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Forgotten Realms: Empires #3
Crusade
Picking up from where Dragonwall left off, the book sheds light on the Cormyrean king, masterminding and then leading the crusade in the defense of the entire continent following the invasion of eastern Faerun, Ashanath, Rashemen, and Thesk, by Khahan Yamun and the Tuigan horsemen. Whereas Horselords looks at the story from the point of view of Koja and the Tuigan, and Dragonwall looks at the continuation of the same story from the point of view of General Batu and the Shou Lung, Crusade is written from King Azoun's and subsequently the West's perspective. In addition, there are two parallel stories running: the king's relations with Alusair, his estranged daughter, and the adventures of John Razor, a fletcher from Suzail, as he takes part in the Crusade.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1991
5 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
James Lowder
85 books102 followersaka Richard Awlinson, J D Lowder, Jim Lowder
James Lowder has worked extensively in fantasy and horror fiction on both sides of the editorial blotter. He's authored several best-selling dark fantasy novels, including Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose, and has had short fiction appear in such anthologies as Shadows Over Baker Street and Genius Loci. He's penned comic book scripts for several companies and the city of Boston. His book and film reviews, feature articles, and role-playing game design work can be found in such diverse publications as Amazing Stories, Milwaukee Magazine, and The New England Journal of History. As an editor, he's directed lines or series for TSR, Green Knight Publishing, Chaosium, and CDS Books. He's helmed more than twenty anthologies, including Hobby Games: The 100 Best and Curse of the Full Moon. In the media, he is a regular contributor to the Public Radio show "Lake Effect" in Milwaukee, provided werewolf lore on the TV show Weird or What? and tabletop game industry lore for the documentary The Dreams in Gary's Basement, and served as a puppeteer on the indie film Misfit Heights.
James Lowder has worked extensively in fantasy and horror fiction on both sides of the editorial blotter. He's authored several best-selling dark fantasy novels, including Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose, and has had short fiction appear in such anthologies as Shadows Over Baker Street and Genius Loci. He's penned comic book scripts for several companies and the city of Boston. His book and film reviews, feature articles, and role-playing game design work can be found in such diverse publications as Amazing Stories, Milwaukee Magazine, and The New England Journal of History. As an editor, he's directed lines or series for TSR, Green Knight Publishing, Chaosium, and CDS Books. He's helmed more than twenty anthologies, including Hobby Games: The 100 Best and Curse of the Full Moon. In the media, he is a regular contributor to the Public Radio show "Lake Effect" in Milwaukee, provided werewolf lore on the TV show Weird or What? and tabletop game industry lore for the documentary The Dreams in Gary's Basement, and served as a puppeteer on the indie film Misfit Heights.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 9, 2020
Crusade was a pretty good read. While by no means one of the top notch TSR books it tells a fairly interesting story.
King Azoun of Cormyr is facing a horde of Tuigan (think Mongol) horde. Azoun bands together with a motley band of nations to face the horde. While the action was pretty good and the overall story was good as well there were a few issues that detracted from the overall quality.
First and foremost is the annoying character of Alusair, Azoun's daughter. I did not care for her at all. At the start of the story all we know is that she had run off years ago, but shows up in the company of a Dwarven contingent to the army. The author says she helped the dwarves fight off orcish invaders and that was fine, but it also states she was some kind of strategist. Not freaking likely since when the dwarves formed a schiltron formation (a compact body of pikemen formed into a square to repulse cavalry charges) she seems astonished. Ok then.
Just as a side note, in real life the schiltron formation (never called as such in the book) really is the best formation against cavalry. It derives from an Old English term sceld-trome which roughly means "shield-troop" and is likely comes into being as a form of the Anglo-Saxon/Norse shield wall concept. From Scottish troops during the 13th and 14th centuries, Swiss Reisläufer (literally "one who goes to war", from the Middle High German Reise, meaning "military campaign") of the 15th century to the German Landsknechte (a Germanic compound that combines Land and Knecht to form "servant of the land") of Charles, Duke of Burgundy- were all used to devastating effect against cavalry charges.
Errr enough history...back to me bitching about Alusair. She also has the gall to say that the Dwarves she serves with are cold and unfeeling (mind you these dwarves all lost their entire familes to invaders) and that shows she is a clueless fool. I could have done without her.
