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Title: Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (Forgotten Realms) by Drew Karpyshyn ISBN: 0-7869-1985-X Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: September, 2001 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.75 (8 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Even a new author could not save this series
Comment: The novelization of the popular RP computer game Baldur's Gate is perhaps one of the worst series I have ever managed to read. The first two books of the series were written by Philip Athens. The intricate story line of the game itself as well as the many interesting characters that populate the game all went missing in Mr. Athens' books. I could find no redeeming value in the first two books. The main character was poorly conceived and never fleshed out. Subplots and any thoughts on what it means to be the child of a dead God are brushed aside without a second thought. Given the mangling of the story in the first two books one has to wonder if Mr. Athens even bothered to play the game itself before tossing off his forgettable stories.
Athens was thankfully replaced as author for the third book by Drew Karpyshyn. Sadly the destruction was so complete that there was little left to salvage. Mr. Karpyshyn's writing is several steps up from Athens. The problem of this third book is not the talents of Mr. Karpyshyn rather it is the horrible and incoherent mess of first two books of the series. The very fact that Mr. Karpyshyn could continue the story and bring the tale to its conclusion speaks very well of his talents.
It is very sad that it is only in the last half of the last book of the series that some of the themes of the game actually make an appearance. The nature of good and evil, the possibility of redemption finally get some thought put to them. The notion that what makes an individual a hero are not things one is born with but arise out of the choices we make. Unfortunately this attempt to redeem the series comes far to late.
Chose to play the game and don't bother with the books.
Rating: 3
Summary: A so-so book, but Phillip Athens should have been the author
Comment: A big problem with this book is that Athens, the writer of the first two Baulder's Gate novels, didnt write it. I think that Karpyshyn is a great writer, but using him on this book was a mistake. He doesnt have the feel for the characters like Athens did. In other words, he makes them out to be very different people then the ones we have learned about in the first two books. The story itself is not to bad, but again, the poor character development on Karpyshyns' part did not help. Usually, the third book in a trillogy is the best, but this is not the case here.
It is in this novel that we have the final struggle between Abdel and his evil God father. Action is not bad here, and detail is written well, but I just felt so released from this book because I didnt have the same feelings for these characters as I did in the fisrt two books. This final book just did not flow well with the first to, and only because of the different author.
If you want to find out about Abdel and his companions' outcome, then by all means, read the book. But I dont think its a very big deal. I think Athens should rewrite this book, and then maybe I will give it another star.
Rating: 1
Summary: The ENTIRE trilogy should be re-written
Comment: First of all I must admit that technically Drew Karpyshyn's writing is much better than Philip Athans', though I must say it couldn't have been that hard to achieve since Athan's writing could be easily outdone by a five year old, the story is better structured and more fluid.
Regarding the story itself, well, Drew Karpyshyn didn't really have much to work with and I don't think it's his fault that it came out bad and far far away from the story presented in the awesome game. The reason for that lack of ability to change the story to the better lies in the fact that the story has been mutilated beyond recognition by Philip Athans, for example one of THE best characters in the game, Imoen, who is an innocent, kind, funny, light hearted and sweet soul in the game is turned by Philip Athans into an abused child who grows into a lesbian (also, unlike in the game she dies in Drew Karpyshyn's book).
The protagonist, like in the previous books, is a spineless jerk and a fool and not somebody who's prophesized to stop the rebirth of Bhaal, The God Of Murder. He doesn't grow to be somebody who's supposed to fulfil the prophecy, it seems like the prophecy would've fulfilled itself even if he hadn't lifted a finger (Blthazar reviving the protagonist and then killing himself so that the prophecy will be fulfilled ? Really ? Why didn't Balthazar kille all the Bhallspawns by himself and then fetched the protagonist from Candlekeep and then broke his own neck so that the prophecy will be fulfilled ? Who's the hero here ? The protagonist or Balthazar ? Sounds more like Balthazar is the hero here and the worthy one of the prophecy).
In short DO NOT buy any of the books, buy the games.
In Drew Karpyshyn's defence I must say that as far as I know it's his first book and he wasn't given any material to work with and I think that with some practice he will become a good writer(maybe he'll rewrite the entire trilogy into one book then, writing the story the way it should be;)). I certainly hope somebody does, somebody skilled in writing and who won't be lazy to play the games or at least take the final scripts from Bioware and write the book according to them (The protagonist having a spine and a brain, and Imoen being the same Imoen like in the games who also stays alive and then continues to travel, at least for a while, with the protagonist before starting to make a name for herself in the realms).
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Title: Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn by Philip Athans ISBN: 0786915692 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 15 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Baldur's Gate: A Novelization by Philip Athans ISBN: 0786915250 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 08 July, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Baldur's Gate Official Strategy Guide by Bill Keith, Nina Keith ISBN: 1566867886 Publisher: Brady Games Pub. Date: 23 December, 1998 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
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Title: Pool of Radiance: The Ruins of Myth Drannor (Forgotten Realms) by Carrie Bebris ISBN: 0786913878 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 20 August, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title:Baldur's Gate 2: The Collection ASIN: B00009ECGG Publisher: Interplay Pub. Date: 12 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.99 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99 |
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