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| 1st Ed. cover |
First Published: May 1987
Pages: 380
The first novel in the Forgotten Realms series of novels begins with Darkwalker on Moonshae by Douglas Niles. It's a very competent opening story, and interesting in that the setting, the Moonshae Isles, would appear to be significantly different in style and approach to all those that followed outside this inaugural trilogy. My eBook version has an interesting introduction in which it is made clear that the author was unaware that its setting would not be taken up for the long run by TSR. This doesn't detract anything from the novel. Its setting is a pleasing mixture of Celtic myth, Lunar worship and Tolkien-like themes nicely blended with likeable characters.
In essence, this world is kept in balance by the presence of Moonwells that hold Darkness at bay, if these wells are corrupted, they become Darkwells.
The plot of this first part, centres around a small group of adolescent characters. Tristan, a Prince of the central location the harbour town of Corwell, his fathers ward Robyn, and hounds man, Daryth from a place named Calimshan. They are accompanied by various other characters during the course of the story, such as a mysterious bard, a friendly halfling, a statuesque blacksmith and a female dwarf.
The evil that threatens the Moonshae comes in the form of a dark entity, which takes various forms, both animal and human, along the way, and its fight against mother nature - in this case the "Earthmother". Some of the more engaging scenes I found were those describing the journeys and struggles of these gods and goddesses, and their minions, in the build up to the climactic showdown.
Tristan, who has issues with his father; Robyn, who never knew her mother or father; and the friend who causes romantic confusion between them all, Daryth; are on a rescue mission when they come across a giants stronghold (here called Firbolgs). In the process Tristan discovers a long lost magical sword. They are made aware of the impending threat from the evil enemy and his adopted army, and decide to defend their town and people as they discover a small army attempting to cut off any refugees escaping the main fleet who are ransacking their homes.
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| 2nd Ed cover |
Douglas Niles does a great job of keeping the plot moving, and never gives the reader an opportunity to get bored. The plot was very well balanced and although the first half felt slightly episodic, everything leads very nicely to a fantastic ferocious battle involving the enemy army assaulting Tristan's home town and castle.
Niles doesn't pull any punches when it comes to his characters, there are many deaths, and you genuinely do not know how things will turn out. The only negative I can note, is that Robyn seems to develop the ability to become a magic user quite suddenly, without too much foreshadowing - just a small point, but one that I noticed.
On the other hand one of my favourite characters was that of Laric, a soldier who becomes afflicted by the evil nature of the main villain (something I realise is also not quite explained?), and turns into a great enemy commanding his brigade of skeletal soldiers and their rotting horses (I think it's supposed to be him on the cover of the 1st edition). We also have elf-like horsewomen who are sworn to protect and obey Tristan when he is chosen by a white horse they worship. One character who did not get as much time as I'd wished, was that of Grunnarch the Red, a king who unwittingly aids the evil god, and who Laric abandons as he descends into his rabid-like transformation.
Although first in a trilogy, Darkwalker on Moonshae can be read as a stand alone novel as it has a satisfying ending and no important unanswered plot points. All in all, a very good start for Forgotten Realms!