I was lucky enough to receive Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for Christmas. Having read it cover to cover and run the first two chapters, I thought I’d writeI was lucky enough to receive Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for Christmas. Having read it cover to cover and run the first two chapters, I thought I’d write a review for it. This will work like all my other reviews, but this time I’ll do something extra: something for Worldbuilder DMs and something for Writers.
Waterdeep (also known as the City of Splendours) is a sprawling urban setting. There is little room for exploring the wilderness or trekking through the mountainside. In this adventure, heroes are faced with cobbled streets, seasonal festivals, business rivals, and Waterdeep’s criminal underbelly. Street smarts and a knowledge of who’s who amongst the city’s inhabitants might serve the heroes better than a warhammer or a fireball (shhh…foreshadowing).
As the DM, you are given a choice of four/five amazing villains that are each tied to a season. This gives the adventure great replayability and malleability.
After the PCs get acquainted with some of the citizens of Waterdeep, they are given a tavern. This not only gives them a steak in what is happening in the wider city, it inadvertently puts them in the crossfire of a gang war.
Soon the heroes will be chasing down the Stone of Golorr – a magical item that knows the location of a gargantuan stack of gold.
Dragon Heist is a what it says on the cover – a gold old heist. Players will have to outwit the denizens of the underworld to either claim the gold for themselves or keep it out of the hands of evil.
Opinion
This is a great adventure! There is enough room for your own creativity (this might be a con to some) plus some truly amazingly written characters. I love Waterdeep. In this offering, we get to see a lot of it and players are encouraged to go out and effect things (for good or ill).
There is so much in this (relatively) slim publication that won’t be used during the adventure. I – in fact – like this. It gives you a lot of material to repurpose for the campaign going forward. Even the villains you don’t use can pop up somewhere else. The villain bases are particularly useful too, as they can feature again once your party are strong enough.
The right amount of humour and darkness makes for a rich experience. There is a lot of good to be found from players, DMs, and writers. Cons
Compared to the other official 5e adventures, Dragon Heist is relatively short. Granted, the scope of the adventure is only from levels 1 to 5, there is a lot of it that is left to the DM’s imagination. As a writer and a worldbuilder, I love this – it gives me room for my own creations and – most importantly – allows me to put up things that my players find entertaining.
But I name this as a con because this might be a challenge for new DMs. This is especially apparent in Chapter 2 where the players are tasked with fixing up a tavern. They can join factions, certainly, but this is a bit of a strain on new players who aren’t accustomed to the lore. I found myself throwing NPCs at my table of newbies to hook them into joining a faction – something that was more of an annoyance than anything else. Again, this is down to the players and your DMing style.
If your players are interested in running the business (as mine were), you won’t find a lot of help in the book. There are expenses tables and guild NPC suggestions, but that’s about it. The rest is up to you. Either the DM or the players will find this tiresome.
I suggest supplementing this chapter with content from the DM’s Guild (there’s a lot of great things there) or running with a character quest or something. I don’t recommend skipping this chapter, because it is here that you should forge a bond between the PCs and Waterdeep. Potentially Offensive Content
Dungeons & Dragons materials are usually free of offensive content. Of course, this can change at the table and depends heavily on the people around it. Be that as it may, because of the nature of most table-top RPGs, descriptions of violence are part of the experience. Pros
It is a breath of fresh air. Dragon Heist is not a dungeon crawl or a wilderness survival encounter. This urban adventure takes place in a single location that players will become familiar with. This will – with some luck – give them a sense of belonging. They might develop relationships with certain NPCs and become invested in their successes or failures.
This investment is what every DM wants from their players. If they care about the world their characters inhabit, they will want to keep coming back.
The villains are fantastically memorable. Regardless of who you pick (you have choice of four or five) as the main BBEG your players will remember their encounters with them.
There are many other great things in this publication – from Xanathar’s fish problem to the amazing art and maps. There really is something for everyone here. For the Worldbuilder
For the worldbuilder, page 163-188 is a godsend. It is a delightfully written description of all things Waterdeep – from festivals to taxes. There are great examples here for building your own quirky, fantasy metropolis. Whether it is for your own campaign or for your sprawling fantasy epic, Volo’s Waterdeep Enchiridion may cover aspects that you haven’t thought of.
Note that this is not a full rundown of the ins and outs of designing a city – not at all. This, instead, is a history that gives texture to a fictional setting. This is the valuable thing about it. You aren’t given a dry, black-and-white table of ‘things in Waterdeep’ (this might be how you design a city, but it isn’t how you present a city).
Therein is the lesson.
The denizens of Waterdeep also add depth to this world. They aren’t merely filler for every citizen fulfils a role (whether for ill or good). This is something that you, as a worldbuilder, should not overlook: don’t forget the people.