There are some other issues like the dumbass tactics used by the Tuigans. If they are Mongol-based (and they are since they live in yurts, ride shaggy ponies and use recurve bows) well that makes them light cavalry that utilize archers and would rely on shock assault (the province of heavy cavalry such as armored knights of Western Europe) as a last resort. So no they would not ride to within 50 yards and launch some arrows and then launch a frontal assault. That's suicidal and the Mongols aren't stupid. But apparently the Tuigan are. I must also point out that when Azoun says the Cormyrian longbows are more powerful than the recurve bows-that is absolutely NOT true. Quite the opposite. The longbow will allow your arrows to fly straighter as they are less liable to string torque , whereas the recurve bow has a unique curved shape that allows the archer to store and deliver a higher amount of energy in the bow than other types. This means not only is it more powerful, but it's also faster. So no thats utter balderdash to say a longbow is more powerful than a recurve (which is the type of bow used by most nomadic steppes peoples).
I know, I know...why do I care about this kind of thing in a D&D based story? Hell if I know but I tend to get irritated by people blathering about military subjects when they are generally just making shit up or regurgitating popular misconceptions.
Anyways...good story, decent action but nothing special.
King Azoun of Cormyr is facing a horde of Tuigan (think Mongol) horde. Azoun bands together with a motley band of nations to face the horde. While the action was pretty good and the overall story was good as well there were a few issues that detracted from the overall quality.
First and foremost is the annoying character of Alusair, Azoun's daughter. I did not care for her at all. At the start of the story all we know is that she had run off years ago, but shows up in the company of a Dwarven contingent to the army. The author says she helped the dwarves fight off orcish invaders and that was fine, but it also states she was some kind of strategist. Not freaking likely since when the dwarves formed a schiltron formation (a compact body of pikemen formed into a square to repulse cavalry charges) she seems astonished. Ok then.
Just as a side note, in real life the schiltron formation (never called as such in the book) really is the best formation against cavalry. It derives from an Old English term sceld-trome which roughly means "shield-troop" and is likely comes into being as a form of the Anglo-Saxon/Norse shield wall concept. From Scottish troops during the 13th and 14th centuries, Swiss Reisläufer (literally "one who goes to war", from the Middle High German Reise, meaning "military campaign") of the 15th century to the German Landsknechte (a Germanic compound that combines Land and Knecht to form "servant of the land") of Charles, Duke of Burgundy- were all used to devastating effect against cavalry charges.
Errr enough history...back to me bitching about Alusair. She also has the gall to say that the Dwarves she serves with are cold and unfeeling (mind you these dwarves all lost their entire familes to invaders) and that shows she is a clueless fool. I could have done without her.
There are some other issues like the dumbass tactics used by the Tuigans. If they are Mongol-based (and they are since they live in yurts, ride shaggy ponies and use recurve bows) well that makes them light cavalry that utilize archers and would rely on shock assault (the province of heavy cavalry such as armored knights of Western Europe) as a last resort. So no they would not ride to within 50 yards and launch some arrows and then launch a frontal assault. That's suicidal and the Mongols aren't stupid. But apparently the Tuigan are. I must also point out that when Azoun says the Cormyrian longbows are more powerful than the recurve bows-that is absolutely NOT true. Quite the opposite. The longbow will allow your arrows to fly straighter as they are less liable to string torque , whereas the recurve bow has a unique curved shape that allows the archer to store and deliver a higher amount of energy in the bow than other types. This means not only is it more powerful, but it's also faster. So no thats utter balderdash to say a longbow is more powerful than a recurve (which is the type of bow used by most nomadic steppes peoples).
I know, I know...why do I care about this kind of thing in a D&D based story? Hell if I know but I tend to get irritated by people blathering about military subjects when they are generally just making shit up or regurgitating popular misconceptions.
Anyways...good story, decent action but nothing special.
October 9, 2011
Crusade wraps up the Empires trilogy, the plotline that focuses on the Tuigan Horde, and their invasion of Kara-Tur and Faerûn. Like Dragonwall, the book is written from the point-of-view of those fighting against the Tuigan. In this case, that would be one Azoun of Cormyr, and his Crusade. Being as that Azoun is a character who is directly featured in other novels, has supporting roles in other novels, or is simply mentioned in other novels, I would have rather gotten another point-of-view from the Tuigan side. One last time, you know?
The best part of the book was the first half or so, when Azoun was struggling to build a coalition to fend off the Tuigan, and for many reasons. For one, Faerûn is a place that lacks continent-wide international governmental bodies, like the United Nations. The twists and turns that Azoun had to go through to procure the help of everyone- Sembians, Dalefolk, Orcs, Dwarves, and more- was interesting. I’m not too big of a fan of the old “make the ‘good guys’ look like hypocrites when the ‘bad’ guys’ want to do good”, but in this case, that entire schpiel really helped the book- that stuff adds to the total political jockeying that was going on.
