| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Virendar |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 16:39:03
Hi, im a Dragon Lance novel reader and i thought i should start reading the Forgotten Realms books aswell cuz i heard they're really good.
i know that there are a lot of DL novels and theres a specific reading order in which people shud read in. like they have the "core" novels that have the main stories that u must read, and then "suplements" anyways, i was wondering if the same thing applies to the forgoten realsm ooks.
can some1 get me a link to a list of all the books? and can some1 tell me where i can find agod reading order? or just post the reading order here. thx. |
| 29 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| 9thChapter |
Posted - 27 Jul 2014 : 14:33:46
Welcome back! |
| Virendar |
Posted - 27 Jul 2014 : 07:56:20
Hello and sorry for resurrecting this old thread. I randomly came across this website again and figured I may as well update it. I suppose I should start with saying I started this thread 7 years ago when I was 15, I cringed as I re-read the grammar in my posts back then haha. I was at a period where I devoured novels one after the other. I read nearly all that FR had to offer and moved on. It was very enjoyable and still one of my most loved series. If I had the time I would even re-read it all over again. This website was tremendous in helping me get started and all the people were so kind in their responses. Thank you everyone :D |
| Talanfir Swiftfeet |
Posted - 19 Jan 2007 : 09:19:31
quote:
Originally posted by Virendar
so, if i am correct....the Books that i must read in the Songs and Swords series are calld:
-Elfshadow
-Elfsong
-Silver Shadows
-Thornhod
-The Dream Spheres
All by the author : Cunningham ?
Elaine Cunningham is the author. If you liked these, you should try "Evermeet: Island of Elves" which is basically a spin-off book.
When I started reading FR I went by publishing year. That way I got quite good hang of who the realms-personalities where, and what books the author referred to.
I know I'll get a good smack in the head from a "staff of the irritated moderator +5" for my comments, but IMO the early books were a little too childish for my taste. Maybe it's just that the trend in books durning the eighties was different, but I think the style of writing Realms books have matured over the years. What I mean is that the early books were all just a variation of "Evil dude starts slaving the realm x. A group of good guys go to an adventure to defeat said villain". When I started reading a book I always knew which one of the good guys would turn evil at some point.
New books have more variation in the story and more plot twists. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 23:24:41
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Virendar
last question: wud it be better to read the Dark Elf Trilogy before the Icewind Dale series?
This is a matter of some debate. It comes down to personal preference, really... Some people prefer to read the books in the order they were written and released, which would be Icewind Dale then Dark Elf. Others, myself included, prefer chronological order, which would be Dark Elf then Icewind Dale.
And, to other a few more viewpoints on this, Virendar, we already have a discussion in progress about personal preferences regarding which of these trilogies to read first. 'Tis located here:- http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8468 |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 23:00:29
quote:
Originally posted by Virendar
thankyou everyone who has replied here, u have all been a great help and i apreciate it greatly. now i am rdy to go get the FR books and begind reading :)
Well met
Glad ye found Candlekeep of help, Virendar. Remember to return here and tell us of thy thoughts on the novels ye read  |
| Virendar |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 20:10:09
thankyou everyone who has replied here, u have all been a great help and i apreciate it greatly. now i am rdy to go get the FR books and begind reading :)
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 17:22:23
quote:
Originally posted by Virendar
so, if i am correct....the Books that i must read in the Songs and Swords series are calld:
-Elfshadow
-Elfsong
-Silver Shadows
-Thornhold
-The Dream Spheres
All by the author : Cunningham ?
Correct. There's a sixth book coming next year.
quote:
Originally posted by Virendar
and after the song and swords series i will read Icewind Dale series. and the books in that series are called:
-The Cystal Shard
-Streams of Silver
-The Halfling's Gem
corrent me if im wrong
Correct.
quote:
Originally posted by Virendar
last question: wud it be better to read the Dark Elf Trilogy before the Icewind Dale series?
