Birthright novels

[Fizz]

Hi all-

So i was thinking i would start reading the various Birthright novels, but i had a question first. Are they all connected, or independent? That is, should i read them in a particular order, because of connected events / storylines, or are they all standalone stories?

-Fizz

[Elton Robb]

Hi all-

So i was thinking i would start reading the various Birthright novels, but i had a question first. Are they all connected, or independent? That is, should i read them in a particular order, because of connected events / storylines, or are they all standalone stories?

-Fizz

All of them happened in the past. I have only one Birthright novel, Greatheart. That one definitely took place in the past.

I don't know if they are all connected or independent. Though my reading of Greatheart showed that it was definitely independent.

[Magian]

The Iron Throne I believe comes before War. Both by Simon Hawke. Other than that they are at varying points on the greater timeline.

[Fizz]

Thanks for the feedback. I am heading to a conference in the UK soon, and wanted some nice reading material for the flight. But i didn't want to start reading in the middle of some epic over-arching storyline.

So far i have The Spider's Test and (just found it today in a used bookstore) The Hag's Contract.


-Fizz

[AndrewTall]

Magian has it right. All were set in 'old historic events' to avoid interfering with the domain books and other source material. Simon Hawke did Iron Throne and then War as a sequel, the others are all independent.

[Arjan]

Hi all-

So i was thinking i would start reading the various Birthright novels, but i had a question first. Are they all connected, or independent? That is, should i read them in a particular order, because of connected events / storylines, or are they all standalone stories?

-Fizz

If i recall right the idea behind the novels are the stories behind some of the important NPC up until now.
The Shadow stone (published as FR novel) was the story behind High Mage Aelies

[Fizz]

Well, i just finished reading The Spider's Test- the story of the founding of Endier. An enjoyable read. Next for me is The Hag's Contract, and more searching at old bookstores for the other novels.

-Fizz

[einstein_pi]

Yea, the novel's probably aren't "great", but I enjoyed them. The Spiders Test was one of the ones I enjoyed back then, and I also recall liking Greatheart & Falcon & The Wolf (although I last read them 20 years ago). I don't remember the others super well, I remember enjoying reading about Michael Roele though and getting some info on that backstory.

Sort of a shame there isn't a copy of a pre-FR version of The Shadow Stone out there somewhere. Also a shame that Siege was never even started. I actually contacted Simon Hawke and several other Birthright authors about Siege - nobody knew anything about it, so I suspect it was just a rough title penciled in for the future. It's possible it was for that Eleanor of Aquitaine idea, but it's also possible it was for a post-Michael tale about politics and intrigue and the implications of him dying - that may have been a fun read.