Customer Reviews

Elminster's Daughter: The Elminster Series

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

 

 

This novel was typical Ed Greenwood fare. If you tend to enjoy his work with its omnipotent characters and ever-happy endings, you'll love it. If you have problems with his style, then you might want to think twice because this definitely contains more of the same. I tend to enjoy his books and thus found this one quite entertaining.

The book starts off a little slow and then suddenly throws about five different plots at you. There is an excrutiatingly long chase scene (on foot) smack dab in the middle, but otherwise it flows very quickly once the plots get going. I honestly had trouble putting it down once I got past the first couple chapters.

Fans of the Realms should read this book because it does contain some events that might affect future novels. While the title doesn't suggest it, Cormyr and its royal family, the Harpers, the Red Wizards, and Mystra's Chosen all play significant roles in this book. So if you're a fan of any of those, read this.

Long time fan of the forgotten realms here. And Huge fan of Elminster and Mystra. So this book had me pumped. Unfortunately I had some serious issues with how Ed protrayed both the Hapers and Mystra in this book. And I found the ending with his daughter...daughters a cop out.

Mystra is a young goddess but... she's almost portrayed to be a novice. Correct me but Midnight did inherit more than just the powers of a goddess. She became the goddess of magic with subsequent jumps in consciousness(INT/WIS) and memories of the past mystra I'm sure. Yet she acts almost like a little school girl needing reassurance from mortals. Moreover, its never explained why Mystra 'betrayed' Elminster. I call allowing my child to be born without my knowledge and worse yet, ignoring her, a betrayl.

My biggest complaint is with the Harpers. I've always been a huge harper fan, but after this book I think perhaps the Red Wizards of Thay might look more attractive. At least they never sway in their outlook and goals. In this book, the harpers act like complete tyrants. I'm sorry but using magic to beat a defenless girl (who just wants freedom) to submission, and one who has been proven to be protected by Mystra just smacks of Evil. Winning by any means possible is not a justification for your actions.

I also find Ed's manner of writing hard to follow. He tends to jump from scene to scene within a few pages. Juggling 4-6 different storylines at the same time might be impressive to some but to me its just plain confusing. Especially since we don't get to see them getting tied together till much later in the book.

Still if you're a fan of the realms like me, I would say read the book. It does cover what happens to Vandeghast, which is a pretty major story/game plot. Also it has some interesting scenes with The Symbul and insights into life in the realms which Ed does so well.

I enjoy reading Forgotten Realms novels as well as Dragonlance and other assortment of fantasy novels. Yet, I have always struggled reading Greedwood's books. With that said, this is one of the better Realms novels by Greenwood.

To me, it was a much easier read than some of his other books. There seemed to be a consistant plot that moved along at a steady pace and had a reason behind it. I also liked how he developed the characters beyond those that have been established in the previous Realms novels.

There was nothing about this book that made it seemed forced in any way (unlike some of his other books).

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and one that I think many fans of the Realms will enjoy.

While once again reviewing some memories, as Elminster in Hell did, which gets somewhat old, this book has a good pace, and keeps people interested in Greenwood's FR works.

I love thieves and rogue chars so I thought I would love this book. I was a fan of the first 3 books in the Elminster Series and I don't like short stories so Elminster in Hell wasn't my style but that was forgivable. This book had a habit of going ADD on story lines of chars that didn't matter, the thief daughter wasn't wrote about near enough and what chapters one did get about her were generally cluttered with parts about characters not her or action scenes that gave no depth of personality. The book started off strong enough that I was to invested not to finish it but the last half was a chore with little reward. It was interesting to note that a naked woman made an appearance somewhere in almost every chapter in some nonchalant way. Overall, not a terrible book but it would of been better served if it focused on the daughter more. I hope to read more about her in the future but this book isn't one I'd seriously recommend to anyone but the most die hard Elminster fans.

Ed Greenwood has provided us all with another amazing work here. As the title reveals, this is more about the Old Mage's estranged daughter than El himself.
Narnra is an interesting character in her own right. Some readers may find her a character that lacks developmentally. The feeling of resentement she carries about her father is touched on briefly, then abandoned for a large section of the book. This was acceptable to me, because for that large section Narnra is running from Harper agents across Marsember. She does get the chance to discuss the whole situation with Elminster, at an appropraite time and place.
The novel does start out in a slightly confusing manner. Greenwood gives us five or six different plot lines, which he slowly and carefully weaves together into one larger scheme. It will take some patient reading on the part of the reader to get through the initial setups, but you shall be rewarded by the end of the story!
Overall, this was a great book. I like to think it shows the "dark side of being good."

Quickly now, name two famous literary wizards.

Depending on your age, and how much you read, the answer will vary from person to person. As for myself, the first two wizards that come to mind are Merlin from the Arthurian legends, and Gandalf from the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

But, if you're younger, you'd more than likely add Professor Dumbledore to that list.

