Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (Mass Market Paperback)

The characters are unique and interesting, they all have their differences but they all work well together. My favorite character was Kestrel she was a thief that got her self into helping Corran a Paladin, Glenna a Sorceress and Durwyn a Fighter to keep watch on the Pool of Radiance. The funny part about Kestrel helping keep watch is that she didn't remember because she was drunk when she told this High Mage about the pool, so apparently she volunteered on accident. It's ironic that she is now helping the law but her whole way of life is breaking the law without getting caught.

The authors were able to hold my interests because it was such a good novel. The authors kept putting surprises everywhere, they also put a lot of fighting and they were very descriptive so I don't think that little kids should read this book. Pool of Radiance is three books in one and each book had different authors. They kept me on the edge of my seat for 90 percent of the time.

In conclusion I can say that I learned more about friendship and trust than I knew before. In this book there is a lot of verbal fighting between the friends but in the end they end up holding back their anger and keep going with their expedition. I already recommend this novel to my friends because they are into fantasy kind of novels and I'm sure that they will like this novel, and hopefully recommend it to their friends.

I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find that this book was a highly enjoyable read. It actually stuck very close to the story in the PC game (as it should as an adaptation) but rather than simply include fight after fight with hordes of orcs and undead, it picked out several confrontations, embellished upon them and made the protagonists vulnerable such that you did not expect them to just wade through them and on to the next bunch of enemies.

Through mainly the eyes of one of the group of six heroes, the story was told. Details of their backgrounds were included, at times their feelings and vulnerabilities were touched upon, each of their individual skills were utilised and discussed, and as the book progressed you wished that all would survive to a happy ending. Time was also spent describing the surroundings, enemies and objects which gave even more depth.

The use of potions,spells and magical items was also adapted well. Many are included in the novel, but in a way that properly treats them as being rare and precious. The wizards learn spells as they go along and from each other, and the descriptions of their use is subtle so as readers can themselves realise which spells from the game are being used without the writer stating the obvious. Healing, protection and other potions are used similarly.

I have given the book 5 stars because as an adaptation of a rather tedious (but nevertheless good-looking) PC game, Carrie Bebris has done a wonderful job. Her knowledge of the game's story is never in doubt, nor is her understanding of the core elements of RPG gaming : makeup of party,skills, experience, item finding, spellcasting, and other aspects that do not necessarily translate well to the written word. She has added depth through descriptive narrative and character interactions, and has done this without straying very far at all from the hack-and-slash nature of the game. Great stuff!