Completed Series: Songs & Swords by Elaine Cunningham

 I am much behind on my reviews. I am studying for a post-graduate degree, work full time at a factory, and have a family. But I still am able to play D&D every so often, and I still read Forgotten Realms books. I actually finished this series in December 2024, having started it in February of the same year. I have previously reviewed Elfshadow, book 1, but otherwise I have not reviewed the others. I will do that here.

Elfshadow (1991) - Exceptional

Elfsong (1994) - Good

Silver Shadows (1996) - Good

Thornhold (1998) - Good

The Dream Spheres (1999) - Amazing

Any encounter with the Zhentarim should be handled with a sword, not with diplomacy and bargaining.

To begin, Songs & Swords is probably my favorite Forgotten Realms series I have finished in some time. While not as epic or action-packed as Erevis Cale or as classic as Finder's Stone, or even as relatable as Brimstone Angels, it is a series of books that has much to offer.

The series has a tendency to bounce between characters for the different entries. For example, book 1, Elfshadow, follows Arilyn Moonblade, a half-elf labelled an assassin. She somehow has control of her mother's moonblade, rare among elven kind; it's unheard of for a halfbreed to successfully wield one. All her kin expected her to die from trying. But also with Arilyn is Danilo Thann, the secretly-capable mage that works for his uncle from time to time, Khelben Blackstaff. They have the start of a relationship, though it doesn't quite flower.

“It seems to me, your Harper would have little hope of survival and even less chance for success”

Then book 2, Elfsong, has a small cameo from Arilyn, otherwise it introduces more characters to have adventures with Danilo. It is a fun adventure, but feels hardly connected to book 1. Then in book 3, Silver Shadows there isn't any Danilo, but we are back with Arilyn as she aids the elves of a forest south of Waterdeep. Book 4, Thornhold, which has little of Danilo (though it is connected to characters from book 2) and no Arilyn. It is a confusing state of affairs, and a bit unsatisfying. What about going back to what was starting in book 2?

Well, book 5, Dream Spheres, does just that. In fact, it really heads in a pleasurable direction. It makes a nice ending to the series, even though there are a couple of loose ends, and a book 6 was planned. It was canceled due to delays that drove it into the time frame of 4e, which wouldn't work. Overall books 2-4 are good stories, and it almost feels like the "life" section of our two heroes, before they properly reunite in book 5. Now I will discuss the books proper, if you are interested more in story points.

Elfshadow (a video review is here) begins with much emotion. Cunningham sets the mood expertly, as there is always a melancholy feel to the stories Arilyn is a part of. While Arilyn is an adult, this novel is about discovering herself and the magic of her sword. It is a romance of education, a coming of age. Arilyn begins the story working as an assassin, targeting some Zhentarim in Darkhold. Arilyn is quickly portrayed as a grey character. We also have other characters, some that seem like we should not trust, others we should, and not all is as it seems. As mentioned above, I have shared my thoughts on this book before, but I was most impressed with how Cunningham brings the Realms to life. She does this with lots of tidbits that are nice nods to experienced readers, and unconfusing dressing to those that may start their Realms journey here. And surprisingly, this was Cunningham's debut novel. She started strong and effective!

Elfsong (video review here) begins with the dragon, Grimnash, waking on the winter solstice in the High Forest. An elven sorceress has disturbed him. Soon comes into play a particular magic harp, as well as the Harpers. The story focused on Danilo, and Elaith from book 1 also has some page time. Silverymoon, Waterdeep are some of the playgrounds.

The characters are Morgalla, a young female dwarven artist; Lucia Thione, a complicated and somewhat tragic character; and of course, Garnet, desiring a certain legacy and voice.

The idea of spellsong, a type of magic thought particular to elves, also comes into play. It is an interesting contrast to bardic magic, since it is also song but unconnected. Overall, the novel is really fun, but not as memorable as the first book.

“Intrigue was always in fashion, and the going price for an assassin’s services was high: So, however, was the price on an assassin’s life. Arilyn Moonblade walked lightly down the narrow back-alley street that led to the women’s guildhouse, making no more sound than the narrow shadow she cast. She was a broadsword’s width short of six feet tall, with raven-dark hair that hung in careless waves about her shoulders and eyes of an unusual dark blue flecked with bits of gold—beautiful eyes that might have inspired bardic odes, had they not been so wary and forbidding. Pale as moonlight and alert as a stalking cat, Arilyn had about her a tense, watchful air and the too-thin, too-taut look of one who seldom paused for either food or sleep. For an assassin, the choices were few and straightforward: constant vigilance, or death.”

