...I suggest you go find a box of Kleenex.
End of the line with Wizards of the Coast.
More reactions here and here.
End of the line with Wizards of the Coast.
More reactions here and here.
Chronological Order
For those who have been anticipating Paul S. Kemp's next Realms book...
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 Lady Fellshot |
For those who have been anticipating Paul S. Kemp's next Realms book... |
Lead | ||
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11/03/09 9:58 PM |
Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a
lamppost how it feels about dogs.
- Christopher Hampton My collected reviews may be found among my rants, musings and nonsense. Not that anyone is interested ;) |
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 IZDemon |
#1 | |||
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11/04/09 7:31 AM |
Ahhhh Nooooooooo!
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travizzt |
#2 | |||
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11/04/09 12:17 PM |
This really, really, really is a downer.
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Drayen |
ugh | #3 | ||
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11/04/09 8:23 PM |
I am utterly torn. The only book series I was looking forward to......
And no, that is not meant as a slight towards all the other great Authors here. I have just been in love with certain series since I got into Forgotten realms years ago, and they have all been dying without hope of return because of 4th edition, and it has just killed my interest in buying any more Wizards of the coast books, or supporting the direction things are going. I absolutely hate 4th edition. Playing it, and the fact that it killed so many favorites and series. And now, the one series I was truly into and very happy that it was left a very good lead into 4th edition to keep me interested has been crushed. This officially ends my relationship with Wizard's of the coast as well. No Elaine Cunningham's reclamation and no Paul Kemp's Godborn = I am officially done with the realms. Ill still stop by here to chat and talk about the old good times, but this is the nail in the coffin to me. Ill still read bob's books if he puts them out, but no other author has captured my attention the same way except Kemp and Cunningham in this realm, and their works have been squashed. |
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Darius |
#4 | |||
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11/04/09 10:11 PM Beardless Dwarven Female |
I hear you Dray. PSK is the only realm's author that has been able to hold my interest for more than 1/4 of a book in recent years (and I have over 200
FR novels to prove I have given most of them a try). But I honestly have mixed feeling about this, simply because I am not so sure I would have enjoyed Godson
nearly as much as his previous work, specially after reading the draft of the prologue he posted on his blog some time ago. *Shrugs* Maybe it was for the
best.
"It was the love which the hunter has for living things, and which he can only express by aiming his gun at them." -- The Baron in the Trees -- -- Italo Calvino -- |
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rotor cutter |
#5 | |||
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11/05/09 1:51 AM The Rogue |
Yup +1 to the bitterly disappointed!
I have read all of Kemp's books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Super characters all of them!!! Wow WOTC must be the biggest bunch of idiots on the planet. Is there no limit to their stupidity?
Variety is the spice of death ;-)
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Drayen |
why? | #6 | ||
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11/05/09 6:04 AM |
Darius wrote:I liked the draft chapter of godborn. I have no idea why you would assume it was going to be less good simply by virtue of reading that small draft(Given that it really did not delve much). Kemp all but assured us Riven and Magadon would be part of the series as well. But I agree with you about 4th Ed. All in all, Wizards as far as I am concerned, had no right to summarily cut off all authors works and force them 100 years into the future(Forcing them to kill all non-longlived characters) It literally killed all interest I had in the realms now. First, Elaine Cunningham's Reclamation was cancelled, thus ending any chance we ever would have had at some resolution to Danilo Thann/Arilyn moonblade and Elaith Craulnober. As well as the spellplague destroying Haluraa(And thus, destroying Elaine's Councellors & Kings series, which was the only series based in that area) Then, as we all know, RA Salvatore has been forced (And yes, I do mean forced) to kill off his characters and move 100 years into the future. He might put on a nice face about 4th Edition in the name of public decorum and his relationship with Wizards, but we all kow given a choice that he would not have so abruptly killed them all off in such a manner if he had been given the choice to write a few more books to give them proper closure. Now, Wizards decides to assume creative control and sunder Kemp's work. Now, nobody but Kemp has all the details and I am speaking without knowledge of details, but let's face it. Its obvious that it must be something big to make him just up and leave on the fly in mid production, leaving his beloved characters forever cancelling his new series that he was truly excited for. Screw Wizards of the coast. They have done nothing but bad things for the realms since taking over. |
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travizzt |
#7 | |||
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11/05/09 7:04 AM |
For me, I'm not a gamer so I could careless either way about 4th edition. Sure it killed off almost all of the amazing characters that we all know and
love... Not to mention destroying many, many things and giving the Realms a new, creative/weird/stupid/silly/add you own adjective here look that I don't
personally understand (mostly because I've been in the "past" novels). But I really have no true say on the 4th edition as of yet... You never
really know what could possibly come down the pipeline...
