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Untold Adventures
Your favorite award-winning, critically acclaimed, and best-selling authors unite to tell stories set in the Dungeons & Dragons world, filled with desperate dragons and cruel elves, honorable demons and fickle gods, wild magic and the sharpest of steel. You don't want to miss this rarest of opportunities to get a glimpse into the D&D adventures created by some of the most brilliant fantasy writers of our age.
From the Paperback edition.
From the Paperback edition.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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About the author
John Shirley
322 books465 followersJohn Shirley won the Bram Stoker Award for his story collection Black Butterflies, and is the author of numerous novels, including the best-seller DEMONS, the cyberpunk classics CITY COME A-WALKIN', ECLIPSE, and BLACK GLASS, and his newest novels STORMLAND and A SORCERER OF ATLANTIS.
He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.
His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.
He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.
John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.
John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.
source: Amazon
He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.
His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.
He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.
John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.
John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 21, 2011
Untold Adventures Anthology
Untold Adventures was released June 2011 and published by Wizards of the Coast LLC. There are twelve short stories that span each of the popular Dungeons and Dragons worlds; Dark Sun, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, and the Dungeons and Dragons self-titled universe. The short stories are written by John Shirley, Alan Dean Foster, Lisa Smedman, Mike Resnick, Kay Kenyon, Sarah Zettel, Paul Park, Kevin J. Anderson, Ed Greenwood, Rosemary Jones, Jody Lynn Nye, and Jay Lake. Most of the authors are new to writing a Dungeons and Dragons based story, but there are a few veterans. After each story there is a brief biography of each author.
"Under the Plains of Rust" by John Shirley
Set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Gnarl is just a simple worker at a local tavern, that happens to have dubious side profession. Because of this, he meets a cursed, dying warlock that asks for his help remove the curse. All he needs to do is recruit a dwarven artisan and his adopted ranger daughter, travel to the Elemental Chaos, brave the Plains of Rust, and unlock a secret. But there's a problem, things don't go according to plan.
Overall: 1/5
Thoughts:
"Under the Plains of Rust" is an extremely frustrating story. The characters are a mess. They have nothing going for them. They aren't remotely developed and just do things for no logical reason. They are just vapid, unlikable characters who are little more than words on the page. The story is also a fact paced, unexciting nightmare of boring. There is no suspense or build up, and things are resolved in a matter of moments. Everything about this story is boring.
"The Steel Princess" by Alan Dean Foster
This story takes place in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Ruhan Bijendra is on a simple mission; he must find a way to save his brother from dying. The rakshasa, a feline humanoid with backwards hands who are seen as demons, learns of a way to save him. In order to help his brother, he just has to ask for the aid of a being made of blades.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"The Steel Princess" is a great short story with a memorable and fun character. Ruhan is different and distinctive. He almost instantly liked, and that like just continued to grow. It could have been because of his odd qualities, considering what he is, but there's more to that. He's a character that you want to know and doesn't have that forced feeling to him. The story itself is simple, fun experience. The pacing is wonderful, the prose is good, and it has an interesting idea behind it. I wasn't expecting this story to end how it did, but I'm pleasantly surprised how the whole thing turned out.
"Tallfolk Tales" by Lisa Smedman
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms setting.
A man named Morndin is asked to help lead an elf though some tunnels. The man turns down the offer, but tells the elf who would be better for the job, in the most roundabout manner possible.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Tallfolk Tales" is a fun story that's told in a uniquely different way. The interesting blend of perspectives, relaying heavily on first person but adding dashes of second, makes you feel like you actually are a part of the story. It really brings you in. The story itself is a fun, lighthearted story that can be easily liked. It's one of those stories that effortlessly pulls the reader in and makes you feel like you're a part of it.
"The Foundling" by Mike Resnick
This story takes place in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Charybole has just lost her daughter to a deadly creature. As a year passes, she hears crying out by a stream and discovers a young githyanki, a mortal enemy of the githzerai. Deciding that leaving the child in the wild to die isn't the right thing to do, she takes it back to her home. However, news of the child circulates and it's decided that the child must die. Unwilling to have her fellow githzerai kill the baby, she runs away with it. But the githzerai will stop at nothing to kill the child.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"The Foundling" is a good story, but has a lackluster ending. The ending wasn't terrible, but it felt too safe and left a lot of unanswered questions floating in the air. But this story does a good job in standing out from the previous ones, due to the dark tone. There is a lot of depressing and disturbing things that happen in this story, and I love these kinds of stories. Also, the relationship between Charybole and the infant is a very interesting one. It really shows that a mother's love can impact a child. This is just a very different story that really does a good job in making you remember it.
