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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5692 Posts |
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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jan 2006 : 19:55:52
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| Well, it looks like I get to start this one off. I love the prologue, hobgoblins are one of my favorite races, but they never get any serious treatment, if they get any at all. I'm just a few pages into this and already I'm seeing the Black Road, the Zhents, Llorkh, Anauroch, I can't wait to dive deeper into this one! But I guess I'll have to wait until work is over... |
War to slay, not to fight long and glorious.
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darkcrow
Learned Scribe
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2006 : 07:27:03
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I have just finished the 4th chapter of the book and I must say that I've been sucked in. The book is full of lots of little suprises, even though they shouldn't suprise me cause we're dealing with Zhentrium blood here, but suprises me none the less. For example: In the Prelude, Gan and Dray seems to be friends, just a waltzing along and chit chating.. ...Then BLAM, Dray gets a skull full of axe. Why? Who in the 9 Hells knows. My guess is that Gan considered Dray as excess baggage that will only risk his chances on joining Geildarr's forces. Now Ardeth reminds me of the character in Tantrus that goes by the name Tarana Lyr. Always giggling at dangerous situation with the blackest of hearts, Except Ardeth shows more intellegence. ( My favorite part )She waits for Tyrrell at his home. He comes home from a hard day of work to find a white bone dagger on the table. The very same dagger he used to kill the Great Wyrm. She walks out from within the shadows and asks him stuff about the Thunderbeasts......Then WHAM, he finds the dagger in his throat. Murray, you got me there. And I seen it coming too. Tyrrell said "Here's his dagger back". I was thinking " Oh no, here it comes" Then Ardeth said " No, it belongs to you". Thats my Favorite part so far. Gez, I can ramble forever. I'll write the rest of my post on the marrow. Thanks Murray for a great Forgotten Realms novel!! |
May Tymora smile upon ye |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2006 : 16:21:40
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Thank you for your comments so far. Keep 'em coming. I love this stuff.
As for why Gan kills Dray, I think the reason will become increasingly clear. Suffice it to say, Gan's not wholly in the right mind. |
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darkcrow
Learned Scribe
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 03:47:30
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| OK, I'm going to write the rest of my post. Vell the Brown. I smell a foreshadow about Vell and Kellin. See, Vell is different from the rest of his tribe. Not just his unusal brown eyes but he doesn't seem as Barbaric as the rest of them. And Vell was the choosen to host this Godly power. Kellin received the same cryptic message Vell did from the bone in the crate. So them two might be linked in some way. And her father spent a lot of time with that very tribe a long time ago. So my guess is that foreshadow is Vell and Kellin are sibblings. That sure would be one of those Murray suprises. I'll just have to read more to find out. Talking of suprises, Heres Valkin, trying to escape with Ardeth on the back of a Hippogriff......SLAM, She sucker punches him off the Hippogriff. But that's not the best part. Valkin floots to the ground all nice and safe like........SPLAT, A big old behemoth comes a clompin and stompin and steps right on him. That was great. I sure wish I can see this in a theatre. I hope there will be alot more books from you to read. |
May Tymora smile upon ye |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 18:44:05
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| Darkcrow, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Interesting speculation. I'll refrain from commenting, except to say that I sincerely hope that the book's big reveal, the real reason for Vell's powers and the summons on Morgur's Mound, is a surprise to all. |
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Dhomal
Senior Scribe
USA
565 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2006 : 07:12:13
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Hello-
I must say that I am very much engrossed by this book so far!
Little bits that I recignize from some place that I can't seem to place quite. I wish my memory ewas better - I seem to recall reading the events that caused the loss of the axe in the first place somewhere...
And as I recall - I remember reading about that small town of relocated Zhentil Keep residents somewhere too - Silver Marches maybe?
IN any case - it all is woven quite well - and I like it so far!
Thanks!
Dhomal |
I am collecting the D&D Minis. I would be more than willing to trade with people. You can send me a PM here with your email listed - and I can send you my minis list. Thanks!