This is a matter of some debate. It comes down to personal preference, really... Some people prefer to read the books in the order they were written and released, which would be Icewind Dale then Dark Elf. Others, myself included, prefer chronological order, which would be Dark Elf then Icewind Dale. |
| Virendar |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 16:45:14
so, if i am correct....the Books that i must read in the Songs and Swords series are calld:
-Elfshadow
-Elfsong
-Silver Shadows
-Thornhod
-The Dream Spheres
All by the author : Cunningham ?
and after the song and swords series i will read Icewind Dale series. and the books in that series are called:
-The Cystal Shard
-Streams of Silver
-The Halfling's Gem
corrent me if im wrong
last question: wud it be better to read the Dark Elf Trilogy before the Icewind Dale series?
|
| Jorkens |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 08:32:27
Songs and Swords would be the correct title of the series now. Just to make it a bit more difficult, three of these books were originally posted as part of the Harper series, so if you find older used copies, they will have their individual names under that series. |
| Virendar |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 06:19:31
the 4th 5th and 6th reply above this one that i am posting right now...title the __and Swords series differently each time. Sings and Swords, Spells and Swords, SOngs and Swords...
what is the right title name of the series? |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 13:07:23
First, when it comes to the Shandrill saga; read Spellfire, if you like it continue reading the two others. I personally loved the whole trilogy, but many people don't, so I would advice you to start with Song & Swords books and go from there.
As for the time-line, with a few exceptions most Realmsbooks take place within a relatively short time-frame. |
| camm91 |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 12:15:59
Howdy Virendar, I too started with Dragonlance and now have a few FR books. I have only read one series and am going to start reading more this week (waiting on the 3rd book from the sara douglass axis trilogy omg annoyed i dont have the 3rd book right now! but anywho...)
I too had the same quandry, and eventually bit the bullet and picked salvatore's dark elf trilogy first. Let me say it was fantastic. I'm sure there is better trilogies to introduce the world at large but this trilogy left me wanting to read more FR and i guess that's what u want!
P.S. just visited over from the DL forums to find a Fr book to read after the dark elf trilogy, gonna take a burl at finders stone i think :) Goodluck! and see you on the DL forums no doubt :p |
| ode904 |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 05:50:44
Here could be some help, if not found from here(in which I don't believe)...
http://www.o-love.net/realms/fr_reading_order.html
I started with Salvatore and Cunningham... But just take the book that makes a good impression! There's no order in Forgotten Realms |
| scererar |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 01:10:23
flip a quarter  . I would most likely go with the songs and swords series, then the Drizzt novels. Both are excellent as far as realms novels go. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 20:17:00
Spells and Swords is the more enjoyable of the two but Icewind Dale is a classic so you're good to go either way. Icewind Dale has more sequels though.
and yes, both series are close to each other in the timeline. Unlike Dragonlance, most of the stories are still in the same generation.
The sequel "Crown of Fire" ends with a suitable ending for the storyline by itself. Hand of Fire (the third book) was written by Ed Greenwood (the Realms creator) to end the series but it differed drastically from his original intention for it. You won't miss anything if you don't read it but you can judge for yourself. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 16:41:50
I'll again recommend Songs & Swords. I feel that the series gives more of a feel for what the Realms is about.
As for timeline issues, these two series don't really interact with one another at all. Chronologically speaking, it really doesn't matter which series you read first. |
| Virendar |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 16:20:37
ok, after readong all of ur responeses along with other threads in this forum, i have come across 2 series that are good places to start
- Song and Sword
- Icewind Dale
now, can some1 tell me which i read first? song and sword or icewind dale,
and are these 2 series close to each other on the timeline...i dont wanna be reading one series that starts at like year 100 and the next at year 2000
-=-=-=-=-
and Charles, if i sart with Spellfire, and read the sequel, u say not the read the 3rd book...wudnt i finish the series without having a proper ending? and if i DO just skip the 3rd book..when am i suppose to read it?
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| Lysan Lurraxol |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 13:30:59
I could be very mean and suggest War of the Spider Queen....
I think the Avatar series is a good place to start, though it is hard going at times, ang getting hold of the damn thing is HELL!
