Customer Reviews

The God Catcher: Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep

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I've read a lot of fantasy in my life, some good and some bad. Luckily, THE GOD CATCHER falls into the good category. It's not so much a fantasy book as just a great adventure story. The author does a nice job setting the characters and mood quickly. It's a great story about a young noblewoman trying to find her way in a world of magic, thievery and dragons. The plot moves quickly and you never feel bored. At the end, you'll ask the age old question: What happens next?

First of all, this is a good fantasy novel. If you don't want to read anymore in this review, just know it is 5 of 5 stars if you are a Forgotten Realms (FR) fan. If you don't, it's better start at some point, so hey, try this book.
Being a FR fan, it's difficult to me separated where a non-FR fan could enjoy all in this novel, but I think you can make good time of the reading even if not inclined to fantasy novels.

Lets to the review, shall we?

The book follows Tennora, a wanna-be mage living in the City of Splendors, the greatest (well, now Baldur's Gate is bigger, but have not the glamour) city in the Forgotten Realms setting. She is spring to a recently noble family, so much of her life where dictated to being a nice and polite girl. Like all good heroes, she is an orphan, growing in the care of her uncle's. And at the beginning of the novel, she is trying to make her live without her parents.

Then, comes Nestryx. And she is a difficult person - maybe because she's a dragon trapped in human form. This is a concept I will gladly take for my FR RPG campaign! And Nestryx is searching for a way to revert to her dragon form - but she have bounty on her head for murder, and some say she is simple a spellscarred crazy person.

The novel unravel in the plot of a dragon game being played secretly, and one of this players is much interested in gaining hold of Waterdeep.
After this, I would be spoiling your fun, so go read yourself.

About the overall quality of the book, it's well written, with the action taking velocity with moments of high tension (the sewer's are a must be read chapter for every D&D Dm's trying to make better sewers for his or her campaign), with moments of elucidation on some character's doings (like the eladrin master mage Rhinzen Halnian and his... difficulties), and moments of pure evilness (like Ferremo, an assassin that plays with his victims). The dragons... well, I really cannot say anything for being afraid of spoilers, but let's say this: This book could be called Dragon's Catcher. It's the first book of the Waterdeep series that brings dragons (I haven't read all the Wild series, so maybe there's a dragon on one), and they are portrait in all glory, terror and breath's that they deserve.

5 of 5 in this one!

I never write reviews, period, but I was so blown away by the way this author writes in the "well worn" FR series of D&D Novels. Despite a couple of Deus Ex Machina moments (in a world based on the fantastic, I don't really have a problem with this), Mrs. Evans displays a real knack for non-linear character development. This is the first post spellplague novel, besides the Richard Baker novels, that it felt truly like the Realms again, not so much of the alien world a lot of the newer FR novels portray (though I do enjoy many of these changes).

Great book!!! I really hope that she continues these characters in later novels. Definitely up there with Kemp, Baker, and Salvatore.

The last time I touched a tie-in novel had to be back in the early D&D days of Dragonlance and the very initial offerings of the Forgotten Realms novels - think Moonshae trilogy and early Ed Greenwood. I had heard of Erin Evans via twitter and through an article that I've forgotten about now that challenged preconceived notions of the tie-in, which I think I (and many others, unfortunately) regulated to the genre ghetto. I could not have been more wrong.

I grabbed the Kindle version of this book on whim and had absolutely no context into the FR world as it stands today. I was blown away. Erin Evans is a major talent and has with one book gone on my "buy instantly" when a new one from her comes out. I didn't need any background on the world, as Evans smoothly slid into it like I was an old friend. Her characterization and pacing are top notch. While I hope she is able to branch into whatever genre she wants, I'd be perfectly happy to continue to read her tie-in work. Don't knock it 'til you try it. You might be surprised at what you find.

I just finished The God Catcher; what a page-turner!

