Try the Heros in Hell series by Jan Morris.
I only read the first book which is a collection of short stories. Most of the stories were good but over all the book lacked cohesion.
Hell in the books isn't the standard hell with devils punishing people it's more like holding cell where the inmates fight it out amongst themselves for territory and power.
The warlords are Caesar, Napoleon, Genghis Khan and other great generals of history. The Heroes are regular people who fight to make hell a better place or try to escape it by achieving virtue in a place where backstabbing, in-fighting and betrayal are the only way to survive.
It a twisted reflection of the world so there isn't any magic per say but oracles and mystics abound.
The Divine Comedy, from Dante Alighieri.
You can't get any better.
I agree with Seldriss, specifically, the Inferno.
Also, treat yourself to some good illustrations of the Inferno: Gustave Dore, Wayne Barlowe, William Blake, Botticelli...who else?
ADD: C. S. Lewis' The Great Divorce, the Classical stories of visits to the Underworld, the Hell passages of Milton's Paradise Lost, Dante's Inferno video game, Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go ;)
In that case, some of the books in the Avatars Crisis series (not sure of the titles) in the Forgotten Realms describe some scenes in the lower planes, but not Hell specifically, especially the tribulations of Kelemvor.
In the classics (that i always find much more inspiring than cheap fantasy writing), there is also of course the myth of Orpheus, which was treated in magnificent poems and since the 20th century adapted in some movies (by Cocteau) and comics (by Caza).
I really enjoyed Paul Kidd's Queen of the Demonweb Pits.
Somebody has done a thesis on the underworld in games. Unfortunately, it is restricted to video games.
ADD: For the curious -- don't be tempted to buy it. GA Tech gives it away for FREE.
In that case, some of the books in the Avatars Crisis series (not sure of the titles) in the Forgotten Realms describe some scenes in the lower planes, but not Hell specifically, especially the tribulations of Kelemvor.
Is Elminster in Hell one of these books, or is it in a different series?
Is Elminster in Hell one of these books, or is it in a different series?
No, Elminster in Hell is one of the books dedicated to the famous/infamous archmage of Shadowdale.
The series of the Avatars i am refering to is the one about the theft of the Tablets of Ao, the fallen gods trapped on Toril, and the adventures of Midnight, Cyric, Adon and Kelemvor and so on.
(i don't say too much, to avoid spoilers)
Elminster appears in these books, but as a secondary character.
Bump
And......This surprises me
No really good suggestions
Can someone tell me why this type of Novel (see original post) has not been written?
Well now wait a minute - Queen of the Demonweb Pits has been written - It's not the easiest to find (but there are more than 10 for sale right now at amazon), and it's not the cheapest (but you can get a used copy for less than $20, new for $25), but that's a far cry from "doesn't exist."
If you want a book that's currently in print, or free, then maybe it doesn't exist...
Bump
And......This surprises me
No really good suggestions
Can someone tell me why this type of Novel (see original post) has not been written?
Well, there were some GREAT suggestions, just not any that fit the original post. Maybe the original post is what needs to be changed. ;P
The passages of the Greek and Roman epics that deal with the journey to the underworld are awesome stuff.
Yes I stand corrected
Queen of the Demonweb Pits...... does fit.
And yes it is hard to findBut that makes ONE book
Well, read it twice. You'll get your money's worth ;)
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When I saw the Thread title I immediately opened the Thread hoping to find a few good recommendations. Like the OP I have really wanted a D&D novel to do this. But I know of so few D&D books, so few Fantasy books in general, that a Thread like this would be my only recourse (It seems I started a Thread like this a few years ago to no avail).
Ugh.
Maybe the reason few (if any) exist is that publishers, even D&D publishers, are afraid of a fallout from Right-Wing voices (even RPG right-wingers) screaming Devil Worship!
Sad.
Guess I'll look at Queen of the Demonweb Pits -- though, wouldn't that just be a novel about Q1?...
I have Q1 (and the preceeding 6) and as an adventure it was a tremendous let down.
When I saw the Thread title I immediately opened the Thread hoping to find a few good recommendations. Like the OP I have really wanted a D&D novel to do this. But I know of so few D&D books, so few Fantasy books in general, that a Thread like this would be my only recourse (It seems I started a Thread like this a few years ago to no avail).
Ugh.
Maybe the reason few (if any) exist is that publishers, even D&D publishers, are afraid of a fallout from Right-Wing voices (even RPG right-wingers) screaming Devil Worship!
Sad.
Guess I'll look at Queen of the Demonweb Pits -- though, wouldn't that just be a novel about Q1?...
I have Q1 (and the preceeding 6) and as an adventure it was a tremendous let down.
Yes, it's a novelization of Q1 (of sorts) - it's the third in a trilogy, after White Plume Mountain and Descent into the Depths of the Earth (so not quite following with the 1e G-D-Q series).
But don't go into it looking for anything serious - the books are fun and enjoyable and entertaining, but more light-hearted and silly than anything else.
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Thanks.
For the OP, the D&D book that I like alot because it's, well, "sorta" like what we're looking for is a FR novel by Monte Cook titled The Glass Prison.
[Not much of a spoiler]:
A Cambion (male offspring of Demon-male and human-female) named Vheod gets whisked away to Faerun and tries to stop a Balor from being released into the world.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Thanks.
For the OP, the D&D book that I like alot because it's, well, "sorta" like what we're looking for is a FR novel by Monte Cook titled The Glass Prison.
[Not much of a spoiler]:
A Cambion (male offspring of Demon-male and human-female) named Vheod gets whisked away to Faerun and tries to stop a Balor from being released into the world.
I'll second the recommendation of The Glass Prison - I really liked that one.
I also think one or more of the later Midkemia books by Raymond Fiest deals with a demon incursion. It's not D&D, but his world is based on a D&D campaign back in the day. I'm not sure which titles though - I actually think it's his most recent trilogy in the series, which I haven't actually read yet.
Also, there's a trilogy of the Shanara series where one of the main characters spends most of the books in that world's prison world of demons, The High Druid of Shanara. This also isn't D&D, nor is it Hell as portrayed in D&D or legend, but it's somewhat on topic.
Also, there was a Planescape trilogy of books that included some forays into the lower planes, you might want to check them out. They were a bit weird, but so was Planescape, and I wouldn't say they were unenjoyable, but they certainly weren't your standard D&D novel either. The series is the Bloodwars Trilogy, and the books are Blood Hostages, Abyssal Warriors, and Planar Powers. I'm sure they're long out of print, but you can look at used book stores or ebay.