"The Forge of Xen'drik" by Kay Kenyon
This story takes place in the Eberron universe.
Ravon Kell, a former army officer of the Last War, is now a slave with no hope. The slaves are forced into making a large amount of weapons deep in the jungles of Xen'drik, where the huge forge is easily hidden. However, when Ravon learns of how the weapons will be made, he knows he must stop it.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"The Forge of Xen'drik" is a good story with some very run of the mill characters. The characters didn't really feel any different from the usual fantasy character and only two seemed to be interesting, mostly due to their pasts. Thankfully, the interactions between the characters really added a lot to the story. You can really get a feel to who the character is through these interactions, and from that you can see some of their layers. This is also a good story to introduce someone into the world of Eberron. It gives a lot of background without becoming to bogged down in it and keeps it interesting. It's not a perfect example of the world, but it will whet your appetite.
"Arena of Shadows" by Sarah Zettel
This story takes place in the Eberron universe.
Kalev Shadowfall is sent on a mission to stop a series of murders. He tries to stop the next killing from occurring, but fails. Then things go from bad to worse. Kalev's investigation of the new murder is interrupted as a woman enters and beings searching for something. But before they can find it, a creature appears with the object in its hands and escapes, leading the duo on a chase. Determined to find out what is going on, Kalev continues to investigate, but soon realizes that he is way in over is head.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Arena of Shadows" is a good story but doesn't have the real feel of an Eberron novel. It's not a big issue, but it just has this feel of a generic setting and the only thing that makes it seem like a Eberron novel is the inclusion of a warforged. Thankfully, the characters are interesting. Kalev has a nice reveal of who he is and what he does. He's an interesting character that you really got to know during the story. Vix is another one, but she wasn't in the spotlight as much. At the end of the novel, I really wanted to read more about these characters and see them in the future. "Arena of Shadows" has a nice mystery story feel to it, while not being a complete mystery story. It gives this story something different and helps make it more enjoyable.
"Watchers at the Living Gate" by Paul Park
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms.
After nine years of visiting a ruined village and seeing a girl, Haggar thinks he's ready. For what, he doesn't know as he is transported into the Feywild. While there, he learns that he's been recruited to stop creatures from entering the world and to close up the gate the creatures are coming from.
Overall: 2/5
Thoughts:
"Watchers at the Living Gate" was a story with a lot of promise, but ends up being confusing. The story doesn't stay with the story, instead it focuses more on the background, history, and descriptions of the world. The story just suffers because of this. This is more apparent in the climax and the end. It's hard to really tell what's happening do to the mash-up of all the actions and thoughts going on all at once. It give the story a really lackluster climax. The characters were interesting because they aren't typical. Haggar isn't your typical hero, he's quiet and self-conscious. Astriana had a lot of personality, but it wasn't an expected personality. The story could have been more enjoyable if it didn't feel like a confusing mess.
"Blood Oasis" by Kevin J. Anderson
This story is set in the Dark Sun universe.
Jisanne has seen what Athas once was, before defiling magic turned it into a dying world. Unfortunately, the same magic allows her to see and be in that world, for a limited time. After being rescued by an escaped gladiator, Koram, she decides to show him what it once was like. If only they could make the change permanent.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Blood Oasis" may leave someone new to Dark Sun in the dark, but is still a surprising story. There isn't any real exposition about the world and the terms used, causing those new to Dark Sun to be slightly confused. It's not a big problem, and only happens here and there, but it's noticeable enough to take you out of the story. But after seeing the world of Athas before it turned into a desert wasteland, makes you want to know more about what happened. It wasn't something expected and the irony of how it's accomplished is a great twist. The characters are also good. Koram is the more typical of the two, and his lack of purpose is surprisingly easy to identify with. Jisanne was just great because, while similar to Koram, she seemed more fleshed out and interesting. "Blood Oasis" is a good story, but you need to know a few things about Dark Sun before reading.
"Lord of the Darkways" by Ed Greenwood
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms universe.
