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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 12 Feb 2019 :  22:16:38  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yay!! glad you're back! Will follow and listen tomorrow. Please read lots in 2019 :)
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 21 Feb 2019 :  08:59:10  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Pool of Radiance is one of those novels that isn't particularly well written (and very "young adult") but somehow is fun to read anyway. I can never separate the novel from the joy I had as a young kid playing Pool of Radiance on the C128/C64 (that theme music!) and the classic Clyde Caldwell cover art; all of which means I get the feels when reading it and have heavy nostalgia glasses on. But objectively, the book has some faults.

I think you're right to point out how the book does break up into a series of mini-quests very nicely, the self contained trips to Sokal Keep or Denlor's Tower or the Cardona Textile house or wherever are as well done as any D&D book (and straight from the Ruins of Adventure module for the most part).

Glad you guys liked it so much. While there are 2 sequels, the plot from these books is not continued on sadly regarding Phlan and the pool and the villains from this book - I actually like the next books anyway because the new characters introduced are very fun to read about (3 of them in particular). But we won't hear from the 3 villains again in the series which is a bit of a wasted opportunity.

I disagree with you that the names in Pool of Radiance are confusing however - Ren, Tarl and Shal are short and distinctive enough and you sound quite idiotic complaining that you can't keep the names Tarl and Shal separate in your heads. The heroes introduced later in the series have distinct names though.

I never put much thought into Shal's ring of wish change from petite to muscular as being a metaphor for women's body image issues or the change women go through in puberty - I think the audience of this book was firmly 12-16 year old boys and maybe just plays on the "women are vain and weak"- but Shal magically becomes muscular like little boys dream of being and learns that this is a better thing than being small and thin - something boys will appreciate. That said, there were a lot of tough women in the book (Ren's love interest and her 2 brute friends at the bar, the half-orc female assassin who sounds kind of amazing to develop her own novel as she overcomes prejudice but is badass, Ren's former love interest Tempest who was built like Shal on roids, and of course Shal herself by the end of the novel is the strongest). In the next books there are females who are great in a feminine way so take heart!

Tarl to me was the best character, he seems to have doubts and flaws that Ren and Shal (at least after her initial few chapters) do not have - Tarl grows and arcs a bit more and truly fails in the beginning. I don't think Shal or Ren really fail. This makes Tarl more interesting. And he gets the girl!

Keep them coming guys!

Edited by - Seravin on 08 Apr 2019 11:42:31
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 06 Apr 2019 :  18:57:15  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
We’re back with our 12th Episode, covering the third book of the Icewind Dale Trilogy, The Halfling’s Gem by R.A. Salvatore. We share some...controversial...opinions on the text, but it’s an energetic discussion! If you want to share YOUR thoughts on Pool of Radiance, Halfling’s Gem, or (our next book) Wyvern’s Spur you can leave it here or send us a message at readingtherealms@gmail.com and we’ll happily read it out on our next Reader’s Circle episode.

As always, you can find the podcast on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, SoundCloud, and most podcast aggregator apps. Also, on Soundcloud we have the episodes sorted into playlists for the various series, which can be a fun way to listen to them!

https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-12-the-halflings-gem

Hope you enjoy and happy reading!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 06 Apr 2019 :  18:58:55  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Seravin

Pool of Radiance is one of those novels that isn't particularly well written (and very "young adult") but somehow is fun to read anyway. I can never separate the novel from the joy I had as a young kid playing Pool of Radiance on the C128/C64 (that theme music!) and the class Clyde Caldwell cover art; all of which means I get the feels when reading it and have heavy nostalgia glasses on. But objectively, the book has some faults.

I think you're right to point out how the book does break up into a series of mini-quests very nicely, the self contained trips to Sokal Keep or Denlor's Tower or the Cardona Textile house or wherever are as well done as any D&D book (and straight from the Ruins of Adventure module for the most part).

Glad you guys liked it so much. While there are 2 sequels, the plot from these books is not continued on sadly regarding Phlan and the pool and the villains from this book - I actually like the next books anyway because the new characters introduced are very fun to read about (3 of them in particular). But we won't hear from the 3 villains again in the series which is a bit of a wasted opportunity.

I disagree with you that the names in Pool of Radiance are confusing however - Ren, Tarl and Shal are short and distinctive enough and you sound quite idiotic complaining that you can't keep the names Tarl and Shal separate in your heads. The heroes introduced later in the series have distinct names though.