Silver Shadows (video review here) deals with is set in the forest of the Wealdath. This is a story of Zhentarim thugs versus wild elves and the humans of Tethyr. Arilyn is sent as an ambassador, hoping to bridge the animosity. We have some fun new characters, like Foxfire of the Elmanesse elves. Also, Tinkersdam from Lantan. Also Lucia Thione from book 2 plays a role in this one. We also the have the assassin that dislikes Arilyn, anmed Ferret, as well as Hasheth, the son of the pasha who works some with the Harpers. I have not mentioned it before, but the first 4 books are part of the larger, and hardly related, 16 book series called The Harpers.

If you have R. A. Salvatore's Sylvan Shadows, this has a very similar basic plot, but Silver Shadows is much more complicated (and considrably better). This book is very melancholy and primal. The story of identity is the main story, it is one of prejudice and stubbornness. It is often dark. But it is wonderful.

Thornhold (video review here) deals primarily with the Keep of the Knights of Samular, or Thornhold, that is north of Waterdeep on teh southern edge of the Mere of Dead Men. First, we have Bronwyn, a Harper agent that must deal with treacherous Duegar. Also Dag Zoreth of Darkhold, a worshipper of Cyric. He aims to kidnap Bronwyn, who is his sister. They both survived the immolation of their village and don't know much of their past.

We also have Ebenezer Stoneshaft, a dwarf with no mustache, and his sister has a beard. The conflict becomes obvious, the Harpers, dwarves, and Zhentarim all have aims around Thornhold. A big theme of the book is found family, its rather sweet. There is also some nuance on the good vs evil idea. In the larger story of the Harpers, this is book 16 of 16, and the ending points towards the founding of the Moonstars.

“Sometimes the difference between a rogue and a hero,” she said carefully, “comes down to who is telling the tale. Ask these elves who I am. They will speak of the moonblade. Ask humans, they will say assassin. It could be the same for you.”

The Dream Spheres (video review here) is the fifth and final volume, sadly. This one begins at the Pickle in Waterdeep focused on two wenches, Peg and Lily. The latter finds life dull and dingy. Her items are worn out and so is she. Her only item of worth is a dream sphere, a magical new item in the city of Waterdeep. It can show you waking visions of your deepest desires.

We also have Arilyn and Danilo, really for the first time on an adventure together since book 1. They are to attend the Gemstone Ball together. Danilo faces prejudice from the nobility which don't like elves mixing with the great houses of the city. Arilyn has officially broken with the Harpers but she is heading for a deeper relationship with Danilo. This book is essentially me using a dream sphere, it is wonderful. Particularly where character relationships are concerned. A big part of this is romance. I'm not someone that goes out of my way to read romance, but I love it when it works in a broader narrative. This has the soaring heights and the trembling anxiety of love. Something is falling into place, and while not brought to a climax, with the lack of a book 6, it is a lovely send-off, even if unintentional. This book brings the first four to form an Exceptional series.

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Review: Stormlight by Ed Greenwood

 “You should not give in to evils, but proceed ever more boldly against them.”

 Storm Silverhand, Bard of Shadowdale. 

1996

Ed Greenwood

Before Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive, there was a Forgotten Realms novel, number 14 in The Harpers, but truly a standalone, called Stormlight. 

The prologue introduces Lord Athlan Summerstar in Firefall Vale, looking at the sunset behind the Thunder Peaks from the edge of Hullack Forest: that’s Cormyr, FYI. We are told this will be his last sunset, though he does not know it. It is Flamerule, a Summer month, in the Year of the Sword, 1365 DR. 

Athlan is a Harper, acquainted with Storm Silverhand and some magic. Shortly, a magic book in his tower that proves his doom. 

Then we meet Storm fighting a cambion and a marilith with Maxer. The latter is her lover and is doomed similarly to Athlan. Or is he? Sylune, a ghost and sister of Storm’s, comforts her during these presaging events. Storm is a daughter and Chosen of Mystra, Lady of Mysteries and goddess of magic. She has silver hair and is immortal as far as aging goes; she can die from harm. She’s also a Harper. 

