Elaine Cunningham

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Elaine Cunningham

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June 2010

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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.


Elaine Cunningham is an American fantasy author, best known for her contributions to shared-world settings such as the Forgotten Realms, Star Wars, EverQuest, and Pathfinder Tales.
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Elaine Cunningham Hi, Ciprian! Thanks for asking.

Editorial control varies from project to project, and from one editor to another. With Liriel's story, here's what the …more
Hi, Ciprian! Thanks for asking.

Editorial control varies from project to project, and from one editor to another. With Liriel's story, here's what the editor told me he wanted: A young drow female from a powerful family leaves Menzoberranzan and has adventures on the surface world. He wanted her to be a person of status, but not someone who would upset the social and political structure. The rest was very flexible. For the Halruaa trilogy, the editor specified that she wanted the main characters to be human, not elves, so there was a lot of creative license there. But for City of Splendors, the book I wrote with Ed Greenwood, we had a shopping list of requirements. The story had to be set in "current time"--no history, no flashbacks. This was a HUGE change from the novel we proposed, which was similar in scope to Cormyr and Everett, with a sweeping story that covers a lot of time with a single powerful character as the focal point. We were told to avoid using Khelben Arunsun (who was that single, powerful focal point we had in mind...) and focus the story on newly created, low-level characters. Basically, we wrote an entirely different book from the one we planned to write. So I suppose the short answer to your question would be "It depends..." :)(less)
Elaine Cunningham My summer reading list includes Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian, Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Buri…moreMy summer reading list includes Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian, Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Buried Giant by Zazuo Ishiguro, The Fifth Season by NK Jemisen, Lake Silence by Anne Bishop, and a whole stack of "cozy paranormal mysteries."
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Average rating: 3.82 · 42,750 ratings · 1,107 reviews · 142 distinct worksSimilar authors
Dark Journey (Star Wars: Th...

3.71 avg rating — 7,712 ratings — published 2002 — 23 editions
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Daughter of the Drow (Starl...

3.97 avg rating — 4,275 ratings — published 1995 — 30 editions
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Elfshadow (Forgotten Realms...

3.86 avg rating — 4,085 ratings — published 1991 — 18 editions
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Windwalker (Starlight & Sha...

3.98 avg rating — 2,912 ratings — published 2003 — 19 editions
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Tangled Webs (Starlight & S...

3.93 avg rating — 2,890 ratings — published 1996 — 20 editions
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Elfsong (Forgotten Realms: ...

3.87 avg rating — 2,279 ratings — published 1994 — 22 editions
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Silver Shadows (Forgotten R...

3.87 avg rating — 1,985 ratings — published 1996 — 20 editions
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Evermeet: Island of Elves

3.91 avg rating — 1,653 ratings — published 1998 — 13 editions
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Thornhold (The Harpers, #16...

3.70 avg rating — 1,369 ratings — published 1998 — 19 editions
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The Dream Spheres (Forgotte...

3.79 avg rating — 1,205 ratings — published 1999 — 14 editions
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More books by Elaine Cunningham…

2024 Reboot

Confession time: I'm not a regular GoodReads user. I don't log all the books I read, and to be honest, I completely forgot that I had a Goodreads blog. But in 2024, I'll be more diligent about logging and reviewing books, making recommendations, and writing regular blog posts.

In addition to reviewing books, I plan to get back to writing both novels and short fiction. And yes, it has been a while. Read more of this blog post »
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Published on January 01, 2024 12:32 Tags: work-in-progress
Elfshadow Elfsong Silver Shadows Thornhold The Dream Spheres Reclamation
(6 books)
by
3.84 avg rating — 11,003 ratings

Daughter of the Drow Tangled Webs Windwalker
(3 books)
by
3.96 avg rating — 10,077 ratings

The Magehound The Floodgate The Wizardwar
(3 books)
by
3.87 avg rating — 2,530 ratings

