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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
 Posted - 07 May 2014 : 18:09:09
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SAVING THE WORLD: My Review of THE HERALD
by The Hooded One
Well met, indeed. Book finished, big happy smile, and set carefully aside to read again soon. To savor and to let some things sink in. Oh, and for the impatient: Two thumbs way, way up.
Let me share two caveats: 1. Very Mild SPOILERS. I'm trying my darndest not to ruin the book for anyone, but it's hard to properly review something, even lightly rather than in academic style, without spilling SOME beans.
2. For years, I've been a player in Ed's own, "home" Realms campaign. That inevitably colors what I say, because I can immerse myself in the Realms and have done so often, with Ed painting word-pictures masterfully to help me. I don't think that's a conflict of interest or disqualifies me from reviewing THE HERALD or any other Realms writing from Ed, because every single player or DM who's adventured in the Realms will have their own feel for the Realms. My only difference from most fans is that I can very easily fool myself into thinking I "really know" the "real" Realms, in part because Ed keeps stressing how much of a part we his players play, in making the Realms come alive. So I have strong opinions on when something feels like "the" Realms (when I really mean "my" Realms). Sound familiar? ;}
So, to the tome at hand . . .
THE HERALD. Handsome cover, with a determined-looking Elminster, staff and battered hat and all, striding towards us. On the way to Getting Things Done. Good. One side of the old sage captured well.
The sixth and final book of The Sundering, which is a time of great tumult across the Realms as the worlds of Abeir and Toril pull apart, geography changes one last time (er, let us hope it's the last time), armies clash and every god vies for power by endowing scores of Chosen and trying to use them to arrange the Realms the way they want it...
And Elminster tries to pick up the pieces and fix things for us all, one more time.
You'd think he'd be beyond tired of doing this by now, and he is, but in Ed's hands, the once more into the breaches fight doesn't seem tired. Thank goodness.
Ed is often underrated as a fantasy writer, in part because he makes it all seem so easy, and keeps it all down on the personal, characters slanging each other level, so the reader is looking over the shoulders of people getting sweaty and dirty in the thick of things. He does that again in this book, even though the cast of characters includes some real heavyweights. Yes, gods show up, though not in such a way as to overshadow the mortals, just leave the reader awed or delighted.
But this isn't a book about the gods clashing directly. Rather, it's a book about mortals trying to stay alive in the thick of things, and win out over other mortals - - sometimes on behalf of the gods, and sometimes for themselves.
The book opens with some nobles of Cormyr being their usual overblown opinionated selves, gossiping about the chaos of the Sundering. As our old favorite Mirt eavesdrops from a dark corner of the club . . . and a certain Manshoon shows up.
But this book isn't about them. Like the reader, they're watchers from the sidelines. Ed whisks us away from them to Elminster, Storm Silverhand, and Amarune (Elminster's chosen successor, or should that be "Chosen successor," she won't be familiar to anyone who hasn't read the Sage of Shadowdale trilogy, nor will her husband Lord Arclath Delcastle, who always reminds me of Elaine Cunningham's Danilo Thann - - but you can still enjoy THE HERALD without reading Ed's previous three books, though I would strongly recommend you read ELMINSTER MUST DIE! and then BURY ELMINSTER DEEP and then THE SWORD NEVER SLEEPS before embarking on THE HERALD; I even think it's more important to read those books than the previous Sundering novels, for full enjoyment of this one).
Our three "good guys" are busy repairing the Weave, by restoring and strengthening "Weave anchors" that, yes, anchor the usually-invisible, world-spanning web of force-lines that blanket the Realms. THIS is the boring, everyday, but right now essential - - as the Weave weakens and with it the chances of the goddess Mystra (who is still in hiding) returning to the world in full control and triumph - - work of the few surviving dedicated Chosen of Mystra.
