Elminster: The Making of a Mage

Forgotten Realms: Elminster, Book 1

By: Ed Greenwood

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

In ancient days, sorcerers sought to learn the One True Spell that would give them power over all the world and understanding of all magic....

The One True Spell was a woman, and her name was Mystra - and her kisses were wonderful.

It is the time before Myth Drannor, when the Heartlands are home to barbarians, and wicked dragons rule the skies. In these ancient days, Elminster is but a shepherd boy, dreaming of adventure and heroics. When a dragon-riding magelord sweeps down upon him, though, the boy is thrust into a world of harsh realities, corrupt rulers, and evil sorcerers.

With patience and grit, Elminster sets about to change all that. The result of his labors is a world reborn and a mage made.

©2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Faerûn's Foundations

If you are intrigued with how Dungeons & Dragon's 5e default setting became as storied and beloved a place by the writers and fans, Ed Greenwood is largely to thank (or blame). Elminster is also a character who comes up from time to time and it's worth knowing just who he is.

Now, this is by no means a bad story, in fact I found the middle portions of it very engaging, almost like they were the parts the author truly wanted to tell and the beginning and ending were clamped on to make sense of the middle, or give it purpose. The first hour or two were incredibly dull. Much like the concrete foundation of a house, it was necessary but very boring. Also this is where the narrator suffered most, having not yet parsed out different voice for different characters and almost just reading right through without notes of... anything. He has a good reading voice, which is really the only thing saving him sometimes.

After Elminster reaches the city and becomes a thief is where the story truly gets interesting. From there on up until some very predictable "I'm the hero, thats why I'm doing this or why this is happeninv." moments crop toward the end. The narrator (though it might be the fault of the editor) still will plow into a new section of the story without proper pause or indication we've entered a new scene.

Overall, it's a rather exciting, but largely predictable, hero's journey. There was also a drastic change that Elminster undergoes halfway through that I thought was surprising and a very nice narrative choice, but couldn't help noting how differently Elminster behaved after the change, almost like it was a different writing of the same character idea. It didn't end up bad at all, it was just small things I noticed and thought "Well, that wouldn't have happened before the change."

If the narrator had hit his stride a little sooner, and the first couple chapters weren't so terribly predictable to anyone who has written or read the tragic tale of a hero having his family destroyed by evil powers (Note, this was written before HP, and it was cliche even then) then I might have bumped up the numbers. Also if the ending didn't have me rolling my eyes every 5 minutes. Its still never bad, but enough cliches and mediocrity to keep it from 5 stars.

Decent story, amazingly bad narration.

A moderately entertaining story, but the narrator is so monotone and stale that I'm honestly shocked that this was produced.

Very enjoyable Forgotten Realm Story

Great introduction to the Sage of the Forgotten Realms. I highly recommend this story, it starts as Elmister is but a young lad and takes you thru to his coming of age.

Good story, flat reading

Very monotone reading of any otherwise good story. It goes to show that the reader is just as important as the author in audio books

Great storyline for one of the GREATEST WIZARDS!

It makes you feel what D&D was really all about! If you played the roll playing system, then you know that its all about the background of your character!

Excellent

A great story to be sure! I’ve been a fan for decades and this saga never disappoints!

Fantastic

I tried reading this book in my younger years but it didn’t fit my tastes. I tried it again in my later years to fall in love with the style, characters and world of Ed Greenwood

Elminster: The Making of a Mage

What aspect of John Pruden’s performance would you have changed?

I can not quite put my finger on it, but he was just... well Just. I have listened to quite a few of the books here on Audible, and a few I own on CD and his, John Pruden's, telling of this story is just well, just mhe.

Any additional comments?

I have always loved this series of books, and it was a lucky find here on Audible.The Narrator, was ok I guess, nothing special and a little bit lack luster. It is a worthwhile listen anyway, once you get over the well, I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about his reading of this story was just... just ok I don't want to give what I feel it is lacking a name because it was just the Narrator and not the book. The Book is great, the narrator was mhe, together you can enjoy it once you get over his telling of this tale, and hear the book, not the story teller.

Good start to the Legend

- slight spoilers, maybe - Book is very entertaining, though as he is studying I sometimes feel disjointed as we jump a year or so ahead. Overall pretty good though.

awesome book..

what a great story. so much detail and excitement. when it seemed. like it should end it keeps going. love it.