Shadows in the Darkness Shadows in the Starlight
(2 books)
by
3.61 avg rating — 529 ratings

Honor Among Thieves Honor Bound
(2 books)
by
3.87 avg rating — 62 ratings

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Elaine’s Recent Updates

Elaine Cunningham rated a book really liked it
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
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The Hunter by Tana French
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Another stellar mystery by Tana French. Twisty plot with a surprise ending. Intriguing, nuanced characters with strong character arcs and relationship development. Crisp dialog that fits the characters. Writing dialect is difficult, but French's use ...more
Elaine Cunningham rated a book it was amazing
The Hunter by Tana French
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Another stellar mystery by Tana French. Twisty plot with a surprise ending. Intriguing, nuanced characters with strong character arcs and relationship development. Crisp dialog that fits the characters. Writing dialect is difficult, but French's use ...more
Elaine Cunningham rated a book really liked it
Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews
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With the Kate Daniels series, Ilona Andrews has created an interesting, immersive setting--a future in which Magic returns in waves and technology works only intermittently. In addition to the central characters, this world is peopled by fascinating ...more
Elaine Cunningham rated a book it was amazing
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
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I absolutely loved this book. It's exactly what I've been looking for ever since reading a scene in Jurasic Park when the paleobotonist mused about the human propensity to view plants as interchangeable bits of scenery, rather than complex living bei ...more
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Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Elaine Cunningham rated a book really liked it
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
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Elaine Cunningham rated a book it was amazing
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
When Among Crows
by Veronica Roth (Goodreads Author)
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Beautiful prose, complex characters, and a twisty plot. This was the first book by Veronica Roth I've read, and it's simply wonderful. I especially enjoyed the interesting use of Polish folklore. Very highly recommended ...more
Elaine Cunningham wants to read
Her Second Husband by Jane E. James
Her Second Husband
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Listen to the Language of the Trees by Tera Kelley
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Very nice introduction to a fascinating topic. Young readers who are curious about the world around them will love this book.
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Quotes by Elaine Cunningham  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“How about it, Skywalker? Will you still fight for me after we've been married for twenty-odd years?"
"What do you mean by 'still'? You do your own fighting. If I forget that, I'm not likely to survive until our twentieth anniversary."
Mara & Luke”
Elaine Cunningham, Dark Journey

“More things in this world have been accomplished in this world by persistence than by wisdom.”
Elaine Cunningham, Windwalker

“If you use a wolf to hunt a wolf, keep two arrows near to hand.”
Elaine Cunningham, Windwalker

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
Fantasy Book Club: Hack n Slash or High Fantasy? 55 389 Aug 04, 2009 07:14AM  
Goodreads Librari...: Elaine Cunningham - bwah? 11 54 Jun 13, 2010 12:34PM  
Romance Readers R...: March - Pick It For Me Challenge 704 292 Apr 05, 2011 06:11PM  
SciFi and Fantasy...: "Homeland" First Impressions *no spoilers* 52 107 Aug 17, 2011 08:07AM  
All things Fandom: 2011 Authors 88 306 Aug 29, 2011 03:43PM  
Fantasy Book Club: TOPIC IN FOCUS #2 -How do you like your world-building? 114 274 Jan 28, 2012 12:32PM  
Around the World ...: Rhode Island 6 185 Jan 27, 2013 08:46AM  
Fantasy Book Club: What are you reading in April 2013? 33 130 Apr 24, 2013 03:02PM  



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Elaine Cunningham Hi, Timothy. Bob Salvatore's Drizzt books span a period of nearly 200 years. Drizzt was born in DR 1297 and his latest adventures took place in 1479. The events of Liriel's story, told in the Starlight & Shadows trilogy, take place in 1361. The WotSQ occurred several years after this. Here's a detailed look at the Forgotten Realms chronology:
http://www.o-love.net/realms/fr_time_...


Timothy High I was wondering where does starlinght & shadows fit in with r.a. salvatore's dritz's series? Along with war of the spider queen.


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