Where to Start Reading Forgotten Realms Novels

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  • Опубліковано 21 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 119

  • @bradmoye4286
    @bradmoye4286 Рік тому +38

    From someone who owns every paperback of Forgotten Realms novels there are a lot of good stories in there. Finders Stone trilogy is good as well as the Erevis Cale series. War of the Spider Queen is a really good set of 6 books to read as well with it being done by 6 different authors which is great. I could NEVER see giving up my collection of Forgotten Realms, or Warhammer Fantasy, paperbacks for anything. Took me over 20 years to collect them all and they make a great library.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому +4

      War of the Spider Queen is one I’ll read soon. It’s probably been the series recommended to me the most. I hope I can collect and read them all someday!

    • @balazsbadics9258
      @balazsbadics9258 Рік тому +2

      Hi! Yes, very many great books, like the Thay Undead/Unholy series, and many books about Jarlaxle ( Road of the Patriach is the best), but if you are looking for outstanding quality stand-alone books, I can really recommend Stardeep by Bruce Cordell and Depth of Madness by Eric Scott de Bie. But out of 376 books (or so), there are many hidden gems…

    • @dennisthornton4434
      @dennisthornton4434 Рік тому +1

      Reading the elminister series now, on elminister the mage and then will read elminster in coramanther. I like the cleric quintet.

    • @damonr4136
      @damonr4136 Рік тому

      It's one of the best ever

    • @likelemmyidabasest3882
      @likelemmyidabasest3882 Рік тому

      I'm so jelly. Got a few score of them myself, but a long long way from all of them. Good to know these collections exist out there.

  • @ms4110
    @ms4110 7 місяців тому +3

    I've been playing BG3 for a while and I really want to look more into this BG3 and D&D lore. Thank you so much for your book list 🤎

  • @Jeff-fv9rk
    @Jeff-fv9rk Рік тому +4

    Icewind dale trilogy, halflings gem, the crystal shard, man the eighties was a long time ago

    • @guycalgary7800
      @guycalgary7800 8 місяців тому

      My school had the icewind dale trilogy in the book sale way back then , i remember buying thrm and consuming them very quickly.

  • @TreGrisby
    @TreGrisby 9 місяців тому

    Thanks for taking time to share this! I'm excited to start digging into FR 🎉

  • @laclarte3
    @laclarte3 Рік тому +6

    Part of what I love about the Forgotten Realms is that so many different authors used to write about it. It made the setting much more alive and vibrant and diverse than settings exclusively created by a single author who alone writes novels set in it. It's like with a real country dozens of different historians with different views and interests write about.
    So it's pretty sad that they don't publish books anymore. Well, other than Salvatore and these two sequels to the movie.
    I think my favorites so far are the War of the Spider Queen series and the Brimstone Angels.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому +1

      I like that too, very well explained! You’re probably the 20th person to say that about War of the Spider Queen to me, I’m really thinking that will be one of the next series I read.

  • @SeriouslyIssues
    @SeriouslyIssues 3 місяці тому

    Forgotten realms was my favorite world to fall into when I was younger... I would wait forever for the next R.A. Salvatore book and just consume it in 1 day. I love that Drizzt is still around for people to enjoy 😊

  • @suntitan4429
    @suntitan4429 Рік тому +1

    The dragon Lance twins series and dragons series were some of the very first ones I ever read I think the very first one was the gully dwarves book back in middles school gonna have to look into some of these you recommended

  • @IanSenkel
    @IanSenkel 6 місяців тому

    Judt got done reading all of the Teifling twins series. Good stuff glad you mentioned them

  • @SRondeau
    @SRondeau Рік тому +2

    Bonjour! The Cormyr trilogy is also a very good read to know more about the history of that realm. For a Harry Potter feel, go read the Shadow Stone stand alone novel!

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      I had those, still need to read them! Thanks for the help

  • @franciswhite3738
    @franciswhite3738 4 місяці тому

    Excellent stuff! I actually visited your website a few times before coming here via a Google search and was a great surprise when you mentioned your blog and reviews there. Barring reading one or two of these books in the '90s (Pools of Radiance was one) I've not dipped in further but looking to do so since very recently starting playing D&D. Your guide and site are a great help. Was tempted to start with the Tieflings (my D&D char is one) but think I'll postpone those for the Drizzt books.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  4 місяці тому

      @@franciswhite3738 happy to have you in either place!

