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Forgotten Realms: Netheril #1
Sword Play
Wizard's Wager
Thousands of years before the Age of Elminster, dragons rule the skies of Faerûn, and elves dominate the huge forests that cover the land. Only in the mighty, magical empire of Netheril are men a force to be reckoned with.
Bored and haughty in his midair castle, the Netherese mage Candlemas bets fellow wizard Sysquemalyn that a certain barbarian who has caught his eye can survive the most savage tests his friend -- and deadly rival -- can devise. The only rule: The tests must offer the subject some chance to survive, however slight.
Of course, "playing fair" is a concept as alien to the wizards of Netheril as "mercy."
But the subject of their wager, Sunbright Steelshanks of the Rengarth Tribe, has a mind -- and a will -- of his own. And Candlemas and Sysquemalyn are not the only players in this lethal game of swords and sorcery . . . .
Thousands of years before the Age of Elminster, dragons rule the skies of Faerûn, and elves dominate the huge forests that cover the land. Only in the mighty, magical empire of Netheril are men a force to be reckoned with.
Bored and haughty in his midair castle, the Netherese mage Candlemas bets fellow wizard Sysquemalyn that a certain barbarian who has caught his eye can survive the most savage tests his friend -- and deadly rival -- can devise. The only rule: The tests must offer the subject some chance to survive, however slight.
Of course, "playing fair" is a concept as alien to the wizards of Netheril as "mercy."
But the subject of their wager, Sunbright Steelshanks of the Rengarth Tribe, has a mind -- and a will -- of his own. And Candlemas and Sysquemalyn are not the only players in this lethal game of swords and sorcery . . . .
313 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1996
37 people are currently reading
1855 people want to read
About the author
Clayton Emery
39 books46 followersClayton Emery is an umpteen-generations Yankee, Navy brat, and aging hippie who grew up playing Robin Hood in the forests of New England.
He's been a blacksmith, dishwasher, schoolteacher in Australia, carpenter, zookeeper, farmhand, land surveyor, volunteer firefighter, and award-winning technical writer.
He's a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America.
Clayton lives with his sweetie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his ancestors came ashore in 1635.
From: http://www.claytonemery.com/CE_bio.html
He's been a blacksmith, dishwasher, schoolteacher in Australia, carpenter, zookeeper, farmhand, land surveyor, volunteer firefighter, and award-winning technical writer.
He's a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America.
Clayton lives with his sweetie in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his ancestors came ashore in 1635.
From: http://www.claytonemery.com/CE_bio.html
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 16, 2024
For a licensed IP book in a string of mostly terrible titles, this was . . . okay, I guess. Emery was a new addition to the line of Forgotten Realms novelists. At this point in the series' publishing history, I have to be suspicious about anyone accepting the below market rate TSR was paying, but I guess people have always had to eat.
Along with a new author, this book sees a new setting, the "Arcane Age" of the Forgotten Realms, a short-lived campaign expansion that takes place thousands of years in the past, before the age of Elminster (thank Mystra). At this time in Toril's history, Netheril was an empire of wizards who lived above ground in flying castles and considered themselves above the human "groundlings" who they sometimes hunt from flying metal discs a la Logan's Run. One such groundling is the book's protagonist, Sunbright Steelshanks, yes that is actually the name he was given (the names overall in this book are a bit much), an exiled young barbarian who hopes to develop his burgeoning shamanic abilities and return to his rightful home one day. Although, the book cancels out what little magic he has half-way through; so much for that potentially interesting bit of character development.
The story is . . . okay, it's fine, whatever. You can't expect much with this kind of book. It starts off seeming low stakes and forgettable, but it grows. Sunbright is being jerked around by a pair of wagering wizards, but ends up bringing chaos to their machinations. There's a side character that develops uninterestingly into a love interest.
Before this book I've heard the term "plot armor" plenty of times, but I never truly understood it until now. There's no reasonable excuse for Sunbright to survive and succeed as much as he does, except that the plot requires it. He pulls a fast one on an ancient, hulking red dragon with absurd ease; he survives endless attacking hordes of devils, he falls unconscious an absurd number of times but always recovers fully . . . I get it. Plot armor. It's fine, this is pulp fare with no expectation of quality.
Emery's a better writer than some others in this line (Mark Anthony comes to mind) but his prose is not without its annoyances, particularly the use of 'shrill' as a verb. Female characters shrill their dialogue frequently.
I should just be glad it wasn't remotely like another Ed Greenwood book. It's appropriate for the setting and was more memorable that I would have expected at the outset. I won't dread the sequels when they come up in my ongoing Forgotten Realms novel reading project.
