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Forgotten Realms - Publication Order
Evermeet: Island of Elves
Serene, beautiful, inviolate.
Rich in magic and treasure, to those who hear of its legends it is the ultimate paradise. To the beleaguered elves of Toril it is the ultimate refuge. But to many it is the ultimate prize.
At the heart of its story is Amlaruil, Queen of All Elves. When Evermeet comes under massive, devastating attack, her sacrifice holds the last hope of saving the elven homeland.
Rich in magic and treasure, to those who hear of its legends it is the ultimate paradise. To the beleaguered elves of Toril it is the ultimate refuge. But to many it is the ultimate prize.
At the heart of its story is Amlaruil, Queen of All Elves. When Evermeet comes under massive, devastating attack, her sacrifice holds the last hope of saving the elven homeland.
490 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1998
90 people are currently reading
1073 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Cunningham
153 books530 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Elaine Cunningham is an American fantasy author.
Elaine Cunningham is an American fantasy author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 5, 2021
*Spoilers* True Rating 4.5
Told in a series of vignettes, short stories and novella length tales, this is the overarching history of the Elven race and their ties to the sanctuary island of Evermeet.
This is, unfortunately to some an insiders novel. To not be completely lost, one should know a fair history of:
-Faerun lore
-Knowledge of the Gods
-Knowledge of the Planes
-The Harpers and members of their family
-Drow and their worship of Lloth
-Silverymoon royal lineage
-Cormanthyr
-Myth Drannor
-Thay
-Spelljammer
The Spelljammer heavy chapters and the introduction of the sea Elves were my favorite parts. I'm glad I read this.
Told in a series of vignettes, short stories and novella length tales, this is the overarching history of the Elven race and their ties to the sanctuary island of Evermeet.
This is, unfortunately to some an insiders novel. To not be completely lost, one should know a fair history of:
-Faerun lore
-Knowledge of the Gods
-Knowledge of the Planes
-The Harpers and members of their family
-Drow and their worship of Lloth
-Silverymoon royal lineage
-Cormanthyr
-Myth Drannor
-Thay
-Spelljammer
The Spelljammer heavy chapters and the introduction of the sea Elves were my favorite parts. I'm glad I read this.
December 4, 2024
History of the Elves!
If you play in Faerun, this is a great book to learn Elven history.
If you play in Faerun, this is a great book to learn Elven history.
November 11, 2020
In the original Forgotten Realms boxed set, Evermeet is a somewhat mysterious place off the map, where the elves have slowly been retreating to as their continental holdings fall. It's impossible not to compare with Tolkien at that point, with the elves going over the sea to the West.
However, it's not really meant to be that mystical of a place. Magical yes, but still a part of the Realms. And this novel explores its history in a format similar to Spock's World. Major incidents in its history are presented, culminating in a major invasion of the island in the present time, which serves as the main framing story. It starts with the earliest history of the elvish pantheon, and then the arrival of elves in Abir-Toril, and a couple other things before even getting to the creation of Evermeet.
So, this is really broad sweep of history, with chapters being separated by centuries if not longer. The impressive bit is that each section feeds into and informs the 'present' framing story. That starts fairly simple, and then layers in complications as the novel goes along, and gains a lot of interest because of it, though it starts reaching past what is easy to keep track of on a 'casual reading' level.
I do feel the ending went for a cop-out. A bit more willingness for a permanent change was called for, though at the same time, things do change, and it opens the door to some interesting possibilities. As a last note, I do wish more time had been spent getting to know Evermeet as a unified place. There a few pieces you get familiar with, but never a feel for just how big it is, or overall geography. At least in the Kindle version, there's no map.
However, it's not really meant to be that mystical of a place. Magical yes, but still a part of the Realms. And this novel explores its history in a format similar to Spock's World. Major incidents in its history are presented, culminating in a major invasion of the island in the present time, which serves as the main framing story. It starts with the earliest history of the elvish pantheon, and then the arrival of elves in Abir-Toril, and a couple other things before even getting to the creation of Evermeet.
So, this is really broad sweep of history, with chapters being separated by centuries if not longer. The impressive bit is that each section feeds into and informs the 'present' framing story. That starts fairly simple, and then layers in complications as the novel goes along, and gains a lot of interest because of it, though it starts reaching past what is easy to keep track of on a 'casual reading' level.
