Rating: 
Summary: Higly Satisfying
Review: Wondefully crafted story of Elminister. We were always give the hints of Elminister's past, now finally we are given the chance to peer into his past and his intimate relationship with Mystra.Hopefully Ed will give us a look into his later years that helped shape him into the most powerful mage in the Realms as well as his travels to the outer planes.
Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest Opportunity...Missed
Review: Elminster, the most powerful mage to grace the Forgotten Realms setting. Thus the chance to write the best tale on how a mage is trained and grows, existed in this book, and was saddly lost. The book is unpredictable throughout, that much is a plus. The good basically ends there however. Rather than careful detail as to how Elminster first starts learning to manipulate the forces of magic he simply raids enemy mage's stashes, steals their spellbooks and bang, he gains their whole repertoir. The book is also tiresomely repetitive with certain words and phrases. Examples- Elminster very seldom "casts" spells, never "chants" spells or "weaves" spells, he is always described as having "spat" a spell. He never "rolls to a stop", "tumbles to a stop" or "slides up against" something. Rather he always "fetches up" against something. This book lacks the expert battle choreography talent of R.A. Salvatore, the outstanding plot construction and character development talent of Weiss and Hickman and the great wit of Elaine Cunningham. All of these authors (and many others) could have made a masterpiece out of this book, the way it deserved to be written.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing.
Review: There's one word that can sum this book up: AMAZING. Read it, and you'll understand.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic novel that spraked my interest in the realms.
Review: Without question this is one of the best books I have yet to read when it comes to fantasy. I can only hope the character continues for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: for all you AD&D lovers out there
Review: This is a great book that all fantasy lovers will enjoy. A surpriseing story that will never bore you
Rating:
Summary: Importance of this book
Review: Greenwood had fullfilled many rpg's gamers with this book... After all, which player of Forgotten Realms woulnd't love to know Elmnister's past? And that's what the books is about, in this case, his very early days, a "must" to any FR's fan!
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece. Interesting. Couldn't put it down.
Review: A book by which all others should abide. This one holds the readers intrest without boring them with predictable events. Aside from the fantasy, I love how the story mingles with realistic values and believabilty.
Rating:
Summary: This book is top notch in the annals of fantasy and magic.
Review: Ed Greenwood did a great job with Elminster: The Making of a Mage. If you've read other books with the masterful Elminster in it, you will be pleasantly surprised when reading how his stupendous mage powers came about. The book is full of magic and intrigue, so you're kept interested throughout the book and even wanting more. For those of you who haven't read any of the Forgotten Realms series, you will still find a great read from this book. Elminster is a commanding mage who is centuries old. He is well respected by all in the Realm, including those that oppose him. Finding out why and how he became the mage that he is now will leave you enlightened and full of awe at the wisdom and character of Elminster.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for fans of the Forgotten Realms!
Review: This is a definite must-read. detailing the story of one of the most famous personalities of the Forgotten Realms, Elminster or Shadowdale. This book details his life and multiple adventures throughout his life, bringing to life one of the most epic tales of the Forgotten Realms.
Ed Greenwood out-did himself with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Good reasons to read Elminster:The Making of a Mage
Review: I can do no more than recommend this book to any lover of Fantasy Fiction. Ed Greenwood has been in the business of Fantasy for quite some time and he has certainly fleshed out one of the premier characters of the Forgotton Realms setting with this book, which focuses on the forces that shape the destiny of the "greatest mage of Faerun." From his orphaned beginings, to his becoming one of the first "chosen" of the goddess of magic; Greenwood uses every word carefully like a spell to entrance the reader. This book is a must for Forgotten Realms history buffs
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