D&D Novels - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

D&D Novels

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Oct 09, 2005 0:39:45 I've been picking up the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance Novels for years at the donation library bookstore.....I am aware that they are chronological but can I jump in or do I have to collect all 50+ books and find the proper order...or should I effing get rid of them as I have no idea what to do w/ them...........aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#2
zombiegleemax
Oct 09, 2005 16:50:17 Well, if you can find the Gygax Gord novels, read them first!
#3
caeruleus
Oct 09, 2005 23:16:22 Go to the Dragonlance boards, then to the sticky on Dragonlance FAQs, which includes a link to where you can find a recommended reading order for the DL novels.
#4
havard
Oct 10, 2005 6:05:55
I've been picking up the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance Novels for years at the donation library bookstore.....I am aware that they are chronological but can I jump in or do I have to collect all 50+ books and find the proper order...or should I effing get rid of them as I have no idea what to do w/ them...........aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a general rule, you can start with any one novel you want. Its obviously not a good idea to begin with book three of a trilogy, but other than that, it shouldnt matter too much. With DL I'd concentrate on the works by Hickman&Weis, Chronicles or Legends are probably the best triolgies to begin with.

I'm not an expert on the FR novels, but the RA Salvatore ones seem to be the ones most worth reading, perhaps beginning with the Icewind Dale trilogy is a good idea.

For Mystara novels, I'd recommend starting with the Dragonlord Trilogy, though the Black Vessel and Dark Knight of Karameikos are also both decent novels.

Håvard
#5
borrowed_thyme
Oct 15, 2005 8:28:15 I agree with Gutb0yBarrelh0use; read the Gord the Rogue books first if you get the chance, especially if you've ever played the greyhawk setting. I think I've probably read more 2nd and 3rd books in trilogies than whole series...
#6
zombiegleemax
Oct 20, 2005 16:16:21 For FR, I'd recommend the Cleric Quintet (also by Salvatore) and maybe the Elminster books. A lot of DL trils are stand alone, so you can read them in any order. Villains and Warriors are both tied to Chronicles, so you should definitely start there.

WARNING! There is a strong opinion amongst DL fans that the 5th Age Novels (starting with Rabe's tril) SUCK. I don't think so, but they're not my favs either.

Oggie
#7
zombiegleemax
Oct 21, 2005 21:20:20 In Dragonlance start with the Chronicles and then move onto Legends, that's the best place to start i'd say, at least it was for me.
And in the Realms, honestly start anywhere. It's so diverse and so spread out that lots of seperate novels have absolutely nothing to do with one another. But the Elminster series would be a good place, and the Cleric Quintet. Oh, and Halls of Stormweather and the Erevis Cale Trilogy are awesome....
#8
solaris
Oct 22, 2005 22:52:02
In Dragonlance start with the Chronicles and then move onto Legends, that's the best place to start i'd say

I can't agree strongly enough, and I'd also suggest stopping there. Those were the first books written, and after them it wasn't very long before the series degenerated into a morass of what amounted to mass-produced "official" fan-fiction drivel. In my opinion, of course.
#9
zombiegleemax
Oct 22, 2005 23:04:46 I've actually read very little DL beyond what I mentioned above, however I have it on pretty good authority that anything written by Weis and Hickman is great.
#10
solaris
Oct 23, 2005 5:33:02 I'd believe that anything written by Weis and Hickman is better than the rest, but that's the problem: most of the eighteen billion books that followed weren't.
#11
havard
Oct 23, 2005 10:15:11
I'd believe that anything written by Weis and Hickman is better than the rest, but that's the problem: most of the eighteen billion books that followed weren't.

Alot of them weren't so good yeah, but there are other books than the W&H ones that are decent too. I liked the Richard Knaak ones for instance...

I read all of the OD&D/Mystara ones too, not neccesarily because they were great, but because they offered some details for the setting that wasnt covered elsewhere. It had to be tweaked though.