Along with a new author, this book sees a new setting, the "Arcane Age" of the Forgotten Realms, a short-lived campaign expansion that takes place thousands of years in the past, before the age of Elminster (thank Mystra). At this time in Toril's history, Netheril was an empire of wizards who lived above ground in flying castles and considered themselves above the human "groundlings" who they sometimes hunt from flying metal discs a la Logan's Run. One such groundling is the book's protagonist, Sunbright Steelshanks, yes that is actually the name he was given (the names overall in this book are a bit much), an exiled young barbarian who hopes to develop his burgeoning shamanic abilities and return to his rightful home one day. Although, the book cancels out what little magic he has half-way through; so much for that potentially interesting bit of character development.
The story is . . . okay, it's fine, whatever. You can't expect much with this kind of book. It starts off seeming low stakes and forgettable, but it grows. Sunbright is being jerked around by a pair of wagering wizards, but ends up bringing chaos to their machinations. There's a side character that develops uninterestingly into a love interest.
Before this book I've heard the term "plot armor" plenty of times, but I never truly understood it until now. There's no reasonable excuse for Sunbright to survive and succeed as much as he does, except that the plot requires it. He pulls a fast one on an ancient, hulking red dragon with absurd ease; he survives endless attacking hordes of devils, he falls unconscious an absurd number of times but always recovers fully . . . I get it. Plot armor. It's fine, this is pulp fare with no expectation of quality.
Emery's a better writer than some others in this line (Mark Anthony comes to mind) but his prose is not without its annoyances, particularly the use of 'shrill' as a verb. Female characters shrill their dialogue frequently.
I should just be glad it wasn't remotely like another Ed Greenwood book. It's appropriate for the setting and was more memorable that I would have expected at the outset. I won't dread the sequels when they come up in my ongoing Forgotten Realms novel reading project.
November 23, 2014
A short take:
This is a fun fantasy tale that reminds me of older sword and sorcery fiction. Some of Emery's twists were quite imaginative in the context of a shared world.
More thoughts:
I picked this up because I liked the premise: two all-powerful wizards make a wager based on the longevity of a single, mortal barbarian throughout a series of quests and trials. True, this kind of plot is an obvious homage to the usual D&D trope, with wizards barely subbing in for the author, but I don't mind a simple set-up, so long as the story is fun and adventurous.
"Sword Play" is both of these, along with being interesting, thanks to some creative ideas on Emery's part. The story went places I did not expect and the stakes leaped beyond any guesses as to how everything would play out. An even better surprise is Emery's ability to ground the story in protean details, like the way the smell of sheep makes Sunbright nostalgic for his home, or the feel of fatigue that sets in after a protracted battle. This book is way smarter than I expected, which just goes to show that I am too biased as a reader. My mistake--and my gain, because I enjoyed this book, and I know better than to write off other fare that could offer similar rewards.
One last thought: it's nice to be enjoying adventurous fantasy again. I missed these kinds of stories.
This is a fun fantasy tale that reminds me of older sword and sorcery fiction. Some of Emery's twists were quite imaginative in the context of a shared world.
More thoughts:
I picked this up because I liked the premise: two all-powerful wizards make a wager based on the longevity of a single, mortal barbarian throughout a series of quests and trials. True, this kind of plot is an obvious homage to the usual D&D trope, with wizards barely subbing in for the author, but I don't mind a simple set-up, so long as the story is fun and adventurous.
"Sword Play" is both of these, along with being interesting, thanks to some creative ideas on Emery's part. The story went places I did not expect and the stakes leaped beyond any guesses as to how everything would play out. An even better surprise is Emery's ability to ground the story in protean details, like the way the smell of sheep makes Sunbright nostalgic for his home, or the feel of fatigue that sets in after a protracted battle. This book is way smarter than I expected, which just goes to show that I am too biased as a reader. My mistake--and my gain, because I enjoyed this book, and I know better than to write off other fare that could offer similar rewards.
One last thought: it's nice to be enjoying adventurous fantasy again. I missed these kinds of stories.
February 8, 2021
The problem with many D&D novels is that they often feel like the journal a player might write based on a series of their game sessions. While Dungeons & Dragons is largely a narrative game, there are many times when a scenario can be interesting to play but not necessarily to read about second-hand. Much of "Sword Play" falls into this category: a series of disconnected events loosely tied together by a common character, with each event designed to be interacted with - but not necessarily leading towards a logical goal. This may make it more like life, where the pattern of events must be constructed rather than presented, but many of us appreciate novels precisely because they are unlike life, and because they frame experiences in such a way that themes, plots, and patterns become apparent.
January 8, 2017
One of the original Realms books, this story depicts the first installment of the fall of the Netheril Empire, the older Faerunian race of god wizards.
Sunbright Steelshanks is a barbarian banished from his native tundra and trying to find his way in the world. He falls in with a caravan, meeting a beautiful half elf who becomes one of his travelling companions.
