World History
The Forgotten Realms is a fictional campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons game. It was invented in the 70s by librarian Ed Greenwood and has hundreds of books devoted to it. It may well be the best developed fantasy world in existence. Middle Earth is not nearly as well documented as the Forgotten Realms.
Not surprisingly, this world has an extensive recorded history. Wizards of the Coast has published a new book devoted to the timeline of the Forgotten Realms. It is The Grand History of the Realms by Brian R. James and Ed Greenwood.
A publisher description of the book reads, "The Grand History of the Realms chronicles the rich history of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, presenting a detailed timeline accompanied by essays from Elminster of Shadowdale and other Realmslore experts. Although not a game supplement, it serves as a handy reference guide for players and Dungeon Masters seeking information on specific historical events. In addition, the book features an exclusive Forgotten Realms short story by best-selling author R.A. Salvatore and new revelations for Realmslore aficionados."
Despite the description, I could not find the promised Salvatore short story. However, the book delivers by providing a detailed history of the Forgotten Realms. If you do not like history or fantasy worlds, stay away from this book. I think one will have to appreciate both to fully get wrapped into the fake history of this fake world.
The history of the Forgotten Realms often echoes the history of the real world. The Last Stand of Humaithira as detailed on page 34 is clearly an homage to Spartan King Leonidas and the Greeks from the Battle of Thermopylae. Of course, in the Realms, the Persians are giants!
This book is a hard read. The dates and side stories offer great detail but are not a flowing narrative. If you are unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms, this book may be unreadable. However, the many historians out there with fantasy gaming backgrounds (tons I think!) may appreciate this book more than active gamers do.
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World History
The Grand History of the Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a fictional campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons game. It was invented in the 70s by librarian Ed Greenwood and has hundreds of books devoted to it. It may well be the best developed fantasy world in existence. Middle Earth is not nearly as well documented as the Forgotten Realms.Not surprisingly, this world has an extensive recorded history. Wizards of the Coast has published a new book devoted to the timeline of the Forgotten Realms. It is The Grand History of the Realms by Brian R. James and Ed Greenwood.
A publisher description of the book reads, "The Grand History of the Realms chronicles the rich history of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, presenting a detailed timeline accompanied by essays from Elminster of Shadowdale and other Realmslore experts. Although not a game supplement, it serves as a handy reference guide for players and Dungeon Masters seeking information on specific historical events. In addition, the book features an exclusive Forgotten Realms short story by best-selling author R.A. Salvatore and new revelations for Realmslore aficionados."
Despite the description, I could not find the promised Salvatore short story. However, the book delivers by providing a detailed history of the Forgotten Realms. If you do not like history or fantasy worlds, stay away from this book. I think one will have to appreciate both to fully get wrapped into the fake history of this fake world.
The history of the Forgotten Realms often echoes the history of the real world. The Last Stand of Humaithira as detailed on page 34 is clearly an homage to Spartan King Leonidas and the Greeks from the Battle of Thermopylae. Of course, in the Realms, the Persians are giants!
This book is a hard read. The dates and side stories offer great detail but are not a flowing narrative. If you are unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms, this book may be unreadable. However, the many historians out there with fantasy gaming backgrounds (tons I think!) may appreciate this book more than active gamers do.
- Requiem For Rome
Alternate history can take many forms. Sometimes it can be simple (What if Lincoln had lived?) to the unbelievable such as Harry Turtledove's accounts of aliens invading during World War Two. I recently read a role playing game supplement that goes...
- Seven American Presidents Nobody Remembers?
CNN has an article up by Christopher Connolly titled Seven presidents nobody remembers. I have to object to several names on the list. Perhaps the general public does not remember them but to historians studying the American Presidency, a few men on...
- History House Inc.
History House Inc. History like you should have learned it. Bizarre stories, trivia, and books every week. From the site: History House has been dormant for about 20 months now. All of its principals (Ian, Sebastian, Victoria) have not forgotten...
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Way back in August Larry Ferlazzo asked me to respond to one of his reader's queries which was posted today. The post looks at "interactives" which allow students to work in class on "problem sets" where the teacher can walk around the...
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I don't read fiction, but the publisher of the not yet published book The Afrika Reich has offered select readers of my blogs this book it they want it. The book will be published in the US in February, but if you give me a site that I...