Håvard

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Oct 09, 2005 0:39:45	I've been picking up the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance Novels for years at the donation library bookstore.....I am aware that they are chronological but can I jump in or do I have to collect all 50+ books and find the proper order...or should I effing get rid of them as I have no idea what to do w/ them...........aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#2 zombiegleemax Oct 09, 2005 16:50:17	Well, if you can find the Gygax Gord novels, read them first!
#3 caeruleus Oct 09, 2005 23:16:22	Go to the Dragonlance boards, then to the sticky on Dragonlance FAQs, which includes a link to where you can find a recommended reading order for the DL novels.
#4 havard Oct 10, 2005 6:05:55	I've been picking up the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance Novels for years at the donation library bookstore.....I am aware that they are chronological but can I jump in or do I have to collect all 50+ books and find the proper order...or should I effing get rid of them as I have no idea what to do w/ them...........aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a general rule, you can start with any one novel you want. Its obviously not a good idea to begin with book three of a trilogy, but other than that, it shouldnt matter too much. With DL I'd concentrate on the works by Hickman&Weis, Chronicles or Legends are probably the best triolgies to begin with. I'm not an expert on the FR novels, but the RA Salvatore ones seem to be the ones most worth reading, perhaps beginning with the Icewind Dale trilogy is a good idea. For Mystara novels, I'd recommend starting with the Dragonlord Trilogy, though the Black Vessel and Dark Knight of Karameikos are also both decent novels. Håvard
#5 borrowed_thyme Oct 15, 2005 8:28:15	I agree with Gutb0yBarrelh0use; read the Gord the Rogue books first if you get the chance, especially if you've ever played the greyhawk setting. I think I've probably read more 2nd and 3rd books in trilogies than whole series...
#6 zombiegleemax Oct 20, 2005 16:16:21	For FR, I'd recommend the Cleric Quintet (also by Salvatore) and maybe the Elminster books. A lot of DL trils are stand alone, so you can read them in any order. Villains and Warriors are both tied to Chronicles, so you should definitely start there. WARNING! There is a strong opinion amongst DL fans that the 5th Age Novels (starting with Rabe's tril) SUCK. I don't think so, but they're not my favs either. Oggie
#7 zombiegleemax Oct 21, 2005 21:20:20	In Dragonlance start with the Chronicles and then move onto Legends, that's the best place to start i'd say, at least it was for me. And in the Realms, honestly start anywhere. It's so diverse and so spread out that lots of seperate novels have absolutely nothing to do with one another. But the Elminster series would be a good place, and the Cleric Quintet. Oh, and Halls of Stormweather and the Erevis Cale Trilogy are awesome....
#8 solaris Oct 22, 2005 22:52:02	In Dragonlance start with the Chronicles and then move onto Legends, that's the best place to start i'd say I can't agree strongly enough, and I'd also suggest stopping there. Those were the first books written, and after them it wasn't very long before the series degenerated into a morass of what amounted to mass-produced "official" fan-fiction drivel. In my opinion, of course.
#9 zombiegleemax Oct 22, 2005 23:04:46	I've actually read very little DL beyond what I mentioned above, however I have it on pretty good authority that anything written by Weis and Hickman is great.
#10 solaris Oct 23, 2005 5:33:02	I'd believe that anything written by Weis and Hickman is better than the rest, but that's the problem: most of the eighteen billion books that followed weren't.
#11 havard Oct 23, 2005 10:15:11	I'd believe that anything written by Weis and Hickman is better than the rest, but that's the problem: most of the eighteen billion books that followed weren't. Alot of them weren't so good yeah, but there are other books than the W&H ones that are decent too. I liked the Richard Knaak ones for instance... I read all of the OD&D/Mystara ones too, not neccesarily because they were great, but because they offered some details for the setting that wasnt covered elsewhere. It had to be tweaked though. Håvard