What do you think?
Rate this book
Sembia, Gateway to the Realms #1
El Palacio de las Tempestades
El inicio de la mayor serie de fantasía de nuestra generación.
Sembia es una tierra de riqueza y poder, donde familias rivales compran y venden todo lo imaginable, incluso la vida. En este despiadado reino, la familia Uskevren debe mantener la más escasa mercancía de todas: el honor. Pero incluso ellos tienen secretos, al menos tantos como enemigos.
Esta antología formada por siete relatos no sólo introduce un reino donde habitan el bien y el mal y a una familia de atribulados héroes, sino la totalidad del extraordinario mundo de Reinos Olvidados. Sus aventuras, las tuyas, comienzan aquí.
Sembia es una tierra de riqueza y poder, donde familias rivales compran y venden todo lo imaginable, incluso la vida. En este despiadado reino, la familia Uskevren debe mantener la más escasa mercancía de todas: el honor. Pero incluso ellos tienen secretos, al menos tantos como enemigos.
Esta antología formada por siete relatos no sólo introduce un reino donde habitan el bien y el mal y a una familia de atribulados héroes, sino la totalidad del extraordinario mundo de Reinos Olvidados. Sus aventuras, las tuyas, comienzan aquí.
313 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
9 people are currently reading
1018 people want to read
About the author
Philip Athans
55 books245 followersI 100% support AUTHORS AGAINST BOOK BANS
https://www.authorsagainstbookbans.com
I give every book 5 stars in protest against the concept of star ratings in general and the ever-unfolding algorithm dystopia!
Philip Athans, an anti-AI, anti-book bans liberal, is the founding partner of Athans & Associates Creative Consulting (www.athansassociates.com), and the New York Times best-selling author of Annihilation and more than a dozen other fantasy and horror books including The Best of Fantasy Authors Handbook Vol. I 2009-2013, The Guide to Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Writing Monsters. Born in Rochester, New York he grew up in suburban Chicago, where he published the literary magazine Alternative Fiction & Poetry. His blog, Fantasy Author’s Handbook, is updated every Tuesday (https://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com), less regularly on the FAH YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@FantasyAutho...), and you can follow him on Twitter @PhilAthans. He makes his home in the foothills of the Washington Cascades, east of Seattle.
https://www.authorsagainstbookbans.com
I give every book 5 stars in protest against the concept of star ratings in general and the ever-unfolding algorithm dystopia!
Philip Athans, an anti-AI, anti-book bans liberal, is the founding partner of Athans & Associates Creative Consulting (www.athansassociates.com), and the New York Times best-selling author of Annihilation and more than a dozen other fantasy and horror books including The Best of Fantasy Authors Handbook Vol. I 2009-2013, The Guide to Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Writing Monsters. Born in Rochester, New York he grew up in suburban Chicago, where he published the literary magazine Alternative Fiction & Poetry. His blog, Fantasy Author’s Handbook, is updated every Tuesday (https://fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com), less regularly on the FAH YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@FantasyAutho...), and you can follow him on Twitter @PhilAthans. He makes his home in the foothills of the Washington Cascades, east of Seattle.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 8, 2016
A collection of seven stories (each around 50 pages), THE HALLS of STORMWEATHER is a great way to introduce a new multi-author series taking place in a new corner of the Forgotten Realms (well, obviously not *new* since the book is 16 years old). Of course the highlight is the debut of Paul S. Kemp's Erevis Cale.
May 15, 2010
This is the first book of the Sembia: Gateway to the Realms series. There are 8 short stories written by Ed Greenwood, Richard Lee Byers, Clayton Emery, Dave Gross, Paul S. Kemp, Lisa Smedman, and Voronica Whitney-Robinson. Each story involves a particular member of the Uskevren family and servants. I’ll give a few “plus’ and minus’” for each story and a basic and simple rundown of the plot.
The Patriarch- The Burning Chalice by Ed Greenwood: The story revolves around Thamalon Uskevren and how he came to be the patriarch of House Uskevren along with how he stays the patriarch.
Positives:
*I was hard pressed to find something interesting and good about the story. The only major thing I was really impressed with was setting up the rivalries between the families.
Negatives:
* The sudden rush of various names. It wouldn’t be as bad if it was a long story but with having 15 people (I’m exaggerating a little) being introduced around the same time is just to many names. Not only that, but most of them you only see once and has a brief scene or a word or two said.
* The action was all blurred together. This is the hardest thing to explain. Basically, what happens is that a person starts to do something and the action is suddenly cut away from that action to another person without even completing the first action. It was just disjointed and confusing.
* The details and lack of details. It is a detailed story, however, most of the important details are left out. Instead you the descriptions don’t really pertain to the overall story.