In fifty years time, when you're asked the same question, I'm willing to bet that Dumbledore will be first and foremost on that list of wizards.

Those of you who are familiar with the Forgotten Realms setting of novels (which started out as a campaign setting for a role playing game), will probably add Elminster to that list as well.

At least, that's what Ed Greenwood, the creator of the setting and the character is more than likely hoping for.

I've recently finished reading Elminster's Daughter, the most recent novel in the Elminster series published by Wizards of the Coast.

Now, with a title such as this, you'd think that it would center on the main character Elminster and his offspring.

Not so.

The story is set in Cormyr, a kingdom that is constantly besieged by the Red Wizards of Thay, and is under threat from neighbouring kingdom of Sembia and Zhentile keep. To make matters worse, there is a `righteous conspiracy being plotted by several powerful nobles to take over the kingdom for their own nefarious needs.

Of course, Elminster gets involved in this, but only in a minor way. His unbeknownst daughter also is dragged into the conspiracy. She is totally at loss when she's pulled away from her stomping grounds of Waterdeep to be deposited into this completely unfamiliar and alien city.

A good chunk of the novel where his daughter is involved is spent with her being chased by a Harper agent. Harpers, by the way, are sort of like the secret service in the forgotten Realms. They're the enforcers of all that's good and just.

As with Silverfall, I found this novel to be pretty boring. Political conspiracies are not really my thing, and this includes the back room dealings of nobles - despite the fact that it is set in a fantasy world.

There were a ton of names being tossed around, some of which I am familiar, others I had no idea who they were. I guess I'd know more of these characters if I read more of the books in the setting, but Fantasy just isn't my main interest. It's more of a filler for me when I am out of my usual genre's to read.

Quite honestly, I'm getting a little tired of god-like characters in these various settings. Sure, powerful characters can be interesting and always have a part in shaping the world around them, but frankly, I'd like to see new characters introduced, characters that can grow over the years as stories are written about them.

God like characters are really getting tedious and thus it adds to the boredom factor for me when it comes to reading these books. Having Elminster's daughter introduced helps alleviate these feelings.

Now, that's the other issue I brought up. She really wasn't a major player in the novel. You'd think that considering the title, she'd be first and foremost. Not really the case. She's an accidental player, at best.

I would have enjoyed the novel far more if she'd had played a far larger role, but to me, she was - at best, a secondary character.

Hell, even Elminster played a secondary role when it came right down to it. The other characters, the ones involved in the conspiracy and the fight to end it seemed to take up center stage most of the time.

But, despite the complaints, it was kind of neat seeing a little more into the working's of the Realm's greatest wizard, and frankly, just how randy the old goat can be.

Don't let the cover of the book fool you either.

I quite honestly can say if I'll read another book by Ed Greenwood. This is the second one of his that I've read in recent months and I was very bored by both. That's not really a good sign either, when you consider that they were published pretty much a decade apart.

2.5 out of 5

Well, I must say I am mightily disappointed by this novel.

The plot seems to jump into each direction at seemingly random events. And while some might like the omnipotence of Elminster (after several thousands of years he deserves it) I find it very irritating that everybody besides the main characters appears to be dumb as bread.

While the war wizards of Cormyr should be the among the brightest of that realms they act like novice fresh from school without even the slightest idea about what and why they are doing something.

The reasons behind the motivation of some people remain clouded until it seems prudent to change them within three lines of text to do for a better light to shine on the main characters.

The worst in this novel is the scene where Elminsters daughter (who by the way is just a side character and does nothing to advance the plot in my eyes)is chased by an harper agent on foot for about 40 or 50 sides. To me, it was really boring to follow the chase where seemingly random characters were thrown into the plot line to lenghten those scene....

Well....as I said...I am very disappointed about the novel and prolly just venting some steam...

Ed Greenwood isn't my favorite Forgotten Realms Author, but I make it a point to read all the FR Novels. To date, I've read 90% of them, and most were great reads. Elminster's Daughter was kinda slow, and boring, but picked up near the end, but one thing made me scratch my head when I finished the Novel--Why was it entitled "Elminster's Daughter" ? True, his Daughter is in it, but she is the secondary plotline. Most of the novel revolves about the possibility of Vanghedehast retiring.

Also, in all of Ed Greenwoods novels, he seems to enjoy having the females appear nude and fall in love with Elminster or some such thing. In my opinion, this book had no substance like his previous novels.

If you want a truely GREAT story, read the Forgotten Realms new series "The Erevis Cale trilogy" Book one, "Twilight Falling" and Book Two, "Dawn of Night". Both are probably the finest novels in the Forgotten Realms series!

Great Book by Ed Greenwood. There's a surprising twist at the end of the book and it was amazing. One of the best stories in the Elminster story.