Then he meets the Netherese, first in one of their hunting parties as their prey, then is whisked away to one of their floating palaces, and into the hands of a steward by the name of Candlemas.
A grain blight is decimating crops and threatens to starve the people under the Netherese, and Sunbright is recruited by Candlemas to aid in the restoration of the crops. So off troop wizard, barbarian and elf, and in their quest they are thrown into the home made hell of a mad sorceress. They make it out, minus the elven maid, but in the end are no closer to keeping their people from starvation.
Loved this first installment. Looking forward to the next.
Sunbright Steelshanks is a barbarian banished from his native tundra and trying to find his way in the world. He falls in with a caravan, meeting a beautiful half elf who becomes one of his travelling companions.
Then he meets the Netherese, first in one of their hunting parties as their prey, then is whisked away to one of their floating palaces, and into the hands of a steward by the name of Candlemas.
A grain blight is decimating crops and threatens to starve the people under the Netherese, and Sunbright is recruited by Candlemas to aid in the restoration of the crops. So off troop wizard, barbarian and elf, and in their quest they are thrown into the home made hell of a mad sorceress. They make it out, minus the elven maid, but in the end are no closer to keeping their people from starvation.
Loved this first installment. Looking forward to the next.
May 6, 2019
I've been reading this book for weeks and I just can't do it. Maybe it's the writing style but I found this book to comedic and I just couldn't continue. Maybe one day.
March 8, 2025
Wasn’t sure what I would make of this book, when I read the jacket, but I really enjoyed it.
It is a really good simple adventure story. Very straightforward but lots of action and story. Decent characters which you can’t help but cheer on, or hate, depending on who they are. Yes really enjoyed this and my first Forgotten Realms novel.
It had everything in there that is in 5e, so I was quickly about to look it all up as I came across stuff, which was fun. So look forward to book 2 and see where we go from there.
It is a really good simple adventure story. Very straightforward but lots of action and story. Decent characters which you can’t help but cheer on, or hate, depending on who they are. Yes really enjoyed this and my first Forgotten Realms novel.
It had everything in there that is in 5e, so I was quickly about to look it all up as I came across stuff, which was fun. So look forward to book 2 and see where we go from there.
May 12, 2024
I am an avid reader of forgotten realms and have read some about the netheril. I was dissappointed to read this author's take on them, but overall it was a pleasant read. I guess I would have to say I expected something else all together, but what I got was also good. I would recommend this to readers newer to forgotten realms.
January 7, 2009
So,
I was really excited to read this book 'cause I'm a nut for Forgotten Realms, and I also like historical fiction, so I was thinking since this book was 'sposs to be about the ancient history of Nethril (the humans most powerful society in all of Forgotten Realms history), I thought I would be in for some good stuff.
However, the story is a macob anecdote about some lame wizard characters who play puppet with a barbarian from the land below (Nethril is made up of floating cities created on inverted mountain tops). There is really no point to it. They just keep throughing new monsters at him to fight. All the characters are shallow, all the adventures the barbarian, Sunbright Steelshanks, goes on are either not exciting or too much for a character like him to ever acomplish. Now I know this is 'sposs to be fantasy and all, but it's so unreal and wacky that I thorouly did not enjoy it...infact, why did I give it 3 stars?
Anywho, it starts with the Sunbright fighting some orcs in the mountains. He has a weird sword with a hooked end (I'm not sure what it's 'sposs to be good for, but it's kinda a cool image), and he kills them all with some stunning prowess.
Then we see that a fat wizard who is dressed like friar Tuck and a skinny redheaded sorceress with a living slime attached to her midsection (I'm not exagerating here, Emery really describes this purple blob to be pulsating over her exposed stomach and crotch...creepy and, in this instance, totally unnessasary) are actually watching the battle in a cystal ball from a castle in the sky and betting on whether or not he'll win. Fat wizard thinks he will...We are told that both work for a super powerful wizardess named Polaris (like the comic book), and she rules the flying city, but is rarly around.
Next they make Sunbright fight a Rhemoraz...he wins. Next, they make him go after this guy called the 'Red King', who is creating an army of men and orcs.
I'm pretty sure that he makes friends with a woman along the way, 'cause he betrays her with a redheaded beauty that is actually the skinny wizard in diguise trying to sabotage Sunbright.
Now I remeber!, the girl is friends with a dwarven bodygaurd that he hooks up with. Then they have to fight some masked Nerthernese wizards that ride on horse-size metal dragons and hunt commoners for sport. Wow, deep....
The dwarf dies, but Sunbright is triumphant and makes the commoners see that the Nethernese aren't all powerful and stuff.
