Customer Reviews

Venom's Taste (Forgotten Realms: House of Serpents, Book 1)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

First let me say that I think that the "House of Serpents" will be a good trilogy even though the first book was just above average.

The highlights of this book are two things that I have not read much about in Forgotten Realms books - Psionics and the Yuan-ti race. Both of which are really cool and equally facinating. The Yuan-ti are an elitest race of human-snakes and some of them can shapeshift into a snake or into a human. The culture of the Yuan-ti is one of the best things about this race because I had read somethings about them in other books (The Black Bouquet) but it was very brief and the description was very poor leaving no addition information. There is infultration of the Yuan-ti "castle" and so much insight into their lives.

The other really cool thing about this book is that there is very little magic, but the creatures and characters are psionics (they use mind powers like charms and such). I like books that explore other areas of character/class ability besides just magic/wizards/magic items. And there are quite a few different psionic tricks to unfold throughout the book.

I think the story line was also interesting and intriging leaving many options for the storyline in book 2 and 3. This will be a good trilogy but the main problem I had was the convience of some of the psionic spells and how they used them. This is a common complaint about movies and books (especially fantasy) is that they just happened to have the only spell (which is totally obscure) to get them out of their situation. I don't mind when this happens in books and movies because it's possible for the characters to know such things - but in this book it is reaching pretty bad. I just wish sometimes the characters would have used their wit and physical ability and cunningness instead of magically finding out a psionic spell at the very last possible second.

Overall, good book, and the trilogy will be better as the sum of all the parts. Great races, great psionic spells - the book is just a little annoying at parts.

Lisa Smedman is fast becoming my favorite author in the fantasy genre. Venom's taste is a great example of her skill at creating multi-dimensional characters and intricate plotlines without resorting to bloody battle sequences to move things along. I am constantly delighted by her sense of detail. She is a master of sensory description, giving the reader clear pictures of key players and locations. The main character's frustrations and determination give the plot a juggernaut-like feel of power and movement. I only wish the next installment were scheduled for release sooner!

Venom's Taste deals with a neglected part of the Realms: the Vilhon Reach and specifically the city of Hlondeth (located southwest of the Sea of Fallen Stars).
The book sheds light on Arvin, a rogue/psion, and his efforts at preventing the enslavement of the city's human population who are being used as pawns in the ruling yuan-ti political schemes. In the process he will realize that saving himself might be more than he can handle let alone saving the general population...
The book starts off incredibly well, immediately catching the reader's interest and attention. The plot as a whole is excellent! The book is so incredibly well written and presented that the reader feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense.
Lisa Smedman has done a FANTASTIC job of acquiring and presenting, efficiently and successfully, essential knowledge relevant to Faerun, including customs, religion and the history of the peoples of Toril. Her solid grasp of factual detail makes her capable of providing the necessary background needed to carry out the difficult task of writing Forgotten Realms novels, which is something often missing from the work of many Fantasy authors. Consequently, from the moment you pick up the book you have trouble putting it down and if that is not a clear sign of a fantastic writer/author, I don't know what is!
Relations between Hlondeth's yuan-ti and humans are described very well and in great detail throughout the book so that the reader truly feels what it's like to be under the thumb of the yuan-ti.
In addition, this is the first time I've seen members of a Thieves' Guild really making extensive use of Thieves' Cant.
Moreover, beginning on page 92 and up until the end, the author provides valuable information regarding psions and their powers.
Lisa Smedman also does a fantastic job of presenting the sheer evil of the cult of Talona early on in the book (pages 14-20).
Furthermore, on pages 232-233, the author provides one more exceptional portrayal that helps teleport the reader to Faerun, with the description of Hlondeth's infamous execution Pits.
Finally, I was pleasantly surprised when halfway through (pages 154-155) a priest of Assuran (Hoar) makes his appearance (Assuran happens to be my all time favorite of the Faerunian gods!).
On the negative side, the author repeatedly presents Arvin's experience at Ilmater's priesthood-run orphanage as something resembling Oliver Twist or some Catholic school from the past e.g. on page 303, "Arvin's body tensed. No. He wouldn't. That was sewage down there, foul-smelling, filthy-chocked water laden with disease. The stench of it brought back all of Arvin's worst memories of the orphanage and the cruel punishments Ilmater's priests had inflicted on him. Of being wrapped in magical stink that wouldn't wash off, that made him the subject of other children's taunts and jeers..." I tend to disagree with this approach. Ilmater's clerics would hardly be running a workhouse using child labor or be carrying out cruel punishments on children.
Moreover, on page 120 what appears to be a Frostbrand blade breaks during the battle, which is highly unlikely to say the least!
Nevertheless, these are minor issues compared to the overall story, the dialogues, and the small details that are all wonderful and create a strong sense of mystery and anticipation.
I was pleased that the setting for this book was the city of Hlondeth. I wish more novels would be set in never or little-before covered areas of Faerun, namely Hillsfar, Zhentil Keep, Thay, Chessenta, Threskel, Unther, and Mulhorand to name a few, as opposed to the usual, Waterdeep/Sword Coast or Western Heartlands locations.
If you love the Vilhon Reach, try and get your hands on a copy of the Vilhon Reach Accessory and the Powers & Pantheons Campaign Expansion (they are both Second Edition AD&D, out of print and it will take a bit of searching, but it's well worth it), and the Third Edition Serpent Kingdoms Campaign Supplement.
In conclusion, Venom's Taste is a book highly recommended to all Fantasy and especially Forgotten Realms fans. Those with a soft spot for the Vilhon Reach and Hlondeth in particular will have a ball.
Looking forward to reading the sequel, Viper's Kiss.