The ending was sub optimal, to put it lightly. The ending was not only an ending for the book, but also an ending for the entire trilogy, spanning three books and over well five hundred pages. I didn’t like the way that the ending was written, or what actually happened. In lieu of writing how King Azoun bested Yamun Khahan, James Lowder cheated, in a way. On that final battle, it was written that Azoun didn’t remember much of the struggle between himself and the Tuigan chief, except for fleeing emotions, and a few clear moments, such as when he cut off Yamun’s hand, or when he finally stabbed him in the heart, killing him forever.
That doesn’t bother me as much as the fact that Azoun actually slew Yamun. I can understand why it happened, being as that the conflict was mostly immovable object (Azoun) against immovable object (Yamun), and one had to give, ultimately, the one being “expendable” being Yamun, with Azoun having “plot armor” and all. But, still, Yamun should have bested Azoun and his crusade. Yamun Khahan possibly was the Chosen of Akadi (Teylas), and has withstood (over the course of the books) being struck directly with lightning, poison, and being stabbed, mostly in the heart, like Azoun did. To sum everything up, Yamun Khahan was killed thusly: Fell off of his horse into the mud, got his hand chopped off, was stabbed. Very anticlimactic. I wouldn’t mind Yamun Khahan being killed if it were in a better manner, whatever manner that might be.
And, even that aside, Azoun and his Crusade shouldn’t have ever even gotten that close to Yamun. The trick that the Crusade used- dig lots of holes, make lots of mud, and cover them all with illusions- seems tacky to the point that it should have been discovered. Given the tactics that we know the Tuigan employed, demonstrated in the first two books of the trilogy, the Tuigan tactics are never that “upfront” and “blunt”, to directly charge an opponent face-to-face committing your “real” force.
That aside, the ending and the events leading up to it felt forced and rushed, as if the author realized he was running out of space, and needed to sweep everything under the rug, and tie up all of the loose ends. Batu Min Ho, protagonist of the book before Crusade? Dead, neatly killed. King Torg of Earthfast? Dead, neatly killed. The Tuigan? Nearly 50,000 still remained, and because Yamun died, all 50,000 neatly fled back to the steppes. Koja? Given a “cushy job” in Cormyr. Vrakk? Off in Thesk, out of sight, out of mind. Hell, even Razor John, when he returned to Suzail, it was business as usual, for the most part, as if nothing too major happened.
The best part of the book was the first half or so, when Azoun was struggling to build a coalition to fend off the Tuigan, and for many reasons. For one, Faerûn is a place that lacks continent-wide international governmental bodies, like the United Nations. The twists and turns that Azoun had to go through to procure the help of everyone- Sembians, Dalefolk, Orcs, Dwarves, and more- was interesting. I’m not too big of a fan of the old “make the ‘good guys’ look like hypocrites when the ‘bad’ guys’ want to do good”, but in this case, that entire schpiel really helped the book- that stuff adds to the total political jockeying that was going on.
The ending was sub optimal, to put it lightly. The ending was not only an ending for the book, but also an ending for the entire trilogy, spanning three books and over well five hundred pages. I didn’t like the way that the ending was written, or what actually happened. In lieu of writing how King Azoun bested Yamun Khahan, James Lowder cheated, in a way. On that final battle, it was written that Azoun didn’t remember much of the struggle between himself and the Tuigan chief, except for fleeing emotions, and a few clear moments, such as when he cut off Yamun’s hand, or when he finally stabbed him in the heart, killing him forever.
That doesn’t bother me as much as the fact that Azoun actually slew Yamun. I can understand why it happened, being as that the conflict was mostly immovable object (Azoun) against immovable object (Yamun), and one had to give, ultimately, the one being “expendable” being Yamun, with Azoun having “plot armor” and all. But, still, Yamun should have bested Azoun and his crusade. Yamun Khahan possibly was the Chosen of Akadi (Teylas), and has withstood (over the course of the books) being struck directly with lightning, poison, and being stabbed, mostly in the heart, like Azoun did. To sum everything up, Yamun Khahan was killed thusly: Fell off of his horse into the mud, got his hand chopped off, was stabbed. Very anticlimactic. I wouldn’t mind Yamun Khahan being killed if it were in a better manner, whatever manner that might be.
And, even that aside, Azoun and his Crusade shouldn’t have ever even gotten that close to Yamun. The trick that the Crusade used- dig lots of holes, make lots of mud, and cover them all with illusions- seems tacky to the point that it should have been discovered. Given the tactics that we know the Tuigan employed, demonstrated in the first two books of the trilogy, the Tuigan tactics are never that “upfront” and “blunt”, to directly charge an opponent face-to-face committing your “real” force.
