games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


Read the first few pages of the Elder Scrolls novel photo

Publisher Random House has teased book fans with an excerpt from the upcoming Elder Scrolls novel, The Infernal City. If you're undecided on the book, written by Greg Keyes, then perhaps the opening scene will entice you or put you off. Either way, it's there for the reading, so go right ahead.

As a budding fantasy nut and a fan of Oblivion, I think I'll definitely be picking it up. In fact, I'm really tempted to start playing Oblivion again to jog my memory of the game world, even if I do have a tendency to ruin every character build I try and make. In any case, the book is looking somewhat promising, although it's hard to see how much of a yarn it will spin from just a few pages.

The Infernal City will be available later this month on November 24.


Continue: More Oblivion stories





prev next

19 comments | showing # 1 to 19

Rucksack's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:06
Rucksack
Atrocious would be putting it mildly...yuck!
Roager's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:24
Roager
I glanced at it, and yeah, it seemed pretty awful...

Oh well, another bad bit of gaming-related merchandise is just a drop in the metaphorical bucket.
TehPeanut's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:35
TehPeanut
This kind of fantasy genre begins and ends with Salvatore and Weis & Hickman, where novels are concerned. And that's only because they're the least awful ones.

But yes, this does look awful. The first paragraph had me cringing as if I were reading fanfic.
Overcrowd's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:38
Overcrowd
Yeah, that was pretty terrible... I'd much rather read Rev's fics than that crap.
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:47
Cartman
Yeah, peanut got it right, its basically just shitty fanfic.

God dammit.
Oncomouse's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:47
Oncomouse
The only videogame-related novels that are even passable are Bioware's Dragon Age Books, and maybe the Mass Effect books. Those at least are planned parts of the overall narrative and written the game writers. In Gaider's case, he was a published novelist before working at Bioware. And even then, those Dragon Age books are ok at best.

Now excuse me, I have to read my Worlds of Power Castelvania novel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worlds_of_Power
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 11:53
Cartman
@Oncomouse

The gears of war books are awesome. Maybe thats just because I love gears of war, but whatevah
maxman14's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 12:23
maxman14
I felt like the start was pretty shit, but it started to pick up towards the end in my opinion. probably going to have to check this out.
Mantra's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 12:30
Mantra
This is horrible. They should have commissioned the writers of the in-game books instead: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Books_by_Subject
Jack8274's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 13:01
Jack8274
Stop thief, you violated the law. Burn that piece of shit or pay the fine.

... THEN PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD
andycadaver's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 13:20
andycadaver
I'll look into this. It wasn't that bad, honestly. Did everyone even read the whole thing?
runtheplacered's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 13:52
runtheplacered
@ Roager,

"I glanced at it, and yeah, it seemed pretty awful... "

And that ladies and gentleman, is how you know if a book is good or not. You glance at it.

Haha, the day I take anybody on Destructoid's comment sections' word on a piece of literature is the day I apparently stop giving a shit about literature.

With that said, yeah it looked like horseshit, but I don't actually have any interest in Elder Scrolls' lore to begin with.
TehPeanut's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 13:55
TehPeanut
@Oncomouse

The Fall of Reach Halo novel is also pretty decent, as far as videogame novels go. I have to admit to having a very hard time reading the Mass Effect book, though.
ritterjcat's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 15:09
ritterjcat
"The Argonian was all silhouette, because behind him the white curtains that draped the massive bay windows of the study were soaked in sunlight."

Worst sentence ever. I'm a hardcore TES fan and I'll be giving this one a miss.
bluemeep's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 15:31
bluemeep
Eh. I've read worse. I'll probably pick it up for when I feel in the mood for some generic swords and sorcery.
buzzhonky's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 16:17
buzzhonky
@TehPeanut: I agree that the Nylund and Staten books are really well done for the Halo universe. They richly add to the lore and are well written.
Oncomouse's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 16:33
Oncomouse
I think video game novels only work to provide extra insight into a world you're already interested in. AS novels, the Mass Effect books are pretty weak. But I'm a big fan of the game so I'll slog through them for insight into the world. It's probably like that for other readers. I was maybe a bit too hasty before. If you like Gears or Halo, you'll probably like the novels more. That makes sense. I don't think there's been video game novel yet good enough to stand on it's own. But I don't know how many quality novels exist that are part of a larger franchise (movies, comics, games, etc.) that can really stand on their own. Oh well, it's good fan service at any rate.
Davedude's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 18:37
Davedude
... I liked it...
simpledespot's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/01/2009 21:38
simpledespot
Consider me "put you off'd".
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos

    Win this!
    Dive in! meetup+play for a chance to win a PC

    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review
    Left 4 Dead 2 review
    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex review
    Arkedo Series - 02 SWAP! review
    EyePet review
    more reviews
    Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
    Monster Hunter Tri
    Hooking onto, under and above Just Cause 2
    PS3's 256-player MAG
    Rooms The Main Building
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 50693 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing
    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Jim Sterling: Think L4D2 is an expansion? You're a f*cking idiot





















    More Destructoid Originals



     Popular now more






















    Team Destructoid   tips@destructoid.com
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief    		 Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor    		 Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Dale North
    News Editor    		 Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor    		 Colette Bennett
    Tom Fronczak Brad Nicholson
    Ashley Davis Ben Perlee
    Conrad
    Zimmerman    		 Chad Concelmo
    Jonathan Holmes Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Will Maddock Matthew Razak
    Dyson Joseph Leray
    Topher Cantler Samit Sarkar
         
      Dexter
    Adam Dork
    Daniel Lingen
    Hollie Bennett
         		Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Stella Wong
    Josh Tolentino




     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    		 support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    		 keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online     		seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap     		our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?



    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006