Customer Reviews

Crown of Fire (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga Book 2)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I read Spellfire a while back and chanced upon this book at a local bookstore. Knowing exactly what I was getting into, but knowing I had to find a resolution, I bought the book.

Everybody in Faerun seems to know the waif of a girl, Shandril, who throws jets of flame out of her eyes, ears and fingers, and half of them want her power for their own. She is on the run through the whole book. She outruns and outkills every army of Zhentarim she meets up with and manages to get her weakling husband killed two more times. Yes, implausible and inhumanitarian, yet it's what keeps you going.

Now, in the previous book we meet all sorts of interesting characters from the Forbidden Realms. There is the comedy duo of Torm and Rathan, the all powerful Elminster and the host of evil Zhentarim. Most of them make a quick show in the book, but are mostly scenery added to entice. Sorry, no more dragons, it would seem she killed them all.

What the reader might overlook is that from first to second book, only a minimal amount of time has passed, so the main characters cannot have progressed as much as desired. They are as they were in Spellfire.

I think maybe the heroine could have cried a lot less; it might have endeared her to me more. I think the unworldly husband, Narm, could have died less and helped more. Maybe even a tad bit of RESOLUTION would have helped. Is there going to be a third? I mean, they never quite make it to their destination. Not hoping, only curious.

There is some nude scenes in this book, so it is PG-13. Buyer Beware!!

I thought this book was better than most other people judging by their reviews.It builds the characters back grounds & shows their maturing.I'm partial to the Harpers & Knights of Myth Drannor who keep popping up to save the day.Read SPELLFIRE first then this book,it will make more sense & together they present a good story.Others mention how weak Narm is as a magic user,in the first book he was in AD&D terms a first or 2nd level magic user,in this book he casts a lightning bolt spell,(that's a spell you can only cast at 5th level or higher)He's gained 2-3 levels since the first book,not to shabby... Not everyone can be Elminster or Khelben Blackstaff....

I have a few gripes w/ this book. First of all, Narm is one of the most annoying character ever. Couldn't he have been, just slightly less... whiny, whimpering and wussy? ^_~ Seriously, it's not too bad. I love the Hidden House, and how the characters interact. I just think the little morale Shandril yells at the lich and Narm's weakling attitude were too much. Aside from that, I really enjoyed it. It's even more action-packed than the first one.

Yet another book from Ed that is well worth the read. So far, I have found all of his books to be very fun to read. While I wouldn't allow Spellfire in my game, I thikn it makes for interesting reading, and a good story. Keep up the good work.

I know, I know that sounds bad, and heartless, but I swear it's true. Compared to Ed Greenwoods other books this one is just plain bad. Shandril is just too godlike and Narm, well he's just a battery for her infinite powers. The thing isn't even well written, characters say things that are just plain wierd. Alas go and read an Elminster book instead.

OH MY GOD! Ed I swear if I hear ONE more time about Shandril and her god like powers....People the only way to enjoy this book is to look for the parts that AREN'T about Shandril and Narm...Read about the villains...I really enjoy reading about Manshoon and Fzoul and I am always voting for them as they are HUNDREDS of times more interesting than the heroes.....I swear if the villains had killed her I would have given this a 5 star rating....

It introduces Spellfire, magic and magical creatures to the beginer readers of Ed's books. Shandril , a wielder of spellfire in a long line of spellfire wielders meets a begining wizard, Narm. They come against the odds of the Zents, a mazzive army led by Manshoon (a mighty mage, not as mighty as Elminster tho) and half of the Realms trying to kidnap her to use her as a great weapon. With the aid of Elminster and the Harpers she must overcome this or become a slave to the first person who can nab her and watch her husband, Narm die.

I am rather glad to see the sequel(s) to SpellFire coming out. I basically grew up playing AD&D in the Realms. These books allow me to read about some of the imaginary places and people I, or my character to be precise, met in those early days. They fill a void left behind when I grew up and have been unable to fit gaming into my schedule. To me, Greenwood's books read like an AD&D campaign with Greenwood serving as Dungeon Master. Who better to tell the stories of Toril than it's creator?

This series generally gets a bad rap from most reviewers. Mr Greenwood is not supposed to be a literary genius. This story fits well into the grand picture of the Realms. It works just as well as "Spellfire", it predecessor. The heros are believable, Shandril is rather irritating.

I really like the villains. Manshoon is really evil, and his nefarious band of cohorts held my interest! The "Zhentish" organization created here is truely nasty. The bad guys and gals are more believable than the pompous, lusty(dirty minded) heros presented. Seriously, if these fools would clean up their act, maybe the evil could be overturned.

I do not discredit Ed Greenwood in any way with how he handles the storyline. He did, after all create this fabulous world that so many people have loved or hated for nearly 20 years, beyond that for some. If it was so bad, why do so many novels and gaming supplement keep getting published annually? Why do so many people keep reading the books, whether they like them or not?

This fantasy world is credible. Beautiful and horrible at the same time. I personally have spent days among this mysterious, and magical world that is absolutely thrilling. The architypes are there: dwarves, elves, wizards, dragons and mystical kingdoms that one can almost touch. Beholders! What a concept! Hilarious and monstrous at the same time. How can one resist?

The Forgotten Realms are always going to be remembered because of Ed Greenwood's determinations. He can bring real magic alive. I have literally come of age with his world behind me. Wizards of the Coast suceed in keeping this show alive. There is obviously some sort of attraction here, as so many other worlds are but a distant memory. Crown of Fire is not great liturature, just a great story with lots of action and magic!

...as another trashy book. Shandril and Narm get married? I only got to page fifty this time. My goodness... they just keep on getting worse. In some respects this book was a lot better than its predecessor, i.e. the writing style, but my god, I don't need to read any more about some demigod saying, "Oh a thousand is nothing, look!" and then burning them all up. Another waste of money and trees.