That aside, the ending and the events leading up to it felt forced and rushed, as if the author realized he was running out of space, and needed to sweep everything under the rug, and tie up all of the loose ends. Batu Min Ho, protagonist of the book before Crusade? Dead, neatly killed. King Torg of Earthfast? Dead, neatly killed. The Tuigan? Nearly 50,000 still remained, and because Yamun died, all 50,000 neatly fled back to the steppes. Koja? Given a “cushy job” in Cormyr. Vrakk? Off in Thesk, out of sight, out of mind. Hell, even Razor John, when he returned to Suzail, it was business as usual, for the most part, as if nothing too major happened.
July 18, 2009
This was a good one. I liked the premise of the Western Alliance going against the invading hordes of the East. My biggest issue was that I feel like some stuff I wanted to know was left out. I feel like this section of the series could have had 3 books all to itself. Alas, TSR must have been locked into a 314 page maximum contract with their publisher in the 80's. Also, the endding was slightly underwhelming...but overall, a good series and I'm glad I read it.
January 6, 2012
"Crusade" relates the story of Azoun, king of Cormyr, to organize a preventive attack force and destroy the Tuigan army before they reach the western nations (Faerun).
Compared to the previous two books, there's little action in here, as most of the story focuses on the Azoun's quest for recruiting soldiers and mercenaries who would comprise his army. Eventually, the army gets ready and travels a long way to meet the Tuigan forces to unleash the so-called final battle.
I have to say that I was deeply disappointed with the second half of the book (which is about the journey and battle I just mentioned above). The reason for that was the way the battle developed and the following series of events were somewhat predictable. In the sense that you could feel that whatever you read, you knew the Alliance were going to win the battle no matter what. Plus as some other reviewer mentioned, the whole plot feels rushed. A couple of characters get killed in the process of the battle, but they way it happened feels just too quick (in two paragraphs important characters are "done and dusted").
This could have been a great trilogy, which was ruined by a rushed ending. However, I still think it is a worthwhile series of book to read.
Compared to the previous two books, there's little action in here, as most of the story focuses on the Azoun's quest for recruiting soldiers and mercenaries who would comprise his army. Eventually, the army gets ready and travels a long way to meet the Tuigan forces to unleash the so-called final battle.
I have to say that I was deeply disappointed with the second half of the book (which is about the journey and battle I just mentioned above). The reason for that was the way the battle developed and the following series of events were somewhat predictable. In the sense that you could feel that whatever you read, you knew the Alliance were going to win the battle no matter what. Plus as some other reviewer mentioned, the whole plot feels rushed. A couple of characters get killed in the process of the battle, but they way it happened feels just too quick (in two paragraphs important characters are "done and dusted").
This could have been a great trilogy, which was ruined by a rushed ending. However, I still think it is a worthwhile series of book to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2013
I really wanted to give this book 4 stars. King Azoun's preparation for the battle with the Tuigan, and the battle itself, was well paced but the Razor John story arc left me scratching my head. The whole thing just felt underdeveloped and really just halted the book at times. James Lowder did a great job of bringing this trilogy to a close.
April 6, 2023
A neat conclusion to the Empires trilogy, and it pretty much met my expectations. Take this book for what it is, and it's an entertaining read. I enjoyed Azoun and Alusair wrestling with their difficult decisions, and particularly how Alusair seems to grow up a bit by the end. Although there are some points in the book that seem rather forced. I get what the author is trying to say, but really, is this how the middle aged and experienced king reacts?
There were also a few moments that just didn't follow. Like how Alusair has spent a good deal of time adventuring, including several months of fighting alongside bloodthirsty dwarves. She witnesses them impaling the enemy with their spears and using their horses as a living/dying wall. Later, she sees her own troops building a wall of large stakes for the same purpose, and shudders at the thought of the carnage it would cause. It's stated that she has never been in a cavalry assault against such a force. What about what the dwarves just did to the Tuigan?
These kinds of things may be presented this way due to the constraints of the book. I was able to get past the annoying bits to focus on the larger story. Although I'm disappointed that the Tuigan are such brutal barbarians in this world, I was pleasantly surprised that the orcs were not. They were good to their word and proved their worth. Also, Vrakk actually made the best of a shitty situation and managed to appease an angry dwarf without actually sacrificing his own troops in the beginning. Although I suspect that the entire orc army is under the spell that forces one to follow a certain set of instructions under pain of . . . pain. I can't recall the name of it, but there was no explanation to how Zhentil Keep managed to command an army of orcs so thoroughly.