I do feel the ending went for a cop-out. A bit more willingness for a permanent change was called for, though at the same time, things do change, and it opens the door to some interesting possibilities. As a last note, I do wish more time had been spent getting to know Evermeet as a unified place. There a few pieces you get familiar with, but never a feel for just how big it is, or overall geography. At least in the Kindle version, there's no map.
February 18, 2010
One of my two favorite books. I was in awe the first time I read it. I admit I am a huge fan of elves so I was drawn to the book, but it is so much more then that. The characters, the history, the way it jumps from present to past and weaves everything together. I loved it so much I read it once a year for 7 years.
The arrival of the elves on Toril, the rise and wars of the elven kingdoms, Vhoori and his power and inventiveness. The Starjammer ships that lead to the creation of the fleet. The history of the Moonblades, the High Mages, Elaith (best good.bad elf character ever)Danilo, the Chosen, I mean there is so much that is good about this book it is impossible to say it all.
Wonderful book, written in the same manner as Cormyr a Novel (which I also really enjoyed). Elves are so often written stereotypically, but Elaine Cunningham (in all her novels) always makes them a bit different, brings them to life, and makes me form attachments.
This was among the first Realms novels I read and I have been attached ever since. I was very disappointed to here that Evermeet is no more. So much love, storytelling, character creation, personalities and beauty gone. As long as I have this book and my love for it, Evermeet will remain a living breathing place, a refuge for the elves.
The arrival of the elves on Toril, the rise and wars of the elven kingdoms, Vhoori and his power and inventiveness. The Starjammer ships that lead to the creation of the fleet. The history of the Moonblades, the High Mages, Elaith (best good.bad elf character ever)Danilo, the Chosen, I mean there is so much that is good about this book it is impossible to say it all.
Wonderful book, written in the same manner as Cormyr a Novel (which I also really enjoyed). Elves are so often written stereotypically, but Elaine Cunningham (in all her novels) always makes them a bit different, brings them to life, and makes me form attachments.
This was among the first Realms novels I read and I have been attached ever since. I was very disappointed to here that Evermeet is no more. So much love, storytelling, character creation, personalities and beauty gone. As long as I have this book and my love for it, Evermeet will remain a living breathing place, a refuge for the elves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2011
This was a great bit of Forgotten Realms lore. Cunningham is, as far as cheap fantasy goes, one of the best authors in the Realms.
This book spans thousands of years and tells the story of the elves, from their myths about gods, to the legends about when they arrived on the planet of Aber-Toril, all the way to the most currant history about the elven isle of Evermeet.
Some of the long names and history jumping between chapters became a little confusing, but over all, I really enjoyed it as a great peice of Forgotten Realms history.
This book spans thousands of years and tells the story of the elves, from their myths about gods, to the legends about when they arrived on the planet of Aber-Toril, all the way to the most currant history about the elven isle of Evermeet.
Some of the long names and history jumping between chapters became a little confusing, but over all, I really enjoyed it as a great peice of Forgotten Realms history.
October 9, 2011
I’ll start this off by just saying it right off the bat: This novel gets a perfect score, five Beholders out of five Beholders. In my estimation, when a novel is written, Evermeet: Island of the Elves is the book that it is compared to. And, it is hard to compare to this book, really.
I’ll start off with the plotline. The book is great, in that it weaves in and out of different plots, which is the plot of the book itself! Confusing for someone who hasn’t read it, maybe, but for those of you who have, I’m sure you understand. And, I’m betting that that’s most of you, as Evermeet: Island of the Elves really is “required reading”. The book’s strength is that it spans so much time, that it spans and illuminates so much history, all while having a fairly strong “metastory” (Danillo’s gift to Arilyn), and a fairly strong contemporary story (the invasion of Evermeet by Kymil Nimesin).
The characters are all mostly excellent. In theory, there should have been a lot of misses here. I mean, being as that the book jumps around centuries and millennia at a time, one would think that there wouldn’t be a lot of character development. Well, surprisingly, there is. But, at the same time, there wasn’t. It’s paradoxical, and yet, Elaine makes it work. Characters like Ka’Narlist, or Vhoori Durothil get very little actual “air time”, but there is just something about these characters- and a bunch of others- in Evermeet: Island of the Elves, that just blows me away. Indeed, Ka’Narlist and Vhoori Durothil both rank in my top five favorite Forgotten Realms characters. Both are only featured in this novel (Ka’Narlist does get another short story), and yet, there is something about them that transcends the short amount of time they have to be introduced and grow.