Successfully traded with Xysma! |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2006 : 07:25:52
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As far as the first prelude and the first four chapters go:
Evil gnomes . . . definately a good inclusion. Moritz is a trip. I like the fact that he still seems gnomish (illusionist, twisted sense of humor) despite his evil. I also like the fact that while I expected this book to have Realmslore about the Uthgardt and the like, I wasn't expecting to find one of my favorite NPC villains floating around the periphery, namely Semmemon. I'll be interested to see if Mortiz is working directly on behalf of Semmemon, or he has has his own agenda in all of this.
I find is somewhat ironic that Keirkrad was suppose to have been the tribesmen that, had he been chosen as cheiftain, would have been in favor of remaining in the more civilized mode that the tribe had established, yet he is the most vehement against Kellin and her involvement. Is he really this agaisnt her, and did he adopt this hard line because of their cheiftain, or does he have his own reasons for suddenly being a hard liner? Oddly enough, in the first few exchanges with him, I kind of liked him, but by the end of Chapter Four, I definately felt differently.
Gan strikes me as a evil hobgoblin version of Lenny from "Of Mice and Men." Maybe its just me.
When Geildarr first mentions to Ardeth about assumptions that others make about them being lovers, and she points out that they are not, I am still not sure what to make of the awkward silence. Is this something that Ardeth percieves as Geildarr unspoken wish that she doesn't want to give any fuel to, or is there a reason that it seems preposterous to her? I'll be looking forward to seeing this unfold.
Murray, if you don't mind, once you decided you were going to write about the Uthgardt, what made you choose the Thunderbeast tribe as your centerpiece? |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2006 : 16:11:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Dhomal
Hello-
I must say that I am very much engrossed by this book so far!
Little bits that I recignize from some place that I can't seem to place quite. I wish my memory ewas better - I seem to recall reading the events that caused the loss of the axe in the first place somewhere...
And as I recall - I remember reading about that small town of relocated Zhentil Keep residents somewhere too - Silver Marches maybe?
IN any case - it all is woven quite well - and I like it so far!
Thanks!
Dhomal
Hi Dhomal. The events that led to the axe being discarded are told in my short story "The Fallen Lands" in Realms of Shadow. One of my concerns about building a story that uses that event for a pretext is that it would be confusing for anyone who's not read it. I figured the best solution was to present it sort of as a mystery, until the events get fairly intricated recapsulated midway through the book.
Newfort is mentioned in the FRCS and is detailed in Silver Marches, yes. It seemed appropriate for me to work it into the narrative. Is it featured on the map at the front, by the way? (my copies haven't arrived yet) You'll note that the map is borrowed from Forsaken House and somewhat relabelled. Works for me! |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2006 : 16:24:26
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Hi KnightErrantJR
I had a great time creating Moritz and weaving his background. It thought it was high time an evil gnome appeared out there.
I'm glad you noticed the inconsistency of Keirkrad's position. I envisioned him sort of as an "opposition politician," a figure that may be more familiar in Canada's politican system than the American. He's the sort who takes it upon himself to object to whatever policy is put forward by whoever's in charge, mainly because he chafes about not being in power himself. It doesn't matter if those positions are ideologically inconsistent.
I deliberately wanted to leave some aspects of Geildarr and Ardeth's relationship to innuendo and conjecture, though I think much is cleared up by the end.
As for why the Thunderbeasts? They and I were forced together. When I wrote "The Fallen Lands," I invented a new tribe, and in the end Phil Athans suggested making them into the Thunderbeasts because they seemed the most consistent with what I had written. Then when he invited me to write a barbarian novel, it was understood that I'd return to the Thunderbeast tribe. Simple as that. |
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Beezy
Learned Scribe
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2006 : 06:24:32
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The beginning of this novel definitely has a hook in it so to speak. I just picked it up and before i knew it i was alreayd a fourth of the way through it. The plot builds a great deal of interest early. I am curious to find out more about this axe and its role later in the storyline. Also even more interesting is Vell being selected for thier god's favor. He does not think that he should have been chosen and I can't wait to find out why he as picked and what happens with it later! So far I am really enjoying this novel.