1.5/5
The Matriarch- Song of Chaos by Richard Lee Byers: The story revolves around Shamur Uskevren and her daughter Thazienne as they go to an opera. The opera takes a bad turn. The story shows a lot on Shamur’s past.
Positives:
*The flow of the story was well done. It was a pretty quick read, but enjoyable.
*I liked the use of flashbacks. I can’t really go much into detail without showing a lot of the plot, but I will say that even though they may have popped up in important scenes, it made sense in the end.
*Somewhat psychological aspects. I enjoy psychological stories. Granted it’s not a thriller, but has some psychological ideas behind the story.
Negatives:
*The story seemed to tell a lot about Thazienne. It’s not really a big negative, but the story’s focus should be on Shamur. Instead about 90% of the story is on Shamur and 10% on Thazienne.
4/5
The Heir- Night School by Clayton Emery: The story involves Thamalon Uskevren II (Tamlin) and the events that happen to him and his ‘bodyguards’ when trying to make a business meeting.
Positives:
*The dialogue. Most of it was funny and enjoyable to read. Tamlin’s laziness and general stupidity in some matters were hilarious.
*The main characters. I enjoyed Tamlin, Escevar, and Vox. Tamlin was a funny little flop. Escevar seemed more real and grounded of the three. Vox was interesting even though he didn’t say anything.
Negatives:
*Slow to build up. The first few scenes were a little annoying in that they seemed to drag on.
*Cliché. The whole story had a clichéd feel. It just felt like it’s been done before.
*Convenient solution. Once you read the part, you’ll understand.
3/5The Daughter- The Price by Voronica Whitney-Robinson: The story involves Thazienne Uskevren and her ‘adventures’ after a masquerade.
Positives:
* Good flow. The story was another quick read. Very enjoyable and fun.
*Interesting character. Thazienne is the main focus here and she is really brought to life.
*Surprises at the end. Truthfully I was really surprised.
Negatives:
*The only thing I felt was bad with the story is that the other supporting characters weren’t developed enough. The one in particular was Steorf.
4.5/5
The Second Son- Thirty Days by Dave Gross: Involves the second Uskevren son, Talbot. Supernatural occurrences follow.
Positives:
*Once again, Flow. Quick fun read.
*Developed Characters. I thought that Talbot was very well-developed and same with his pal Chaney.
*Interesting circumstances. What happens is obvious but after that it was a little different, in a good way.
Negatives:
*Once more, I was hard pressed to find any real bad negatives. The only one I’ve come across was the story was a little cliché.
4.5/5
The Butler- Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp: Details the shadowy life of the butler, Erevis Cale.
Positive:
*Basically the story was pretty good. I just am going to be repeating the positives that I’ve already listed over again …
Negatives:
*There is one thing I didn’t like. It doesn’t pertain to this story but everyone else’s. It seemed like Cale and Thamalon I was a totally different characters when shown in the earlier stories. Maybe it was because Cale had to act the part, which I understand. Then Thamalon seemed more like a uncaring person in the other stories, where here, he seems likable. Not a big deal but just an observation.
5/5
The Maid- Skin Deep by Lisa Smedman. Details the story of how the maid, Larajin, finds out her past and how it affects her present.
Positives:
*I liked the character of Larajin. Pretty much the same general reasons why I liked the other characters a liked. Felt real.
*For the last time, Flow.
*The only story to take two characters for them previous story and made it right. Talbot and Larajin’s friendship stayed the same as it was in Dave Gross’ story “Thirty Days.” Also, events that happened in Voronica Whitney-Robinson’s “The Price” showed up here.
Negatives:
*Clichéd story. Been there done that feel.
*Not really suspenseful. It seemed like it was trying, but it didn’t work.
3.5/5
Overall, the stories were very good. The characters were well done and enjoy reading about most of them.
The Patriarch- The Burning Chalice by Ed Greenwood: The story revolves around Thamalon Uskevren and how he came to be the patriarch of House Uskevren along with how he stays the patriarch.
Positives:
*I was hard pressed to find something interesting and good about the story. The only major thing I was really impressed with was setting up the rivalries between the families.
Negatives:
* The sudden rush of various names. It wouldn’t be as bad if it was a long story but with having 15 people (I’m exaggerating a little) being introduced around the same time is just to many names. Not only that, but most of them you only see once and has a brief scene or a word or two said.
* The action was all blurred together. This is the hardest thing to explain. Basically, what happens is that a person starts to do something and the action is suddenly cut away from that action to another person without even completing the first action. It was just disjointed and confusing.
* The details and lack of details. It is a detailed story, however, most of the important details are left out. Instead you the descriptions don’t really pertain to the overall story.
