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azndrow88
Acolyte
USA
1 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Apr 2003 : 20:31:27
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I have Just begun reading fr books and I have just finished the Icewindale Trilogy I was wondering if anyone knows the chronological order of the FR books or if there is a website where i can find the chronological order of the books ?
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Edited by - Alaundo on 15 Apr 2003 21:01:19
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2003 : 20:53:01
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| Sure, the FR Novels area of the Wizards site contains a page giving a complete chronological list for novel reading order. |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Drummer Boy
Senior Scribe
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2003 : 23:22:34
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Although there is a chronological reading order, I would not recommend reading them in this order, because one would have to skip around through different series' in order to do so. I would suggest you just read the books in each series in order, but do not read every book in the exact order.
I hope this makes some sense. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2003 : 02:58:03
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ARG!!!! Another person who thinks there's a central order to the books!!!! 
[Bookwyrm opens a window and fires a few lightning bolts into the sky to vent some of his frustration.]
Okay, that's better . . . . 
The Forgotten Realms series of books advances very slowly in time, as the action is spread out over the entire continent. So there is no true series order. It's something that many people have a hard time accepting, but I love it. Instead of focusing on single characters, like that was all there was in the world, there are many stories of many characters.
Now, some obviously need to be read in order relative to certain other books, but that's only because there are mini-series (like Drizt's Stories, Shandril's Saga, etc.) that obviously follow in a linear fashion. But you don't need to read Homeland to understand Elfshadow. They don't even interact in the slightest way.
There are many places on these forums where others have asked the same questions (hence my little outburst; nothing against you, you were just the most recent one) so many of us can direct you to our favorite stories. However, I'll cut off some voices, and mention that Salvatore's Dizzt books are the best.
BUT DON'T BELIEVE THEM WHEN THEY SAY TO START WITH HOMELAND!!!!
Homeland is actually the fourth book in the series, even though it and the other two books in that trilogy (Exile and Sojourn) take place before it in a chronological sense. I believe in reading things in the order of its publishment, not in its place on a timeline. I really do think it's better if you read it in that order.
Now, don't get scared off or anything. We're all just overly serious about our favorite fantasy world.  |
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 - 15 Apr 2003 : 04:16:00
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| well going from the library's favorite slimy critter that eats the pages from ancient texts... *he glances at Bookwyrm and grins innocently* A lot of the books/series occur in the same general span of time... so you can't technically read them in a timeline order... Shandril's saga kinda occurs around the same time as the avatar's trilogy and the shadows of the avatar trilogy... and kinda/sorta in a way cross... (or at least to me they did... as they just seemed to be from the different point of views in different places... but sometimes refer to things in the other books... as the shadows of the avatar trilogy mentioned shandril somewhere in the trilogy... and most of the SotA trilogy dealt with Elminster dealing with the Malaurgrym (sp?) durin the time of troubles (which is what the avatar's trilogy dealt with)... and Elminster kinda hop-scotched about through the three series... so to me... they almost seemed like a crossover when i read them... (currently reading the new revised Shandril's things before i head to the newer third/final book)... ah well.. that's enough of my rambling... hoped i made sense... |
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 - 15 Apr 2003 : 04:25:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Zacas
well going from the library's favorite slimy critter that eats the pages from ancient texts...
More lightning, though smaller this time, sparks around Bookwyrm's fingers.
 Grr. Can't you read? It's a Y, not an O! It's Bookwyrm. Bookwyrm! |
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 - 15 Apr 2003 : 04:27:51
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*snickers softly* Huh? there's a difference?
*nudges gently* oh come on... i'm kidding... :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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zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2003 : 10:59:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
BUT DON'T BELIEVE THEM WHEN THEY SAY TO START WITH HOMELAND!!!!
I both agree and disagree with you. I think that reading Homeland first and follow in the chronological order is very good for history's comprehension, but you are right that it's the fouth book, and in the chapter where Drizzt "talk" we can guess that.
SPOILER
BTW, totally out of topic. I'm just reading Sojourn, and when the little boy runs away crying "A DRIZZIT!" it made laugh out loud  |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2003 : 19:18:07
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I don't have any problem with the reading order after reading it in the order I gave it; in fact, I do it in chronological order a lot now. But when I read something new, that's very, very different, and you can pick up a lot of things the author writes a lot better when doing it that way.
(By the way, azndrow88, to change the font the opening code [font] and closing code [/font] need to be on opposide sides of the text. Same with all the others.) |
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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DrizzitFan
Acolyte
Singapore
26 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 08:00:09
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quote:
Originally posted by azndrow88
I have Just begun reading fr books and I have just finished the Icewindale Trilogy I was wondering if anyone knows the chronological order of the FR books or if there is a website where i can find the chronological order of the books ?
Actually the best way to read the FR books are a set at a time, unless they're interlinked (IWDale - DElf - Legacy of the Drow, Avatar/TimeofTroubles - Prince of Lies - Crucible), its more fun that way. I usually pick out the story that might excite me most and read them in that order instead of chronologically. After you've read all of them once, then get around to reading by chronology for that epic feel. |
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Mythander
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 17:01:25
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quote:
Originally posted by azndrow88
I have Just begun reading fr books and I have just finished the Icewindale Trilogy I was wondering if anyone knows the chronological order of the FR books or if there is a website where i can find the chronological order of the books ?