This is a very good story that takes place in the Yuan-ti controlled city of Hloondeth, deep in the Vilhon Reach. The story centers around a psionic/rouge Arvin, a human who accidentally gets caught up in plots beyond his understanding. This is a edgy (for Forgotten Realms) mystery, while the violence is less than many of this genre, the strange dream sequences me be more `mature' than what readers have come to expect from Forgotten Realms books.
[The back cover is extremely misleading, the person who is listed as the main character `Dediana', never appears in the book! While this is not a reflection on the author or the book itself, it was very slipshod of the publishers.]

OVERALL SCORE: (A-/B+)
READABILITY: (A-), PLOT: (A), CHARATERS: (A), DIALOGUE: (B-), SETTING: (B+), ACTION/COMBAT: (B-), MONSTERS/ANTAGONISTS: (A+), ROMANCE: (?+), SEX: (Moderate), AGE LEVEL: (PG13)

I so own this book! First of - for those of you who don't know this yet Lisa Smedan is God. I was put off by the cover at first, but having read her book in the War of The Spider Queen series (which was the best of the bunch (with all due respect to the other extremely talented authors) I decided to give it a try.

This book is creepy and sexy at the same time. The protagonist/anti-hero really gets worked over and his quest is brutal. I liked the way she plotted this out. It had none of the sappy, hack and slash feel one "might" expect from sci-fi/fantasy.

Forgotten Realms is a very decent collection of authors, but Lisa Smedan is by far one of the brightest stars in the night time sky. my biggest complaint is that it takes her forever to write anything. She is deft at creative uses of the English language, and her plots are nice and thick like oatmeal (without the lumps!)

Okay - I will leave you with that horrifying visual. Try this book - if you don't like it, I will buy it from you :-P

Dusty White
Author of How to Get ANY MAN to do ANYTHING You Want!

(Another 3.5 rating) Halfway in, I was thinking 3 stars at the most as it's so blatantly a marketing piece for some of WoTC's newest game supplements - specifically, the Expanded Psionics Handbook and Serpent Kingdoms - but it actually got better as it moved along as Smedman proves to be a pretty decent writer. Relatively speaking. This is solid hackwork, following the D&D formula to the letter. As a fan, that's not necessarily a bad thing as she works the formula well. The main character, Arvin, is a bit annoying at times, though, and his primary motivation - rescuing/avenging a friend - isn't really made believable until nearly the end of the book. Worthwhile read for fans of the Forgotten Realms, but anyone looking for innovative fantasy is better served by Jessica Rydill's work.

This book is one of the best fantasy books to date that I've read. It takes place in the city of Hlondeth, in Faerun's Vilhon Reach. It is a mix of suspense, mystery, and most of all political intruige. There are many plot twists and the characters seem more real that some of the people you know. It is not an action packed novel like R.A. Salvatore's books on Drizzt, so if you are looking for that, steer clear. This is also the most maturely themed Forgotten Realms novel that I've read. It should be rated R for sexually explicit material. And no, I'm not joking.