8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
pretty good, October 6, 2004
This review is from: Venom's Taste (Forgotten Realms: House of Serpents, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
I didn't think was an excellent book, but it is different from the usual faire of Forgotten Realms, which is known for unstoppable juggernaughts. This story felt a lot more real, and it got into the insidious Yuan-ti. The humanoid snakes that treat people as slaves and second class life forms.
The exploration of the psionics was a good idea. it is something that hasn't been explored much in any novel that I am aware of. It also got into a new evil race, one that is out in the open. The cold and poisonous Yuan-ti, which I found most enjoyable. They touched on their society and lifestyle, as well as their interaction with humans. Always managing to show them as having humanlike appetites at times, but not human emotions. The main characters toy with people in a detached manner, or with mild amusement. They don't try to redeam them with the half bloods, or showing they have their good points. They aren't human, and don't make any effort to be so.
The main problems that I had with the book is that it touched on a lot of good subjects, but didn't explore them to any great degree. I would have liked to have know more about the society of reptiles, more than what they like to drink. I want to know what type of ruling body they have, or how they interact with one another, their religion, etc.... The characters also suffer from lack of attention. I don't even remember the main characters name, just that he was special, and made magical devices and ropes.
Decent book, and good direction, but I hope it is fleshed out more in future novels.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mature Fantasy Fiction, August 4, 2004
This review is from: Venom's Taste (Forgotten Realms: House of Serpents, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
Venoms Taste is the most mature and nuanced novel I have seen published under the D&D imprint. The protagonist becomes entrapped in a plot involving family rivalries, fanatical cults and political conspiracy. Ms. Smedman addresses a number of areas usually left unexplored in D&D novels including racism, slavery, gender identity, and sex.
Hopefully this marks a new mature direction in D&D fiction. I recommend this book for mature readers looking to graduate from the young adult level that dominates game related fiction.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great characters and story, May 5, 2004
This review is from: Venom's Taste (Forgotten Realms: House of Serpents, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
After the adolescent ramblings of Ed Greenwood, or the excessive hero worship of Robert Salvatore, Lisa Smedman's writing is a welcome relief. The character of Arvin is the most mature, realistic and reasonable I've encountered in the D&D milieu. I cannot say enough how motivated and deep the characters are; and the ideas are fresh and new, and free of the Deus Ex Machina thinking that so often renders novels in this space absurd or two dimensional. I look forward to more of Ms. Smedman's work, and I hope WOTC (or whoever they are now) will hire more of her type so that the readership expands and the genre becomes vital again.
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