Grasping for the Wind

Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition

Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition (Forgotten Realms, Eberron, and all D&D based games included) comes out today in some places, tomorrow in others, but for those of you unfamiliar with the whole Dungeons and Dragons thing, here is a post worth reading by Jeff Grubb, one of the minds behind the whole game, who relates the publishing history of D&D.

Book Review: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme

* Genre: Fantasy, Shared World Fiction
* ISBN: 0786942649
* ISBN-13: 9780786942640
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 310pp
* Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
* Pub. Date: April 2007
* Series: Inquisitives Series

In Bound by Iron, Edward Bolme has written some unique characters in a plot with a surprising ending for this stand alone novel. In a story reminiscent of a John Grisham thriller, Bound by Iron begins with a murder and leads the heroes into a web of lies, deceit, and greed. Bound by Iron is the first novel in Eberron’s Inquisitives series.

Bolme’s inquisitives are three characters, acquaintances, who are working together to solve the murder of Torval Ellinger. Torval was a former Karnnathi soldier and member of the elite Iron Band company whose body washed up at the Korth docks. The story takes place two years after the end of the Last War. The primary character, Cimozjen is a former Iron Band leader who has the unfortunate luck of discovering the murder. Initially thought to be the culprit, he is exonerated and teams up with Minrah, an elven free lance journalist and extremely observant person. Finally, there is Four, a warforged that the two of them pick up during the search for the murderer of Torval.

Bolme explores the themes of justice, honor and righteousness in this novel. Cimozjen is a paladin, a warrior of the Sovereign Host whose sense of right and wrong is strong. Minrah the journalist, on the other hand, is what is often called a “chaotic good” character. She does not do evil things, but will do whatever it takes to get what she wants, especially in pursuit of a story, even to the point of putting her companions in harm’s way. Four, the warforged, provides a tabula rasa that the other two characters are trying to imprint with their own values. Each character walks away from the story being changed, for better or worse by their contact with each other.

At several points in the novel, Minrah and Cimozjen argue about truth and what is right. Cimozjen is a paladin, but he believes that his faith is freeing, not constraining. Minrah on the other hand, is a free woman, willing to sleep around, lie, and connive to get her story. The two have several debates about pragmatism versus doing the right thing, especially after Minrah tries to seduce Cimozjen, who is a married man. This was an element of the story I thought moved it beyond simple entertainment into the philosophical. Four would often cut in with a humorous comment at the end of Cimozjen and Minrah’s arguments, to add a little levity to the interchanges.

In Bound by Iron Bolme uses, to great effect, flashbacks to Cimozjen and Torval’s time together in the Iron Band. This gives the reader a more heartfelt connection between Cimozjen and the murdered Torval, and provides a reasonable explanation for Cimozjen’s drive to seek justice for his murdered comrade. Bolme also chose not to enter the mind of any of the villains, but only to sequentially tell the story as the three main characters experienced it. Additionally, while Bolme continues to subscribe to the theory that sometimes, things “just happen” in a story his coincidences are better tied into the story than in The Orb of Xoriat. When a key clue is discovered simply due to the characters walking about town, this seems unlikely but plausible. What before could be dismissed as deus ex machina in Bolme’s writing is not so easily labeled as such anymore.

Some readers will find the ending disappointing, but I thought it fit neatly in with the characters Bolme had created. They followed their beliefs to the end, even if that provided for an ending that was anything but the crowning of the hero. In a way, Bolme was reflecting the reality of the situation whenever a crime is committed. The resolution or punishment is never truly satisfying, and never really ends the evil.

This novel was a more enjoyable read that Bolme’s The Orb of Xoriat. The story has better continuity and the characters are more well-developed. I readily identified with Cimozjen and his quest for righteousness and justice, and his unwillingness to always be pragmatic. On the flip side, Minrah’s pragmatism did lead to some success. Four the warforged provided some humorous moments since he had no social graces and limited language skills.

