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Lord_Entropy
Acolyte
3 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 04:28:43
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So where do I begin reading the novels? In Dragonlance, the Chonicles Trilogy is the only recommended books to start with, then the Legends, etc, etc. However, doing a web search for recommended FR starting novels, a whole list of people say start with any of the 3 main authors and then they don't even say what books from them to start with. I don't want to start off in the middle and have to jump to the beginning to understand the background of some event or character. What book or trilogy is the foundation of the FR world? Thanks
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"(What is best in life?) - To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." |
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AraznBlair
Learned Scribe
USA
114 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 04:40:40
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| Well I started off with the Dark Elf Trilogy. You might want to try with Cormyr: The Novel. |
Arazn Blair
Fightermage Extrodinare |
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Lord_Entropy
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 05:09:51
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Yeah, I finally found the other posts concerning the same topic as mine. Sorry for the re-post. I was fustrated on trying to figure out the starter books for FR until someone pointed out that FR is not like DL, where the whole story revolves around a handful of characters. To my understanding, FR is one huge world that consists of many stories, that may not interact with other novels, right?
Someone suggested to start with the Avatar Trilogy and I suppose this will cover the jist of things in the Forgotten Realms? But other than that I can start anywhere? I'm still too stuck on the Dragonlance world. I just need to read the books that covers the history, gods, and special events of the FR. |
"(What is best in life?) - To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." |
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Zacas
Learned Scribe
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 05:19:56
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as has been said many a time before... there is no specific novel to START with... most of the novels have very little to do with anything of another novel that is not part of the same 'set' (as in the drizzt books... or the moonshae trilogy + druidhome trilogy)... you can't very easily read the books in a timeline order without somewhat losing things from different books...
As has been said... start with some of the original books from the three main authors (Ed Greenwood, R.A. Salvatore, or Elain Cunningham)... some to think of from EG would be the Elminster's Saga/Series... "Elminster:The Making of a Mage", "Elminster in Myth Drannor", "The Temptation of Elminster", "Elminster in Hell", and the new book that's SUPPOSED to be out this year "Elminster's Daughter". Others by Ed would be from the Cormyr Saga... (books by him and/or Troy Denning or Jeff Grubb) "Cormyr: A Novel" (Both Ed and Jeff), "Beyond the High Road" (Troy), "Death of the Dragon" (Ed and Troy).
Next would be R.A. Salvatore... you have The Dark Elf Trilogy (can be found in ONE book or three) "Homeland", "Exile", and "Sojourn".... The Icewind Dale Trilogy (can also be found in ONE book or three) "The Crystal Shard", "Streams of Silver", and "The Halfling's Gem". Next would be Legacy of the Dro (can be found in ONE book or four) "Legacy", "Starless Night", "Siege of Darkness", and "Passage to Dawn". Then is Paths of darkness (found in 4 books) "Spine of the World", "The Silent Blade", "Servant of the Shard", and "Sea of Swords". And finally the current trilogy The Hunters' Blades Trilogy, and so far only "The Thousand Orcs" is out right now... These books are all on Drizzt Do'urden and other chars introduced as major players in the books... other than Drizzt comes The cleric Quintet (can be found as one book or five) "Canticle", "In Sylvan Shadows", "Night Masks", The Fallen Fortress, "The Chaos Curse". Those are his main stories...
and Finally Elaine Cunningham... which she has a few sets... a stand alone called "Evermeet: Island of Elves" for good background on elves. and then a series called "Song and Swords"... "ElfShadow", "Elfsong", "Silver Shadows", "ThornHold", and "Dream Spheres." Also there's the Starlight and Shadows series... which has a new book coming out this year (along witht he original bein reproduced) "Daughter of the Drow", "Tangled Webs" and the new book is "Wind Walker".
Other than these... i wouldn't know what else to say... hehe... there's over a good 120 books in FR... :P so get started :P yer fallin behind you slacker (hehe j/k) |
I am like a superhero, with no powers or motivation.
I have gone to find myself. If I get back before I return, please keep me here.
People like you are the reason people like me are on medication. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 07:36:16
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TO ZARCAS: Whoa! He's only asking for the first few books to get his feet under him, not the names of all the books in the series!
TO LORD ENTROPY: Gee, couldn't you have picked a more involved topic for your fist run? No one's going to want to talk about Forgotten Realms books . . . they aren't very popular around here . . . .
Okay, enough sardonic-ness. I know you're going to get a lot of suggestions, so this is probably just more noise to you. Still, I'm going to give my opinion anyway.
Basically, the earlier the copyright date, the better. Not story-wise, but simply because they were written when things were a little more . . . ambiguous, perhaps. In later books, there's more of a sense that you're missing something. It's not something that a long-time reader would usually pick up, it being so subtle, but it can throw a new reader off. I noticed because of too things -- I write, and so pay more attention to technique than most people do; and because I was once in the same boat as you.
Now, Zarcas suggested Ed Greenwood. Well, I say stay away from most of his books for a moment. He has a unique writing style, and I found it rather strange. It's especially evident in the Elminster books. Notice I said "most" -- his first FR book is very good for a first-timer. It's called Spellfire. It will be confusing, and will leave some dangling plot points, but that's just how he writes. (And it makes sense -- real life isn't neat, either.)