Once you start answering questions like ‘why is he here?’, ‘what produce would this stall sell?’, or ‘where do alchemists get their ingredients?’ you start filling in blanks in your world that you didn’t even know existed. Aspects of the world can emerge this way – and so can stories. For example, a dingy corner shop sells rare magical items – how did they acquire these? – they must be fencing for the criminal underground – perhaps the owner is trying to go straight – perhaps he got himself killed now his daughter runs the place – someone is investigating his murder – the city needs a watch or police service – etc. For the Writer
As stated under Pros, Dragon Heist makes players invested in the city of Waterdeep. It does this by familiarising them with the wards of the city, the locals, and the web of intrigue that connects them. The citizens of Waterdeep are humanised: you discover what they want, or fear and you begin to care.
This is what a writer should take away from this: make readers care.
DMing Dragon Heist gives writers an opportunity to ‘test out’ characters. To see what kinds of characters your players care about. Or which villains they love to hate.
D&D – as I see it – is a testing ground for characters. Not so much for stories, because a campaign ought to be a PC’s story, not the DM’s.
The antagonists in Dragon Heist teach us writers another thing: make your villains worth it. You see, your job as the DM is to make your players feel like heroes – and there’s no better way to do that than giving them a horrible bad guy to play off. Heroism doesn’t come from doing ‘good stuff’ for the sake of it; it comes from beating or being better than the villains.
This can carry over to your writing too: your hero can only be as good as your villain is bad....more
I’m late to the review game here folks, but I’d never forget to do a write up on my favorite Campaign Setting for Dungeons and Dragons. Eberron!
If youI’m late to the review game here folks, but I’d never forget to do a write up on my favorite Campaign Setting for Dungeons and Dragons. Eberron!
If you want to get my thoughts right out front, Eberron: Rising from the Last War is great. Coming in at 320 pages it is very meaty, and long on assistance for the Dungeon Master. Has some excellent tidbits for players too. It’s pretty much what I expect to see from an Eberron Campaign setting book. We’ve seen this before in two previous editions of D&D. This setting in particular always does a great job of introducing the world, without getting long winded. You get the perfect bare bones rundown, and are then handed the tools necessary to run with it. That’s the book in a nutshell. If you want to run games in this Campaign Setting, grab this book and you’ll have all the setup you will likely ever need.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t start with a toast to the alternate cover art. It is one of my favorites since they started down this road of providing such a thing. If you have a choice between the standard cover and the alternate it is really a no-brainer here. Vance Kelly knocked it out of the park. A perfect companion to this weird little pulpy, noir, high fantasy, steampunk world. Does everything you need to set the tone. As for the standard cover (pictured above) I’m not a huge fan, simply because it highlights an area of the world setting I never really play around in, personally I preferred the working cover art, which does make an appearance in the book at least.
The first part of the book spends some needed time introducing players to the basics of Eberron. The background of the world, and what to expect about play style. Eberron has always been set almost immediately after a shaky peace has been negotiated between countries that have been at war for a generation. This sets up a very conflicted world that really allows a DM to play around. With this many groups vying to find their place in a newfound world you can go in a myriad of directions. The best thing about how this has always been handled, and continues to be handled, is that there is very little hand holding for the DM. You get the info you need to create, but aren’t told specifically which direction to go with it. We don’t even get to know what caused the major cataclysm that instigated the world to sit up and force a peace! That’s on you to explore. It can make for a somewhat advanced treatment for a DM on where to go, some may need a little more help than that, but I have always appreciated the freedom to stretch my imagination some.
Chapter One kicks off some character creation stuff, and this is where player characters will be spending most of their time. This isn’t a tidbit chunk added to appease folks looking for a few new character options, here we get a solid rundown of the changes you’ll find for races of old, and four whole new races to look at.
Changelings – Descended from doppelgangers these individuals can change appearances with ease. Often choosing a static humanoid form to be their day to day appearance because their natural form typically earns them nothing but mistrust. Changeling Kalashtar – Tough to describe but they are essentially the blending of humans and psychic spirits. Certainly new type of race to play around with. In fact I’m reminded that I’ve never done much with them personally. Maybe that should change. Kalashtar Shifters – Descended from Lychanthropes, can take on bestial characteristics in order to enhance their natural abilities.Shifter Warforged – Metallic constructs given sentience for the purposes of war. Where they fit in during a peace time their race has never encountered is up to the player. One of my personal favorite additions.Warforged
We are also given a new class to play with known as the Artificer. This is a classic Eberron class that approaches magic with a mixture of tech, often giving a steampunk feel to the style. The Artificer can currently advance in their roles as Alchemists, who delve into potions and other mixtures, Artillerists, that essentially bring a magical turret to the battlemat, or Battle Smiths who function almost like a combat medic. Overall the Artificer is very setting appropriate, but certainly a class for players who have a bit of experience under their belt. There seems to be a lot going on with this class and you’ll want to be prepped.