I liked this Eberron novel. Some readers may find the dialogue a little contrived, but I didn’t. The mystery aspect of it was simple, so fans looking for fantasy noir won’t like this novel. It does give a soldier’s eye view of some of the major events of the Last War on the Eberron world. Cimozjen and Torval’s comradeship was a well-written aspect of the story, and in a way reminded me of Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front in the way it delved into the mind of the front-line soldier, if in a more simplified way. Even with the philosophical aspect, it was still a good adventure story with lots of sword action. Bound by Iron is a fun reading diversion. Its unique characters, unusual ending, and detailed fight scenes gave hours of reading enjoyment.

Devil's Due to Publish Worlds of D&D

Looks like Devil's Due Publishing is going to anthologize some of the best short stories from Wizards of the Coast role-playing worlds. Eberron, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, and Forgotten Realms will all be included in the 48 page monthly comic.

Said James Lowder, the chief editor:

Each issue of Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons will feature two stories from Wizards of the Coast's bestselling fantasy settings, including the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Ravenloft, and Eberron," Lowder said. Issues 1 and 2 will adapt R.A. Salvatore's "Dark Mirror," starring the Forgotten Realms' most famous drow, Drizzt Do'Urden, with a script by Nick Schley (Abiding Perdition, "Red Lotus") and art by Rafael Kayanan (Conan, Star Wars, Spider-Man), and Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's "The Legacy," featuring the world of Krynn's most infamous wizard, Raistlin Majere, with a script by Neil Kleid (Brownsville, Ninety Candles, X-Men Unlimited), and art by Javier Sanchez Aranda (Hellina).

Future issues of Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons will feature a wide array of iconic characters, including the arch-wizard Elminster, the vampire Strahd von Zarovich, and the death knight Lord Soth," according to Lowder. "Writers will include authors familiar to comics readers, as well as fans of fantasy fiction and role-playing games: Jeff Grubb, Ed Greenwood, Richard Knaak, Elaine Cunningham, P.N. Elrod, Monte Cook, Keith Baker, and Stan Brown, many of them scripting the adaptations of their own short stories.

This is going to be awesome. I hope they put them into TPB's as well, since I don't subscribe to comics usually.

Book Review: The Tales of the Last War edited by Mark Sehestedt

* Genre: Fantasy, Shared World Fiction
* ISBN: 0786939869
* ISBN-13: 9780786939862
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 352pp
* Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
* Pub. Date: April 2006

When Wizards of the Coast’s new shared world, Eberron, first came out, there was some doubt as to whether Eberron was really any different from Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance. After all, the same races appear and lots of the magical abilities are the same, so what makes Eberron so different? The Tales of the Last War, edited by Mark Sehestedt, answers that question in spades.

The first Eberron novel I read, The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme, gave a fair impression of how the world of Eberron was unique. The lightning rail, the airships, the dragonhawks, and the nation-states were fair example of some of the differences. But one thing that The Orb of Xoriat did not do was delve deeply into the war-forged. These sentient machines are so completely alien to either of Wizard’s other popular worlds that these alone give it uniqueness. Add to that that nations, rather than city states are the powers, and that elemental magic, rather than standard wizardry is the more common use of magic, and the world is unique enough to be considered its own.

The Tales of the Last War is a collection of short stories (including one from the creator of Eberron, Keith Baker) that show the variety of the Eberron world. All of the stories are set during or just after the Last War, the “war to end all wars” whose earthly counterpart is none other than our own World War I. The kingdom of Galifar has been torn apart into competing nations (fall of Rome, anyone?) and in one case, Cyre’s, the nation has been completely obliterated near the close of the war.

Many of the stories center on refugees from Cyre or Cyre during the war itself, as in many cases it is Cyre against everybody else. This collection will really give the reader an excellent introduction to Eberron as a campaign setting. And for those readers who read my review of The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme, you will be please to note that he tells another story of Teron the monk in The Weight of Water which tells a story about how a little can do a lot. My favorite story of the lot was The Veiled Charge since it got deeper into the lightning rail concept, one of the most unique features of Eberron. (The lightning rail is essentially a train run by electrical elementals.)

