Anyone read any of the "new" Forgotten Realms novels?

[Memnoch]

Originally Posted by SpiritWarrior Me too, but I want to get back into it for better or worse.

I don't know...it's too big a jump to me. The whole world I knew, the characters I loved...all gone. Except those with long live spans. And I can't find any decent series that go through "the Transition". It's either before Spellplague or after Spellplague.

[Micah Foehammer]

Originally Posted by Memnoch I don't know...it's too big a jump to me. The whole world I knew, the characters I loved...all gone. Except those with long live spans. And I can't find any decent series that go through "the Transition". It's either before Spellplague or after Spellplague.

Try the Empyrean Odyssey Trilogy by Thomas M. Reid. It starts before the Spellplague and ends immediately after the Spellplague occurs.

It's one of the few novels/series that actually covers events during the transition. In fact, the 2nd book actually details the death of Mystra.

Richard Lee Byers' Haunted Lands trilogy also covers the transition. The 1st book predates the Spellplague, the 2nd book is set during the Year of Blue Flame (spellplague) and the 3rd book starts 100 years AFTER book 2.

As for the "new" novels, I just finished the first book in The Brotherhood of the Griffin Trilogy (by Richard Lee Byers). It follows up on some of the characters from his Haunted Lands Trilogy so it's clearly post spellplague.

WotC has decreed that ALL future forgotten realms novels are to be set 100 years AFTER the spellplague - unless they grant a waiver to a specific author. IIRC The Ghost King was the last Pre-Spellplague book.

[SpiritWarrior]

In the meantime, I am currently reading all the old Ravenloft novels that I used to see in the 90's but never bought. Really into that setting now for some reason. I just started Knight of the Black Rose last night after finishing Vampire of the Mists. The Strahd ones were nice too.

[Larry_OHF]

Memnoch said exactly what I wanted to say and have said in the past...I hate what they did to me, a loyal follower of the Realms. I have been trying to talk myself into giving it a chance, but it's a bitter pill to swallow.

[Ziroc]

Originally Posted by Memnoch I don't know...it's too big a jump to me. The whole world I knew, the characters I loved...all gone. Except those with long live spans. And I can't find any decent series that go through "the Transition". It's either before Spellplague or after Spellplague.

I have the same feelings with 4E... I HAVE read the Drizzt novels, but for the last 5 Months, I have 4 new 4E paperbacks sitting, and I am not interested in reading them currently... 4E is killing DnD period.

They NEED to realise this and can STILL make novels set before the spellcrap plague.
Simply call it 'old world FR' or classic FR....

After Reading the last Drizzt Novel, it made me really sad... no spoilers...
Its like, whats the point? Why should I root for any new character when they'll just 'reboot' it in a few years.....

I miss the feeling I got reading the Avatar Trilogy!

SO sick of all this 'rebooting' crap....that is code for "NO CREATIVE TALENT"

[Chewbacca]

It's become sort of a tradition to mix up the FR whenever new edition of D&D is released. So be ready in a few years for it all to get screwed again when and if 5e arrives.

It's a bit easier being a DM rather than a fan of the books because I can just pretend like the spellplaque never happened (or make it happen my way) and continue about my merry storytelling way.

[Azred]

I said years ago that D&D would have been better had it run on the GURPS system, which has remained almost completely the same since the 3rd edition rules came out (which was quite some time ago). The more generic and flexible they try to make the system, the more it looks like GURPS.

I haven't read any new 4e novels...but then I have totally lost my interest in the Forgotten Realms, except for the computer-based games I still have.

[SpiritWarrior]

Well, I find the Spellplague interesting personally. I am not sure why people are so upset. I mean...many of the most successful FR characters survived it. Most of the faves are blessed with long lifespans anyways. Elminster, Drizzt, Cadderly, Simbul.

Correct me if i'm wrong here but the characters who were killed off haven't really appeared in any books since then and I wager WoTC had no further plans to use 'em. Really how many trilogies did we read that had spinoffs or later books? Not many. I fondly remember many characters that I never heard from again and it didn't take the Spellplague killing them to make it so. *shrug*

[Azred]

I suspect any upset feelings are because any/all old sourcebooks and campaigns are now "invalid" but you are correct--seriously, did anyone here really care about characters like Olive Ruskettle or Adon? Other than that, every time WotC updates to the next edition means that hardcore fans get to buy a new series of books--folks who invested in their company love it.

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally Posted by Azred I suspect any upset feelings are because any/all old sourcebooks and campaigns are now "invalid" but you are correct--seriously, did anyone here really care about characters like Olive Ruskettle or Adon? Other than that, every time WotC updates to the next edition means that hardcore fans get to buy a new series of books--folks who invested in their company love it.

Right. I mean, I'd like to see Alias again rather than Olive (halfing thief concept ftl) but I knew years ago the writers were done. And they are great writers (Novak and Grubb) but didn't seem to get their due. Better than RAS and far superior to Greenwood. I'd like to see more of Finder. And even Giogioni Wyvernspur.

The only reason we see Cadderly again is because RAS scored a hit with Drizzt and continues writing Drizzt books. So he kinda throws his "other" character in there to make cameos from time to time in his novels. If he hadn't been so popular, we'd see neither of them again. If you ask me, his dwarven druid Pikel deserves a novel of his own. Maybe his bro and Cad could server as supporting chars.