If there is one criticism I have of the book, it is that there aren’t definite dates. For example, there still- believe it or not- is a date in which we have by canon that Amlauril and Zaor were married. The scene is depicted in the novel, but we don’t have any dates to link with it. But, even this one criticism, I do not attribute to Elaine.
I’ll start off with the plotline. The book is great, in that it weaves in and out of different plots, which is the plot of the book itself! Confusing for someone who hasn’t read it, maybe, but for those of you who have, I’m sure you understand. And, I’m betting that that’s most of you, as Evermeet: Island of the Elves really is “required reading”. The book’s strength is that it spans so much time, that it spans and illuminates so much history, all while having a fairly strong “metastory” (Danillo’s gift to Arilyn), and a fairly strong contemporary story (the invasion of Evermeet by Kymil Nimesin).
The characters are all mostly excellent. In theory, there should have been a lot of misses here. I mean, being as that the book jumps around centuries and millennia at a time, one would think that there wouldn’t be a lot of character development. Well, surprisingly, there is. But, at the same time, there wasn’t. It’s paradoxical, and yet, Elaine makes it work. Characters like Ka’Narlist, or Vhoori Durothil get very little actual “air time”, but there is just something about these characters- and a bunch of others- in Evermeet: Island of the Elves, that just blows me away. Indeed, Ka’Narlist and Vhoori Durothil both rank in my top five favorite Forgotten Realms characters. Both are only featured in this novel (Ka’Narlist does get another short story), and yet, there is something about them that transcends the short amount of time they have to be introduced and grow.
If there is one criticism I have of the book, it is that there aren’t definite dates. For example, there still- believe it or not- is a date in which we have by canon that Amlauril and Zaor were married. The scene is depicted in the novel, but we don’t have any dates to link with it. But, even this one criticism, I do not attribute to Elaine.
June 18, 2019
It took me more than a year to read this book. Due to several reasons.
Perhaps I started out with the wrong expectations, perhaps the book really is just that bad. Yes, I did see the ratings... Ultimately it's my own fault. I keep reading these WotC books...
Anyhow, I started the book with an expectation to see and learn more of Lolth. That barely happened. She was absent for most of the books, and severely underdeveloped. I was hoping for an explanation on why she became evil, and as with many other things in that book, I was disappointed.
The plot is not chronological most of the time. For most people, and especially for newcomers, this will be confusing as hell.
A reader may also be thrown off by the fact how characters presented in a chapter as main characters of the hopefully upcoming arc get killed off ten pages later. Also there's no arc either.
If you're a slutty sucker for lore and Forgotten Realms, this book is your drug. On the other hand, if you're 99% of the humanity, you might as well skip this. Neither will the book give you much joy and satisfaction, nor will you get inspired for some home-campaign quests. Unlike Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans that fuel about 15-20% of my plot/campaign ideas.
Let me put it this way. You would want to read this book if you ever got a sudden maniacal urge to read a high school history book. Or Silmarillion.
On the other hand, aside from being an absolute drag, it's very obvious this book was written in the 90s, and during some older D&D edition.
Woman's ability to bear children is constantly made into a bargaining chip, and of course, family trees are patrilinear. I would've expected better from elves following a god continually depicted as very androgynous or feminine. Like, leave it to the drow to upkeep insufferable differences between genders, and get more creative.
Since I'm already nitpicking here, I'd also like to point out that moonblades thing is a bullshit too. Gold elves have a right to be angry. It was literally just one guy who decided the Moon elves are more fit to rule and wield the swords. If somebody pulled that sort of thing irl, I'd be mad too.
Additionally, I'm ready to accept the fact that due to some stupid predisposition, Gold elves have different traits in general that make them unfit leaders/rulers. But it was not explained at all. If it was, feel free to correct me. I literally graduated college, had a surgery, and got a job between starting and finishing this book...
I'm going to end this review here before more bad memories of this book's plot find their way into my mind.
Just don't read the book. If you're playing 5E, buy Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, it's going to be way less painful than reading most of WotC books.
If you feel especially inclined, you might try to tell me a good reason why I should stop reading WotC books. I'm open to feedback.