1.5/5
The Matriarch- Song of Chaos by Richard Lee Byers: The story revolves around Shamur Uskevren and her daughter Thazienne as they go to an opera. The opera takes a bad turn. The story shows a lot on Shamur’s past.
Positives:
*The flow of the story was well done. It was a pretty quick read, but enjoyable.
*I liked the use of flashbacks. I can’t really go much into detail without showing a lot of the plot, but I will say that even though they may have popped up in important scenes, it made sense in the end.
*Somewhat psychological aspects. I enjoy psychological stories. Granted it’s not a thriller, but has some psychological ideas behind the story.
Negatives:
*The story seemed to tell a lot about Thazienne. It’s not really a big negative, but the story’s focus should be on Shamur. Instead about 90% of the story is on Shamur and 10% on Thazienne.
4/5
The Heir- Night School by Clayton Emery: The story involves Thamalon Uskevren II (Tamlin) and the events that happen to him and his ‘bodyguards’ when trying to make a business meeting.
Positives:
*The dialogue. Most of it was funny and enjoyable to read. Tamlin’s laziness and general stupidity in some matters were hilarious.
*The main characters. I enjoyed Tamlin, Escevar, and Vox. Tamlin was a funny little flop. Escevar seemed more real and grounded of the three. Vox was interesting even though he didn’t say anything.
Negatives:
*Slow to build up. The first few scenes were a little annoying in that they seemed to drag on.
*Cliché. The whole story had a clichéd feel. It just felt like it’s been done before.
*Convenient solution. Once you read the part, you’ll understand.
3/5The Daughter- The Price by Voronica Whitney-Robinson: The story involves Thazienne Uskevren and her ‘adventures’ after a masquerade.
Positives:
* Good flow. The story was another quick read. Very enjoyable and fun.
*Interesting character. Thazienne is the main focus here and she is really brought to life.
*Surprises at the end. Truthfully I was really surprised.
Negatives:
*The only thing I felt was bad with the story is that the other supporting characters weren’t developed enough. The one in particular was Steorf.
4.5/5
The Second Son- Thirty Days by Dave Gross: Involves the second Uskevren son, Talbot. Supernatural occurrences follow.
Positives:
*Once again, Flow. Quick fun read.
*Developed Characters. I thought that Talbot was very well-developed and same with his pal Chaney.
*Interesting circumstances. What happens is obvious but after that it was a little different, in a good way.
Negatives:
*Once more, I was hard pressed to find any real bad negatives. The only one I’ve come across was the story was a little cliché.
4.5/5
The Butler- Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp: Details the shadowy life of the butler, Erevis Cale.
Positive:
*Basically the story was pretty good. I just am going to be repeating the positives that I’ve already listed over again …
Negatives:
*There is one thing I didn’t like. It doesn’t pertain to this story but everyone else’s. It seemed like Cale and Thamalon I was a totally different characters when shown in the earlier stories. Maybe it was because Cale had to act the part, which I understand. Then Thamalon seemed more like a uncaring person in the other stories, where here, he seems likable. Not a big deal but just an observation.
5/5
The Maid- Skin Deep by Lisa Smedman. Details the story of how the maid, Larajin, finds out her past and how it affects her present.
Positives:
*I liked the character of Larajin. Pretty much the same general reasons why I liked the other characters a liked. Felt real.
*For the last time, Flow.
*The only story to take two characters for them previous story and made it right. Talbot and Larajin’s friendship stayed the same as it was in Dave Gross’ story “Thirty Days.” Also, events that happened in Voronica Whitney-Robinson’s “The Price” showed up here.
Negatives:
*Clichéd story. Been there done that feel.
*Not really suspenseful. It seemed like it was trying, but it didn’t work.
3.5/5
Overall, the stories were very good. The characters were well done and enjoy reading about most of them.
