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Forgotten Realms: The Moonshae Trilogy #2
Black Wizards
One of the first Forgotten Realms titles ever published, now available as an eBook!Released in 1988, Black Wizards was the second novel in the first trilogy ever published in the Forgotten Realms setting.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1988
75 people are currently reading
1273 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Niles
175 books235 followersDouglas Niles is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, and the Top Secret S/I espionage role-playing game. He currently resides in Delavan, Wisconsin with his wife, Christine, and two Bouviets, Reggie and Stella. He enjoys playing his guitar, cooking, and visiting with family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
December 22, 2020
I like this book a little more than the first one in the series ( Darkwalker on Moonshae ), but it still has some glaring problems that you see in a lot of 80s/90s pulpy fantasy. All the women are either beautiful in an x way (in a youthful way, a gaunt way, a matronly way), or they're sadly hideous. There's also a lot more sexual assault hints or attempts than there were in the first book. Gross.
The pacing is better, in the first book it felt like it took the heroes over half the book to realize what the main plot was about. In this one action happens quickly, but it also gets resolved quickly. There's a lot of jumping around to other character perspectives, but it's usually just for a convenient thing that the hero discovers or thwarts.
It ends more cliffhanger-y than the first one, but I have a couple plot holes that really bugged me:
If you're dedicated to pushing through this series, it's a D&D adventure of a read... but man these plotholes and gross misogyny make it a bumpy ride.
The pacing is better, in the first book it felt like it took the heroes over half the book to realize what the main plot was about. In this one action happens quickly, but it also gets resolved quickly. There's a lot of jumping around to other character perspectives, but it's usually just for a convenient thing that the hero discovers or thwarts.
It ends more cliffhanger-y than the first one, but I have a couple plot holes that really bugged me:
If you're dedicated to pushing through this series, it's a D&D adventure of a read... but man these plotholes and gross misogyny make it a bumpy ride.
August 7, 2018
A perfectly cromulent second volume in the Moonshaes trilogy -- most of the characters return from the first book, the canvas is broadened from Gwynnedd to the Moonshaes as a whole, the stakes are raised significantly, and while things do reach a conclusion, ground is definitely laid for the third & final volume.
September 15, 2025
I enjoyed the first book of the Moonshae Trilogy, Darkwalker on Moonshae, and this sequel was equally entertaining, if not slightly better. Unlike the first novel, it leaned more heavily into recognizable Dungeons & Dragons elements. We get duergar (dark dwarves), sahuagin (evil fish-men), ogres, and dwarves. There are sorcerers and druids, and even some spells that are straight out of D&D. The Moonshae Isles started to feel more like part of the larger Forgotten Realms setting. That sense came not just from the monsters and magic, but from the lore: Chauntea, the goddess of the harvest, makes a cameo, while Bhaal, the god of murder, becomes as a major player. There are also brief references to Waterdeep--where the cabal of Black Wizards hails from--and to Calimshan. I wouldn’t say the novel shouts its Realms identity, but it feels more firmly placed there than the first book. And historically, it’s interesting to note this was only the fourth Forgotten Realms novel ever published.
I also just enjoy the cast: Tristan and Robyn, Pawldo the halfling, Daryth, and Genna Moonsinger. Niles slips in plenty of memorable details, like the castle submerged beneath the ocean, and he delivers a great climactic battle. One thing I always miss in D&D novels, though, are dungeon-crawl scenes. So much of tabletop play involves wandering through dungeons, fighting monsters, and collecting treasure that I’m always a little disappointed when those moments don’t show up at all. Still, this book felt like a natural continuation of the first story, and it was a lot of fun. It transported me to the Realms. In terms of writing, it sometimes felt rough (stilted dialog, frenetic description of certain chaotic scenes). Was Niles still a new writer at this point?
Anyway, I'm excited to read more. I hope the Moonshaes stay safe.
