Novel "War"

[baldric]

I re-read "The Iron Throne" today, and my curiosity about "War" returned. Anyone read it? It was written by the same author? What's the story? Is it any good?

[Fearless_Leader]

I've read it, though its been a long while.

It is indeed written by the same author. The story basically follows a group of adventurers who eventually end up as high ranking officers in Avanil's armies during its wars with Boeruine after the fall of the Empire. Another plot follows a minor noblewoman who is captured by the Boeruine's and eventually ends up becoming Archduchess. The two plots come together in the end with Avanil and Boeruine deciding to become allies and back a single claimant for the throne.

Was it good? In a word: no. The writing is stilted and rife with errors, much like the Iron Throne. The plot I thought was quite implausible and seems to contradict much of the material. I generally ignore the events of this book in my own games.
Like the Iron Throne, its a pretty easy read and shouldn't take all that long to complete. It is at best an average book.

[Green Knight]

I re-read it only a year or two ago, and let me just say that the book had not improved with age!

It is one of the most boring and uninteresting books ever!

B

[Raesene Andu]

The best part is the inclusion of the wizard, which gives you a few ideas on how to run her. I believe the only other thing I used from the book in my games, was the master swordsmith, whose descendants run a very similar store in the Imperial City.

I usually judge BR novels by how useful they are to expanding my view of the BR setting, so by that standard, War isn't that bad, but nowhere near as good as The Shadow Stone which is my favourite...

[Midnight]

I didn't care for War at all the book only upset me because I did like the book the Iron throne. He must have had some thing in his contract that he had to write two books or some thing. Any way sence were talking about books if i rember right wasn't there a book about the hag If my memorie is right?? any one read that and was it any good?

[Doyle]

Yep, "The Hag's Contract" by John Betancourt. Reasonably good as game related novels go, certainly better (IMHO) than "War".

[Bokey]

Any way sence were talking about books if i rember right wasn't there a book about the hag If my memorie is right?? any one read that and was it any good?

There was a book about the hag called the hag's contract I believe. I really didn't care for it. As a matter of fact I would call it one of the worst books I ever managed to finish. :(


I re-read "The Iron Throne" today, and my curiosity about "War" returned. Anyone read it? It was written by the same author? What's the story? Is it any good?

I personnally liked some of war, although it wasn't nearly as good as the Iron Throne, but then, none of the other books were. I would say it was an average read, but only if you like the birthright setting; otherwise it is pretty irrelavant as well. There were a lot of errors in it, I hope they fired the editor! :P


I usually judge BR novels by how useful they are to expanding my view of the BR setting, so by that standard, War isn't that bad, but nowhere near as good as The Shadow Stone which is my favourite...

Was this one every published? I read all the others including the falcon and the wolf, but I have never even heard of the shadow stone.... Where might I be able to get my hands on it? Who is the author?

Oh boy oh boy!! New birthright reading material!! Happy day, happy day!!

[Raesene Andu]

The Shadow Stone was written by Rich Baker and published as a forgotten realm novel. However, anyone familiar with BR can immediately see that it was originally meant to be a BR novel, they even forgot to change one of the character's names. It is about the high mage Aelies and his early years growing up and studying at the college of sorcery.

[Benjamin]

Yup, Shadow Stone is certainly a BR novel. At one point the half-elven main character is actually called Aelis by someone - clearly they missed that. Or maybe it was intentional? Muhahaha.

[Artemel]

Strange, but I thought it was very useful for background development. The belief that the first born inherits the greatest part of the bloodline. The description of Divine Wrath was nice, especially its effects on the half-elven character. Some of the cultural peculiarities among the Sidhelien, like apparently not knowing what underwear is. :D

The dice game was an interesting side bit, too. In fact, I did my senior thesis in statistics based on that game. :blink:

Erm, I&#39;m sure there was more, but I haven&#39;t read it in a while and the book is sixty some miles away. <_<

[Raesene Andu]

War has the Wizard in it, gives you some good ideas on how to run her.

[Fearless_Leader]

I liked the Iron Throne at the time I read it. I too judge the BR novels by how much they add to the setting and the Iron Throne, despite its problems, plots out of the War of Succession and the death of Michael Roele fairly well... even if it is mostly boring narrative without much dialogue.
Today, after having been exposed to much better authors, its hard not to notice the mediocrity of the writing.

I could never get much into the Spider&#39;s Test or the Hag&#39;s Contract. Don&#39;t know why... just never had any interest in reading them. I tried reading Greatheart, but I put it down about 2/3rds of the way through and never picked it up again. It was even worse than War.

I really enjoyed the Falcon and the Wolf... I thought this was the best BR novel (I havn&#39;t read the Shadow Stone yet either). This novel was definately the most &#39;Birthright,&#39; likely because it was written by Richard Baker. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of the Gorgon in that book... secretly manipulating Anuirean politics behind the scenes and not some dumb monster that he gets portrayed as in some games. Indeed, by the end of the book, as I recall, no one had realized that the war the occured between Ghoere and Mhoried happened because the Gorgon willed it to happen.