Dance of the Dead by Christie Golden

Dance of the Dead by Christie Golden- This is the third book that was released in the Ravenloft line of novels based off the Ravenloft setting in the pen and paper roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons. This is also a stand-alone novel and can be read without any prior knowledge with Ravenloft or Dungeons and Dragons. Christie Golden has written a number of books in shared universes and otherwise. She has written two other novels based in the Ravenloft setting, Vampire of the Mists and The Enemy Within. She's also written a number of stories that are set in the various Star Trek universes. Her Star Trek: Voyager works include; The Murdered Sun, Marooned, Seven of Nine, the Dark Matterstrilogy (Cloak and Dagger, Ghost Dance, and Shadow of Heaven), Homecoming duology (Homecoming and The Farther Shore), and the Spirit Walk duology (Old Wounds andEnemy of My Enemy). In Star Trek: The Next Generation she co-wrote the six book in theDouble Helix series titled The First Virtue with Michael Jan Friedman. She wrote one book in the Star Trek: S.C.E. titled Hard Crash. She contributed a book to the Star Trek: Gateways series titled No Man's Land. She has also written a book in the Star Trek: The Original Series series called The Last Round-up. Another shared universe that she's contributed to is Warcraft. She's written Lord of the Clans, Rise of the Hoard, co-wroteBeyond the Dark Portal with Aaron Rosenberg, Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, and The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm. She's also written a trilogy for Starcraft titled Dark Templar (First Born, Shadow Hunters, and Twilight) as well as writing a book for Starcraft II titled Devil's Due. She wrote two books for the Star Wars series called Fate of the Jedi titled Omen and Allies. Some of her original works include the Verold series (Instrument of Fate and King's Man and Thief), A.D. 999 under the pen name of Jadrien Bell, Invasion America series (Invasion America and On the Run), and the Final Dance trilogy (On Fire's Wings, In Stone's Clasp, and Under Sea's Shadow). Christie Golden has also contributed a number of short stories to various anthologies. Dance of the Dead was released in 1992 and published by TSR, Inc. However, this book is hard to find and you'll most likely need to pick it up used.


Larissa Snowmane's world is turned upside down. As the Lady of the Sea in the play The Pirates Pleasure, the dancer has had an uneventful and peaceful life. All that changed when after a performance, she finds the lead singer, Liza, strangled in her room. After the captain of the showboat and Larissa 'uncle', Raoul Dumont, finds out about the death, he sets off and heads into the Mists. During the horrifying trip into the Mists, the showboat comes out unharmed. They find themselves near a port in a place called Souragne, a swamp-like island. After disembarking at Port d'Elhour, the captain offers his entertainment to the town, for a free taste of the show. During a scene from the play, Larissa encounters a friendly man named Willen who can see her when she's invisible. But before she could ask anything more about him, her scene comes up and has to leave to act. After the brief taste of the play that Captain Dumont gives the town, he takes Larissa on a walk, only to cause a schism between their relationship. With the help of the mysterious Willen, Larissa is able to hide from Dumont and his unwanted advances. However, she decides to return to the showboat for the first full performance. After the successful show, a strange human asks Dumont if he can accompany them to their next destination. He accepts after the stranger, Lond, shows his 'usefulness'. Larissa finds Willen again, after Willen joins the showboat to help navigate the swamp. But Willen has something awful and horrifying to tell her about her beloved 'uncle' and that she's special. What is this horrifying secret that the captain has? Who's Lond? Will the showboat escape the swamp? Why is Larissa so special?


Criticisms:
1) Side Characters. The characters themselves were not bad at all. The problem is that there is just too many characters. While some characters had some nice development and interesting enough, but there was just too many that didn't have enough. For example, the pilot Jahedrin and Gelaar needed more time to develop. While Jahedrin didn't have that big of a role, it was awkward to see him get so much scene time at the end. He does seem like a very interesting character, but it almost seemed like his character was just thrown in for some exposition and lines. However, Gelaar is the most disappointing side character. He had a constant presence throughout the story, yet not any development other than him losing his daughter. He's the most disappointing character because at the end of the story he just suddenly becomes a dues ex machina and has a moment of great development but then he is suddenly forgotten. While the side characters were good, they seemed to need 'more'.


