Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

by Philip Athans

Book Overview

Bhaal is dead!But his disciples want to bring him back. The blood of the god of murder runs through his children, and bad blood attracts bad people.Shadow thieves, vampires, ninjas, and rockworms run... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786915692
• ISBN13: 9780786915699
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

"Based on the best-selling computer game from Interplay"

It's a good thing this warning was placed on the FRONT COVER of the book, lest one gets the impression that the book should include everything found within Baldur's Gate, which by the way has to be one of the BEST computer RPG games of all time (along with Planescape: Torment)! The book is set on the Sword Coast where it deals with the ongoing adventures of the main character, Abdel, and his efforts to break free from being a pawn in other's schemes. His quest takes him and his companions from Baldur's Gate to Athkatla in Amn, on to the Underdark and the land of Tethyr. The book starts off incredibly well, immediately catching the reader's interest and attention. The plot as a whole is excellent! The book is so incredibly well written and presented that the reader feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense. Philip Athans has done a FANTASTIC job of acquiring and presenting, efficiently and successfully, essential knowledge relevant to Faerun, including customs, religion and the history of the peoples of Toril. His solid grasp of factual detail makes him capable of providing the necessary background needed to carry out the difficult task of writing Forgotten Realms novels, which is something often missing from the work of many Fantasy authors. Consequently, from the moment you pick up the book you have trouble putting it down and if that is not a clear sign of a fantastic writer/author, I don't know what is! The description of battle at the hideout in Amn, on page 23, was breathtaking: "The lesser vampire twisted the crossbow back into the soldier's throat. The steel tip punctured skin, and the soldier jerked, releasing the catch and sending the bolt slicing through his own throat with nearly enough force to behead him. The man coughed once, and the thrall opened his mouth straining for the taller man's neck. The soldier's eyes rolled toward the thrall in abject horror, then blinked when a spray of blood covered his face. Bodhi's servant was feeding, and she let him." Moreover, similarly to Steven Pressfield's extraordinary best-selling novel Gates of Fire (1998), Philip Athans too provides detailed, realistic and mature descriptions of torture: e.g. on page 5 "... Booter pulled the poker out of the hot coals and dragged it across Abdel's chest. He screamed, smelling his own skin and hair burning and feeling every popping blister and seared inch of flesh in a pain that was almost a living thing on its own," while on page 9 "Abdel roared in rage, frustration, and bloodlust, but not in pain, even when Booter latched onto the second fingernail with his needle-nosed pliers. `This will hurt too,' the self-styled dungeon master murmured, then pulled hard, tearing the fingernail up and off in one swift, cruel motion." On pages 105 and 117 respectively, the author provides two more exceptional descriptions

Awesome Book

Going to read this book right now. If you read the first one there will be no dought in your mind to buy this book because it sort of ruins the first book if you don't buy this one. Trust me.

Baulder's Gate 2

This book has it all excitement adventure, romance, everything that you would expect from the game. The characters are imagineative all the characters have an important role in the plot they all are what make the story a huge success for those who appereciate a good fanasy story but to apperciate the story you have to not have played the game beforehand.

Well written, and subliminal messages well placed...

Excellent! This book FAR exceeded the nature of the first book. Philip Athans did a wonderful job of the subliminal messaging. Here are a few that caught my attention: 1. Imoen transforming in the first chapter. 2. Abdel not feeling the sword on his back, just as not feeling his body in Hell. 3. "Sweet Lady Of The Forest" Mielikki helping 'Bhaal', or a kin of Bhaal even though she would have never before. 4. Jaheira calling on Mielikki alot more in this book. Excellent leading up to the Tree of Life. 5. Man, I wanted to write all these down, and I can't remember them all! The point is, this book is excellent! Excellent! Far better than the first, and you shouldn't miss it. The author's ability to sarcasm also improved over Baldur's Gate this time.

fast, funny, fun

A bit sarcastic, but never fails to deliver on the action. In some ways its a spoof on the generally lacking stories of most if not all computer games and the author picks up on all the shortcomings wih great results. This sequel is way better than the first book -- easier to follow without the first books jerk jumps from fight scene to fight scene. Abdel is flehing out into uite an interesting character. Maybe not a great hint guide for the game, but an entertaining, solid fntasy adventure.