# Best D&D Novels- Of All TIme



## Zardnaar (Jul 27, 2018)

As the tile says. My 1st D&D novel probably was one of the TSR Endless Quest books but if they do not count its probably Dragonlance the original trilogy which I liked at the time (1993) but I could not finish the 1st book trying it again recently. Most have been average to below average and as much flak RA Salvatore gets online he is one of the better D&D authors IMHO. ANyway my favorites.

 The Iron Throne (Birthright)

 No not Game of Thrones. I have not read this one since the 90's but even then it was a large book by D&D standards and it was a lot more gritty than most and even dealt with sex indirectly. It more or less felt like an adult book which was unusual for a D&D book. Probably an obscure book from D&Ds most obscure boxed set setting. Did anyone ever actually play Birthright or read one of its novels?

 The "Hamanu Trilogy" (Darksun)
 I liked the Prism Pentad for Darksun as a book to read for fun, I disliked it due to what it did to Darksun in terms of metaplot. However Lynn Abbeys  "Hamanu Trilogy" (A Brazen Gambit, Cinnabar Shadows, Rise and Fall of a Dragon King Chronicles of Athas 1,4 and 5) blows it out of the water quality wise IMHO. The story is basically about a non Evil Templar of Hamanu dealing with being Templar in Urik although RaFoaDK puts Hamanu front and centre. I recently reread this series for about the 3rd or 4th time (90's, 2007/8 and last year) and not only are they among the best Darksun novels I think they are also some of the best D&D novels of all time. 

Sojourn and A Silent Blade- RA Salvatore

 Not a massive Drizzt fan and I got sick of the books around 15 years ago (the novels after A Silent Blade turned me off). Out of the better Drizzt novels I liked these 2 the best. 

 Almost Anything by Elaine Cunningham

 I quite like Elfsong and Elfshadow or at least did and her Lirial Baenre books are some of the better Drow books and D&D books around IMHO. 

Kaz the Minotaur (?)
 I remember this as being one of my favourite Dragonlance books. They spammed out alot of bad FR and DL books back in the day.


----------



## Dioltach (Jul 27, 2018)

I can't claim to have read much D&D fiction (most of what I have read is pretty poor), but _Dragonlance Legends_ wasn't bad. Considerably more mature than _Chronicles_, and Raistlin and Kitiara made compelling and believable villains.


----------



## Ralif Redhammer (Jul 27, 2018)

For better or worse, I read a ton of D&D fiction when I was a kid. I’ve been going through and re-reading a bunch of them as before-bed reads.

While it’s hard for me to unpack it from the nostalgia, yeah, the first Dragonlance trilogy is not a great work. Enjoyable, yes, but it’s got plenty of flaws and melodrama. A lot of the characters are just plain unlikable. And yet, there's still something about it. The second trilogy, Dragonlance Legends, benefits from a smaller cast of characters and the greater experience of the authors when they wrote it. 

I’ll agree, Elaine Cunningham is generally a cut above the rest. She has a talent for bringing her characters and the world they inhabit to life.

Salvatore comes up with some terrible names. And they've made their way into lore. Just recently, I found myself having to say the name “Queen Dagnabbet” in a recent adventure, and I’m still smarting from that.


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone (Jul 27, 2018)

A lot of the original D&D work pales on second reading.

The ones I've found that have aged best have been the Greyhawk novels by Paul Kidd (Descent into the Depths, White Plume Mountain, Demonsweb Pits). The Justicar and Escalla are pretty enjoyable characters.


----------



## ccs (Jul 28, 2018)

Does the Game of Thrones series count?


----------



## Radaceus (Jul 28, 2018)

Dont read much of D&D fiction, but here are some of the best fantasy books (outside of Leiber, Tolkien, Lewis, and Moorcock  ) that inspire my D&D narratives:

Glen Cook's Dread Empire  series, as well as the Black Company saga (if you are into fantasy and have not read these, you must!)
Fred Saberhagan's Book(s) of Lost Swords
P.J. Farmer's Dungeon series
Tanith Lee's Flat Earth
Caiseal Mór's Wanderers series
Jack Chalker's Wellworld series


----------



## MNblockhead (Jul 29, 2018)

I re-read Dragonlance (original trilogy) recently. Putting aside its weaknesses, of which many have written, I was surprised at how strong the female characters were. By "strong" I mean believable, fleshed out, and having equal stage time. Also, over all it was a fun read and I did care about the characters. The villans were weak, but then, in a way, Raistlin is the true villain of the series.


----------



## Zardnaar (Jul 29, 2018)

ccs said:


> Does the Game of Thrones series count?




No


----------



## Kramodlog (Jul 29, 2018)

_Outcast _by Simon Hawke was awesome. Drizzt stole the limelight from the more deserving Sorak.


----------



## Jhaelen (Jul 30, 2018)

Olgar Shiverstone said:


> A lot of the original D&D work pales on second reading.



That matches my experience.
I had started to re-read the original Dragonlance series at some point but quickly decided I prefer my rose-tinted memories to what's actually written.