Praises:
1) Villains. The villains were just wonderfully evil. The mysterious stranger, Lond, is the more straightforward villain. He's evil and you can definitely tell that he is. While this wouldn't be a good thing, somehow this just works. He does things late in the story that is utterly horrifying and vile, and he's made to be hated. Then you have the sympathetic, yet not sympathetic character of Dumont. For half of this story, Dumont comes off as a rather nice character. Sure, he killed one of the boats pilots to make Larissa fall in love with him, but even past that he was likeable. He had this charisma that it seemed no matter what he did, you couldn't help but like him. It could have been his friendship with his first mate Dragoneyes or how he generally acts towards his cast, but something about him makes me like him. However, he does slowly became a mean and vile character but even when this happens, I couldn't help but like him. He also has a kind of 'redemption moment' at the end that was really good, if tragic. All in all, the villains were wonderful.
2) Protagonists. I also really liked the protagonists. Larissa was good and Willen was interesting. Larissa had a lot to make her a wonderful and interesting character. She had a well-developed and heartbreaking background. She matures throughout the story and has very good character development and progression. Not to mention her naivety in things is kind of (for lack of a better term) cute. That makes her change all the more shocking and well-earned. She doesn't seem like a good heroic character, yet she pulls it off almost flawlessly. Willen is pretty much the same way. His background is a little more mystical, but for some reason it's interesting. I really can't say much about Willen without some major spoilers, so I'll just say that his character is surprising interesting.
3) Natives. I really liked how this story had characters that are native to Ravenloft. While this is a very minor thing, I really liked it. There was no real need for a famous character from another setting to be transported into this realm. It was just nice to see this change after having the first two books of other settings having an introduction in another setting. It was also nice to see that characters that from the Ravenloft setting hold their own.


Side Notes:
1) Horror. I do have a hard time calling this a fantasy horror novel. For seventy percent of the novel, it had the feel of a 'normal' fantasy book. Then at the end it started to get a little horrifying.
2) Swamp. I really liked the whole Louisiana-esque swamp feel this story had. It had a different kind of feel to a fantasy story.
3) Cover Art. I honestly hate it. The dress color on Larissa is horrible and looks like puke. Her face is just demonic and disturbing. It's so disgustingly disturbing. The whole cover is plain awful and hurts the eyes.


Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
Dance of the Dead is a great read, with one problem. The side characters needed to be a little more developed. They were just there for most of the story, and what development they were given was quickly forgotten. Another small problem is that the story never really felt like a horror story, but it wasn't a terrible thing. However, the characters are wonderful and the story is solid. Larissa and Willen were just wonderful characters. They have a lot of depth and a very interesting and well-developed backgrounds. The villains were also great. Lond was absolutely vile, and I loved to hate him. Dumont had a likeable quality to him that even when he does terrible things, I couldn't help but not hate him for it. Would I recommend Dance of the Dead? Yes, of course. It was a wonderful read with great characters.

Knight of the Black Rose by James Lowder

Knight of the Black Rose by James Lowder- This is the second novel that was released in the Ravenloft campaign setting of Dungeons and Dragons. This is also the first volume inTerrors of Lord Soth duology with the second volume titled Spectre of the Black Rose, which was co-written by Voronica Whitney-Robinson. James Lowder has written a number of books. His Forgotten Realms works include; book three of The Empires series called Crusade, the fifth book in The Harpers series called The Ring of Winter, and book four in The Avatar series called Prince of Lies. He has also written a book for Tales of the Crypt titled Name Your Nightmare. He's also been the editor of a number of anthologies, as well. He has edited two Forgotten Realms anthologies, Realms of Valor and Realms of Infamy. He has also edited a horror anthology series called All Flesh Must Be Eaten which includes; The Book of All Flesh, The Book of More Flesh, and The Book of Final Flesh. Also to note, there has been best of for this series called Best of All Flesh: Zombie Anthology. He's also been the editor of two King Arthur type of anthologies under the series calledPendragon Fiction; The Doom of Camelot and Legends of Pendragon. He's also edited two anthologies in Silver Age Sentinels series called Path of the Just and Path of the Bold. Finally, he has edited a few stand-alone anthologies Astounding Hero Tales, Worlds of Their Own, and Curse of the Full Moon. James Lowder has also contributed a number of short stories to various anthologies as well. Knight of the Black Rose was released in 1991 and published by TSR. However, this book is hard to find and you'll most likely need to pick it up used.