He keeps going after the Red King and finally confronts him, then he turns out to be a lich in diguse. So, Sunbright somehow tricks a red dragon into letting him ride it into battle against the lich. The dragon utterly destroies the liches army and newfounded city. Hurah!
Now, skinny wizard is so pissed that she is gonna loose the bet, that she transfers Sunbright, Sunbright's chick, and the fat wizard to a small peice of 'Hell' that she has created and controls. The 3 of them fight a pitfeind and his minnions for hours, and the chick gets killed trying to jump ove a crack in the floor. Sunbright will never forgive himself...
Then, suddenly...Polaris shows up and opens a rift to the abyss and lets in all these powerful demons (the sworn enemies of devils) and then wisks Sunbright and fat wizard away. When they get home Polaris punishes skinny wizard for being so mean. I think the orginal bet was to spend a year being whipped without your skin on...you know, that old chestnut. So, Polaris takes skinny wizard's skin away and has her whipped by the demons she used to trap the others.
So, I don't know if good triumphs in this story or not...but it was a ridiculous ride and quite over done; there was no history at all, except that I know that the Nethernese wizards are utterly preoccupied with totally pointless things and crazy and stupid... I would have rather stayed ignorant....
I was really excited to read this book 'cause I'm a nut for Forgotten Realms, and I also like historical fiction, so I was thinking since this book was 'sposs to be about the ancient history of Nethril (the humans most powerful society in all of Forgotten Realms history), I thought I would be in for some good stuff.
However, the story is a macob anecdote about some lame wizard characters who play puppet with a barbarian from the land below (Nethril is made up of floating cities created on inverted mountain tops). There is really no point to it. They just keep throughing new monsters at him to fight. All the characters are shallow, all the adventures the barbarian, Sunbright Steelshanks, goes on are either not exciting or too much for a character like him to ever acomplish. Now I know this is 'sposs to be fantasy and all, but it's so unreal and wacky that I thorouly did not enjoy it...infact, why did I give it 3 stars?
Anywho, it starts with the Sunbright fighting some orcs in the mountains. He has a weird sword with a hooked end (I'm not sure what it's 'sposs to be good for, but it's kinda a cool image), and he kills them all with some stunning prowess.
Then we see that a fat wizard who is dressed like friar Tuck and a skinny redheaded sorceress with a living slime attached to her midsection (I'm not exagerating here, Emery really describes this purple blob to be pulsating over her exposed stomach and crotch...creepy and, in this instance, totally unnessasary) are actually watching the battle in a cystal ball from a castle in the sky and betting on whether or not he'll win. Fat wizard thinks he will...We are told that both work for a super powerful wizardess named Polaris (like the comic book), and she rules the flying city, but is rarly around.
Next they make Sunbright fight a Rhemoraz...he wins. Next, they make him go after this guy called the 'Red King', who is creating an army of men and orcs.
I'm pretty sure that he makes friends with a woman along the way, 'cause he betrays her with a redheaded beauty that is actually the skinny wizard in diguise trying to sabotage Sunbright.
Now I remeber!, the girl is friends with a dwarven bodygaurd that he hooks up with. Then they have to fight some masked Nerthernese wizards that ride on horse-size metal dragons and hunt commoners for sport. Wow, deep....
The dwarf dies, but Sunbright is triumphant and makes the commoners see that the Nethernese aren't all powerful and stuff.
He keeps going after the Red King and finally confronts him, then he turns out to be a lich in diguse. So, Sunbright somehow tricks a red dragon into letting him ride it into battle against the lich. The dragon utterly destroies the liches army and newfounded city. Hurah!
Now, skinny wizard is so pissed that she is gonna loose the bet, that she transfers Sunbright, Sunbright's chick, and the fat wizard to a small peice of 'Hell' that she has created and controls. The 3 of them fight a pitfeind and his minnions for hours, and the chick gets killed trying to jump ove a crack in the floor. Sunbright will never forgive himself...
Then, suddenly...Polaris shows up and opens a rift to the abyss and lets in all these powerful demons (the sworn enemies of devils) and then wisks Sunbright and fat wizard away. When they get home Polaris punishes skinny wizard for being so mean. I think the orginal bet was to spend a year being whipped without your skin on...you know, that old chestnut. So, Polaris takes skinny wizard's skin away and has her whipped by the demons she used to trap the others.
So, I don't know if good triumphs in this story or not...but it was a ridiculous ride and quite over done; there was no history at all, except that I know that the Nethernese wizards are utterly preoccupied with totally pointless things and crazy and stupid... I would have rather stayed ignorant....
May 18, 2018
At its purest, Sword Play is a tale of maturation and love. At its worst, it's a mess of events strung together to form a "story". I can't help but think of the potential in this tale. There IS a story somewhere in here, but it's muddled by bad characterization, an aimless plot that just... keeps going, and really, really bad names.