But to elaborate on why I think that Paul S. Kemp leaving Wizards is a downer is because, as everyone said, we won't get a solid ending to the whole Cale/ Riven/ Magadon/ Mask/ Rivalen story (I'm not calling it the Cale story because he isn't there...). But that's not what bothers me. What bothers me is that I won't get the chance to read anything more about Riven, who is FAR superior than Entreri (not statwise or because he is a demigod). That what really bums me out. Well, that and the fact one of the better authors in the Realms isn't going to be there anymore... So what does that make it? 1 down, 2 more to go... er actually it's more like 1 down, 1 and a half almost gone, and one to go. |
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Sargai |
#8 | |||
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11/05/09 7:13 AM Mr. Sargai |
Eh, for those of you going after Wizards over this, why? It is fine that you are angry at them for previous matters, but you have no actual clue about what
brought about the split. All we know is that they made a decision that Kemp did not agree with, that's all. Wizards of the Coast is part of a far larger
business and they are going to do what they feel is right and what will earn them money. While fans of both the game and the novels may dislike having to move
into fourth edition, it is something that will earn them money by bringing in newer players and possibly newer readers. Hey, some of us even like the darker
turn that the Realms has headed into. Yes, it sucks that they are forcing authors to move into the future of the game, to kill off or leave behind the
characters they have written about for so long, but Wizards owns the characters and when working in a shared setting that is just the name of the game.
The point is: We do not know why Paul has split from Wizards and it is relatively unfair to Wizards to assume that it was stupidity on their part or foul play or any number of things. This is pointing an accusing finger without knowing the charges. As for me, I can only see this as a positive. I have always been rather negative about talented authors sticking to shared world settings instead of getting out there on their own and working on something they themselves have created. It is another reason why I hope Bob doesn't resign onto the Realms after his contract has ended. If this gives Kemp the chance to spread his wings and work without limitations then it is very much a good thing. Tis a shame to lose such damned good artwork though.
"At least."
Dazed Rambling The grandest adventures of our lives aren't about horses and swords and ghost cities lost to time. They are the choices we've made and why we've made them. And the greatest treasures in our lives aren't the sleeping vaults beneath moon-misted ruins or the treasure mounds of flaming dragons. They are the people we have loved and been loved by along the path of our choices. ---
(Former) Lord of Hate | President of the Artemis Entreri
Fanclub | Lord of Wrath | King of 21st Birthdays | Captain | The Master | Enabler
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Drayen |
meh | #9 | ||
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11/05/09 8:06 AM |
Sargai wrote: Ill point fingers at wizards without knowing the charges all I want. Their track record is enough to warrant me taking Kemp's side over theirs. Kemp is too classy to go into details about their "Creative differences", but it almost 100% certain to have something to do with the direction he is(Or was) taking his new novel. As far as I am concerned, he is one of the only good authors left, and his decision on his story should trump that of some bureaucrat at Wizards. He earned it by being on of the bestselling authors in the realms. Just like Salvatore earned it and Cunningham earned it. It obviously had to be something huge if Kemp is willing to just drop his characters and new book like a hot coal and say "GG THX! I am done with Wizards of the coast", and based on Wizards of the coast and their track record for screwing over Authors(See Elaine Cunningham, or the fact that they are forcing all authors 100 years into the future, killing their characters and established stories in the process), I am not willing to give that crap company the benefit of the doubt. They do not deserve it. For the record, in my neck of the woods, they "lost" more players than they gained moving into 4th Edition, an booksales for Forgotten realms in Chapters across Canada(My friend works there and has access to sales sheets), have plummetted. Tons of people were buying "The Last Mythal" and "Rage of Dragons" even though they are not big name series, but 4th Edition, post Spellplague books are not selling at all in comparison because nobody gives a crap about them, and sourcebook for DnD sales are also not improving. Talking bout how it was a "good business decision by wizards" is just falsehood. |
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Darius |
#10 | |||
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11/05/09 8:09 AM Beardless Dwarven Female |
Drayen wrote:I didn't assume anything. I just think there is a possibility that *I* would not have enjoyed Godson nearly as much as his previous work, whether it was a good book or not. It has happened before, and although I really enjoyed all of the Cale books, even if his story was a huge tragedy, I guess I have mostly outgrown my "dark and tragic" phase plus I don't think it would have been fun for me to read about his son going through similar stuff. Years ago, after reading his first novels, I said PSK had the potential of being the next RAS, and that was not meant as a comparison of their talent and/or styles. It meant I am convinced his works, away from the realms, will do VERY well. And if I am ever again on the mood for dark, tragic and down right scary (the ghouls from Shadow's Witness STILL make me shudder >.< !!!) I will know who to look for!! 