Overall, take the book at face value. It's an entertaining read that also expands on the lore of Faerun. I'm huge on lore in the worlds that I like, so you'll get what you came for if that's your thing.
There were also a few moments that just didn't follow. Like how Alusair has spent a good deal of time adventuring, including several months of fighting alongside bloodthirsty dwarves. She witnesses them impaling the enemy with their spears and using their horses as a living/dying wall. Later, she sees her own troops building a wall of large stakes for the same purpose, and shudders at the thought of the carnage it would cause. It's stated that she has never been in a cavalry assault against such a force. What about what the dwarves just did to the Tuigan?
These kinds of things may be presented this way due to the constraints of the book. I was able to get past the annoying bits to focus on the larger story. Although I'm disappointed that the Tuigan are such brutal barbarians in this world, I was pleasantly surprised that the orcs were not. They were good to their word and proved their worth. Also, Vrakk actually made the best of a shitty situation and managed to appease an angry dwarf without actually sacrificing his own troops in the beginning. Although I suspect that the entire orc army is under the spell that forces one to follow a certain set of instructions under pain of . . . pain. I can't recall the name of it, but there was no explanation to how Zhentil Keep managed to command an army of orcs so thoroughly.
Overall, take the book at face value. It's an entertaining read that also expands on the lore of Faerun. I'm huge on lore in the worlds that I like, so you'll get what you came for if that's your thing.
June 5, 2023
This book is ok. Not as good as the second in the trilogy, but that was to be expected. First, this was James Lowder's first book, so it is not surprising that it is a bit weak (The Ring of Winter is an improvement already). Second, this one is on par with most of Forgotten Realms books. It is a pleasant reading, although minor-quality fantasy for the D&D fans.
However, it is a very interesting book from the perspective of a Forgotten Realms fan, because it tells a monumental episode in Faerûn's history.
The trilogy in itself can only loosely be considered a trilogy. There is a common overarching story and some recurring characters, but the three books are rather standalone and can be even be enjoyed if read individually. All in all, it is a fine experiment the authors did in this series, with three books telling a story from the perspective of three different peoples. The events told are not the same, but in sequence, which is very reasonable, because telling the same events from three different points of view would quite spoil the fun. So, in the end, this trilogy is very peculiar, presenting a storytelling approach that is rather fascinating.
The book itself is quite slow-paced, but in reality it is far from boring. In other words, I didn't find it particularly compelling, not at all like those books that keep me reading through the night, but neither did I ever find it difficult to pick it up again to continue reading.
There is also a building sense of something epic incoming, and the wait is rewarded with a final part with a good deal of grandeur.
However, it is a very interesting book from the perspective of a Forgotten Realms fan, because it tells a monumental episode in Faerûn's history.
The trilogy in itself can only loosely be considered a trilogy. There is a common overarching story and some recurring characters, but the three books are rather standalone and can be even be enjoyed if read individually. All in all, it is a fine experiment the authors did in this series, with three books telling a story from the perspective of three different peoples. The events told are not the same, but in sequence, which is very reasonable, because telling the same events from three different points of view would quite spoil the fun. So, in the end, this trilogy is very peculiar, presenting a storytelling approach that is rather fascinating.
The book itself is quite slow-paced, but in reality it is far from boring. In other words, I didn't find it particularly compelling, not at all like those books that keep me reading through the night, but neither did I ever find it difficult to pick it up again to continue reading.
There is also a building sense of something epic incoming, and the wait is rewarded with a final part with a good deal of grandeur.
May 29, 2020
Decisamente meglio rispetto al secondo volume di questa trilogia, ma siamo ancora ad un livello poco al di sopra della sufficienza. Dopo due volumi dedicati alla conoscenza dei misteriosi paesi dell'ovest, si torna nella conosciuta Cormyr, con il re Azoun IV alle prese con delicate strategie politiche per mettere insieme un'armata che possa confrontare i temibili Tuigan. "Crusade" alterna momenti interessanti, soprattutto le riflessioni finali di Azoun a fine conflitto, ad altri francamente inutili e passabili, su tutti la storia del costruttore di frecce Razor John francamente eliminabile. Inoltre, lo scontro dei Tuigan si risolve in due battaglie non proprio memorabile, e l'intero conflitto viene risolto con un semplice trucchetto che non sto qui a raccontare. Poco più che sufficiente.
