Swordmage (Forgotten Realms: Blades of the Moonsea, #1) by Richard Baker

Swordmage (Forgotten Realms: Blades of the Moonsea, #1) Reviews

• 
  Travis

  Swordmage by Richard Baker- This is the first book in the Blades of the Moonsea trilogy. The second book is Corsair and the last book is called Avenger, which is due out in March of 2010. This trilogy is set in the Forgotten Realm universe. Richard Baker has written numerous novels for the Forgotten Realms and others. Some of his notable works in the Realms include; The Last Mythal trilogy (Forsaken House, Farthest Reach, and Final Gate), The Shadow Stone (part of The Adventures series), Easy Betrayals (a book in the Double Diamond Triangle Saga), The City of Ravens (part of The Cities series), and the third book in the War of the Spider Queen series called Condemnation.
  
  
  The story follows a swordmage named Geran Hulmaster on his return to his home, a port city called Hulburg, to pay his respects to a friend who was murdered. He is accompanied by a ghostwise halfling named Hamil, who is Geran's business partner and friend. We find out that Geran is related the harmach, or ruler, of Hulburg. As he reacquaints himself with his family, he and Hamil do some investigating into his friends murder. After exploring the funeral burrow where Jarad, his friend, was found, he discovers that a foreign merchant company in Hulburg might be behind the murder and recent breaking into the funeral burrows around Hulburg. After Geran and Hamil find out why the merchant company is desecrating the barrows, they are stopped by the company and through a series of events, Geran becomes imprisoned. While all this is going on, we learn that a clan of orcs are preparing to attack Hulburg, along with a plot against the harmach and how the city is falling into the hands of the foreign merchant companies. Will Geran be freed in order to save his uncle, the harmach? Can Hulburg withstand a orc assault and the merchant coasters taking over the city?
  
  Negatives:
  1) Slow. The story has this story, plodding pace that causes it to take forever for something to happen. The first two hundred pages are just full of this slow pace and it quickly becomes boring and at times I lost drive to read much more. This is mostly due to the fact that there is just too much description, which is rare in a lot of books. When Hulburg is being described the same way over and over, it just became too much. All the street names became a blur and it was hard to follow where Geran was or why he was even there. Along with that, there is very little excitement to be found. There are a few exciting duels and scenes, but for the most part it's just exposition and forced dialogue.
  2) Villains. The villains were, quite frankly, pathetic. They weren't interesting and I didn't ever really have the sense of menace I had from them. For example, Sergen, the step-nephew of the harmach was obviously the 'bad guy' and at times I did really hate him (in the good way). But there was no real mystery in that he is a villain. I mean it's so obvious that I'm surprised that the other characters couldn't tell he was up to no good. It just didn't work. Then the war chief of the orcs, Mhurren, was just a generic villain. He was just not interesting and very bland. The only other interesting 'villain' was the King in Copper, Aesperus, who is a lich and from reading the back of the book, you would assume he is supposed to be the main villain of the story. But nope, he has one scene and is only mentioned here and there.
  3) Too Many Story Lines. To me, there was just to many story lines. First you have the investigating Jarad's murder. Then you have the subplot of Sergen trying to get rid of the harmach tied into that one. Then you have the whole orc attack along with Sergen using the undead to kill the harmach. Then you have the city falling away from its native citizens. It just was too much. Most of the plot lines were at least wrapped up in the end, but it felt like every other chapter added a new problem or a new issue to the story. It was a little hard to keep up with at times.
  
  Positives:
  1) Geran and Sarth. For a story basically following Geran, he was the only main character that you kind of liked. It was hard to like him, seeing as he doesn't seem to have any real personality and he was at times dull as a doorknob, but for some reason I enjoyed him. The other characters didn't really have much to offer. I really found it hard to like Kara, Geran's cousin. I don't know why but she just wasn't interesting. Then Hamil was enjoyable at times, but at others just dull. The only character, for me, that really stole the scenes is the teifling named Sarth. It seemed like every scene with him in it was just a little more interesting and exciting. There was a surrounding mystery behind him, with his lack of back story and his unknown reasons for doing things, that made him the only character I really liked.
  2) The Last One Hundred Pages. This is where the story picked up a lot and it was hard to really put down for to long. Maybe it's because of the orc battle, the harmach's 'castle' being besieged by the undead, Geran's imprisonment, or the showdown between Geran and Sergen. Wait, maybe it's because Sarth is present. But everything was exciting and fast paced. It did fizzle out a little towards the last few chapters, but it was a better ride then the majority of the story.
  3) Descriptions. Even though there were way too many, they still were wonderful descriptions. They did paint a great picture of the landscapes and the city, even if at times it was too much. You could see places like Griffonwatch, the harmach's 'castle', and the various barrows the main characters enter. Everything was well detailed.
  