July 12, 2014
This anthology of short stories centred on the Uskevren family of Sembia is a great introduction to some of the most prominent characters in the area. It was a quick and enjoyable read, with some stories being better than others. I'll give a quick review of each story below:
The Patriarch: The Burning Chalice by Ed Greenwood. I found this story incredibly difficult to follow. For a piece meant to serve as an introduction to a new place and character, it felt like you were thrown into a story that had been going for multiple books previously. Lots of names mentioned in a sort span, making it difficult to keep track of who was who. I also found the frequent time shifts/ flashbacks to be disorienting, as I felt as though I simply didn't know enough about Thamalon at that point to care about or his past or understand the significance of it. This is definitely the worst story out of the bunch, and as a result I'll likely be very wary of reading anything by this author in the future (which is a shame, because Ed Greenwood created the realms). 1/5
The Matriarch: Song of Chaos by Richard Lee Byers. Like the above story, I found this entry to be difficult to follow due to the frequent flashbacks, many of which occurred right in the middle of the action. Once again, as an introduction to the character of Shamur it felt disorienting to have these flashbacks giving you information about the character's past when you haven't yet learned who she is in the now. The addition of the daughter Tazi, who is also the subject of one of the stories, muddled the "introductory" experience about the mother. 2/5
The Heir: Night School by Clayton Emery. This is where things start to pick up a little and the book becomes more enjoyable. The characters, especially Tamlin, come off as stereotypical and predictable (I couldn't help but think of Dorian Grey whenever Tamlin spoke), but the banter and dialogue between the characters was entertaining. The story also very much captured the feeling of an introduction to the character and mercantile mindset of Sembia as a whole. 3/5
The Second Son: Thirty Days by Dave Gross. This was a great, quick read that gave me enough information to be interested about the character of Talbot that the ending felt like a true cliffhanger. I would definitely be interested in reading more about the character. I also appreciated Talbot's interactions with all the other members of his household here; it gave a great impression not only of who the characters are but of how the family functions better than any of the other stories in the anthology. 5/5
The Butler: Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp. This author is the reason why I picked up the anthology in the first place. I wasn't very familiar with the extent of Kemp's work, but had heard about his character Erevis Cale and picked up Shadowbred as my starting point. I loved the book, and decided to go back and read his earlier works to learn more about the origins of the character before I continued with that trilogy. It did not disappoint, and in fact was my favourite story of the bunch. Definitely a great introduction to Cale as a character and Kemp as an author, however the mention of multiple religious sects near the end of the story was a bit disorienting for someone new to this area of the realms. 5/5
The Maid: Skin Deep by Lisa Smedman. I enjoyed this story a lot, and would consider reading the author's other works because of it. Without spoiling anything, I will say that a lot more questions than answers were provided about this character, and I would have preferred to get to know her a bit better before having some big bombshells dropped regarding her past, as I found I hadn't yet developed enough empathy with the character to feel any weight behind those revelations. 4/5
Overall, this anthology is a nice collection of stories about a prominent family in Sembia and also serves as a quick introduction to multiple writers in the Realms.
The Patriarch: The Burning Chalice by Ed Greenwood. I found this story incredibly difficult to follow. For a piece meant to serve as an introduction to a new place and character, it felt like you were thrown into a story that had been going for multiple books previously. Lots of names mentioned in a sort span, making it difficult to keep track of who was who. I also found the frequent time shifts/ flashbacks to be disorienting, as I felt as though I simply didn't know enough about Thamalon at that point to care about or his past or understand the significance of it. This is definitely the worst story out of the bunch, and as a result I'll likely be very wary of reading anything by this author in the future (which is a shame, because Ed Greenwood created the realms). 1/5
The Matriarch: Song of Chaos by Richard Lee Byers. Like the above story, I found this entry to be difficult to follow due to the frequent flashbacks, many of which occurred right in the middle of the action. Once again, as an introduction to the character of Shamur it felt disorienting to have these flashbacks giving you information about the character's past when you haven't yet learned who she is in the now. The addition of the daughter Tazi, who is also the subject of one of the stories, muddled the "introductory" experience about the mother. 2/5
The Heir: Night School by Clayton Emery. This is where things start to pick up a little and the book becomes more enjoyable. The characters, especially Tamlin, come off as stereotypical and predictable (I couldn't help but think of Dorian Grey whenever Tamlin spoke), but the banter and dialogue between the characters was entertaining. The story also very much captured the feeling of an introduction to the character and mercantile mindset of Sembia as a whole. 3/5
The Second Son: Thirty Days by Dave Gross. This was a great, quick read that gave me enough information to be interested about the character of Talbot that the ending felt like a true cliffhanger. I would definitely be interested in reading more about the character. I also appreciated Talbot's interactions with all the other members of his household here; it gave a great impression not only of who the characters are but of how the family functions better than any of the other stories in the anthology. 5/5
The Butler: Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp. This author is the reason why I picked up the anthology in the first place. I wasn't very familiar with the extent of Kemp's work, but had heard about his character Erevis Cale and picked up Shadowbred as my starting point. I loved the book, and decided to go back and read his earlier works to learn more about the origins of the character before I continued with that trilogy. It did not disappoint, and in fact was my favourite story of the bunch. Definitely a great introduction to Cale as a character and Kemp as an author, however the mention of multiple religious sects near the end of the story was a bit disorienting for someone new to this area of the realms. 5/5
The Maid: Skin Deep by Lisa Smedman. I enjoyed this story a lot, and would consider reading the author's other works because of it. Without spoiling anything, I will say that a lot more questions than answers were provided about this character, and I would have preferred to get to know her a bit better before having some big bombshells dropped regarding her past, as I found I hadn't yet developed enough empathy with the character to feel any weight behind those revelations. 4/5
Overall, this anthology is a nice collection of stories about a prominent family in Sembia and also serves as a quick introduction to multiple writers in the Realms.