I never put much thought into Shal's ring of wish change from petite to muscular as being a metaphor for women's body image issues or the change women go through in puberty - I think the audience of this book was firmly 12-16 year old boys and maybe just plays on the "women are vain and weak"- but Shal magically becomes muscular like little boys dream of being and learns that this is a better thing than being small and thin - something boys will appreciate. That said, there were a lot of tough women in the book (Ren's love interest and her 2 brute friends at the bar, the half-orc female assassin who sounds kind of amazing to develop her own novel as she overcomes prejudice but is badass, Ren's former love interest Tempest who was built like Shal on roids, and of course Shal herself by the end of the novel is the strongest). In the next books there are females who are great in a feminine way so take heart!

Tarl to me was the best character, he seems to have doubts and flaws that Ren and Shal (at least after her initial few chapters) do not have - Tarl grows and arcs a bit more and truly fails in the beginning. I don't think Shal or Ren really fail. This makes Tarl more interesting. And he gets the girl!

Keep them coming guys!



I haven’t checked the forum in a while and missed your reply! Mind if we read part of it out during our next listener mail episode? I appreciate all the detail!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2019 :  11:40:16  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Absolutely! Although maybe don't say I think you're idiotic for not getting the names right lol :) That sounds meaner than intended and I humbly apologize! I just don't feel the names in the book are a problem to the same extent, especially next to RA Salvatore names like Afafrenfre (sp?) and Thibbledorf Pwent and Pikel Bouldershoulder and Rai-guy Bondalek that don't exactly roll off the tongue :)

I listened to your review of the Halfling's Gem and loved it (the review that is, not the book so much). Good stuff on Drizzt's kiss on Cat coming out of no where and being a bit creepy. I always thought the turnaround in their relationship felt weird and off. I also like how you call out Drizzt for being a Mary Sue/Gary Stu of sorts, because..yes he is. He was just apparently born morally perfect despite being raised a Drow and we never really get to the why.

Although I think the character as written in The Crystal Shard was darker and certinaly more bloody thirsty..like a "less evil but still a killer/emotionless drow" version of Drizzt (for example when he goes murder-kill on the giants with Wulfgar) - to me that Drizzt was a better character than the Saintly Mr Perfect Moral Compass Drizzt that comes after.

You also pointed out the fake-out deaths that recur in the first trilogy, something I never picked up on..and you're right they are a bunch of d-words to eachother in that respect!

Edited by - Seravin on 08 Apr 2019 11:41:06
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 30 Jun 2019 :  09:44:26  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yay The Wyvern's Spur is up (finally :) ) !! Already downloaded and ready to listen. This is one of my all time faves so I hope you guys are nice to it...

Edit: Just to say in the original art you can see a lot of Giogi's infamous boots! They get truncated in the actual book cover.

https://clydecaldwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/wyverns_spur.jpg

Edited by - Seravin on 01 Jul 2019 12:17:06
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Wenin
Senior Scribe

585 Posts

Posted - 01 Jul 2019 :  19:20:34  Show Profile Send Wenin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Subscribed. Looking forward to going through the backlog.

Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR.
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 10 Jul 2019 :  17:22:21  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
We're back with our 13th episode in which we cover The Wyvern’s Spur by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb. This is a fun one and we strongly recommend you read (or re-read) the novel before listening! Our next episode will be a listener response where we read out your thoughts on The Halfling’s Gem, Pool of Radiance, and Wyvern’s Spur so drop them here or shoot us an email at readingtherealms@gmail.com! We love hearing how other readers feel about the books - especially when you disagree with our take.

https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-13-the-wyverns-spur

As always you can find us on SoundCloud, Google Play Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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Captain Grafalcon
Learned Scribe

Brazil
129 Posts

Posted - 24 Jul 2019 :  22:14:47  Show Profile Send Captain Grafalcon a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Just listened the podcast - the halfling’s gem. Excelent work and initiative! For unkown reasons, there are few podcasts dedicated to literature.

"Surely you recognize that armies carrying banners are almost always thieves—until they win."
Jarlaxle, mercenary leader of Bregan D'aerthe.
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 24 Jul 2019 :  23:16:10  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
When's the next one coming out!! :)
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 02 Aug 2019 :  20:52:45  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
We're back with a very special Reader's Circle episode featuring none other than Jeff Grubb! We read your responses to our last three books and then get to an hour long interview with Jeff where we talk TSR, working in shared worlds, and having your wife as a writing partner, among many other topics. This episode was a ton of fun to record and we hope you enjoy. We would like to thank Jeff for taking the time to talk with us and for sharing all of his stories and insight.