Manshoon wants to control Zhentil Keep, and the only way to do that is to control the merchant powers of the city. In order to do that, he creates a spell that will kill anyone using the merchant lords hidden teleportation gates. However, his plans are soon ruined by the mighty Elminster.
Overall: 2/5
Thoughts:
"Lord of the Darkways" is a rushed, confusing mess that still is relatively straightforward and easier to follow the main plot. It's still a mess, but it's a mess you can kind of follow. The major problem with the short story is that you going to be lost in all the references and names dropped in the story. It's almost to the point of only hardcore Forgotten Realms fans would understand, and even then, it may be hard to know who's who and what's what. Also, for being the longest short story in this anthology series, it's rushed. Things happen and you don't know why or how they happen. They just happen. Thankfully, it still is kind of easy to follow, in the broadest terms possible. It's straightforward and doesn't really go into randomness that is accustomed to normal Ed Greenwood short stories. It's still a confusing mess, but one you can understand.
"Dreaming of Waterdeep" by Rosemary Jones
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms universe.
After meeting a small group of adventurers, young Gustin Bone wants to go with them. Unfortunately for young Gustin, his uncle won't let him and that causes the ten-year old to run away. After finding the adventurers, he soon realizes that he isn't prepared for what's ahead.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Dreaming of Waterdeep" is a fun, simple story. Gustin Bone is an interesting character, he acted like a normal ten-year old, but with some maturity that younger children can have. The other characters weren't that remarkable, but they didn't need to be. They just did what they had to do, and were still fun doing it. The story wasn't very complex, but it didn't need to be. This is the kind of story that you should expect from an anthology, a short, fun experience where you come away satisfied.
"To Chaos and Back Again" by Jody Lynn Nye
This story is set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
After stealing a magical rock, a group of halflings were thought heroes when returning to their village. They braved countless dangers to recover it, but it turns out that the rock has powers that are what they weren't expecting. Now the same group has to go back and return the rock, facing the same dangers over again.
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"To Chaos and Back Again" is a fairly enjoyable story, but doesn't feel like anything more than alright. The characters all felt the same, the only difference with them is what skills they had. Bab, the main character, was the only defining character. Unfortunately, that is only due to him being the main character. They all just felt the same. The story was still exciting though. It was fast paced, with a lot of action and things going on. Usually I would find stories like this hard to follow, but the simple premise really made everything that was going on easy to follow. But all in all, this is just an average story that doesn't really stand out.
"The Decaying Mansions of Memory" by Jay Lake
This story is set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Downtrodden Horn is reminiscing about his past and everything he's been through. After going through all his memories, he recalls an event where he searches for a purpose. After visiting a lost temple and getting a quest to recover an artifact for the remaining monks there, Horn is granted something that he never expected and leaves destiny to a deck of chance.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"The Decaying Mansions of Memory" is a great story, but it's hard to really talk about it in too much detail without spoiling the fantastic story. Horn is a wonderful character and is really fleshed out because it really does focus on only him and his past. It's a character-driven story and because of this, you really start to like him. It's just a great story with an interesting character, and to say too much would spoil it.
OVERALL AVERAGED ANTHOLOGY: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
Untold Adventures has a lot of wonderful stories, but it leaves me feeling like it should have been something different or it could have had more variety. For an anthology showcasing the various Dungeons and Dragons settings, it felt more focused on just two; the Forgotten Realms and the Dungeons and Dragons settings. While the Forgotten Realms is the more well-known, it would have been nice to see an even amount of stories between Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, and Dungeons and Dragons. It would also have been nice to see some past setting being revisited; for example Ravenloft or even Dragonlance. Also, it's not the kind of anthology that can be recommended to new readers or those who are interested. There is a serious lack of exposition of some the races, locations, and ideas, along with how the setting are different. This is really for those who are acquainted with the worlds. I do find that a little disappointing because I almost saw this book as a way to introduce new readers into the worlds, but it really doesn't do that. Don't get me wrong, this still is a wonderful anthology book with a lot of great stories and there really is something for everyone. But it's geared more towards those familiar with the settings and worlds. It's still worth checking out, and you may yourself interested in the various settings.
