Edited by Phil Athans
-I was rereading one particular story to research something, and I wound up rereading the entire thing. So, here’s my review, having finished the book a lot more recently than the first time I read the entire thing, and a lot more fresh on my mind. Because this is a collection of short stories, I’m going to give a review of each story, and a final rating of the entire book.
-“Traitors”, by Richard Lee Byers, tied in to the Rage of the Dragon, in explaining how it came about. I liked this short story, as it gave an interesting look at what the ancient Dragon Baronies were like. I never liked the concept, I’ll admit, but having read this story a few times, in conjunction with AGHotR (the PDF), it’s grown on me a lot.
-“The Staff of Valmaxian”, by Phil Athans was a decent story. Honestly, though, it didn’t think it was anything great. It wasn’t really good, but at the same time, it wasn’t very bad either. It just was, though it certainly wasn’t “page filler”. It was a good, in-depth display of how much some Wizards will do for power, which was nice. The characters and dates could have all been swapped for Humans, and this is the part that dimishes the story for me, but it was a good one, all around.
-“Necessary Sacrifices”, by Lisa Smedman, tackles the age old “Can I kill an innocent child” debacle. The Shevarashans kill a bunch of Drow, find a child, one has a moral dilemma, that ‘old’ schpiel. While I know a lot of others who liked this story, I didn’t, really. To me, it’s very simple: These individuals are Clerics of Shevarash. They have enough faith in Shevarash and his dogma to go through with killing a Drow, children included. Clerics of Shevarash need not be good. I mean, I look at it like this: Put an incredibly sexy girl in front of a priest. Is he going to cave?
-“The Greater Treasure”, by Eric Scott De Bie, introduced everyone’s favorite Elven rogue, Fox-At-Twilight. While I have nothing against her, I’m not a big fan of hers. But, that’s besides the point. I enjoyed the Cult of Graz’zt- you don’t see Demon Cults taking antagonist roles in Forgotten Realms stories too much, so that was a nice touch. The betrayal of Cythara, at the end, was a very nice touch, though. Yldar was a good Sun Elf protagonist, though. You don’t see too many of those.
-“Comrades at Odds”, by R.A. Salvatore, I didn’t care for. I, like many others, am tiring of Drizzt. The parts with Tos’Un were probably the scenes I enjoyed the most. The scenes with the necromancy, with summoning the spirit of the slain Ellifain, I didn’t like. Elves don’t dabble in Necromancy. Summoning spirits and bringing the dead back, and all of that stuff is only done in the most dire of circumstances. To make poor Drizzt feel better, well, that’s not a dire circumstance.
-“Tears So White”, by Ed Greenwood, is another story that I’ve heard so many people as liking, but I, honestly, didn’t like it too much. I’ve come to realize that, while I like his setting, I don’t really like his writing too much. In this case, I don’t really know why this short story is in this anthology. It’s only tangentially related to Elves, and with Ed Greenwood’s ability to make up things that become canon, write (which he can do, though I don’t always enjoy it), and all of that, I thought that was a bad move, by him or Phil. I don’t like the Knights of Myth Drannor much, either, so that subtracted from my enjoyment of this story as well.
-“The Bladesinger’s Lesson”, by Rich Baker, was another story that I didn’t like too much. The main reason for that, though, is not Rich Baker’s writing, or anything, but my own prejudices. Daried the Bladesinger was a fine character, and the story itself was a good one. But, Half-Elves don’t deserve Moonblades. Arilyn Moonblade? Sure. Being a direct descendant of the Royal Family of Evermeet, however, hers is a different case, as opposed to Nilsa, a no-name farmer girl.
-So, anyway, after all of that, out of a possible Five Beholders, I give this short story collection four Beholders.
The Shevarash story was presented much like I viewed this bunch and pretty much in conjunction to Demihuman Deities. A good lecture to those thinking that FR elves are all of the goodly ilk.
(Speaking of which, Shevarash's priests were required to be either CG or CN.)
One of the best books of the Realms of - series that I have. Lots of lore as well as some insights into the elven character.
-That's why this anthology collection blew away most others that are out there. There's an ample amount of everything, for all of the different people who read the novels, for different reasons.
The Shevarash story was presented much like I viewed this bunch and pretty much in conjunction to Demihuman Deities. A good lecture to those thinking that FR elves are all of the goodly ilk.
(Speaking of which, Shevarash's priests were required to be either CG or CN.)
-Like I said, I didn't like that one very much. As I said in my original review, these people are Clerics of Shevarash. These aren't lay worshipers who can be wishy-washy. These are the hardcore guys that vow to never smile again. A Cleric's faith shouldn't be wavered by a single Drow kid, just like a Christian priest shouldn't suddenly want to forget his priestly vows when a beautiful woman starts flirting with him. It's that powerful bond to the deity that makes one want to serve them as a priest/priestess to begin with. I'd hope that it isn't THAT easy to break.
I do have one question though. You mentioned that you liked only three (and that's being generous) of the stories in there, yet gave the whole thing 4 out of 5. Just seems odd to me. Perhaps you could expand on that a little, tell us what made it so good?
I personally really enjoyed this anthology. Best one save Elaine's.
-Agreed.
I do have one question though. You mentioned that you liked only three (and that's being generous) of the stories in there, yet gave the whole thing 4 out of 5. Just seems odd to me. Perhaps you could expand on that a little, tell us what made it so good?