Another great element to the character creation chapter is the addition of Dragonmarks, which have always been a staple of Eberron, namely I like how they are implemented in 5e. In fact this is probably my favorite implementation to date. In 5e, choosing to take on a Dragonmark replaces your chosen racial/subracial traits. It basically pot commits you to the choice. Really forces a PC’s hand to make use of the role-play aspects of their chosen Dragonmarked house. Definitely a go-to for someone wanting to try something a little different that is setting unique.
Chapter Two delves into Khorvaire, the core of the Eberron world. Here we are informed on the major countries, organizations, faiths, etc. of the lands where the bulk of the action seems to take place in Eberron. At the center of this land mass lies the ever elusive, and highly dangerous, Mournland. The Mournland used to be the country of Cyre until a magical cataclysm turned it into a wasteland of horrific monstrosities and magical hazards. This destruction helped force the uneasy peace that keeps the other powers at be in check, no one wants such a thing to happen in their own backyard. Sharn
Chapter Three highlights just one city located on the continent of Khorvaire. What can be so special about the city of Sharn that it gets a chapter all its own? Just to whet your appetite, the city is so massive it must be contained via magic to support it’s growth upwards rather than out. The city of Sharn is aptly referred to as the City of Towers for this reason. If you’re looking for the noir aspects claimed by lovers of this campaign setting here is where you might want to set down some roots. Shadows loom lengthy in a city where those above you get richer as the layers get laid. Mysteries abound around every corner as groups like the Boromar Clan operate like gangsters, or the Tyrants utilize Changelings for information dealing. I’ve personally used Sharn frequently for some excellent adventures. Truly a unique city for tabletop rpgs. The book gives some great detail on districts and organizations. Just enough for you to work with as usual.
Chapter 4 is the Dungeon Master’s toolbox essentially. Lots of great embellishment of villainous groups, and some morally gray ones at that. With the exception of perhaps the Emerald Claw most groups aren’t outright evil, they just find themselves at odds with what many would consider “good” when they start looking out for themselves. You’ll find details of places beyond Khorvaire here, some good maps, travel considerations, and more. Plus, lots and lots of random roll tables to help pad some stuff out. Rounding thing out, we are gifted with a nice little adventure, titled Forgotten Relics, for a DM to either use or peruse in order to get an idea of what an adventure in this setting might look like. Looks to be a one shot that could last two or three sessions.
Chapter 5 focuses on treasure specific to Eberron. Everything here is something you’d find unique to such a world. It isn’t the highlight chapter of the book for me but it is a nice added touch. With over 20 new magic items to dole out it will be easy to nudge one of these items out for the players.
Chapter 6 is a 40 page highlight of some of the NPCs and foes you might run into in this world. I’m always a fan of more baddies to throw at my players, especially ones fresh to a setting so they might not be privy to all the information about the beast. I mean, we need to know what lurks in the Mournland right, or the jungles of Xen’Drik? If the players are foolis…I mean brave enough to try and muck about in such places, I need to be prepared!
My opening remarks stand. Eberron: Rising from the Last War is a gem. One of the best additions to this particular edition’s line of books. If future Campaign Setting source books follow suit we are looking at some great content. It is doubly fun because I could see this book working for the player and the Dungeon Master equally (with a slight edge to the DM, which is to be expected). Quality books or no, the line of large campaign books we’ve seen of late are typically just a DM’s tool with little to offer the players. Here we have some added content that a player character will enjoy. Would have loved to see such a thing for Ravenloft rather than the adventure we received honestly, not that it was a bad adventure just left a lot of opportunity on the table.
I feel like Eberron: Rising from the Last War is a must have....more
So begins the tale of Alice, following a curious White Rabbit down a rabbit-hole and falling into Wonderland. A fantastical place, where nothing is quSo begins the tale of Alice, following a curious White Rabbit down a rabbit-hole and falling into Wonderland. A fantastical place, where nothing is quite as it seems: animals talk, nonsensical characters confuse, Mad Hatter’s throw tea parties and the Queen plays croquet. Alice’s attempts to find her way home become increasingly bizarre, infuriating and amazing in turn. A beloved classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has continued to delight readers, young and old for over a century.
Review: it’s a cliché and cheesy and I hate when people say it, but…ALL OF THE STARS
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK.
No qualifier. No excuse. No “one of my favorites.” This one is it, y’all.
Well, also Through the Looking Glass. But THAT’S PRACTICALLY THE SECOND HALF OF THE SAME BOOK. (And other examples of my inability to make decisions or commit in any way to anything.)
I currently have 18 copies of this book. I’ve attempted to read it at least annually for the past three years. And by “annually,” I mean I last revisited this book less than nine months ago.
But hey, it was a different year then, technically speaking.