Also I agree with KnightErrantJR about the evil gnome! You just don't read enough about gnomes in realms novels! |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2006 : 17:51:26
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Well I finally got my hands on this book, so i'm a little late to the book club, but i'll continue to post anyway.
I've only just started reading but had to come on to say how much i'm enjoying the book!! The prologue was great, a good, gritty atmospheric scene, just as i'd pictured the Uthgardt. But it was the start of Chapter 1 which totally grabbed me and sucked me in!! FANTASTIC! I just love the Zhentarim and this painted a fantastic picture. The whole scene just oozed Realmslore and I loved how there was mention of recent events (such as Hellgate Keep, Shade and even a passing mention of The Rage of Dragons). The whole Semmemon mention was great too.
I think this is gonna be another fantastic addition to the Fighter's Series! |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2006 : 23:31:32
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Hey Lord Rad. Glad you're liking it so far. It was important to me to situate it within the broader Realms, to convey the sense that the there's a whole world around these people and they're subject to its events.
Please let me know how you like the rest of it. |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 11:00:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Murray Leeder
Hey Lord Rad. Glad you're liking it so far. It was important to me to situate it within the broader Realms, to convey the sense that the there's a whole world around these people and they're subject to its events.
Please let me know how you like the rest of it.
I certainly am!  I'm VERY happy at the location of this book within the Realms and the heavy inclusion of Realms-specifics. It really does ooze that Realms-feel akin to Richard Baker's Last Mythal trilogy.
Well so far, I think Gan and Moritz are great characters. I've a real soft spot for goblinkin and similar creatures (the troll in Black Wolf and Zhentarim orc commander in the Empires Trilogy are among some of my favorite FR characters). I hope Gan doesn't come to a bad end (although I feel that he will  ).
Moritz is a really nasty character. In the same way the halfling villain in The Yellow Silk - it's disturbing when reading of evil small folk  It sent a shiver up my spine when Moritz appeared out of the shadows at Ardeth's encounter with Valkyn.
Excellent scene! Tragic and cruel. I really thought Ardeth was going to be kind at that point, and it was touching with Valkyn mentioning his family responsibilities as a reason to stay alive. Great stuff!
That Ardeth is very dangerous. There's nothing more deadly than a stunningly attractive woman with an evil core  |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 19:02:34
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| Glad you're liking it, Lord Rad. Everybody seems to love Moritz and Ardeth. I'm really surprised that nobody used an evil gnome in a novel before (unless I'm forgetting somebody). It seems like a natural match for me, although perhaps I'm just sick and twisted that way. I may have to come up with a way of bringing that little guy back again. |
Edited by - Murray Leeder on 08 Nov 2006 03:30:47 |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 19:07:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Murray Leeder
Glad you're liking it, Lord Rad. Everybody seems to love Moritz and Ardeth. I'm really surprised that nobody used an evil gnome in a novel before (unless I'm suggesting somebody). It seems like a natural match for me, although perhaps I'm just sick and twisted that way. I may have to come up with a way of bringing that little guy back again.
Well i'd sure be happy to read of him again. I just read another scene in a latter chapter of the book and I just can't help but warm to him even more |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2007 : 23:50:28
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I just started reading this, and like many others here I am really enjoying it. I find it rather refreshing that the barbarian hero in this book has started out NOT being starry-eyed and full of confidence. It definitely seems like the blessing he's received doesn't seem like a blessing at at all to him, even though everyone else seems to think it should be.
And of course, I'm enjoying Ardeth and all the Zhentarim intrigue that the author has managed to weave into this novel, too. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2007 : 03:42:08
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| Glad you're liking it so for, Rinonalyrna. Hope it stays that way! |
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riot the outsider
Learned Scribe
USA
121 Posts |
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Murray Leeder
Forgotten Realms Author
Canada
228 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2007 : 03:42:48
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| Glad to hear it! Please, feel free to post more thoughts. |
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Son of Thunder: Prologue & Chapters 1 - 4
