*SPOILERS*
I confess, it's been a very long time since I've read the Shandril Saga or any other early Ed fiction so I don't actually remember if the Knights of Myth Drannor were nearly so entertaining as they were in this book. Personally, I'd very much want to read further adventures of Pennae, Islif, and Jhessail. I'm not much of a Seven Sisters fan, but I absolutely love Ed's more down to Earth women (or down to Toril in this case).
I want to, first of all, thank Ed Greenwood for the fact that he included an introduction to the Knights characters before the Prologue. Ed has such a wonderful and diverse cast of characters that a Dramatis Personae would have drastically helped me keep them all straight in-between books. This comes close and also phrases things in a very convincing manner.
Of all three books in the Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy, I have to say that this is my second favorite after the first. The first was such a wonderful introduction to High Cormyr that it's hard to top but this comes close with its straight forward but enjoyable plot that shows all of the characters growing into the heroes they will eventually become by 1st Edition Forgotten Realms. It is King Azoun before he died like Beowulf, it is Alusair before she wore the troubled brow of the kingdom, and Tanalasta is adorable (yet it only adds to her tragedy as you know how she ends).
Really, this is sadly a farewell song to the Old Forgotten Realms. It is a Forgotten Realms that was a much more innocent place. I won't complain about 4E or the changes in this thread (some were good, some weren't) but it's easy to say that this is the last book likely to be set in a more innocent age. It saddens me we'll never see a trilogy about Alusair developing into the man hungry adventurer and Tanalasta into the gigantic nerd that starts the Cormyr trilogy.
In this Forgotten Realms, the problems of the Kingdom of Cormyr are "fun" really. That's the only way I can really describe it. The Zhents are plotting their usual tricks, there's a house of Liches (LICHES!), and Manshoon the diabolical mastermind is working on a plot to wreck all of Cormyr but there's a sense that this is no more dangerous than one of Cobra Commander's plots. Ed Greenwood keeps things safely down to a James Bond level where the good guys will emerge victorious in the end. It's a warm and fuzzy feeling like coming home to a well loved stuffed animal from your childhood.
At 28, I don't often get that feeling.
The running sub-plot of this book is, oddly enough, Wizards of the Forgotten Realms (with a welcome appearance by the original "Wizard of the Coast" Khelben). Vangey must engage in a tug of war with the Crown Prince's daughters over how much to tell them and how much authority to give them. The best part of this is that neither side is really right. Alusair and Tanalasta really are nowhere near ready to assume the duties of the Realm's monarchs with the Obarskyr lineage depending on poor Vangey to play games that would make the Illuminati sick with their intrigues. Yet, we also see Vangey REALLY IS a manipulative so and so who probably thinks he should be King in all but name.
There's a wonderful character defining scene that I wish we had seen more of in the Old Realms because now there's no chance since Khelben is dead (he died heroically but he's quite alive in my Realms, suggesting that the Khelben who died was "Khelben the Younger" and he was off in Sigil at the time) and Elminster is no longer himself. Khelben wants to eliminate two extraordinarily powerful Zhent ghosts and considers the Knights of Myth Drannor to be expendable. Elminster bluntly states they're not because they deserve a chance to be heroes. THIS is why Elminster is Good and this is why Khelben is likeable but Neutral. The fact that Storm plays peacemaker with them also highlights the special role the Seven Sisters' "weaker" members play as the brokers of the male Chosen.
Another great sadness, we'll never see how Florin and Dove fell in love. Oh how many lost stories...
(I don't mean to get emotional but something about how this book ended up really tugs at the heart strings----the Knights of Myth Drannor's bright and glorious new future contrasted so sharply with the gloom and depression that we know awaits so many of its players)
A surprising quality of this book is also that it lacks much of Ed Greenwood's traditional "romp." Florin is practically celibate in this book and actually turns down an attempt by Pennae to seduce him (or what he takes to be one). That was bitterly disappointing as I was actually hoping for some romantic adventurers in this book but as far as I can tell, everyone was positively chaste (Filfaeril even gets interrupted from her romantic interludes with her husband). I think this is somewhat realistic since Lady Crownsilver, one of the first Knights of Myth Drannor to perish, still has her death haunting Florin. Still, it made for another hint at subtext that the innocence of the first books would continue gradually draining away as years passed.
Weirdly, I felt the most tragic and senseless moment of the book was the death of Lord Crownsilver. The man has lost his daughter, lost his wife, and in the end; dies unmourned in a horrific manner by people who could care less about him. The irony that he was never able to reconcile with Florin, who genuinely loved his daughter, is a surprisingly touching tragedy. I don't even consider him a villain since his desire to revenge himself on the Knights seems almost reasonable compared to the lunatic ambition and treachery of most nobles we see in this story. Let's hope that Myrkul doesn't judge him too harshly.
