Project Realms Reads discussion

So I dropped the ball and only just now realized that I haven't yet made this thread, sorry!

As always please follow the spoiler schedule. It's fine if you read ahead but if you do please hid it under a spoiler tag until the appropriate day.

December 11th Spoilers thru Chapter 8 Allowed
December 18th Spoilers thru Chapter 15 Allowed
December 25th Spoilers for Entire Book Allowed

Where To Get A Copy


Check your Local Library - According to WorldCat's database there are copies in 115 libraries around the world. And there are likely many more that just aren't in the database.


Support Your Friendly Local Book Store - If you don't already know of one nearby check out these sites I found to see if there is one after all.

USA
UK and Ireland
International


If you want or need to purchase a copy online here are some places I would recommend checking.

ThriftBooks
BetterWorldBooks

Lol you did make this back on Dec 1st! I'm not up to chapter 8 yet so I don't want to post my impressions yet.

I'm caught up through chapter 8. I have to say there's already a big improvement with this book versus the first one in the series! There's a lot more action, the enemies are less vague, and the main characters are involved in the main plot a lot faster than in the first book.

Tristan's still pretty annoying, and I don't think Pontswain is as bad as Tristan thinks he is. Also Tristan and Robyn pining for each other is getting a little old.

We can comment up to chapter 15 now?

I'm enjoying the fast pace of this book, I feel like it's faster than the first one in the series. Although there's a fair amount of "captured / imprisoned / jailbreak"--and the convenient treasure that helps them out a chapter or two later is funny, but also sort of classic D&D.

I'm a little confused about the switch from the Earthmother and Kazgorath (sp?) to Chauntea and Bhaal. I can understand higher stakes in this sequel, but it seems a little unnecessary and messily done. I wish there had been more hint to it in the first one (I think the book we read last month, The Crystal Shard, did a great job of setting up sequels).

Looking forward to the final third of the book! I hope we get to see Finellen, and I sorely miss the elf knights.

So I think this book improved on a lot of the technical issues that happened in the first of the series, but there's still some "Early Fantasy Problems-itis" happening.

I think the pacing is a lot better, and the heroes of the story got to jump into the plot a lot faster than they did in Moonshae #1 (in that one it felt like they were just wandering around clueless for the first half of the book). Action happens quickly, but is also over quickly. I liked the hopping around of characters to see other perspectives.

I do think there are some weird plot holes, but I'll put them under the Spoiler tag:
(view spoiler)[Why was it so easy to corrupt the Moonwell in the first book, but in this one it's heavily protected? If the King of Alaron doesn't rule over the other kings, why did Tristan and Pontswain eagerly decide to let him decide who's going to be the new King of Corwell? How were the other two kings killed like a year ago and none of the lords noticed? And the biggest plot hole (in my opinion)--the prophecy about the next High King talks about these different elementals bending to his will, but ROBYN is the one who casts all those spells so in my opinion SHE should be the next High King. She's also too good for Tristan, lol. (hide spoiler)]

The switch from the Earth Mother/the Beast to Chauntea/Bhaal is a little weird, I think. But I guess you gotta up the stakes. I liked that there were more details about casting magic spells and using potions. It made it feel more D&D-y.

I still miss the elf knights... I hope we see them in book 3, since we should be back on their island.

I missed the group read on this book and its predecessor. I want to read these, so I'll try to play catch up as time allows. I am really curious about this series.

Don wrote: "I missed the group read on this book and its predecessor. I want to read these, so I'll try to play catch up as time allows. I am really curious about this series."

I'm still working on this one myself. Feel free to post your thoughts along the way, I'll be doing so myself.

So I finished this book a couple weeks ago. I liked it in some ways more than the first, but overall still enjoyed the first one more I think! I'm going to be getting Darkwell in the mail hopefully next week, and that'll be the next FR book I read, looking forward to it.