March 16, 2020
Sembia: Gateway to the Realms is apparently what WotC wanted as an introduction to those interested in the Forgotten Realms. From the blurb on the back: “This anthology of seven stories introduces not just one realm of good and evil, not just one family of troubled heroes, but the whole of the remarkable Forgotten Realms world. Their adventure, and yours, begins here.” It acts essentially as a prologue to the succeeding six novels. Each story also has really good foreshadowing for things revealed in the following stories.
The Patriarch: The Burning Chalice by Ed Greenwood
About Thamalon Uskevren, Lord of Stormweather Towers. Goes back I time to explain how Thamalon inherited his families leadership. The present scene is a pretender trying to say he is Perivel, Thanalon’s older brother. A little jumpy in its telling. Ended differently than expected, but nonetheless satisfying.
The Matriarch: Song of Chaos by Richard Lee Byers.
About Shamur Uskevren. With her daughter, Tazi, trapped in a theater hall with a foul opera causing all sorts of chaos to erupt around the place. Remember a gorgon is a bull in D&D and not the traditional mythic creature, though it can still petrify(but not with its sight). Disturbing. “Phantasmagoria” is the word Byers uses. The jumping has Shamur loving pivotal moments of his past (and the future?), which are fun to read and digest.
The Heir: Night School by Clayton Emery
About Tamlin Uskevren and a secret business deal his father has sent him on. Tamlin is incompetent and it is quite amusing as he blunders along.
The Daughter: The Price by Voronica Whitney-Robinson
About Thazienne “Tazi” Uskevren. She lives a double life of a pampered noble with suitors at her heel, and a more hushed and cloaked life at night. I don’t think this is the last we’ll see of these characters.
The Second Sun: Thirty Days by Dave Gross about Talbot Uskevren. An awry hunting trip sets young Tal on a ride he hardly expected to experience. Mistress quickly on of 226 is like Wife is Bath(gap in teeth and five husbands). To this point I found Talbot the most likable from such a short story.
The Butler: Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp
Introduction to the much loved Erevis Cale, Butler to the Uskevrens and trained killer and rogue. He finds himself in a pickle of loyalty;protecting the Uskevren’s and keeping the rouse of spying on them is about to get a lot tougher, and bloodier,
The Maid: Skin Deep by Lisa Smedman
About Larajin. The story is about discovery as Larkin finds out more about herself. Lots of revel here, and they were satisfactorily foreshadowed.
Overall it was enjoyable, but the shorter stories lend themselves to less consistent entertainment because there is less to get invested in.
The Patriarch: The Burning Chalice by Ed Greenwood
About Thamalon Uskevren, Lord of Stormweather Towers. Goes back I time to explain how Thamalon inherited his families leadership. The present scene is a pretender trying to say he is Perivel, Thanalon’s older brother. A little jumpy in its telling. Ended differently than expected, but nonetheless satisfying.
The Matriarch: Song of Chaos by Richard Lee Byers.
About Shamur Uskevren. With her daughter, Tazi, trapped in a theater hall with a foul opera causing all sorts of chaos to erupt around the place. Remember a gorgon is a bull in D&D and not the traditional mythic creature, though it can still petrify(but not with its sight). Disturbing. “Phantasmagoria” is the word Byers uses. The jumping has Shamur loving pivotal moments of his past (and the future?), which are fun to read and digest.
The Heir: Night School by Clayton Emery
About Tamlin Uskevren and a secret business deal his father has sent him on. Tamlin is incompetent and it is quite amusing as he blunders along.
The Daughter: The Price by Voronica Whitney-Robinson
About Thazienne “Tazi” Uskevren. She lives a double life of a pampered noble with suitors at her heel, and a more hushed and cloaked life at night. I don’t think this is the last we’ll see of these characters.
The Second Sun: Thirty Days by Dave Gross about Talbot Uskevren. An awry hunting trip sets young Tal on a ride he hardly expected to experience. Mistress quickly on of 226 is like Wife is Bath(gap in teeth and five husbands). To this point I found Talbot the most likable from such a short story.
The Butler: Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp
Introduction to the much loved Erevis Cale, Butler to the Uskevrens and trained killer and rogue. He finds himself in a pickle of loyalty;protecting the Uskevren’s and keeping the rouse of spying on them is about to get a lot tougher, and bloodier,
The Maid: Skin Deep by Lisa Smedman
About Larajin. The story is about discovery as Larkin finds out more about herself. Lots of revel here, and they were satisfactorily foreshadowed.