  Side Notes:
  1) Spellscar. This is really the only story in which a lot of people feared the spellscarred. I didn't quite understand it. This is the first novel set after the Spellplague, and yet the other novels I've read seemed to not really fear them. I do understand the fear someone may have with not knowing what they could do, but it just didn't feel right to me.
  2) Spellplague. Like I just mentioned, this was the first novel to take place after the Spellplague in the Forgotten Realms universe. So why is there not any real in-depth descriptions of the event or what changed with the onset? Yes there are a little tidbits here and there, but not much explanation.
  3) Cover Art. While I like the art, it just has too much going on. Not to mention the scene depicted never happened in the story. Yes, Geran faces the King in Copper, but it was more like him taking the book you see in his hand and leaving, with Geran staring with his chin to the ground. It's a nice, action oriented cover, but it just has too much stuff going on in the foreground with the debris flying.
  
  Overall: 3/5
  Final Thoughts:
  The story has many faults. It's way too slow, is bogged down in wonderful descriptions, and there just is way to much going on to follow. No wonder why it's a three hundred seventy-five page book. The characters, for the most part are bland and unexciting. Geran, for example, isn't that great, but he has something about him that makes him a little likable. The only character I thoroughly enjoyed was Sarth, for all his mystery. While the descriptions felt like ninety percent of the story, they still were great. This is just a mediocre book to say the least.
• 
  An EyeYii

  Face each new day, and try to do better p 597
  
  Monsters. Skeleton soldiers. Swords and sorcery. Tongue-twisted unspellable names and terms. Shifting alliances and betrayals.
  
  End leads to sequel. Villains escape, step-cousin Sergen, and elf Rho. Geran returns home with halfling Hamil to find killer of old friend Jarad. Burial mound robbers. Black tome.
  
  Everyone seems narrow, one-sided. Sarth Darsi of House Veruna is a smart seductive villainess, only pawn to usurper Sergen. Kara with serpent birthmark leads family soldiers , strong, brave, deserves her own story.
  
  One side is bigger in muscles and numbers. Vaasan mages bring ogres to alliance with Red Skull orcs. Ancient dark King of Copper brings skeleton warriors.
  
  One side is smaller, shorter, and weakened. Sergen brings dwarf Iron mercenaries. Darsi calls back Veruna mercs. Geran calls out city civilian unskilled militia and Kara brings her human troops.
• 
  Kagan Oztarakci

  That's the way of it with a bully. Sooner or later you've got to stand up to him in the nose, and damn what follows. You might get trashed, but he will think twice 'fore he pushes you again.
  
  No one can change the past...All we can do is face each new day and try to do better
• 
  Maris

  They say you can't judge the book by the cover - well - in this case you can. Didn't like the cover of the book - either because of the too crowded use of the fonts or the, surprisingly, not impressive artwork by Raymond Swanland (probably both things being the fault of the layout designer). I am trying to remember why in the first place I bought this book, and can't recall it. probably some good review at goodreads made me think it was something good as I was looking for trilogies to read in Forgotten Realms. Well - I doubt I will try the second book in the series after such a mild start.
  
  Generic.
  Maybe I was too influenced by the epic War of The Twilight books I read prior to this, and then followed by the first book in The Haunted Lands trilogy which were great novels in the Forgotten Realms setting, and The Twilight War being simply The Best Trilogy out there. And reasons for being so good is that they were simply unlike others - they had their distinctive trait where this book simply had none. Besides the fact that the even the title stresses out - main hero is a swordmage, which is not that common - a man wielding sword and enhancing ones abilities by magic (this time - with elven magic). Besides that - it was all so well predictable - ancient evil, treachery, revenge, orcs, grand battle with sadly foreseeable outcome. ANd I am a man who really doesn't care about the outcome, as I am usually interested in how it all came to that - the process. ANd this leads to the next issue.
  
  Writing.
  I am definitely in no position to criticize anyone's writing that was so good that was published by Wizards of The Coast, and set in the Forgotten Realms, but I had a feeling that this was not a work of a renown author and the work of NY Times's best selling writer. I had a totally different impression about the author when reading his part in the War of The Spider Queen sextet. But here - I see bland writing, with no spark in it, no passion. Since I started playing DnD games in real life I have a habit of comparing novels to the campaign playthroughs - and this one wouldn't even be a good campaign. I mean - it simply was not interesting. Felt as if author wasn't in the mood to write this book, but did it as he had a contract for it. And as result of this writing -the last of the main issues arise.
  