I also just enjoy the cast: Tristan and Robyn, Pawldo the halfling, Daryth, and Genna Moonsinger. Niles slips in plenty of memorable details, like the castle submerged beneath the ocean, and he delivers a great climactic battle. One thing I always miss in D&D novels, though, are dungeon-crawl scenes. So much of tabletop play involves wandering through dungeons, fighting monsters, and collecting treasure that I’m always a little disappointed when those moments don’t show up at all. Still, this book felt like a natural continuation of the first story, and it was a lot of fun. It transported me to the Realms. In terms of writing, it sometimes felt rough (stilted dialog, frenetic description of certain chaotic scenes). Was Niles still a new writer at this point?
Anyway, I'm excited to read more. I hope the Moonshaes stay safe.
May 12, 2017
Page 193-The nuts felt warm against her skin.
Acorns! Exploding acorns, come on!
The realms starts to expand as we are exposed to a new island with a large kingdom and sprawling city. A Robin Hood-esque forest town and plots of a takeover originating from far away Thay, home of the Red Wizards and the dreaded Lich King. Glimpses of the sword coast and assassins from the desert kingdom of Calimshan are also in play.
We are exposed to all sorts of monsters and terrain for use in your DnD adventure. Castles beneath the sea that rise when the um, plot point is right. The Underdark. Duergar, gnomes, wood sprites, ogres, zombies, animated skeletons and my favorite baddie of them all, the fishy sahaugins. There's evil clerics, wizardly duels, magical staffs, wands, rods, mirrors and items for your thief. Gods, both good and evil and the impact and influence they have on the world.
-This was a solid read. This felt like a Realms novel. Being familiar with the areas of Faerun and the powers in play it added a layer of depth that strengthened what many reviwers considered weaknesses.
-One thing Douglas Niles is very good at is evil characters. There is some brutality on display that is stomach fluttering and it worked well.
-Tristan is competent, finally. He's growing into his role as the 'prophecy foretold'.
- Tristan loves Robyn 4eva, unless there's a few hundred years old dead Queen ripe for the taking. Allisynn literally had to be like 'slow your roll, you idiot' for a minute there.
-Since when did Pawldo dislike Daryth so much? He mentally talks a lot of smack for a minute, but why? Did I miss something?
-Anytime you have a half orc character you..umm...have to know it's usually a result of a joining, never willfully, of an orc and some helpless female. In this we have Razfallow, whose MOTHER was an orc? Whaaaat? Dad's into some kink right there. Wow.
-Shiny things distract ogres? Was this in the 2nd edition Monster Manual?
-How many times are you going to lose your dann sword? Really.
-There's a band in Canada called Black Wizards and a band in the UK called The Black Wizards. I wonder if anyone gifted them this book?
Acorns! Exploding acorns, come on!
The realms starts to expand as we are exposed to a new island with a large kingdom and sprawling city. A Robin Hood-esque forest town and plots of a takeover originating from far away Thay, home of the Red Wizards and the dreaded Lich King. Glimpses of the sword coast and assassins from the desert kingdom of Calimshan are also in play.
We are exposed to all sorts of monsters and terrain for use in your DnD adventure. Castles beneath the sea that rise when the um, plot point is right. The Underdark. Duergar, gnomes, wood sprites, ogres, zombies, animated skeletons and my favorite baddie of them all, the fishy sahaugins. There's evil clerics, wizardly duels, magical staffs, wands, rods, mirrors and items for your thief. Gods, both good and evil and the impact and influence they have on the world.
-This was a solid read. This felt like a Realms novel. Being familiar with the areas of Faerun and the powers in play it added a layer of depth that strengthened what many reviwers considered weaknesses.
-One thing Douglas Niles is very good at is evil characters. There is some brutality on display that is stomach fluttering and it worked well.
-Tristan is competent, finally. He's growing into his role as the 'prophecy foretold'.
- Tristan loves Robyn 4eva, unless there's a few hundred years old dead Queen ripe for the taking. Allisynn literally had to be like 'slow your roll, you idiot' for a minute there.
-Since when did Pawldo dislike Daryth so much? He mentally talks a lot of smack for a minute, but why? Did I miss something?
-Anytime you have a half orc character you..umm...have to know it's usually a result of a joining, never willfully, of an orc and some helpless female. In this we have Razfallow, whose MOTHER was an orc? Whaaaat? Dad's into some kink right there. Wow.