• Death at Whitehearth by Keith Baker uses the characters from his Dreaming Dark trilogy to give us a glimpse of the war-forged and explore the idea of sentient tools. Keith’s writing in this story was little rough, but the plot twist was unexpected.

• Death Before Dawn by Paul Crilley is a straight up mystery has an obvious conclusion, but is still nice to read.

• The Blade of the Flame by Tim Waggoner was a good story because it dealt with the difference between possession by evil spirits and disorders of the mind. The two are not always easily separated, and this is question that has plagued religions since the dawn of neuroscience. Interesting approach to Eberron, since the world is on the cusp of moving into an “Age of Enlightenment” in some ways.

• Distant Fires by Aaron Rosenberg was not really a story I felt belonged in this collection, but was still an okay read.

• The Veiled Charge by David A. Page was great because it really got into the lightning rail concept. It also explained better how the world of Eberron reacts with other planes of existence. In Forgotten Realms, the line is thin, but in Eberron it seems to be much thicker, although not impassable.

• The Weight of Water by Edward Bolme is a great story about how a little ingenuity can often trump brute physical force. Continues the story of Teron the Aundarian monk.

• War Machines -- 992 YK by Ian Burton-Oakes has war forged as its primary characters so like none of the other stories provides a window into their way of thinking.

• Call of the Silver Flame by James Wyatt a good introduction to some of the history of Eberron. For those who like vampires in their fantasy, this one’s for you. Is a precursor to Wyatt’ Draconic Prophecies trilogy.

• Flight of the Righteous Indignation by Ari Marmell is a horror story that can only be described as Alien for Eberron.

This collection is an excellent way to get into the world of Eberron and get a really broad bird’s eye view of what this relatively new campaign setting has to offer. All of the stories are entertaining. Some are mysteries some straight up action/adventure stories, and even one that is a bit of a horror story. I enjoyed the read. It took only a few hours to read through, and Sehestedt organized them well, from beginning to end, so that it is easy for the reader to learn more about Eberron with each successive story. I now wish that I had read The Tales of the Last War before reading The Orb of Xoriat, just so that the world would have been more familiar to me, even if it meant reading the story of Teron out of order. If you like shared world fiction, or even just good fantasy short stories, this is a collection worth reading.

A Year of Reading 2008

This is a continually updated list of all the books I have read in the year 2008. Links are to reviews I have written for some of these books. You can also look at my list for 2007.

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

Series 65: Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam Manual by Kaplan Financial
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay
Instant Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
In The Beginning by the editors at mental_floss
Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Dragon Outcast by E. E. Knight

February

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
Blood Ties by Pamela Freeman
Sojourn Volume 6: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Forgotten Realms: Neversfall by Ed Gentry
Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

March

The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells
Madhouse by Rob Thurman
The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael Stusser
The Hidden City by Michelle West
Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings by Lee Barwood
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Growingold with B. C. by Johnny Hart

April

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Small Favor by Jim Butcher
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore
Misspelled edited by Jule E. Czerneda
Flash Fiction Online, April 2008 edited by Jake Freivald
Rolling Thunder by John Varley
Empress by Karen Miller
Phytosphere by Scott Mackay
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz

May

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge by Jess Lebow
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels
The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley
The Martian General's Daughter by Theodore Judson
The Four Forges by Jenna Rhodes
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

June

A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans
Wizards edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois

July

August

September

October

November

December

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

Book Reviews by Title

These are the my book reviews, categorized alphabetically by the title. (Click here for categorization by author.) "The" doesn't count towards the title.