Cheers
Perhaps I started out with the wrong expectations, perhaps the book really is just that bad. Yes, I did see the ratings... Ultimately it's my own fault. I keep reading these WotC books...
Anyhow, I started the book with an expectation to see and learn more of Lolth. That barely happened. She was absent for most of the books, and severely underdeveloped. I was hoping for an explanation on why she became evil, and as with many other things in that book, I was disappointed.
The plot is not chronological most of the time. For most people, and especially for newcomers, this will be confusing as hell.
A reader may also be thrown off by the fact how characters presented in a chapter as main characters of the hopefully upcoming arc get killed off ten pages later. Also there's no arc either.
If you're a slutty sucker for lore and Forgotten Realms, this book is your drug. On the other hand, if you're 99% of the humanity, you might as well skip this. Neither will the book give you much joy and satisfaction, nor will you get inspired for some home-campaign quests. Unlike Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans that fuel about 15-20% of my plot/campaign ideas.
Let me put it this way. You would want to read this book if you ever got a sudden maniacal urge to read a high school history book. Or Silmarillion.
On the other hand, aside from being an absolute drag, it's very obvious this book was written in the 90s, and during some older D&D edition.
Woman's ability to bear children is constantly made into a bargaining chip, and of course, family trees are patrilinear. I would've expected better from elves following a god continually depicted as very androgynous or feminine. Like, leave it to the drow to upkeep insufferable differences between genders, and get more creative.
Since I'm already nitpicking here, I'd also like to point out that moonblades thing is a bullshit too. Gold elves have a right to be angry. It was literally just one guy who decided the Moon elves are more fit to rule and wield the swords. If somebody pulled that sort of thing irl, I'd be mad too.
Additionally, I'm ready to accept the fact that due to some stupid predisposition, Gold elves have different traits in general that make them unfit leaders/rulers. But it was not explained at all. If it was, feel free to correct me. I literally graduated college, had a surgery, and got a job between starting and finishing this book...
I'm going to end this review here before more bad memories of this book's plot find their way into my mind.
Just don't read the book. If you're playing 5E, buy Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, it's going to be way less painful than reading most of WotC books.
If you feel especially inclined, you might try to tell me a good reason why I should stop reading WotC books. I'm open to feedback.
Cheers
April 15, 2018
"What mattered was not only the honorable choices that a person made, but the temptations they overcame to come to that place of decision."
"I am being pompous and insufferable again. That may be true, but when one is right, one need not apologize prevaricate."
"Remember that your path is your own to follow. Just because you can do a thing, it does not follow that you must."
"If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing."
"I am being pompous and insufferable again. That may be true, but when one is right, one need not apologize prevaricate."
"Remember that your path is your own to follow. Just because you can do a thing, it does not follow that you must."
"If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing."
November 30, 2020
This standalone Forgotten Realms novel opens with a fictitious letter from the bard Danilo Thann, who writes Athol of Candlekeep, his master, regarding the gathering of elven history, with other characters communicating with the minstrel as well at certain intervals in the story. Each “book” into which the novel is divided is preceded by a prelude, the first of which, beginning in the year 1371 Dalereckoning (compressed to just DR), focuses on a silver dragon flying above the Trackless Sea, noticing ships sailing for Evermeet containing elves that seek the overthrow of the island’s queen.
The first book tells of the Godswars, before time began, before the fabled realm called Faerie started to descend towards twilight, an elven pantheon known as Olympus holding sway led by Corellon Larethian, whom the orc lord Gruumsh pursues. The elf Araushnee knows that new races are on the rise, and meets one of the primary antagonists of the story, the Beast Lord Malar. Before dawn one day, the gods of the Anti-Seldarine coalition traverses the forest around Arvandor, with the elven and invader deities battling one another, with Aerdrie Faenya surveying the damage afterward.
The second book of the novel opens in the time of dragons, when the elves of Tintageer are decimated, and a flood necessitates their evacuation. The elf Sharlario Moonflower expresses concern about the red dragon’s return to wreak disaster, with the Abyss where the dark goddess Lloth rules erupting, her minions preying upon the children of Corellon. The High Magi plan a Tower where students will be instructed in magic, and the elven people rebuild from war. The island of Evermeet suffers several invasion attempts, with Malar considering no wild lands beyond his domain.