-Shiny things distract ogres? Was this in the 2nd edition Monster Manual?
-How many times are you going to lose your dann sword? Really.
-There's a band in Canada called Black Wizards and a band in the UK called The Black Wizards. I wonder if anyone gifted them this book?
December 29, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Read book one, Darkwalker on Moonshae, a couple of months ago for nostolgia's sake and loved it. I remember buying it in highschool when it first came out and not finishing it for whatever reason. So, I read it and loved it.
I am an avid D&D player (2nd edition only please) to this day, but I don't think that influenced me in any way. It's nothing as complicated as A Game of Thrones - it's not as complicated as Stormbringer for that matter - but its heart is in the right place. It is like playing D&D. I caught myself trying to id spells and monsters, but I also got caught up in the stories of the main charachters. The writing was tight and brisk and the stories flowed well.
I took a break before beginning this second book. The story pretty much picks up where the other left off. Again, it is what it is and I recommend it to any fan of the high fantasy genre. This is definitely good vs evil, so if you're all into that whiney, tortured anti-hero stuff that dominates the fantasy market today, avoid it.
This volume ended, but it has more of a lead in to another story than the first book. I very much look forward to reading the final book in this series.
I am an avid D&D player (2nd edition only please) to this day, but I don't think that influenced me in any way. It's nothing as complicated as A Game of Thrones - it's not as complicated as Stormbringer for that matter - but its heart is in the right place. It is like playing D&D. I caught myself trying to id spells and monsters, but I also got caught up in the stories of the main charachters. The writing was tight and brisk and the stories flowed well.
I took a break before beginning this second book. The story pretty much picks up where the other left off. Again, it is what it is and I recommend it to any fan of the high fantasy genre. This is definitely good vs evil, so if you're all into that whiney, tortured anti-hero stuff that dominates the fantasy market today, avoid it.
This volume ended, but it has more of a lead in to another story than the first book. I very much look forward to reading the final book in this series.
April 26, 2018
A year has passed since the young prince Tristan inspired the Ffolk of the Moonshae Isles to victory over the forces of the evil entity Kazgoroth. Angered by the defeat of its powerful minion, the god of murder, Bhaal, plots a new scheme to bring death and destruction to the land of the Ffolk. An alliance is formed between Bhaal's sinister high priest, Hobarth, and a council of manipulative wizards controlling the High King of the Moonshaes. Meanwhile, Tristan struggles to comes to terms with the responsibilities that accompany being a prince while Robyn seeks to master her druid powers under the tutelage of Genna Moonsinger.
The sequel to Darkwalker on Moonshae (and third in the vast line of Forgotten Realms novels that continued unbroken until 2017) is a less focused book than its predecessor. Having gone their separate ways at the end of the first book, Tristan and Robyn must each deal with threats that serve Bhaal's plans for the kingdom in a subtler manner than the rampaging Kazgoroth. Having gone from low-level nobody to high-level fighter in the blink of an eye (though stumbling across a +4 long sword in the form of the Sword of Cymrych Hugh does help...), Tristan seems to have foregone whatever character development occurred previously and is back to his old, drinking ways. Robyn is saddled with the irritating faerie dragon Newt for the book's opening half - his unamusing Jar Jar-esque japes somewhat undermined my enjoyment of her sections.
The story takes a while to come together and truth be told some of the developments seem forced. A crazed and quite clearly dangerous old vagrant is head-scratchingly adopted by Robyn, placing her grove in obvious peril, for little reason. An entire sequence involving a submerged castle reappearing in just the right spot of sea to offer succor to our stranded heroes isn't hugely believable. Somehow Canthus, a huge dog weighing the same as a fully grown adult male, is able to survive all manner of tricky situations requiring stealth and cunning. Huge praise must surely be given to Daryth, Tristan's Calishite friend and houndmaster - not only does he fight like Drizzt and pick locks and disable traps like a master thief, he can apparently train dogs like a master druid.