You can also subscribe to an RSS feed of my reviews at librarything.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
A Rhyming History of Britain by James Muirden (author) and David Eccles (illustrator)
Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Are Women Human? by Dorothy Sayers
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller

B

Bad-A** Faeries edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail (et al.)
Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Beyond the Summerland by L. B. Graham
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Black Gate: Issue #11 edited by John O'Neill
Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa by James Seymour
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Bloodheir by Brain Ruckley
Blood Ties by Pamela Freedman
The Blue-Haired Bombshell by John Zakour

C

The Children of Men by P. D. James
The Clerk's Tale by Margaret Frazer
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
The Crown of Stars Series by Kate Elliott
Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell
Condensed Knowledge by the editors of mental_floss

D

Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael Stusser
The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells
Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight
Dragon Outcast
The Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis
Dying of the Light by George R. R. Martin

E

Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme
Eberron: The Tales of the Last War by Mark Sehestedt
The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us by Robyn Meredith
Empress by Karen Miller
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made by Robert M. Poole

F

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Fellowship Fantastic by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Flash Fiction Online, April 2008 edited by Jake Freivald
Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors by Elaine Cunningham and Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond by Rosemary Jones
Forgotten Realms: The Gossamer Plain by Thomas M. Reid
Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson
Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge by Jess Lebow
Forgotten Realms: The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore
Forgotten Realms: Road of the Patriarch by R. A . Salvatore
Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
Forgotten Realms: Stardeep by Bruce Cordell
Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire by Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Unclean by Richard Lee Byers

G

Genetopia by Keith Brooke
The Gift of Pain by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Glory Road by Robert Heinlein
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
Growingold with B.C. by Johnny Hart

H

Hedge Hunters by Katherine Burton
Henry V (Classical Comics Edition) by William Shakespeare
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore
The Hidden City by Michelle West
Honored Enemy by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Fortschen
Hood by Stephen Lawhead
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham

I

Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels

J

J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter
The Junior Books by Dave Ramsey

K

Klasssic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings by Lee Barwood
Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan
The Know-It-All by A. J. Jacobs

L

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Legend by David Gemmell
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Life@Work by John C. Maxwell

M

Madhouse by Rob Thurman
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
The Magic of Recluce by L. E. Moedesitt Jr.
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Master of Souls by Peter Tremayne
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe by James M. Ward
Misspelled edited by Julie E. Czerneda
Monks and Mystics by Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Moon Gate by David Weldon and William Proctor
More Than A Hobby by David Green
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
Murder in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist and Joel Rosenberg

N

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Night by Elie Wiesel
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

O

On Becoming A Leader by Warren Bennis
Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire by Simon Winchester
Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky

P

Phantom by Terry Goodkind
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead
The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Phytosphere by Scott Mackay
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay

Q

R

Ragamuffin by Tobias Buckell
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
The Restorer by Sharon Hinck
Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz
The Rick Steves' Travel Guide Series by Rick Steves
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood by Clayton Emery
Rolling Thunder by John Varley

S

The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch
Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy edited by W. H. Horner
Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead
Shadow in the Deep by L. B. Graham
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
Shakespeare's Kings by John Julius Norwich
Shimmer, The Pirate Issue edited by John Joseph Adams
Small Favor by Jim Butcher
Smoke in the Wind by Peter Tremayne
Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin
The Surrogates, Vol. 1 by Robert Venditti

T

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Tides by Scott Mackay
Tipperary: A Novel by Frank Delaney
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
The Truth by Terry Pratchett

U

Union of Renegades by Tracy Falbe

V

W

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell
Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley

X

Y

Z

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

The Tiefling and the Gnome

This is a great little animation on one of the major changes in the Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition. Quite funny. Favorite character: The badger.

