Ed Greenwood

Band of Four — (2000-2004) Publisher: Aglirta is known as the Kingless Land — once prosperous and peaceful, it has now fallen into lawlessness, studded with feuding baronies engaged in a constant state of war. The only hope for peace lies in the legend of the Sleeping King: destined to rise and restore peace when the Dwaerindim stones are recovered. Lady Embra Silvertree is the sorceress daughter of a bellicose baron with an eye towards world domination. She has been imprisoned by her father who hopes to use her as a magical battery to fortify his castle. When a pair of good natured rogues attempt to steal one of her jewel encrusted gowns, they are quickly enlisted as allies to help her escape and, with the aid of a shape-shifting cleric, to seek out the Dwaerindim.

The Kingless Land: The Plotless Book

To say there is little plot to The Kingless Land is an understatement. I used to game with a number of players where one of them kept notes of our gaming session. The next time we came together to game, he would recap what occurred the last time we played. Mr. Greenwood apparently has this down to an art form. The Kingless Land reads exactly like a D&D gaming session. I can't think of anything more boring than reading about someone else's D&D adventures.

I can summarize The Kingless Land in one sentence:

Action, action, action, minor annoying plot point, action, action, action, minor annoying plot point.

If you are, say, under the age of 13 and you can suspend your disbelief enough to enjoy a story where the main characters are beaten, brutalized, fried, beaten and brutalized again over a month period in which they do not sleep or rest, then this book is for you. But for those fans of fantasy who are more discerning, by all means stay away. —Will Daniels