  • @jameshughes582
    @jameshughes582 Рік тому +2

    Been reading them since 89. Think I started 6:56 with the spellfire series. But I would recommend starting with the avitar series to get a good sense of the realm’s

  • @Drizzt1986
    @Drizzt1986 6 місяців тому

    R.a is easily my favorite! But i love the clasic tropes and all that cheery stuff.that being said i enjoyed seeing someone talk aboute the forgotten realms.

  • @bathhatingcat8626
    @bathhatingcat8626 Рік тому +2

    Start with homeland (drizzt). Many of my girlfriends found it at my place and read it- none knew anything about d&d and all loved it.

  • @friendlyneighbourhoodlinguist
    @friendlyneighbourhoodlinguist Рік тому +5

    The Finder's Stone Trilogy is very good. I thoroughly enjoyed Elaine Cunningham's books Elfshadow, Elfsong and Silver Shadows in the Harpers series. The Empires Trilogy, loosely based on the Mongol conquest, had its moments. Horselords (Book 1) was an immersive exploration of the Tuigan world and culture. Dragonwall (Book 2) was a good military campaign with political intrigue. Crusade (Book 3) was a bit slow and plodding and could have had much more focus on battles instead of the minutiae of preparing for war.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому +2

      There are so many to read, but I hear great things about Cunningham. I honestly haven't heard much about the Empires Trilogy, I don't have that one yet.

  • @Unexpectedperspectivesnow
    @Unexpectedperspectivesnow 11 місяців тому

    If im not mistaken it all began with the comouter game Pool of Radiance. The follow-up Pools of Darkness was also fucking great.

  • @wadejohnston4305
    @wadejohnston4305 2 роки тому +2

    I highly recommend the dungeons sub series. Starting with Depth of madness. It's 4 stand alone books and each is a delve into the best/worst dungeons in forgotten realms. Thanks for this and your blog. Allows me to drop into important series and books I didn't know about.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому

      I’m really wanting to, it’s one set I don’t own yet. I’m especially a fan of Jones and I believe her first novel is part of The Dungeons.

    • @wadejohnston4305
      @wadejohnston4305 2 роки тому

      @@LiamsLyceum ahhh okay! I have to say the first dungeons book is by far the darkest I've read in forgotten realms. I was genuinely surprised. I'm half through the first Cale book now thanks to your why you should read video. I'm really enjoying it though the mid section is seeming to drag a bit to me but I really don't have any complaints. Cale is a great MC and I've hears whispers that he has quite the unfolding of a story in the forgotten realms.

    • @balazsbadics9258
      @balazsbadics9258 Рік тому

      Depths of Madness and Stardeep are excellent books, The Howling Deep is not that good, what is the 4th book?

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      @@balazsbadics9258Crypt of the Moaning Diamond by Jones

  • @heikieesmaa
    @heikieesmaa Рік тому +2

    Elaine Cunningham's Songs & Swords series definitely ought to be mentioned. Perhaps not the best for very first FR books, but not close far behind. They showcase the wit and style characteristic to rogues of the Realms.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      Sure, I haven’t read them yet. There are 300 novels.

  • @wannabkain4400
    @wannabkain4400 3 місяці тому

    I really want to get into these novels.
    As I probably can’t physically own them all I might have to invest in a kindle.

  • @CraiuRemusArmand
    @CraiuRemusArmand 2 роки тому

    Great video, saved it for future browsing.
    Have a lot of Forgotten Realms books from various series, but have yet to start reading them. :))

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому

      I eagerly await the day of commencement.

  • @brett76544
    @brett76544 11 місяців тому +1

    what is the name of the one dragon in one of the FR books that some how also traveled to Kryin, and just ruffle stomped other dragons in another Dragon lance book. It started with a K.

  • @RodgersReads
    @RodgersReads 2 роки тому +2

    Ooh damn fighting words Drizzt hater. I will say a solid chunk of that series is kind of formulaic but the more recent trilogies have had some interesting twists to the the lore of the drow. Also you need to read War of the Spider Queen ASAP. Maybe we should do a readalong or host some kind of forgotten realms collab that could be fun! Nice video 😊

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому +1

      I definitely have my problems with Drizzt, but I can enjoy the books, the last one I read for example was very enjoyable, I'm just often disappointed with them. And you're not the only person to tell me to read War of the Spider Queen, I do need to get to it, and I have all the books on my shelf. The other drow series I want to read is Starlight and Shadows by Cunningham. But yes! A FR collab or something would be really fun, gotta spread this great world to more.

    • @RodgersReads
      @RodgersReads 2 роки тому

      @@LiamsLyceum fair enough. I joined your discord feel free to dm me if you want to toss around ideas for a FR collab 😊

    • @damonr4136
      @damonr4136 Рік тому

      You don't care Drizzt, my favorite Forgotten Realms character of all time. If I only had a fireball spell ready right now...

