Recently on Twitter, leading up to Gen Con, I saw a post from Rhys Yorke. He mentioned that he has written a novel with Ed Greenwood: Souls for the Taking, book one in a series called The Return of Larloch. It looks as if it will be published through DMs Guild, but seeing as Ed--if not directly contradicted by WotC--is the arbiter of lore for the Forgotten Realms, this is very exciting and technically official!
Last week, while I was out of town at a conference, the news dropped about a D&D tv show, specifically a Forgotten Realms one. I have been hearing rumors of such for years, but now we have some confirmation and some solid looking plans that will likely come to fruition.
An article from Deadline tells us Netflix is looking to produce a live-action tv show. This is headed by Shawn Levy, known for Stranger Things and Deadpool & Wolverine. Drew Crevello is a writer and showrunner that wrote the pilot.
While this is early news, and the previous shopping around did not lead to anything, I am hopeful this will lead to something good. Honor Among Thieves was a fantastic movie, and I want more of stuff like that.
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| Shawn Levy and Drew Crevello, note the art is not related to this project, that is the cover for |
The Fallbacks: Dealing with Dragons is a sequel to Bound for Ruin that released early in 2024. This is set to be released on July 29, 2025. Since the publication of Bound for Ruin there have been no more Forgotten Realms novels (unless I missed something from R. A. Salvatore, may be on purpose at this point) there was the publication of a new Spelljammer novel (only the seventh!) and another Ravenloft novel was announced and is set to be released in May. Dealing with Dragons will continue the adventures from the first book, which I found ok, you can read my thoughts here.
From Penguin Random House:
The Fallbacks return for another adventure in Dungeons & Dragons’ Forgotten Realms!
The Fallbacks might not be Faerun’s first choice for saving the day, but if the money’s right they’ll get the job done. In this ragtag band of adventurers, each member plays a vital role: Tess the disciplined elven thief; Anson the courageous fighter; Lark the cunning bard; Baldric the wily cleric; Cazrin the inquisitive wizard; and Uggie, their pet monster who eats garbage. Squint a little and they’re the heroes Faerun needs.
Fresh off a harrowing journey into the infinite dungeon of Undermountain and the defeat of a powerful undead lich (with the help of a giant hungry worm or two), the adventurers are now a proven and dedicated team, ready for a new adventure which will take them to strange new realms.
While it is not the return to the novel line of old and seems to follow a different style I find less evocative, I have hopes it leads to something more. Be sure to return around release for my thoughts.
On October 11, 2023 a new Forgotten Realms novel was announced. It is Dungeons & Dragons: The Fallbacks: Bound for Ruin by Jaleigh Johnson. It is set to be released on March 5, 2024. See the listing here.
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Here is the blurb:
Meet the newest Dungeons & Dragons party in the first epic adventure of The Fallbacks. To become renowned adventurers, this party needs to survive their first job. Tessalynde is an ambitious young rogue who dreams of leading Faerûn’s foremost adventuring party. While the crew she’s gathered isn’t the stuff of legend yet, she’s confident her guidance can get them there. The team: Anson, a fighter too stubborn to stay down, even when the odds are stacked against him. Cazrin, a self-taught wizard determined to test her theoretical mettle against the real world. Baldric, a cleric who refuses to tie himself to a single deity when he can trade favors with them all. Lark, a bard with as many secrets as songs. And, of course, Uggie, a monstrous pet otyugh who loves giving hugs and eating trash. Their first job: recovering a mysterious spellbook from a lost temple for a hefty payout. Tess hopes this assignment can turn her group of fledgling freelancers into a true team. But when their client is killed, their coin and his murderer both vanish, leaving the party to take the fall. Stuck with a sentient, bloodthirsty grimoire and pursued by mercenaries and the undead, this is hardly the mission Tess envisioned. Her crew must save the day, get the gold, and clear the party’s name—which they haven’t even agreed upon yet! With the threats against them mounting, a single mistake will see this party over before it even begins. Can this band of mismatched misfits stay together in the face of danger? Or are they bound for ruin?