The novel occasionally goes to the distant past of the Forgotten Realms universe, one time to -9000 DR, when elven nobles from all over Aber-toril gather in the forests of Cormanthyr for the ceremony of the claiming of king-making swords, with special moonblades disintegrating those they deem unworthy. Millennia later, the elven student Amlaruil is believed to have potential, and eventually becomes queen of Evermeet, having several children and suffering many tragedies in the latter portion of the story, ending with one of her sons, Lamruil, and his love Maura, have one final conversation.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this Forgotten Realms novel, given its depth and elaboration on the history of the elven island of Evermeet, and focusing on various periods of the world’s backstory. There’s also plenty of politicking in addition to fantastical action and occasional adventure, with the religion of the Forgotten Realms somewhat touched upon as well. The author for the most part did a good job distinguishing the novel from others within the fantasy genre by mostly using original names, although Olympus definitely brings to mind Greek mythology. Regardless, I would recommend this as a good diving board into the Forgotten Realms franchise.
The first book tells of the Godswars, before time began, before the fabled realm called Faerie started to descend towards twilight, an elven pantheon known as Olympus holding sway led by Corellon Larethian, whom the orc lord Gruumsh pursues. The elf Araushnee knows that new races are on the rise, and meets one of the primary antagonists of the story, the Beast Lord Malar. Before dawn one day, the gods of the Anti-Seldarine coalition traverses the forest around Arvandor, with the elven and invader deities battling one another, with Aerdrie Faenya surveying the damage afterward.
The second book of the novel opens in the time of dragons, when the elves of Tintageer are decimated, and a flood necessitates their evacuation. The elf Sharlario Moonflower expresses concern about the red dragon’s return to wreak disaster, with the Abyss where the dark goddess Lloth rules erupting, her minions preying upon the children of Corellon. The High Magi plan a Tower where students will be instructed in magic, and the elven people rebuild from war. The island of Evermeet suffers several invasion attempts, with Malar considering no wild lands beyond his domain.
The novel occasionally goes to the distant past of the Forgotten Realms universe, one time to -9000 DR, when elven nobles from all over Aber-toril gather in the forests of Cormanthyr for the ceremony of the claiming of king-making swords, with special moonblades disintegrating those they deem unworthy. Millennia later, the elven student Amlaruil is believed to have potential, and eventually becomes queen of Evermeet, having several children and suffering many tragedies in the latter portion of the story, ending with one of her sons, Lamruil, and his love Maura, have one final conversation.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this Forgotten Realms novel, given its depth and elaboration on the history of the elven island of Evermeet, and focusing on various periods of the world’s backstory. There’s also plenty of politicking in addition to fantastical action and occasional adventure, with the religion of the Forgotten Realms somewhat touched upon as well. The author for the most part did a good job distinguishing the novel from others within the fantasy genre by mostly using original names, although Olympus definitely brings to mind Greek mythology. Regardless, I would recommend this as a good diving board into the Forgotten Realms franchise.
August 9, 2019
An excellent tour through the history of the Elvish people of the Forgotten Realms.
Trials & tribulations of both gods & mortals are considered. Magic & intrigue abounds and we even touch on some Spelljammer too.
The book does require a degree of concentration, due to the many names and frequent jumps in time frame - it is however, very worth the effort.
If you enjoy Elven high fantasy, I'd recommend this book. If you are also intrigued by D&D lore, then this is a must read.
Trials & tribulations of both gods & mortals are considered. Magic & intrigue abounds and we even touch on some Spelljammer too.
The book does require a degree of concentration, due to the many names and frequent jumps in time frame - it is however, very worth the effort.
If you enjoy Elven high fantasy, I'd recommend this book. If you are also intrigued by D&D lore, then this is a must read.
February 23, 2017
This is the beginning of my great quest to read all of the Forgotten Realms stories in chronologically order. These posts will contain spoiler and not be posted in a timely manner. I plan on reading books in-between, so who knows how long this will take. I will be using this websites (http://www.o-love.net/realms/fr_time_...) time line and I will be skipping all 4th edition books (or at least most of them), assuming I can figure out which one are 4th edition, because the Spellplauge was garbage.