Stories Worth Reading:
1) "The Steel Princess" by Alan Dean Foster
2) "Tallfolk Tales" by Lisa Smedman
3) "Dreaming of Waterdeep" by Rosemary Jones
4) "The Decaying Mansions of Memories" by Jay Lake
Stories to Avoid:
1) "Under the Plains of Rust" by John Shirley
Untold Adventures was released June 2011 and published by Wizards of the Coast LLC. There are twelve short stories that span each of the popular Dungeons and Dragons worlds; Dark Sun, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, and the Dungeons and Dragons self-titled universe. The short stories are written by John Shirley, Alan Dean Foster, Lisa Smedman, Mike Resnick, Kay Kenyon, Sarah Zettel, Paul Park, Kevin J. Anderson, Ed Greenwood, Rosemary Jones, Jody Lynn Nye, and Jay Lake. Most of the authors are new to writing a Dungeons and Dragons based story, but there are a few veterans. After each story there is a brief biography of each author.
"Under the Plains of Rust" by John Shirley
Set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Gnarl is just a simple worker at a local tavern, that happens to have dubious side profession. Because of this, he meets a cursed, dying warlock that asks for his help remove the curse. All he needs to do is recruit a dwarven artisan and his adopted ranger daughter, travel to the Elemental Chaos, brave the Plains of Rust, and unlock a secret. But there's a problem, things don't go according to plan.
Overall: 1/5
Thoughts:
"Under the Plains of Rust" is an extremely frustrating story. The characters are a mess. They have nothing going for them. They aren't remotely developed and just do things for no logical reason. They are just vapid, unlikable characters who are little more than words on the page. The story is also a fact paced, unexciting nightmare of boring. There is no suspense or build up, and things are resolved in a matter of moments. Everything about this story is boring.
"The Steel Princess" by Alan Dean Foster
This story takes place in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Ruhan Bijendra is on a simple mission; he must find a way to save his brother from dying. The rakshasa, a feline humanoid with backwards hands who are seen as demons, learns of a way to save him. In order to help his brother, he just has to ask for the aid of a being made of blades.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"The Steel Princess" is a great short story with a memorable and fun character. Ruhan is different and distinctive. He almost instantly liked, and that like just continued to grow. It could have been because of his odd qualities, considering what he is, but there's more to that. He's a character that you want to know and doesn't have that forced feeling to him. The story itself is simple, fun experience. The pacing is wonderful, the prose is good, and it has an interesting idea behind it. I wasn't expecting this story to end how it did, but I'm pleasantly surprised how the whole thing turned out.
"Tallfolk Tales" by Lisa Smedman
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms setting.
A man named Morndin is asked to help lead an elf though some tunnels. The man turns down the offer, but tells the elf who would be better for the job, in the most roundabout manner possible.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Tallfolk Tales" is a fun story that's told in a uniquely different way. The interesting blend of perspectives, relaying heavily on first person but adding dashes of second, makes you feel like you actually are a part of the story. It really brings you in. The story itself is a fun, lighthearted story that can be easily liked. It's one of those stories that effortlessly pulls the reader in and makes you feel like you're a part of it.
"The Foundling" by Mike Resnick
This story takes place in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Charybole has just lost her daughter to a deadly creature. As a year passes, she hears crying out by a stream and discovers a young githyanki, a mortal enemy of the githzerai. Deciding that leaving the child in the wild to die isn't the right thing to do, she takes it back to her home. However, news of the child circulates and it's decided that the child must die. Unwilling to have her fellow githzerai kill the baby, she runs away with it. But the githzerai will stop at nothing to kill the child.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"The Foundling" is a good story, but has a lackluster ending. The ending wasn't terrible, but it felt too safe and left a lot of unanswered questions floating in the air. But this story does a good job in standing out from the previous ones, due to the dark tone. There is a lot of depressing and disturbing things that happen in this story, and I love these kinds of stories. Also, the relationship between Charybole and the infant is a very interesting one. It really shows that a mother's love can impact a child. This is just a very different story that really does a good job in making you remember it.
"The Forge of Xen'drik" by Kay Kenyon
This story takes place in the Eberron universe.