How do I even review this? I don’t know where to begin. (Just a heads up that my obsessive personality is going to become verrrrry clear as this review progresses. I’m not proud. This is who I am, you guys. I was a member of the fandoms of some teen pop sensation or other for nearly ten consecutive years. I’m no longer thirteen but I still need an outlet. Honestly I’m quite afraid that if I don’t have an obsession, I’ll become a drug addict. Lots of pent up energy.)
Well, I’ll say that I always, always, always feel enveloped by this book. I have never picked this up without feeling instantly submersed in Wonderland. And it’s really my favorite place to be. It’s hard to feel unhappy when you’re in the greatest setting ever created.
And there’s that. I firmly believe this is the most amazing and beautiful and confusing and curious setting of all time. It’s immersive, and it’s strange, and it’s so unique and fantastic and creative and I love it so much. I can come up with even more loosely positive adjectives if that overwhelming number didn’t suffice.
Wonderland is my Hogwarts. While many readers pray their letters just got lost in the mail, I’m constantly hoping I’ll see a white rabbit in a waistcoat and fall down, down, down into what must be the center of the earth.
I love Alice and her curiosity. She may also be my favorite character ever. She’s funny and sweet and childish and such a blast to read about. Her reactions to everything are so, so funny. Her curiosity always outweighs confusion and fear. I’d like to wake up one day and be Alice. I’ll likely become one of those creeps who pays millions for plastic surgery in order to “resemble” some celebrity or other.
On an unrelated note, anyone have millions of dollars they’re trying to get rid of?
I’m also fiercely protective of this book. I constantly pick up retellings only to be utterly disappointed. (Like Heartless. Get out of here with your shoddy Carroll-stealing.) DO NOT, DO NOT! GET ME STARTED ON THE TIM BURTON FILM ADAPTATION. Horrific. Alice, an adult? Alice, engaged? Alice FIGHTING THE GODDAMN JABBERWOCK?
But I do love the original animated Disney adaptation. There’s a certain quality to the book that’s captured within that film, which I haven’t found recreated in any other retelling or use of the setting or adaptation.
Oh, and one more thing, while I’m here.
THIS BOOK ISN’T ABOUT DRUGS, YOU SURFACE-LEVEL INTERPRETERS OF SYMBOLISM. It’s not that easy, boo.
In the words of BBC News, “[the drug] references may say more about the people making them than the author.”
Lewis Carroll isn’t thought to have been a user of drugs, the Caterpillar was smoking tobacco, and the mushroom is no more magic than the various cakes Alice eats.
Honestly, the drug reading is simple and boring. It’s such a stretch to attempt to read each character as a different substance. And scrolling through countless quasi-psychedelic GIFs to find actual ones was irritating, too. Ah, yes, real art: taking images from a 1951 children’s film but messing with the colors and movement until it looks like nothing more than a trigger for epilepsy. Enough, Tumblr.
Alice in Wonderland carries as much or as little significance as you want it to. It’s everything from a mindless romp in an imaginative land to a depiction of the effects of a ruthlessly authoritarian system of justice.
Just have fun with it.
And please, for the love of God, stop applying your weird psychedelic edits to a Disney movie.
Note on the audiobook: This time around, I listened to the audiobook, to switch things up. Scarlett Johansson read it. I loved her funny accents and hated her overly-acted narration. A mixed bag.
Bottom line: This is my favoritest and I doubt it will be dethroned anytime soon. Come at me, every other book...more
Where the Sidewalk Ends: “Where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein’s world begins. There you’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who ea Where the Sidewalk Ends: “Where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein’s world begins. There you’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.”
And Every Thing on It: “Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is! You will say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.
What’s that? You have a case of the Lovetobutcants? Impossible! Just come on in and let the magic of Shel Silverstein bend your brain and open your heart.” (Goodreads)
Why I picked it up: I’ve loved Silverstein’s work ever since I was younger, from The Giving Tree to his poetry to Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue” (of which Silverstein was the songwriter, in case you didn’t know!). This gorgeous leatherbound classic edition of two of his poetry books combined, Where the Sidwalk Ends and Every Thing on It, was bought for me at Barnes & Noble by my girlfriend. I had actually never read And Every Thing on It before, so I jumped at the chance to reread some of my favorites and experience a few new poems as well!
Thoughts: I had so much fun revisiting some of my favorite childhood poems. Where the Sidewalk Ends is one of those books I could read over and over and always makes me smile when I’m feeling down. I also loved getting to rad some of Silverstein’s work that I hadn’t before. I know I’ll be revisiting And Every Thing on It just as frequently as I have his other work.
Of course, this book had me smiling and laughing out loud and feeling inspired. Even as an adult, this book is good for you. I would come home from a full day of work at a job that I, well, don’t exactly love, and crack this open to read a few pages before bed. It definitely lifted my spirits after a long day.
This is the kind of book I’d read out loud to my kids. I actually used to read my very first copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends to my little brother back in elementary school. It was the only book we had that kept him still and paying attention, and one of my favorite memories from our childhood. I think it would be great to read a few poems out of this book to kids before bed.