-While I personally liked only a select few of the short stories in the collection, as Zanan touched, and I agreed and expanded on, there's an ample amount of everything, for everyone. The stories all provide good reads, and lore. If you're reading the book for the stories, you won't feel bogged down with lore. If you're reading the book for the lore, you won't feel that they are meaningless stories. The book, as a whole, captures the optimum ratio.
-Like I said, I didn't like that one very much. As I said in my original review, these people are Clerics of Shevarash. These aren't lay worshipers who can be wishy-washy. These are the hardcore guys that vow to never smile again. A Cleric's faith shouldn't be wavered by a single Drow kid, just like a Christian priest shouldn't suddenly want to forget his priestly vows when a beautiful woman starts flirting with him. It's that powerful bond to the deity that makes one want to serve them as a priest/priestess to begin with. I'd hope that it isn't THAT easy to break.
Well, essentially, Shevarash's faith is much like Loviatar's. They do not evangelize, people come to them. And people coming to Shevarash's faiths are people on a mission. His dogma is clear enough and I can clearly envisage that his faith is solely constituted of people just like those described.
wasnt bad per say, elains. but i read it in a dragon mag. was better then, not when i read it in the book.
Well, essentially, Shevarash's faith is much like Loviatar's. They do not evangelize, people come to them. And people coming to Shevarash's faiths are people on a mission. His dogma is clear enough and I can clearly envisage that his faith is solely constituted of people just like those described.
-Right. That's why I found the ending too hard to believe. A "man on a mission" isn't suddenly going to fold under the pressure like that. So quickly, too.
-“Comrades at Odds”, by R.A. Salvatore, I didn’t care for. I, like many others, am tiring of Drizzt. The parts with Tos’Un were probably the scenes I enjoyed the most. The scenes with the necromancy, with summoning the spirit of the slain Ellifain, I didn’t like. Elves don’t dabble in Necromancy. Summoning spirits and bringing the dead back, and all of that stuff is only done in the most dire of circumstances. To make poor Drizzt feel better, well, that’s not a dire circumstance.
LOL, I had the same "issue" with that story, myself.
Nice reviews, thanks for posting them.
The Shevarash story was presented much like I viewed this bunch and pretty much in conjunction to Demihuman Deities. A good lecture to those thinking that FR elves are all of the goodly ilk.
That story rubbed me the wrong way mainly because it touched on the whole "everyone MUST have a deity!" can of worms. The author took that rule very literally--apparently, children who are simply too young to choose a god are cast out to the demons.
-Right. That's why I found the ending too hard to believe. A "man on a mission" isn't suddenly going to fold under the pressure like that. So quickly, too.
He was not a man on a mission, he's a man out for revenge. He'd just lost his wife and child, did he not? A bard or something? These tragedies affect people in different manners and not everyone can step over his/her own limits and suddenly start slaying children or the helpless. IMHO, it showed the diversity of how revenge can affect different people.
Rino ... yep. Then again, that's the way it is in the Realms. Not that different in the real world when e.g. in the middle ages people could not be buried within the boundaries of a cemetary as long as the region was excommunicated by the Pope. I take a more lax approach on this, something more Roman-like. People revere all or most deities of the Pantheons of Faerûn, not exactly one. Afterlife and all the "hypothetics" about this do not rule my games.
He was not a man on a mission, he's a man out for revenge. He'd just lost his wife and child, did he not? A bard or something? These tragedies affect people in different manners and not everyone can step over his/her own limits and suddenly start slaying children or the helpless. IMHO, it showed the diversity of how revenge can affect different people.
-And, again, this is a person who goes out and associates with Shevarashans (I made that word up), to hunt and kill Drow. This is a person who is going "above and beyond" to act on his emotions, to get his revenge. It's hard to believe that a single, no-name Drow kid is going to suddenly erase all of that from the proverbial chalkboard. The more famous Nazi hunters, such as Simon Wiesenthal, those guys have dedicated years and years for their proverbial revenge. I can't recall hearing any stories about how wanted Nazi's were taken pity on by those who were hunting them, and let go. Different circumstances, but the same emotions involved, more or less.
Shevarashan is quite right.
Shevarashan is quite right.
-Was it? I didn't look, but it didn't feel quite right when I wrote it.
Rino ... yep. Then again, that's the way it is in the Realms. Not that different in the real world when e.g. in the middle ages people could not be buried within the boundaries of a cemetary as long as the region was excommunicated by the Pope.
Well, with all due respect I see a huge difference--the gods of Realms are known to exist within the setting for a fact, and can thus be held directly accountable (by the reader, if no one else) for how they act and how they treat their mortal followers. With regards to your example, I don't think there's any empirical evidence that supernatural forces were at work (ie. angels guarding cemeteries with flaming swords) in addition to human-created social forces.
I take a more lax approach on this, something more Roman-like. People revere all or most deities of the Pantheons of Faerûn, not exactly one. Afterlife and all the "hypothetics" about this do not rule my games.
That's pretty much exactly my opinion on the issue.
That's pretty much exactly my opinion on the issue.
And afaik pretty much Ed's. At least the part with the polytheistic attitude of the faerunians. ;)
And afaik pretty much Ed's. At least the part with the polytheistic attitude of the faerunians. ;)
Agreed.
For what it's worth, he's been asked about this specific issue (ie. babies being punished for not "having a deity"), and he said that souls aren't punished for choices they were unable to make.