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Forgotten Realms: Elminster #3
The Temptation of Elminster
How do you tempt an archmage who has everything?
From a dark and dusty tomb, Elminster emerges, seeking the guidance of Mystra, and finds only silence. He is drawn into the clutches of the mysterious and sinister Lady of Shadows. The path he takes will lead to a Realms-shaking confrontation where Elminster has to make the most important choice of his long life.
Whatever he decides, the Realms will be forever changed . . . How do you tempt an archmage who has everything?
From a dark and dusty tomb, Elminster emerges, seeking the guidance of Mystra, and finds only silence. He is drawn into the clutches of the mysterious and sinister Lady of Shadows. The path he takes will lead to a Realms-shaking confrontation where Elminster has to make the most important choice of his long life.
Whatever he decides, the Realms will be forever changed . . .
From a dark and dusty tomb, Elminster emerges, seeking the guidance of Mystra, and finds only silence. He is drawn into the clutches of the mysterious and sinister Lady of Shadows. The path he takes will lead to a Realms-shaking confrontation where Elminster has to make the most important choice of his long life.
Whatever he decides, the Realms will be forever changed . . . How do you tempt an archmage who has everything?
From a dark and dusty tomb, Elminster emerges, seeking the guidance of Mystra, and finds only silence. He is drawn into the clutches of the mysterious and sinister Lady of Shadows. The path he takes will lead to a Realms-shaking confrontation where Elminster has to make the most important choice of his long life.
Whatever he decides, the Realms will be forever changed . . .
410 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1995
91 people are currently reading
1459 people want to read
About the author
Ed Greenwood
364 books875 followersEd Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms fantasy world, which became the setting for his home D&D game in 1975. Play still continues in this long-running campaign, and Ed also keeps busy producing Realmslore for various TSR publications.
Ed has published over two hundred articles in Dragon magazine and Polyhedron newszine, is a lifetime charter member of the Role Playing Game Associaton (RPGA) network, has written over thirty books and modules for TSR, and been Gen Con Game Fair guest of honor several times.
In addition to all these activities, Ed works as a library clerk and has edited over a dozen small press magazines.
Invented the character Elminster from the popular Forgotten Realms RPG series. Currently resides in an old farmhouse in the countryside of Ontario, Canada.
Ed has published over two hundred articles in Dragon magazine and Polyhedron newszine, is a lifetime charter member of the Role Playing Game Associaton (RPGA) network, has written over thirty books and modules for TSR, and been Gen Con Game Fair guest of honor several times.
In addition to all these activities, Ed works as a library clerk and has edited over a dozen small press magazines.
Invented the character Elminster from the popular Forgotten Realms RPG series. Currently resides in an old farmhouse in the countryside of Ontario, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 28, 2016
There's certainly a lot going on in The Temptation of Elminster, but I'm not sure, as I worked my way through the novel, that I was always clear on exactly what. At one point, Elminster's patron goddess asks him to serve an evil wizardess; I'm not sure why. At another point, Elminster is tasked with leaving magical artifacts in tombs and ruins. I understood the reasons for this a bit better, but totally missed the scene where he was told to do this. (Or did I miss it; was it even in the 400+ pages of this book?) Ed Greenwood's writing is vigorous and engaging, but in Temptation, so many characters are introduced, so many plot threads are woven, that it was difficult to keep track of them all, let alone be sure if they were all resolved by novel's end. The titular temptation doesn't even really happen until the last two dozen or so pages of the story. There's a cult of dark wizards whose cruel practices and evil rituals are deliciously described, but I'm not sure why they were in the novel. There is a lot of stuff going on that I'm not sure of it's place and purpose in the book. The Temptation of Elminister is a great hodgepodge of magic and wizards and cultists and elves and plot threads that are so tangled it was impossible to follow them all. I think there was a kitchen sink and some baby-containing bathwater in there too. The book was fun, but not all that coherent. I enjoyed what I read, even though what I read seemed a lot more like a series of disconnected vignettes than a properly plotted novel; like a bunch of D&D modules played back to back without any proper linking material.