First let's, talk about some of these names: Sunbright Steelshanks, Candlemas, Greenwillow, Harvester of Blood. They all sound just a bit too much like over-the-top 80s insanity; like I almost expected the lich to be named Skeletor. Now there are some perfectly fine names like Dorlas, Ruellana, and Sysquemalyn (despite being unpronounceable). Honestly if Emery had just changed Sunbright to something more Shinegar or Sonnebrand, that would have made everything a little more palatable.
Oh did I mention a lich? Yea, there's a lich, and that's not even the biggest challenge for Sunbright! Too bad all the challenges but the final fight seem just so underwhelming due to the fact that Emery wants to fill this book with more bigger, badder threats that leave them just strung along with all of them feeling flat. Like Michael Bay with explosions, Emery heaps way too many in way to little space. Let alone the way that Sunbright seems to almost Mr Magoo his way through all of the threats presented him; which is even further exacerbated by the fact that the central plot point is that two wizards are leading him like a rat through a maze experiment. There's just no sense of pacing. The book lurches forward at parts and then comes to a crawl at others. I honestly thought the lich was the end of the book and the confrontation would take the entire second half of the novel. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! Emory seems to say...
Lastly, the character development needs work. Neither of the wizards go through any character development, one staying petulant and the other an anxious mess. Greenwillow has the vague outline of an arc in her relationship to Sunbright, but not in the most gracious steps does this happen. Just like the pacing of the book the pacing of this character development lurches and stops and lurches again. Sunbright has the most compelling character development (given that he's the main character of the book, I should sure as well hope so). He finds himself torn between two characters and realizes by the end of the book which is the right choice, but he pays a price for his slowness. I genuinely felt for the guy at the end of the book, and there is a moment halfway through when he and Greenwillow leave the tavern that Emery actually paints incredibly well. The tension felt between the characters felt real, and I wish more of the book was like that moment. That said, Sunbright has plenty of moments where he seems to backpedal on his character development having learned a lesson and then pays no heed to what he learned (and not just where Ruellana is concerned). It makes Sunbright seem incredibly thickheaded, but then Emery paints Sunbright as someone of great wit in other places. So Sunbright at times just seems out of character with himself.
At the end of the day, I can say I don't ENTIRELY regret reading this book. Then again, my life wouldn't have been much dimmer without it... If I were Emery's editor, I would have told him to focus more on the relationships of the characters, because that's where this book could have really shined. Also, pick a threat. They're gonna fight that? Cool. They're gonna fight these five other things? Not so cool. Maybe just stick with one of those and call it a day. FOCUS. That's all this books needs. FOCUS.
First let's, talk about some of these names: Sunbright Steelshanks, Candlemas, Greenwillow, Harvester of Blood. They all sound just a bit too much like over-the-top 80s insanity; like I almost expected the lich to be named Skeletor. Now there are some perfectly fine names like Dorlas, Ruellana, and Sysquemalyn (despite being unpronounceable). Honestly if Emery had just changed Sunbright to something more Shinegar or Sonnebrand, that would have made everything a little more palatable.
Oh did I mention a lich? Yea, there's a lich, and that's not even the biggest challenge for Sunbright! Too bad all the challenges but the final fight seem just so underwhelming due to the fact that Emery wants to fill this book with more bigger, badder threats that leave them just strung along with all of them feeling flat. Like Michael Bay with explosions, Emery heaps way too many in way to little space. Let alone the way that Sunbright seems to almost Mr Magoo his way through all of the threats presented him; which is even further exacerbated by the fact that the central plot point is that two wizards are leading him like a rat through a maze experiment. There's just no sense of pacing. The book lurches forward at parts and then comes to a crawl at others. I honestly thought the lich was the end of the book and the confrontation would take the entire second half of the novel. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! Emory seems to say...
Lastly, the character development needs work. Neither of the wizards go through any character development, one staying petulant and the other an anxious mess. Greenwillow has the vague outline of an arc in her relationship to Sunbright, but not in the most gracious steps does this happen. Just like the pacing of the book the pacing of this character development lurches and stops and lurches again. Sunbright has the most compelling character development (given that he's the main character of the book, I should sure as well hope so). He finds himself torn between two characters and realizes by the end of the book which is the right choice, but he pays a price for his slowness. I genuinely felt for the guy at the end of the book, and there is a moment halfway through when he and Greenwillow leave the tavern that Emery actually paints incredibly well. The tension felt between the characters felt real, and I wish more of the book was like that moment. That said, Sunbright has plenty of moments where he seems to backpedal on his character development having learned a lesson and then pays no heed to what he learned (and not just where Ruellana is concerned). It makes Sunbright seem incredibly thickheaded, but then Emery paints Sunbright as someone of great wit in other places. So Sunbright at times just seems out of character with himself.