  • @likelemmyidabasest3882
    @likelemmyidabasest3882 Рік тому

    Be hood to have a visual list/guide to go with this. You talk really fast and it's a little hard to put all this in context.
    I've been reading these books since '92, started with the Moonshae books, didn't realise they were the very first. They're not a bad jumping off point as they are set in the remote islands and it's pretty much self contained.
    The Harpers books are pretty good too, it's hard to judge some of this fairly, I read them from age 11 onwards and nostalgia makes them all seem pretty great to me.
    Prince of Lies and the Avatar trilogy are definitely some of my favourites, Spellfire and the sequel by Greenwood are also solid and will always take me to a contented, cosy place.
    There's a lot to get through, but there are some really wonderful stories and escapes in those pages. Could talk about these for days, cheers for putting the info out there.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      Sorry about that, my editing skills are not the best. I did list the ones mentioned in the description and my blog (which should also be linked) has a similar post but I made that a year before this video. There are many many places to start, I should learn how to make a test that tells you what you should read of all 300.

    • @erickingsepp
      @erickingsepp 9 місяців тому

      Seconded. You might want to have a script, and practice slowing down. A lot of books you only mentioned their title once, and only in a kind of aside where you were talking super fast. Make an outline, then write up the script, and say each title clearly. Remember your audience doesn't know this material, so when you fly through it, we might as well not have watch it.
      This isn't an editing problem; your video is edited well enough. It's just a matter of practicing public speaking, which is a different type of speech from conversation speech. And do the same thing for each book: Title, author, genre, where it fits, and review. That way it will be useful for different people looking for different type of information.

  • @EskelsCultExpirience
    @EskelsCultExpirience 2 роки тому

    Oh my Gowd, this was great! 🎉

  • @judokoga2145
    @judokoga2145 3 місяці тому

    Hey thank you so much I've read books for a long time always fantasy but never any D&D novels, everytime I have googled where to start with forgotten realms it always starts with the ice wind Dale trilogy. I was under the impression that only R.A Salvatore wrote forgotten realms novels

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  3 місяці тому

      @@judokoga2145 happy to dispel that

  • @petervandeweyer517
    @petervandeweyer517 Рік тому

    Tim Pratt is one of my favourite authors so I'm gong to check that one out.

  • @Unexpectedperspectivesnow
    @Unexpectedperspectivesnow 11 місяців тому

    I read a lot of Forgotten Realms and also Dragonlance novels in the 90s. It all began with playing the legendary game Pool of Radiance in the early 90s. Anyway, many stories and books are great, but I also felt that many of them were boring and mass-produced. Sure, the Drizzt novels were good, especially the first 6 in the timeline, but then from 7-9 on is mass-produced. I still have the pocketbooks now at 44, but it's doubtful that I'd ever read them again.

  • @ProclaimingtheLight
    @ProclaimingtheLight Рік тому +1

    Have you read Salvatore's books that have Jarlaxle and Entreri as the main characters? That's top notch stuff! Personally, I think the newer books have been fantastic as well.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому +2

      I just read Sea of Swords so I’ll be doing that one next

    • @ProclaimingtheLight
      @ProclaimingtheLight Рік тому +1

      Awesome! That is one of my favorites. I feel like u can't go wrong with Salvatore though. I'm about to start the Demonwars novels.

    • @Drizzt1986
      @Drizzt1986 6 місяців тому

      Sellswads ! Amazing

  • @tommartin1223
    @tommartin1223 Рік тому +1

    My very 1st forgotten realms book was the Crystal Shard

  • @kendannon4435
    @kendannon4435 5 місяців тому

    My first Forgotten Realms book was pool of radiance. I still care about it.

  • @rabcoyle3408
    @rabcoyle3408 Рік тому

    Interesting list. I came across a trilogy and im only on second book, these are horselords, dragonwall and the third is crusade i think. A s i was reading the first all that kept popping in my head was ghengis kahn. This is my first introduction to forgotten realms and despite slight historical coincidence i am enjoying it so far.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому +1

      Some of the older Rralms novels have some real world similarities to cultures and stuff. I haven’t read that series yet but it looks cool.

  • @AndreShouldBeWriting
    @AndreShouldBeWriting 2 роки тому

    Just subbed to your blog feed as well :-)

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому

      Awesome, thanks! I have a few articles I need to edit and posted on there

  • @patiencebear
    @patiencebear 3 місяці тому

    I started to read all Drizzt novels last year. I just jumped over the 50% mark. I don't like where the world is going - it gets darker, grimmer and overall also sader. Maybe that's a also a implicit comment on its time of writing? The first novels were written in the late 80s and their tone was overall more about adventure, and the naivity of Drizzt. The later make Drizzt and the world a lot darker (currently reading Gauntlgrym from 2010).

