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Elfsong (Forgotten Realms: Songs and Swords, Book 2)

Elfsong (Forgotten Realms: Songs and Swords, Book 2)

List Price: $6.99
Your Price: $6.29
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Ruined within ten pages
Review: Again, Cunningham shows that she has an amazing talent for setting up a premise, and an equally distressing talent for ruining it with trite conventions, poor character development, and laughable dialogue.

This is giving nothing away, but this is an example of what I am talking about: In the first ten pages of the book, you have a great premise defined; the villian needs a magical artifact to wreak revenge. She makes a deal with a dragon for the artifact. In return, she gives the dragon a scroll with a riddle on it that outlines her entire plan, and how to defeat her.

Huh?!?

Is she a James Bond villian?

That has to be one of the stupidest things I have ever seen. Of course the heroes get the scroll, and spend the entire second half of the book solving it and ruining her plans.

And it really is a shame, because Cunningham does a great job of defining the world, showing politics in the Forgotten Realms, and creating motivations for the villians.

It could have been so much more. If you are under 13, and a D&D fan, pick this book up. If you want great fantasy, go read David Gemmell or George R.R. Martin.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Enemies becoming Allies ,A Dragon,Bards under an evil spell
Review: Danillo must team up with his old enemy Elaith Craulnober the elf assasin.They both quest for the same artifact but each has different plans once they get it.The bards keep changing the lyrics to all the old songs of history but no one knows why. This book is the second of a great series by E. Cunningham.The characters are so well formed that you feel you're right there with them.The series spans 4 books ELFSHADOW,ELFSONG,SILVER SHADOWS,& The DREAM SPHERES.The characters grow & learn more about themselves as you do.This is one of the best series I have read,& I've never seen a story unfold & evolve better than this one..

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Enemies becoming Allies ,A Dragon,Bards under an evil spell
Review: Danillo must team up with his old enemy Elaith Craulnober the elf assasin.They both quest for the same artifact but each has different plans once they get it.The bards keep changing the lyrics to all the old songs of history but no one knows why. This book is the second of a great series by E. Cunningham.The characters are so well formed that you feel you're right there with them.The series spans 4 books ELFSHADOW,ELFSONG,SILVER SHADOWS,& The DREAM SPHERES.The characters grow & learn more about themselves as you do.This is one of the best series I have read,& I've never seen a story unfold & evolve better than this one..

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A worthy sequel to Elfshadow, high score for originality and
Review: Danilo Thann returns, and with him, music and mayhem, frivolous ribaldrey and furious rivalry as he races to stop a plot that menaces the very order of the realms.

We also see Elaith Craulnober whose desire to see Danilo dead has not lessened, but found himself also having to keep the fool alive to achieve his own goals.

The humour and mystery is not lacking, characters play off each other to reveal their own weaknesses, and sometimes, strength. Two of the more interesting characters, Morgalla and Vartain, introduces a study of contrast in characters - one is not generally regarded as capable but has a strong sense of empathy, the other can be a teacher of Sherlock Holmes but lacks even a sense of humour - between these two, clearly, we may admire or respect the latter more for his capability, but only associate with him to bask in the reflected glory or only to utilise his skills, never as a friend which is what we would like the former to be.

The pitting of the Lords of Waterdeep against the Knights of the Shield would have been more interesting if the author had given readers more insight into the two organisations.