At the end of the day, I can say I don't ENTIRELY regret reading this book. Then again, my life wouldn't have been much dimmer without it... If I were Emery's editor, I would have told him to focus more on the relationships of the characters, because that's where this book could have really shined. Also, pick a threat. They're gonna fight that? Cool. They're gonna fight these five other things? Not so cool. Maybe just stick with one of those and call it a day. FOCUS. That's all this books needs. FOCUS.
June 29, 2022
The first installment of author Clayton Emery’s Netheril trilogy opens with a blurb where a glob has the maiden Ruellana in its grasp, with Sunbright the barbarian chasing her through a portal despite the elf Greenwillow’s warnings. The actual events of the story open with Sunbright eluding his enemies, orcs, in the Barren Mountains, whilst noblewoman Lady Polaris talks to the magicians Candlemas and Sysquemalyn about a rusty taint of a wheat harvest, the pair of sorcerers further making a bet as to whether Sunbright will survive. The barbarian battles a remorhaz, an ice worm, while the gambling wizards watch through a palantir.
Delegates of the Beneficent Traders’ Guild of Dalekeva see Candlemas, the merchants wishing to seek an audience with the enigmatic One King and demanding word of his submission to Netheril, the wizard wanting them to take Sunbright along. When Sunbright meets the One King, he is incarcerated, although the maiden Ruellana promises him escape. The barbarian is tasked with seizing a mysterious tome from the dragon Wrathburn, and, after convincing the wyrm to turn against the One King, attempts to barter for the release of the elf Greenwillow. The mentioned magicians continue their bet throughout the novel, with twists and turns along the way.
Overall, this was an enjoyable Forgotten Realms book, full of plentiful action, with occasional good twists such as true identities of certain characters revealed, although it follows many tropes of other fantasy stories and features nods to franchises such as Lord of the Rings, the encounter by Sunbright with the dragon somewhat imitating that of Bilbo with Smaug in The Hobbit, although it has enough elements to stand on its own, especially with some of the unique names such as that of the sorceress Sysquemalyn. Those seeking a fantasy yarn that doesn’t take much chances will likely enjoy this story, and I in particular will definitely read its sequels.
Delegates of the Beneficent Traders’ Guild of Dalekeva see Candlemas, the merchants wishing to seek an audience with the enigmatic One King and demanding word of his submission to Netheril, the wizard wanting them to take Sunbright along. When Sunbright meets the One King, he is incarcerated, although the maiden Ruellana promises him escape. The barbarian is tasked with seizing a mysterious tome from the dragon Wrathburn, and, after convincing the wyrm to turn against the One King, attempts to barter for the release of the elf Greenwillow. The mentioned magicians continue their bet throughout the novel, with twists and turns along the way.
Overall, this was an enjoyable Forgotten Realms book, full of plentiful action, with occasional good twists such as true identities of certain characters revealed, although it follows many tropes of other fantasy stories and features nods to franchises such as Lord of the Rings, the encounter by Sunbright with the dragon somewhat imitating that of Bilbo with Smaug in The Hobbit, although it has enough elements to stand on its own, especially with some of the unique names such as that of the sorceress Sysquemalyn. Those seeking a fantasy yarn that doesn’t take much chances will likely enjoy this story, and I in particular will definitely read its sequels.
October 31, 2017
This is the first novel I've read that's tied directly to the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse, and according to the lists I found online, is the first chronologically in the extensive Forgotten Realms library. I think knowing beforehand how campy a lot of the material from first and second edition D&D can be increased my enjoyment of Sword Play.
I started reading these books in an attempt to get a feel for the world and lore that makes up the Forgotten Realms. Taking that approach made this book very enjoyable. I think if someone reads this book expecting it to be on par with Lord of the Rings, they're probably going to be disappointed. That being said, I thought this book was a lot of fun. I mean, if you can't laugh about a main character's name being Sunbright Steelshanks, you may be taking this particular branch of the fantasy genre more seriously than it may have ever been intended to be taken.
Is some of the dialogue bordering on, or even crossing over into terrible? Yes. Are the fight scenes over the top and sometimes ridiculous like Saturday morning cartoons from the late '70s and early '80s? Absolutely! But I think that's what makes this book, and maybe even this entire fantasy subgenre so enjoyable for me thus far. It made this 42 year old guy feel like a kid again. I can't find anything wrong with that.
Stick around for future reviews to see if my thoughts about this particular line of books changes, or if the campy holds its enchantment for This Aaron Guy. Only time will tell if the enjoyment holds as I make it further into the Forgotten Realms.
Until next time, stay safe, and above all, be true to yourself.