  Characters.
  I could have labeled it under the generic issue, but well - these characters deserve to have their own paragraph. The biggest letdown and star of the show - Geran - the main character. One of the, if not the most bland characters I have ever encountered in Forgotten Realms world. I simply see no reason for him to be the main character. I mean - yes, there is pre-requisite him to be in this book and he is the decisive factor of many events - but as an interesting lead, whom you are ready to follow the whole book - he simply has no feats of that sort. When he was placed int he cell - I was glad! I was even more happier to read about Orc chieftain than this lot. His lines were simple, his thinking straightforward, and he definitely wasn't witty. If I had to measure his "hero metrics" compared, let's say to the canonical Drizzt Do'Urden - he would be worth 1/500th.
  And other characters followed the same suit - nothing about them was of much interest - a classy templates with no deepness to them. No character to cheer for, or wish to see it dead, no archenemy per se (event though in fact there was supposed to be an evil from times before, but oh well - it wasn't anything more as a reason for one thing lead to another). There were tries to refresh something, but that was it - a try - and also it was made as a simple reference of the events and changes of the 4th edition of the DnD - mainly - Spellplague and its aftermath - in this case - changelands (pieces of alien land that crushed into the Faerun), spellscarred (mutation due to the influence of the magic) and one of the new front-line races - tieflings (humans with demonic ancestry).
  
  I sadly can't find anything but few moments in the book that were not letdowns. Can't recommend at all - maybe only to the collectors of Forgotten Realms lore. I hate being a critic, but it is at it is, at least in my opinion - 1/5. (maybe too harsh, but in goodreads even 2 stars means that it was an ok tale - but It wasn't)
• 
  Max

  This is a pretty fun D&D novel, with good characters and some nice uses of game mechanics. I love the bits about Geran, the protagonist, having to spend time rememorizing his spells. My favorite is when he uses a series of teleports to get himself and his halfling buddy out of a tomb. For that matter, the inclusion of tomb exploration, alongside a ton of undead and a lich king, was very D&D and a lot of fun. In a way, the plot is a bit like a typical superhero story. Geran has been away from his hometown for years and years, and now that he's back, he's discovered that things have gone to hell. So Geran devotes himself to cleaning up the city and restoring law and order. The resemblance certainly isn't hurt by the fact that Geran is related to the Harmach, the ruler of Hulburg. However, Geran does a lot less brooding (and also no talking about "his city" as if he were about to have sex with it), making me enjoy him much more than, say, Oliver Queen in Arrow. Plus, he's a swordmage, and I've always found that class to be pretty cool. The other characters are generally well done. Sergen, Geran's step-cousin and the main villain, is the sort of smug jerk you really want to beat up. Hamil, Geran's halfling buddy, is entertaining and has telepathic powers which is a nice twist on the typical halfling. I also loved Mhurren, the half-orc warchief whose armies march against Hulburg in the climax. The chapters from his point of view were an enjoyable depiction of the "evil" side of things, and actually made me think that playing as a half-orc could be fun. (Amusingly enough, Wizards seem to agree since a description of Mhurren is included in the new Player's Handbook discussion of half-orcs.) The plot has a nice mix of investigation, intrigue, and action. I was especially pleased to see Geran and Hamil actually thinking through some of their problems and trying to reason out solutions rather than just running through a dungeon smashing everything in sight. The epilogue sets up a pretty nice twist that promises even more adventure and excitement in the sequels, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy. While a lot of people didn't like the 4E Forgotten Realms, I do, and I feel like this is an excellent story that makes good use of the places, peoples, and game concepts introduced by fourth edition, and thus I had a great time reading it.
• 
  Adam Balshan

  4.5 stars [Fantasy]
  (W: 4.5, P: 4.5, O: 4.5)
  Exact rating: 4.50
  #12 out of 104 in genre
  
  The first third of this book approached perfection. Amazing verisimilitude swelled every sentence. Baker spared not a paragraph for unimaginative verse. What leapt out was the reality of the characters, more so than any other fantasy book I've read (104 of them and counting). Characters interact as if they weren't expecting every line that comes next, orcs speak to each other in more convincing dialect (somewhat like Klingons), cultural differences between races and regions are contemplated and worked around, people have histories—and their fathers have histories—that are remembered (often fantasy never mentions more than a passing reference to a character's family beyond some cheap character developing). More than just adults populate this book (imagine that!); children, teenagers and old men exist alongside the normal axiomatic adventurers, and they speak and have feelings. Affairs aren't solved by sticking an enchanted sword through it; laws exist and are uncomfortably endured out of economic necessity. A hundred other uncommon details freshen the narrative.
  
