Elminster in Myth Drannor

by Ed Greenwood

Book Overview

From the FORGOTTEN REALMS series of fantasy novels, a sequel to ELMINSTER: THE MAKING OF A MAGE, in which Elminster journeys to the legendary elven city to learn their ways and their magic. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786911905
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful, Despite A Few Continuity Problems

As one reviewer noted, there are a few problems with the portrayal of the elves, such as the Coronal snoring. However, I take issue with the other aspect's of that person's review. The "fact" that the most beautiful of all elf-waifs falling in love with Elminster isn't even true. The most beautiful elf-waif wants to USE Elminster and loves him less than the rest of his enemies. Two elves love him: The Keeper of the Tomb, and his fellow captive. Secondly, the elves are portrayed with quite a bit of realism, just not in the way that the reviewer would like. Many people read about elves and dream of being one to escape dirty, greedy, selfish humans. If you are one of those people, this is not for you. However, if you like to read about what an ancient people with thousands of years in their lifespan might be like, it is for you. Ed portrays the elves as being much like White Wolf's vampires. If you aren't familiar with the concept, they are selfish, greedy, malevolent, manipulative beings, bent on controlling everything and being quite egomaniacal about their own nature. If you have read this book, this will immediately sound familiar to you, as this is exactly how all of the elves behave. In short, Ed Greenwood did that most forbidden of fantasy novel things: He didn't leave the ugliness of our world behind when he wrote it, and, thus, created characters that you can hate. Characters that aren't even noble while they are evil, but are simply selfish and cruel. The elves are insulated and xenophobic, casually cruel in places, and concerned only with their own existence. In short, they are all you would expect of an arrogant race that lives thousands of years. They are realistic. None of this noble houses of morality banalness. Rather, they are believable. You will hate the Starym, and you will smile at Elminster's charisma and wisdom as he lives amongst the elves of Myth Drannor. It was wonderfully written, a beautiful piece. It dares challenge the belief that fantasy is all about escapism, alone earning it five stars. But, in addition to all of that, it is satisfying, fun, and pleasant. Well done. Buy this book, read it, enjoy it, and read it again.Harkius

Ummmmm WOW!!!

I love it. This book is about my favorite character in the Forgotten Realms. The book is packed full of action, and I loved reading the fights with Elminster and all the magic. Plus some of the tricks Elminster pulls on people are hilarious.

A great book with much action and intrincated plots!

This is a book that really deserves to be read. I've seem some say Elminster is always painted too perfect and too powerful by Ed Greenwood but he IS an exceptional character by design, one of the great forces of Faerun. As about killing elves at will. He did what he must to survive and always in self-defense and this caused him many difficults along the story. Saying he slaughtered elves at hundreds and no one cared (as I've read Here in a previous review) is erroneous at least and a totally distorted viewpoint in my opnion. When someone threats your life not always you'll come with a way to dominate him without harming or killing him. And rarely you will take the chance of doing that if it presents more risk to you. Last I'd like to say that Fiction Stories, and I'm not talking only about Fantasy or Science Fiction but all Fiction, have idealized and artificial characters that tend to be inconsistent in some aspects but this do not necessarily conts against them. Fiction gives us worlds to explore, realities to uncover and the possibility to see and feel other lifes. And this books succeeds with merit on doing that.

Greenwood has done it again!

Elminster is a delightfully colorful character with a magical life a reader could best experience by the illustration of Ed Greenwood. Excellent story and great reading for FR fans! My single gripe is the very difficult to pronounce Elven names.

"Great Book."

This is a great book about a prince and his duties to the gods. Along one of his journeys he encounters many death-defeying feats.