November 26, 2011
I'll never forgive myself for reading this God forsaken series. Complete diarrhea like the previous two, this one was just too much for me to finish.
December 27, 2017
πίστευα ότι ξέρω ελληνικά αρκετά καλό. αλλά αυτό το βιβλίο ήταν δύσκολο για κάτι λόγο που δεν το καταλαβενω. βεβαίως ξέρω αρκετά για να καταλαβενω τι γίνεται και δεν μου άρεσε η ιστορία. έτσι απλά. μου φάνηκε πολύ βαρετό και σαν να το έχει γράψει αγοράκι που γλείφει τα δάχτυλα του και ονειρεύεται να είναι μάγο που εξυπηρετεί μια γκόμενα μάγισσα - αρχόντισσα. αχ ορμόνες. χαχα. δεν μου άρεσε επίσης πως ο κόσμος αυτός μου έμενε άγνωστο. έχει ξωτικά. τι άλλο έμαθα; τίποτα άλλο. δυστυχώς βαρέθηκα με τα ίδια και ίδια. αίμα, μυστικά και μουναρες μάγισσες (συγγνώμη για την έκφραση). ίσως αυτό το βιβλίο έχει μόνο νόημα αν έχεις διαβάσει την σειρά. γιατί μπορούσε αλλιώς να έχει ενδιαφέρον τουλάχιστον στο επόμενο βιβλίο.
April 20, 2008
Ed Greenwoods books on Elminster are amaizing! I trust noone else to write as well on the subject of such a wizard! They've got to be neer perfection, if not they have acheived perfection! Again! FANTACY! Its basically all I read! Don't expect me to change! XP!
November 19, 2024
Elminster really got put through it in this one. The world was beautifully built around El as he navigated through the requests of his goddess. Every turn, thought, action, and decision in this book was a test, and I was exhausted for him. I read 50% of this one and gave audio a try for the second 50%, and I was pleasantly surprised that my mind did not wander while listening. This has been such a great series so far, and when I finish it, I think I will run an Elminster campaign for the kids.
January 8, 2017
Here we see the Old Mage has awoken from being trapped for many years, long enough for Myth Drannor to turn from being a beautiful city of elves and magic into a forsaken ruin occupied only by the demons and the damned.
Finding nothing but silence from his goddess, Elminster is visited by the god of magic Azuth, and is told that Mystra's avatar has been bound and he needs to free her.
So Mystra is bound, magic goes awry, Elminster goes on a crusade to save her and succeds, but it's not really clear how this is accomplished.
It almost seems as if the Elminster series goes downhill after the first one, with the second and third becoming more long winded and stretched out than the last. Elminster's daughter redeems the series, and I can only hope that Elminster Must Die continues that tradition.
I LOVED the ending. After freeing Mystra, she leads him to three of the Seven Sisters: Dove, Storm, and Lael Silverhand. After finding these orpahned waifs on the side of the road, he begins the arduous, rewarding, and frustrating task of raising three young girls in the pursuit of the Art
Finding nothing but silence from his goddess, Elminster is visited by the god of magic Azuth, and is told that Mystra's avatar has been bound and he needs to free her.
So Mystra is bound, magic goes awry, Elminster goes on a crusade to save her and succeds, but it's not really clear how this is accomplished.
It almost seems as if the Elminster series goes downhill after the first one, with the second and third becoming more long winded and stretched out than the last. Elminster's daughter redeems the series, and I can only hope that Elminster Must Die continues that tradition.
I LOVED the ending. After freeing Mystra, she leads him to three of the Seven Sisters: Dove, Storm, and Lael Silverhand. After finding these orpahned waifs on the side of the road, he begins the arduous, rewarding, and frustrating task of raising three young girls in the pursuit of the Art
July 24, 2012
I couldn't do it...I couldn't make it past the first chapter. The writing was so piss poor...and hackneyed...and so retarded...ugh...don't get me started.
Edit: I re-read this book this summer and liked it more than I did originally. Not sure why.
Edit: I re-read this book this summer and liked it more than I did originally. Not sure why.
