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Spellfire
Mass Market Paperback
Published January 1, 1988
3 people want to read
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November 12, 2025
**3.6 stars but I’ll round up.
This book switches perspectives a lot and relies on the reader already having familiarity with the various organizations and persons for good and evil with how many different names are dropped and plots shown. But despite all of that, I was very charmed by our two protagonists, Shandril and Narm, as well as the ensemble of the Knights of Myth Dranor (particularly the banter between Ratham the cleric and Torm the rogue). Elminster is here of course. It wouldn’t really be an adventure in the Dalelands without him.
I was caught off-guard by what I presumed was the main conflict (as depicted by the Clyde Caldwell illustrated cover) was resolved in the first five chapters. I was confused after that, but slowly saw that my presuppositions had gotten in the way of what this book is actually about, which is the journey from home and back (with an ending left open for sequels) and just how terrible a life of adventuring really is.
Greenwood’s prose is as enjoyable as ever, and kept me reading even while I groped around for a sense of direction with the plot.
This book switches perspectives a lot and relies on the reader already having familiarity with the various organizations and persons for good and evil with how many different names are dropped and plots shown. But despite all of that, I was very charmed by our two protagonists, Shandril and Narm, as well as the ensemble of the Knights of Myth Dranor (particularly the banter between Ratham the cleric and Torm the rogue). Elminster is here of course. It wouldn’t really be an adventure in the Dalelands without him.
I was caught off-guard by what I presumed was the main conflict (as depicted by the Clyde Caldwell illustrated cover) was resolved in the first five chapters. I was confused after that, but slowly saw that my presuppositions had gotten in the way of what this book is actually about, which is the journey from home and back (with an ending left open for sequels) and just how terrible a life of adventuring really is.
Greenwood’s prose is as enjoyable as ever, and kept me reading even while I groped around for a sense of direction with the plot.
Displaying 1 of 1 review