HT: Bruce Cordell

Book Review: The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme

* Genre: Shared World Fiction, Fantasy
* ISBN: 0786938196
* ISBN-13: 9780786938193
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 310pp
* Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
* Pub. Date: October 2005
* Series: Eberron: War-Torn Series, #2

The Orb of Xoriat is Edward Bolme’s first full length novel in the Eberron shared world. This relatively new Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying world is best described by Bolme himself. ‘Imagine a fantasy world crossed with interwar Europe, and you’re pretty close. Battles and wars are not driven by lofty ideals like “good vs. evil” but rather by basic concepts like “us vs. them.”’ (from his website) As I read The Orb of Xoriat, I couldn’t help feeling like this unique world is something like what late Victorian Europe might have been like if Tolkien’s races had actually existed. Ultimately, the stories contained in Eberron are more about the interplay of nation states and the people who live within them, than about dungeon delving or world saving heroics. Wizards describes the world best at their website. "The world of Eberron is ravaged by centuries of war that have only recently ended. Enemy nations that fought each other to a standstill over countless, bloody battlefields now turn to subtler methods of conflict. The assassin's dagger replaces the warrior's sword, and the conspirator's whisper speaks more loudly than the general's bellow."

The Orb of Xoriat, second in the “War-Torn” series, relates the story of the orb, an artifact of immense power that can open a gateway to Xoriat, the Realm of Madness. When the Orb is stolen from its secret hiding place, a human monk and a gnome illusionist are forced to join forces to track down the thief who stole it. But their relationship is anything but friendly, and even should they recover the orb they will still have to battle each other for control of it.

Teron the monk represents the Monastery of Pastoral Solitude, the ancient order of monks once nearly wiped out by the use of the Orb in the Last War, who have been hiding the orb for many years. Praxle is the gnomish illusionist whose University once possessed the orb, and whose morality leaves him no compunction at using any method to retrieve it. Each of these characters has a support character as well. Teron has a strange cat named Flotsam who is unnecessary to the narrative but provides great side stories and humanizes the remote Teron. Jeffers, Praxle’s butler, is a half-orc more cultured than his master. His role is larger than Flotsam’s and he turns out to be quite an interesting character, even without being one of the leads. The juxtaposition of his orc nature and his cultured attitude and behavior provides a few laughs throughout the story. There is, sadly, no real strong female character, although the thief of the story is female. Yet she only provides a look into the opposing side’s ideology for the reader, and is not a truly strong character in her own right.

Bolme’s two great strengths in this novel are his ability to make a mundane event turn into a crucial one without the reader realizing it and his eloquent battle descriptions. For instance, when Teron snubs a girl in a tavern, most readers will think nothing of it. Yet that snub turns into a crucial event later in the story, without which the plot would have gone completely differently.

As to the latter, it is obvious that Bolme has had some martial arts training, and this comes out in his descriptions of the way that Teron fights. His hand and foot strikes are believable actions. Often in stories with monks as main characters, the monks are superhuman, always dodging blades and rarely getting slashed. Bolme has disdained that to create believable fight scenes in which the unarmed monk is hurt by those with swords and knives. It is a pleasant change from the superhuman monk, whose lack of damage against armed foes can get rather tiresome.

The novel has a couple of faults as well. Firstly, when Bolme is using dialogue to describe the back-story for the world of Eberron, the dialogue can get a bit stilted and wooden. It feels contrived. While that back-story is needed, Bolme’s delivery of it draws the reader out of the story rather than in. This is unfortunate as without it, the reader will be unable to understand the context of the world of Eberron.

Secondly, the thief in the story, called The Shadow Fox, simply disappears from the narrative at one point, with no explanation as to the how or why. Since the thief up to that point had been a major part of the narrative, even a character whose mind the reader had entered, it was odd when the character is simply dropped from the story. It is as if the ending was changed by Bolme, and he forgot to write a conclusion to the role of this particular character.

This was still a good introduction into the world of Eberron. I have not yet read any other novels in this world and it was easy for me to dive right in and understand the context of the world with little to no trouble. Additionally, Bolme has a flair for the dramatic. He even wrote in one scene involving a train like structure and a dragonhawk that put me in mind of the final scenes of the first Mission Impossible movie, and it was near the beginning of The Orb of Xoriat, not the end. The narrative only got more exciting from there.