Lord Soth used to be a well-respected and honored Knight of the Rose. However, after committing  transgression after transgression, Soth is stripped of his honor and is to be executed. But, after being saved by his loyal men, Soth bottles himself in his home. After a curse is laid upon him by his dying wife and child, Soth becomes a death knight. The centuries pass after that fateful day to when Soth is leading a charge into the city of Palanthas for the dragon highlord, Kitiara. But when Soth finds Kitiara dead he sends his seneschal, Caradoc, to retrieve her soul. After doing that, Caradoc returns only to offer Soth a deal, make him mortal again and he can have her soul. Soth doesn't like this and attacks his seneschal, but during the attack, a mist starts to rise and surround Soth and Caradoc. Only when the mists clear do they realize that they are no longer on Krynn. After Caradoc runs off, Soth goes after him, only to come across a camp of Vistani (gypsies). After being told he was in a land called Barovia, Soth kills the Vistani leader and takes a woman, Magda, hostage to have her lead him to Castle Ravenloft and Count Strahd Von Zarovich. Along the way, the duo come across an odd dwarf about to be hanged and after hearing screams, they return to find the bodies of the executioners. After reaching Castle Ravenloft, Soth and Strahd get into a disagreement and Soth leaves to find a portal that can potentially lead him home. On the run from Strahd and a mysterious shadow following Soth and Magda, are they able to find the portal and can Soth return home? Or is there more to Strahd's scorned offer?

Criticisms:
1) Flashbacks. The only main problem I came across was some of the flashbacks of Soth's past came up at awkward times. A lot of Soth's flashbacks happened suddenly and randomly enough that it became awkward and weird. Aside from the one time in the story that really made since, a lot of the flashbacks just popped up during action sequences or in the middle of a paragraph. It was just a clunky way to tell of Soth's past. However, it wasn't horrible. It just was slightly annoying.

Praises:
1) Soth. He was a very interesting character. While at first I didn't really care for him as a character or a 'person', as the story continued, he really grew on me. The inner conflict he has with what he's become and what he once stood for was very intriguing. The reason why I didn't care for Soth in the beginning is that he didn't show his noble side and he came off as little more than a villain to be hated and not to be sympathized with. So for the first one hundred or so pages he just was another generic villain. However, after the escape from Castle Ravenloft and the journey with Magda, a more heroic and noble side (albeit very corrupted) emerged. Granted it wasn't a huge change, but the more subtle actions he did just won me over. Also, Soth was an absolute scene stealer. I couldn't count how many times I waited from him to pop up again to say something or just move. He was what made this story an utter blast to read.
2) Background. I really liked how Soth's background was presented in the beginning of the story. I've never picked up a Dragonlance novel nor do I know anything about the world, characters, history, or main story points and the way everything was easy to understand is definitely a plus. Also, there is just enough given that it doesn't become overbearing in details. A perfect balance between too little information and too much information was hit.

Side Notes:
1) Strahd. Strahd seemed slightly more cruel and open about what he was in Knight of the Black Rose. In Vampire of the Mists by Christie Golden, it seemed like no one knew that Strahd was a vampire, but in this story it almost seems like everyone knows that something isn't 'right' with him. It just didn't sit well with me.
2) Time Line. Once again going back to Vampire of the Mists. When does Knight of the Black Rose fit in with the whole Strahd time-line? Does it happen before Vampire of the Mists or after? My guess is after seeing as Vampire of the Mistscomes first in the series order, but I could always be wrong.
3) Cover Art. Oh 1990's art cover, how cheesy can you get? However, it's not bad. Soth does look intimidating enough, aside from the comical feather plume and silly purple cape. He is in a pretty cool pose as well. I also like the embossing on the cover. It almost gives it a three-dimensional look to it. However, the background is rather plain with just an archway and some steps. It does help Soth stand out, but other than that it's just forgettable.

Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
Knight of the Black Rose is a really good story, but it's not memorable enough to be a top-tier performer. The only big issue was the awkward positions of how some of the flashbacks occurred. But on a whole, it was a good read. Story-wise, it was a little mediocre, but it did do something with that made it interesting. While the plot consisted of “Go here, do this, then go here”, it still felt fresh and kept me interested. The characters were good and unique, with Lord Soth being the more memorable of the group. Lord Soth commanded this story from start to finish and only Strahd had any chance of stealing Lord Soth's scenes. But even when Strahd and Soth appeared together, Lord Soth always seemed to come out on top slightly.  Also I really liked how anyone could pick this book up and know what was going on. There was no real 'learning' curve and the characters backgrounds were brief and to the point. Is Knight of the Black Roseworth searching for and picking up? Yes, definitely.

Emerald Magic edited by Andrew M. Greeley

Emerald Magic edited by Andrew M. Greeley- This anthology was released in February of 2004 and published by Tor. This anthology covers all things fantastical about Irish history and stories. There are fifteen short stories written by Diane Duane, Tanith Lee, Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple, Judith Tarr, Elizabeth Haydon, Charles de Lint, Ray Bradbury, Andrew M. Greeley, Jane Lindskold, Fred Saberhagen, Peter Tremayne, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jacqueline Cary, and Morgan Llywelyn. The anthology is broken up into two parts, “The Little People” and “Literary Fantastics”. The stories within have something to do with Irish fantasy and horror.

The Mark of Nerath by Bill Slavicsek

The Mark of Nerath by Bill Slavicsek- This is the first book in a new setting of novels in the Dungeons and Dragons universe, which is conveniently called Dungeons and Dragons. This book is also a stand-alone novel. This is Bill Slavicsek's first full-length novel, but he has worked on a number of role-playing game modules and co-authored Dungeons and Dragons 4^th Edition For Dummies and Dungeon Master 4^th Edition For Dummies. The Mark of Nerath was released in August 2010 and published by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Magroth wants to escape his banishment into the Shadowfell. The once alive ruler of the kingdom of Nerath was slain by one of his personal guards, and was somehow transported into the Shadowfell. After an enticing offer from a priestess of Orcus (the demon lord of the undead), he readily agrees to the terms. After easily accomplishing the first two tasks, Magroth now has to find and kill any remaining descendants. At the same time, a group of adventures are hunting down a green dragon that is terrorizing the countryside. After encountering the dragon, three of the five people in the group are killed leaving a warrior woman named Shara and a rogue halfling named Uldane. After losing both her father and her beloved, Shara now wants to seek out and slay the dragon who did this. At the same time, an apprentice priest of Erathis (the goddess of civilization) named Falon is attacked by a group of undead, only to be saved by an old dwarf named Darrum. After the dwarf discovers who Falon is, and after Falon's mother tells him who he is as well, they set off to keep Falon hidden. At the same time, a corpse awakens in a graveyard being compelled to action by the Raven Queen (the goddess of death). The revenant named Erak sets off to finish an unknown goal. Finally, a young eladrin wizard named Albanon, after a night of hearing of dragonborn named Roghar and tiefling named Tempest's adventures, returns home to find his teacher slain. He quickly leaves to find the killer and the two adventurers tag along to help him. What do all these people have to do with one another? Does Magroth find and kill his descendant? Does Shara and Uldane get revenge on the dragon? Who is Falon and why does he need Darrum's protection? What does the Raven Queen want Erak to accomplish? Does Albanon avenge his masters death with the help of Roghar and Tempest? Can this be anymore confusing?