Even towards the end of the book, new revelations keep appearing, making this one of the most interesting book to read. Unlike a hack and slash story, the key to this one is that of wits and relying on one's soul.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Arilyn Moonblade has won a place in my heart!
Review: Definitely two of my all time favorites, Elfshadow and Elfsong, bring to life the story of Arilyn Moonblade, a half-elf Harper, and her adventures in the World of Faerun, as she tries to cope with her dual heritage and seeks to unlock the mysteries of her magical moonblade sword.
The books are so incredibly well written that the reader feels that they have been transported to the Forgotten Realms universe and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense. Elaine Cunnigham has truly outdone herself and has presented us with a masterpiece of literature the likes of which we have seen only in JRR Tolkien's work, RA Salvatore's The Dark Elf and Icewind Dale trilogies and in authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends trilogies.
She has done a FANTASTIC job of both acquiring vast knowledge relevant to Faerun as well as presenting this material relating to the customs, the religion and the history of Toril, efficiently and successfully! Her solid grasp of factual detail makes her very capable of providing the necessary background needed to carry out the difficult task of writing Forgotten Realms novels, which is something often missing from the work of many Fantasy authors. Consequently, from the moment you pick up the books you have trouble putting them down and if that is not a clear sign of a fantastic writer/author who can come up with a great plot, I don't know what is!
Elves, spies, assassins, honor, bravery, magic, and swordfights are all about. Elfshadow and Elfsong make up for a great trilogy along with Silver Shadows and are a "must read" together with Evermeet, especially for all those who have a soft spot for everything Elven! In short, it's what Fantasy reading SHOULD be! One should seriously start thinking about turning these books into movies...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A masterpiece, one of the best Forgotten Realms Novels ever.
Review: Elaine Cunningham firmly takes her place among the best contemporary novelists with this book. Elfsong is a brilliant piece of literature that will challenge the readers mind and keep them guessing the whole way through. Readers will find it hard to put down, and even harder to keep themselves from skipping ahead to find out what happens! Filled with riddles and songs, even an encounter with a mighty dragon! It is the stuff classics are made of. This book is the sequel to Elfshadow, it beats it's predecessor by a longshot.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Adventures of the Harpers Continue
Review: Elsong is the sequel to Elfshadow, a book written by Elaine Cunningham and continues the stories of the Harpers, a secret society for good. In this novel, Ms. Cunningham brings several characters back. For example, we see Danilo Thann, a bard turned Harper, Elaith, an suspicious and cunning elf, Kehlben Arunsun, a powerful sorceror, and, very briefly, the quick-witted, sword swinging half-elf, Arilyn Moonblade. In the story, Danilo is chosen by his uncle, Khelben, to seek out the answer to what is changing the history, memory, and life for the people in the Forgotten Realms. Unfortunately, he finds himself paired with his rival, the elf Elaith. With the aid of dwarves and elves and harm caused by sorceresses, dragons, and harpies, Danilo and his small group of companions set out to save their people and stop the evil within the changes. A good read, but not as lively as Elshadow. However, its still pretty top-notch.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Adventures of the Harpers Continue
Review: Elsong is the sequel to Elfshadow, a book written by Elaine Cunningham and continues the stories of the Harpers, a secret society for good. In this novel, Ms. Cunningham brings several characters back. For example, we see Danilo Thann, a bard turned Harper, Elaith, an suspicious and cunning elf, Kehlben Arunsun, a powerful sorceror, and, very briefly, the quick-witted, sword swinging half-elf, Arilyn Moonblade. In the story, Danilo is chosen by his uncle, Khelben, to seek out the answer to what is changing the history, memory, and life for the people in the Forgotten Realms. Unfortunately, he finds himself paired with his rival, the elf Elaith. With the aid of dwarves and elves and harm caused by sorceresses, dragons, and harpies, Danilo and his small group of companions set out to save their people and stop the evil within the changes. A good read, but not as lively as Elshadow. However, its still pretty top-notch.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This book is great!
Review: I absolutely loved this book! (And not just because I really really like Elaith.) I thought Elaine Cunningham did some wonderful character development in this book, and Morgalla the dwarf was a wonderful addition to the group of characters.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Green Pimpernel?
Review: I LOVED this book. I'm a big fan of the Scarlet Pimpernel and Zorro and now Danilo Thane. I love the way he plays the fop, but really gets down to business when he needs too. His relationshiip with his uncle Khelben Blackstaff is too funny. I also recomend Elfsong where you meet Danilo for the first time. He is absolutly hillarious.


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