duk3
Kai Lord
"Live Now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again"
Posts: 93
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Post by duk3 on Aug 14, 2013 9:54:49 GMT
Hi All,
Just throwing out this question... What is your favourite lone wolf book of all time and why?
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Post by johntfs on Aug 17, 2013 3:27:56 GMT
That's a pretty tough one, but overall, I'd have to say The Kingdoms of Terror. It's the only book in the entire series where Lone Wolf is essentially at loose ends and not dealing with a clearly defined "mission." Sure his goal is "find the Lorestone of Varetta and complete the Magnakai quest," but that's more of a lifelong goal than a true mission. Just finding the Lorestone of Varetta is something that could potentially take Lone Wolf years to do. Which means that Lone Wolf has a much greater opportunity to relax a little and be himself (and thus define who he is outside of mission constraints).
Not only does Lone Wolf have a chance to develop, so do the Stornlands. One thing I love about the Stornlands and their people is just how little they give a crap about the Darklords or Kai or anything else that's been the focus of the books. Roark doesn't hate Lone Wolf for being a Kai Master, he hates him because Lone Wolf interfered with his sadistic fun and made him look like a chump. The mercenary captain that you meet in Varetta isn't interested in mysterious quests, he wants tough, skillful warriors and you look line one. Everyone in the book, aside, perhaps, for Gywnian and his brothers, is much more interested in their own concerns than in Lone Wolf. This is the first book where Magnamund felt like a real place instead of just the setting for a game book.
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Post by Aarontu on Aug 17, 2013 23:36:35 GMT
Probably DAWN OF THE DRAGONS (BOOK 18). This book is so freaking epic. The first part of the book is a nice adventure down memory lane; there are lots of familiar characters and places in this adventure. You start on the other side of the world from Summerlund and have you travel back home to save the new order of the Kai from destruction. If you've played all the books up until this one, you'll pass a lot of familiar territory and characters. The second part of the book is Flight from the Dark in reverse. You, Captain D'Val and a regiment of cavalry, travel through the woods to the monastery (nearly the same path you take to Holmgard in FftD), fighting Naar's minions along the way. The fight to defend the monastery itself is reminiscent of the fight at the beginning of the CE of FftD. At the end of the book, you have to best an army of evil dragons and lavas and destroy the shadowgate, action-movie-hero-style. This is probably the easiest book in the GM series (so far, anyway), and it's pretty linear at spots, but it's so awesome that I don't mind at all. Joe Dever said himself in an interview, "My favorite one to read is Dawn of the Dragons, book 18, as I consider this to be the quintessential Lone Wolf adventure.", and I agree.
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duk3
Kai Lord
"Live Now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again"
Posts: 93
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Post by duk3 on Aug 19, 2013 8:54:43 GMT
SNAP! Aarontu, as you said Book 18 is an exciting read and this is why it is my favorite lone wolf book of all time. A well told Lone Wolf epic, it has it all and I do love the nostalgia throughout the book as you remember locations and people from your past! I remember feeling a little sad when you find a Dead Kai Master on the way back to the Monastery. I cant remember now but what was his name? Excellent Pick! Book 6 was an amazing continuation for Lone Wolf and I am looking forward to reading it again. I am currently rereading the books using the seventh sense app, and on the Chasm of Doom at the moment. Wonderful reliving these adventures again!
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Post by johntfs on Aug 24, 2013 22:02:33 GMT
I remember feeling a little sad when you find a Dead Kai Master on the way back to the Monastery. I cant remember now but what was his name? Alas for Swift Fire
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Post by capna on Aug 25, 2013 21:26:00 GMT
Difficult because there are so many good books. However I would go for Plague lords of Ruel. The cener druids and the Vazhag had such style, and the book felt suitably epic, stopping a world ending plague, following book 11 when he killed a god, and 12 when he saved the entire world! I also felt the action felt suitably epic, with his enemies and actions befitting the warrior lone wolf had become. It felt like he had come from relying on stealth and cunning to a force all his enemies feared.
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Post by Snowshadow on Aug 26, 2013 9:35:21 GMT
Great choices. I suppose I can't say 32! When there was just 12 novels it was probably Castle Death - The Maze, The Maze! Love 2, 13 and 18, probably 18 yes for me.
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Post by John Bryntze on Aug 26, 2013 9:46:56 GMT
Book 2 is wonderful but got so low replay value due to same things happens, book 4 was the first I ever read and feels very special and is still my favorite. Book 10 is fantastic too and got great replay value. In General I like all books that teach you about Magnamund or drive the story forward (which actually goes against book 4) so for me book 7 and 11 are the least good once... it for me those has little connection to Magnamund or the story, could be a separate books.