Criticisms:
1) Characters. The main problem this story is its characters and there are a few reasons why the characters are the story's biggest weakness. The first thing, as you probably can see from my plot summary above, is that there are way too many characters. The story follows about thirteen characters; Magroth, Erak, Kalaban, Falon, Darrum, Roghar, Tempest, Nu Alin, Albanon, Shara, Uldane, Splendid, Tiktag, and Vestapalk. Thirteen characters, and not one of them could be considered the main focus. Sure Magroth and Falon may have headlined the most chapters out of the group, but I still refuse to call them the main focus. Why would I say that? There are thirteen characters! And because there are thirteen characters, no one is developed enough to be considered as the main character(s). Each character has one personality trait. Just one. Magroth is insane. Erak is the stoic character. Kalaban is Magroth's sidekick. Falon is naïve. Darrum is loyal. Roghar is something and honestly I really don't know what he is. Tempest is levelheaded. Nu Alin is pure evil. Albanon is also naïve. Uldane is energetic and carefree. Splendid is annoying. Tiktag is just a follower. Vestapalk is full of himself and a little crazy. However, Shara may be the only deep character, due to losing both her father and beloved. You actually see her try to hide her pain but that is soon forgotten and not further explored after you hit the halfway point in the story. None of these characters are really that deep or even likeable. They are all horrible in some way, shape, or form. It doesn't help that you can easily forget who is who. The characters are just terrible and what causes this story too really fail.
2) Dungeons and Dragons Session. The other main problem with this story is that it reads like someone's notes on last nights Dungeons and Dragons adventure. When you have lines that sound like someone right out of a game session, you have problems. As soon as I heard Uldane say, “Lucky for you I spotted it on the path back there. I do have excellent perception, you know.” I knew that something was extremely wrong. That was on the second page. Then upon further reading, I ran across other such wording and sentences that just screamed that it came directly out of a gaming session. When things like this came up, it just took me right out of the story and it should have never been worded in those ways.
3) Choppy. The dialogue is just awful. It does not flow naturally. It also does not accompany what is happening. For example, when someone is in a fight someone else will say a smart remark that doesn't even pertain to what is happening in the story. It doesn't help that this is how the majority of the dialogue is handled either. It read sloppy and just didn't match up at all.
4) Reiteration. The final major issue with the story is the amount or reiterating everything that happens. This bugged me like nothing else. For one thing, the chapters are only between a few paragraphs to five pages in length so what's the point of saying Nu Alin over and over during a chapter? Also, because the chapters are so short, only a chapter or two may pass between a certain character's parts, and reintroducing them quickly became annoying and bothersome. It made me feel like the author thought that the reader was stupid and had to be reminded of who this person was or what this is. It was insulting half the time.

Praises:
1) Funny. There was two funny moments. That's it. Just two.

Side Notes:
1) Erak. Even though I hated the character for his lack of personality, I really liked the idea behind him. To bad he wasn't utilized very well.
2) The Gates of Madness. This story comes with the second installment of a five-part novella called The Gates of Madness by James Wyatt that has to do with something called The Abyssal Plague. The first part is found in the paperback version of R. A. Salvatore's The Ghost King. It's billed as a worlds-spanning event. Anyways, the short little story is really interesting, except I have no idea what is happening. I didn't pick up the first part so I am a little lost. However, I will say that in these ten or so pages, there was more cohesion and character development than in the entire story of The Mark of Nerath.
3) Cover Art. It's interesting and does catch your eye. There are problems however. It's a little too busy with Magroth and Falon fighting, Erak jumping behind Magroth, Shara and Darrum destroying skeletons. It's just busy. 

Overall: 1/5
Final Thoughts:
The Mark of Nerath is terrible, frustrating, annoying, and disappointing. The only thing that is good about the book is the inclusion of The Gates of Madness and the two funny parts. Everything else is just awful. The characters are one-dimensional and have little to no personalities. The plot is a mess and boring. The pacing and flow is chopping and confusing. Nothing works. If the goal of this new setting is to be a written version of someone's Dungeon and Dragons campaign, then this idea itself should be scrapped. There is nothing original or interesting happening. There were some neat ideas, but they weren't explored. I just hope the next book in this setting is leaps and bounds better. As for a recommendation, what do you think? No. Do not pick up this book. Only pick it up to read the short story but do not buy this. It's not worth the purchase.

I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire by P. N. Elrod

I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire by P. N. Elrod- This is the seventh novel that was released for the Ravenloft campaign setting of Dungeons and Dragons. This is also the firstI, Strahd novel with the second novel called I, Strahd: The War Against Azalin. P. N. Elrod has written over 24 full-length novels and numerous short stories. Most of her stories focus on vampire mysteries. Her works include; The Vampire Files series (Bloodlist, Lifeblood, Bloodcircle, Art in the Blood, Fire in the Blood, Blood on the Water,Chill in the Blood, Dark Sleep, Lady Crymsyn, Cold Streets, Song in the Dark, and Dark Road Rising), Jonathan Barrett: Gentleman Vampire series (Red Death, Death and the Maiden, Death Masque, and Dance of Death), Quincey Morris: Vampire, The Adventures of Myhr, and co-authoring a trilogy with Nigel Bennett called Lord Richard, Vampire(Keeper of the King, His Father's Son, and Siege Perilous). I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire was originally released in 1993 and published by TSR. However, the Ravenloft novel line was discontinued in the late 1990's, and was brought back under the new title of Ravenloft Covenant in the mid 2000's and I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire was re-released in 2006 and published by Wizards of the Coast. However, it's still hard to find and you'll more than likely need to find it used.

