Mark of Nerath
- Gonzoron of the FoS
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Mark of Nerath
Well, having been alerted to the existence of this book by Azalin Rex (the forum member, not the lich-king) here, I had to pick it up. Yes, it does in fact involve a previously unknown darklord and Shadowfell domain. As such, it may be the closest thing to a Ravenloft novel that will produced by WotC for a while. No, I cannot in good conscience recommend it.
I'm about halfway through, and while the possibility exists that it will improve by the end, so far, it's pretty awful. The author is a game designer, not a novelist, and it shows, repeatedly. The game-speak is jarring and obvious: nearly every character is introduced as or referred to by their race/class combo, in case you couldn't figure out that the sneaky halfling was a rogue, or the armored guy with the sword was a fighter; monsters are recognized innately and called out by name. ("That was a death knight, the wizard thought...") During every battle scene, each maneuver is described so mechanically and atomically that I can practically deduce the initiative order, and I can't help but feel that if I knew 4e better, I'd be able to say exactly what power each swipe of a sword or swing of a hammer was.
OK, so forget that for the moment, and assume it's a stylistic choice to link the book to the game better. Even with the gameyness forgiven, the book seems to assume the reader has the attention span of a gnat. Characters are introduced, and then re-introduced 2 chapters later, as though you'd never met them before. "Albanon was a wizard-in-training apprenticed to the great mage Moorin of the Glowing Tower." You mean the same Moorin he called "Master" and said goodbye to 25 pages ago when Albanon left the Glowing Tower for a night on the town? ORLY? And I feel like I should take a drink every time I'm reminded that Erathis is the god of civilization. It happens in nearly every chapter involving Falon, a priest of Erathis (the god of civilization).
There's one character named Nu Alin, that is some sort of otherworldly creature. There's a clear stylistic choice made that when talking about Nu Alin, no pronouns are used. Nu Alin sees something near Nu Alin. Nu Alin gets closer and Nu Alin picks it up. I'm sure it's supposed to make Nu Alin seem alien or something. But it fails miserably, and Nu Alin's name becomes comic relief to me very quickly. Nu Alin, Nu Alin, Nu Alin. Nu Alin.
So far, precious little of the Shadowfell domain is seen anyway, since the plot involves a sort of darklord furlough program where he leaves his domain on a mission for Orcus, in order to win permanent freedom. So we only see Darani for a chapter or so at the beginning. Maybe more later, I hope.
I really, really, really regret that I can't give this book a better review. It's almost laughable at times; unless I'm missing the point, and they're going for a Pratchett/Adams vibe, and it's supposed to be laughable. But I doubt it. I leave you with two more actual quotes from the book. Judge for yourself:
"Lucky for you I spotted it [another character's "lucky coin"] on the path back there. I do have excellent perception you know."
"A half-finished keep occupied the spot where the outpost once stood. The builders never competed the keep, and from the looks of things they had abandoned the place some time ago. The unfinished keep was little more than a ruin, empty of lords or knights, servants or tenants. The place felt unfinished."
Verdict (unless somehow it improves 1000-fold in the last half): Avoid. 1/2 blood drop.
(pop quiz: was the keep finished or not? )
I'm about halfway through, and while the possibility exists that it will improve by the end, so far, it's pretty awful. The author is a game designer, not a novelist, and it shows, repeatedly. The game-speak is jarring and obvious: nearly every character is introduced as or referred to by their race/class combo, in case you couldn't figure out that the sneaky halfling was a rogue, or the armored guy with the sword was a fighter; monsters are recognized innately and called out by name. ("That was a death knight, the wizard thought...") During every battle scene, each maneuver is described so mechanically and atomically that I can practically deduce the initiative order, and I can't help but feel that if I knew 4e better, I'd be able to say exactly what power each swipe of a sword or swing of a hammer was.