Reading the 'Prism Pentad' a second time wasn't as painful, but that was probably because I focused on making notes about what they tell of the setting for use in our RPG sessions.

So, it's a good thing I generally consider it a waste of time to read any novel a second time. I only make an exception for 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' by Philip K. Dick.


----------



## carrot (Jul 30, 2018)

I was always fairly keen on the Eberron books. I seem to recall the Keith Baker and James Wyatt series were quite good. It has been a long time since I last read them though...


----------



## Raunalyn (Jul 31, 2018)

Yo, [MENTION=6716779]Zardnaar[/MENTION], I'ma let you finish, but Dragonlance Legends was one of the best D&D trilogies of all time! Of all time!!!


----------



## messy (Sep 10, 2018)

maybe i'm the only one who feels this way, but i thought the gord the rogue novels were outstanding, like a d&d game in story form.


----------



## Umbran (Sep 10, 2018)

The best D&D novels of all time... are not officially D&D novels.

_Villains by Necessity_, by Eve Forward is set in a world in which Good has won.  And what results from that.  I have not seen a statement by Ms. Forward that this was built on D&D, but I find it difficult to think otherwise, as the character classes are pretty darned clear.  Unfortunately, this one is currently out of print.

_The Deed of Paksenarrion_, by Elizabeth Moon, is the story of a paladin coming into her powers, and her career.  It is a trilogy (_Sheepfamer's Daughter_, _Divided Allegiance_, and _Oath of Gold_), and I'd recommend it to just about anyone interested in D&D novels.

_Grunts_ by Mary Gentle... isn't gentle.  It includes the line, "Pass me another elf, Sergeant.  Mine's split."  It isn't really about D&D.  It is about orcs.  But orcs are either Tolkien or D&D.  And these orcs get assault rifles.  So.. it ain't Tolkien.  It also has what I feel is the absolute best cheesy opening sentence ever written in the fantasy genre.


----------



## Dioltach (Sep 10, 2018)

In that vein, there's also _Goblin Quest_ and its sequels by Jim C. Hines. A human knight and wizard, an elven thief and a dwarven priest enter a dungeon. They encounter a goblin. This is his story.


----------



## Richards (Sep 11, 2018)

Umbran said:


> _Grunts_ by Mary Gentle ... also has what I feel is the absolute best cheesy opening sentence ever written in the fantasy genre.




Don't tease us: what's the opening sentence?  I've never heard of the book, but now I want to know!

Johnathan


----------



## Deuce Traveler (Sep 11, 2018)

None of the D&D books really stood out, though I do admit I preferred Dragonlance to the Forgotten Realms book.  The first trilogies of Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance books do have some aspects to them that seem as if they could have happened in a tabletop session; more so than later books.  I do like The Black Wing, only because the very faulty protagonist is a black dragon who messes up a lot throughout and I found it fresh in a way.


----------



## Eltab (Sep 11, 2018)

Richards said:


> Don't tease us: what's the opening sentence?  I've never heard of the book, but now I want to know!
> 
> Johnathan



Cue Snoopy, sitting on top of his doghouse, with a typewriter

"It was a dark and stormy night."


----------



## Deuce Traveler (Sep 13, 2018)

If we can add non-TSR books to the list, I would say Poul Anderson's "Three Hearts and Three Lions", which Gary included in his famous appendix.


----------



## Zardnaar (Sep 13, 2018)

Official D&D not fantasy books.


----------



## Umbran (Sep 16, 2018)

Richards said:


> Don't tease us: what's the opening sentence?  I've never heard of the book, but now I want to know!




"In the tower of the nameless necromancer it is always cold."

Have that read by James Earl Jones, and you'll see what I mean.


----------



## Xaelvaen (Sep 16, 2018)

I suffered through the original dragonlance novels just to get to read "The Second Generation" and "Dragons of Summer Flame" which made it all worth while.  Of course, the *Song of Huma* sheet music being printed in the back of "Second Generation", as well as Knights of Takhisis AD&D 2E statistics, had absolutely nothing to do with my love of that particular novel at all.


----------



## SpellJammer16 (Sep 17, 2018)

Today I would say my favorites are  the I,Strahd books by PN Elrod.  
I love Vampires 
Dragonlance was my favorite for awhile.  
Because I first started with Dragons of Autumn Twilight back in '84 when it was on the shelf of Waldenbooks.
I had just started playing D&D the year before and was very excited about it.  I even DM'd a few DL modules when I wasn't running Ravenloft or Pharoah 
I was out of it for awhile but I managed to get all caught up on Raistlin thanks to Audible. 
I've listened to all of the Weis / Hickman stuff now and needed a break from Dragonlance... so Listening to the Dark Elf Trilogy for the 5th time now... ah how relaxing.


----------



## Legatus Legionis (Sep 24, 2018)

.


----------



## SpellJammer16 (Oct 5, 2018)

I also enjoyed

Ravenloft  - Knight of the Black Rose
Ravenloft - Spectre of the Black Rose

There is also a Lord Soth story in the Worlds of TSR comics


----------



## jonesy (Oct 5, 2018)

The best D&D books I've ever read is the _Defenders of Magic _trilogy by Mary Kirchoff.
*Night of the Eye*, *The Medusa Plague* and *The Seventh Sentinel* are books nominally set within the Dragonlance setting, but you really need no knowledge of any other books as they tell a complete self-contained story.