I would recommend The Orb of Xoriat to anyone looking to enter the Eberron world. It is a good story that deals with themes of trust, duty and feelings of inadequacy. Both Teron and Praxle are flawed characters, but it is the decisions they make that make them good or bad, not events or prophecy. Although there is an element of events being arranged to a pattern, the characters still must make their own choices and live with the consequences, as with Teron’s snub of the tavern wench. Bolme is good at making the incidental have consequence, and creates supporting characters that are as much fun to read about as the leads. That’s a rare skill. The Orb of Xoriat is a fun adventure novel filled with action and intrigue. Sword and Sorcery fans will enjoy it, and anyone playing Eberron ought to read it to add to the depth of their gaming experience.

SIDE NOTE:10% of all proceeds from the sale of this book are given by the author to World Vision to support their work in Darfur, greater Sudan, and refugees in Chad. Wizards of the Coast is giving a matching gift as well. So by buying this volume you get a good read and support a worthy cause. That's a wonderful twofer.

Book Reviews by Author

These are my book reviews, categorized alphabetically by the author's last name. (Categorization by title is available here.)

You can also subscribe to an RSS feed of my reviews at librarything.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A

Abercrombie, Joe The Blade Itself; Before They Are Hanged
Abraham, Daniel Hunter's Run
Ackley-McPhail, Danielle (et al.) Bad-A** Faeries
Adams, John Joseph Shimmer, The Pirate Issue; Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse
Aguirre, Ann Grimspace
Alcorn, Randy The Treasure Principle

B

Barnes, Jonathan The Somnambulist
Barwood, Lee Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings
Beah, Ishmael A Long Way Gone
Bennis, Warren On Becoming A Leader
Bolme, Edward Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat; Eberron: Bound by Iron
Brand, Paul The Gift of Pain
Brennan, Marie Midnight Never Come
Britain, Kristen Green Rider
Brooke, Keith Genetopia
Bryson, Bill The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid; The Mother Tongue
Buckell, Tobias Crystal Rain; Ragamuffin
Burton, Katherine Hedge Hunters
Butcher, Jim Small Favor
Byers, Richard Lee Forgotten Realms: Unclean

C

Carpenter, Humphrey J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography
Chapman, Gary The Five Love Languages
Civiello, Emmanuel, A Bit of Madness
Cordell, Bruce Forgotten Realms: Stardeep
Cunningham, Elaine Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors
Czerneda, Julie E. (ed.) Misspelled

D

Delaney, Frank Tipperary: A Novel
Dozois, Gardner Hunter's Run

E

Edelman, David Louis Infoquake
Edgington, Ian Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale; Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale
Edwards, Kim The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Elliott, Kate The Crown of Stars Series
Ellis, Peter Berresford (see also Peter Tremayne) The Druids
Ellison, Harlan Dangerous Visions
Emery, Clayton Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood

F

Falbe, Tracy Union of Renegades
Feist, Raymond E. Magician; Honored Enemy; Murder in LaMut
Finlay, Charles Coleman The Prodigal Troll
Forstchen, William R. Honored Enemy
Frank, Pat Alas, Babylon
Frazer, Margaret The Clerk's Tale
Freedman, Pamela Blood Ties
Freivald, Jake Falsh Fiction Online, April 2008

G

Gemmell, David Legend
Genesse, Paul The Golden Cord
Goodkind, Terry Phantom; Confessor
Graham, L.B. Shadow in the Deep; Beyond the Summerland
Green, David More Than A Hobby
Greenberg, Martin H. Fellowship Fantastic
Greenwood, Ed Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors; Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire

H

Hart, Johnny Growingold with B.C.
Heinlein, Robert A. Glory Road
Hinck, Sharon The Restorer
Hines, Jim C. Goblin Quest; Goblin Hero; Goblin War
Horner, W. H. (ed.) Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy; Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the BadGuy
Hughes, Kerrie Fellowship Fantastic
Hunt, Stephen The Court of the Air

I

J

Jacobs, A.J. The Know-It-All
James, P.D. The Children of Men
Johnson, Jaleigh Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve
Jones, Rosemary Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond
Jordan, Robert Knife of Dreams

K

Kemp, Paul S. Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm
Kirkpatrick, Russell Across the Face of the World
Knight, E. E. Dragon Champion; Dragon Outcast

L

Lackey, Mercedes The Phoenix Unchained
Land, Greg Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale; Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale
Lansky, Aaron Outwitting History
Lawhead, Stephen Hood; Scarlet; The Pendragon Cycle
Lebow, Jess Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge
Le Guin, Ursula K. The Left Hand of Darkness

M

Mackay, Scott Tides; Phytosphere
Mallet, Nathalie The Princes of the Golden Cage
Mallory, James The Phoenix Unchained
Mangels, Andy Iron Man: Beneath the Armor
Martin, Gail Z. The Summoner
Martin, George R.R. Dying of the Light; Hunter's Run
Maxwell, John C. Life@Work
McCarthy, Cormac The Road
McCourt, Frank Teacher Man
McDonnell, Carole Wind Follower
McPhail, Mike (ed.) Breach the Hull
Meluch, R.M. The Sagittarius Command
Mental_floss Condensed Knowledge
Meredith, Robyn The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us
Miller, Karen The Innocent Mage; The Awakened Mage; Empress
Moedesitt Jr., L.E. The Magic of Recluce
Moore, Moira J. Heroes Adrift
Mosdi, Thomas A Bit of Madness
Muirden, James & Eccles, David (Illustrator) A Rhyming History of Britain

N

Norwich, John Julius Shakespeare's Kings

O

O'Neill, John (ed.) Black Gate: Issue #11
Overstreet, Jeffrey Auralia's Colors

P

Paolini, Christopher Eragon
Poole, Robert M. Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made
Pratchett, Terry Thud!; The Truth; Making Money
Priest, Christopher The Prestige
Proctor, William Moon Gate

Q

R

Ramsey, Dave The Junior Books
Reid, Thomas M. Forgotten Realms: The Gossamer Plain
Rivers, Francine Redeeming Love
Rosenberg, Joel Murder in LaMut
Rothfuss, Patrick The Name of the Wind
Ruckley, Brian Winterbirth; Bloodheir

S

Salvatore, R.A. Forgotten Realms: Road of the Patriarch; Forgotten Realms: The Orc King
Sayers, Dorothy Are Women Human?
Schlosser, Eric Fast Food Nation
Sehestedt, Mark (ed.) The Tales of the Last War
Setterfield, Diane The Thirteenth Tale
Seymour, James Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa
Shakespeare, William Henry V (Classical Comics Edition)
Smith, Alexander McCall The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Snyder, Maria V. Poison Study
Steves, Rick The Rick Steves' Travel Guide Series
Stusser, Michael The Dead Guy Interviews

T

Thurman, Rob Madhouse
Tremayne, Peter (see also Peter Ellis) Badger's Moon; Master of Souls; Smoke in the Wind
Twain, Mark The Innocents Abroad

U

V

Varley, John Rolling Thunder
Venditti, Robert The Surrogates, Vol. 1

W

Walley, Chris The Shadow and Night
Waltz, Jason M. (ed.) Return of the Sword
Ward, James M. Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe
Weldon, David Moon Gate
Wells, Martha The Death of the Necromancer
West, Michelle The Hidden City
Wiesel, Elie Night
Williams, Tad Shadowmarch
Winchester, Simon Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire
Withrow, Mindy and Brandon Monks and Mystics

X

Y

Yancey, Philip The Gift of Pain

Z

Zakour, John The Blue-Haired Bombshell

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