Ravon Kell, a former army officer of the Last War, is now a slave with no hope. The slaves are forced into making a large amount of weapons deep in the jungles of Xen'drik, where the huge forge is easily hidden. However, when Ravon learns of how the weapons will be made, he knows he must stop it.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"The Forge of Xen'drik" is a good story with some very run of the mill characters. The characters didn't really feel any different from the usual fantasy character and only two seemed to be interesting, mostly due to their pasts. Thankfully, the interactions between the characters really added a lot to the story. You can really get a feel to who the character is through these interactions, and from that you can see some of their layers. This is also a good story to introduce someone into the world of Eberron. It gives a lot of background without becoming to bogged down in it and keeps it interesting. It's not a perfect example of the world, but it will whet your appetite.
"Arena of Shadows" by Sarah Zettel
This story takes place in the Eberron universe.
Kalev Shadowfall is sent on a mission to stop a series of murders. He tries to stop the next killing from occurring, but fails. Then things go from bad to worse. Kalev's investigation of the new murder is interrupted as a woman enters and beings searching for something. But before they can find it, a creature appears with the object in its hands and escapes, leading the duo on a chase. Determined to find out what is going on, Kalev continues to investigate, but soon realizes that he is way in over is head.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Arena of Shadows" is a good story but doesn't have the real feel of an Eberron novel. It's not a big issue, but it just has this feel of a generic setting and the only thing that makes it seem like a Eberron novel is the inclusion of a warforged. Thankfully, the characters are interesting. Kalev has a nice reveal of who he is and what he does. He's an interesting character that you really got to know during the story. Vix is another one, but she wasn't in the spotlight as much. At the end of the novel, I really wanted to read more about these characters and see them in the future. "Arena of Shadows" has a nice mystery story feel to it, while not being a complete mystery story. It gives this story something different and helps make it more enjoyable.
"Watchers at the Living Gate" by Paul Park
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms.
After nine years of visiting a ruined village and seeing a girl, Haggar thinks he's ready. For what, he doesn't know as he is transported into the Feywild. While there, he learns that he's been recruited to stop creatures from entering the world and to close up the gate the creatures are coming from.
Overall: 2/5
Thoughts:
"Watchers at the Living Gate" was a story with a lot of promise, but ends up being confusing. The story doesn't stay with the story, instead it focuses more on the background, history, and descriptions of the world. The story just suffers because of this. This is more apparent in the climax and the end. It's hard to really tell what's happening do to the mash-up of all the actions and thoughts going on all at once. It give the story a really lackluster climax. The characters were interesting because they aren't typical. Haggar isn't your typical hero, he's quiet and self-conscious. Astriana had a lot of personality, but it wasn't an expected personality. The story could have been more enjoyable if it didn't feel like a confusing mess.
"Blood Oasis" by Kevin J. Anderson
This story is set in the Dark Sun universe.
Jisanne has seen what Athas once was, before defiling magic turned it into a dying world. Unfortunately, the same magic allows her to see and be in that world, for a limited time. After being rescued by an escaped gladiator, Koram, she decides to show him what it once was like. If only they could make the change permanent.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Blood Oasis" may leave someone new to Dark Sun in the dark, but is still a surprising story. There isn't any real exposition about the world and the terms used, causing those new to Dark Sun to be slightly confused. It's not a big problem, and only happens here and there, but it's noticeable enough to take you out of the story. But after seeing the world of Athas before it turned into a desert wasteland, makes you want to know more about what happened. It wasn't something expected and the irony of how it's accomplished is a great twist. The characters are also good. Koram is the more typical of the two, and his lack of purpose is surprisingly easy to identify with. Jisanne was just great because, while similar to Koram, she seemed more fleshed out and interesting. "Blood Oasis" is a good story, but you need to know a few things about Dark Sun before reading.
"Lord of the Darkways" by Ed Greenwood
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms universe.
Manshoon wants to control Zhentil Keep, and the only way to do that is to control the merchant powers of the city. In order to do that, he creates a spell that will kill anyone using the merchant lords hidden teleportation gates. However, his plans are soon ruined by the mighty Elminster.
Overall: 2/5
Thoughts:
"Lord of the Darkways" is a rushed, confusing mess that still is relatively straightforward and easier to follow the main plot. It's still a mess, but it's a mess you can kind of follow. The major problem with the short story is that you going to be lost in all the references and names dropped in the story. It's almost to the point of only hardcore Forgotten Realms fans would understand, and even then, it may be hard to know who's who and what's what. Also, for being the longest short story in this anthology series, it's rushed. Things happen and you don't know why or how they happen. They just happen. Thankfully, it still is kind of easy to follow, in the broadest terms possible. It's straightforward and doesn't really go into randomness that is accustomed to normal Ed Greenwood short stories. It's still a confusing mess, but one you can understand.