This trilogy is as high magic as the old Dragonlance ever got. It's got wizard duels, political intrigue, fantastic voyages, plot twists galore and magic magic magic.


----------



## SpellJammer16 (Oct 5, 2018)

Thanks I'll have to consider it...  I always wanted more magic in DL


----------



## Kaodi (Oct 13, 2018)

I own quite a few D&D books that I have not read since I was a kid. I generally refer to it now as "trashy pulp fantasy" but I would never get rid of them. My fantasy book collection is a treasured memento of my childhood. I am sure it was probably a significant influence on my writing style as well. You might think that would be bad if the books were "bad" but I am not sure that it was deleterious. 

I do remember liking Elaine Cunnigham, and of course I read a lot of DragonLance by Weis & Hickman. I imagine it would be terrible to reread but I will always have a soft spot for Darkwalker on Moonshae though. Apparently it was the first Forgotten Realms novel? Really brought owlbears, displacer beasts, and perytons to life.


----------



## Kaodi (Oct 15, 2018)

I wonder if you could make a movie work, or at least a short, where everything is viewed through Raistlin's hourglass eyes. Everything is withered or dead looking, yet the plot and dialogue barely acknowledges this fact because that is not the world as it really is.


----------



## Tristissima (Oct 24, 2018)

My favorite D&D novel isn't actually a novel, I daresay, but it is a tip of the hat to this here ol' forum.  Cuz it's Sepulchrave's Story Hour, with Eadric and Mostin and all them.  I discovered way back in college (when the very first thread was active, I think) and fell in effing love with it.  That led me to what's-their-name's Story Hour which eventually had its setting published as a 3rd-party campaign setting called _Valus_.

After that, I'd prolly hafta list a novel which is D&D-adjacent ~ _Ashes of the Sun_, one of the first-run _Magic: the Gathering_ novels from way back in the day ~ it's on my short list of geeky pop-culture projects that taught me deep lessons about life and helped form who I am.  It's an embarrassing, and perhaps thankfully short, list.  _Ashes of the Sun_ was the first text I encountered that argued for the primacy of truth over accuracy, and taught me the magickal power of story, and illuminated the tension between "everyone can be anything if they try" and "people are the way they are because that's the way they are".  That last bit helped prepare me to be ready for existentialism in a deep way when I finally came across it ~ existence precedes essence, but both are important.  Also, it didn't resolve neatly, like so much schlock fiction out there.  The ending was, in some sense, unsatisfying while still tying up the plot.  It wasn't a happy ending for the minotaurs, the human martial artist, or the one goblin who managed to still his mind.

Third on my list is an actual D&D novel ~ the first _Dragonlance_ novel I ever read, believe it or not, was _The Second Generation_, which had so many lovely bits of mythopoeia grounded in D&Dness that I just fell in love with it immediately.  The sense of wonder spawned from it simultaneously building upon a deep previous background that I didn't know and seeding an unknown future with potential characters and plotlines is a high I've been chasing again for the last, what, 25 years of my narrative-addicted life.



Kaodi said:


> I wonder if you could make a movie work, or at least a short, where everything is viewed through Raistlin's hourglass eyes. Everything is withered or dead looking, yet the plot and dialogue barely acknowledges this fact because that is not the world as it really is.




I would 185% watch this, and would quite happily work with folk on making it somehow (anyone in the SF Bay wanna?) as a fanproject or a "real film"


----------



## megamania (Oct 26, 2018)

So many...… I'll go by campaign world-

DARKSUN  TROY DENNING "PRISM PENTAD" describes and gives life to a truly unique game world.  Though it faltered some towards the end, there is a huge scope to the over-all storyline.   Also of note is LYNN ABBEY's Pavak and Hamanu series.  I truly wished Novels like this fleshed out the other Sorcerer Kings and Queens.                    

EBERRON  Loved both story arcs by DON BASSINGTHWAITE.  Especially the second arc.   Never cared for polital tales but this one was great.  JAMES WYATT's STORM DRAGON was also incredible in scope and importance.  I also have to mention TIM WAGGONER's "BLADE OF THE FLAME" that was one of the best "Buddy" stories I have ever read.

FORGOTTEN REALMS  I have not read a lot FR novels but RA SALATORE's work is incredible.  I also enjoyed his Cleric Quintet series.   And for another "Buddy" series there is KATE NOVAK and JEFF GRUBB's AZURE BONDS series- my first love in DnD novels.

GREYHAWK  MARGARET WEIS and TRACY HICKMAN's first trilogy was my introduction to Grey Hawk.  Great stories and I wish to get more.

RAVENLOFT  Only have a few of their books but JAMES LOWDER's KNIGHT OF THE BLACK ROSE was a great read.

All of these I completely enjoyed but it really comes down to style, game world and characters one enjoys.  Then of course- how well written it is.

Still want Nibenay and Wanderer Novels  hint hint


----------