July 21, 2018
A personal favorite of mine that I feel is one of Ed Greenwood's best stories. It's best to have read the first two books of Elminster's making, but if you jump in right here you won't be disappointed.
June 1, 2020
This one was actually one of the better ones in the series.
November 5, 2023
Worst one so far. It feels like there wasn't enough meat in the main story, we had to hop everywhere, for very little gain or reward. Which then sprung the problem of too many names, for too many extremely minor characters that I couldn't care about.
I guess I'm fine with having a little lore about Shar and Mystra, but the whole story felt like either a filler episode, or somewhat of a nothing burger.
I know Ed Greenwood can do better, I also know he's capable of this amount of bleh, so I cannot say I'm surprised. He needed to put his volume-of-a-series hat, and it seems he messed up and wore his short-stories hat.
I'm giving the series another try, but if it doesn't get at least a 2.5, I might rethink my whole "read all of the forgotten realms novels" plan, which is a ridiculous plan from the get go anyway.
I guess I'm fine with having a little lore about Shar and Mystra, but the whole story felt like either a filler episode, or somewhat of a nothing burger.
I know Ed Greenwood can do better, I also know he's capable of this amount of bleh, so I cannot say I'm surprised. He needed to put his volume-of-a-series hat, and it seems he messed up and wore his short-stories hat.
I'm giving the series another try, but if it doesn't get at least a 2.5, I might rethink my whole "read all of the forgotten realms novels" plan, which is a ridiculous plan from the get go anyway.
August 2, 2018
"The Temptation of Elminster" is... good.
The book requires a steel will or an unprecedented love for D&D, Faerun or Elminster. While the writing remains as good as with the previous books, this one feels as though it is a collection of short stories, mutually connected only by Elminster.
There is an array of characters we do not get to know enough to care about them, all set up as puzzle pieces whose final image is not as satisfying as one might hope for. Maybe taken apart and improved, the characters and stories would make for exciting adventures, but in this format they are given too little attention.
If you liked the previous books, beware this one. If you're a completionist and want to read the series- power through and may Mystra guide us onward!
The book requires a steel will or an unprecedented love for D&D, Faerun or Elminster. While the writing remains as good as with the previous books, this one feels as though it is a collection of short stories, mutually connected only by Elminster.
There is an array of characters we do not get to know enough to care about them, all set up as puzzle pieces whose final image is not as satisfying as one might hope for. Maybe taken apart and improved, the characters and stories would make for exciting adventures, but in this format they are given too little attention.
If you liked the previous books, beware this one. If you're a completionist and want to read the series- power through and may Mystra guide us onward!
August 16, 2019
The second half of this book is far superior to the first, and ultimately worth the wait, I suppose.
The overall plot roams and rambles, to the point that sometimes you feel like the author is jumping you around just to confuse you. In the end, though, Greenwood takes advantage of most of the characters he has setup throughout the novel to some degree.
His signature wit and enjoyable descriptions are plentiful, and the notes of humor are sharp while not overly done.
In the end it's not his best work, but it has some great moments and fits in well among the other FR and Elminster books.
The overall plot roams and rambles, to the point that sometimes you feel like the author is jumping you around just to confuse you. In the end, though, Greenwood takes advantage of most of the characters he has setup throughout the novel to some degree.
His signature wit and enjoyable descriptions are plentiful, and the notes of humor are sharp while not overly done.
In the end it's not his best work, but it has some great moments and fits in well among the other FR and Elminster books.
July 28, 2022
Eh.
The Forgotten Realms world is a titan of the fantasy genre, and for good reason. There's a lot of depth, tons of things to discover, and interesting characters.
Unfortunately, Ed Greenwood often focuses on sharing these awesome tidbits about his world, rather than actually writing a cohesive story. This book is best described as "Elminster goes around Faerun and does stuff." I was constantly waiting for "the temptation" to show up as I got further and further into the book, only to find it lacklustre.
Not my favourite.
The Forgotten Realms world is a titan of the fantasy genre, and for good reason. There's a lot of depth, tons of things to discover, and interesting characters.