You see (SPOILER ALERT! Spoiler alert!) Shar, the Goddess of Night (loss, despair, destruction) wants to be goddess of magic, too, which - - being as the Realms is a highly magical place, and Mystra therefore its most important and powerful deity - - means she wants to destroy the Weave, so its power will flow into her Shadow Weave. This will give her dominion over the planet, and destroy lots of things, including human civilization as the Realms knows it, but that's fine with Shar; she revels in loss, despair, and so on. Her chosen point agents for this are the Shadovar, through Telamont Tanthul, the Most High and increasingly ruthless and isolated ruler of Thultanthar. We promptly see Telamont being cold, ruthless, etc. and sending off two murderous agents to Candlekeep.
Candlekeep? The seaside monastery full of old books and monks who read them all day? Okay then, what treasure is hidden there?
Well, something that got stolen or taken away years ago, it seems: the writings of Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, who foresaw this crisis (probably with Mystra's help) and founded the Moonstars because of that, not telling Elminster or the Harpers they split from why. The Shadovar know the writings are gone (or at least some of them do, I think); they're interested in Candlekeep for another reason: its wards hold a huge amount of magical power, which Telamont could use to take control the Weave, or shatter it and subsume its power. The other main conglomeration of such magical might in the Realms is the mythal of Myth Drannor - - so guess which city in the forest huge mercenary armies led by the Shadovar are besieging?
There soon comes a time when Elminster realizes plodding around repairing Weave anchor after remote and forgotten Weave anchor in the wilderness, getting attacked by successive Shadovar SWAT teams, just doesn't cut it any longer; things are too far along for that. So he goes undercover, sneaking into Candlekeep (and so we get to see more of this famous place than we ever have in Realms fiction before), while Storm (with Amarune in tow, and she soon picks up Arclath) heads for Myth Drannor.
Where Ed gives us some of the best up-close battle scenes I've seen in fiction in some time. Not the grand sweep of army units, but right down there amid the trees with swords clanging, blood spattering, and spells sizzling. Where (SPOILERS again) we'll briefly see the Coronal, and Fflar, and Dove Falconhand, too. Not to mention those baelnorn.
But the real star of the show is, of course, Elminster. Who discovers more than a few monks' bodies in a wading-through-the-sewage scene I can STILL smell, decides to take the shape of one of them he remembers, and guesses (correctly, of course) that the whoevers who murdered these poor monks got into Candlekeep, disguised as these unfortunates, before he did.
Yep, Candlekeep is FULL of impostors. Some of them Shadovar gleefully butchering all the agents of various gods and power groups and factions they can identify among the monks, and some of them those very same agents. Including (SPOILER again) some old friends of Elminster (hint: they have silver hair). However, they may not be his friends any more. Not if he doesn't see things their way.
However (yes, I’m full of “howevers” today), not just the Chosen of Mystra are in on this. Mystra had a predecessor, remember? Mystryl. And SHE had Chosen, and that's all I'm going to say on that score, because if I say more, we might as well throw away spoiler warnings and I'll narrate the book from here on. Let's just say there are liches and then there are LICHES. Oh, and there are also wise old elf ladies who can hurl magic with the best of them . . .
And may I say on a personal note: it was nice to see Storm's kitchen again.
I LOVE this book; it gathers in so many long-neglected threads of Ed's early Realms, and gives us update glimpses of many characters we haven't seen since before the Spellplague, and wraps it all up in a "fighting to save the world" epic that doesn't disappoint. (Ed can blow up things with the best of them.)
It left me eager to read about what's ahead for the Realms, and that's something I honestly didn't think the Sundering would manage for me, jaded old Realms grognard that I am. Bravo, Ed!
I don't expect Realms books to be masterpieces. I do expect them to be great reads.
This delivers - - and how!
love to all,
THO
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2014 : 23:41:54
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Thanks for that, THO.
I am looking forward all the more to reading The Herald. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2014 : 00:37:02
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I'm with Jeremy... something that should happen more often. 
Thankya THO! |
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BenN
Senior Scribe
Japan
382 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2014 : 01:42:32
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Sounds awesome! I'm particularly pleased to find out what's going on in Myth Drannor in the Sundering. Fflar and Ilsevele are two of my favourite characters from the pre-Spellplague realms.