Honestly, there’s not much negative I have to say about this book. Of course, there’s a few poems in the 380 pages I didn’t love, but overall, I absolutely loved this and it was everything I wanted it to be.
There’s just no other way to put it—this is a feel-good, pick-me-up book that I feel like I need to have in reach like medicine during allergy season. Medicine for the heart and soul. Silverstein’s work never fails to inspire me and make me smile, and this gorgeous leather-bound edition is certainly no exception...more
“One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King“One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the final installment of the well known trilogy. Like the previous two parts, this one continues with the intrepid group of heroes still moving forward with their individual quests. Filled with drama, adventure and plenty of cliffhangers, The Return of the king is a worthy climax of this epic saga. Like the Two Towers, here also the book runs in two parts; one explaining the adventures outside Mordor, and the other describing the adventures of Frodo and Sam.
41KGl2FqeALTo give a brief summary about the plot, Gandalf and Pippin are making their way to Minas Tirith to try to convince Denethor, the city’s Steward to join their fight to defeat Sauron. Frodo and Sam along with the treacherous Gollum as their guide, are continuing their long journey to Mount Doom, where they hope to destroy the Ring, once and for all. Aragorn accompanied by Legolas and Gimli is taking the legendary Paths of the Dead to Gondor, with the hopes of recruiting an enormous army of Sleepless Dead. Simultaneously, Lady Eowyn and Merry lead their forces against those of Mordor. And After improbable struggles where odds were always stacked against them, the evil Sauron is defeated by the forces of good. The book ends with Aragorn, now King and Arwen join in marriage and usher in a new age of peace and prosperity whereas the Hobbits return to the Shire to rebuild their beloved home against fading might of Saruman. The final chapter has Frodo deciding to leave the Shire and his friends and sailing away over the Great Sea with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the other Ring bearers to the beautiful and peaceful paradise in the West.
I just loved this series. The final installment is the most fast paced of the three books. The quality of Tolkien’s writing is so high that you can’t help but feel immersed in the book and can actually feel yourself travelling along with the hobbits, experiencing every bit of peril and hopelessness that they too must have been feeling on the final stages of their trek to Mount Doom. As with the first two books, I find it extremely difficult to write a review that actually does justice to the magnificent detail of the plot, the characters and the world of Middle Earth in general.
Return of the King is a fitting finale of this hugely engrossing saga. Written at a very high standard, I would strongly recommend this series to anyone who is able to commit to a book, interested in fantasy and looks forward to complicated ideas and vocabulary. This book is relatively shorter than the previous two but what really makes up for it is detailed specific details of each category; Hobbits, Elf, Dwarves, Men etc at the end of the book. So many new similar sounding names can often be confusing but that’s the fun part. J.R.R.Tolkien is a master storyteller, and it really shows in this fantasy trilogy of deceitfulness, faith, courage and heart. What really appeals to your reading sense is the writer’s relentless narration of quest, the heroic journey, the Numinous Object, the conflict between Good and Evil while at the same time satisfying our sense of historical and social reality. To create an imaginary world of such magnitude is no mean task. Once you finish this trilogy, perhaps you would be knowing more about different aspects of Middle Earth than you would be knowing about the actual world you are living in. It’s not just fantasy; its sheer intelligence and brilliance. A must read...more
The Two Towers’ is part 2 of Tolkien’s epic trilogy and comprises of ‘books’ three and four.
Book three follows the adventures of the fellowship after The Two Towers’ is part 2 of Tolkien’s epic trilogy and comprises of ‘books’ three and four.
Book three follows the adventures of the fellowship after Frodo and Sam depart. At the end of ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,’ the orcs have attacked. Aragorn is up at the high seat where Frodo and Boromir conversed before he tried to take the ring from the hobbit. Aragorn hears Boromir’s horn, but arrives too late. Boromir is hanging on to life and after a few words, he dies in Aragorn’s arms. Gimli and Legolas show up and they discover that Merry and Pippin have disappeared. Aragorn tells them that the orcs have them and they make quick pursuit.
They follow the orcs (who were slain by Éomer and company) to Fangorn. In the forest, they discover that Gandalf is still alive and that the hobbits are alive and well. Gandalf goes with the trio to Edoras to meet with Théoden, King of the Mark. There they find the king’s mind poisoned by Wormtongue. Wormtongue’s hold is destroyed and he flees back to Isengard, to Saruman.
It is decided to go to Isengard and strike down Saruman and end his evil campaign. On the way, they are detoured to Helm’s Deep where a massive battle ensues. Miraculously, the armies of Isengard are defeated and then destroyed by the mysterious forest (a horde of Ents) that appears.