Characters include Pheirauze Summerstar, the dowager matriarch of the noble family. Renglar Baerest, the family seneschal. Ergluth Rowanmantle, the local Boldshield, a commander for the Purple Dragons, and more. It starts bloody and gets bloodier swiftly. 

“Whenever I think I can relax at last, someone hastens to brutally point out to me that I’ve fresh work to do: it’s time to save the world again.”

There is Greenwood’s penchant: casual nudity. And on the second chapter it became evident that I was in for yet another murder mystery set in Cormyr. One where the Harpers, and particularly Storm, have an interesting involvement with local Purple Dragon authorities. 

Storm is bold and takes her job seriously, but is polite where appropriate. She is nonchalant in nudity, saying “Look all you want! I’m not ashamed of this body—but it still amazes me how many men are!” and the opposite of a prude. I do wish we had as many men naked as women, make it more equal? It does happen, but not as much.

The story is rather straightforward. Sure, we get some ideas of the Realms from its creator, information, and certain flairs other authors don’t have for the setting, but he is rather controlled, and the tale is pretty straightforward. It’s a very bloody one, with some power-hungry characters and others simply misguided. Some quotable lines in this one and small details that actually come back to matter, which is nice to see in a murder mystery. 

Ed is generally divisive,  and he does fluctuate in his focus. He is pretty focused here, not too many absurdities and asides, but he’s not tame, never tame. This one made me chuckle, or was it giggle, a couple of times; quite funny. Bold jokes and pantie raids…

It’s also horrifying and full of immolation and gruesome deaths. That’s also typical of Greenwood. Written in a different manner, this is easily horror, and it can at times be chilling. 

And for a setting and book with so many novels, they do largely preen and complain bullheadedly. There is some comeuppance, though. Not everyone in power deserves it, and “sometimes mighty mages are just as tired and careless as the rest of us”.

Also, Storm, as a seemingly immortal character, is very different than the bored and melancholy variety; she may be a tad mad, though. Lots of madness and death, that might be a complaint and a compliment, Greenwood is not afraid to kill off character,s but many I like die, and many we don’t get enough time to know well. 

And for those interested in the god Bane, this has some interesting bits concerning him after his death during the Avatar Crisis and his rebirth in 1372 DR. 

Greenwood doesn’t give us much obscure Realms lore, besides some local geography, but does provide some strange spells like fingersword and blood lightning. And all that being said, the novel gets super repetitive later on, lots of action. To some that will satisfy, to me, not so much. So while enjoyable and with Greenwood's good, it also has some of his bad. With the messier back half the book really is just Acceptable.

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“I don’t want to rule anyone, so I don’t. I do love growing things and being able to walk among forests and gardens, so I do. I love music, and meeting people, so I harp. And the Harpers want to help people and fight evil by turning out secrets before they become bigger, darker things—they don’t want to rule, either, and so don’t.”

Review: The Veiled Dragon by Troy Denning

 Hello, friends! Today I wanted to look at The Veiled Dragon by Troy Denning. This is a 1996 novel that is technically book twelve in The Harpers series but is really only a sequel to Denning's earlier Harper novel, The Parched Sea.

The story starts with our heroine, Ruha. She has left Anauroch and is now in the Dragonmere aboard a caravel piloted by Captain Fowler, a half-orc with the classic piggish snout. After her adventures in the first book in her homeland she is now in the employ of the Harpers herself. She is assigned by Storm Silverhand to get to Pros. She has had one previous assignment in Voonlar. We learn she botched that job and a hundred people ended up in slavery as a result.

The sea trip quickly turns deadly as a dragon is spotted. The cover will give some of this away, but it is honestly a very cool introduction. I even did my own take on it in a short story of my own.

The rest of the story involves the Shou. Like the Bedine, these are analogous to a real-world group. I don't think these would be written today but likely were written to sell Oriental Adventures but are obviously orientalist in nature. While I do not care for such an obvious real-world analog in Faerun, the Shou themselves are not deemed lesser but different. There is an odd dialect that the Shou speak that has aged poorly.

Essentially the novel starts great but quickly descends just by the nature of what is being explored. It has some exciting moments and good action, and the descriptions that Denning conjures for a desert-dweller experiencing the sea are executed well. For example, the waves are described as dunes. But after reading this Mediocre book I was looking for better Realms novels.

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You can track my current progress here.