As with Darkwalker on Moonshae, Douglas Niles really shines when describing the eldritch beauty of the Moonshae Isles - but particularly when writing large-scale battle scenes. There are several worth mentioning, including the desperate defense of a druid grove against an army of undead, and a huge set-piece showdown between various forces of human, dwarves, ogres and sahuagin - loathsome fish-men that no doubt helped inspire World of Warcraft's murlocs, as well as countless other imitators. It's a shame both are resolved by literal deus ex machina.
One area where this novel does succeed is in expanding the Forgotten Realms setting. The introduction of Bhaal and Chauntea, as well as characters from various mainland nations, serves to stitch together the vast tapestry of the Realms in a satisfying manner. There's more of an obvious D&D influence this time around. Though being able to identify the spells and abilities used by the characters isn't exactly a hallmark of great fantasy literature, it's certainly fun for those familiar with the game. The wizard spell charm is used to great effect, demonstrating that it is perhaps the most overpowered spell in D&D. Particularly in a backwater, low-magic setting like the Moonshae Isles, a level one wizard packing a single charm spell can bend an entire kingdom to their will. Who needs wish?
Black Wizards is a fair sequel to Darkwalker on Moonshae, sacrificing real character development and strong direction for exciting action scenes and expanded worldbuilding. It's a notable step down in quality from the first two Realms novels, but is still worth reading.
The sequel to Darkwalker on Moonshae (and third in the vast line of Forgotten Realms novels that continued unbroken until 2017) is a less focused book than its predecessor. Having gone their separate ways at the end of the first book, Tristan and Robyn must each deal with threats that serve Bhaal's plans for the kingdom in a subtler manner than the rampaging Kazgoroth. Having gone from low-level nobody to high-level fighter in the blink of an eye (though stumbling across a +4 long sword in the form of the Sword of Cymrych Hugh does help...), Tristan seems to have foregone whatever character development occurred previously and is back to his old, drinking ways. Robyn is saddled with the irritating faerie dragon Newt for the book's opening half - his unamusing Jar Jar-esque japes somewhat undermined my enjoyment of her sections.
The story takes a while to come together and truth be told some of the developments seem forced. A crazed and quite clearly dangerous old vagrant is head-scratchingly adopted by Robyn, placing her grove in obvious peril, for little reason. An entire sequence involving a submerged castle reappearing in just the right spot of sea to offer succor to our stranded heroes isn't hugely believable. Somehow Canthus, a huge dog weighing the same as a fully grown adult male, is able to survive all manner of tricky situations requiring stealth and cunning. Huge praise must surely be given to Daryth, Tristan's Calishite friend and houndmaster - not only does he fight like Drizzt and pick locks and disable traps like a master thief, he can apparently train dogs like a master druid.
As with Darkwalker on Moonshae, Douglas Niles really shines when describing the eldritch beauty of the Moonshae Isles - but particularly when writing large-scale battle scenes. There are several worth mentioning, including the desperate defense of a druid grove against an army of undead, and a huge set-piece showdown between various forces of human, dwarves, ogres and sahuagin - loathsome fish-men that no doubt helped inspire World of Warcraft's murlocs, as well as countless other imitators. It's a shame both are resolved by literal deus ex machina.
One area where this novel does succeed is in expanding the Forgotten Realms setting. The introduction of Bhaal and Chauntea, as well as characters from various mainland nations, serves to stitch together the vast tapestry of the Realms in a satisfying manner. There's more of an obvious D&D influence this time around. Though being able to identify the spells and abilities used by the characters isn't exactly a hallmark of great fantasy literature, it's certainly fun for those familiar with the game. The wizard spell charm is used to great effect, demonstrating that it is perhaps the most overpowered spell in D&D. Particularly in a backwater, low-magic setting like the Moonshae Isles, a level one wizard packing a single charm spell can bend an entire kingdom to their will. Who needs wish?
Black Wizards is a fair sequel to Darkwalker on Moonshae, sacrificing real character development and strong direction for exciting action scenes and expanded worldbuilding. It's a notable step down in quality from the first two Realms novels, but is still worth reading.
