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Post by Ghost of Landar on Oct 27, 2004 4:48:33 GMT
I'm certain there's a thread SOMEWHERE in this forum, but I'll ask this question:
What are your favorite moments in the LW series?
1) The most heartbreaking? Is there any that made you mist up or even cry?
2) The most exhilarating?
3) The most heartWARMING moment?
4) A moment that you really just felt was well-written or well-crafted?
5) Most terrifying moment or description(often the two are the same?)
6) Most triumphant(for you or for LW overall?)
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Post by Storm Blade on Oct 27, 2004 17:13:09 GMT
Wow! That's a toughie, Ghost of Landar, but for what it's worth here's my ha'penny's worth...
(1) Most heartbreaking: it's an obvious one so I think I'll say it first: the writing in Flight from the Dark when you return from the woods to find the First Kai monastery destroyed by the Kraan. It's so atmospheric: you get the sense of an appalling evil, the horror at the almost complete destruction of an ancient and noble warrior order and the crushing burden of responsibility falling on a young man's shoulders - great for stoking the imaginations of teenagers everywhere who dream of being heroes!
(2) Most exhilarating: for me the spectacular first sight of Yanis the Shining(?) City - forgive me if I get it wrong cos I'm writing this from memories over 10 years old - when you arrive on that dragon-creature and with that warrior-giant guy. Beautiful picture of the city in The Prisoners of Time and really vivid descriptions - I can still picture the scene as I type!
(3) Most heartwarming: Melchar(?) the silversmith losing his breeches escaping some thugs at the Caeno Derby in Buccaneers of Shadaki - a moment of genuine mirth (complete with illustration in the book!) that offset really well the sense of gloom and tragedy as Storm Blade (yeah, you guessed it, that's what I always call my New Order Grand Masters!) suffers yet more mishaps in his journey to the Isle of Lorn.
(4) Well-written or well-crafted moment: try more moments than you can shake a stick at (don't think I'll find any dissenters here)! But the one that comes to mind for me is a very simple, non-combat, bit of the storytelling in the Jungle of Horrors I think it was: there's a bit where you board a barge heading north(?) in Talestria heading for the Danarg. The barge is excellently described; there's someone on board trying to kill you - so its a sort of Lone Wolf version of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile! - and I got a really strong sense of Lone Wolf experiencing a part of the river culture of Talestria, in other words really mingling with the local people and seeing something of their lives - often LW is off on another plane (literally sometimes!) doing Hero Things - what makes Dever's writing so special is he makes this Uber Warrior real by engaging him in down-to-earth scenarios with 3-dimensional characters that you can visualise easily and even empathise with...
(5) Most terrifying moment: it's hard to choose just one but I think one scenario just shades it: the whole business of sneaking into Helgedad disguised as a masked and cloaked minion (what were they called?) of Darklord (can't remember his name) - starting in that part when you're on the armoured truck/juggernault thing and someone suspects your disguise. The whole thing was unbearably tense - something to do with being close to the end when you've played the whole 11 previous books 100% fairly and correctly with no cheating! - I remember my hands shaking as I turned the pages describing the transport going over the Lake of Blood into the heart of the hell!!
(6) Most triumphant: this is easy - and I suspect it's the same for most of you too - unleashing the Sommerswerd in the presence of Archlord Gnaag, blasting him to smithereens, then escaping on the Imperial Zlaanbeast as the whole city blows up below! Awesome! And the icing on the cake comes with the spiel about surpassing Sun Eagle and gaining your revenge for the destruction of your fellow Kai. Stirring stuff I think you'll all agree...
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Post by Zipp on Oct 27, 2004 17:24:38 GMT
Oh, good question. I'll answer after this read through.
Heartbreaking I can tell you right off the bat though. There were two. One was when the old man who accopmanies you dies in Kingdoms of Terror. Always felt a need to avenge him. The second was when you fly out of Kaag in book 14 and see Nyxator's skull. That gave me such a sense of righteousness. Okay so maybe it wasn't under the heartbreaking category, but that always made me mist up.
