Elminster's Daughter (Forgotten Realms: The Elminster Series) [Hardcover]

Ed Greenwood (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Elminster Series | Publication Date: May 1, 2004

The first hardcover in two years from Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood.

This brand-new hardcover from popular Forgotten Realms author Ed Greenwood chronicles the latest events in the life of Elminster the mage, Greenwood's signature character. Elminster's Daughter is the first new title from Greenwood in nearly two years and has been eagerly anticipated by fans for over a year.

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Amazon.com's Significant Seven
Ed Greenwood kindly agreed to take the life quiz we like to give to all our authors: the Amazon.com Significant Seven.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: I can't possibly pick just one. The Lord of the Rings is one of them, but there have been so many. I have 80,000 of them at home right now.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: The book: any Discworld omnibus (Terry Pratchett), because I'm greedy. I think I'll ask him if I can pick my own selection, the next time his publishers are slapping several titles together. If it really must be just a single book: A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay.

The CD: Cheating time again. Your Hundred Best Tunes (London label, two four-CD sets, but a dearly loved and now-vanished store, the Madrigal, once sold them taped together, in a brick of glorious music). Force me to pick just one? I can't. Tubular Bells? Selling England by the Pound? Eldorado? No, I just can't.

The DVD: Jackson's complete Lord of the Rings set. If I really can only pick a single disc: The Man Who Would Be King (Connery, Caine, and Plummer). Beats The Princess Bride by a nose, some days but not others.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: Not telling a friend that the love of her life had just been killed, because I didn't think she should learn that from me, in that place, at that time. It hurt to do it, and I still think it was the right thing to do, but it still hurts.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: A Secret Place: a quiet spot where I can go off by myself to think. For me, a forest glade. That just happens to have electricity running up a handy stump, right beside a smooth stump angled to sit upon. Not just for my computer, but for kettles so I can brew endless mugs of green tea and hot chocolate.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: Here lies Ed, who tried to make people happy. Please sit down and have an easy moment. I now have plenty to share.

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: Any of my grandfathers ("Any?" long story), because I was too young to be able to pick their brains in a candid, man-to-man fashion ere they died. Not just because I'd love to know the truth, or at least their side, of various family tales, events, and disputes. Not just because I desperately want to know more of their characters, and spend more time with them. It's also because they were gushing, articulate fonts of knowledge about times now gone, the daily customs and attitudes and aspirations of "then." The saying: "There were MEN in those days" comes to mind. And no, I'm not belittling the women of the family. They did talk to me, at eloquent length, before passing away. They knew the importance of sharing and passing lore on.

Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: The power to read people's minds, at very close range and only when I tried to. Not to read bank account numbers or anything of the sort, but to know their true feelings, so as not to offend and so I can best make them happy. Spreading happiness has to be the most heroic thing ordinary folk can daily do.

About the Author

Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, is the best-selling author of hundreds of stories, game products, novels, articles, and other material set in the world of Faerûn. His most recent titles for Wizards of the Coast, Inc., were Elminster in Hell and Hand of Fire. He is also the author of the Band of Four novels published by Tor Books.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078693199X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786931996
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #963,680 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms setting, is the best-selling author of hundreds of novels, game products, and articles. His most recent novel for Wizards of the Coast is The City of Splendors, a collaboration with Elaine Cunningham. He is also the author of the Band of Four novels published by Tor Books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read for fans of Elminster and the Realms, December 14, 2004

By 

Russell P. Horton (Stoughton, WI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Elminster's Daughter (Forgotten Realms: The Elminster Series) (Hardcover)

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.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A so so book, September 1, 2004

By 

emyln (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elminster's Daughter (Forgotten Realms: The Elminster Series) (Hardcover)

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.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Typical Greenwood here, August 15, 2005

By 

Andrew Gray "Beezer Review" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Elminster's Daughter (Forgotten Realms: The Elminster Series) (Hardcover)

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.