Your have made a wise starting point already. Before moving through all of Salvator books, I would recommend picking up and reading the Avatar Trilogy and the books that follow. (Price of lies and The Crucible the Trial of Cyric the Mad)
Once you have read those novels, I will have to agree with DrizzitFan. It does not really matter what order you read the books. As long as you read each series, in their order and entirety.
- Happy Reading  |
Wow! That has no saving throw written all over it. |
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Yasraena
Senior Scribe
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 19:16:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
BUT DON'T BELIEVE THEM WHEN THEY SAY TO START WITH HOMELAND!!!!
Homeland is actually the fourth book in the series, even though it and the other two books in that trilogy (Exile and Sojourn) take place before it in a chronological sense. I believe in reading things in the order of its publishment, not in its place on a timeline. I really do think it's better if you read it in that order.
Well bud, I have to totally disagree with you here. Regardless of the published date, if possible, you should always read any series in order of the actual time they take place. I think it's better that way.
My first introduction to Drizzt was with the Dark Elf Trilogy, then The Icewind Dale trilogy. I can't think of reading about this particular character any other way, for the sole reason that you get the history and back story as to why this bad-ass, good aligned Drow is the way he is.
Both series can stand by themselves (obviously), but if you read them out of order, you don't get the better understanding of why Drizzt turned out the way he is.
For me, I gotta know this stuff, especially for this character, because there has to be reasons and life experiences to make a Drow elf good The IWD series simply doesn't give it, except for a few memories that Drizzt recalls. |
"Nindyn vel'uss malar verin z'klaen tlu kyone ulu naut doera nindel vel'bolen nind malar."
Yasraena T'Sarran
Harper of Silverymoon |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 22:25:52
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Had Salvatore not written icewind dale first, Homeland would not have sold nearly as well. It will not hurt if you read Homeland first, but it loses some meaning without knowing the type of character Drizzt is in the first place. I guess I was fortunate enough to not be able to MAKE the choice of whether to read crystal shard or Homeland first, as I read Crystal Shard the month it was published. But think of Star Wars. If you did not see any episode, would it really help to see The Episode I and II first? I think not. In fact without knowing that Anakin becomes Darth Vader then you miss out on alot of the point of the prequels. I can see how people would mistake Homeland being the first novel, but I think it is more of a mistake NOT to read The icewind dale trilogy first. I reread the books from Homeland, and I can tell you there are Subtle moments you will miss out on if you do not read the ICewind dale trilogy first.
Icewind dale is about character development. If you read Homeland with no idea on the character, you will miss out on some MAJOUR character development that should already be established in your mind.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 23:43:51
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Plenty of people are happy to have read the Icewind trilogy first, others advise reading the Dark Elf trilogy first. It's a personal temperament thing.
Star Wars, on the other hand, is definitely intended to be watched as a single story with Episodes I-VI in that order. |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 02:14:32
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I can see the value of doing things both ways...
If you take a "by-publishing" outlook and read Icewind Dale Trilogy first, you get the benefit of watching Salvatore's progress as a writer, which is EXTREMELY helpful if you are into writing yourself.
However, starting with the DE Trilogy gives you a real sense of the characters as living, breathing people....particularly when we meet the rest of the Companions of the Hall toward the end of Sojourn... |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 06:15:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Star Wars, on the other hand, is definitely intended to be watched as a single story with Episodes I-VI in that order.
Did you mean NOT intended to be viewed in that order. Because there are ALOT of inconsistencies you need to deal with if you do that. SUch as METICLORIANS, YODA BEING OBI WAN'S MASTER just for some. And actually at about 1985 George Lucas said he scrapped the project of the prequels all together and was focusing on ILM instead. BEsides the inconsistency of special effects, George Lucas and the other writers did not write them as sequential. IF a writer intends something to be read in order he does not say the first episode is a PREQUEL.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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DrizzitFan
Acolyte
Singapore
26 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 07:09:19
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Actually we may have drifted way off (looks out for Aluando in case he fires bolts at all of us ), the originator wanted to know if there was a chronology, and there is one.
As for the reading order, everyone's right from their point of view. I guess its really up to temperament and in a manner of speaking Tymora's Luck. Like Mournblade, I picked up Crystal Shard when it first came out and that shaped my reading perspective of Drizzt's books.
Star Wars I'll gladly discuss with all, but that's way off topic, way off the realms......
IMO for new readers, you can follow the chronological order of books or you might be better off going for the recommended tomes (in a thread here somewhere, sorry no time to hunt it up  ) first and catch up with the rest once you've understood the realms better.
Good discussion though. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 14:41:45
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| I meant what I said. George has clarified it a number of times. |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5692 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2003 : 17:17:51
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quote:
Originally posted by DrizzitFan
Actually we may have drifted way off (looks out for Alaundo in case he fires bolts at all of us ), the originator wanted to know if there was a chronology, and there is one.
"Sage" not "Mage", DrizzitFan Ahem...Erm...... but WOE BE TIDE! |
Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 00:33:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
I meant what I said. George has clarified it a number of times.
HAH HAH. Now if he would only write them that way...
<Dodges books>
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Chronological Order of FR