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Post by Black Cat on Oct 27, 2004 20:17:10 GMT
I'm certain there's a thread SOMEWHERE in this forum[...] There it is: projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1096825364I like the way you separate each of your favorite moments in this thread though. So I will try to answer each of your points (sorry if I'm repeating things that I might already said in the other thread): 1- Most heartbreaking moment? Ehhh...I don't know... Since I have to give an answer, I'll say the moment where you have to leave Paido's brother inside in jail in Kazan-Oud. I felt sorry for this poor dude. 2 and 3- Most exhilarating and most heart warming moment: Me too I'll say the moment where Melchar lost his pants in book 22, like Storm Blade said. But they didn't put the illustration of it in my French version...  4- Well-written moment: Ehhhh...everything? The way Joe is writting things is very good. But if there was one moment that was above the average, I say that it was the moment where you throw the crystal at the Shadow Gate in book 18. 5- Most terrifying moment: The scene in the cave of Shom'zaa in book 26 gave me the shivers, more than the castle of Naar in book 20. 6- Most triumphant moment: Endings of both book 2 and 18 in the LW series, because it seems to me that they are the moments where Lone Wolf is at the top of his personnal glory. Also, I have to add the ending of book 23 in the New Order Series. It feels cool to be on a stage with thousands of people cheering you. ;D |
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Post by Storm Blade on Oct 28, 2004 15:38:41 GMT
Thanks for that link Black Cat - I had not seen before the contributions within that of Draagen, Relenoir, deiseach and, in particular, simkn before I wrote my own yesterday. Clearly great minds think alike!  |
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Post by Ghost of Landar on Oct 29, 2004 5:18:27 GMT
I might as well answer my own questions, maybe even spur some more discussion.
1) Though I don't recall ever actually crying, I did mist up a few times. Certainly the death of Cyril was..unexpected and a shame, especially since you save him earlier in the book.
b) Using Divination to remember the events that led up to the extermination of the winged race, the Nebora(happens in LW 12). That reminded me of the enormity of the evil that the Darklords had wrought. I even hoped(in some way) that the Nebora were in the Plane of Light.
c) When you learn in LW 12 that Paido was slain by Gnaag(he was right there at the Gate with you, damn why didn't he jump in?!) and that Adamas died at Torgar.
d) When you have to leave Lord-Lieutenant Rhygar at the entrance to Tarnalin. You know he's going to die. Come with me dammit! With a magical weapon and with Rhygar's strength we could make it! How long can Rhygar hold off Helghast without a Magical Weapon anyway?
e) When you learn of the origin of the Redeemers and how their betrayal at the temple located in the Isle of Ghosts is what allowed the Cenerese to create the Great Plague. Ever notice in Grey Star how the picture of the one Redeemer monk only has one eye, like a cyclops? The Redeemers are Drodarin(forget their name but it begins with a P)
f) In Plague Lords, the army of undead Freeland soldiers that you encounter is always heartbreaking. I want to kill them to FREE them from their suffering.
g) Oh the worst! When you see the souls of Sebb Jarel, Paido and Adamas ensnared in the Plane of Darkness...if you have a certain discipline you can say a prayer that is answered and they are taken to the Plane of Light, which always warms my heart. It's moments like those, where Dever realizes what made his series great and also reminds you of the sacrifices others made for YOU to become the greatest warrior in the history of Aon.
h) Paido's brother Kasin
i) The old guy who was turned into a terrible abomination by the enchantress-shapeshifter in Vampirium(not Lone wolf's encounter, but still)
j) When Paido is captured in Jungle of Horrors. I can't tell you how happy I was that I found him in Torgar.
I'll reply with answers to other questions, but these are some sad moments in the series and I'm probably missing some.
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Post by Zipp on Oct 29, 2004 16:49:17 GMT
How could I forget Ryhgar's moments? Maybe because I've played that one so many times. Yeah it always pissed me off that he doesn't go with you.
I actually felt bad for almost everyone who helps you and dies, like the guides in book three, the brother in Castle Death, etc.
One of the most triumphant moments came at, well the end of every book, but especially at the the end opf the Legacy of Vashna. Two of your most dangerous and spiteful enemies defeated at once, along with their armies.