  Baker's story is about a man who comes back to his hometown to mourn a best friend's death, and sees how his home has changed for the worse. He struggles to set things aright without the familiar fantasy deus ex machina.
  
  Baker doesn't quite achieve a 5 star rating from me by the end. A few things lessened the rating.
  1. The intricacy diminished somewhat by the middle of the book.
  2. A few things were a little too neat, like Geran's discovery and capture just as he achieved success in beating the Verunans to the correct barrow.
  3. The story—while incredibly real—held no devilish twist or intelligently surmounted problem. In fact, the amount of mundaneness in its methods almost knocked the Plot down to four stars.
  4. Too short of a climax and denouement.
  
  Still, much of this book should be held up as how a fantasy book should be written.
• 
  Mabz

  One of the best books I have read. I am now a fan of you, Richard Baker. I will hold any details of the book to avoid any spoilers and this is my first short review so spare me.
  
  The characters were very well thought out and executed perfectly. Only a few number of authors would make me love the characters that plays their roles in an "unscipted way". The way he tells the story leaves no crack on an unimaginative verse. It was perfect in all sense to say. I also have to applaud the cultural differences swelled from the orcs, humans, and elves that are just plenary. Anyone would feel looking at it in a different world like how the Daedra sees the humans if you have ever read/played Elder Scrolls.
  
  This is one of the books I would highly recommend if you are into magics, deep lores, rivalry and war. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book.
• 
  David Given Schwarm

  Hola, I finished this book very quickly.
  
  I found it to be an extremely fun read. The fight scenes were great (particularly the battle scenes).
  
  The characters were well defined and I cared about them--mostly the bad guys.
  
  The story, though fairly obvious, was not overly predictable or tired.
  
  The presented Realm lore was subtle and enjoyable.
  
  I am really looking foreword to reading the rest of this series. Thanks, David S.
• 
  StrangeBedfellows

  As a Drizzt lover, I thought this book would be right up my alley, and perhaps it would be. I'm saddened to say I couldn't finish it. I found the style of writing too forced for me to get into the story. I'm not a minimalist by any means, but I felt the author simply said to much, falling into that precarious trap of telling rather than showing. With too much description and internal dialogue, there's no work for me, as the reader, to do. Which is boring.
• 
  Robert Carlberg

  Enjoyed this book a lot. It seemed a bit better than most of the stuff I had been reading from Forgotten Realms for awhile. Great characters, and really liked how everything seemed to move quickly. Can't wait to read the next two.
• 
  James Horn

  Entertaining!
  
  A very entertaining story told by one of best fantasy authors of day. It was great, as a rpg player, to see a little known character brought to light in such a rich manner.
• 
  Chris

  This book was a pleasant surprise. My local library had a book sale and they didn't have a large selection of fantasy, so anything that was labeled as such I scooped it up.
  
  I was actually reading Slipknot before this, and right in the beginning of that book I picked up this one and I was so interested in the prologue that I kept reading this one and decided not to go back to Slipknot.
  
  I had no idea that dungeons and dragons made books, but I am pleased to learn that they tell great stories. I enjoyed Gerans point of view and even his cousin Sergan. I liked the general plot and the overall tale that got things going. Though some of it was predictable I found the authors writing entertaining none the less and was already excited to find out what would happen next.
  
  Luckily I scooped up the entire trilogy for this arc and I look forward to the next ones.
• 
  Jacob Brewer

  Over all book was decent had a slow build up but got action packed and hard to put down by the last half. The first part of the book follows in the the synopsis given on the back cover of the book. It's mostly a murder mystery, who done it, who is breaking into tombs and why. This part of the book is slow and a little boring. Once you hit the middle of the book and figure out the who, what, and why of the tomb raiding the book really picks up. There is an orc raid that has more build up then action on the raid itself. There is alot of inter politics between the lord ruler of the town and the Merchant Council that holds the real power of the town, and there is an attempted murder and coup.
  
  All and all it is a decent book but it also has nearly all plot points tied up by the end. The Epilogue brings together two minor plot points for the potential to exploit them into the plot for a new book. As this is book one of a trilogy we will have to see if the next book takes and uses it or not.
  
  I would have given this a 3 star for the slow beginning but the second half I enjoyed enough to bump it up to 4.
  
  One other this the book needs is a map of the area. It has a map of Hulburg. The book talks about Thar, Vaasa, and Glister and it would be nice to know their location in reference to Hulburg.
• 
  Curtis Grant

  A great starter book for those whom are just getting interested in DnD Fantasy Realm... While this book may not appeal to most die-hard fantasy realm readers, it was filled with a good plot and intrigue that captures the readers attention.
  