OK, so forget that for the moment, and assume it's a stylistic choice to link the book to the game better. Even with the gameyness forgiven, the book seems to assume the reader has the attention span of a gnat. Characters are introduced, and then re-introduced 2 chapters later, as though you'd never met them before. "Albanon was a wizard-in-training apprenticed to the great mage Moorin of the Glowing Tower." You mean the same Moorin he called "Master" and said goodbye to 25 pages ago when Albanon left the Glowing Tower for a night on the town? ORLY? And I feel like I should take a drink every time I'm reminded that Erathis is the god of civilization. It happens in nearly every chapter involving Falon, a priest of Erathis (the god of civilization).
There's one character named Nu Alin, that is some sort of otherworldly creature. There's a clear stylistic choice made that when talking about Nu Alin, no pronouns are used. Nu Alin sees something near Nu Alin. Nu Alin gets closer and Nu Alin picks it up. I'm sure it's supposed to make Nu Alin seem alien or something. But it fails miserably, and Nu Alin's name becomes comic relief to me very quickly. Nu Alin, Nu Alin, Nu Alin. Nu Alin.
So far, precious little of the Shadowfell domain is seen anyway, since the plot involves a sort of darklord furlough program where he leaves his domain on a mission for Orcus, in order to win permanent freedom. So we only see Darani for a chapter or so at the beginning. Maybe more later, I hope.
I really, really, really regret that I can't give this book a better review. It's almost laughable at times; unless I'm missing the point, and they're going for a Pratchett/Adams vibe, and it's supposed to be laughable. But I doubt it. I leave you with two more actual quotes from the book. Judge for yourself:
"Lucky for you I spotted it [another character's "lucky coin"] on the path back there. I do have excellent perception you know."
"A half-finished keep occupied the spot where the outpost once stood. The builders never competed the keep, and from the looks of things they had abandoned the place some time ago. The unfinished keep was little more than a ruin, empty of lords or knights, servants or tenants. The place felt unfinished."
Verdict (unless somehow it improves 1000-fold in the last half): Avoid. 1/2 blood drop.
(pop quiz: was the keep finished or not? )
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
- Catman Jim
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Re: Mark of Nerath
...and it's too bad, it's the same Bill Slavicsek that gave us 'Night of the Walking Dead'. I have it, I read it, and promptly forgot it.Gonzoron of the FoS wrote: so far, it's pretty awful. The author is a game designer, not a novelist, and it shows, repeatedly.
I only wish I had retired sooner!
- alhoon
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Re: Mark of Nerath
Actually Gonzoron the book seems to have interesting writing. Sure, not so much a novel but someone's campaign put on paper but it seems that it will be a fun, light reading that I can put down for 2 weeks and then pick it up again and go on without forgeting who's who.
You don't play 4th. 4th is about easiness. Sure you can make a difficult plot and involve a dozen parameters so the PCs would have to pass 15 skill challenges before they get suspicious of who the evil guy is, but that's not what 4th was made about. 4th was made so that you can sit with your friends and play for 4 hours pack up feeling refreshed (not tired) and meet them again the next week.
You don't play 4th. 4th is about easiness. Sure you can make a difficult plot and involve a dozen parameters so the PCs would have to pass 15 skill challenges before they get suspicious of who the evil guy is, but that's not what 4th was made about. 4th was made so that you can sit with your friends and play for 4 hours pack up feeling refreshed (not tired) and meet them again the next week.
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Re: Mark of Nerath
But should a "novel" about it read the same way that it plays?alhoon wrote: You don't play 4th. 4th is about easiness. Sure you can make a difficult plot and involve a dozen parameters so the PCs would have to pass 15 skill challenges before they get suspicious of who the evil guy is, but that's not what 4th was made about. 4th was made so that you can sit with your friends and play for 4 hours pack up feeling refreshed (not tired) and meet them again the next week.
"I am that which grips the heart in fright, harkens the night and silences the light"
- Gonzoron of the FoS
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Re: Mark of Nerath
Wow! Shocking. I didn't realize that. I can't imagine two more different products from the same guy.Catman Jim wrote:...and it's too bad, it's the same Bill Slavicsek that gave us 'Night of the Walking Dead'. I have it, I read it, and promptly forgot it.Gonzoron of the FoS wrote: so far, it's pretty awful. The author is a game designer, not a novelist, and it shows, repeatedly.
