Rating: 
Summary: Scattered Thoughts
Review: I, like several other readers, found this book somewhat scattered and hard to follow. El continues to wander the realms, but it is so far in the past of the current realms that none of the names mean anything, so we don't actually know where Elminster is. Time is also badly marked - I thought that maybe 100 years or more had passed during the passage of the book, but it turns out to only be about 40 years (still a guess). Ed Greenwood has complained before that his books lack fluidity because of changes made by editors, but I find it hard to believe that it can happen to him time and time again while other authors don't suffer the same. Ed has a style of not letting you know of everyone in a scene until they speak - there could be other people standing there not saying anything, and they don't get mentioned - I find this style quite annoying. I am intersted in reading Ed's new non-tsr novel, and see how different his style is when not forced by TSR. I hope that he lays down his pen for Elminster and tries someone new in realms - we've seen enough of Elminster, he who can NEVER lose.
Rating:
Summary: Scattered Thoughts
Review: I, like several other readers, found this book somewhat scattered and hard to follow. El continues to wander the realms, but it is so far in the past of the current realms that none of the names mean anything, so we don't actually know where Elminster is. Time is also badly marked - I thought that maybe 100 years or more had passed during the passage of the book, but it turns out to only be about 40 years (still a guess). Ed Greenwood has complained before that his books lack fluidity because of changes made by editors, but I find it hard to believe that it can happen to him time and time again while other authors don't suffer the same. Ed has a style of not letting you know of everyone in a scene until they speak - there could be other people standing there not saying anything, and they don't get mentioned - I find this style quite annoying. I am intersted in reading Ed's new non-tsr novel, and see how different his style is when not forced by TSR. I hope that he lays down his pen for Elminster and tries someone new in realms - we've seen enough of Elminster, he who can NEVER lose.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read for Elminster fans
Review: If you liked the other Elminster novels, you'll like this one. If you've never heard of Elminster, you'd better pass. The character development is over and El is a powerful mega-hero. Naturally, its Ed's world so he can toss around gods and major characters as much as he wants. Those of you who hate Elminster will like the few (too few) chapters where he abstains from magic use. The writing style is so-so, but it's a nice, complex plot with interesting characters. This one is about Mystra testing him to see if he's worthy of being a "Chosen." The end is filled with spell battles and moralizing. I'd have just spoiled it for you if the book wasn't so predictable.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, non-stop action throughout the story
Review: In this book he takes a well know man and shares how Elminster became the most talked about mage in farun.
Rating: 
Summary: Temptation?
Review: It was an excellent book, and one of the better Forgotten Realms Novels that I have read. I would suggest it if you like fantasy books at all. The only things that I didn't like about were that the title is a bit misleading, as the only "temptation" of Elminster's that happens is somewhere near the end, and even that's debatable. Also, it seemed like Ed Greenwood couldn't find a thesauraus, for he kept using "motes of light" in the book. Repeatedly repetitive is how it seemed. Then again, maybe it's just me, since I prefer the books I read to have a variety of different words.
Rating:
Summary: Temptation?
Review: It was an excellent book, and one of the better Forgotten Realms Novels that I have read. I would suggest it if you like fantasy books at all. The only things that I didn't like about were that the title is a bit misleading, as the only "temptation" of Elminster's that happens is somewhere near the end, and even that's debatable. Also, it seemed like Ed Greenwood couldn't find a thesauraus, for he kept using "motes of light" in the book. Repeatedly repetitive is how it seemed. Then again, maybe it's just me, since I prefer the books I read to have a variety of different words.
Rating: 
Summary: Worse than terrible
Review: Once again in his usual repetative fashion, Greenwood presents us with an invicible hero. His novels are beyond predictable (especially this one). It's time for Greenwood to retire (ie, kill) Elminster, along with the rest of Mystra's god-like Chosen.
Rating:
Summary: Another good book by Greenwood!
Review: This book is the best one in the Elminster series. Ed Greenwood really showed the love Elminster has for Mystra. The Making of a Mage was my second favorite in the series. I started to read Elminster in Hell, but found it to be very very bad...its the only book I have ever quit.
Rating:
Summary: Elminster: here, there, everywhere
Review: This book was a tremendous let down for me. Mr. Greenwood's first two Elminster novels were excellent but in this last book I felt as if the story was very confused. While the other books had an interesting plot this last novel seemed to be about a cast of characters just thrown in with witty dialogue. I had the impression that Mr. Greenwood wanted to show off many aspects of the Forgotten Realms through Elminster's eyes but it gave the effect of a tour rather than a coherent story. I certainly hope that Mr. Greenwood will write another Elminster novel but return to the same magic he used to write the 1st two books.
Rating:
Summary: To enjoy this book like I did...
Review: You must take the appropriate prospective. This book is NOT a valiant tale of Elminster performing a harrowing task to save all the Realms; nor is it a story of a great struggle between the Sage and a dreadful, tangible enemy. Instead, Ed Greenwood has written a book that focuses on the great effect that Elminster has on the people and places of Faerun by simply being Elminster. As a result, the primary plot of Elminster (his "temptation" if you will) does not take full precedence. In fact, much of the book delves off on sub-plots featuring a multitude of third-party characters with few clear connections to Elminster's storyline. However, to declare these divergences pointless baggage would be premature. All of these alternate lines are related in that they portray people on whom Elminster has had or is having a strong effect. In the end, we are left with great sense of how someone with as much power and grace as Elminster can change the lives those around him, for both the good and the bad. In that, I felt that I learned a lot about Greenwood's perception of not only Elminster, but also the collective peoples of the Forgotten Realms. Much like R.A. Salvatore's "Spine of the World", this book "rounds out" our knowledge of the world by detailing people who aren't heroes or villains but are intriguing none-the-less. Of course, as the title suggests, Elminster himself also has a bit to play himself in the novel, but I'll leave the details to the book. Coming in, I, like most people, expected this to be a book of the continuing life and deeds of Elminster. While that isn't what I got, I felt that this look at the "other" people was very worthwhile and, surprisingly, gave me the insight into Elminster's effect on the Forgotten Realms for which I had been looking. Given this, I must reiterate my warning; this is not book of epic adventure like Tolkien's tales. Neither is it in actuality a hard and fast biography of Elminster himself as was Greenwoods first Elminster book: "Elminster: The Making of a Mage". It is instead a book of Elminster's interactions with his world and their effects. So, if you understand this going in, then I truly believe that you will enjoy this book for what it is instead of being disappointed by what it isn't.
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