Quote:
<font color="white"><u>Originally quoted by Memnoch:</u>
I have just finished reading the first book of the new Forgotten Realms trilogy, Return of the Archwizards. The book is called The Summoning, by Troy Denning (of Avatar Trilogy and Crucible fame) and it is excellent. Here's the synopsis at the back:
<font color="silver">From the depths of the demiplane of shadow comes a new magic so mysterious it confounds even the Chosen of Mystra.
From beneath the dune seas of Anauroch escapes one of Toril's most powerful and ancient evils - the phaerimm.
From Evereska, the last elven refuge on Faerun, comes word of invasion.
From nowhere appears a group of enigmatic sorcerers determined to destroy the phaerimm and save Evereska...for purposes known only to themselves.</font>
It is, in a word, excellent. Denning's prose can get a bit muddy at times, but he is in pretty good form here. This trilogy is set in DR 1372 and introduces us to the "new" 3rd Ed world of Faerun.
I won't give too much of the story away as there are several incredible plot twists in this book. The Chosen of Mystra (Khelben Arunsun, Elminster, Laeral, and Storm Silverhand) all make an appearance, as does elven high magic, shadow magic and even the arcane magic of Netheril. You will be pleased to know that Elminster is not quite as munchkinny as Ed Greenwood normally makes him out to be - he's actually very mortal here - or maybe it's just because he (and the other Chosen) are facing some very powerful foes. It's also very heartening to see some of the Seven Sisters in action - there are so few books about them. And also, a much-loved character from Crucible (you can guess WHO!) makes an appearance as well.
Similar to the Avatar Trilogy, all these earthshaking events are set as a backdrop to some pretty intricate relationships between the central characters - a pair of elves from Evereska and some humans from Vaasa, as well as a mysterious archwizard who wields a form of dark magic that has not been seen in Toril since the Shadowed Age of Netheril, over seventeen centuries ago - a form of magic that does not use the Weave. The end of the novel contains a screamer that will have you salivating for the second book (not due out until the end of this year).
Definitely not to be missed.</font>
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<font color="gold"> I have read a sample chapter from Wizards of the Coast, and I was very impressed.
There was enough action to kill me in the first few pages!</font>
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Father of the wickedly cute child known as
MaryBeth
[This message has been edited by Larry_OHF (edited 09-03-2001).]