To be honest, I'm not much of an FR reader. "Another dwarf with an axe?" I think. "Life's too short." But I was immediately engrossed in the story of the main character, who not only isn't a dwarf with an axe, but is about as far away from pseudo-Tolkien as it's possible to get. She's smart, and resourceful, and not at all defenseless. But don't worry: it's not a Chick Book. There's enough flinging-of-pointy-objects to keep everyone interested. You don't have to be an FR reader, or know anything about Waterdeep (the city in which the story takes place), to enjoy this book. The God Catcher has a lot going on: political intrigue, a coming of age story, some old-fashioned "gather the party and FIGHT!" and more than one mystery to be solved. The characters are great. I dare you to find one you don't like---even the villains are complex and interesting.

If you enjoy fantasy, or stories with strong, believable female characters, you've got to read this. Evans is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to read her next book!

The God Catcher is a great adventure book and does not disappoint. Ever since the changes back in 2008 I had been refusing to read anything new from FR. Some of my favorite fictional deities and characters were murdered, and I shuddered to see what would become of the Forgotten Realms without them. However, I have also seen how dead gods have a way of coming back in the Forgotten Realms, so I will keep my fingers crossed for Mystra and Eilistraee.

Tennora Hedare and Clytemorrenestrix (she who thunders in the sky) are unforgettable characters. I would love to see them again in other novels. Tennora is innovative as a wizard-thief, and Nestrix is a dragoness trapped in the body of a human. There is a persistent theme of dualities. Dualities and how we come to terms with them in order to create, or recreate wholeness. However, the theme is rendered in the context of a great adventure story that is never boring and adds an interesting intellectual dimension that was often lacking in past FR campaign novels.

Though I find the Forgotten Realms sadly reduced with the destruction of the weave of magic, and all the gods who died terrible deaths (the death of Azuth was rather shocking), I find that it remains a world full of potential and promise. Anything may happen in this campaign setting, including the return of dead fictional deities. Just when this will happen, who knows? Perhaps it is not yet permitted for writers to write such stories since it's too soon. However, there is the opportunity now for writers to create stories about the remaining deities like Selune, Tymora, Lathander, Sehanine Moonbow, Chauntea. I have a feeling that Selune will have some role in bringing Mystra back. But we'll see.

This was a real surprise to me. Being a Forgotten Realms fan I have been very dissapointed at the obsession with zombies and death in the new novels. Not so with this book. Erin Evans brings a refreshingly entertaining storyline to life. I would raank this as one of my favorite FR novels. Highly recommended...very difficult to put down. Now I pray for a sequel.....

The God Catcher by Erin M. Evans- This is the fifth book released in the Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep series of stand-alone novels. This series contains five other entries, which are all written by different authors. With all stand-alone novel series, any of the other entries can be read out-of-order. The series is set in the Forgotten Realm universe. The other novels in the series includes; Blackstaff Tower by Steven E. Schend, Mistshore by Jaleigh Johnson, Downshadow by Erik Scott de Bie, City of the Dead by Rosemary Jones, and Circle of Skulls by James P. Davis (due out in June 2010). The God Catcher was released in February 2010. This is Erin M. Evans first full-length novel, but she has contributed a short story in The Realms of the Dead anthology titled "The Resurrection Agent."

The story is about a noble girl named Tennora who doesn't want to be a proper lady but just wants to study magic and lore. Her aunt and uncle worry over where she lives, an apartment complex called the God Catcher. The complex is called that because after the Spellplague, a giant construct that guarded the city of Waterdeep went crazy and was trapped half-underground and half above. After a visit from Tennora's aunt and uncle, a seemingly crazy woman is yelling and throwing rocks at the God Catcher. After the woman vanished before the Watch could step in, Tennora thought nothing of her. Until she went to a tavern across the street and the crazy woman struck up a conversation with her. Tennora, feeling sorry for the woman, invites the crazy woman to have dinner with her. During their meal, the woman, Nestrix, claims she's a dragon and that the landlady of the God Catcher could help change her back into her dragon body. Tennora decides it's worth a try, and agrees to help after a deal is struck in which Nestrix promises Tennora a spell that can turn her into a powerful wizard. When they are leaving, a half-orc bounty hunter slips Tennora a piece of paper. Later, after reading the note, she finds out Nestrix is a murder and is considered to be crazy. After Nestrix pleads her case of self defense, Tennora understands and continues to help her. After a chest that was Tennora's mother arrives at her door, she discovers her mother isn't who Tennora thought she was and the realization shakes Tennora to her core. As things progress, Tennora and Nestrix get mixed up in a kidnapping plot that could bring about doom for Waterdeep.

