1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not the best of the Realms, but not bad either, August 17, 2005
This review is from: The Nether Scroll (Lost Empires Series, A Forgotten Realms(r) Novel) (Mass Market Paperback)
The Lost Empires series is a series of stand alone novels featuring empires of old that have been lost only to searched out and found again for various reasons.
While this book is certainly not the best that the Forgotten Realms has to offer, it's certainly not the worst either. For thos familiar witht he Realms this is a nice book to pick up as it gives some history and lore about the Nethril empire. For those not familiar witht he Realms this book will seem like a waste of time.
I would recommend this book only if you enjoy Forgotten Realms books and have a decent understanding of what goes on there.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally some characters that are realistic, January 16, 2001
This review is from: The Nether Scroll (Lost Empires Series, A Forgotten Realms(r) Novel) (Mass Market Paperback)
I was fairly aprehensive about reading this book since I did not overly enjoy Lynn Abbey's last FR novel "The Simbul's Gift." But I ended up really enjoying this book, in fact I loved this book. Many people complain that the main character's are annoying or loathesome but in actuality they were quite realistic, they contained real human qualities and real human flaws, and thats what made this book so great. The hero's are not of your near demi-god proportions and thus it makes it all the more interesting to read about them trying to overcome the perils of the book, and because of this aspect you actually don't know that everyone will be alright in the end such as in an RAS book. And finally to top off the five star rating goes to the quite enjoyable, foppish demi-human of the book. Its nice to see a character such as that portrayed with some intelligence rather than completly feral characteristics. Read this book, I don't think you will be disapointed.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Apparently people don't go for character pieces anymore, July 13, 2011
This review is from: The Nether Scroll (Lost Empires Series, A Forgotten Realms(r) Novel) (Mass Market Paperback)
Believe it or not, I was unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms when I picked up this book. And yet it's still the best standalone novel I've read from this setting.
The overall impression I'm getting from these reviews is that readers wanted epic developments, stunning revelations, and outright heroic characters. Naturally, if you're going to limit your tastes to that form of fantasy, you're going to think this book is boring and terrible.
Fundamentally, this is a book about the characters - every one of them flawed, but none flawed to the core. Druhallen is stubborn and nomadic, but fiercely intelligent and a seeker of wisdom. Roz'ta has strong maternal instincts and a fierce temper, coupled with pragmatism and a strong bond with her compatriots. Tiep is immature, irritable and even cowardly, but he silently values and cares about his adoptive family.
People thought Sheemzher was a rip-off of Gollum. I would remind these readers that goblins are not known for their mastery of Common, and that Sheemzher has a good number of traits that distinguish him from Gollum - outright loyalty and good, as well as a childlike nature.
I found this change of pace from the usual save-the-multiverse fare extremely refreshing. This is the story of a group of unambitious adventurers just trying to make a living in an often unfair world. Boring to some; very fulfilling for me. And this from someone who doesn't even enjoy most Forgotten Realms literature.
I highly recommend this book. Just know what's on offer here and what you like from fantasy before you read it.
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