Songs and Swords is a good one, and the stand alone novels (Fighters, Cities etc) give a good idea of the Realms. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 06:14:55
My recommendation is to start with either the Finder's Stone trilogy (if you can find them) or with the Songs & Swords books. For me, both of those series hit the sweet spot: great tales, engaging characters, and an excellent feel for the setting. |
| scererar |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 04:25:52
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
Spellfire is a good place to start and its sequel Crown of Fire (I wouldn't recommend Hand of Fire, just assume the story is over after Crown of Fire)
And then Elfshadow and it's sequels.
R.A. Salvatore's books are probably what will be at your local library (Homeland, The Crystal Shard, Legacy of the Drow, etc)
And miss out on reading lore. No way my friend, read them all, then make your own conclusions. The poster was asking where to begin, not where to end |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 04:15:28
Spellfire is a good place to start and its sequel Crown of Fire (I wouldn't recommend Hand of Fire, just assume the story is over after Crown of Fire)
And then Elfshadow and it's sequels.
R.A. Salvatore's books are probably what will be at your local library (Homeland, The Crystal Shard, Legacy of the Drow, etc)
|
| scererar |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 04:07:25
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I very much enjoyed Spellfire (book 1 of the three book Shandril's Saga), although the other two books, not so much. However Spellfire was meant to be an introduction to the people, places, and feel of the Realms, and for many people it suits that purpose well.
I concur. Spellfire was my first fr novel. I have been hooked ever since. My next series were from RA Salvatore, Then the Harpers. After that all the rest  Elaine cunningham's novels are excellent. The Sembia series is supposed to be WOTC's newer introduction to the realms. Anything from Paul Kemp, will keep you waiting very impatiently for the next novel to be published, as they are second to none IMO. Overall, check out the area Wooly posted a link to, it will get you started. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 23:16:30
I very much enjoyed Spellfire (book 1 of the three book Shandril's Saga), although the other two books, not so much. However Spellfire was meant to be an introduction to the people, places, and feel of the Realms, and for many people it suits that purpose well. |
| Virendar |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 23:13:13
ooh my so confused, thankyou for all the links u peple have given me, but the stuff on them is hard to understand lol, like the timeline doesnt go be series i think, it goes by books, and some books overlap the series and i dunno...i confused lol.
if any1 can just give me a good list of the first 3 series i shud read, like what charles philips has posted. im totaly new to Forgotten Realms, i dont know of any of its authors or anything, all i know is the name " Forgotten Realms" and that its fantasy fiction books, which i luve.
once some1 has posted the series titles which i should read first i can do my own research and find out what books are in the series. (hopefully my local library has most of the books, i dont wanna hafta order them all like i did for DragonLance. )
THANKYOU GUYS, ur really a big help
P.S** sorry for all the typo's, im using our school computer and they have Mac's, with wierd keyboards.
 |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 18:15:58
Suggested reading is the Sword and Song series. This is an excellent place to start, if a bit elf heavy.
The Icewind Dale trilogy with it's prequel Homeland and sequel in the Legacy of the Drow series.
Elminster: Making of a Mage is an excellent stand alone novel.
My favorite trilogy is the Cormyr Trilogy and what I recommend most.
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| Ergdusch |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 18:07:59
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And for a timeline of what goes where, check out O Love's Novels Timeline.
...which is part of the FR Library I linked you to earlier and which also has a very nice book list in Reading Order (only for those books that appeared in a series of course!). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 17:42:09
Though we never quite reached a consensus, this is a topic that was discussed at length in the Experienced help for recommending FR Novels thread. Perusing that scroll may be helpful for you.
And for a timeline of what goes where, check out O Love's Novels Timeline.
Welcome to Candlekeep!
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| Ergdusch |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 17:09:15
First and foremost - a most warm and friendly welcome, Virendar!
Our Lady of the Forest shall smile upon thee and may the great Lord of Knowlegde and Binder of what is known always grant thou His blessings as thou wanderst these halls of Candlekeep. (Just a bunch of FR gibberish you don't have to understand!  )
To your question:
There are lots of infos to be found in the FR novels section here at Candlekeep.
Also you might want to take a look the FR Library (a site I realy cherrish!)
Ergdusch |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 17:04:09
The Realms does not have a central story in the way of Dragonlance and the reading order is therefore not so important. Generally it is enough to read them in the order the writer in question has written them.
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