Overall it was enjoyable, but the shorter stories lend themselves to less consistent entertainment because there is less to get invested in.
March 28, 2022
Like many have already noted, this is a great entry point into the Forgotten Realms universe.
I say universe and not books because the books prior to this are... iffy. This is definitely a better starting point than Darkwalker on Moonshae , which I did read some time after this one. (Nothing against that book or Douglas Niles as an author, it was an okay story--but just okay.) Of course, I didn't know what was going on in this book, this collection of short stories about (I guess) the Uskevren family. The writing itself was alright, the story decent, but it all had a kind of energy that I found essential in wanting to continue reading in this universe.
Alas, I am one of those sad folk who feels compelled to read a series in publication order. Why? Well, if you're one of those people too, you understand why. If not... well, my justification is not really the best, so we'll just leave it at that. But suffice to say, many (if not all) of the Forgotten Realms books that follow Darkwalker are ROUGH if you're not a kid in the early 90s who's never read much fantasy.
I digress.
Perhaps the most interesting character out of the bunch was Erevis Cale. Layers of mystery there. What can I say? I'm kind of hooked. I'll definitely read the rest of the Sembia series, and I'll continue to work my way through the back catalog of older novels. (I'm currently somewhere in the mid-late 90s, I think, and I finally found one I actually enjoyed!)
I say universe and not books because the books prior to this are... iffy. This is definitely a better starting point than Darkwalker on Moonshae , which I did read some time after this one. (Nothing against that book or Douglas Niles as an author, it was an okay story--but just okay.) Of course, I didn't know what was going on in this book, this collection of short stories about (I guess) the Uskevren family. The writing itself was alright, the story decent, but it all had a kind of energy that I found essential in wanting to continue reading in this universe.
Alas, I am one of those sad folk who feels compelled to read a series in publication order. Why? Well, if you're one of those people too, you understand why. If not... well, my justification is not really the best, so we'll just leave it at that. But suffice to say, many (if not all) of the Forgotten Realms books that follow Darkwalker are ROUGH if you're not a kid in the early 90s who's never read much fantasy.
I digress.
Perhaps the most interesting character out of the bunch was Erevis Cale. Layers of mystery there. What can I say? I'm kind of hooked. I'll definitely read the rest of the Sembia series, and I'll continue to work my way through the back catalog of older novels. (I'm currently somewhere in the mid-late 90s, I think, and I finally found one I actually enjoyed!)
November 12, 2010
Some nice stories, some a bit disappointing. Having various authors write different chapters means there was little continuity, except when it related to Talbot.
I expect that these are preludes to upcoming novels, but unfortunately due to the way it is presented that does not really work as well as it should.
Some tales simply ended too abruptly. I liked the tales on Thamalon (especially as the final tale on Larajin cast a particular light on the tale) from Ed Greenwood, the one on Erevis Cale from Paul Kemp, and the one on Talbot from Dave Gross, but cared less for those on Shamur (which was too chaotic even though it seems very foreshadowing - and I didn't like the 'look-alike' idea behind Shamur and her niece) or Thazienne (mostly as it links poorly to other stories - though that may be because the order of stories is rather confusing - and because, for a change, I'd like a noble/rich merchant daughter who ISN'T an adventurer-thief, just like her mother...)
Oh well, I may re-evaluate when I read the sequel books.
I expect that these are preludes to upcoming novels, but unfortunately due to the way it is presented that does not really work as well as it should.
Some tales simply ended too abruptly. I liked the tales on Thamalon (especially as the final tale on Larajin cast a particular light on the tale) from Ed Greenwood, the one on Erevis Cale from Paul Kemp, and the one on Talbot from Dave Gross, but cared less for those on Shamur (which was too chaotic even though it seems very foreshadowing - and I didn't like the 'look-alike' idea behind Shamur and her niece) or Thazienne (mostly as it links poorly to other stories - though that may be because the order of stories is rather confusing - and because, for a change, I'd like a noble/rich merchant daughter who ISN'T an adventurer-thief, just like her mother...)
Oh well, I may re-evaluate when I read the sequel books.
January 3, 2013
This book is full of strong authors in the Realms. At the time I was keen on following the Erevis Cale story arc so I immediacy read Paul Kemp's story depicting Erevis' life in Selgaunt following his flight from Westgate (Dragon 277). I will say that Paul's grasp of character is addictive. He is certainly a writer that can draw you in and make you feel what they feel. Shadow's Witness is next!
I also scanned Lisa Smedman's contribution to this work and will also be returning to read more of her work. She is another great character author who has a strong voice. Dave Gross also caught my attention and has sparked some further interest in the Sembia series, particularly following House Uskevren's youngest son.