Negatives:
1) Prologue. I really didn't follow anything that was going on in the prologue. It just was plain confusing and odd. The only thing I got out of it were plenty of unfamiliar words and that two (or was it three?) dragons playing some sort of chess like game. Without any idea what is going on, it was almost unbearable to read through. At least, later on it does tie into the story.
2) Unfamiliar Words. Another slight problem I had were the words. These aren't `normal' words that you would find in a dictionary either. For example, what in the world is xorvintaal, dokaal, darastrix, or strixiki? The first time I came across these words I just scratched my head and wondered what they would even mean or suggest. However, as the story progresses, they were either explained or you had a basic idea of what they meant.

Positives:
1) Story. This was a real hard story to put down for to long. It flowed wonderfully and it was fast paced and exciting. I don't remember a dull or slow moment at all. Also, the overall theme behind the story was interesting and fascinating. The theme has to do with identity and it was done extremely well. Every subplot or side story all seemed natural and fitting. There were no useless quests or missions to get some odd or end, well scratch that, there was one. But even that one added to the overall story in a number of ways. Not only that, but everything seemed to have an ending. But I do have a few small complaints. The first is that I never wanted to story to end and the other is why did it have to end?
2) Characters. I loved the characters. Each one had their unique quirks about them making them feel different. Tennora was more stereotypical of a heroine. Born in the upper class of Waterdeep, she left home because she didn't want to be `controlled' by her aunt and uncle. What makes her interesting is who her mother was, but I'll get into that later. Nestrix was just wonderful. You knew she was a dragon, but at the same time it was hard to believe it. With all the crazy flash backs and moments of Nestrix being someone else, you would start to believe she really is crazy.Them you have the half-orc, Veron. While not a major player until the end, his presence really solidifies the whole theme. Suffice it to say, each and every character added to the theme of the story wonderfully. They all felt like they belonged and each and every one you really started to enjoy and like, including the villains.
3) Descriptions. To put it simply, it seemed like you were in Waterdeep. Everything was described well enough to give you an idea and it allowed for your imagination to create the rest. It's as vivid and as abstract as you can get, all thanks to the descriptions. Where this is best shown is in the sewers. You just felt dirty and unclean when reading through that particular section.

Side Notes:
1) Nice Surprise. I'm not going to give it up, but I'm really excited when I read who Tennora's mother was. It was a nice connection to the Sembia: Gateway to the Realms series. The only thing I can't figure out is who her grandparent is. It couldn't be the two sons, yet why would the daughter retain her family name? Sorry for my abstract-ness on this, but I can't give it away.
2) More? I really want read more about these characters. Even though the story seemed to be done and over, I just want more!
3) Cover Art. I like the picture, but why couldn't it be the full-page? I don't understand why you have this border taking up half the cover and have the wonderfully detailed picture so tiny and small? It just boggles the mind!

Overall: 5/5
Final Thoughts:
To put it simply, I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved every second of reading it. While the prologue was a little odd, it didn't hamper the story, it just started out on an off note. Quite honestly, I never wanted this to end. It's a great read and I highly recommend picking it up.

This book tells a story. It tells a nice story in a nice way. Once the story is over it's over. That can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing but honestly this tells the story well enough that there is no need for another entry.