April 27, 2022
Three stars for most of the book, an extra half star for the last 50 pages. Book two in a trilogy where the first book was written as a stand-alone novel, this book spends a lot of time setting up a need for a full trilogy. Many of the events are very predictable, but it does wrap up in a nice climactic battle and leaves me wanting to read the third book to see the fate of our heroes.
January 20, 2022
The Forgotten Realms series of books opened up with these Douglas Niles entries that are so poor, terribly plotted, badly paced, zero characterisation novels hopping around perspective every couple of pages for no reason that, if it weren't for Salvatore (the difference in quality to the one Drizzt novel I've read so far is gargantuan), I'm surprised it ever got off of the ground as more than a joke. I'm even more surprised that Niles was given plentiful amounts of books to write in both the Realms and Dragonlance - he must have been good to work with and delivered books reliably and on schedule, since his writing has few other qualities.
That said, I've awarded this two stars, despite the brutal torture it was to slog through, because Niles *can* sortof write a battle scene. He clearly loves them and in those fleeting, albeit regular, moments we can feel a sense of passion for his world and the diverse array of monsters available to him to play with. There's no electricity though, none of Salavatore's ability to really feel the hero in the moment or the sweat of the fight you'd see in Robert E Howard. There's no weirdness either, just descriptions of monsters lining up and visualisations of what's going in on a way that makes me feel that Niles was out of his time and should have been directing, not writing, fantasy epics.
I also continue to really like the idea of this fiction a whole lot better than its realisation here. We have princes finding magic swords and undersea castles, druids being attacked by clerics with large zombie armies, a cabal of black wizards who try to assassinate our heroes and end up squabbling between one another and, of course, kingly assassination attempts and vast hordes of ogres. It's all here, in theory, but the journey somehow manages to be a horrendous experience - the problem might be an obsession with cramming it all into one book rather than settling down and taking time with the material, and letting it come to the reader as a thing to discover and savour.
Ah well! On to the next one. I will, from this point, be crossing any of Niles' books from my list. The completionist in me hates this, but it took too long (6 months, in fact) to slog through this dryasdust fantasy dregs.
That said, I've awarded this two stars, despite the brutal torture it was to slog through, because Niles *can* sortof write a battle scene. He clearly loves them and in those fleeting, albeit regular, moments we can feel a sense of passion for his world and the diverse array of monsters available to him to play with. There's no electricity though, none of Salavatore's ability to really feel the hero in the moment or the sweat of the fight you'd see in Robert E Howard. There's no weirdness either, just descriptions of monsters lining up and visualisations of what's going in on a way that makes me feel that Niles was out of his time and should have been directing, not writing, fantasy epics.
I also continue to really like the idea of this fiction a whole lot better than its realisation here. We have princes finding magic swords and undersea castles, druids being attacked by clerics with large zombie armies, a cabal of black wizards who try to assassinate our heroes and end up squabbling between one another and, of course, kingly assassination attempts and vast hordes of ogres. It's all here, in theory, but the journey somehow manages to be a horrendous experience - the problem might be an obsession with cramming it all into one book rather than settling down and taking time with the material, and letting it come to the reader as a thing to discover and savour.
Ah well! On to the next one. I will, from this point, be crossing any of Niles' books from my list. The completionist in me hates this, but it took too long (6 months, in fact) to slog through this dryasdust fantasy dregs.
February 3, 2025
I've been reading all the Forgotten Realms novels as nostalgia for the ones I loved as a child. This isn't one of the ones I read back then, so there's no nostalgia for this one in particular.
Even if you liked the first one, I'm not sure that you'd like this one. The plot points basically boil down to 'resolved via coincidence' and 'resolved via deus ex machina.' I'm not joking. At least the first book had the characters actually solve their own problems occasionally.
Any character development Tristan had in the first book has basically regressed. Daryth and Pawldo are as one-note as ever. On the plus side, Robyn at least does something in this book - her plotline with the Moonwell was one of the more interesting parts - although she rapidly regresses once she's back with Tristan. Pontswain has a little bit of dimension to him, at least?
Niles has gotten better at description, at least. The sahuaguin city and the forest village were reasonably atmospheric.
