Eberron Novels
 

Have you heard of Eberron?. Wizards of the Coast, the owners of Dungeons and Dragons added the new setting about a year ago. Most people are probably familiar with Dragonlance or The Forgotten Realms and their respective book lines and Eberron has a few(4) novels out already. I just started reading "The Binding Stone" by Don Bassingwaithe, and I'm finding the book overall to be very enjoyable and it's making the most of what the setting offers.

The big theme behind Eberron is that if magic existed, wouldn't it be harnessed like technology and what will happen to this world after an ancient war is ended by the mysterious destruction of an entire nation? The more urban parts of the world feel almost like a cross between Final Fantasy Seven and Full Metal Alchemist with a big pulp/noire feel.

Aside from the source books that give the history and dnd rules for the game setting there are actually only four eberron trilogies out, and only the first books of those trilogies which was actually a big factor for me to start reading them. I've barely read the Dragonlance series because of the sheer immensity and the large role many of them have on famous characters or places in Krynn.

"The City of Towers" was the first true book written for the setting and it was done by the setting's creator Keith Baker. The book by itself serves as a great guide into what life in Eberrron is supposed to be like and is easily the best book to introduce yourself to Eberron with. The book is probably my favorite of all the others due to it's depth, and well, obvious accuracy.

The only minor thing that has bothered me so far with the books is a slight gearing towards similalry themed characters and the novel "The Crimson Talisman" which needlessly ignored a major rule of the setting, which is tant amount to sin in a shared world.

i have yet to read any of the eberron books as i had no knowledge of thier existance. i am glad to hear there is a book about sharn as the PCs in a campaign im DMing have just arrived there and i am unsure of how to convey what sharn is really like (i dont really know myself).

The ebberon campaign setting has always been interesting to me. The races especially, changlings, warforged, etc.

Tyler, I didn't know there WERE any other Ebberon books. Could you link them or at least provide the names?

I read City of Towers, Book 1 of Deeping Dark. It was okay. I miss the halfling already, since I rather liked his character.

In Ebberon, however, I've come to love more than Faerun. Sharn and Xen'Drik are the most interesting locations in any campaign setting, ever.

http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=books/eberronng

So far there are only a few out, but with more to come. The Orb of Xoriat's release date was pushed back because I know it isn't out yet. I hear there is a ninja in it!

Marked for Death: A little elven girl might just have manifested the lost Mark of Death and now everyone is after her and all she has is her adopted family to protect her. This novel takes place primarily in the Mournland. The bad guys are the Blood of Vol's undead minions and a wiley kidnapper. Also, the Lord of Blade's warforged followers also have a big part.

The Crimson Talisman: Vaddi D'Orien is a half-elf with enough human blood to manifest the Mark of Transportation but not activate it. He has just inherited an ancient artifact of eldritch power. Now he has to run. Who are his allies? Who can he trust? How can he face the Cthulu inspired horrors chasing him?

The Binding Stone: The cults of the Dragon Below worship abominations of all things natural. Now they're planning something big. Woe to all those who stand against them.

In case anyone cares, The Orb of Xoriat comes out this month!

well, I just finished reading Crimson Talisman, if Orb of Xoriat is anything like it I'm going to be ignoring it. It's not like it wasn't a decent book. It just felt like an Ebberon campaign where they didn't skip over the boring stuff and just had them traveling for a long time, getting nothing done.

And I didn't really like Zemella or Vaddi. They seemed like a forced romantic couple, with how he's attracted to her from the very start, his suddeny feeling of trust towards her...all felt very forced.

However! I'm looking forward to the rest of the Deeping Dark. I got a kick out of Sharn:City of Towers. Looking forward to this december!

The Crimson Talisman is actually my least favorite of the eberron novels and you're right about Vaddi/Zemella romance being a little hokey. The whole novel was kind of lacking if you ask me. After the destruction of Vaddi's home the vampire guy turned into an empty threat too. The author, Adrian Cole, was brought in despite there being a whole plethora of writers already working for Wotc and I don't think he'll be coming back.

If I had to rank the eberron novels from best to worst here is my pick:

The City of Towers
The Binding Stone
Marked for Death
The Orb of Xoriat
The Crimson Talisman

I haven't even read The Orb of Xoriat yet but its author Edward Bolme, along with Don Bassingwaithe who wrote The Binding Stone, is the writer and he has written previous Wotc books.

Wonderful. So I already have the best one. Sharn was easily the best book out of it, even though the ending felt like Inspector Gadget.

Evil Guy: "I'll get you next time, Lei!" *evil laughter*

I'm skipping Orb of Xoriat. If Crimson Talisman is anything like it I'm already done with the War-Torn series.

I think this'll be one campaign setting that I stay away from the novels. I've enough Dragonlance and FR books left over to read still, and looking forward to book II in the Sell Swords trilogy. I haven't been able to get into Eberron 'cuz I've been cut off from civilization, so I plan on getting the source books once I'm back in the states. Warforged look sweet to play.