As always, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud, linked below.

https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/readers-circle-4-feat-jeff-grubb

Stay tuned for our August book: Iron Helm by Doug Niles

Happy reading!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 01 Sep 2019 :  15:43:31  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well would you look at that, Reading the Realms is back with our 14th episode (3 months in a row!) in which we cover Ironhelm by Doug Niles and boy do we have some thoughts on this one! With this book we begin our months-long exploration of the parts of the Realms that aren’t Faerun.

https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-14-ironhelm

As always, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud.
Happy reading!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 02 Sep 2019 :  00:06:41  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Awesome! Thanks guys. Will post when I've listened to Ironhelm's cast. I haven't read it since I was young so should be interesting.
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 30 Sep 2019 :  10:09:21  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Listening to Horselords today! A very strong first book in the series. Unfortunately, Troy Denning's terrible writing made me hate the second book. I don't love the concept of authors handing off story and characters to another author that they went for in Avatar and this trilogy. Yuman was written completely differently in the 2nd book and caused massive inconsistencies in his character that took me out of the book completely. I've written up my massive problems with the second book after the first book drew me into the eastern wastes of the Realms. While not a perfect book, Horselords really did have a very well written atmosphere and setting with strong characters.

I'm not quite through your podcast yet. Sorry about Ironhelm, I just couldn't go back and re-read it as your podcast totally put me off. I just hate Doug Niles' writing generally.

Edited by - Seravin on 30 Sep 2019 10:09:59
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 30 Sep 2019 :  19:58:34  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
We're back with Episode 15 - Horselords by David 'Zeb' Cook. We continue our journey far afield of the traditional Realms and begin the Empires Trilogy. It looks like we found quite the diamond in the rough with this one as we both enjoyed it quite a lot!

https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-15-horselords

Thanks for listening and Happy Reading!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 12 Nov 2019 :  08:39:35  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yay Dragonwall is up. I really hated this book after loving Horselords (as much as you guys did). I will listen to your review shortly and see if we agreed or not.. :)
Thanks both for your content, you have some real fans out there.
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 28 Nov 2019 :  18:02:45  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
November is a very special month for the podcast. This is the first time we’ve put out two episodes in a single month! This month we covered Dragonwall by Troy Denning and Viperhand by Doug Niles. It has been very interesting to compare the Empires and Maztica trilogies back to back, given the release schedule. We hope you enjoy the episodes and we plan to close out the year in December with a book we’ve been anticipating for some time now, Homeland!

Dragonwall: https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-16-dragonwall

Viperhand: https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-17-viperhand

As always, we love to hear other Realms fans feedback. You can reply here with your thoughts on the books or the show or send us a message via email or twitter: readingtherealms@gmail.com / @ReadingFR

Happy Reading (and happy Thanksgiving to our American friends)!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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ReadingTheRealms
Acolyte

USA
24 Posts

Posted - 27 Dec 2019 :  17:48:18  Show Profile Send ReadingTheRealms a Private Message  Reply with Quote
We are proud to present our final episode for 2019, the long-awaited, much anticipated discussion of Homeland by R.A. Salvatore!

https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235/episode-18-homeland

This was our biggest year so far for the show and we couldn't have done it without all of our awesome listeners. Thank you to everyone who listened, commented, and told their Realms-loving friends! As always, you can find and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud.

Happy Reading and Happy New Year!

Co-Host of Reading The Realms: A Forgotten Realms Book Club Podcast

Find us on iTunes, Google Play Podcasts, and SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-538023235
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Giant Snake
Acolyte

48 Posts

Posted - 15 Apr 2020 :  00:59:30  Show Profile Send Giant Snake a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Very nice! I love the Dark elf trilogy. It brings back lots of memories for me and it always will. Looking forward to hearing this one soon.
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Giant Snake
Acolyte

48 Posts

Posted - 09 Sep 2020 :  21:22:06  Show Profile Send Giant Snake a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Any plans for an update?
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John Daker
Seeker

USA
78 Posts

Posted - 10 Sep 2020 :  21:23:28  Show Profile Send John Daker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I hope Reading the Realms will continue, but I fear it might not. I reached out to them six weeks ago on Twitter to thank them for their work and ask if they had plans to continue. No response.
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John Daker
Seeker

USA
78 Posts

Posted - 12 Sep 2020 :  20:31:50  Show Profile Send John Daker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
And now confirmed. They responded:

“Hey thanks for the kind message. We’re on an indefinite hiatus and don’t currently have plans to put out new episodes anytime soon.”

A pity. I enjoyed listening to their takes on the early FR novels.
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 17 Sep 2020 :  00:17:07  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It is a great pity. They are getting into the good books. The virus and a wedding and all kinds of things probably got in the way. Hopefully it won't be too long.
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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2285 Posts

Posted - 27 Nov 2020 :  19:41:13  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Master Seravin,

About how long was each novel when being read like that, approximately?

Best regards,





Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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