Review: The Parched Sea by Troy Denning

In 1991 Troy Denning introduced the monstrous series of The Harpers. They're largely standalone or have internal arcs, so you have no need to read 1-16 like it is The Wheel of Time. The first of these is The Parched Sea which introduces Ruha, whom Denning would use in more of his Forgotten Realms novels, including The Parched Sea's sequel, The Veiled Dragon, book five of the Avatar series, Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad, as well as in The Return of the Archwizards trilogy. You can listen to my thoughts here.

Ruha is newly married and is adjusting to her life with a new tribe, the Qahtan of the Bedine in Anauroch desert. She keeps secret her portentous visions so the Qahtan will not think she is a witch. In reality she does know some magic which she learned from a witch who raised her for some of her childhood. 

Her call to adventure comes when her new husband, Ajaman, is given night guard duty. Disaster strikes the Qahtan, and Ruha finds her life upheaved. 

Lander, a Harper from Sembia, is in Anauroch to follow the moves of the Zhentarim. He will become important to this stage of Ruha's life. The year is 1360 DR, a couple years after the Time of Troubles. Cyric is presently God of three domains, and his Bedine aspect is Naser. 

The novel itself is pretty predictable. The Bedines are obviously inspired by the Bedouins. They don’t like magic since greedy magic users are what made the desert in the first place, at least in part (see the history of Netheril). The big theme is prejudice and finding belonging while fighting foreign interlopers. 

The desert setting is cool, I don’t read too many in such a biome. I wish Ruha was more of the main character over Lander, she was much more interesting, and Lander takes some of the attention away from her.

There is some romance here and is not the worst thing I have read by Denning. If I were you, I might skip this novel since there are better ones worth reading unless something here makes you think you would enjoy it or you are a completionist like I am. Regardless, my next review will be for the sequel, The Veiled Dragon.

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Review: Shadows of Doom by Ed Greenwood

Shadows of Doom is a 1995 novel and first in the Shadow of the Avatar trilogy. You can watch and listen to my video review here.

The story focuses on Elminster during the time of Troubles, particularly around the demise of Mystra. Makes more sense than Shadowdale (review here) which you can read before hand. It was meant to showcase why Elminster and some others were not around to save everyone during the Avatar Crisis, as those that normally would strive to do so I preoccupied saving themselves, well and the people of the High Dale.

Elminsters companion is Sharantyr, a Member of the Knights of Myth Drannor and one of the a Ranger three.

We also follow the Harper duo Itharr of Athkarla and Belkram of Baldur’s Gate. Harper’s are against tyranny of the Realms and go about trying to stop it wherever they can. We focus a lot on High Dale and it’s occupation by the Zhentarim which is facing being thwarted by our heroes. 

Super dramatic, endless amounts of combat it was like reading Salvatore (which I often find boring) but with Greenwood’s flair, which is to say the characters bemoan their fate of endless combat but it doesn’t change for them. It was nice seeing Elminster humbled and not be completely over powered. I felt some of the emotion he himself was feeling at such a loss of his goddess and magic with it at the start. That being said, for knowing how bad his death would be, it’s a little odd how reckless Elminster is at times, with seemingly none or little care about his fate when has very little power with him.

This was my first extensive experience with a member of the Knights of Myth Drannor, which didn’t disappoint, though I would have liked to see some character growth which is missing from just about every character as it’s only endless slaughter that faces them. Particularly, Sharantyr’s biggest trait is her hate of Zhentarim for the bad things they did to her when she was younger. I guess it fits that she is very good at killing them.

It’s not a page turner, but it was fun to listen to but our really reads like one DnD combat encounter after the other. The plot is hard to parse, and that lends to some problems. It’s not going to grip you into this grand story, it sometimes feels like it’s just trying to distract you.

I get that Greenwood is all about having his heroine’s be uncaring about their nudity, but it was a little much here at some points as besides maybe being something to mention once it’s a little excessive as it doesn’t really help the story. That being said, they do remind me some of Sword & Sorcery heroines. 

The villains are okay here, they’re not any big bads. I was hoping we would get a load of Manshoon, leader of the Zhentilar from a small excerpt at the start, but alas, it was not to be. Though he does play a bigger role for the last fifth or sixth of the nove. Stormcloak is mostly a fool, while some others are ok but nothing to write home about. IN that case it just felt like an excerpt from the wide world of the Forgotten Realms, it’s peopled with loads of kids of people and I guess this time we got some more mundane, uninteresting sort.