June 9, 2021
Esta entrega de la trilogía tiene el mérito de ser algo diferente a las otras dos: deja de lado las intrigas, que son sustituidas por cierta mirada, intimista en parte, a la relación de su protagonista principal, Azoun IV de Cormyr, con su hija.
Algunos otros personajes, como Jan el flechero o la propia hija de Azoun, aparecen con sus propios puntos de vista, aunque la importancia es bastante menor.
El libro se desarrolla despacio, aunque su lentitud no es excesiva ni me ha parecido aburrido. Por el contrario, el final es bastante apresurado, y la aparición de personajes de los libros anteriores (Koja, Batu, Yamun) es anecdótica. De hecho, el propio líder tuigano se merecía algo mucho más estelar, dado que toda esta historia fue iniciada por él.
Algunos otros personajes, como Jan el flechero o la propia hija de Azoun, aparecen con sus propios puntos de vista, aunque la importancia es bastante menor.
El libro se desarrolla despacio, aunque su lentitud no es excesiva ni me ha parecido aburrido. Por el contrario, el final es bastante apresurado, y la aparición de personajes de los libros anteriores (Koja, Batu, Yamun) es anecdótica. De hecho, el propio líder tuigano se merecía algo mucho más estelar, dado que toda esta historia fue iniciada por él.
January 15, 2025
Peseants review:
slow, unfocused, drawn out story with an underwhelming final battle.
You get a bit of family drama, a few political choices and their explaination / justification, a lesson in cause and effect, betrayal, "a day in the life of a fletcher", acceptance of help from an evil to help the cause which, "of course", has an ulterior motive...
It just felt like different themes were forced together and then filled up and fleshed out here and there to form a sort of coherent story.
Absolutely loved Horselords, really liked Dragon wall. This one, Crusade, got a bit tedious and uninteresting in the end.
And, perhaps my biggest issue with this novel, I think Kahan Yamun deserved a much more respectable farewell than this. Not a different fate per se, but this is just too... easy?
slow, unfocused, drawn out story with an underwhelming final battle.
You get a bit of family drama, a few political choices and their explaination / justification, a lesson in cause and effect, betrayal, "a day in the life of a fletcher", acceptance of help from an evil to help the cause which, "of course", has an ulterior motive...
It just felt like different themes were forced together and then filled up and fleshed out here and there to form a sort of coherent story.
Absolutely loved Horselords, really liked Dragon wall. This one, Crusade, got a bit tedious and uninteresting in the end.
And, perhaps my biggest issue with this novel, I think Kahan Yamun deserved a much more respectable farewell than this. Not a different fate per se, but this is just too... easy?
March 1, 2023
This was a fine story for to wrap/continue the horselords trilogy. This offering included some character development of a few individuals that didn't feel fully connected to the overall story arch and their inclusion felt somewhat out of place when the story wrapped up. I'm not sure if the intent was to introduce a few new characters that may appear in other forgotten realms adventures, or if they were simply light on page count and needed to find some filler. These characters certainly had some encounters that could foreshadow things to come, but their inclusion made the story feel like it was missing pieces.
May 12, 2022
The weakest and most conventionally Forgotten Realms of the three, bringing in some familiar characters from the Realms.
The overarching plot is wrapped up quickly, too quickly, in the short final act, and the fate of Batu, the well developed protagonist of the second book, was disappointingly swift - as that book was the strongest FR novel I've read for a while, I felt he deserved more.
The overarching plot is wrapped up quickly, too quickly, in the short final act, and the fate of Batu, the well developed protagonist of the second book, was disappointingly swift - as that book was the strongest FR novel I've read for a while, I felt he deserved more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2018
Not the worst Realms book I’ve read, but not exactly the best, either. I liked the first two books in the series better as they took place in parts of Toril we rarely see. This one moved a bit slowly at times.
January 13, 2021
Another excellent chapter in the Empires trilogy. The relationship between Azoun and his daughter and the decisions he has to make and to live with really gave this gravitas.
I'd put this as the second best book in a truly great trilogy after Horselords.
I'd put this as the second best book in a truly great trilogy after Horselords.
October 3, 2025
I thought that this was an okay read. The description of the realm of the defenders and how they lived took up the first half of the book. A lot of magic, and a few elder races thrown in to the alliance.
April 15, 2024
I enjoyed this book the most, out of the trilogy it belongs to. The ending was SO rushed, though - disappointingly so.
December 15, 2025
Absolutely fantastic! What a superb and riveting adventure. Epic D&D Fantasy action.