Also, I'm intrigued about who Elminster's 'old friends with silver hair' may be. Mmmm.,,,,
Definitely going to pick this up when the kindle ebook is available; I've recently finished The Sentinel, so I'm ready & waiting! |
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Madpig
Learned Scribe
Finland
148 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2014 : 07:51:22
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Normally powerful Telamont Tanthul is going to be seriously out of he's league in this book I think, given the hints about two most powerful "mortal" - or should I say non divine - spellcasters in the Realms.
But all in all this books sounds FANTASTIC, so im really eager to get my hands on it! |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2014 : 08:20:38
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That Candlekeep is featured in this book probably explains why the questions I asked Ed awhile back about Candlekeep ran smack into an NDA.
Looking forward to seeing if any of them are answered by the novel.  |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 08 May 2014 08:21:32 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2014 : 16:08:42
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Great review.
I've decided to read this Sundering novel first. Partly because my (2) past attempts to get any of the others failed (worlds worst B&N near me), and mostly (now) because I would like to see if this 'new' world is truly worth investing in.
Several things THO said make me think this may be the case (new geography? ), and, of course, it is Ed, so how can I resist "one last go-round", eh?
I do wish she had not hinted about a certain something - something many of us suspected anyway - because I would have rather had an "I knew it!" moment while reading the book itself. {sigh} - Guess I can't have everything. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 08 May 2014 16:09:01 |
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Felix
Acolyte
Singapore
6 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2014 : 00:16:05
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| Does Ao make an appearance here? |
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Merrith
Learned Scribe
135 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2014 : 02:33:46
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I don't think I've anticipated a Realms novel as much as The Herald, and THO's review just leaves me wishing it was out tomorrow. I always feel like we get to nibble around the edges of some of the larger "secrets" of the Realms, and by this I mean we get to see a lot of smaller "chess games" with pieces moving everywhere, but I have a feeling in this book we'll get a real glimpse into the big boys' chess game, and individuals who thought they were playing the big chess game are actually just pawns.
Simply cannot wait to be able to buy this book and devour it. |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2014 : 18:13:56
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| Dun dun dun! Fflar, as in Starbw? Sweet! I loved him. And people with silver hair. Sounds like Chosen to me! If Vhaeraun is back, maybe E is too, and so perhaps Qilue...well, anyway, now I am really anxious to read it! |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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Drustan Dwnhaedan
Learned Scribe
USA
324 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2014 : 02:29:09
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I'm just as anxious as you are, CorellonsDevout, but for slightly different reasons; specifically, the mention of how certain old (silver-haired) friends of Elminster's may now be his enemies, and the only ones I can see that statement applying to is either The Simbul or Qilue. Even then, considering the nature of Qilue's death at the end of the Lady Penitent trilogy, it's almost certain she won't be returning at all. (Admittedly, this is based solely on my own interpretation of what happened, but as I understood things, Qilue's soul was completely destroyed, so completely that not even the gods had the power to resurrect her.) And even if I'm wrong (which, believe me, I really,really,reallyreally, hope I am), and Qilue really is back, it's probably best to assume she won't be around for long. Especially if you look at the sentence just before THO mentions the return of certain silver-haired individuals (the one about the Shadovar butchering the agents of every deity and organization they find in Candlekeep) in a particular way, then those very same individuals could be among those being bumped off (Qilue is the agent of a deity or two, after all).
