Spellfire

by Ed Greenwood
First Pubished in July 1988
Part of the
Takes place in 1357 DR

The Fire That Burns

It can lay low a dragon or heal a wounded warrior.

It is the most sought-after magical power in all Faerun.

And it is in the reluctant hands of Shandril of Highmoon, a young, orphaned kitchen-lass.

Now she's on the run from half of the evil sorcerers in the land, not to mention their relentless minions. But with the help of a handsome young wizard, some rough-and-tumble Knights of Myth Drannor, and a certain old mage of Shadowdale, she just might manage to stay alive.

At least until tomorrow.

Review

Greenwood's first novel is dreadful. The first part of the novel is almost plotless as Shandril, the main character, just stumbles from one surreal scene to another in the ruins of Myth Drannor. The rest of the novel is a mishmash of senseless combat and overly melodramatic dialog between hoards of poorly developed characters. Not to mention the fact that the conflicts in this novel often come off like Marvel comic superhero fights.

The biggest problem is that there are way, Way, WAY too many characters. There are so many, in fact, that I had to create a database to keep track of them. That database was in fact the beginning of this website. Not only are there too many, but most are indistinguishable from one another. The only two that stand out as half way interesting are Torm and Rathan, a comic duo that do have some pretty good exchanges.

The way Greenwood often failed to describe events drove me nuts, too. Quite often it was difficult to follow what was happening. You’d find passages like this:

"Good morning, John”, said Bob.
“Hi, Bob,” replied John, “How are you today?”
“Excellent parry and counter,” observed Bob as the attacker fell dead.

What!? Someone attacked them?! They were fighting?? I thought they were greeting one another!

Quite a number of encounters would happen this way as nameless attackers would just appear out of nowhere, fight, and die. In some cases, the protagonists would just sit in the same location after defeating a set of enemies and then just talk until a new set of enemies arrived for them to fight, defeat them, talk, new enemies arrive, wash, rinse, repeat... Then, in other sections, characters would be introduced, one after another, that had no effect on the plot at all!

Another warning: In order to understand a lot of what is going on, the reader must be a die hard D&D player and intimately familiar with the Forgotten Realms places and personalities. A great example of how having a highly creative mind like that of Greenwood, who created the Forgotten Realms, doesn’t necessarily translate into literary skill. I can only hope his writing ability improved over time as I make my way through this series of novels.

Effects on Toril

Elminster and the Simbul become romantically involved. The Tower Tranquil is destroyed. Three of the Dracoliches of the Cult of the Dragon are killed.

Characters

Major

Elminster Aumar - The Sage of Shadowdale. One of the most famous and powerful wizards in all of Faerun, as well as a fair fighter and thief.
Florin Falconhand - Leader of the Knights of Myth Drannor. A ranger.
Illistyl Eleventree - One of the knights of Myth Drannor. A sorceress.
Jhessail Silvertree - One of the Knights of Myth Drannor. Sorceress and wife of Merith Strongbow.
Lanseril Snowmantle - One of the Knights of Myth Drannor. A druid.
Malark - Archmage of the Purple. A member of the Cult of the Dragon.
Manshoon - An evil wizard. Lord of Zhentil Keep. Founder of the Zhentarim, an evil fraternity or mercenaries.
Merith Strongbow - One of the Knights of Myth Drannor. Elven husband of Jhessail Silvertree.
Mourngrym Amcathra - Lord of Shadowdale. Husband of Shaerl Rowanmantle. Once a Knight of Myth Drannor.
Narm Tamaraith - One of the main protagonists. A somewhat overly emotional wizard's apprentice with limited magical skill.
Rathan Thentraver - One of the Knights of Myth Drannor. A cleric of the luck goddess Tymora who often hangs around with Torm.
Rauglothgor the Proud - A dracolich of the Cult of The Dragon.
Shaerl Rowanmantle - Wife of Mourngrym Amcathra
Shandril Shessair - The principle character. A kitchen lass in Deepingdale who, out of wanderlust, joins a party of adventurers knows as the Company of the Bright Spears. Soon after, she learns that she has the ability of Spellfire.
Sharantyr - One of the Knights of Myth Drannor.
Storm Silverhand - The Bard of Shadowdale. One of the Seven Sisters.
Symgharyl "The Shadowsil" Maruel - An archmage of the Cult of the Dragon.
Torm - One of the Knights of Myth Drannor. A Thief. Often appearing with Rathan Thentraver.