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Post by johntfs on Aug 26, 2013 14:15:08 GMT
Book 2 really has one thing going for it and that's the epic Sommerswerd Death Ray nukage of Zagarna. The bits with the tunnel just deeply annoyed me. Port Bax also kind of annoyed with their bureaucracy death trap. So, apparently if you want to get to the consulate of Sommerlund you need to join the Durenese navy to get a Red Pass authorization from your commanding officer. Though the worst for me in some ways is the Helghast encounter with the Magic Spear, especially if you have Camouflage.
Let's really delve into this thing for a second. You hear somebody yelling for help and investigate. You find three beings. One is some dude with a rune-covered spear in his guts. One is a dead Knight and the others are Szalls which have been noted to be weak and cowardly creatures. The Szalls whole demeanor is one of terror when you go to help the guy with the spear, not malice, terror. If you check the guy's pack you freak and leave. If you have Camouflage, the Szalls outright tell you that the dude on the ground is a nasty Helghast and a little thought reveals that he killed the Knight but was badly wounded by the Spear. At which point you also leave behind a "live" Helghast and a weapon that you know can hurt Helghasts. It's absurd and against the whole "wise choice of discipline will bring victory despite a low CS or EP."
At this point I've pretty much decided at add the following text to page 320.
"If you came here from Section 77, you realize that the Szalls are telling the truth and stab the Spear deeper into the wounded creature. It shrieks in hateful agony and unleashes its mindforce (lose 2 EP unless you have Mindshield) and then dies and crumbles to ash. You can keep the Spear if you wish. Mark it on your Action Chart under the Special Items section as a ‘Magic Spear.’"
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 14:52:16 GMT
Yes, that's a great summary of the bad bits in book 2 that really make it one of the weakest and most annoying entries in the series. Agree on all points and really like your solution.
My favourite book has to be Chasm Of Doom. I love that you lead some men in it and like how the stakes in the story rapidly ramp up from investigating the loss of communication and trade to an undead darklord returning from beyond the grave. I think it's an awesome book.
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duk3
Kai Lord
"Live Now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again"
Posts: 93
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Post by duk3 on Aug 26, 2013 15:07:28 GMT
My favorite part in the Chasm of Doom was when you had to race toward D'Val and his men while avoiding arrows and attack dogs. Lone Wolf gets shot in the leg and D'Val(what a great character) comes to the rescue firing arrows, felling enemies like Robin Hood. Its a nice reminder how much Lone Wolf has to rely on his Allies to help complete his quests and fulfill his destiny.
Would'nt it be awesome if there were soundtracks you could play while playing the books, just to add to the atmosphere?
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Post by johntfs on Aug 27, 2013 3:28:29 GMT
My favorite part in the Chasm of Doom was when you had to race toward D'Val and his men while avoiding arrows and attack dogs. Lone Wolf gets shot in the leg and D'Val(what a great character) comes to the rescue firing arrows, felling enemies like Robin Hood. Its a nice reminder how much Lone Wolf has to rely on his Allies to help complete his quests and fulfill his destiny. Would'nt it be awesome if there were soundtracks you could play while playing the books, just to add to the atmosphere? I share your D'val love. Of course I also love the unnamed mercenary captain in Book 6. See, King Ulnar's backup plan should LW's life and quest end was to send D'Val and and the captain to kill the Darklords through their combined powers of manly baddassery. And soundtracks shouldn't be a problem. They're why Ishir created .mp3 files...
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duk3
Kai Lord
"Live Now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again"
Posts: 93
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Post by duk3 on Aug 27, 2013 8:30:42 GMT
To John, Yes poor Swift Fire, he should be given a mini adventure slot in one of the collectors editions. A Brave Kai Master indeed! Mp3's, what are they? I am using the Seventh Sense appication(which is amazing). A suitable soundtrack that changes according to where you are in the books would be fantastic....maybe ill look into it
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Post by johntfs on Aug 27, 2013 14:47:54 GMT
That would be an interesting bit to put into Dawn of the Dragons, the adventure of a Kai Master whose adventure will absolutely end in failure and death no matter what.
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duk3
Kai Lord
"Live Now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again"
Posts: 93
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Post by duk3 on Aug 27, 2013 21:14:26 GMT
You play Tavig in Book 7 and and Rhygar in book 2 with the full knowledge that they will die.(Although admittedly they had a more detailed role in each book) Swift Fire clearly would have had many adventures to attain the rank of "Kai Master"
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