They leave Helm’s Deep and continue on to Isengard where they find it ravaged. After the armies had left, other Ents attacked and trapped Saruman and Wormtongue in Orthanc. They also find Merry and Pippin quite safe and sound. After they had escaped the slaughter of the Orcs, they had ran across Treebeard (Fangorn is his forest) who took them with him to a council of ents were they decided to go to war against Isengard.
When the company finally go and speak with Saruman, Gandalf destroys Saruman’s staff. Then Wormtongue nearly hits Gandalf with an orb he threw from one of the higher windows. What he threw was a palantir, one of seven stones used for communication many centuries prior (and how Saruman communicated with Sauron). On their way back, Pippin lets his curiosity take over and holds the orb. He communicates with Sauron, but doesn’t give anything away. They see one of the Nazgûl and Gandalf instructs the others to go to Helm’s Deep, while he takes Pippin and leaves for Minas Tirith.
Across the river, Sam and Frodo are trying to make their way to Mordor. Before they get out of Emyn Muil, they capture Gollum (also called Sméagol) who they thought they’d lost. Gollum leads them across the dead marshes and to the Black Gate, but it is closed, guarded, and has too much foot traffic. Gollum tells them of a secret way further south near Minas Morgul. Sam (who doesn’t trust Gollum) isn’t keen on the idea, but Frodo knows there really isn’t another choice.
As they pass through Ithilien, they meet with Faramir (Boromir’s brother) who takes them with him and his soldiers. Once he learns of their mission, he allows them to go (and doesn’t kill Gollum). They continue down through Ithilien and eventually pass Minas Morgul and up through Cirith Ungol. Gollum then leads them through the tunnels and his betrayal is learned when they are attacked by Shelob, a giant spider. Sam and Frodo get separated and when Sam finds him again, Frodo appears to have been killed. He takes the ring to continue the journey, but some orcs appear and he learns that Frodo is still alive. He follows the orcs to where they take him, but arrives too late and is stuck standing outside the gate.
I was considering watching the film again to make sure I correctly mentioned some of the scenes, but got annoyed so I turned it off. It is a no brainer that the book is better than the film. As I’ve been reading the three books, I’ve been amazed at the liberties Peter Jackson took when making the films. When they first came out, I remember people saying how close they were to the books. Sorry to say, but not really. I’ll highlight some of the major scenes as citing them all would take ages.
Alright, here are some changes from book 3. So the whole scene about how the Ents were going to war was totally incorrect. Sure their meeting took a long time, but they were keen on going to war and already knew about what Saruman had done to the trees. Next, Théoden wasn’t being controlled by Saruman. His mind was poisoned by Wormtongue. Then the whole scene at Isengard was so wrong that it would take ages to convey all the differences (for one Saruman never dies). Book 4 had tons as well. Gollum never started to become good. He pretended. Frodo wasn’t bothered by the ring until they passed Minas Morgul. The interaction with Faramir was totally different and they were never taken to Osgiliath. And Frodo wasn’t poisoned against Sam whilst climbing Cirith Ungol. They’ve been cool the entire time.
I’ll just straight into my qualms with the characters. Faramir is such an amazing character and Jackson made him into a joke. When I read about him, all I could think about was how noble a person he was. The ring was within his grasp and he knew taking it was wrong. He knew that even with good intentions the ring would bring about evil. The people loved him because he was wise, kind, and a great leader. He was none of those things in the film. It was so infuriating. Not to mention that Frodo is so much stronger in the books than the films. They turn him into a weakling as well. It is so aggravating. The characters are so great and unique. There was no need to change them.
I found the book very exciting. My problem was that it was more interesting following Frodo and Sam than the rest of the fellowship. There is a lot of description going on with the fellowship and everything they are doing. With the hobbits it is much more linear. I found it easier because you were following feelings and journey of two people rather than the goings on of a large group. It is more intimate. Plus their journey is wrought with more danger (and who doesn’t like reading about dangerous adventures).
Overall, of course I think you should read it. It is an epic fantasy that has earned that classification. Yes, it can be difficult to get though and some of the sentences will need to be reread a couple times as they can be quite confusing (some seriously don’t actually make any sense). But if you can get through it, you will be glad you did. It is worth the read. Enjoy ...more
A Feast for Crows came out in 2005, and is the fourth book of the series. This book takes place immediately after the death of Lord Tywin. While TommeA Feast for Crows came out in 2005, and is the fourth book of the series. This book takes place immediately after the death of Lord Tywin. While Tommen, Joffrey’s little brother, is the king of the Iron Throne, due to his age, his mother rules the kingdom for him. Cercei is overwhelmed by paranoia as a prophesy she was told as a child appeared to be coming true. One of the first things the Queen Regent does is offer a reward for the head of Tyrion Lannister, who has gone missing from his cell. Along with this, she attempts to displace any and all men who are not loyal to her on the small council.