That Aaron Guy
I started reading these books in an attempt to get a feel for the world and lore that makes up the Forgotten Realms. Taking that approach made this book very enjoyable. I think if someone reads this book expecting it to be on par with Lord of the Rings, they're probably going to be disappointed. That being said, I thought this book was a lot of fun. I mean, if you can't laugh about a main character's name being Sunbright Steelshanks, you may be taking this particular branch of the fantasy genre more seriously than it may have ever been intended to be taken.
Is some of the dialogue bordering on, or even crossing over into terrible? Yes. Are the fight scenes over the top and sometimes ridiculous like Saturday morning cartoons from the late '70s and early '80s? Absolutely! But I think that's what makes this book, and maybe even this entire fantasy subgenre so enjoyable for me thus far. It made this 42 year old guy feel like a kid again. I can't find anything wrong with that.
Stick around for future reviews to see if my thoughts about this particular line of books changes, or if the campy holds its enchantment for This Aaron Guy. Only time will tell if the enjoyment holds as I make it further into the Forgotten Realms.
Until next time, stay safe, and above all, be true to yourself.
That Aaron Guy
July 1, 2014
After enjoying Emery's "Star Of Cursrah", my favorite entry in the Lost Empires series, I decided to backtrack to this earlier trilogy for more of his writing. Long story short: I was disappointed at first blush.
"Sword Play" is a fast-moving story that includes a whole lot of bread-and-butter fantasy occurrences. Broadly, while the story delivers the reader to a number of interesting locales and situations, I find it stymied by some ridiculous plot devices (notably the sex object Ruellana) and a very chaotic, violent ending including many run-on fight scenes which fast become wearisome.
Additionally, the overarching plot of the series, while begun in this book, plays such a minor part that I have to wonder at its inclusion at all, given that a full third of the trilogy plays out here with very little involvement by the phaerimm.
Put simply, it seems like Emery attempted to jam a whole lot into this first book, while sacrificing some details that would have enriched the surrounding setting. Despite this, there are many illustrations of Neth decadence, and reading about the Netherese empire at its peak is a fun pursuit. I have hopes for improvement in the next entry.
"Sword Play" is a fast-moving story that includes a whole lot of bread-and-butter fantasy occurrences. Broadly, while the story delivers the reader to a number of interesting locales and situations, I find it stymied by some ridiculous plot devices (notably the sex object Ruellana) and a very chaotic, violent ending including many run-on fight scenes which fast become wearisome.
Additionally, the overarching plot of the series, while begun in this book, plays such a minor part that I have to wonder at its inclusion at all, given that a full third of the trilogy plays out here with very little involvement by the phaerimm.
Put simply, it seems like Emery attempted to jam a whole lot into this first book, while sacrificing some details that would have enriched the surrounding setting. Despite this, there are many illustrations of Neth decadence, and reading about the Netherese empire at its peak is a fun pursuit. I have hopes for improvement in the next entry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2024
I'm very mixed on this. On the one hand, it got a great premise, and the characters are interesting. On the other hand, it's..how do I say this? Annoying.
For one, I feel like a lot was thrown in just for the hell of it, the dragon, the king. If you read the first quarter of the book and the last quarter, you easily understand the story.
Then there is the back forth love. But Greenwillow and Sunbright really didn't have those momments to develop them (they traveled together, but that was gloss over than they have drinks in an inn together). In her view, she fell in love with him while watching from afar but being super icy and rude to him. In his view, it's never clear. He just states he realizes he loved her all along, but that doesn't mean much when you've slept with another woman and think you're in love with that woman previously. Also, he completely forgot about Greenwillow when in the presence of a powerful mage who asks what you want.
I liked it a lot, I can even understand the dragon and king as part of the game, but it feels incomplete. And the ending drags on and on. Sorry, I really am mixed on this as I can go back and forth on these ideas and feelings.
For one, I feel like a lot was thrown in just for the hell of it, the dragon, the king. If you read the first quarter of the book and the last quarter, you easily understand the story.
Then there is the back forth love. But Greenwillow and Sunbright really didn't have those momments to develop them (they traveled together, but that was gloss over than they have drinks in an inn together). In her view, she fell in love with him while watching from afar but being super icy and rude to him. In his view, it's never clear. He just states he realizes he loved her all along, but that doesn't mean much when you've slept with another woman and think you're in love with that woman previously. Also, he completely forgot about Greenwillow when in the presence of a powerful mage who asks what you want.
I liked it a lot, I can even understand the dragon and king as part of the game, but it feels incomplete. And the ending drags on and on. Sorry, I really am mixed on this as I can go back and forth on these ideas and feelings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2025
Si no fora perquè estic a tope en Faerûn, no crec que havera acabat este llibre. Però ací estic.