Evermeet Island of Elves
This novel takes places during multiple times peorids, for my purposes I only read the chapters that relate to the Seldarine during the Dawn Age. Most of this stories relates how Araushnee, goddess of arts and destiny, was mad about everyone loving Corellon. She sicked Gruumsh, Malar, Auril, Ghaunadaur and a bunch of other gods on the rest of the Seldarine and tried to get Eilistraee to kill Corellon with an arrow but was eventually discovered by Angharradh, a triad god/dess?. She was then banished to the Abyss (layer 66 I believe) and became Lolth.
Overall, a good telling of this myth, told in a very mythological style, assuming that's a thing. Despite the embedded fantasy racism, it does make some sense that, in the early day, when the gods and their people we much closer, those who would become Drow would be heavily influenced by their creator, and the modern-day Drow suffer under the same curse, fair or not. So, good job Corellon? Of course, this could also easily be mythologized rhetoric attempting to explain why, later during the Crownwars, those Drow are evil and you shouldn't feel bad about killing them.
Next up, a few stores for the book Realms of the Elves
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
c. -30000 DR
Evermeet Island of Elves
This novel takes places during multiple times peorids, for my purposes I only read the chapters that relate to the Seldarine during the Dawn Age. Most of this stories relates how Araushnee, goddess of arts and destiny, was mad about everyone loving Corellon. She sicked Gruumsh, Malar, Auril, Ghaunadaur and a bunch of other gods on the rest of the Seldarine and tried to get Eilistraee to kill Corellon with an arrow but was eventually discovered by Angharradh, a triad god/dess?. She was then banished to the Abyss (layer 66 I believe) and became Lolth.
Overall, a good telling of this myth, told in a very mythological style, assuming that's a thing. Despite the embedded fantasy racism, it does make some sense that, in the early day, when the gods and their people we much closer, those who would become Drow would be heavily influenced by their creator, and the modern-day Drow suffer under the same curse, fair or not. So, good job Corellon? Of course, this could also easily be mythologized rhetoric attempting to explain why, later during the Crownwars, those Drow are evil and you shouldn't feel bad about killing them.
Next up, a few stores for the book Realms of the Elves
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
October 3, 2016
Evermeet: Island of Elves is an ambitious novel and an entertaining one. In it, Elaine Cunningham relates stories that take place during thousands of years of Elvish history. The novel contains much that is entertaining, exciting, engaging, and intriguing. Readers are witness to everything from the early strivings of the Elvish gods to the millennia-later decline of the realm of Evermeet. There are many fabulous stories in this book; there are fierce and bloody battles with many fell monsters, there are delicate scenes of moonlit beauty with unicorns and palaces, there is much magic, and there is much more as well. Evermeet is an ambitious book and it is executed well. It is mostly entertaining through its almost 500-page length. This reader only felt a bit bogged down during some of the tales of Elvish politics and court intrigue. Elvish names, for the most part, are long and complicated and it was not always easy to sort out who was allied with whom, and it was not always easy to keep track of family lineages. Otherwise, this long novel contains a wide range of stories, presented as a history being compiled by a scholar, that were thrilling, magical, and fun. Even though Evermeet is a Dungeons and Dragons novel that takes place in the Forgotten Realms setting, it also stands outside of this gaming connection as a thrilling and well-crafted novel of high fantasy.
July 20, 2018
An ambitious book by an always likable writer, "Evermeet" doesn't completely fulfill the promise of its premise - a Michener-esque generational epic about the history of Elves on Faerun, centered around the events leading up to creation of the sanctuary island and the consequences afterward.
An elf in a novel surrounded by other characters can be interesting and involving (as evidenced by the author's Songs & Swords series), but as a group? En masse? Nothing but elves as far as the eye can see? Elves get very bland fast.
The physical differences between elven breeds are slight (Gold elves are slightly golden, the Moon Elves pale white with blue highlights) and the differences between individual elves comes in two flavors - earnest, forthright, and dutiful or else they're rascist, arrogant, and conniving.
Most of the cast members in this generational epic come and go quickly and barely progress beyond sketches (two twin brothers show up as bratty preteens, only for their next appearance to be as adults, being eaten by a Lovecraftian kaiju, but only in another character's recollection).
The long lives of long-lived elves are pictured as overwhelmingly bleak, with many elves longing to return to their version of heaven, with that wistfulness sometimes being enough for the elf to expire in a shower of light....
An elf in a novel surrounded by other characters can be interesting and involving (as evidenced by the author's Songs & Swords series), but as a group? En masse? Nothing but elves as far as the eye can see? Elves get very bland fast.
