The Temptation of Elminster

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.