tries to write about anothers creation (Alustriel in the Drizzt books is much different than she is in Ed's books). I stopped reading star wars books several years ago, because I got tired of them keep trying to find ways to write about characters who's story was told A Long Time Ago.
Not bad taken each unto itself, but I had a VERY hard time believing they were the same group from book to book.
I know Drow are chaotic, but those guys should have been on Bi-Polar meds....
A learned an important lesson - never, EVER read a series written by more then one author, unless it involves different characters or at the very least, different time periods.
I don't know how you think there is inconsistencies in the eras with Star Wars...
Sith
Prequel
Classic
New Republic
New Jedi Order
Legacy
That way if you like reading about certain characters or era's you stay in that time line. What I don't really care for is the Prequel era - WAY too much written around the Clone Wars time. I didn't care for that movie at all. At least RAS wrote the book (Attack of the Clones).
Officially, there are only six SW Eras:- The Old Republic Era (25,000-1000 BBY), the Rise of the Empire Era (1000-0 BBY), the Rebellion Era (0-4 ABY), the New Republic Era (4-25 ABY), the NJO Era (25-40 ABY) and the Legacy Era (40-100+ ABY).
Here's Leland Chee's official breakdown:- http://blogs.starwars.com/holocron/24
A learned an important lesson - never, EVER read a series written by more then one author, unless it involves different characters or at the very least, different time periods.
-Also, another lesson learned in the same book series: Drow cannot have friends. ;)
-Also, another lesson learned in the same book series: Drow cannot have friends. ;)
I learned that from Homeland
In the near future (which I would say this time next year), is there a plan to have more hardcover books in the realms?
-The books that are written by "major" authors, that WotC wants to 'hype', they'll be hardcover. That's how it always goes.
As in the past you weren't able to comment on the novels as per the subject (good/bad, did this or that, etc).
-This rule no longer applies. ;)
The inconsistencies are from character development... Unlike the realms which, for the most part, allow an author to create and develop their own characters, Star Wars keeps going back to the same core group of characters, and each author has a hand in developing them. This has led to the same character having completely different personality traits because author A wanted to emphasize them one way, and author B wanted to do it another way. The same thing happens when a Realms writer (RAS has done it the most) tries to write about anothers creation (Alustriel in the Drizzt books is much different than she is in Ed's books). I stopped reading star wars books several years ago, because I got tired of them keep trying to find ways to write about characters who's story was told A Long Time Ago.
Thats what I meant, and not only are there problems with the characters. There exist lots of more with the stories and the background itself (for example Leia's strange memories of her mother, well I could not remember pictures imediatly after i came out of my mother
). The design, the weapons (sometimes the lightsaber does need to be recharged, then not, and so on, sometimes a stardestroyer is a huge and nearly undestroyable monster, then yu could even blast a Superstardestroyer easily, etc.). And then the stupid mandos, hey where did they came from in the Legacy era? Huh, they were dead, extinct, never heard of since decades, and now they are sooooooo strong as they have been long ago, only because a certain author loves this stupid bullminded superfighters and must write them everywhere in.I learned that from Homeland
-The War of the Spider Queen series remind you. Again and again. And again.
-The War of the Spider Queen series remind you. Again and again. And again.
True that, that's why when a fellow player brings a Drow character to the table, I always make sure to take them out before they can get me.
True that, that's why when a fellow player brings a Drow character to the table, I always make sure to take them out before they can get me.
-G-d, I'd never want to play with any of you people, if that's how you all behave.
And I'm the Gamemaster.
Pesky little nuisances - should just stay underground, waiting for adventurers, where they belong.
I always find that some in party conflict makes the game even more fun. Think about your co-workers (for those of us forced to earn a living) you may cooperate with them to get a job done, but there is always politics and drama going on. Sometimes we find we can't even cooperate with the people we work with. So why should an adventuring party be any different?
-I've never had party conflict before, really. Had some in one campaign, but it was all the way at the end, when things were going to hell (in the campaign) to begin with. The two or three times I've purposely tried to play characters that don't "automatically" trust/like/etc. their fellow party members, I was labeled as a bad player, and banned from playing D&D with them for like a half a year.