Also some things got through an editor such as Elminster’s archaic switching from addressing someone in the singular to the plural, at one point.

Also I read this to see how it would line up to Shadowdale and it acts as if Elminster didn’t appease in Shadowdale, though he does. I realized this was the case immediately so I just ignored it, but FYI it doesn’t line up. 

Besides that there are the occasional bites of nice lore, such as for Spellgard and Sembia since the High Dale is so close to the town of Saerb in that nation.  But overall, it’s Mediocre, but I think the audiobook may have saved this one from an even more Unforgiven rating.

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March Book Haul: The Harpers

This post is specifically for those interested in the physical aspect involved with reading every book in the Forgotten Realms. I may do these every so often as I gain a decent amount of books.

I recently received a package with 16 books: the entirety of The Harpers series.
I bought the series in one purchase on eBay. I have found that eBay generally has the best deals for online shopping when it comes to Forgotten Realms novels.
Breaking it down I paid about $4.38 for each book, almost $2 cheaper per book than every other option.

Sadly, most eBay sellers use USPS Media Mail, which is not the best, but if well-packaged it's perfectly fine. Make sure you look at the quality, and if they have a picture of the actual item, look closely. You can also ask questions of the seller, and this can be really useful. I once had someone tell me a book was in very good condition just because every word was readable, though it had looked like a rather mistreated copy, something I would consider acceptable. So the ratings aren't always consistent; if there isn't a picture offered you run the risks of getting a book of lower quality than you desire.

Thankfully these were well packaged.

In this case most books were also in really good condition, with a couple being okay or acceptable.

While it will probably be a good while before I get through all of them, I am really excited to dive into the series about one of my favorite organizations in The Realms.

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You can track my current progress here.

Completed Series: Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans

This is the first in a series of post that cover the Forgotten Realms series that I have read all of the novels in.

I will give the books and whole series a grade but it is not empirical, but is based off feelings at the time I read the books and how I feel now. The ratings do not have specific qualities that mark them, they are just descriptive words. Here they are for your reference from worse to best.

Ugly

Bad

Poor

Mediocre 

Acceptable

Good

Exceptional

Amazing

Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans is the first series of Dungeons & Dragons novels I ever read. This was from the end of August to the middle of September 2017 when I read all six in that two week period. At the time I had never played D&D, though I had played other TTRPG's, Brimstone Angels was a strong factor for my later start of playing of the game.

The books are such:

Brimstone Angels (2011) - Acceptable

Brimstone Angels: Lesser Evils (2012) - Good

The Adversary (2013) - Good

Fire In the Blood (2014) - Good

Ashes of the Tyrant (2015) - Good

The Devil You Know (2016) - Good

My first impression was that it was fun but a little slow. It slogged a bit because of strong usage of lore.  This changed drastically during Lesser Evils as the story got more exciting when the Harpers went to search for the library of the netherese Tarchamus the Untielding. From there  I flew through most of the books. There is a decent focus on relationships, which range from okay to a little annoying, but that takes a backseat from the great action and the unfolding storyline involving devils, gods, warlocks, and politics.

Farideh and Havilar are easy to relate too, and a fun set of twins. This is probably is heightened because I myself am a twin and am relatively their age. There story takes them from Neverwinter to Waterdeep, to Suzail, to Djerad Thymer and to lost libraries and secreted Netherese fortresses. The cast of characters, from the Zhentarim, Harpers, nobility of Cormyr, devils of Malbolge to the devoted of deities is very rounded and likable, even when they aren’t necessarily of good alignment.

Farideh is the main character and at the start of the story she makes a pact with a cambion which results in exile for her glaive wielding twin sister, Havilar, and her adoptive dragonborn father, Mehen. Ilstan, Dahl, Tam, and Lorcan are among the most memorable support characters.

Book 3 is also book 3 for The Sundering, and I feel it fits in pretty well. It did not seem forced to me, while some things in books five and six maybe could have been condensed.

Lore wise, I gained quite a bit of knowledge about Cormyrean politics, the denizens and hierarchy of the Nine Hells, a plethora of draconic curses, tiefling types, and a nice guide to deities statuses during the Second Sundering.

A note for those who wish to own books physically (like myself), the first and second books are generally quite expensive though 3-6 can be found easily at reasonable prices.

Overall the consistent quality of the books makes me say that Brimstone Angels is: Exceptional.
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