But seriously, this plot. Okay, getting very spoilery below, pointing out all the times I can remember the plot was resolved by either coincidence or a deus ex machina-
Even if you liked the first one, I'm not sure that you'd like this one. The plot points basically boil down to 'resolved via coincidence' and 'resolved via deus ex machina.' I'm not joking. At least the first book had the characters actually solve their own problems occasionally.
Any character development Tristan had in the first book has basically regressed. Daryth and Pawldo are as one-note as ever. On the plus side, Robyn at least does something in this book - her plotline with the Moonwell was one of the more interesting parts - although she rapidly regresses once she's back with Tristan. Pontswain has a little bit of dimension to him, at least?
Niles has gotten better at description, at least. The sahuaguin city and the forest village were reasonably atmospheric.
But seriously, this plot. Okay, getting very spoilery below, pointing out all the times I can remember the plot was resolved by either coincidence or a deus ex machina-
September 30, 2022
This was a little over the top. This followed suit with the first book in the trilogy where Tristan didn't earn all the good stuff that happens and he gets numerous people killed. Also as the same in the first book, he turns it around at the end. His surrounding friends are his strength. It is only the third book in the whole Forgotten Realms world and I know there were a lot of good books written after this but this was my least favorite book out of all of them I have read.
August 6, 2025
The second book in my journey of the Forgotten Realms Collection. This was a pretty good entry in The Moonshae Trilogy, made even better for me after i went back to a print version of the book rather than persisting with the terrible narration of the audiobook on Audible.
There was a strong Druidic focus in the story, with much of the book being about Robyn and the Druid's Grove. There was a shift towards the end when Tristan came back into scene, and there was a strong conclusion to events of this novel, with a solid lead in to the next. Things wrapped up a little too conveniently for my liking however, but i suppose this is not exactly high caliber writing.
I'm enjoying the trilogy, and think it is a strong start to the Forgotten Realms collection, but if i remember correctly from years past, the writing gets stronger as you progress chronologically in the publications. I am reading in a hybrid method between series and publication order, where i will follow publication order, but when i reach the first book in a series (trilogy/tetralogy/quintet) i will read the entire series.
There was a strong Druidic focus in the story, with much of the book being about Robyn and the Druid's Grove. There was a shift towards the end when Tristan came back into scene, and there was a strong conclusion to events of this novel, with a solid lead in to the next. Things wrapped up a little too conveniently for my liking however, but i suppose this is not exactly high caliber writing.
I'm enjoying the trilogy, and think it is a strong start to the Forgotten Realms collection, but if i remember correctly from years past, the writing gets stronger as you progress chronologically in the publications. I am reading in a hybrid method between series and publication order, where i will follow publication order, but when i reach the first book in a series (trilogy/tetralogy/quintet) i will read the entire series.
February 24, 2020
As usual, for me at least, with a lot of these D&D novels, I really enjoy the first half of the novels much more than the second. This is probably because I get bored with the inevitable long battle scenes towards the end of the books, and because to do those well you have to be a really good writer, which Niles isn't... he´s ok, but no great.
So I enjoy mostly the plotty and character based stuff, and this, being a middle book in a trilogy has slightly less of that than the first one, there's no need to set up the world or the main characters, as that was done in the first part, to you jump straight into the action after giving up an update on what is going on with our characters.
It starts pretty well, with a kind of murder mystery and mysterious assassins and a quest to find those responsible, but soon it devolves into battle after battle, set in different locations and with constantly shifting casts. I enjoyed the book when it was taking a breather, but soon got bored with the extended fight scenes. Oh well. Still, it's ok.
So I enjoy mostly the plotty and character based stuff, and this, being a middle book in a trilogy has slightly less of that than the first one, there's no need to set up the world or the main characters, as that was done in the first part, to you jump straight into the action after giving up an update on what is going on with our characters.
It starts pretty well, with a kind of murder mystery and mysterious assassins and a quest to find those responsible, but soon it devolves into battle after battle, set in different locations and with constantly shifting casts. I enjoyed the book when it was taking a breather, but soon got bored with the extended fight scenes. Oh well. Still, it's ok.