July 6, 2014
Let's rewrite the Mongol Invasions so the Europeans win
1 April 2013
Well, here I am sitting in a pub at Heathrow Airport waiting for the gate from which my plane leaves is revealed. I am also somewhat tipsy which means that I am probably not in the right frame of mind to actually write a serious commentary (which is why I chose Crusade), and the fact that they do not have smoking rooms makes it even more annoying. Oh well, at least Frankfurt does, but then there is a 12 hour plane flight ahead of me to Hong Kong (which means that I am probably going to fall asleep, though I want to attempt to watch Cloud Atlas again, without spending a bulk of the movie asleep, and then there is the jetlag, which I am not looking forward to – at least I have one night in Hong Kong where I can sleep).
Anyway Crusade is the third, and final (thank God) book in the Empires Trilogy, which attempts to bring the Mongol invasions to the Forgotten Realms, and completely mucks it up. The Mongols (as I have mentioned before) held the largest contiguous land empire that has ever been known, and they were practically unstoppable. The reason that the Middle East is the way we know it today is because of the Mongols. They swarmed down and pretty much destroyed any aspect of technology, and they never recovered (okay, well the Americans also bombed Iraq back into the stone age as well).
From what I remember of this book, the Mongols (or rather the horde) head west to the Forgotten Realms that we all know and hate (well at least me) and the people of the Realms form an alliance to beat back the horde – and win. Now, that is just so out of touch with history that it is not funny because the only reason that the Europeans were not obliterated by the Mongols is because the king died and they all turned around and went back to Mongolia.
Anyway, my plane is probably leaving soon, so I think I will bring this commentary to an end. See you in Hong Kong (or Frankfurt if I have time).
1 April 2013
Well, here I am sitting in a pub at Heathrow Airport waiting for the gate from which my plane leaves is revealed. I am also somewhat tipsy which means that I am probably not in the right frame of mind to actually write a serious commentary (which is why I chose Crusade), and the fact that they do not have smoking rooms makes it even more annoying. Oh well, at least Frankfurt does, but then there is a 12 hour plane flight ahead of me to Hong Kong (which means that I am probably going to fall asleep, though I want to attempt to watch Cloud Atlas again, without spending a bulk of the movie asleep, and then there is the jetlag, which I am not looking forward to – at least I have one night in Hong Kong where I can sleep).
Anyway Crusade is the third, and final (thank God) book in the Empires Trilogy, which attempts to bring the Mongol invasions to the Forgotten Realms, and completely mucks it up. The Mongols (as I have mentioned before) held the largest contiguous land empire that has ever been known, and they were practically unstoppable. The reason that the Middle East is the way we know it today is because of the Mongols. They swarmed down and pretty much destroyed any aspect of technology, and they never recovered (okay, well the Americans also bombed Iraq back into the stone age as well).
From what I remember of this book, the Mongols (or rather the horde) head west to the Forgotten Realms that we all know and hate (well at least me) and the people of the Realms form an alliance to beat back the horde – and win. Now, that is just so out of touch with history that it is not funny because the only reason that the Europeans were not obliterated by the Mongols is because the king died and they all turned around and went back to Mongolia.
Anyway, my plane is probably leaving soon, so I think I will bring this commentary to an end. See you in Hong Kong (or Frankfurt if I have time).
October 8, 2014
Probably the best single book I've read so far in my ongoing quest to read the entire Forgotten Realms library. First released in January 1991, Crusade wraps up the Empires Trilogy from the vantage point of King Azoun of Cormyr. Having played some of the video games and from other partial readings, I've heard of the great King Azoun, but never read any of his stories. James Lowder did a great job in immersing the reader into the Realms. Perhaps the first novel that tackled day to day to life, and connected the reader with the citizens, and workings of the cities and states.
It's worth noting that I'm NOT re-reading novels that I have read, or read numerous times up to this point in the release calendar.
Which include: Darkwalker on Moonshae - Douglas Niles, The Crystal Shard - R.A. Salvatore, Black Wizards - Douglas Niles, Streams of Silver - R.A. Salvatore, Darkwell - Douglas Niles, The Halflings Gem - R.A. Salvatore, Homeland - R.A. Salvatore, Exile - R.A. Salvatore, Sojourn - R.A. Salvatore.
All of those books I would still say are the cream of the crop when it comes to the Forgotten Realms.
Up Next: Feathered Dragon - Douglas Niles, which is the 3rd book in the Maztica series. Originally released in April 1991.
It's worth noting that I'm NOT re-reading novels that I have read, or read numerous times up to this point in the release calendar.