Minor

Aghazstamn - A dracolich.
Alassra Shentrantra "The Simbul" Silverhand - The Witch-Queen of Aglarond, is one of the Seven Sisters, a Chosen of Mystra, and one of the most powerful spellcasters in Faerun.
Arkuel - One of Malark's henchmen.
Ashemmi - A mage and high ranking member of the Zhentarim
Baerth - A resident of Shadowdale.
Bronn Selgard - A smith in Shadowdale.
Brossan - A member of the Cult of the Dragon who lives on a hill above the town of Thunderstone.
Burlane - Leader of the Company of the Brightspear.
Casildar - A priest (of Bane?) and a member of the Zhentarim.
Commarth - Bearded general of the Sembian border forces and a member of the Cult of the Dragon
Crimmon - A guard at the twisted tower in Shadowdale
Culthar - A guard in the twisted tower in Shadowdale. Also a spy planted by the Cult of the Dragon.
Dargoth - A member of the Cult of the Dragon
Delg - A Dwarf and member of the Company of the Brightspear.
Delmath - A resident of Shadowdale
Eressea Ambergyles - A cleric of Tymora in Shadowdale.
Ferostil - A member of the Company of the Brightspear.
Fzoul Chembryl - High priest of Bane, master of The Black Altar
Ghondarrath - An old veteran warrior in Deepingdale.
Gorstag - A retired adventurer and owner of the Rising Moon tavern in Deepingdale.
Guindeen - A member of the Cult of the Dragon.
Ilthond - A young mage and servant of Manshoon.
Imraea - A girl. Daughter of Lhaera.
Jhaele Silvermane - Proprietor of the Old Skull Inn in Shadowdale.
Korvan - The cook at the Rising Moon tavern in Deepingdale.
Lhaeo - Elminster's Scribe
Lhaera - A woman. Mother of Imraea.
Lord Marsh Belwintle - A high ranking member of the Zhentarim. In charge of the Zhentarim's men-at-arms.
Lureene - A tavern wench at the Rising Moon tavern in Deepingdale.
Lynxal - A thief and member of the Company of the Brightspear.
Manxam The Merciless - A beholder residing in Zhentil Keep
Marimmar "the Magnificent" - A wizard and master of Narm.
Naergoth Bladelord - The leader of the Cult of the Dragon
Raeth - A guard at the twisted tower in Shadowdale
Rold - A guard at the twisted tower in Shadowdale.
Rozsarrin - A guard at the twisted tower in Shadowdale.
Rymel - A member of the Company of the Brightspear. A bard.
Salvarad - A cleric and member of the Cult of the Dragon.
Sarhthor - A wizard and high ranking member of the Zhentarim
Sememmon - A mage and high ranking member of the Zhentarim
Suld - One of Malark's men.
Thail - A wizard and member of the Company of the Brightspear.
Thiszult. - A mage and member of the Cult of the Dragon.
Thurbal - Captain-of-arms of the Twisted Tower.
Yarkul - A mage and high ranking member of the Zhentarim
Zannastar - A mage and member of the Cult of the Dragon
Zhessae - A priest (of Bane?) and a member of the Zhentarim.
Zilvreen - A thief and member of the Cult of the Dragon

Only Mentioned

Alaundo the Seer - A sage of Candlekeep whose prophesies have come true. A Forgotten Realms version of Nostradamus.
Alustriel Silverhand - One of the Seven Sisters. Ruler of Silverymoon and founder of the Silver Marches.
Dammasea - A wielder of spellfire. Wife of Gartilond. Now dead.
Doust Sulwood - A cleric of Tymora and former lord of Shadowdale.
Dove Falconhand - One of the Seven Sisters. Wife of Florin Falconhand.
Erimmator - A mage of the Cult of the Dragon who cursed Garthond Snessair. Now dead.
Garthond Snessair - A sorcerer and husband of Dammasae. Now dead.
Jhavanter of Highmoon - A mage and mentor of Garthond Snessair.
Oumrath - A mage.
Shargrailar The Dark - A dracolich
Shoulree - A elven lady in the glory days of Myth Drannor
Silverspear - An elf.
Sylune - One of the Seven Sisters. Now dead.
Yerevan - The Last King of Westgate.

Monsters

Dracolich - Several dracoliches make an appearance.
Bone Devil - Bone devils are among those that haunt Myth Drannor.
Gargoyle - One attacks Shandril early on in the book.
Stirge - Shandril encounters stirges in the ruins of Myth Drannor.
Erinyes - Erinyes are among the devils that inhabit Myth Drannor.