There's a lot of good material in this book for players who want to adventure in Cormyr. Vangey's pathological attempt to get rid of anyone who might befriend the Royal Family other than him leads him to effectively exile Dauntless and it's also the chief guiding reason that he attempts to exile the Knights. Effectively, doing services for the Crown and being their friend may be something that won't win any favors from the Royal Magician. Yet, also, it's Lasperra who reigns Vangers back in at the end.
But what really summarizes this book best is that it is a Coming of Age Saga coming to a close. All the major characters make great strides to becoming the Great Heroes that they will eventually be. Alusair makes contact with the Harpers and gains her first allies outside of the War Wizards, eventually setting up their position as an adventurer. The Knights are already seasoned adventurers now that have drastically curtailed the population of Liches in the Kingdom, and even the Oldest War Wizard of them all has learned a few new tricks.
So, Bravo Ed. You reminded me that happy endings still occur.
Plus I disagree that all pre-4E novels were warm & fuzzy and the villains were weak and ineffectual. The Night Parade's baddies were absolutley wretched Artemis and the Balor from Drizzt's novels did a pretty good job of maiming and screwing with the Companions for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the feeling you got from the novel was simply from how Ed writes. When I read a few of Ed's books I never felt like his characters were really in any trouble. When you have signature characters that you are known for it is tough to write perils for them that make the readers actually worried. I never fear for Drizzt, ever. His death is just never in the cards.
Anyway getting more info on Cormyr sounds like a decent reason for buying this book (in paperback).
On a sidenote, I liked those keystone cop escapades... much better escapist fantasy to me. Still literary drivel, but fun literary drivel nonetheless. :P
Hmmm... might have to reconsider picking this up in hardback actually.
I did, and I haven't regretted it. The book was joy from beginning to end. In one way I agree specifically with Charles Phipps. I think this is the last book we will see that retains the sense and feeling of whimsy that characterised many of the novels I enjoyed from the 3E era. Many, not all, Rauric.
On a sidenote, I liked those keystone cop escapades... much better escapist fantasy to me. Still literary drivel, but fun literary drivel nonetheless. :P
Which is the point, is it not? I mean this is D&D, people. We are able to accept many odd things about the game in the name of Having Fun, yet we don't apply the same logic to the novels?
I have read much that is considered "literature" both classic and modern... and a good 50% of the time I found them shallow in their pretensions. At least these works have no pretensions. They say "I am a bit of escapism to be consumed for fun!" :D
My favorite of his was El:MoM, which did not really feel lighthearted or whinsy at all. I knew he was going to win but it seemed different to me than his other books. El in Evermeet was similar IMO. Plus the villains in MoM actually succeeded at their villainy, at least for several years.
On the other hand I did not care for the Archwizards Trilogy or the Rage at all. The characters never felt human at all to me. At least the villains managed to seem damgerous at times and did actually do horrific things to earn the villain title. I still was not a fan of those titles either.
Hopefully someone can write a novel about an adventuring group that is similar to the Heros of the Lance wihtout them being too silly and tounge in cheek (like the Knights) but without being angsty and morose like Cale and Drizzt. That is what I am looking for in 09. It's going to be a tough order to fill though I believe.
And Manshoon gives a good showing in this novel. He even comments that he technically suceeded in most of his short term goals here.
I want to, first of all, thank Ed Greenwood for the fact that he included an introduction to the Knights characters before the Prologue. Ed has such a wonderful and diverse cast of characters that a Dramatis Personae would have drastically helped me keep them all straight in-between books. This comes close and also phrases things in a very convincing manner.
As I said on Candlekeep, I enjoyed the prologue myself (especially the style it was written in).
Plus the villains in MoM actually succeeded at their villainy, at least for several years.
Well, IIRC in Elminster in Myth Drannor Elminster wound up being the unwilling apprentice of another (wicked) mage for a good 20 years.
The Elaine Cunningham novels sound about your alley.
Good point. Any "victory" by the heroes in a Cunningham novel is always well earned and brings whole new meaning to "costly"... and "collateral damage".
Some of her descriptions I found a little stomach turning in their unflinching (without showboating) handling but I never wanted to put the book down afterwards (unlike, for example, George R. R. Martin or Robin Hobb).
The "Keystone Cop" accusation of the Zhents is offset by the fact that the Black Network is composed of people that still want sex, food, and make the occasional joke. They're a bunch of greedy fascists but they're still human. I think that makes them actually more enjoyable villains. No, our heroes are not endangered because they're just THAT good, but that doesn't mean the villains are incompetent either since they run roughshod over everyone else.
It's just that the Zhents corrupt by playing on the vanity and greed of others as much as they do random acts of evil like the Shades.