Which include: Darkwalker on Moonshae - Douglas Niles, The Crystal Shard - R.A. Salvatore, Black Wizards - Douglas Niles, Streams of Silver - R.A. Salvatore, Darkwell - Douglas Niles, The Halflings Gem - R.A. Salvatore, Homeland - R.A. Salvatore, Exile - R.A. Salvatore, Sojourn - R.A. Salvatore.
All of those books I would still say are the cream of the crop when it comes to the Forgotten Realms.
Up Next: Feathered Dragon - Douglas Niles, which is the 3rd book in the Maztica series. Originally released in April 1991.
February 9, 2017
This was not a bad wrap to the trilogy.
Each book in series overlaps previous one.
Introducing new cultural mythos and backgrounds.
After almost none of it first two books.
This one brings in more of the Forgotten Realms you expect.
Magic, dwarves and things of that nature.
The series as a whole, helping to lay out. A lot of the landscape of Forgotten Realm nations.
More conflict and action in this one, from previous stories as well.
Each book in series overlaps previous one.
Introducing new cultural mythos and backgrounds.
After almost none of it first two books.
This one brings in more of the Forgotten Realms you expect.
Magic, dwarves and things of that nature.
The series as a whole, helping to lay out. A lot of the landscape of Forgotten Realm nations.
More conflict and action in this one, from previous stories as well.
September 30, 2022
Out of the three in this trilogy, this one is my least favorite. It took a while to build up. King Azoun is trying to convince other nations to assist in his crusade to stop the Tuigan advance. He is forced to make some hard decisions throughout for politically sake. It takes 2/3 of the book to meet the Tuigans. The battle chapters are good but still I found them better in the first two books.
August 5, 2015
Fairly good read following the story of how King Azoun formed an alliance with his neighbors to form an army to stop the Tuigan horde from invading the heartlands. Occasionally the story also focuses on a couple of other characters, such as an archer in the army, or the king's daughter.
July 30, 2017
Read this one over twenty years ago - just adding it now for posterity. The western nations of Faerun band together in a most uneasy alliance to take on the Forgotten Realms' version of Mongols and their allies. Fun, but nothing special.
May 20, 2016
"there was a brief but pregnant silence..."
January 3, 2014
Review forthcoming
February 3, 2017
I enjoyed this. Unlike other reviewers, I felt it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. The characterization of Azoun was appreciated as well as the family turmoil between him and his estranged daughter Alusair. The descriptions of the epic battle between the armies of Faerun and the Barbarian Horde were well written and gave me the feeling of actually being there. I would recommend this book as well as the preceding two.
April 5, 2019
While not nearly as compelling as the first book in the Empires trilogy (Horselords), this is a decent read for fans of the Forgotten Realms. It is a very character-heavy book, despite the ease with which it could slide into plot-driven territory.
It must be difficult to write using pre-established characters rather than the author's own creations. In this case, King Azoun of Cormyr and those close to him (wizard Vandergahast, bard Thom, generals, temporary allies and royal family members) are all, I assume, creations of Ed Greenwood's as part of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. It is unclear on reading this novel how much of the character traits are pre-set and where the author was willing and able to take liberties. It took a while for me to become invested as a result, until sufficient character development had taken place that I stopped thinking about where that line lay. Azoun is thoroughly humanized and thus makes for a relatable protagonist.
As the culmination of a trilogy, it was rather anti-climactic. The key characters from Horselords, whose campaign the rest of the trilogy revolved around, take a far-back seat, and as a result their part of this story ultimately fizzled. I suppose they had their own climax in Horselords. Since none of the characters of Dragonwall or Crusade came close to the vividness and engagement of the first book's characters, the last two parts of the trilogy were overshadowed in esteem.
It must be difficult to write using pre-established characters rather than the author's own creations. In this case, King Azoun of Cormyr and those close to him (wizard Vandergahast, bard Thom, generals, temporary allies and royal family members) are all, I assume, creations of Ed Greenwood's as part of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. It is unclear on reading this novel how much of the character traits are pre-set and where the author was willing and able to take liberties. It took a while for me to become invested as a result, until sufficient character development had taken place that I stopped thinking about where that line lay. Azoun is thoroughly humanized and thus makes for a relatable protagonist.
As the culmination of a trilogy, it was rather anti-climactic. The key characters from Horselords, whose campaign the rest of the trilogy revolved around, take a far-back seat, and as a result their part of this story ultimately fizzled. I suppose they had their own climax in Horselords. Since none of the characters of Dragonwall or Crusade came close to the vividness and engagement of the first book's characters, the last two parts of the trilogy were overshadowed in esteem.
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