10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable start, awful disjointed middle, decent yet random ending., June 10, 2008
This review is from: Swords of Eveningstar (Forgotten Realms: The Knights of Myth Drannor, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
Overall the book was rather weak, with a bit of action at the end but not too many other redeeming qualities. The writing style became very disjointed during the middle of the book (much like my review) and never seemed to correct itself. Besides that, the characters were fairly boring, and there was too much wizard glorification for my tastes. The book ends with somewhat of a resolution (if any), but just enough loose ends to leave the reader curious about the next book. If not for the hefty price tag of what might also be another disappointed book I'd pick it up myself.
I enjoyed reading the beginning of the book which dealt with some restless youngsters desiring the life of an adventurer, as well as all the wise-alec quips Florin was giving Narantha. However, my enjoyment of the book came crashing down after the daring rescue, and the start of their actual adventures.
That's not to say the beginning was perfect either. There were plenty of parts where I couldn't help but roll my eyes as all the side characters were singing Florin's praises. It goes a little something like this:
S - Man I wish we could go on an adventure
J - Yeah I bet Florin McAwesomesexypants is on an adventure right now
I - Yeah, since Florin's so awesome
J - And Sexy! I think I'll waste a few paragraphs pining for Florin while I stare at the moon and weep bitter tears because my worth can be measured by the number of times I cast magic missle. {Which happens thrice, if that)
S - I wish I could be like Florin.. Unfortunately, I am but a mere sham of a priest that will be delegating into the side character role with nothing to do all day but crack jokes with my equally useless priest friend.
I - Having no effect on the convoluted story guarantees you'll live on to the next book.
Ghost of dead side characters - Boo! Hiss! Boo!!
S - Fair enough!
Not that the borderline important side characters don't have reason to worship him or anything. He's in the Odysseus class when it comes to the amount of women he beds even though he's supposedly has a nobleborn sweetheart, oh well. Then again the majority of the characters in the book end up being very promiscuous so I suppose it's too big a deal.
Afterwards, they're to explore the Haunted Halls of Eveningstar which their group was named after. Not that they spend much time there, nor do you the reader have much of a chance to understand what's going on let alone make a mental image of the place. It's around here that I felt the writing was really falling apart, it was hard to tell who was moving where, and why. Furthermore, at this point you've got about 3-5 people constantly spying on them for their own petty schemes, many of them almighty wizards whose interest in them isn't the least bit well defined. One of them never being revealed throughout the book, although I'm sure he'll make an appearance later in the trilogy.
***Minor vague spoilers ahead***
The constant scrying and scheming continues throughout the book and leads you to boredom, since you, the reader, realize that the Swords of Eveningstar are little more than rats in a cage. They end up in a town named Arabel later on where they manage to piss off every guardsman and evil crime organization agent in sight at no fault of their own. Then proceed to jump through a plethora of portals defeating some wizard who was weakly introduced earlier on. They didn't defeat him due to their own merit of course, only due to the intervention of some powerful wizard who decides to mess with his subordinates wizards plans and conveniently let the adventurers live. More of this continues with all the spying schemers playing their hands until finally they get a ticket to invincible archmage tower, then ride into the sunset with the queen of Cormyr to be knighted for their lack of grand deeds or some rubbish.
*****MORE SPOILERS ALTHOUGH IT'S ABOUT AS IMPORTANT AS THESE CHARACTERS IMPORTANCE TO THE STORY OR LACK THEREOF****
The main antagonist is also killed at the end by some other minor character, who guess what? Also happens to be a mighty wizard. Add some more cameos of important FR figures and the book wraps itself up. Maybe the next book will explain why he put melting elven wizards brains on pause and fool around with the Swords of Eveningstar. Heck I'd cast him as the hero of the story if he had been keeping the population of interfering almighty wizards in Forgotten Realms down instead of mind-melting the reclusive elven why-can't-I-Just-live-with-my-cats types. Of course without those pesky meddling mages we might actually get a story about *GASP* adventurers. Particularly the Swords of Eveningstar **Double Gasp!!**
***
Well that's enough satire out of me, time for some:
Ending Thoughts
***
While I had no problem with the constant perspective shifts, it may irritate you and ruin the plot. Not that there is much of a plot, nor do any of them really come to fruition. Essentially you're reading a book about a bunch of meddling wizards who manage to have all their schemes ruined by other meddling wizards on team good guy, with a few loose ends that will likely be tied up in later books. While the book is about the Knights of Myth Drannor (formerly know as the Swords of Eveningstar) they really contribute nothing to the story, besides being tenacious pawns for a bunch of meddling all-powerful wizards. If you've ever played a pen and paper game, be it D&D or whatever, the story feels much akin to a railroading DM and a helping handful of deus ex machina. If that's what you're into then by all means go for it.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Beginings of the Knights, November 26, 2006
Ed Greenwood takes us back on a trip down Faerun's memory lane, showing us the start of one of the most well known adventuring bands. Swords of Eveningstar comes across more like a dungeons and dragons campaign, played in true Ed Greenwood style.
This novel (first of the trilogy) does jump quite a bit throughout, changing view point and setting, but that seems to just add to the book's charm. Greenwood commands his character's well, no voice seems flat, nor does a single plot fall by the way side.
The development of the Knights allows one to connect instantly with them, each of us has had our own Dungeons and Dragons characters, and a resemblance is felt. This is quite apt, since these characters are of Ed Greenwood's own Dungeons and Dragons group.
Yes, this story perhaps is the kind that requires you to take notes, following the twisting plot lines; but is that not the essence of a great book? One that you wish to pursue on a quest of knowledge finding more as you dig deeper. I personally found myself listing the characters presented, taking notes on places, ideas, that I could use within my own Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
The master of the Forgotten Realms has presented us with a wealth of knowledge on the past, giving us readers almost a source book with which to formulate our own fantasy ideas from. A must read for any Forgotten Realms or Dungeons and Dragons fan. And even if you don't classify yourself under those labels, Swords of Eveningstar still presents itself as a strong fantasy novel, from a master within his field.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not used to this style, April 1, 2010
This review is from: Swords of Eveningstar (Forgotten Realms: The Knights of Myth Drannor, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
I am a big fan of Salvatore and after basically reading all of his work, I needed another author to latch onto. I liked the plot to this series, so I tried it out. Greenwood writes in a completely different style. That is to say, it's a little harder to follow the character language. Written in the "language of the day" so to speak. That being said, I liked the plot and the characters were ok, if not a bit too many of them though. I did find myself having to read certain chapters over again to backtrack, which for me was unusual. Anyway, not bad, but nowhere near as interesting as others.
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