Tethtoril's Bookshelf

Shadowdale
The Avatar Trilogy - Book 1

TSR Code:

 8472 8472.jpg (32289 bytes)
Product Type: Novel
ISBN Number: 1-88038-730-0
Author: Richard Awlinson
Cover Artist: Jeff Easley
Release Date: 1989
Format: Paperback book (335 pages).
Description:
The text below is taken from a description by TSR on the reverse of the actual product:

'The gods walk the Realms.  Banished from the heavens, they now roam the world, from Tantras to far-off Waterdeep, seeking to regain their full powers.  Malevolent Bane, power-hungry Mystra, and Helm, guardian of the heavens, all know the lost Tablets of Fate are the key.
Possessing a mysterious amulet, four heroes, desperate to escape the dark elements of their pasts, find themselves drawn into this high-level power struggle, sought after by the fallen deities and their minions.
But time is running out for the heroes - and the Realms.  Caught in the crossfire, nature itself revolts: strange, deadly creatures stalk the land, and even magic becomes unpredictable.  The heroes must find the sage Elminster, the only mortal who may know the secret of the tablets.  And the search begins in Shadowdale'.

Other titles in the Avatar Trilogy:

See the rereleased Shadowdale novel for 2003.

See also the Shadowdale adventure (Part 1 of the Avatar Adventure Trilogy).

Reviews:
By: Brett Franklin Date: 12-July-1999
Rating: GoodGoodGood
 The Avatar trilogy as a whole wasnt written with any special style - it was well written in some parts , others very poorly - yet it is the fact that these books contain events that are so fundamental in the Forgotten Realms world that makes them must-reads. Forever after the Time of Troubles is used as a reference point and is mentioned in most other FR novels.

Shadowdale is written fairly well , with a good climax at the end in the battle of Shadowdale.

Also shown was a good detailed map of Shadowdale.

All the characters were well thought out and although there wasnt much to Adon I thought his situation was accurate.

Cover - Poor , poor , poor. I dont know why they had the picture in a little box (the TSR rerelease uses the whole cover) but it didnt work. And the four in the picture dont look anything like the four in the story!
Reviews:
By: Elric Date: 19-February-2006
Rating: GoodGood
 

Time of Troubles is a legend for those who hadn't read the original story. You hear or read about it in other tales and it sounds legendary.

But in fact it is not as it seems from the outside. Sadly, the beginning of the original Time of Troubles story is written poorly as the rest of the series. It is a whole dissapointment for me. The scenario may be good, but mounting it is terrible. Also the dialogues of the characters are poorly written.

How should Midnight speak to Lord Ao like this?

Shadowdale and the rest of the series is only readable if you're really interested in the Forgotten Realms history.

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