Strahd Von Zarovich's life has been full of missed chances and opportunities that were replaced with military campaigns. After defeating the ruler of the country of Barovia, Strahd becomes the new ruler. But before the ceremony to make him the lands ruler, his second in command, Alek Gwilym, learns of an assassination plot to take Strahd's life under the orders of the assassin organization called Ba'al Verzi. However, they find and kill the traitor. With that taken care of, Strahd begins his rule. He visits the towns and villages of Barovia and begins the repairs to his new castle that he now calls Castle Ravenloft. Hearing the good news, Strahd's younger brother, Sergei, comes to live with Strahd. However, Sergei falls in love with a village girl named Tatyana, who Strahd also falls in love with. As Sergei and Tatyana's wedding day looms closer and closer, Strahd becomes even more desperate. But is Strahd desperate enough to do unspeakable things and live with their consequences?

Criticisms:
1) Beginning. The beginning was a little slow-paced and more than a little boring. It seemed like nothing happened, even though things were. It could have been that the story was being told in a very unique first person perspective. Thankfully, by the third chapter, things start to pick up. It's not a huge issue and it probably was just me getting used to the perspective.

Praises:
1) Strahd. While an obviously evil character in the first Ravenloft novel, Vampire of the Mists by Christie Golden, it's wonderful to see another side of Strahd. He becomes a very sympathetic and likeable character and person. He comes off as almost caring for the people of Barovia, but at the same time comes across as almost cold and indifferent to them as well. It was also surprising to see that Strahd is a very honor-bond character and not some ruthless, heartless killer. I was just pleasantly surprised by how deep of a character he is.
2) Middle. For those of you that have read Vampire of the Mists, what happens here is really no surprise. But if you haven't, you see what happens to Strahd and you almost feel sorry for him. Almost.  At the risk of spoiling what happens, Strahd, using dark magic, turns into a vampire and just destroys these men that killed off the wedding party guests. From this point on, the story was very hard to put down.
3) Journal Entry. I really did like how the story was told. It had this different feel and felt a little more insightful than a third person perspective. Another bonus to the journal entry, first person perspective is that you aren't really sure if what happened really happened that way. You may start to think that what Strahd is saying isn't what really is happening. It was just interesting and it really made me think.

Side Notes:
1) Timeline. When I was reading this, I couldn't help but think when the events of Vampire of the Mists falls, if this happened after the last entry or sometime during.
2) Imagery. The way that things are described almost shouted out things to come. With having the reds almost always described as being blood-colored, they just jumped out and got my attention. It was a wonderful way to foreshadow upcoming events.
3) Cover Art. The release I have is the picture that I included at the top. It has that 90's cheesy factor to it. Strahd standing there does look silly, but it is a pretty good pose. The floating, mist-like people behind him is an interesting touch, but I'm not really sure what they represent other than the mists. Then the back ground itself is really plain and kind of boring. Also, I'm not going to comment much on the newer version, except for this little thought: it doesn't seem to fit the story.

Overall: 5/5
Final Thoughts:
I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire is a wonderful book. Strahd is just a wonderful character. Everything is just wonderful in this book. The only problem is that it felt a little slow at first, but I'm willing to say that was due to the perspective and I just needed time to adjust. After you do get used to it, it becomes a fast paced and exciting read. Like I said, Strahd is just wonderful. While I thought he would be a heartless and ruthless person, he surprised me by who deep and almost caring he really is. All I can really say is you should definitely try to find a copy and read it.

City of the Dead by Rosemary Jones

City of the Dead by Rosemary Jones- This is the fourth book released in the Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep series of stand-alone novels. The series is set in the Forgotten Realms setting of the pen and paper role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons. The other novels in this series are Blackstaff Tower by Steven E. Schend, Mistshore by Jaleigh Johnson, Downshadow by Erik Scott de Bie, The God Catcher by Erin M. Evans, and Circle of Skulls by James P. Davis. Since these books are stand-alone, you can read them out-of-order. This is Rosemary Jones' second full-length novel set in the Forgotten Realms, her first was Crypt of the Moaning Diamond (part of The Dungeons). She has written a few short stories for various anthologies as well as co-authoring Encyclopedia of Collectible Children's Books. City of the Dead was released in 2009 and published by Wizards of the Coast.