  It was kinda slow in the beginning; however, things did pick up in the second and /or third chapter. A few more monsters and action scenes would have made it better in my opinion. Overall, a good read.
• 
  Horia Mut

  A nice little book set within The Forgotten Realms.
  The hero, a mage trained in the Art by bladesingers from Myth Drannor, comes back to his hometown after he fins out an old friend from his childhood died. He will discover a changed city, a mysterious murder and even fight an invasion.
  A really enjoyable book.
  
• 
  Tommy

  This was quite a fun read.
  Don't expect any kind of literary opus magnum, for what you get is pulp fiction. But if you want that - and there are times when that is exactly the right thing - you're served pretty well by this book.
  So, if you're in the right mood, and like D&D/Forgotten Realms, go for it and you won't be disappointed.
• 
  Richard

  Another Enjoyable Forgotten Realms book
  
  Only thought I would ever like Salvatore. Finding Baker and taking the journey with Geran has been a pleasent surprise! Definitely recommend it!
• 
  Tony

  I got this book second hand. I'd never realised this was a series that came after the original Moonsea series. I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting fantasy novel. I have got the next 2 in the series and look forward to the further adventures of Geran the Swordmage.
• 
  Matthew

  Excellent FR book. I've already started the second in the series. I recommend to anyone interested in D&D fantasy.
• 
  James Hurley

  Good book, well paced, well written. A bit of a predictable read, but it's still not as bad as a lot of fantasy novels. I would actually look for the sequel to see how it plays out.
  
• 
  Christopher

  This was a fun read with likable heroes and a great way to get back into the Forgotten Realms a bit. I'll be checking out the sequels.
• 
  Chris Silva

  4.25 stars. One of the best non R.A. Salvatore FR novels that I've read.
• 
  Jeff

  Love this book. Richard Baker is an excellent Author and deserves respect. Thank you.
• 
  Lee Dunning

  I've read several of Richard Baker's books, including "City of Ravens" and the "Last Mythal" series. Of the D&D type books, Ravens still ranks up there as one of my favorites with its strong Fafhrd and Grey Mouser feel. The characters in Ravens and Mythal and even in Mr. Baker's contribution to the "War of the Spider Queen" series stood out for me.
  
  I believe that is where this book fell down. Our hero, Geran, is just kinda there. The book starts out with him behaving badly and getting thrown out of Myth Drannor, with a strong hint that something truly dark lurks within him somewhere. This suggestion comes up again 2-3 time throughout the rest of the book, but then gets tossed of at the end as part of bit of moralizing to a support character. The creepy darkness haunting Geran was why I read the book! I felt cheated, like Chekhov's gun turned out to be a cigarette lighter.
  
  The support characters are more interesting, including Geran's halfling friend Hamil, and Geran's spell-scarred cousin, Kara. There is also a tiefling caster who is rather entertaining. Unfortunately, I have no idea if he survived the book as no mention is made of him after the final big scene. Boo! Even the nasty lich, the King in Copper, who shows up for one scene in the book, had more personality than Geran.
  
  As for the story itself, it's decently multifaceted. There are some powerful scumbags making deals with orcs and encouraging them to get into mischief, a half-cousin of Geran's plotting and scheming up a storm, and a mysterious murder for our hero to investigate. These elements, along with the decent supporting cast are what bring the book up to three stars for me.
• 
  Michelle

  Difficult to get into at first, which is usual for the FR series, but what really bothered me was that Geran stopped and took a "spell break" sometime in the middle of the book. Not acceptable in a fantasy book. Acceptable in a fantasy game, because it provides a weakness to a fairly powerful character, limiting their abilities and such, but a book? Where they end up spending six hours in a dark tomb because he had to rest so he could memorize the spells? No. Suspension of disbelief just got thrown out the window. If/when I want some D&D action I will get it for myself. I do not want it shoved down my throat. As with cheating, it tends to leave a bad taste there. Not that this is anywhere near as serious as cheating of course. It's just very obnoxious. Same as the halfling character. I don't need to be reminded that he's a halfling Every Time We See Him. I promise I don't. I like to think that I have more than two brain cells to rub together. (Although that could be under question right now seeing as how my skull took a good knock earlier. Stupid rock.) So I can see the irritation that I read from other readers about how the books have turned into a very creative D&D session. All I have left to say is that someone is going to be getting a very nasty letter saying that maybe their creative juices would be better spent as a Dungeon Master. Twerp. *pffffffffft*