Thanks for this book...all of those involved!
I also scanned Lisa Smedman's contribution to this work and will also be returning to read more of her work. She is another great character author who has a strong voice. Dave Gross also caught my attention and has sparked some further interest in the Sembia series, particularly following House Uskevren's youngest son.
Thanks for this book...all of those involved!
April 30, 2012
This book grew on me a bit. I hated the early chapters, and decided to power through it in a weekend. After realizing that each of the stories was written by a different author, I had hopes that the later characters/chapters would be more interesting. This was also my first run in with Erevis Cale, which was easily my favorite portion of the book. I will be adding that trilogy to my "to-read" list.
October 11, 2022
A great introduction to the family and Erevis Cale. So many secrets and difficulties.
January 9, 2015
Someone please stop Greenwood from writing anything ever again. These other people can continue writing. A few of them show promise.
November 21, 2018
A collection of short stories setting up the realm of Sembia.
I read this in order to get more background info in regards to Cale. It did just that.
I read this in order to get more background info in regards to Cale. It did just that.
March 4, 2019
This was a set of short stories concerning one merchant family in Serbia that will continue through another seven novels in a format similar to Thieves World or Liavek. More than half of these stories kept me interested enough to want to read more, which is a good sign. Of course, those stories were written by the top authors, of no surprise to me. Of the best, I will only note that the initial story concerning Cale is my personal favorite because of all the players involved in it. I am guessing that because there were seven more installments of Sembia that there was enough commercial success and fan interest to keep the series going over that large a course of novels, which means for me that I can look forward to some more good stuff that was contained in this novel. Fingers crossed
June 26, 2022
This is one of the best collections of short stories I have ever come across. I can only complain a little about the first story, which is not surprising, since it was written by Ed (with all due respect to the creator of the setting, of course). However, this story is still better than most of his other works. And it is very surprising that many criticize Clayton Emery's shortstory, which I find to be amazing. Perhaps it turned out to be the easiest and funniest, and the main characters are very lively and colorful. It's always nice when a story makes you laugh out loud.
In general, I think that the idea of having different authors write from the perspective of members of the same household is just great. It creates the feeling that you observe and fathom the life of the family in its entirety. And this is no ordinary family, I must say…
In general, I think that the idea of having different authors write from the perspective of members of the same household is just great. It creates the feeling that you observe and fathom the life of the family in its entirety. And this is no ordinary family, I must say…
October 20, 2023
Anthology of seven, somewhat related stories each by a different author. The stories have a common theme which is a noble family in Selgaunt, Sembia. Each story focuses on one member of the family. I enjoyed this format, and I think it introduces the reader to the setting which will be developed further in subsequent novels.
Here are my ratings for each of the stories. My favorites were The Butler and The Maid. Some of the others were Ok, and the Matriarch felt too disjointed for me to enjoy.
Overall rating is a solid 4 for the collection.
The Patriarch (3/5)
The Matriarch (2/5)
The Heir (3/5)
The Daughter (4/5)
The Second Son (4/5)
The Butler (5/5)
The Maid (5/5)
Here are my ratings for each of the stories. My favorites were The Butler and The Maid. Some of the others were Ok, and the Matriarch felt too disjointed for me to enjoy.
Overall rating is a solid 4 for the collection.
The Patriarch (3/5)
The Matriarch (2/5)
The Heir (3/5)
The Daughter (4/5)
The Second Son (4/5)
The Butler (5/5)
The Maid (5/5)
July 19, 2023
4.5 stars: This is one of the best Forgotten Realms books I've read! The short stories weave together perfectly, and do exactly what they were meant to do, introduce you to the main characters in the Sembia series, and interest you in reading more of it! I really love this style of shared universe between authors, where characters from one story can and do show up in another story it reminded me of Thieves World books. Originally I read this book to read about Erevis Cale, but honestly the other characters are just as interesting (if not more so) Excited to continue this series!
September 4, 2017
Forgotten Realms novel. I read it in my youth while RPG'ing D&D (one of the earlier versions of the game) and loved picking up immersive novels for the setting (okay yes, Forgotten Realms and D&D were slightly different campaign settings but the concepts were basically the same). It's a different experience picking up the novels again as an adult when many years have passed since I last read the books. Still a fun read.
April 23, 2018
Linguists often translated the term as "fate" or "destiny" but (he) knew its meaning to be subtly different-something more like "the necessary consequence of previous choices."
"I am busy dying. Please don't bother me now."
"You're a square peg in a round hole." he said. "Try as you may, you're unable to smooth off your corners."
"I am busy dying. Please don't bother me now."
"You're a square peg in a round hole." he said. "Try as you may, you're unable to smooth off your corners."