The Carvers have been taking care of Waterdeep's cemetery, called the City of the Dead, since it was created. The family knows the graveyard inside and out. The families only daughter in a few generations, Sophraea, plans on leaving the family to pursue a career in dressmaking instead of caretakers. All she needs is a noble's signature to be accepted in an esteemed program. Good thing she knows an older nobleman! The problem is, somehow the dead keep rising and she decides to investigate. With the help of a wizard named Gustin, Sophraea tracks down the problem. But is it too late?

Criticisms:
1) Choppy. The main problem with novel is how choppy and cluttered actions and some sections are. The scenes felt like something was missing. Maybe a word, an action, or a sentence. The transitions between some paragraphs were poor and jumpy. For example, there was a scene with Sophraea and Gustin talking with something about these certain graves being opened. They are just talking, not much else is happening. Then suddenly, they appear next to the graves. No transitions, no sense or word of movement, nothing. It felt clunky and sudden. This just didn't happen once. Once would have been okay, but it happens every other chapter. This problem just really threw me out of the story.
2) Danger. This isn't a major problem, but it still is bothersome. No one really felt like they were in any actually harm. Even when you would think that a main character may be in harm's way, something happens and all anyone gets is a bump in the head or a little cut. It was more bothersome than anything.

Praises:
1) Characters. The two main characters, Sophraea and Gustin where wonderful. Sophraea did feel like a competent and different kind of heroine. She isn't all that powerful or amazing, but her mundane nature and innocence really sold me on her. She felt like a real person and not some all-powerful, all-knowing heroine. Gustin is pretty much the same way, except that he seemed a little more like an adventurer. Plus he has a wonderful sense of humor and an interesting outlook on life. With the other minor characters, they all played their parts pretty well. The best minor character, Lord Adarbrent, had more of a lonely old man presence that was unique. His character really showed a lot of depth that I wouldn't have thought he would have given the story. Another character, the antagonist, Rampage Stunk was a pretty good villain, albeit a little stock. The only problems with the characters are the silly names. 
2) Premise. It was nice to see a story about the 'regular folk' in a fantasy setting. Just having the story revolve around the cemetery caretakers was interesting. It's the type of thing you would hardly see in a full-length novel, and I have to say that it really worked using 'normal' people. Then having the consequences of what is happening not be world shattering was interesting. Sure having the dead rise may not be a good thing, but it never had this epic feel to it and it really worked out for the best. It just was nice to see a story that wasn't overly serious and had characters that you would normally only see in passing as the main focus.

Side Notes:
1) Names. Oh dear god where these names just silly. Let's look at Rampage Stunk. Really? Rampage? Why not just call him Evil McBaddie? Then you have some of the Carvers family members names. They were just as bad, but I could let them slide because they weren't as silly as Rampage.
2) City of the Dead. I really liked how the cemetery was described. It never felt creepy or foreboding. It felt like a real life cemetery, only more magical.
3) Cover Art. It's interesting. I do like the blue 'ghosts' because they do catch your eye with the back ground being this brown-gray color. The only major issue is the size. I really do not like how small the actual picture is, and that border is why to distracting. I would rather have a full-length picture.

Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
City of the Dead was a pretty good read. When I first picked the book up I thought it would have been a horror story, but I was surprised that it's more of a comedy than anything else. However, the story did have some problems. For one thing, there were parts that didn't fit together well at all. They felt clunky and just a bit sudden. The other problem was that I never felt the characters were ever in mortal danger. Also, some of the characters names got under my skin after a while. However, the story does recover from these problems. The two main characters were great. Sophraea felt like someone you would meet anywhere. Gustin had this funny outlook on life that worked really well. Then you have the premise. Having a story about regular people and not some all-powerful adventurer was great. You got to see another side of Waterdeep. Would I recommend this? Yes. Anyone could pick this up and have a great time. City of the Dead was a good, fun, and lighthearted read.