Quag Keep - Andre Norton

[Rhuvein]

Hi.

Anyone read this book? Something about "real people" D&D players transported into Greyhawk to become their PCs.

[geneweigel]

I heard it was bad years and years ago. However, I felt compelled to read it and I should have left well enough alone. "Too original" is what the feeling was in the afterglow of reading it. It was like a writer checked out the D&D scene and this was the product of that outsider looking in. A fantasy containing all the elements they were fed (probably from an enthusiast or perhaps even Gary himself) and you just get a very light fantasy about people who have a problem that they are now their characters. Its a trek and it just gives you the feeling that its being written by somebody who just didn't even give D&D a chance.

Quag Keep's style is reflected in later D&D novelizations that are very shallow feeling. Especially when you got the feeling that the authors were just trying to get a paycheck. Although, Norton's attempt may have been more sincere than the later loveless "hack writer" style (seen in Forgotten Realms and other TSR Worlds type novels), she might not have had the time to fully absorb it. Still, you can't help but dislike it.

[Rhuvein]

Thanks. I guess I won't need to buy a new copy. Maybe I'll look for a dog eared cheapo on eBay.

[grodog]

Try your local used bookstores instead, Rhu: it's not worth the eBay prices

[GT]

The original (which came out when people were still playing OD&D) book's intent is best summed up by the intros written in the front by Gary and Andre. That said, the new book, purported to be by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe, lifts those same two intros for the new book giving the illusion that those two were directly involved. As the new book came out in 2006, and Ms. Norton died in March of 2005, I question how much of the book is actually Andre's--whether or not she picked out J.R. to "help". Besides, "Jean Rabe"... ring any bells? Try "Forgotten Realms" and "Dragonlance"! Hah!!

[geneweigel]

I heard some stories from back in the day and it isn't something to repeat on the internet!