Looking for a Good Source to Learn About Forgotten Realms


Gamer Life General Discussion

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Sissyl wrote:
Elfshadow, or Azure Bonds, or Shadow's Witness are much better starting points.

I know that this is common knowledge, but I just thought I'd point out that the really popular Forgotten Realms novels are the Drizzt Do'urden novels, by R. A. Salvatore. If FR can be compared to Marvel Comics, I would regard Salvatore's books to be the equivalent of X-Men, and Drizzt to be Wolverine. Drizzt is FR's cash cow.

But although I thought that the first 6 Drizzt books were fun to read (once, anyway) they didn't make a Realms fan of me. I would have liked those books no less had they been set in some other fantasy world. No doubt, some FR enthusiasts will now post that Elfshadow, or Azure Bonds, or Shadow's Witness would be better for learning about what FR is all about.


In general, when it comes to FR fiction I would recommend any FR novel written by Elaine Cunningham.


To the OP: if you enjoyed the 3.0 FRCS, and got the 3.5 update from Player's Guide to Faerun (remember to get the errata too!), then I would suggest Champions of Valor if you really like playing paladins, etc. It is the FR sourcebook which comes closest to Book of Exalted Deeds.


Yeah, my entry way to the FR world was through the EYE OF THE BEHOLDER computer game and THE CRYSTAL SHARD by Salvatore, followed by getting the 2E revised campaign setting in 1995. I know a lot of people who also got into the setting via the games: my group was sort of apathetic about the Realms until BALDUR'S GATE came out, which brought most of them around.


I came in after I'd stumbled upon the pre-3rd edition FR-books Wizards used to keep up for free download on their site when I was looking for information about the game-world of a Neverwinter Nights server I wanted to join.

I never joined that server, but I've got every Forgotten Realms book published during the 3 and 3.5 era except the big Underdark adventure one (City of the Spider Queen?).


I actually already bought and finished the Shadowdale eBook and absolutely loved it. I'm about 5 chapters in Tantras and excited to finish out the series.

I've definitely known about Drizzt and he just never really appealed to me, maybe when I was younger and I was all angsty and loved anti-heroes, but I'm more about pure Hero 100% and definitely loving the conflict Kelemvor is going through. I also tend to like things just because other people don't, like to make my own judgements and go against the grain. Like if my buddy loves something, I'm all for it, but if "everyone loves this" I'm wary.

I'll have to look into Elfshadow, Azure Bonds and Shadow's Witness.


Good man. I am glad the Avatar trilogy works for you. I consider it an acquired taste. Worth noting is that Prince of Lies is pretty good, the fourth book in that series, only it happens quite some time later. Personally I loved The Wyvern's Spur.


I'm glad they explained...

Character Spoiler:
Why Cyric suddenly seemed 50 times crazier in Tantras than in Shadowdale a chapter or so in, I was chalking it up to bad writing almost.

Any chance I could get an idea of the main characters in the 3 books you suggested?

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