August 3, 2019
I'm liking this series more and more as it develops. This feels much more accomplished than its predecessor. This series is really ahead of its time in terms of strong female characters in often unexpected places, breaking traditional tropes, which is really good to see in a fantasy novel.
The setting here is great, the celtic base merged with the traditional fantasy elements works really well.
My biggest criticism here is not of this novel alone but on inconsistencies between this and the first novel. In the first novel the gods were fairly amorphous entities, embodying the nature of the land. In this book the Forgotten Realms pantheon has been overlayed over what has been written before and it feels a little jarring - comparing the goddess from the first book with her description here as a facet, if you like, of Chauntea feels a bit off at best. In a similar vein Bhaal's connection to Khazgaroth (not sure that's spelled right) feels a bit forced.
The setting here is great, the celtic base merged with the traditional fantasy elements works really well.
My biggest criticism here is not of this novel alone but on inconsistencies between this and the first novel. In the first novel the gods were fairly amorphous entities, embodying the nature of the land. In this book the Forgotten Realms pantheon has been overlayed over what has been written before and it feels a little jarring - comparing the goddess from the first book with her description here as a facet, if you like, of Chauntea feels a bit off at best. In a similar vein Bhaal's connection to Khazgaroth (not sure that's spelled right) feels a bit forced.
June 21, 2023
The plot wrapped up fairly cleanly at the end of book one, so book two struggles to set up justification for a trilogy. The overarching story beats are the same as in the first book—including the 'surprise' menace of the undead—however the Children of the Earthmother are basically absent and the story suffers as a result. Tristan's begrudging progress from the end of the last novel is missing from the start of this one, dropping him right back into his original role of drunken layabout with a bad temper. Robyn spends most of the book away from him, learning how to be a druid, which thankfully gives her space to begin growing into an interesting character in her own right. Daryth is excellent, as per usual; there's no doubt Tristan would be dead many times over otherwise. Unfortunately, most of the new characters are quite one-dimensional and it's hard to find reasons to care about them. Here's hoping that the final book in the trilogy will improve things somewhat.
March 3, 2018
I had read the first book in this series maybe 10 years ago and enjoyed it. Where I am looking at getting back in to Dungeons & Dragons I thought picking up where I left off with the Forgotten Realms would be a good way to ease back in so naturally I also picked up where I left off with this series. I am glad I did.
Douglas Niles is an excellent Fantasy writer. I was able to dive in to this book without remembering very much of the first one and felt that I really did not need to have those memories even though they came back as the story progressed. My attention was kept throughout the story and the writing style is very good along with character development and attention to detail with regards to story progress.
If you are a Fantasy enthusiast, particularly one who enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, this is a 5-star read.
Douglas Niles is an excellent Fantasy writer. I was able to dive in to this book without remembering very much of the first one and felt that I really did not need to have those memories even though they came back as the story progressed. My attention was kept throughout the story and the writing style is very good along with character development and attention to detail with regards to story progress.
If you are a Fantasy enthusiast, particularly one who enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, this is a 5-star read.
November 21, 2020
"Black Wizards" is actually a little bit better than its predecessor "Darkwalker on Moonshae", at least in terms of being a Forgotten Realms / D&D novel. There is more magic, a variety of enemies, and interactions between familiar Forgotten Realms deities. There are some parts of the book which drag near the beginning, and the pace seems to pick up towards the end - however it also is clearly intended as the second novel of a trilogy, with a lot of threads that are left to be tied up. One interesting thing here, as RA Salvatore stated, the first book was the original inspiration for his characters. It is more apparent here how many parallels there are between the main characters of this book and those of the Drizzt novels. Overall, I liked the book more as the second half developed and will definitely continue to the third book; a decenly fun read if you like D&D / Realms novels.