The physical differences between elven breeds are slight (Gold elves are slightly golden, the Moon Elves pale white with blue highlights) and the differences between individual elves comes in two flavors - earnest, forthright, and dutiful or else they're rascist, arrogant, and conniving.
Most of the cast members in this generational epic come and go quickly and barely progress beyond sketches (two twin brothers show up as bratty preteens, only for their next appearance to be as adults, being eaten by a Lovecraftian kaiju, but only in another character's recollection).
The long lives of long-lived elves are pictured as overwhelmingly bleak, with many elves longing to return to their version of heaven, with that wistfulness sometimes being enough for the elf to expire in a shower of light....
December 3, 2012
Really well written overview of some Elvish history set in the D & D universe. The book covers thousand of years of history charting events across a wide amount of time and space. A clever edition is the Spellsinger elements reminding the reader of the overall D & D universe as well as other references to other worlds in this shared universe. The characters are well written and rounded and you are left with the feeling that you hope that others would revisit them at later dates. The story often leaps thousands of years on from each character sequence makng you want to know what happened to those characters. All in all the author does an excellent job of presenting well rounded characters even when they only appear briefly.
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
October 2, 2011
One thing about my taste in books that hasn't changed from my young and dumb days is that I love books like this, which tell the history of a place over a long period of time. It doesn't have to focus long on any one time period. Just show little vignettes as time goes by and this is cool.
Evermeet is this sort of book for the elves of the Forgotten Realms setting, and it is cool, even when there are like, space elves that crash down and join the commune or whatever. That part was a little weird. But Evermeet isn't there to think deeply about it - just enjoy what comes along. It's not bad at all.
Evermeet is this sort of book for the elves of the Forgotten Realms setting, and it is cool, even when there are like, space elves that crash down and join the commune or whatever. That part was a little weird. But Evermeet isn't there to think deeply about it - just enjoy what comes along. It's not bad at all.
June 22, 2015
Elvish history of surface elves, very easy to read and not intensive. Long time span and scope starting with an event in elven pantheon, arrival of elves in Toril, to migration of elves on Evermeet. Political struggle between many races of elves especially between gold elves and moon elves. In all a short pleasant read.
September 2, 2013
I'm not sure if three or four stars would reflect my view more soundly. The manner in which time is handled in the book was a touch difficult for me. I enjoyed the narrative well enough to make up for that, though.
May 10, 2015
Brilliant writing by Elaine
The difficulty and in depth jumping around of timelines truly pulled me in. Not for a novice reader but still a book that EVERY Forgotten Realms fan should read!!
The difficulty and in depth jumping around of timelines truly pulled me in. Not for a novice reader but still a book that EVERY Forgotten Realms fan should read!!
September 9, 2015
Well done and I very much enjoyed the added depth to a world I love playing in. My only complaint was the time jumping which did not seem necessary nor did it add to the story. With the amount of characters one is expected to keep track of, the time jumping only added to the confusion.
December 29, 2016
I very much enjoyed this book. To be honest, I wasn't sure how interesting it would be, but it was great. A little complicated at times as the stories jump back and forth. It was beautifully written and Elaine Cunningham did a good job of keeping me interested.
October 2, 2018
The description is very misleading. The cover shows a woman with human blood when the book centers around elves and their gods. The purpose of the story is clear, but this feels more like a collection of short stories rather than a novel.
September 15, 2008
I wish the present day story was a book on its own, because it seemed sort of interesting. It came across as rushed and not fleshed out.
August 17, 2008
Sort of the "Silmarillion" of the "Forgotten Realms" books--easier to read; not as intensive.
November 5, 2010
Best description of the elves and the legacy of the pantheon.
March 9, 2011
The story jumped around too much and introduced too many characters. It became hard to follow.
December 22, 2012
Youtube Review of Evermeet: Island of Elves by Elaine Cunningham
http://youtu.be/SXJ4Kd-i6XE
http://youtu.be/SXJ4Kd-i6XE
May 5, 2012
I loved this book. A thorough history of the elves in the Forgotten Realms.
June 22, 2012
I am only ten pages into it so so far so good
August 22, 2013
Really enjoyed this book. The jumping around confused me a little (especially since I kept being tired when I read) but really enjoyed it and loved getting all that backstory!!
October 19, 2015
The History of Elves (and Drow) in the world of Faerun.
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