Mr. Kemp, thanks for some of the most enjoyable FR characters and books ever, now spread your wings and fly. 
"It was the love which the hunter has for living things, and which he can only express by aiming his gun at them." -- The Baron in the Trees -- -- Italo Calvino --
Last Edited By: Darius 11/05/09 5:31 PM.
Edited 1 time.
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travizzt |
#11 | |||
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11/06/09 1:20 PM |
Arg... I just read the prologue and it really got me excited, only to remember it's not going to be published...
Heck, even the cover art is wonderful!
Spoiler
*sigh* It's just not fair! |
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VeNoM316 |
#12 | |||
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11/06/09 2:18 PM |
Wow that cover art is kick ass! Now it's a even bigger shame this book isn't being released.
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travizzt |
#13 | |||
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11/06/09 5:41 PM |
I know! I'm starting to think that young Vasen is, of course, half shade and serves Amaunator (the new morninglord). At least that's what I would
assume from the prologue (seeing as his birth is in an abbey and the man with Varra says to her a prayer to Amaunator, not to mention the bluish light coming
off his shield). Yet, we all know that little Vasen is (at least what I got out of Shadowrealm) a reincarnated Mask. Ah well... I'm sure it would
have been a great story.
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Drayen |
or | #14 | ||
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11/06/09 9:06 PM |
travizzt wrote:Not sure if he is reincarnated mask, but Mask stored some of his power in him when he touched Verra's belly before sending her to the future, so at the very least, he would have started out on even footing with Riven as a minor Exarch(Lowest form of Demigod) |
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koda |
#15 | |||
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11/07/09 12:55 AM |
I have not read any Paul S. Kemp novels, but I surely will after seeing everyone's reaction to his departure. Where to begin?
That coverart for 'Godborn' is amazing. Dang. |
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Drayen |
heh | #16 | ||
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11/07/09 3:17 AM |
koda wrote:Halls of Stormweather, book 1 of the Sembia series(which has 7 books, each by a different author). The entire first book book is composed of short stories regarding a single family living in Stormweather. Reading each short story is a good way to get to know each family member, although the series is not great, certain books are. The story in question you should read the most if the story by Paul Kemp entitled "The Butler: Resurrection". It details not a family member of the Uskevren, but the Butler. Erevis Cale, whom is a former night mask assassin who murdered the former butler and replaced him in order to get himself positioned in Stormweather as a spy. In the 10 years he served as a Butler, he quickly came to realize that he could not betray the family he had came to love, after being given the first taste of legitimate work and family he had ever known in his life. Thamalon, the father, quickly becomes one of the best friends he has ever had(Because he has never let anyone close enough to be a friend before), etc. The only other friend he has in the city is his Halfling friend Jak Fleet, priest of Brandobaris the trickster. Rather than confess what he did to become their butler, which he knows they will never forgive, he chooses to live a lie to keep the life he has built. Always feeding the guild he served useless information about the family to protect them. However, the guild.....Particularly his #1 nemesis for competition, heartless assassin Drasek Riven, and beginning to question his loyalties, and soon will force the issue. After that story, the only other book you need read in the Sembia series is "Shadow's Witness", which details Erevis Cale's ascent to "Chosen of Mask" and how he becomes a priest of Mask. That book was the hardest for me to get through, as Kemp was still a new author at that point, but was still a very enjoyable story. After that, the Erevis Cale trilogy, with books "Twilight falling", "Dawn of night" and "Midnight's Mask" are next, followed by the twilight war trilogy, with "Shadowbred", "Shadowstorm" and "Shadowrealm". The last 3 books have a bit of a crossover with the "Return of the Archwizards" characters and the Shadovar of the Shade enclave, so knowing a bit about them would not hurt. |
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