R. A. Salvatore is also good to start with. His first book was actually the first published FR novel. And contrary to popular opinion, the first book was NOT Homeland. That's the prequel. The first one was The Crystal Shard, in the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Read that trilogy first. THEN you can read the Dark Elf Trilogy.
You can do it the other way around if you really want, but I think it messes up the flow if you do. If nothing else, you won't understand some of what Drizzt is saying in his memoirs every couple chapters. It's written from the standpoint that you've already read Icewind Dale.
There are other books in this sub-series, but I recommend not reading any farther than Legacy before reading the Avatar Trilogy. This is one of the worst trilogies in the whole run (the only worse ones are Maztica, Moonshae, and Druidhome, which (surprise!) where all written by the same person), but you need to read it once. This was written at the publishing of the AD&D second edition, and so the events in it are reflective of that. It's the Time of Troubles, and it's mentioned in later books A LOT.
Now, that's my recommendation. I've put a lot of thought into this sort of thing, so I'm mostly certain that what I've just referred to is the best order. After finding out about the (again, not so well-written) Time of Troubles, you can read just about anything without wondering what went before. (The inherent exception is, of course, sequels.) If you have any other questions, email me.
Have fun. And don't worry. The Realms are worth a little confusion. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Zacas
Learned Scribe
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 17:49:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
R. A. Salvatore is also good to start with. His first book was actually the first published FR novel. And contrary to popular opinion, the first book was NOT Homeland. That's the prequel.
Actually... RAS's book wasn't the first published for FR... that was Darkwalker of Moonshae from the Moonshae Trilogy. And no homeland was not the first PUBLISHED... but in reading order, the dark elf trilogy would technically be read before the icewind dale trilogy as it's about Drizzt's birth, his life, and then him reaching the surface world and then leads into IWD trilogy. |
I am like a superhero, with no powers or motivation.
I have gone to find myself. If I get back before I return, please keep me here.
People like you are the reason people like me are on medication. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 22:48:09
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No, I believe it says in the forward to the Dark Elf Trilogy omnibus that Salvatore published first, even though Niles had started writing first. I could be mistaken though -- I don't actually have that tome here to check. And yes, Homeland comes first CHRONOLOGICALLY, but it's like the Star Wars films. The "later" ones come first, if you want to "get" a lot of what is talked about. Trust me on this one.
TO LORD ENTROPY: See what you've done?  |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Zacas
Learned Scribe
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2003 : 23:18:01
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Not to keep the little argument going and posibly get into really bad things... but even on the main site for Candlekeep in the Tethoril's bookshelf for novels... for the files of the two books "Darkwalker on Moonshae" and "The Crystal Shard"... moonshae was released in 87, shard was released in 88... so The Moonshae Trilogy was the first produced and released for the FR campaign :P hehe
Not to mention everywhere else i've seen, including other posts on this site and i believe at some point in time on WoTC's forums... even they showed that Moonshae was the first produced then came RAS's stuff |
I am like a superhero, with no powers or motivation.
I have gone to find myself. If I get back before I return, please keep me here.
People like you are the reason people like me are on medication. |
Edited by - Zacas on 02 Feb 2003 23:19:13 |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 02:14:20
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| I bow to the presentation of greater evidence, and shall henceforth correct my thinking on this subject. However, I stand fast on the subject of the reading order of the Drzzt books. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Zacas
Learned Scribe
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 02:46:12
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| *shrugs* never said anything about it being bad to read icewind dale first... i believe i got through legacy and maybe even up to passage before i got through the dark elf trilogy... can't recall.. it's been a while since i read them... :P |
I am like a superhero, with no powers or motivation.
I have gone to find myself. If I get back before I return, please keep me here.
People like you are the reason people like me are on medication. |
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Lord_Entropy
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 04:50:29
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Since you guys bicker too much, I'm just gonna stick to Dragonlance. |
"(What is best in life?) - To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 04:56:50
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Uh oh. It appears as though we've commited a grave error, my fellow posters.  |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 15:49:29
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I was in the same situation as you Lord Entropy! I first began with DL. But it was much more easy in the second place, coz in France, the publishers give number to the books. The first 3 are the Avatar Trilogy, i think it's a good choice because it's the change to 2nde Edition. We learn about the disaparition of the Assassins, the changes about magic, ...
I think it'd be an error to not enlarge your horizon.
And if you need the following of the list, ask me!
But really try it, it worths it |
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Salius Kai
Learned Scribe
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 19:01:22
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| Well, if its not to late to offer my knowledge, I had a similar scroll started up in the books section. I'll see if I can't find it for you. |
"Welcome to these walls of infinite knowledge."
Salius Kai |
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Salius Kai
Learned Scribe
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 19:06:28
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quote:
Origianally posted by The Great  Salius_Kai
Well, if its not to late to offer my knowledge, I had a similar scroll started up in the books section. I'll see if I can't find it for you.
I found it heres the link.
http://www.candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=427
It wasn't a very popular scroll, but I did get some helpful posts. |
"Welcome to these walls of infinite knowledge."
Salius Kai |
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Where to start?