El problema principal amb el llibre és que el protagonista és un Gary Stu amb una personalitat bastant plana i que solament destaca quan interactua amb la resta de personatges (sobretot amb Greenwillow).
Supose que està bé si tens ganes de llegir una campanya de D&D jugada per una panda d'adolescents calenturrientos amb ganes de projectar les seues fantasies de poder.
Però, parlant a favor d'aquest llibre, sí que aconsegueix eixa sensació d'estar dins d'una campanya de rol i t'endinsa bastant en el món de Faerûn.
PD: No esperava que Candlemas fora un relieve còmic tan bo. Les seues intervencions quan està deprimit/suïcida són les millors.
El problema principal amb el llibre és que el protagonista és un Gary Stu amb una personalitat bastant plana i que solament destaca quan interactua amb la resta de personatges (sobretot amb Greenwillow).
Supose que està bé si tens ganes de llegir una campanya de D&D jugada per una panda d'adolescents calenturrientos amb ganes de projectar les seues fantasies de poder.
Però, parlant a favor d'aquest llibre, sí que aconsegueix eixa sensació d'estar dins d'una campanya de rol i t'endinsa bastant en el món de Faerûn.
PD: No esperava que Candlemas fora un relieve còmic tan bo. Les seues intervencions quan està deprimit/suïcida són les millors.
February 6, 2019
This is as average a book as you can get so it’s really 2 1/2 stars. The plot is linear and the main forces in this book remain behind the scenes for most of this book, apart from the unnecessary and over the top Neth hunting party. I did like the trip to the Nine Hells and the doofus red dragon it I was unimpressed with the simplistic writing style. I will finish this trilogy, but this was a very mundane start.
September 8, 2017
I've a have already a few books in the Forgotten Realms verse. So I decided to go back and read them in chronological order. As a lot of series go it was a little slow to start as I got a handle on the main characters (or should I say PCs and NPCs). Once I had that in hand the story is enjoyable.
March 10, 2020
Excellent read. Especially if you have ever felt like a barbarian or a sympathetic superior type. Candlemas and Sunbright, both have given me ideas for character interactions in my own campaign for Dungeons & Dragons. Coincidentally I already had a character named Yanguang. Which means sunshine or sunlight. Oh well, there truly is nothing new under the sun and all has been done or thought of before. Does not discourage me from going into my own fantasies and making my own stories. Have a good read!
August 15, 2020
This was surprisingly better than expected. It's good for a first installment of a trilogy and good for a book based on a shared universe. You can feel the old-school fantasy tropes but they don't feel over used. I also liked the way the story unfolded as it twisted. It can also be read as a standalone that will leave some stuff open but nothing that affects it's main story.
April 2, 2022
Being a huge fan of Forgotten Realms, and diving back into it as an adult after reading it as a teen, it feels just as good as it did then.
This was a fantastic book, full of adventure, battles and character development.
Loved the start of my chronological reading journey and looking forward to reading much more from the realm and this series.
This was a fantastic book, full of adventure, battles and character development.
Loved the start of my chronological reading journey and looking forward to reading much more from the realm and this series.
December 28, 2023
Very scattered plotting. In hindsight, it is easier to see what Clayton was doing with the plotting, but the character development lacked and climatic ending was of the type in which someone else saves the heros which is shallow writing. I gave it a third star as it could set up two characters for the next two books that could be a lot better, I'm hoping.
May 16, 2017
Not written crazy well or crazy different, just an alright read. I gave it 4 stars because of the glimpse into the arcane age of the forgotten realms, a period relatively unexplored and a interesting perspective
June 23, 2019
It was a fine read. Nice look into the time of the Netherese. I just really want to know why Greenwillow was referred to as a half elf, but then her version of hell was becoming a human or having a half elf child. Is she a full moon elf or what!
June 24, 2021
Never winter Research
So, I'm a player of the dungeons and dragons mmo Neverwinter and was interested in some of the lore so I started these and I really liked it. I will, of course, be resisting the urge to build a barbarian call Sunbright but what can you do.
So, I'm a player of the dungeons and dragons mmo Neverwinter and was interested in some of the lore so I started these and I really liked it. I will, of course, be resisting the urge to build a barbarian call Sunbright but what can you do.
October 10, 2017
Fun sword and sorcery book. The magic is over top and the plot is fun.
October 30, 2017
A little far fetched, even for fantasy, at the end, yet still a real good read.
December 3, 2019
Just a really fun book.
April 30, 2020
First foray into the Forgotten Realms as well as D&D novelization. Great read, definitely sheds some adds to the world of Toril.
October 24, 2021
Nothing to get terribly excited about, but it does give the reader a glimpse of D&D with a truly high-magic setting, with magic a force to be constantly wary of.
Read
October 11, 2022Not really that memorable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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