The Sundering: What does it mean for future of Forgotten Realms Novels?

Let me start by saying that if you don't read fantasy novels, specifically those based around the Forgotten Realms, then this post isn't for you.  Stop here and come back next time.  No offence intended, I can't imagine that you will appreciate this rant.  That being said:

I have been reading Forgotten Realms novels since I was very young...The very first FR novel, Darkwalker on Moonshea was published in 1987, when I was 8 years old, and I think I discovered the series in 1990...starting with Ed Greenwods Spellfire, so I would have been roughly 11 years old, meaning I have now been reading these stories for about 25 years...I believe I own a copy of every novel, novella, and e-book ever produced in the series...which amounts to a lot of shelf space in my condo, we're talking over 200+ volumes.  The Realms have always been my gateway drug to other great fantasy, fueling my discovery of authors like Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, and George R.R. Martin, but I always return to the Realms enjoying a treasured reunion with favored characters, or familiar locations.  After 200 novels, you start to feel like you have a pretty solid knowledge of the source material.

I just finished reading The Herald, by Troy Denning, 5th in The Sundering series of 6 novels released by Wizards of the Coast to help transition the Forgotten Realms out of the mess created by the introduction of 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons and the Spellplague.  The Sundering is supposed to coincide with the release of D&D Next, which is the latest edition of Dungeons & Dragons soon to hit store shelves.  At the same time D&D Next was announced, Wizards announced that The Forgotten Realms would be one of the official campaign settings used to usher in the new game mechanics.  I haven't played D&D for at least 15 years, but I still appreciate the feel of the fantasy world originally created by Ed Greenwood.

Back to the point, while I enjoyed the book, and it was nice to see Denning return to the campaign setting after a long absence, it is the lack of future novels that concerns me.  Ever since the interweb became a thing, Wizards of the Coast has forecast its upcoming releases schedule on their website roughly six months in advance.  It has been a great way for fans to get a glimpse of what is coming down the line.  Before that, all you could hope for were press pages at the back of the books, which weren't always reliable.  However, ever since news of The Sundering was first released, there have been almost no other titles announced for the series.  Ed Greenwood's conclusion The Herald which is out in June of 2014 is the only title slated for release.  Does this mean the end for the long lived novel line???

Logic says no.  The only other novel that has been released during The Sundering is R.A. Salvatore's Night of The Hunter, which is slated as the first of a trilogy of novels featuring fan favourite, Drizzt Do'Urden and the newly re-united Companions of The Hall.  Drizzt now has 28 novels devoted just to him, and each new release pretty much guarantees Salvatore another spot on the NY Times best seller list.  So we "know" that there are at least 2 more as of yet untitled novels featuring everyone's favorite Drow Ranger, but is that it for the series?  Does the introduction of D&D Next mean the end of the Forgotten Realms novel line?  Or will Wizards of the Coast announce a whole new array of authors to continue the saga once The Herald releases in June?

Only time will tell.

The Serpent of Venice - Possible Cover?

Christopher Moore retweeted this photo yesterday, the first look at what may be the new cover art for his next novel, The Serpent of Venice. Another satirical spin on a Shakespearean tale, this novel sounds like it will be an alternate examination of the Bard's tale of Shylock and Portia. I loved Fool, Moore's first novel in this genre, which was a re-imagining of King Lear. It just so happens that The Merchant of Venice was my introduction to Shakespeare's work, and it remains one of my favourites. Filled with dynamic characters and lots of intrigue, The Merchant of Venice seems like an ideal candidate for Moore's special blend of whimisical satire and irreverant wit. Definitely something to look forward to, this novel is slated for release on April 22nd, 2014.

Chuck Palahniuck's Novel Snuff gets a new Title for the Italian Edition.

Apparently Italian Publishers aren't so subtle. Chuck Palahniuck just tweeted this cover of the Italian edition of his novel Snuff. A tongue in cheek look at the adult film industry, Snuff is a raunchy, racy, riotous tale that is a seriously fun read. Here's the photo, which features the new title for the book:

By renaming the book, publishers kind of missed the whole point of the book. The sex, which features prominently, is really just a back drop for the rest of the story. A reflection of the porn industry itself, the reader is supposed to become desensitized to the copious amounts of sex, it isn't the focus, it is merely a means to an end. At least that's my take on it. Regardless, it's fun to see another culture's take on this fabulous piece of literature.

Chuck Palahniuk has a wicked sense of humour

I came across this cartoon online today on Facebook, and it made me laugh. If you have read his work, and are not just a douche waffle Hipster poser, then you know that Chuck's work is some of the most visceral and gripping contemporary american literature out there, and it demands to be discussed and shared by a group of like minded individuals. This usually means that his surname is constantly being mis-pronounced. Because we are such huge fans of his work, my circle of friends has always just referred to him as Chuck. Perhaps it is a little informal, but hey, we devour his work, so I'm sure he'd be fine with it. For the record, his re-tweet of this image included the phonetic pronunciation "Paula-nick". Go figure. Look for his latest novel "Doomed" later this year, or if you haven't read them yet, rush out and buy copies of Fight Club, Rant, Invisible Monsters, and all of his other amazing novels. You'll be glad you did.

The Crystal Shard

I was reading a back issue of X-Men comic books the other day, and came across this ad, which brought a huge smile to my face. R.A. Salvatore's The Crystal Shard was released in 1988 and may be my favourite fantasy novel of all time. The Crystal Shard was one of my first introductions to The Forgotten Realms Campaign setting and 2nd edition AD&D. Technically I know that Darkwalker on Moonshae was the 1st Realms novel published, and I actually read Ed Greenwood's Spellfire first so it will always have a special place in my heart, but in my mind The Crystal Shard was the novel that actually captured my imagination. The original tale of Drizzt Do'Urden and the Companions of The Hall. 25 years later Salvatore is still writing Drizzt tales, without going to my bookshelf to count, I believe that there are now 21 novels that feature Drizzt (okay, it was killing me, I had to go check, there are actually 23, 27 if you count the Artemis/Wulfgar Novels) as the primary character. It is funny to me that reading this original ad, Drizzt isn't even mentioned. He was always intended to be a side kick to Wulfgar. I bet Bob Salvatore is laughing all the way to the bank about that decision. I actually just finished reading the latest installment, "The Last Threshold" and the characters are still fantastic and nobody writes fantasy combat like Salvatore. The Crystal Shard was the book that got me hooked on The Forgotten Realms, and is therefore responsible for my collection, which includes every FR novel ever published - this now invoices the digital only ebooks, which drive me a little crazy. I haven't done a count lately, but I would guess there are well over 200 FR novels in my library right now...most of which have been read at least twice. This particular novel however, I bet I have read at least 8 times. And I still love to cheer for the good guys!