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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780786942725
ISBN number: 078694272X
Label: Wizards of the Coast
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 432
Printing Date: June 12, 2007
Publishing house: Wizards of the Coast
Age index: Young Adult
Release Date: June 12, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 153803
Studio: Wizards of the Coast
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The paperback release of an exciting new book by the creator of the Forgotten Realms!
After they saved his life, the king grants Florin and his friends what they've always dreamed of: an adventure! But the 'adventure' proves a little more difficult then the newly named Swords of Eveningstar had thought it would be. Scions of evil from across the Realms manipulate the Swords like pawn, and it's all the Swords can do just to stay alive!
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers -
A wonderful book. Starts a bit slow but picks up the pace as it goes. For anyone that has ever roleplayed before you will instantly see what your low level character group looks like in action. Ed Greenwood, of Elminster fame, is a wonderful writer and can make any story that much better. I would recommend the book and the series to anyone.
Rated by buyers 
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Story In a Nutshell:
The story follows a young group of newly appointed adventurers after one of their number unknowingly rescues the king. After making quite a few enemies (most who they don't even know of) who cause them trouble, they learn that the wondrous tales they have heard of heroes and adventure may be VERY blown out of proportion...
Story's Pros:
- Many Characters
You'll find at least one character that you will enjoy.
- Main Characters are inexperienced
As other reviewers have mentioned, it's nice to be following protagonists that do not start off as godly in their skills or at least have characters that bleed or are not perfect.
- Main Characters do not always get along
Personalities do clash amidst the party members which makes the characters more likable and more realistic.
Cons:
- Too Many Characters, Part 1
Honestly, this was what dragged down the book for me. The storytelling jumped around so much that it was difficult to keep track of who was who in this book. The enemies suffered from this the most. This may have been easily prevented if there was a list of the notable characters at the front or back of the book and a brief line of who they were. Particularly toward the middle of the book, this story jumping was starting to give me a headache.
- Too Many Characters, Part 2: Ignored "Main" Characters
For example, there are two young lackadaisical 'priests' in the party who's stage time only amounts for getting shot and making leud jokes or "we're going to die" sarcasm. These two characters, Doust and Semoor, could have contributed much to the story though they were mostly support character fodder. There is even a section where it's randomly commented that they have healing spells but there is no explanation of how they came a hold of these powers as they certainly didn't have them at the beginning of the story.
Would I recommend this book?:
Maybe. If you are an avid Forgotten Realms/Wizards book series reader, It's probably worth reading, but bring a notepad and a pencil to keep track of the characters.
If you are just getting started with the Forgotten Realms line, you may want to find a different book of theirs to start one.
If you are a casual reader of fantasy, take it up only if you want something that might need more effort to keep track of as you read through it.
Rated by buyers 
-
Overall the book was rather weak, with a bit of action at the end but not too many other redeeming qualities. The writing style became very disjointed during the middle of the book (much like my review) and never seemed to correct itself. Besides that, the characters were fairly boring, and there was too much wizard glorification for my tastes. The book ends with somewhat of a resolution (if any), but just enough loose ends to leave the reader curious about the subsequent book. If not for the hefty price tag of what might also be another disappointed book I'd pick it up myself.
I enjoyed reading the beginning of the book which dealt with some restless youngsters desiring the life of an adventurer, as well as all the wise-alec quips Florin was giving Narantha. However, my enjoyment of the book came crashing down after the daring rescue, and the start of their actual adventures.
That's not to say the beginning was perfect either. There were plenty of parts where I couldn't help but roll my eyes as all the side characters were singing Florin's praises. It goes a little something like this:
S - Man I wish we could go on an adventure
J - Yeah I bet Florin McAwesomesexypants is on an adventure right now
I - Yeah, since Florin's so awesome
J - And Sexy! I think I'll waste a few paragraphs pining for Florin while I stare at the moon and weep bitter tears because my worth can be measured by the number of times I cast magic missle. {Which happens thrice, if that)
S - I wish I could be like Florin.. Unfortunately, I am but a mere sham of a priest that will be delegating into the side character role with nothing to do all day but crack jokes with my equally useless priest friend.
I - Having no effect on the convoluted story guarantees you'll live on to the subsequent book.
Ghost of dead side characters - Boo! Hiss! Boo!!
S - Fair enough!
Not that the borderline important side characters don't have reason to worship him or anything. He's in the Odysseus class when it comes to the amount of women he beds even though he's supposedly has a nobleborn sweetheart, oh well. Then again the majority of the characters in the book end up being very promiscuous so I suppose it's too big a deal.
Afterwards, they're to explore the Haunted Halls of Eveningstar which their group was named after. Not that they spend much time there, nor do you the reader have much of a chance to understand what's going on let alone make a mental image of the place. It's around here that I felt the writing was really falling apart, it was hard to tell who was moving where, and why. Furthermore, at this point you've got about 3-5 people constantly spying on them for their own petty schemes, many of them almighty wizards whose interest in them isn't the least bit well defined. One of them never being revealed throughout the book, although I'm sure he'll make an appearance later in the trilogy.
***Minor vague spoilers ahead***
The constant scrying and scheming continues throughout the book and leads you to boredom, since you, the reader, realize that the Swords of Eveningstar are little more than rats in a cage. They end up in a town named Arabel later on where they manage to piss off every guardsman and evil crime organization agent in sight at no fault of their own. Then proceed to jump through a plethora of portals defeating some wizard who was weakly introduced earlier on. They didn't defeat him due to their own merit of course, only due to the intervention of some powerful wizard who decides to mess with his subordinates wizards plans and conveniently let the adventurers live. More of this continues with all the spying schemers playing their hands until finally they get a ticket to invincible archmage tower, then ride into the sunset with the queen of Cormyr to be knighted for their lack of grand deeds or some rubbish.
*****MORE SPOILERS ALTHOUGH IT'S ABOUT AS IMPORTANT AS THESE CHARACTERS IMPORTANCE TO THE STORY OR LACK THEREOF****
The main antagonist is also killed at the end by some other minor character, who guess what? Also happens to be a mighty wizard. Add some more cameos of important FR figures and the book wraps itself up. Maybe the subsequent book will explain why he put melting elven wizards brains on pause and fool around with the Swords of Eveningstar. Heck I'd cast him as the hero of the story if he had been keeping the population of interfering almighty wizards in Forgotten Realms down instead of mind-melting the reclusive elven why-can't-I-Just-live-with-my-cats types. Of course without those pesky meddling mages we might actually get a story about *GASP* adventurers. Particularly the Swords of Eveningstar **Double Gasp!!**
***
Well that's enough satire out of me, time for some:
Ending Thoughts
***
Read More
Rated by buyers 
-
I have to say that Ed is one of my favorite writers of this genre. I try to read pretty much everything he writes. I am glad he put down Elminster and went with another series.
Myth Drannor in its glory time was a great place full of magic and honor. This series tells about the Knights that protected the place.
So this story doesn't happen in current realm time so if you don't like reading about what happen a long time ago I will past on this book.
Rated by buyers -
I waited a long time for this book. And this series. Once upon a time, I discovered the Forgotten Realms. Not from the Dungeons and Dragons game, but from the novels. The Realms, as we fans call it, is a vast and magical place, full of wonderful stories of heroes, villians, and magic. Ed Greenwood wrote a book entitled Spellfire. In that book, amidst the overall plot he describes a group of young, experienced adventurers who more often than naught rescue the young heroine and her boyfriend. These are the KNIGHTS OF MYTH DRANNOR. They are a fun-loving band and have wonderful adventures while doing what is right. The whole time I read that book, I was like, I want more. More Knights. More Fun. Who are these guys? Where did they come from? Why are they so experienced? This book and the two that follow will answer those questions.
Without going into too many details and thereby ruin the book for you, let me just say, this book starts out with five friends who want to be adventurers to get out of their boring lives. One of them, a young ranger to be, Florin Falconhand, gets more time in the limelight, because he is the coolest of them. (Just being honest) The five friends, in their search for adventure, get embroiled in a series of plots against the kingdom of Cormyr and ultimately save the day. Was that a spoiler? No, because why would you want to read a book that ends badly. This is not a Shakespearan tradegy. This is a fun, good time fantasy novel. That is not to say that everything goes well and all our heroes emerge unscathed, but the good guys win. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Now for a brief message on style. As other reviewers have noted, Ed Greenwood has an interesting story-telling style. At times, it feels like he is telling four or five stories at once. He switches between them frequently, often at seemingly random times. It is his way of creating drama, of captivating your attention as a reader, but it can be confusing at times. Take it slow, enjoy the ride, and all the pieces will eventually fall into place. For fans of the Forgotten Realms, Ed will include many cameos from the "movers and the shakers" of the Forgotten Realms. As the original creator of many of these characters, he likes to show how seemingly inconsequential events have earth-shaking impacts in the world of Forgotten Realms. There is some Deux ex Machina at times(which means he uses his super-powerful wizards and kings to rescue or move the plot along without regard for his main characters) but overall, you get the sense of suspense and drama that make for great fantasy.
I loved this book and I am getting the subsequent one right away. There is not a lot of fun fantasy for adults anymore. Everything has to be so dramatic and tension filled that it chokes the life out of much of the genre. This is not like that. This is fantasy the way I remember it, back when I very first opened that very first Forgotten Realms book. I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did.
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