February 13, 2020
Once again, Douglas Niles has proven the truism that those who can, do, while those who can't...should have remained high school teachers. In the continuing adventures of (yawn) Arthur and Gwene...ahem, Tristan and Robyn, a group of "evil wizards" with the motivations of "wanting more power" and nothing more have convinced the ineffective High King of the land that all the lords are out to get him. There's even a Robin Hood clone in the woods, who is frankly portrayed as someone everyone listens to, yet somehow he's a complete moron. Even the "humorous" characters are lifeless and dull. I found myself more interested in the scenery than the actors. A terribly dull read.
February 14, 2021
Black Wizards is a slight improvement over the first book in the trilogy. This one has some politics and a more interesting cast of villains with more realistic motivations for their villainy. In this volume we have conflict between Tristan and the other notable candidate with a claim to the throne of Corwell. These two, along with a a friend of Tristan's set off on a dangerous quest to seek guidance from the high king of the land. This is rather unrealistic, although it is a common trope in fantasy. These two would never go on such a quest together, and certainly not without a large entourage. I also found that the point of view jumped around way too frequently, usually about every 1-2 pages. I felt like I had whiplash by the end of the book. Despite these things, I did get some enjoyment from reading Black Wizards, but it is still a book that I would only recommend to the most avid Forgotten Realms readers.
March 28, 2021
God, I read this book in 1988, 33 years ago. I just re-read it, and I'd forgotten most of it. Very fun high fantasy book, one of the first set in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting way back in the day. Good D&D fun with a bit of a Celtic twist.
November 17, 2020
Oh good heavens. I am at a loss for words at how awesome this book was! I was on the edge of my seat for the last few chapters wondering how Tristan Kendrick would defeat the Wizards! Douglas Niles is quickly becoming a favorite author in the way he tells these amazing fantasy stories!
The "cliffhanger" at the end makes me so eager to start the next book! This is so exciting!
The "cliffhanger" at the end makes me so eager to start the next book! This is so exciting!
July 15, 2021
I enjoyed this re-read. So exciting how it builds up to the big finale.
He has this way of writing that you do not see the way out of the situation. Even though you know the good guys are going to win (unlike most modern fantasy) Its great to see how they get out of their dire circumstances.
Leading up to the last book in the series.
He has this way of writing that you do not see the way out of the situation. Even though you know the good guys are going to win (unlike most modern fantasy) Its great to see how they get out of their dire circumstances.
Leading up to the last book in the series.
May 21, 2017
Fun fantasy read
A fun read. A lot of characters, so sometimes it got a little confusing, but the storylines kept moving forward, keeping the story interesting. And it featured several different traditional monsters, so that was fun, too.
A fun read. A lot of characters, so sometimes it got a little confusing, but the storylines kept moving forward, keeping the story interesting. And it featured several different traditional monsters, so that was fun, too.
July 8, 2020
If you are at all interested in Dungeons and Dragons, make this a definite read.
I chose this rating of five out of five because even after all of these years this book still holds up as an entertaining and well written novel.
I chose this rating of five out of five because even after all of these years this book still holds up as an entertaining and well written novel.
June 15, 2022
Slightly less enjoyable than the first book but still a decent read.
I was surprised at the abundance of grammar mistakes. This is the most I’ve seen in anything I’ve read, at points confusing when an entire paragraph jumps from ‘she’ to ‘he’, for example.
I was surprised at the abundance of grammar mistakes. This is the most I’ve seen in anything I’ve read, at points confusing when an entire paragraph jumps from ‘she’ to ‘he’, for example.
July 10, 2022
Yet again, I had no idea what to expect, when I started to read this novel, and I must admit that I was completely blown away by it. So thrilling was it. I highly recommend anyone to read the first two books in this series. I can't explain how eager I am to start with the third novel.
October 2, 2023
Once again, author includes sexual assault as if it’s just normal and appropriate. You can write a culture where it’s the norm, while still letting the reader know it’s a bad thing. It’s the framing.
May 22, 2017
I enjoyed this more than the first book, better writing and enjoyable story kept things interesting most of the way through. So far this trilogy is much better than the Maztica trilogy.
December 31, 2017
as iki siol prisimenu sita knyga...
October 17, 2019
A fun read. Not bad. Nothing groundbreaking but still entertaining.
September 2, 2020
Good DnD fiction
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