In the South, Dorne is in uproar over the loss of Prince Oberyn. In the North, Stannis’ host grows strong as it lingers at the Wall. Tales of Daenerys grow more fearsome as she conquers one city after another in Essos. In the face of these threats, and her own paranoia, Cercei attempts to strengthen her own allies, granting the Holy Order the right to reestablish it’s military orders, which were disbanded during Targaryen rule due to the threat they posed. She sends Jaime to take care of the last remaining stronghold of the Kingdom of the North, Riverrun.
On the Western Sea, the demand for a new king of the Iron Islands leads to a Kingsmoot. Some of the major participants of this moot are Asha Greyjoy, Victarion Greyjoy and Euron Greyjoy.
Warning: Spoilers below
In an attempt to sew further chaos in the seven kingdoms, the daughter of Doran Martell abducts Princess Myrcella, Daughter of Cercei, and attempts to raise her as the queen, as she is entitled to rule by the laws of Dorne.
A combination of grief, fear and a lust for power drive Cercei to her demise. She attempts to plot the downfall of Margaery Tyrell, Tommen’s wife and soon to be queen. Her plotting eventually grabs the attention of the Faith, which results in Cercei’s imprisonment due to the betrayal of her secrets by one of Cercei’s agents, who’s tongue was loosened by torture.
Far away, a knight seeks the daughters of Catelyn Stark, armed with the blade of Jamie Lannister, and assisted by the page of Tyrion Lannister. She has the misfortune of stumbling upon a group of Outcasts, previously under the guidance of Lord Berric Dondarrion. However with Dondarrion gone, they have a new leader, one who the knight knew. Though shrouded by a hood, she revealed her tattered face, the face of a woman presumed dead. The face of Catelyn Stark. Catelyn sentences Brienne and her companions to death, though just before being hung, Brienne utters a word.
End of Spoilers
The book ends with a note from George RR Martin, who notes the absence of major characters and explains that the original copy of Feast For the Crows was too large, and because of such, he separated the book, adding the narrative of the other characters in the first section of the following book, A Dance with Dragons....more
A Clash of Kings picks up where A Game of Thrones left off, revealing the extent of disorder in the Seven Kingdoms. A bleeding star can be seen in theA Clash of Kings picks up where A Game of Thrones left off, revealing the extent of disorder in the Seven Kingdoms. A bleeding star can be seen in the skies of both Westeros and Essos. Each culture considers the crimson star to be a sign of a different prophesy. As a result of this,there is not one, not two, but five kings in Westeros. King Joffery of House Baratheon and Lannister, King Robert Stark of the North, King Stannis, brother of Robert Baratheon, and rightful heir to the Iron throne, King Renly, youngest of the three Baratheon brothers, and King Balon Greyjoy of the Iron islands.
With five kings fighting, three of whom want the Iron Throne, one of whom wants justice and one of whom wants revenge, this book is filled to the brim with fighting as the kings compete for power. All the while, rumors are reaching Kings Landing from across the sea, speaking of Daenerys Targaryan and her three dragons. As dragons have been extinct for over 150 years, most write off these rumors as fishermen’s tales, turning their concerns to the more pressing matters of rebellions arising in the North and East. Rob stark marches south, defeating every army who dares face him without suffering a single loss, while Renly’s fierce host mobilizes in the East. Few pay attention to King Stannis, who has but a few banner men, and fewer ships, however letters sent by Stannis to be circulated through the kingdoms prompt people to question the validity of Joffery’s rule over the Iron Throne.
Warning: Spoilers Below
Stannis meets Renly at Storms End, the seat of House Baratheon and demands him to surrender, claiming that the throne is his by right of law. Renly ignores Stannis’ request, but soon comes to regret it, as he meets an untimely end through mysterious means that elude to magic, an art which was believed to have died with the dragons. With Renly dead, Stannis consolidates his power and makes for King’s Landing, bringing with it the climax of the book, the Battle on the Blackwater.
While the battle wages on, chaos and dissent spread through King’s Landing, resulting in riots and acts of cruelty on behalf of the King. With hopes of quelling this, Queen Cercei and the current kings hand send an envoy to House Tyrell of Highgarden, a powerhouse south of Kings Landing. The Tyrells were allied with Renly though after his death they withdrew rather than siding with Stannis Baratheon.
When the battle on the Blackwater seemed to be in favor of the invading forces of Stannis Baratheon, the Tyrell and Lannister forces converge and smash the remainder of Stannis’ forces from their unprepared flank, thus effectively repelling the invading forces, and sending Stannis to retreat in shame.
End of Spoilers
After the battle on the Black Water, things are far from normal in Kings Landing, as Lord Tywin’s host along with the fierce Lion Lord himself settle in Kings Landing, attempting to pick up the pieces from the chaotic and disastrous reign of Joffrey the Boy King. Mean while, the armies of the North continue along their victorious path....more
I know many fans find Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows disappointing. In one sense, I understand the feeling. The book differs drastically from itI know many fans find Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows disappointing. In one sense, I understand the feeling. The book differs drastically from its predecessors in both structure and tone. This is not simply “year seven” at boarding school. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have left Hogwarts to embark upon a more traditional epic fantasy quest to find magical artifacts.