  • @adamholcomb1906
    @adamholcomb1906 Рік тому +2

    If you want to get feel for the Drow check out the series “The War of the Spider Queen” 🕸️🕷️💯

    • @shawndale7344
      @shawndale7344 Рік тому

      Yes!! well written series...

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      It has been recommended much, I’m definitely going to read it!

  • @charliebee5154
    @charliebee5154 2 роки тому +1

    The sound quality of your voice is very nice. I'm curious as to what equipment you use?

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому

      Oh, that's good to know! Funnily I only use my phone, which is an iphone xr I think.

  • @adamholcomb1906
    @adamholcomb1906 Рік тому +1

    Yes I agree WOTC needs to expand beyond just the Sword Coast for new campaigns 🤷🏼‍♂️💯

  • @Ghoul181
    @Ghoul181 2 роки тому +1

    Quick question. I picked up the entire "shadow of the avatar" trilogy from a bookstore. Is there something else I have to read in order for it to make sense or can I just hop right into the trilogy. I also got the Dragonlance "Elven Nations" trilogy as well and was wondering the same thing. Any feedback would be appreciated!! Nice video!

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому +1

      Shadow of the Avatar is supposed to be an accompaniment to the Avatar trilogy by Scott Ciencin and Troy Denning (the series later got a book 4 and 5). But it actually doesn’t like up super well with those books. Greenwood is a divisive author, but I quite enjoyed the fun of those books.
      Im not too familiar with Dragonlance, but most people start with the 3 orignal Dragonlance Chronicles books (written before everything else), before going to other series.

    • @Ghoul181
      @Ghoul181 2 роки тому

      @@LiamsLyceum cool deal man I appreciate your response!!

    • @redsuperman7739
      @redsuperman7739 Рік тому +2

      You can totally enjoy the Eleven Nations
      trilogy as an introduction to the world of Krynn....eventually you will likely be lead to the Dragonlance Chronicles...
      The reasons will become quickly apparent

    • @Genghis_Sean
      @Genghis_Sean Рік тому

      Man, I read Making of a Mage and hated it. Elminster felt like he had almost no personality, and everytime he was losing a fight a literal god would come out and bail him out. It felt like it had no stakes and he didn’t deserve his wins. I still want to read the rest of the Elminster books for the lore though, so maybe I’ll come around.

  • @patrickguyot1290
    @patrickguyot1290 Рік тому

    Years aho,i used to read everyone i could get my hands on then they disappeared off the shelves. I never heard of forgotten realm till just now

  • @spoonman982
    @spoonman982 9 місяців тому

    Yeah, you're just wrong about Crystal Shard. Books 1-6 are all great. Legacy was another great one but they tended to go downhill for a while after that. I didn't read much after the Hunter's Blade series. The series set around Entreri & Jarlaxle were a good read too, I love those characters.

  • @PoloDavey
    @PoloDavey Рік тому

    haunted land trilogy is amazing highly recommend

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      I hear good things, it’s one series I don’t even have yet, let alone read.

  • @Xardis
    @Xardis Рік тому

    As someone who has has essentially came back to the FR books around 2016, I recognize all of the titles you mentioned but I havent read some of them. My favs were City of the Dead, Way of the Spider Queen, House of Serpents, Brimstone Angels and Lady Penitent series. I also like most of the stuff around Cale and stuff by Greenwood. As much as I love the setting, I would love it to die as WotC essentially lost grip on it, the books by Salvatore are good, but the longer they go, the more they lose in quality. Yes, I hold a huge grudge against Salvatore for ignoring essentially everything in the War of the Spider Queen regarding other Drow factions and him just inventing himself a new world that didnt really need to be invented.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      I’ve yet to read War of the Slider Queen, it comes highly recommended. I tend to get frustrated with Salvatore’s treatment of lord in general, he did essentially the same thing by making Lolth the only drow deity he cared about. (Maybe they changed later but it is so in the first 13 books).

    • @Xardis
      @Xardis Рік тому +1

      That is still the case, he briefly mentions Eilestraee in the newest books, but its so late in the story where they should have been actively involved for like 10 books before at least.

