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Ed Greenwood...sounds familiar.
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Ed Greenwood...sounds familiar.
Didn't he use to write for Dragon?
Hmmm. reading the plot synopsis, it looks like this story could have a big impact on the part of the world in which it is set, wich is so far unusual in Pathfinder Tales.
Yes, world shifting plots are rare indeed in Pathfinder Tales... Hmmm... Can't wait to find out how this one plays out! Awesome that Ed has come in to play in the PT sandbox!
Actually, if you are familiar with Ed Grenwood's writing, you'd know he has a 'delicate' touch. He has a way of making everything (in the story) seem so very important, and yet not 'shake the world' in ways that invalidate parts of the setting. If anything, he will BUILD UPON the plots and intrigues that already exists, and leave more RP opportunities all over the place.
I am looking forward to this - it will be my first Paizo novel.
I'm more interested in this than the previous two (Liar's blade and Pirate's honor).
But i'm waiting more than any other the new book of Howard Andrew Jones (Elyana and Drelm or whatever the title is going to be).
Oh, good. Of all the regions on Golarion, it had to be one of those I'm interested in.
Great to see Ed in Golarion. But I too would like to see some heroic rather than scoundrel/anti-hero/emo protagoniosts for a change of pace!
It is, but that's a mock-up cover and will change before the book's release.
*looks* Ed Greedwood wrote Guns of Alkenstar for the Web Fiction. I have not read that one in over a year. If I recall correctly, it was very good. I'll have to check it out again.
-Aaron
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It looks like Paizo's taking an interest in the Molthune/Nirmathas conflict in the next few months. We get both the Fangwood Keep module (hopefully) in April and Ed's novel in June.
Sly old Ed Greenwood found another world to play in. Good, I look forward to this, for if anyone can elegantly cram detail and intrigue in this (relatively) untouched part of Golarion it's Ed.
Updated product description and cover image!
I like the new cover! Who is the artist?
What is the cat with velociraptor claws?
-Aaron
Sweet! I just downloaded this to my iPod. As soon as I finish my third read through of Blood of the City, I'll start this one. I'm halfway through, now, so I'll get it started soon!
Also, thanks for the reply, Vic!
-Aaron
Just finished the book, and my opinion is *****, and Get it!
I just finished the book, and my opinion is, it was okay. Not the best from the Tales line, but not the worst either.
Despite the two main characters being thieves, they are still likable.
Things I liked:
-The development of the interaction between the two main characters
-Depite being good at it, Tantaerra dislikes killing things
-(mostly) Happy Ending
Things I disliked:
-Occasionally, time passed abruptly and we got dropped into the middle of action that we didn't see starting
-When the point of view changed, it sometimes took a while for me to figure out whose head I was inside of
If I can find a day to stay up late, I'll try to get a review written up and posted.
-Aaron
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Opinion piece:
Ok.. I get it.. Just because it says "Pathfinder" on the cover, the author is not bound to follow the Pathfinder rules in any way other than setting.
That being said, I think Ed has never read the Pathfinder RPG. I think he read a short synopsis of the setting, jotted a few notes about names and deities, and then shoved all Pathfinder reference materials into a nearby bag of devouring.
This novel is horribly paced, with a never ending ridiculous chase scene that reminded me of a Jackie Chan movie. The characters were spotted at least a dozen times by basic guards (warrior 1?) meaning the PCs were at best level 1. So why are they being hunted by armies, and archmages, and nobles who seem to think they are super-powered professionals?
I kept looking around for the GM so I could punch him in the face.
Its like Ed took all the bad parts of "Crown of Fire" (and there were a LOT of bad parts) and he just adapted that book here with a few word replacements.
And... a Halfling female -> Human Male romance? I think there are some physiological incompatibilities. Just sayin... Wail of the Banshee.
Ed, if you want to write a book where the main plot is a series of miserable, un-believeable, and railroaded events... at least make it fun.
This book was just... not fun.
/opinion
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Got to agree with the above post, this was poor.
I would guess that if an author who wasn't a big name like Ed Greenwood had submitted this to Sutter it might have been thrown back at them.
Very flabby as well. Just put it down next to Wizard of Earthsea and The Wizard's Mask is about three times the size! Considering how little happens in the adventure...
The gender politics in this book are interesting too.
1. Only one female character. In the entire book. At all. Ever.
2. Everything that happens to her also happens to a man but she is the only one who loses clothes in the process. And is sexually humiliated. And perved on. Several times.
3. She is the weakest, least capable named character in the novel.
4. Her central personality trait is that she is a nag.
Maybe that wouldn't have stood out in a decent novel. [/shrug]
Rules should never be a factor even in RPG novels. They limit the author too much.
That said: it's Greenwood. What did you expect?
I'm not sure how to rate this, but if I did I'd easily give it 1.5 out of 5. Like some of the other Pathfinder Tales novels, it peters out about halfway through. The characters become stale, and things just get really weird at the end. There are a LOT of times where they're talking about how each other smells. Okay we get it. Adventurers need baths. Can we read about something else, please? I picked it up because it was Ed Greenwood, and I like his work in the Realms, but after this, I'm not going to buy anything else with his name on it without a solid recommendation.
I don't really even care about the "low level" feel of it, Eberron novels feel low level and I love them. It was more or less character development, a lame dungeon crawl, and an even lamer villain that did this novel in for me. I'm surprised I finished it.
Another thing that might or might not be a conscious decision on the part of Paizo, some of these novels feel like they need more room. I know Nightglass felt that way (a book with an amazing first half and a "what the heck??" second half). I think that it would have been a very good trilogy.
Golarion needs some recognizable, iconic characters from novels (and I admit I haven't read anything with Jarian and Radovan yet, maybe they will fulfill my want in that regard) that GMs will delight in dropping into their games at some point or another. I know that when I was a teenager and I dropped Drizzt into my Forgotten Realms campaign once as a contact point for my players, it was definitely a memorable occasion. I'd like to see Golarion have characters as beloved as any from the Realms.. I felt like this book was Ed's chance to create such, but did not quite deliver.
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