Although Deathly Hallows probably could never have satisfied the fevered expectations of fans in 2007, the book does suffer from introducing too much plot too late in the series. Almost everything the heroes needed to do in order to defeat Voldemort they learn and accomplish in this book. It makes the book and the series as a whole feel unbalanced.
In Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore discovers that Voldemort created seven Horcruxes in order to preserve his soul. One – Tom Riddle’s diary – was destroyed in Chamber of Secrets, while Dumbledore destroyed another – Marvolo’s Ring – sometime before Half-Blood Prince. That means Harry, Ron, and Hermione still have to find and destroy five additional Horcruxes in this final book. In theory, the Horcruxes could be anywhere and anything. That alone would pose a huge obstacle, enough for most epic fantasy novels.
Because the task is so daunting, Deathly Hallows – rightly – tries to make the process of searching for Horcruxes seem difficult. We needed to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione wandering in the woods at a loss for what to do. Yet, because none of the previous six books featured Horcruxes, Deathly Hallows bears this burden alone. In other words, this one book – which supposedly finishes the series – also acts as the beginning, middle, and end of the Horcrux subplot. Thus, it feels like a cheat when Harry, Ron, and Hermione manage to destroy all of them (with an assist from Neville Longbottom) so quickly. It’s quite convenient that Voldemort hid all five Horcruxes in the greater London metropolitan area rather than, say, in a junkyard in China or in a deep ocean trench.
On top of that, halfway into Deathly Hallows, the book adds yet another artifact quest.* Harry, Ron, and Hermione must not only destroy Horcruxes, but also stop Voldemort from obtaining the Deathly Hallows. I actually like the concept behind the Deathly Hallows. In my discussion of Order of the Phoenix, I said Harry still needed to learn to truly accept death as a part of human life. However, you’d think that by book seven in the series the characters would basically know what they have to do and have already started doing it. Because the book needs to spend so much time on exposition for these additional quests, it has less time to spend exploring the implications of these plot developments.
Deathly Hallows feels more like the end of the beginning than the end, or even the beginning of the end.
For example, there’s a moment when Harry briefly considers pursuing the Deathly Hallows for himself. He already has the Resurrection Stone and Invisibility Cloak, and he knows where to find the Eldar Wand. With these three, he would become master over death and supposedly have the power to bring the dead back to life. Even with everything Harry has learned up to this point, I still think this was – or should have been – a difficult choice. Wouldn’t he have been tempted to bring his parents back? Even Dumbledore couldn’t resist trying to use the Resurrection Stone to resurrect his sister. Harry’s decision should have been a crucial moment for the character, but the book barely touched upon it. I felt that we as readers needed to see Harry struggle at least a bit to make the right choice.
And yet, even if the denouement feels rushed, emotionally Deathly Hallows works as a story about accepting death. “The Tale of Three Brothers,” with the youngest brother who wore the invisibility cloak and then welcomes death as an old friend, is a beautiful metaphor for passing on gracefully. Harry’s walk through the Forbidden Forest to meet his own death at Voldemort’s hands reflects a mature acceptance and acknowledgment of the human condition (a far cry from “I don’t want to be human!”). I’m sure many readers cried when the ghosts of James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin appeared to comfort Harry.
I wouldn’t consider Deathly Hallows to be the greatest book in the series, but I’m also not disappointed. It has some good ideas and the slower parts – the character development, exposition, even the wandering in the forest – were necessary to obtain the emotional payoff at the end. I just wish J.K. Rowling had spread a bit more of the plot and exposition amongst the other six books. Deathly Hallows doesn’t feel like the final installment of a seven-book series building to a climax. In fact, taking the Harry Potter series as a whole, I’d say Deathly Hallows contains around 80% of the crucial plot and character development, making the previous six books feel like glorified backstory.
Epilogue
The epilogue of Deathly Hallows has become infamous. Deservedly so. The final book in a series should provide a sense of closure. The Deathly Hallows epilogue really only reveals the marital status of the main characters, which readers probably could have guessed (Ron and Hermione, Harry and Ginny). It does not resolve the many remaining questions. Did Hermione succeed in promoting Elfish welfare? Did Harry ever become an Auror? Did Draco Malfoy find redemption – or is he still a shady Slytherin? How did wizarding society achieve peace and reconciliation after such a bloody civil war? After all, many wizards, such as Dolores Umbridge, willingly supported Voldemort’s anti-muggle policies.
Apparently, the Pottermore website has short stories about the lives of the main characters after Deathly Hallows. I’d like to check it out. At the same time, readers shouldn’t have to do extracurricular homework just to get a sense of closure....more
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