GameBanshee Forums

Hello everybody! I'm a brand new member (even though I've been visiting this forum for some months now) and please excuse me if my first message is a bit out of time and place...

I recently travelled to the States and had the chance to get myself a copy of the novelization of BG2. I have not read BG 1, but I must say I was a bit dissapointed when I finished reading Shadows of Amn, since I think it didn't quite catch the magic of the computer game.

To start with, the race and profession of the protagonist was not that original- a human fighter at the size of Conan the barbarian is a bit boring, isn't it? I was hoping the son of Bhaal would be something more than muscles, hacking and slashing... Why not an elf or a half-elf or a sorcerer for instance?

I was also hoping that more NPCs from the game would be included, the most interesting ones such as Edwin, Jan, Aerie or Viconia. And speaking of NPCs, wasn't Minsc a dissapointment the way he was presented in the book? OK, he may be dumb but he's not a red-haired madman, is he! Not to mention that he was not given a role of signifacance to play, apart from cleaning up the mess in the Copper Coronet.

Same thing with Yoshimo, his motives were not clear. Was he a friend or a traitor after all, and why did he die helping the man he betrayed? I don't think these points were clear at all.

The romance between Abdel and Bodhi was very interesting but I wouldn't say the same thing for Imoen and Phaere. It didn't help the plot in any way and seemed a bit like sexploitation to me (lesbians and drow are
fetish, after all). And Imoen is just not the character who would become intimate with a female drow, in my book at least.

And Jaheira didn't have the will and guts as in the game. I'm no politically-correct feminist but I didn't like how easily she forgave the protagonist cheating on her with Bodhi. Didn't look like Jaheira at all!

I don't mean to say that the book sucked and I'm no critic of literature but I was left with a slight feeling of dissapointment when I read it and I just wanted to share it with you.

If you feel like posting some comments on this I'de be happy to read them.

Originally posted by Aphex:
<STRONG>The romance between Abdel and Bodhi was very interesting but I wouldn't say the same thing for Imoen and Phaere. It didn't help the plot in any way and seemed a bit like sexploitation to me (lesbians and drow are
fetish, after all). And Imoen is just not the character who would become intimate with a female drow, in my book at least.
</STRONG>

(laughs hysterically)

Is that seriously what's in the book?

Remember, this is AD&D-style fantasy, the stuff that isn't written because writers enjoy producing it, but because they're paid by corporations--kinda like Lucasarts paying writers to churn out Star Wars books. They don't choose the plot, or the characters, or who is doing what to whom: that's all set in advance, and given to 'em.

On another matter entirely, Aphex, your English is excellent. Were you raised in Greece? Welcome to the forum, in any case. GB's got the best.

I believe it's more or less the common opinion that both BG novels are lousy. I hope you've checked out the other Forgotten Realms novels, especially Salvatore and Cunningham - they are excellent.

YOu might find some of the Baldur's Gate fan fiction on the net more to your taste. There was a fairly good one I had marked, but I'm afraid that bookmark is on a computer that has destroyed itself. Sorry.

[url="http://www.gamejag.com/Bethphel"]Bethphel's Diary[/url] is a pretty good BG 1 novelisation, and the site also contains a link to The Attic fan fiction site... I haven't read any of the Attic stuff yet, but I guess it might be good

[ 05-22-2001: Message edited by: Georgi ]

Imoen and...Phaere?!?...Imoen and ANYONE but Phaere...

Originally posted by loner72:
<STRONG>Imoen and...Phaere?!?...Imoen and ANYONE but Phaere...</STRONG>

I agree. How about Imoen and Minsc? A perfect couple.

You know, I can actually see Imoen with Minsc. Especially now she's a mage

Hey guys!

Thanks for your comments and sorry for the delayed reply.

Fable, you surely got a point there. I didn't consider this at all, but then again this practice is still kinda dissapointment for BG fans. I mean, you normally expect a novel to be more rich and have more depth than a computer game, at least as far as dialogue and characters are concerned, but I guess that's the way it goes... And thank you for your kind words! I'm raised and still live in Athens: everybody has to study english around here...

Moriveth: Believe it or not, this is one of the best parts of the book!

I'll look for the books you guys mentioned. Thanks for the tip!

Now that I think of it, I can't find a proper mate for Imoen, maybe because her character was not given a sexual "aspect". That's why Minsc could be the best for her, after all! Goofing with Boo all day and stuff...