"Dreaming of Waterdeep" by Rosemary Jones
This story is set in the Forgotten Realms universe.
After meeting a small group of adventurers, young Gustin Bone wants to go with them. Unfortunately for young Gustin, his uncle won't let him and that causes the ten-year old to run away. After finding the adventurers, he soon realizes that he isn't prepared for what's ahead.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Dreaming of Waterdeep" is a fun, simple story. Gustin Bone is an interesting character, he acted like a normal ten-year old, but with some maturity that younger children can have. The other characters weren't that remarkable, but they didn't need to be. They just did what they had to do, and were still fun doing it. The story wasn't very complex, but it didn't need to be. This is the kind of story that you should expect from an anthology, a short, fun experience where you come away satisfied.
"To Chaos and Back Again" by Jody Lynn Nye
This story is set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
After stealing a magical rock, a group of halflings were thought heroes when returning to their village. They braved countless dangers to recover it, but it turns out that the rock has powers that are what they weren't expecting. Now the same group has to go back and return the rock, facing the same dangers over again.
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"To Chaos and Back Again" is a fairly enjoyable story, but doesn't feel like anything more than alright. The characters all felt the same, the only difference with them is what skills they had. Bab, the main character, was the only defining character. Unfortunately, that is only due to him being the main character. They all just felt the same. The story was still exciting though. It was fast paced, with a lot of action and things going on. Usually I would find stories like this hard to follow, but the simple premise really made everything that was going on easy to follow. But all in all, this is just an average story that doesn't really stand out.
"The Decaying Mansions of Memory" by Jay Lake
This story is set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
Downtrodden Horn is reminiscing about his past and everything he's been through. After going through all his memories, he recalls an event where he searches for a purpose. After visiting a lost temple and getting a quest to recover an artifact for the remaining monks there, Horn is granted something that he never expected and leaves destiny to a deck of chance.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"The Decaying Mansions of Memory" is a great story, but it's hard to really talk about it in too much detail without spoiling the fantastic story. Horn is a wonderful character and is really fleshed out because it really does focus on only him and his past. It's a character-driven story and because of this, you really start to like him. It's just a great story with an interesting character, and to say too much would spoil it.
OVERALL AVERAGED ANTHOLOGY: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
Untold Adventures has a lot of wonderful stories, but it leaves me feeling like it should have been something different or it could have had more variety. For an anthology showcasing the various Dungeons and Dragons settings, it felt more focused on just two; the Forgotten Realms and the Dungeons and Dragons settings. While the Forgotten Realms is the more well-known, it would have been nice to see an even amount of stories between Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, and Dungeons and Dragons. It would also have been nice to see some past setting being revisited; for example Ravenloft or even Dragonlance. Also, it's not the kind of anthology that can be recommended to new readers or those who are interested. There is a serious lack of exposition of some the races, locations, and ideas, along with how the setting are different. This is really for those who are acquainted with the worlds. I do find that a little disappointing because I almost saw this book as a way to introduce new readers into the worlds, but it really doesn't do that. Don't get me wrong, this still is a wonderful anthology book with a lot of great stories and there really is something for everyone. But it's geared more towards those familiar with the settings and worlds. It's still worth checking out, and you may yourself interested in the various settings.
Stories Worth Reading:
1) "The Steel Princess" by Alan Dean Foster
2) "Tallfolk Tales" by Lisa Smedman
3) "Dreaming of Waterdeep" by Rosemary Jones
4) "The Decaying Mansions of Memories" by Jay Lake
Stories to Avoid:
1) "Under the Plains of Rust" by John Shirley
December 1, 2013
Title; The steel princess (one of the stories in this book)
author; Alan Dean Foster
lexile; unknown
rating; four out of five stars
Lets just say right now that this story is GREAT. The reason I chose to do one story from this book is because there are 9 stories in all. The reason I like this story is (1) I play D and D so I can totally relate to this story and (2) I can understand these stories very very well. The plot of the story is about a "Raksasha", a animistic humanoid. He basically has to travel to the Sword Barrows in search of the Steel Princess, a woman made up of only metal. This story is also good because it has some sad parts, like at the end.
My favorite part in this story is when the Raksasha has to fight these 3 ogres who attack him and he beats them all with his longsword.. This was a really good part for me because there was lots of fighting and he killed the ogres. My second favorite part is at the end of the book, when he turns the Steel princess back to normal by kissing her '>'
I would recommend this story (and the whole book for that matter) to anyone who is into fantasy and or likes to play or read Dungeons and Dragons because you will totally be able to relate to this book. It is also just a a fun short read for any type of reader. Read this story/book! Please!
author; Alan Dean Foster
lexile; unknown
rating; four out of five stars
Lets just say right now that this story is GREAT. The reason I chose to do one story from this book is because there are 9 stories in all. The reason I like this story is (1) I play D and D so I can totally relate to this story and (2) I can understand these stories very very well. The plot of the story is about a "Raksasha", a animistic humanoid. He basically has to travel to the Sword Barrows in search of the Steel Princess, a woman made up of only metal. This story is also good because it has some sad parts, like at the end.
My favorite part in this story is when the Raksasha has to fight these 3 ogres who attack him and he beats them all with his longsword.. This was a really good part for me because there was lots of fighting and he killed the ogres. My second favorite part is at the end of the book, when he turns the Steel princess back to normal by kissing her '>'
I would recommend this story (and the whole book for that matter) to anyone who is into fantasy and or likes to play or read Dungeons and Dragons because you will totally be able to relate to this book. It is also just a a fun short read for any type of reader. Read this story/book! Please!
April 15, 2019
Ok technically I didn't really finish the book. I have one or two stories left, but I think I can say quite safely that the material is pretty light and while generally pleasant enough, leaves one feeling a bit unsatisfied.
September 2, 2025
A great collection of stories.
December 31, 2019
Most authors worth following up. From standard quest format to variety.
Typos:
Blood p3 Athos it is it;
Lord p112 streetskirts is streetskirt;
Decaying p41 demense is demesne;
Typos:
Blood p3 Athos it is it;
Lord p112 streetskirts is streetskirt;
Decaying p41 demense is demesne;
June 12, 2014
I used to read a lot of fantasy, specifically Dragonlance/Forgotten Realms/Spelljammer/etc, when I was a child. I stopped reading around the time I entered University and only recently started getting back into the genre I used to read.
So it was with some excitement that I stumbled across Untold Adventures and decided to pick it up. A collection of D&D stories by some of the authors I grew up with, sounded like heaven.
And in many cases it was. It was nice to read an Ed Greenwood piece again, revisiting Elminster who I never really loved, but did enjoy the antics of. It was also interesting to see some stories set in Eberron, a world I have never played in or knew anything about.
The treasure of the book for me was Kevin J Anderson's story set on Dark Sun. Though not given the same love as the rest of the D&D campaign settings, Dark Sun was my brother's favorite world and to read a story set on it was really nice. My only problem with this story specifically is that it seemed to concentrate more on the world before it was ruined, rather than the world as it is. Anderson managed to include a lot of the elements that make Dark Sun the world it is, but these seem to get lost with flashes of a 'normal' fantasy world throughout the story.
I was also surprised at how many stories dealt with the planes outside of the normal D&D setting. There are a lot of things that make a D&D world unique, and having to go into the outer planes/elemental planes for the story seemed to feel as if the authors were struggling to find something exciting to write about. The stories themselves were enjoyable, and in no way do they lose that with the journeys their characters take. It just felt like a weird way to do it to me, but then again, that's just my personal taste.
Untold Adventures was a fun read, and an easy one. There's nothing above average with this collection, but sometimes that's what you need as a reader. It was the perfect reintroduction back into the fiction of D&D and I went out and bought some old favorites afterwards. If you ever grew up on D&D literature, I suggest you pick up this anthology.
So it was with some excitement that I stumbled across Untold Adventures and decided to pick it up. A collection of D&D stories by some of the authors I grew up with, sounded like heaven.
And in many cases it was. It was nice to read an Ed Greenwood piece again, revisiting Elminster who I never really loved, but did enjoy the antics of. It was also interesting to see some stories set in Eberron, a world I have never played in or knew anything about.
The treasure of the book for me was Kevin J Anderson's story set on Dark Sun. Though not given the same love as the rest of the D&D campaign settings, Dark Sun was my brother's favorite world and to read a story set on it was really nice. My only problem with this story specifically is that it seemed to concentrate more on the world before it was ruined, rather than the world as it is. Anderson managed to include a lot of the elements that make Dark Sun the world it is, but these seem to get lost with flashes of a 'normal' fantasy world throughout the story.
I was also surprised at how many stories dealt with the planes outside of the normal D&D setting. There are a lot of things that make a D&D world unique, and having to go into the outer planes/elemental planes for the story seemed to feel as if the authors were struggling to find something exciting to write about. The stories themselves were enjoyable, and in no way do they lose that with the journeys their characters take. It just felt like a weird way to do it to me, but then again, that's just my personal taste.
Untold Adventures was a fun read, and an easy one. There's nothing above average with this collection, but sometimes that's what you need as a reader. It was the perfect reintroduction back into the fiction of D&D and I went out and bought some old favorites afterwards. If you ever grew up on D&D literature, I suggest you pick up this anthology.
February 12, 2012
This is one of many anthologies that take place in the various Dungeons & Dragons settings, what sets this collection apart is the selection of authors. Many chosen are known for their science-fiction rather than their fantasy resumés, and this leads to many of the stories breaking away from the "style" that dominates most of the D&D fiction published for the past two decades. It is not just the fresh styles to be found in this book, but interesting takes on classic fantasy tropes and character archetypes as well. In addition to this offering of new and different, readers will find familiarity in an offering by noted Forgotten Realms creator/author Ed Greenwood also. He pens the longest tale of this collection, a brief insight into an early confrontation between Elminster and Manshoon, two characters well-known to fans of the Realms.
Definitely worth a read for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy, or just if your favorite sci-fi author happens to be included within.
Definitely worth a read for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy, or just if your favorite sci-fi author happens to be included within.
October 19, 2019
Short story collections are fun to read but hard to review. I found Tallfolk Tales and the Decaying Mansions of Memory to be pretty good. I am a huge Dark Sun fan and probably give Blood Oasis more credit than it deserves. I liked the subject, but the writing wasn’t great. The Ed Greenwood story, Lord of the Darkways, was almost unreadable. I used to like Greenwood, and readily concede he is a better writer than I will ever be, but he becomes increasingly long-winded and hard to read.
There is something in it for almost all D&D fans, but don’t expect every story to be a winner.
There is something in it for almost all D&D fans, but don’t expect every story to be a winner.
February 23, 2015
This collection of D&D-flavored short stories is highly enjoyable escapism! Many of the tropes of your favorite tabletop fantasy RPG are included here: some specific monsters, multi-classing, a guest appearance by Elminster the Mage, and one of the game's most infamous magic items. All are brought to credible, and sometimes unexpected, life. If your game has collapsed because adult lives have gotten in the way, this is the next best thing!
February 4, 2013
This was a great short story collection. First, awesome authors. I'd buy a collection of shopping lists from these authors. They took the standard D&D tropes and put very interesting spins on them. This book was good from both a long time D&D player point of view, and from a general fantasy genre point of view. That's a hard balance, and most stories hit it just right.
July 29, 2011
Perfectly fine D&D based stories. A couple were very good. I particularly liked the one that was based on a certain favorite magic item of mine. Ed Greenwood's Elminster story was also pretty good, as was Brian Herbert's Athas story.
July 25, 2015
I began playing AD&D around 1978 and have reading a large number of the related novels. This collection had many stories that were much more interesting than some of those novels and provided interesting takes on the RPG system.
June 23, 2012
Some good stories, a little extravagant in some cases, but good nonetheless.
December 31, 2014
Ett par av dem var riktigt bra.
April 12, 2017
More more
This collection of stories was fantastic, something for everyone. All avenues of the D & D world covered, would love more books like this
This collection of stories was fantastic, something for everyone. All avenues of the D & D world covered, would love more books like this
Read
May 20, 2019I only picked this up because I wanted to read something “official” (but short) that took place in the Forgotten Realms. Most of these stories did not hold my interest. The best was “Dreaming of Waterdeep,” which was the story I most wanted to read—a young boy dreams of adventure but, when he meets a real live adventuring party near his village, ends up against more than he bargained for. I also skimmed the last story and was intrigued by the ending. Overall, I much prefer playing D&D over reading it.
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