I will give that there are some attempts at interesting writing. Like the Nu Alin thing, among a few other cute "I see what you did there" bits. But most of them just fall flat.alhoon wrote:Actually Gonzoron the book seems to have interesting writing.
Actually, that's one thing it didn't seem like to me. The cast is too split up to call it that. Even if it is, that aspect doesn't bother me inherently. The Dragonlance saga was a campaign put on paper, and it was good. Mithras Court was pretty clearly a campaign put on paper, and it was pretty bad. The Wild Cards series was a campaign put on paper and it's one of my favorite series. Heck, I love reading campaign journals too. Quality is unrelated to whether it's a campaign or not.Sure, not so much a novel but someone's campaign put on paper
I guess that's as good a reason as any for the repetitiveness. But if you read it in larger chunks, it's infuriating.but it seems that it will be a fun, light reading that I can put down for 2 weeks and then pick it up again and go on without forgeting who's who.
True, but saying that this book reflects 4th only reinforces the worst stereotypes about 4th. I was careful not to even mention 4th above because I firmly believe that all the benefits of 4th you listed don't mean the stories have to be juvenile or simplistic or just plain bad. We've been saying that you can play Ravenloft in any system, including 4th, and people have been doing so without reducing the roleplay and storytelling to the level of this book. I can believe that 4e is meant to be more direct and easy. I refuse to believe that means it has to be dumb.You don't play 4th....
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
Re: Mark of Nerath
This sentence confused me.Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:Well, having been alerted to the existence of this book by Azalin Rex (the forum member, not the lich-king)
Did Azalin Rex (the forum member) write the book? Or did they just tell you about its existence?
- Gonzoron of the FoS
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Re: Mark of Nerath
The latter... see the link immediately after that.HuManBing wrote:This sentence confused me.Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:Well, having been alerted to the existence of this book by Azalin Rex (the forum member, not the lich-king)
Did Azalin Rex (the forum member) write the book? Or did they just tell you about its existence?
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
- Jester of the FoS
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Re: Mark of Nerath
Because he's been a manager at WotC for a decade and has probably forgotten everything he knew about writing. And this is his first novel.Catman Jim wrote:...and it's too bad, it's the same Bill Slavicsek that gave us 'Night of the Walking Dead'. I have it, I read it, and promptly forgot it.Gonzoron of the FoS wrote: so far, it's pretty awful. The author is a game designer, not a novelist, and it shows, repeatedly.
Quite an act of hubris that he chose himself to write the first generic D&D novel of 4e. But given the lay-offs around WotC every year, everyone was likely too afraid for their jobs to protest.
- Gonzoron of the FoS
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Re: Mark of Nerath
{I read a bit further today}
Oh, come on! really?!?
seriously?
Oh, come on! really?!?
VIEW CONTENT:
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
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Re: Mark of Nerath
Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:{I read a bit further today}
Oh, come on! really?!?
seriously?VIEW CONTENT:
VIEW CONTENT:
[color=#262623]member of the super secret society of secrecy[/color]
- Manofevil
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Re: Mark of Nerath
You'd prefer a vampire boy band?
Do us a favor Luv, Stick yer 'ead in a bucket a kick it!
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So, gentlemen, that's how it is. Until Grissome.... resurfaces, I'm the acting president, and I say starting with this... anniversary festival, we run this city into the ground! :D
- Catman Jim
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Re: Mark of Nerath
Bill Slavicsek has announced that he is leaving Wizards of the Coast: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx ... 3ampersandJester of the FoS wrote:Because he's been a manager at WotC for a decade and has probably forgotten everything he knew about writing. And this is his first novel. Quite an act of hubris that he chose himself to write the first generic D&D novel of 4e. But given the lay-offs around WotC every year, everyone was likely too afraid for their jobs to protest.
I only wish I had retired sooner!
- Gonzoron of the FoS
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Re: Mark of Nerath
For the record, I did eventually finish the book, and it did get marginally better toward the end, as the characters drew together into a single group, and put most of the redundant exposition aside. By the end, it "rose" to the level of a mediocre adventure story. Still can't recommend, and only a small fraction of the plot takes place in the Domain of Dread anyway, but for completists, I suppose it's kinda sorta Ravenloft.
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."