Unfortunately, Ed Greenwood often focuses on sharing these awesome tidbits about his world, rather than actually writing a cohesive story. This book is best described as "Elminster goes around Faerun and does stuff." I was constantly waiting for "the temptation" to show up as I got further and further into the book, only to find it lacklustre.
Not my favourite.
October 27, 2019
Να πω την αλήθεια: το διάβασα γιατί το είχα αγοράσει ήδη και είχα διαβάσει τα 2 πρωτα της σειρας. Η ιστορία του είναι αρκετά καλή αλλα το γράψιμο του Greenwood είναι επιεικώς πολύ κακό. Εχει σκεφτεί μια πολύ καλή ιστορία και την ξετυλίγει με τη σωστή σειρά αλλά το γράψιμο του είναι πολύ κουραστικό. Θα διαβάσω σίγουρα και το επόμενο της σειράς αλλά αν δεν το είχα ήδη στο σπίτι, δεν νομίζω να το έψαχνα.
May 25, 2020
I've noticed that with a lot of the early Forgotten Realms series, the concept of a trilogy is lost in whatever haphazard publication was going on. The Elminster series is a good example of that. The first book opened with a prologue that was never revisited, the second had a cohesive storyline, and the third jumps forward 500 years and spends a great deal of the narrative seeming to be jumbled and bouncing around quite a bit.
October 19, 2017
I remember being trapped on a business trip and hoping that there was something better than harlequin romance to read. Well-written but such a terrible story. The cover is intriguing right? Does he fall in love? Is the temptation power or some corruption because of his godlike power? You’d be right and wrong on all counts and it is not because of plot twists.
May 25, 2023
This book is kind of all over the place and hard to follow. I like that it exposes the reader to different parts of the Forgotten Realms, but things happen quickly and I was left not really sure what it was that had happened or why. This book took me a while to get through and was enough of a struggle that I am going to take a break from Elminster and the Forgotten Realms for awhile.
September 4, 2020
This book was weird. It felt like Greenwood wrote the first half of the book, wasn't sure where it was going, so then wrote a completely different, unrelated second half of the book. I ended up feeling very, very confused.
November 2, 2022
I think the Elminster books are my favorite of Greenwood’s works I’ve read so far. This is yet another early adventure of the Old Mage, and the temptation is more along the lines of Karsus than anything sexual.
July 4, 2017
Love Forgotten Realms! This one took me a bit to get on board but it might have helped had I read #1 and #2 first! They are getting hard to find though!!!💗💗💗💗
January 24, 2019
Pierde fuerza, en comparación con los libros anteriores, y relata demasiados sucesos sin una hilación evidente y con conclusiones forzadas.
May 10, 2019
Kind of hard to follow if you’re not good at remembering like 30 peoples weird names. Overall it was good and the settings were vivid, but the story was all over the place with no real outcome.
October 17, 2019
A Chosen One Sleeps For A Century Or More. The Realms did not sleep while our chosen one sleep. Once awake we learn more of the Realms as the past comes looking for El.
May 28, 2020
Per lo meno ora posso affermare con cognizione di causa che la trilogia di Elminster è la peggiore serie fantasy mai scritta.
October 22, 2021
Te lo acabas porque es lo que toca, pero donde este el primero que se quiten los demás. Eso sí, en español no están todos :(
December 6, 2021
Tercera entrega de la trilogia que explica los inicios del gran mago de Faerun, Elminster. De mano de Ed Greenwood otra magnífica novela de fantasía, magia y dragones.
February 26, 2023
A mix of adventures with Elminster
July 3, 2023
Surprisingly boring, incoherent, and hard to get trough.
June 21, 2024
True rating 3.5 This book jumped around so much it really felt like a collection of short stories at times. It did come together nicely at the end though
January 14, 2025
2 stars [Fantasy]
(W 2.08 | P 1.93 | O 1.75 | T 1.42)
Exact rating: 1.80
I didn't know Greenwood was capable of writing this badly.
(W 2.08 | P 1.93 | O 1.75 | T 1.42)
Exact rating: 1.80
I didn't know Greenwood was capable of writing this badly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews