Elder Scrolls novels to be published : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:06 pm

I meant what I said: this (and the fanfic forum) are the core demographic of people who are interested in fiction in the Elder Scrolls setting. Which is why I said its strategically questionable to base it on a premise that rankles so.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:22 am

I will not write yet another a priori negative reaction (I honestly feel like it, but I don't think anybody is actually interested in reading it.), but I would certainly like to indicate I have little to no hope for anything good coming out of this. Given the author's previous work, I'd be surprised if he would display anything close to the aesthetic judgment needed to properly write a book like this. (Even more so since Bethesda itself has failed in that department lately.)

All in all, it reeks of a rather embarrassing disrespect for Bethesda's own creation.

I'm almost too afraid to look into the author's previous works. How have his previous novels been received? What grade-level is his work (that should prove how skeptical I am, that it's even a question)?

It's funny that people are mentioning The Forgotten Realms...this just sounds like a bad Dungeons and Dragons novel from the description in the press release. I love DnD but I also love TES and ne'er shall the two meet. I'm not going to buy this book, but I will be paying attention to how people, especially here in the lore forums, respond to it.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:07 am

You can read excerpts from Keyes' works at his http://www.gregkeyes.com/excerpts.html. I read the prologue and first chapter from "The Briar King." Seemed pretty standard fantasy fare, but that's all I've read.

Obviously whatever he's working on with Bethesda is going to be based (if loosely) on TES lore. Whether it will be interesting in the same way TES lore is remains to be seen.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:21 pm

I meant what I said: this (and the fanfic forum) are the core demographic of people who are interested in fiction in the Elder Scrolls setting. Which is why I said its strategically questionable to base it on a premise that rankles so.

Oh. Then I agree with The Crustacean. But the anger in TES General shows a lack of interest even amongst the ordinary folk of the Besthesda Forums, the actual demographic, so it doesn't bode well for the novel.

I'm almost too afraid to look into the author's previous works. How have his previous novels been received? What grade-level is his work (that should prove how skeptical I am, that it's even a question)?

I read others in the series when I was 12, and I'm not that much more than an average reader. I wouldn't expect it to hold the attention of anyone over sixteen.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:23 am

Alright guys, I just had to delete a few console bashing posts. If we have problems with this thread, we'll just toss you over to one in http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showforum=26 so we don't have to watch two threads at once.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:51 am

Gregory Keyes deserves to be best known for the Age of Unreason tetralogy, particularly its first book, Newton's Cannon. More to the point, though, he's made a career of writing books to back up other media: a 3-book history of the Psi Corps and 3 books on the New Jedi Order. So he's got the goods to write an Elder Scrolls novel, but as in any such endeavor, the proof of this pudding will be in the eating thereof (and not at Helseth's table, thank you very much).

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:23 am

I read others in the series when I was 12, and I'm not that much more than an average reader. I wouldn't expect it to hold the attention of anyone over sixteen.

Having just read some of the excerpts on his site, I have to agree with you. It's difficult for me to even read because the flow of the narrative is so simplistic and there's very little descriptive language. He seems to really favor a heavy dialogue approach which I guess works if that's your kind of thing. Overall the excerpts don't give me much hope for these books being worth reading. That pretty much leaves the question of whether they'll be canon or not which is pretty much the only thing I'm interested in this point.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:00 am

http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=1119

Shack: So future games will take this fiction into account?

Pete Hines: It's hard to say. Hard to say, because we haven't gotten to future games yet. Certainly the reason that these two key guys--well, three: Bruce [Nesmith], Kurt and Todd are all involved in it--is to make sure that [Keyes] doesn't write anything that messes with the lore. "That race would never do that," or "those guys would never work together"--everything has to fit. But beyond that, we are doing it as if it's part of Elder Scrolls lore and canon.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:38 am

Okay that interview totally killed it for me. Todd should have stuck to his gut reaction I think. And Pete Hines should probably stop having ideas.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:18 am

Setting up any plot with floating cities that spread (un)death wherever they travel is a horrible idea, I'm sorry to say. :nuke:

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:18 pm

The details we have about the plot are too sparse to draw any worthwhile conclusions from. What happens is generally less important than why it happens, and whether it fits with everything else, and whether it makes sense.

So far, the only basis we have for making predictions/judgments about this are Keyes' past works.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:57 pm

Ouch. All I'm sayin'. :nope:

Key words of Fail:

'the land'
'strange and mysterious city' (did I mention 'floating high above'?)
'horrifying shadow'
'unlikely duo'
'Emperor's young son'
'doom'

And the story ends with the noble and heroic prince banging the seventeen year old girl, then subsequently making her his queen after he selflessly saves the world from the unambiguously evil threat abd is crowned the new, legitimate Emperor, thus staving off all chance of brutal civil war. The Empire then lived on in perfect harmony forever, the end.

Just read my [censored] signature and let me spare you all the sarcasm in the future.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:33 am

I don't know if I should be happy or sad at the news.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:05 am

1. Why oh why oh why did you make it set in the Fourth Era when you have thousands of years of evocative, but vague history to work with?

2. Do you realize just how many ex-devs this stupid franchise has?

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:52 pm

Okay that interview totally killed it for me. Todd should have stuck to his gut reaction I think. And Pete Hines should probably stop having ideas.

You have to give Kurt credit where it's due though.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:52 am

1. Why oh why oh why did you make it set in the Fourth Era when you have thousands of years of evocative, but vague history to work with?

2. Do you realize just how many ex-devs this stupid franchise has?

Especially when it's painfully obvious all that fun political unrest that could have come from Oblivion will be killed by the book's painfully obvious ending.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:06 am

And the story ends with the noble and heroic prince banging the seventeen year old girl, then subsequently making her his queen after he selflessly saves the world from the unambiguously evil threat abd is crowned the new, legitimate Emperor, thus staving off all chance of brutal civil war. The Empire then lived on in perfect harmony forever, the end.

I think LN has this sorted.

Attrebus saves the world, probably rescues Annaig a couple of times, and they all live happily ever after. Just your basic cliche' fantasy tale.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:10 am

You have to give Kurt credit where it's due though.

Oh I do. It's like a cabal of insiders secretly trying to destroy TES Lore once and for all, with the hapless dotard gatekeepr (Todd Howard) playing into their hands, falling for their seductive words, giving them the keys to the kingdom...

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:04 pm

Hmmm.
A floating city? I wonder if it will be Ayleid, probably will be, since this is set in Cyrodil. If anything, the dwemer should have been the first to build flying city's.
Still, I'd rather prefer a story set in Morrowind *crosses fingers for a Sixth House novel*

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:27 pm

Hmmm.
A floating city? I wonder if it will be Ayleid, probably will be, since this is set in Cyrodil. If anything, the dwemer should have been the first to build flying city's.
Still, I'd rather prefer a story set in Morrowind *crosses fingers for a Sixth House novel*

A floating Dwemer city would at least be unique. An "evil floating city of undead deathness evil shadow evilness shadow with lots of death and undead shadows and shadowiness dead undead" is not unique or interesting.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:37 am

My take? Dragonlance had floating castles. The end.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:14 am

A floating Dwemer city would at least be unique. An "evil floating city of undead deathness evil shadow evilness shadow with lots of death and undead shadows and shadowiness dead undead" is not unique or interesting.

yeah, it won't have something cool and lorish like Dwemer or Ayleid...

No, now I'm being pessimistic. I cannot yet know that, even if I know the ending. Even me and my wierdo family wouldn't be able to figure such details unaided.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:55 am

yeah, it won't have something cool and lorish like Dwemer or Ayleid...

No, now I'm being pessimistic. I cannot yet know that, even if I know the ending. Even me and my wierdo family wouldn't be able to figure such details unaided.

I think the only real question is will the bad guy be Mannimarco or Kel'Thuzad :whistle:

Might the Wolf Queen of Solitude be involved somehow? I cannot see other option to connect this to the lore, really, unless Mannimarco raises from the dead (not entirely impossible, considering that the pathetic weakling one slays in Oblivion cannot possibly be the real King of Worms?).

Heh.

I'm not totally up on the Wolf Queen lore, but I somehow doubt it.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:00 am

An "evil floating city of undead deathness evil shadow evilness shadow with lots of death and undead shadows and shadowiness dead undead" is not unique or interesting.

Might the Wolf Queen of Solitude be involved somehow? I cannot see other option to connect this to the lore, really, unless Mannimarco raises from the dead (not entirely impossible, considering that the pathetic weakling one slays in Oblivion cannot possibly be the real King of Worms?).

Heh.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:48 pm

For all we know Mannimarco took over Artaeum and is attacking Tamriel with an army of undead Psijics...and Attrebus will save us all by resurrecting Kagrenac who will defeat Mannimarco with tonal architecture.

Seriously: we don't know anything substantial about the plot yet. Nadda.