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Post by BenKenobi on Oct 29, 2004 17:51:37 GMT
[1] The most heartbreaking: when you gain the Sommerswerd. I played many books of the serie before of the n.2 - Fire on the Water- and for long time I desired the golden sword. To wield it in the air makes me feel so powerful and invincible !!! The description of the nature of the weapon, of his history, and his importance during the entire book with the climax surrounding it... Another heartbreaking moment was, in the same book, when I had to leave Rygar without giving him the Magic Spear... I did it the first time and I died ! But doing it the second time was sad the same. [2] The most exhilarating: the derby of Caeno scene. [3] The most heartwarming: I don't know... winning some books really gave me great satisfaction. Maybe, when I defeated the Chaosmaster after the 289h trial...  [4] The most well-crafted: the end of the first part of n.5 - Shadows on the Sand- You are all alone, you can be discovered from one moment to another, and you overhear the conversation between Kimah and Haakon. The sound of his unreal breathing (it reminds me a certain Darth Vader... ) gave me the chills. The same book has many very well written literary moments. [5] The most terryfing description: I don't know, the mind of Joe Dever gave birth to many horrible monsters... they are those monsters that you encounter in the middle of the adventure. [6] The most triumphant: Easy ! Destruction of Zagarna at the end of book n.2 ... no doubt about it. |
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Post by Zipp on Oct 29, 2004 18:56:31 GMT
By the way, any favorite illustrations?
I personally love the one with the two goblin-like creatures basking in the hot springs, or the swamps, or wherever that was. Maybe you have no idea of what I'm talking about... guess I'll have to find the book...
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Post by Black Cat on Oct 30, 2004 4:11:01 GMT
f) In Plague Lords, the army of undead Freeland soldiers that you encounter is always heartbreaking. I want to kill them to FREE them from their suffering. Actually, it was in book 14, The Captives of Kaag. My favorite illustration... the destruction of Zagarna in book 2? Or maybe the sight of Torgar? Hard to tell, there's so many...The problem is that, in the French version of the books, there is some illustrations that are missing in some books and there is no illustrations at all in books 23 to 28, so I might be missing some great things. Zipp: the image that you are refering to is in book 8. |
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Post by BenKenobi on Nov 5, 2004 17:54:26 GMT
Brian Williams is my favourite illustrator.
I think that the images of the Deathlord Ixiataaga, of Kekataag, and many enemies in the last books of Lone Wolf Grand Master serie are really well made.
My favourite is the end of book 19 - Wolf's Bane - where Kekataag is tearing apart Alyss with great smashes of his axe... ;D
I'd rather see Q****** in that situation, succumbing to the power of Naar's champion... ;D
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Post by Black Cat on Nov 6, 2004 1:48:08 GMT
My favourite is the end of book 19 - Wolf's Bane - where Kekataag is tearing apart Alyss with great smashes of his axe... ;D See, that's one of the illustrations that were cut off in the French version. I don't like that situation: it's like saying that artwork isn't important, but it is. It brings a visual mark to the story.  |
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Post by Sarra on Nov 6, 2004 14:55:00 GMT
The most heartbreaking? Is there any that made you mist up or even cry? Are we including Grey Star in this? If so, the most heartbreaking moment was losing Tanith in Grey Star the Wizard.  The most exhilarating? Running from the Ice Barbarians in the Cavern of Kalte. Your guides falling dead all around you and the barbarians are catching up with you. Crazy. The most heartWARMING moment? Finding Lord Paido in Kaag (Captives of Kaag). A moment that you really just felt was well-written or well-crafted? The fight with Baron Shinzar (I can't remember which book. I think it was the Cauldron of Fear). Most terrifying moment or description(often the two are the same?) Discovering that Darklord Haakon was present in Vassagonia and that he was after you (Shadow on the Sand) Most triumphant(for you or for LW overall?) Slaying Darklord Zagarna, hands down.
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Post by Black Cat on Nov 6, 2004 23:03:31 GMT
The most heart WARMING moment? Finding Lord Paido in Kaag (Captives of Kaag). Paido in Kaag? Don't you mean "Finding Paido in Torgar"(book 10)? Or maybe "Finding Banedon in Kaag"(book 14)? I don't remember seeing Paido in Kaag. BTW, the battle against Shinzar is in The Dungeons of Torgar, and I have to agree with you: it is a cool fight. |
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Post by Sarra on Nov 7, 2004 0:37:12 GMT
Paido in Kaag? Don't you mean "Finding Paido in Torgar"(book 10)? Or maybe "Finding Banedon in Kaag"(book 14)? I don't remember seeing Paido in Kaag. BTW, the battle against Shinzar is in The Dungeons of Torgar, and I have to agree with you: it is a cool fight. Yes I did mean Banedon. Oops.  Another exhilarating moment I forgot to mention was in the Dungeons of Torgar. Where you are on horseback and decide to madly rush a gate with about three hundred archers raining arrows down upon you. Yeah, that suicide run was crazy. And you are pretty much guarenteed to become a pincoushin if you don't run away. |
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