Customer Reviews

Black Wizards (Forgotten Realms : Book 2 in the Moonshae Trilogy)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read this series many times and it is still as good today as it was the first time I read it, almost 15 years ago.
I think the plot is one of the more interesting in the fantasy genre. Tristan and Robyn along with many other interesting characters are trying to defend their Isle/Goddess from the attacks of an evil god and his minions. I enjoyed the fantastic creatures, especially the little Psuedodragon as the comic relief.
I hope they re-issue this series so more people can enjoy this wonderful story filled with werewolves, unicorns, sea creatures, magic and intense battles.
Find it or borrow it! A must read.

I thought the first book "Darkwalker on Moonshae" was much better. Although the author brings back the main characters, and even adds a few more, we are still left with what I feel was a rather lame ending to another large battle. Overall, I have started the third book, "Darkwell" and the storyline with all three is still very good. It's an older series, but I read Darkwalker when I was in H.S (almost 15 years ago) and didnt even realize there were sequels. Still an enjoyable set.

I liked the trilogy, I was happy to see that things didn't always turn out as I expected. Nothing worse than always knowing what is going to happen.

Once again Niles has done a very good job of good, but somewhat predicatble, character develop and plotline.

This book does a very good job of picking up where the first novel left off, but the twists and turns aren't there as they were in the first. The plot is pretty straight foward but pretty enjoyable as well. What this book does is setup for a great third installment of the trilogy. A lot of things are setup that will not be dealth with until Darkwell, which makes for a great third installment, but does take away some from this book. Unfortunately, if you pick up Darkwell without reading Black Wizards, you will be totally lost, which obviously is the whole point.

Definitely a great fantasy epic and one of my personal favorites, The Moonshae Trilogy- Darkwalker on Moonshae, Black Wizards, and Darkwell, brings to life the little known Moonshae Isles set in the magical world of Toril. The books are so incredibly well written that the reader feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense. The author, Douglas Niles, has truly outdone himself and has presented us with a masterpiece of literature the likes of which we have seen only in JRR Tolkien's work and RA Salvatore's The Dark Elf and Icewind Dale trilogies, and in authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends trilogies. Magic, Gods and Heroes are all about. A GREAT book indeed and a must read if you love Fantasy and especially if you love the Forgotten Realms! DON'T MISS IT!!!

This is the BEST, "Forgotten Realms" series that I have read. The story transports you to a world of magic and adventure, entwines you in to the struggles of the heroes, and leaves you feeling fulfilled at the climax. What more can you ask for in a fantasy book?

OVERALL SCORE: (A+)
READABILITY: (A), PLOT: (B), CHARATERS: (A), DIALOGUE: (B+), SETTING: (A+), ACTION/COMBAT: (B+), MONSTERS/ANTAGONISTS: (B+), ROMANCE: (B+), SEX: (n/a), AGE LEVEL: (PG)

I fully recommend Douglas Niles' books in the Forgotten Realms books. His books are engaging and entertaining. Hard to put down!

This book was a fair book, but Niles' writing skills leave a lot to be desired. Niles has an interesting but limited vocabulary - try tallying up the word "spoor" throughout the novel, for instance. The foreshadowing evident in the book is also anything but subtle - it's an art that Niles appears not to have mastered. The plot was fairly intriguing (if predictable); i was somewhat curious to see who was going to croak and how (not if - the heroes have to have a glorious victory) the young prince Tristan was going to vanquish his foes. This is the best book of the trilogy, but it's not so good that it's worth putting up with the other two.