Okay, I probably went too far with all that. My apologies to CorellonsDevout, Irennan, and any other fellow Eilistraee and Qilue fans out there. (As hard as it may be to believe because of what I've written, I truly do hope, more than anything else in the Forgotten Realms, is that Qilue and Eilistraee do return. But, as I've had to learn the hard way from some RW world events, hoping for something doesn't accomplish anything. ) I would also like to thank The Hooded One for providing this review (and spoilers), and apologize for interrupting this otherwise intelligent discussion with my ranting (especially if said ranting accidentally revealed a few more spoilers). And I really should apologize to the moderators, and everyone else, likewise because of the aforementioned ranting. (I'm sorry, but there are just some things I get a little... overly emotional about, and I can't help, well ranting. Just as I can't help my fairly recent, incredibly pessimistic/fatalistic/generally depressing outlook on everything.) |
Edited by - Drustan Dwnhaedan on 14 May 2014 02:31:57 |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2014 : 02:55:55
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| No worries I realize it's a long shot |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3811 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2014 : 03:14:40
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quote:
Okay, I probably went too far with all that. My apologies to CorellonsDevout, Irennan, and any other fellow Eilistraee and Qilue fans out there. (As hard as it may be to believe because of what I've written, I truly do hope, more than anything else in the Forgotten Realms, is that Qilue and Eilistraee do return. But, as I've had to learn the hard way from some RW world events, hoping for something doesn't accomplish anything.) I would also like to thank The Hooded One for providing this review (and spoilers), and apologize for interrupting this otherwise intelligent discussion with my ranting (especially if said ranting accidentally revealed a few more spoilers). And I really should apologize to the moderators, and everyone else, likewise because of the aforementioned ranting. (I'm sorry, but there are just some things I get a little... overly emotional about, and I can't help, well ranting. Just as I can't help my fairly recent, incredibly pessimistic/fatalistic/generally depressing outlook on everything.)
Lol, you shouldn't apologize for stating your opinion, you did nothing bad or wrong. Also FR is fantasy, if authors/whoever is in charge want things to happen, they will. In this case hoping and expressing one's wishes may actually make stuff happen, because business.
quote:
I'm just as anxious as you are, CorellonsDevout, but for slightly different reasons; specifically, the mention of how certain old (silver-haired) friends of Elminster's may now be his enemies, and the only ones I can see that statement applying to is either The Simbul or Qilue. Even then, considering the nature of Qilue's death at the end of the Lady Penitent trilogy, it's almost certain she won't be returning at all. (Admittedly, this is based solely on my own interpretation of what happened, but as I understood things, Qilue's soul was completely destroyed, so completely that not even the gods had the power to resurrect her.) And even if I'm wrong (which, believe me, I really,really,reallyreally, hope I am), and Qilue really is back, it's probably best to assume she won't be around for long. Especially if you look at the sentence just before THO mentions the return of certain silver-haired individuals (the one about the Shadovar butchering the agents of every deity and organization they find in Candlekeep) in a particular way, then those very same individuals could be among those being bumped off (Qilue is the agent of a deity or two, after all).
I truly believe that Eilistraee/Qilue weren't destroyed by the very same weapon they created and whom nature/status they know well. Smedman explicitly said that she left things very muddy so that those events could easily be reverted (and they were going to be reverted with a very simple lore fix, before someone said lolno. So...). Also: The Sundering, i.e. anything can happen, because Ao (what I mean is: it's fantasy, everything can happen with a good story behind it).
About your second point, Qilue can fight. If she was brought back, having her killed by the Shadovar would be idiotic.
But yeah, I doubt that the silver haired people are related to Eilistraee (are they even friends with Elminster -excluding Qilue- to begin with ??). Nonetheless, I'd be very happy to see them back in action, especially because it would be Ed -their creator- to develop that.
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Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 14 May 2014 03:39:31 |
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BenN
Senior Scribe
Japan
382 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2014 : 03:47:22
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Regarding who the 'silver-haired friends' could be, I'm guessing its Storm.
As for the question of whether Qilue was destroyed or not: well, Cavatina suffered exactly the same fate (i.e. beheading with the Crescent Blade), but her soul survived, right? So how come Qilue's soul was destroyed?
I'm confused!  |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3811 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2014 : 03:50:54
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| Nothing clear was said about it, AFAIK. As I wrote before (again, AFAIK) the author herself said she left things muddy on purpose, so that Eilistraee Vhaeraun and whoever could be brought back (because, apparently, she disliked what was going to happen to the Dark Seldarine). |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 15 May 2014 : 20:20:06
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| Yeah unfortunately WotC has done it before. Phaeraun *cough cough* heck, look at Mystra. She's been reintroduced and then killed off again. |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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My Review of The Herald (SPOILERS)