December 28, 2021
This book is an anthology told in seven parts by seven different Forgotten Realms authors about different people who live in Stormweather From the Lord, Lady and their children to the butler and maid. It was a good book. Each story was different enough to keep the readers interest. I really like reading about Everis Cales beginnings as I've read the two trilogies about him and loved them.
July 25, 2022
I really liked the format of this book: each story follows a different family member and is written by a different author. All stories are sort of (un)related adventures with no clear resolution, used mostly to introduce the world, characters and stakes. Some might dislike this, but it worked for me. The Halls Of Stormweather is one of the better FR novels I've read so far.
August 27, 2023
It was okay. Since it serves as a prelude to the Sembia series, the stories are largely inconclusive and only have minor connects to one another (except that the stories are based off one family, obviously). Some of the stories were interesting and others were pretty bland, pretty typical for a book that has multiple authors.
November 5, 2024
This is barely 3 stars. This was a frustrating book to read. It's the first book in the series and they decided it would be a good idea to have a bunch of authors write a bunch of stories about a single family in Sembia. Anthologies have worked well as the first book exactly one time, and it wasn't here. If they had done an anthology at like book 5 or 6, probably a totally different outcome.
July 17, 2018
It's actually not perfect, but my nostalgia for the Realms gives it some extra points. An action-packed fantasy anthology, with some annoying discrepancies between the different authors describing the same characters and situations differently. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
February 27, 2019
Even though this was written by 7 different authors I like how each one highlights a different character in their own special way. Very interesting getting a glimpse at each characters backstory.
December 12, 2020
Finished 2 weeks ago. This was a little confusing but makes sense in the context of the rest of the Sembia series. I liked it.
November 24, 2021
I'm a fan of some of the stories, not so much others. Still worth reading
August 13, 2023
Boring.
July 9, 2024
A series of interconnected stories by different authors. I especially liked the last two by Paul S. Kemp and Lisa Smedman, but I have enjoyed their work before so that's no big surprise.
March 4, 2010
Well, isn't this an interesting book... The first in a set of seven books set in the Forgotten Realms region of Sembia, it's clearly an introduction to the books that follow. It's a set of seven stories, one by each of the authors, each about one member of the Uskevren family of Selgaunt. I get the impression that each book following will take off from one of the seven stories here. (Obviously there are only six more books, so one story won't get extended, but still...)
So: the stories. The book starts with Ed Greenwood, writing in his usual dry style that drives me batty. The book finishes strong with Paul Kemp and the story of Erevis Cale (the most action-packed story of the collection), followed by Lisa Smedman telling the story of the budding acolyte of a maid Larajin (Smedman doing her usual fine job of making the magic of D&D intricate and fascinating.) The middle stores are fine, but nothing special.
4/5 stars: it had some good moments, and leaves me interested in reading more.
So: the stories. The book starts with Ed Greenwood, writing in his usual dry style that drives me batty. The book finishes strong with Paul Kemp and the story of Erevis Cale (the most action-packed story of the collection), followed by Lisa Smedman telling the story of the budding acolyte of a maid Larajin (Smedman doing her usual fine job of making the magic of D&D intricate and fascinating.) The middle stores are fine, but nothing special.
4/5 stars: it had some good moments, and leaves me interested in reading more.
December 27, 2009
I read this quite awhile ago, but I remember kinda liking it. I mean, I gave it 4 stars. Written about a merchant family in the merchant kingdom of Sembia, each chapter has a new author and introduces an new character/family member, with one story about the butler and one about the maid.
If I recall correctly, the first story is by Ed Greenwood, and that was was typically confusing and less entertaining, but several others were very good. They deffinitely do enough make you want to read each character's individual novel. I also know that the butler has a hole series of books of his own.
Anywho, a fast read and probably a good place to start if you are gonna get into the Sembia series.
If I recall correctly, the first story is by Ed Greenwood, and that was was typically confusing and less entertaining, but several others were very good. They deffinitely do enough make you want to read each character's individual novel. I also know that the butler has a hole series of books of his own.
Anywho, a fast read and probably a good place to start if you are gonna get into the Sembia series.
April 9, 2012
I really enjoy short fiction even if i read very little of it and i love the realms so a collection of 7 short intertwined stories all set in them was a no brainer for me. there was no way i was not going to read and enjoy this. and i was in no way disappointed all of the stories were well done, particularly Ed Greenwood, but this should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his work. the real shining light for me was Paul S. Kemp and Lisa Smedman neither of whom i was acquainted with before now but who i genuinely intend to find and read more from. fortunately this series continues with a novel for each of the short stories so i will not have to go far to find more offerings from all these outstanding fantasists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews