How come R. A. Salvatore doesn't have a subforum

[tiailds]

With over 40 fantasy books he's written and several other that he's either supervised or are scifi, I would have thought that he would have some section reserved for him. I guess I'm the only one who thinks anything of him.

 

[j d worthington]

No, this has come up with several writers. There have to be a certain number of threads devoted to that writer before they are given a sub-forum of their own; many deserving writers do not have one, from the early classics of sf to some of the most popular writers around. It all depends on how much interest there is in discussing a particular writer at any given time. So start a thread discussing his work, and see where it goes from there.

Aside from that, use the Search engine to find discussion of Salvatore, and I think you'll find out he crops up a fair amount.

 

[Shoegaze99]

I'd say there are already far too many subforums, many with only six or seven or eight threads, and some that haven't seen posts in months. Why would you want to add another one?

That Kage Baker forum, for example? Two posts in a year. In a year!

Worse still, not being a Kage Baker reader myself, that's a forum I'd never actually visit, and hence I'll never see any of those posts ... but if that stuff was in the general book forum, which I read regularly, maybe I'd see those posts and get interested in Baker's work, thus turning me on to a new author. And isn't that part of what reading and posting to a message board like this is all about? Discussing the stuff you love, and getting exposed to more of it?

If you're an RA Salvatore fan, be glad he doesn't have a subforum, especially if you'd like non-fans to be exposed to a little discussion on him. They'll never go to a dedicated Salvatore forum, but here they just might see the good things you have to say about him. And that means you just might help to create a new fan.

 

[Joel007]

I've just re-read the dark elf trilogy and i'm reading the icewind dale trilogy
Love his star wars books too.
I'd have to agree that unless there's a sudden huge exclusive salvatore fan base influx, we're probably better off discussing his books in general

 

[Brian G Turner]

The subforums are there simply to better highlight when a particular author is being discussed more commonly than others.

Certainly the forums flow and change, and it's certainly a shame the Kage Baker subforum hasn't had more discussion on it for some time - it simply reflected the community discussions taking place when first set up.

I think it's certainly fair that I should consider a more progressive approach to author suforums, and either move or remove author boards where there is no real continued discussion about them.

 

[Shoegaze99]

That sounds like a very reasonable approach, Brian. I'd have a hard time questioning that.

(I assume that if a subforum was folded, its threads would simply be moved into the general discussion forum, no?)

 

[Brian G Turner]

Indeed - that's what I'd do. And I guess if they saw a spurt of discussion around them, we'd have to consider re-opening an Authors board for them.

With all the recent changes and forum merger, I'm keen first just to let everyone settle in for a while as much as possible, before making any significant changes. I'm aware that people want to see certain changes at chronicles, but for those who've visited less regularly I don't want to disorientate them by making it to look like chronicles moves the furniture every week.

 

[GOLLUM]

I've read some of Bob Slavatores work including original IceWind Dale and Dark Elf trilogy. The best I've read is Dark Elf.

Salvatore to me is nothing special and somewhat generic BUT if you want to know how to write good battle scenes and particularly one-on-one combat he's an excellent person to read.

 

[Silent Speaker]

I've read that alot about this author, that he can write execptional combat scenes.

I read one work (I believe the 1st Dark Elf book? Homeland?) and there was nothing very memorable (vividness in the fight scenes I mean).
I also read a SW work by him (Vector prime), again, no fight that particularily stuck out.

Are there any other books of his which particularily highlight his supposed skill in fight scenes? (that Icewind dale tril.? continue with DE?)

SPOLILER [question]:
Would anyone care to share their favourite fight scene, from any of his stories? One that you thought was really great-I'll go peek at them in the bookshop

Edit/ Maybe I'm just biased because of Vector Prime (I really did not like it), I'll just go re-read that DE book before any final judgement

 

[GOLLUM]

I've read that alot about this author, that he can write execptional combat scenes.

I read one work (I believe the 1st Dark Elf book? Homeland?) and there was nothing very memorable (vividness in the fight scenes I mean).
I also read a SW work by him (Vector prime), again, no fight that particularily stuck out.

Well I'm not a big Salvatore fan but the fight scenes I particularly remember are those between Drizzt D'ourden and Atremis Entreri, so I'm talking more hand to hand combat. Probably the ones from the Dark Elf trilogy. Not sure if Artemis in in Icewind Dale series, so long soince I've read them! They aren't necessarily the greatest individual fight scenes you would've read but above average from my experience. It's the one thing he's more than competent in, the rest eg prose, plotline, characterization is fairly average IMHO.

As far as most memorable battle scene goes I'd go for the one near the end of Steven Erikson's Deadhouse Gates.

 

[hedgeknight]

I read Salvatore's early works (Icewind Dale, Dark Elf, Cadderly, & the Legacy, etc). At the time I really enjoyed the colorful characters in Icewind Dale - but most of his writing, IMO, is forgettable. Known for his battle scenes? Well, perhaps - frankly I can't remember any worth noting.
-g-

 

[williamjm]

Well I'm not a big Salvatore fan but the fight scenes I particularly remember are those between Drizzt D'ourden and Atremis Entreri, so I'm talking more hand to hand combat. Probably the ones from the Dark Elf trilogy. Not sure if Artemis in in Icewind Dale series, so long soince I've read them!

Entreri shouldn't be in the Dark Elf trilogy since he first appears in the second Icewind Dale book and the Dark Elf books are a prequel to the Icewind Dale trilogy. I'm not sure I'd say he was necessarily a brilliant writer of fight scenes (they aren't generally all that plausible, tend to be quite cliched and the fights get repetetive after a few books, actually everything gets repetetive after a few books) but they are good fun.

 

[GOLLUM]

Pretty much agree with that assesment William. As I said above regarding Artemis and Drizzt, above average but not outstanding.

I had some vague recollection Artemis made an appearance in Dark Elf, OH well must be loosing my mind. Over 10 years or so since I read these.

 

[williamjm]

I had some vague recollection Artemis made an appearance in Dark Elf, OH well must be loosing my mind. Over 10 years or so since I read these.

Artemis did end up in the Drow City in "Siege of Darkness" (I think) but that wasn't in the Dark Elf Trilogy, although I can't remember what that series was called, whatever the sequel trilogy to the Icewind Dale books was.

 

[Joel007]

I hope it was in Legacy of the Drow, because I've just ordered them

Artemis sounds like a cool character, although given the things that Drizzt has been through and how old he is... Atemis must have fought some phenomenal battles to keep up the same fighting pace. I'm hoping for more insight into his past as well as his future.

 

[Azathoth]

Artemis sounds like a cool character, although given the things that Drizzt has been through and how old he is... Atemis must have fought some phenomenal battles to keep up the same fighting pace. I'm hoping for more insight into his past as well as his future.

Artemis is a pretty cool character - when you are done reading Legacy of the Drow, check out "Servant of the Shard," which is solely about Entreri. I kind of got bored with Drizzt after a while (really, I think the Dark Elf trilogy was awesome, but it all goes downhill after that), but some of R.A. Salvatore's old talent shows through in that book. And it is the most revealing book in regards to Entreri's past and future.

Anyways, I have fond memories of Salvatore - he's the one who got me into fantasy.

 

[Joel007]

He's the one who got me playing icewind dale
although I was crap at that game, but it made me develop my skills for use in baldur's gate 2...

Is servant of the shard part of a box set or something? I tend to find most of salvatore's stuff in shops arranged as sets.

 

[Azathoth]

Is servant of the shard part of a box set or something?

No, it's a single, stand-alone book. Or, it was when I bought it. Maybe the times have changed.

 

[Joel007]

aha! the sellswords trilogy, I'll have to put that on my list