9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent stand-alone adventure, June 1, 2002
This review is from: The Parched Sea (Forgotten Realms Novel : the Harpers, Book 1) (Paperback)
Unlike many other Forgotten Realms titles, this one is not part of an ongoing series. Though it is considered the first book in 'The Harpers,' it doesn't carry on from anything and, at least so far, doesn't carry on to anything.
The setting is the Anauroch desert, and the Harper in question is not one of the usual suspects (Elminster, Alustriel, Arilyn, etc.) but a relative nobody. He is dispatched to gather information about rumored Zhentarim activities in the hostile land, but ends up doing far more than merely snooping around.
Though important, the Harper is really only a secondary character in the plot. The right of protagonist is reserved for an unlikely individual- an ostracized witch named Ruha. I suppose it just wouldn't be the Realms if there wasn't some good old-fashioned magic involved, and she is quite an interesting character to personify it.
Further details will be left to the reader to discover, but rest assured this tale is packed full of high adventure and plenty of Zhent-killing goodness. The setting is also unique, and Denning does an admirable job of portraying a much-overlooked portion of the Realms. The only problem about this novel is that it's old, and apparently hasn't been in print for a while. If you can find a copy, however, get it! You won't be disappointed.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Troy Denning's MASTERPIECE, February 24, 2000
This review is from: The Parched Sea (Forgotten Realms Novel : the Harpers, Book 1) (Paperback)
Well, the only reason I gave Troy 4 stars was that "TPS" was first of his books I have ever read. And I have to say, that it's great! The only disadvantage I've found was the original Beduini words. The action is so good written, that I read this book in one sleepless night! For me 'The Parched Sea' is very cool preview of the AD&D books. Troy Denning is as good writer as R.A. Salvatore and I think, that he will be as famous and bestselling as him! Good work, Troy!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good adventure, but minimal tie in to the Forgotten Realms, April 14, 2005
This review is from: The Parched Sea (Forgotten Realms Novel : the Harpers, Book 1) (Paperback)
This is the first of "The Harpers" novels. It is out of print, so you may have some difficulty obtaining a copy. The adventure is quite good, and the characters are all-too-believable. If you are a fan of the Forgotten Realms, it is certainly a worthwhile acquisition.
There were several things I liked about the book. It was nice to learn about Ruha, the protagonist. She appears in a supporting role in a number of other FR novels, and I had always suspected that she had an interesting history. It was nice to finally learn some of that history. (Clearly, however, there is more somewhere, because at the novel's end her Harper affiliation is still somewhat negligible.)
I also enjoyed the portrayal of the Bedine and the desert nomad life. It reminded me quite a bit of "Dune" in the way the characters were always obsessed with water, and thinking of the desert almost as another adversary.
The "big three" in the book, Ruha, Lander, and Kadumi, are all well-created. They are all reasonably complex and have some inherent conflict that helps to drive the plot. Ruha and Kadumi in particular develop as characters. I would have enjoyed watching their relationship continue to develop. It would have been quite complicated, I am sure.
My only criticism of this book is that it does not particularly tie into the Forgotten Realms. There are a few passing allusions to the more famous Harpers, but really, there is very little that stamps this book as clearly a "Harpers" novel. In particular, one of the hallmarks of the Harpers seems to be their ability to respond to overwhelming odds with: 1) clever tactics, and 2) an above average "gallows" sense of humor.
While Lander's tactics were quite good (and frankly more believable than some other Harpers books) he never seemed to have the same attitude as most of the Harpers. Certainly there was very little humor in the book.
I do not want to be too critical of the novel's lack of "Harpers" feel, though. Many well-loved series take some time to find themselves. (Ask any Star Trek: The Next Generation fan about the first half-dozen episodes and you will understand what I mean.) Overall, this was a very enjoyable read.
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