  • @adamholcomb1906
    @adamholcomb1906 Рік тому

    So time periods are currently are Time of Troubles, post Time of Troubles, Spell Plague, God Chosen, and currently Post God Chosen which now 1495 DR

  • @whatsupdoc6358
    @whatsupdoc6358 2 роки тому +2

    Ive always thought shandrils saga was a good introduction to the realms. Hits on a lot of key players of the realms.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому +1

      This is understandable, as someone who is actually only 4 chapters into Spellfire, more Realms figures have been thrown in than most have in their whole series. XD

  • @OwenEdwardsBooks
    @OwenEdwardsBooks 2 роки тому

    This is really good/useful.

  • @williamcase426
    @williamcase426 Рік тому

    Gotta read Drizzt

  • @dynjarren5454
    @dynjarren5454 Рік тому

    Elminster all the way. Love Greenwood

  • @ahmedal-modaifea4457
    @ahmedal-modaifea4457 Рік тому

    This is odd, I did noticed you mentioned downshadow, but never mentioned the abyssal plague. Is there a reason for that?

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      I was mentioning Downshadow as part of the Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep series. It's the sequel to Downshadow that is really part of Abyssal Plague.

  • @devdog420
    @devdog420 Рік тому

    Adjust audio levels in future videos. Great content, thanks!

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      I have switched to a different method and audio is much better now. Thanks!

  • @xtruthx
    @xtruthx Рік тому

    Now read the Ravenloft books

  • @patrickguyot1290
    @patrickguyot1290 Рік тому

    Years ago that should have said

  • @flaming_cayennelive1225
    @flaming_cayennelive1225 2 місяці тому

    Whatever you do don’t look up what Ed Greenwood said about drow breast milk

  • @jonw3800
    @jonw3800 7 місяців тому

    You are now Banished for your blasphemy against R.A. Salvatore, but good job on the video!

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  7 місяців тому

      Where do I get banished? Hopefully not the Hells or Abyss!

  • @hieijangashi
    @hieijangashi Рік тому

    I respect any taste, but damn it is hard to hear to listen to someone saying that Salvatore's books are not good while praising the slog of waterdeep's books.

  • @geraltgrey-mane695
    @geraltgrey-mane695 Рік тому

    Anyone more well read with the Forgotten realms? Is there any novels that cover the Netherese/Netheril ? :) Its one tophic that grasp my intresst hehe Well magic in general is my cup of tea hehe. Love mages and magic etc etc

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому +2

      The Netheril trilogy by Clayton Emery, first book is Sword Play. Netheril appears in artifacts or some form much, such as in Brimstlne Angels: Lesser Evils or The Nether Scroll. Returned Netheril shows up a ton too, Return of the Archwizards by Denning covers this specifically.

    • @geraltgrey-mane695
      @geraltgrey-mane695 Рік тому

      Cool thank you! :)

  • @alexpalomino8947
    @alexpalomino8947 Рік тому

    There is nothing wrong with the curl

  • @jbbomb08
    @jbbomb08 Рік тому

    The amount of R A Salvatore downplay is strange. He is the reason faerun books are even talked about.....

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      Doesn’t mean they’re good. If you don’t read much at all or are a male that is 12-14 I could recommend them, otherwise they’re rather juvenile and not much worth their time. Unless of course you’re nostalgic for them but that’s not what this video was for.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      If you like it, that’s fine, I don’t see the general appeal. Of 300 novels in the Realms I’m limited in what to recommend. I like my popcorn novels but there are better ones.

  • @treweis1141
    @treweis1141 2 роки тому +2

    My opinion drizzt is the best your tripping

  • @prohet-econo
    @prohet-econo 2 роки тому

    Nothing against you or the vid... but I think in just going to stick with dragonlance

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  2 роки тому +1

      That’s fair, I’ve only read 4 Dragonlance Novels but that number will go up

  • @Unexpectedperspectivesnow
    @Unexpectedperspectivesnow 11 місяців тому

    The Avatars series 1-3 were great. Skip the follow-ups.

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  10 місяців тому

      I actually prefer books 4 and 5 over the first 3, funnily enough.

  • @tommartin1223
    @tommartin1223 Рік тому

    Spine of the world by Salvatore was horrendous. The character interaction was terrble. Vone of the very few books i hated fromvtbis series

    • @LiamsLyceum
      @LiamsLyceum  Рік тому

      It seems generally disliked by Drizzt fans

  • @damonr4136
    @damonr4136 Рік тому +1

    That's it, you're completely dogging R.A. Salvatore and Drizzt D'Ourden. I'm just stopping the video now. I can't listen to that, where's my scimitars

  • @ghostfacecreations
    @ghostfacecreations Рік тому

    Start wherever you feel like starting