Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes from and Why

Customer Reviews:

It's the Ontologies!.......2006-12-10

Dissanayake marshals an eclectic hodgepodge of research, ideas, data, theories, and counter-theories to advance the simple claim that the aesthetic experience is fundamentally and innately a biological act born out of human adaptationism along the Darwinian struggle for survival. She grants that the adaptationist mechanisms may have subsided in more recent times, but the imprinting over eons of evolution still motivate us, and are still at the core of our aesthetic esperience. While entirely sympathetic to her objectives, I believe her excesses defeat her purposes.

Her core problem is wishing to remain with the 19th C. Tradition of "aesthetics" as the legacy of European Idealism while also appealing to more primitive understandings of "art." To straddle these disparate, indeed contradictory, traditions, one senses a desperation in throwing everything "including the kitchen sink" to defend her thesis. And yet, two primary resources she either does not know, or she choose to ignore, could have simplified her project immensely. But before adopting Aristotle and empirical empathy to her project, she would have to exclude the entire "aesthetic" tradition, which stands in opposition to it. She's unprepared to make that final leap, and that lack of daring in the end sabotages her project.

"Aesthetics" is a recent concept born of late-18th C. German Idealism that has made artistic behavior elitist, metaphysical, and quasi-supernatural, which as long as she accepts that model, she'll never reconcile her thesis to a more primitive biological model that has firmer and much older roots in classical Greek thought. Prior to modern aesthetics, art was simply art, which was "making" and/or "crafting" that stood in contrast to "doing," a very elementary notion prevalent in the works of Aristotle and his lineage of intellectual thought, of which Dissanayake shows no cognizance (yet, she cites Platonic Forms of beauty with relish and frequency, which is precisely the heritage of the German Aesthetic Movement).

When she thus appropriates "empathy" as a late-19th C. German Idealist heuristic device, again she ignores a richer, older, and empirical tradition prevalent in the 18th C. Scottish Enlightenment (i.e., Hutcheson, Hume, Smith, and Reid), which, unlike the German metaphysical version remains a viable, indeed prominent, biological model. Had she been aware/used either older tradition, she could have obviated much confusion and obfuscation, not to mention endlessly marginal studies to tinker with the Aesthetic Paradigm. She would not have needed to appeal to any and every alternative hypothesis, evidence, study, research, etc. to modify, refine, and thus, reform the Aesthetic Model in an unwieldy, untenable, and ultimately unsuccessful effort.

In the end, the irreconcilable tension between opposing traditions remains unresolved, and instead of resolution, she simply adds nuance after nuance of qualification and refinement to tweak the Aesthetic Tradition towards a more Darwinian inclination. Then, in a odd move, she tries to deal with postmodernism, but on its terms, which already puts her behind the proverbial 8-ball. Yet, in her defense, she was a pioneer in her own field of aesthetics, and was stabbing at everything to get a foothold on a better conception of why humans make things. But as long as "aesthetics" figures into her overall conception, she straddles two opposing worlds that cannot be reconciled. She even appeals to the "ontological" in another context, but then fails to see her own problem as itself a deeply ontological one, as the biological and metaphysical ontologies are simply unbridgeable. And demonstrating this difficulty, even if unintentional, is its own rewarding reason to peruse this book.

Creating something "special".......2006-02-25

Tracing evolutionary roots to human creativity is a risky endeavour. The Romantic Era dismissal of "nature red in tooth and claw" misapplied to humans has its adherents even today. In more modern terms, the "postmodernist school" attributes human creativity solely to cultural environment. Dissanayake takes up the challenge and responds to these allegations from widely spread scholarship sources. She makes a solid case for human universals in many areas of expression, from graphic art through music and dance to poetry and prose. Even spoken language is addressed with an eye to derivations and commonalties.

She presents her support for a Darwinian basis for art and expression with flair and enthusiasm. There's no hesitation in offering new terms or definitions as means of breaking the bonds of tradition or rigid thinking. Acknowledging that some of her ideas are ironic, or even heretical, she intends to builds a new framework for where art truly sits in our lives. Among other "heresies", the author roundly denounces the notion that "art" is a separate or fleeting aspect of human existence. Instead, she contends, art is integrated with religion and other human social conditions. Some aspect of art is as necessary as eating or sleeping to our species. Dissanayake contends that art must be raised in importance when considering what is valuable to us.

Perhaps, Dissanayake suggests, in order to break the bonds restricting our view of "art" we need a new term. She coins "making special" for various objects or activities we now call "art". The "special" relates to the common means all organisms have in separating the mundane from the unexpected - the "extra-ordinary". If something extraordinary can promote emotions of delight, we can recreate it as something "special" and pleasurable. It might be removed from the mundane aspects of life, but the mundane may become art. A pot is made for storage or cooking, but if it's decorated in ways that bring a sense of "good" or of "pleasure", elevating it to art isn't a false promotion. Noting that both Nature and artefacts can be beautiful, only the beautiful that is created can be considered art. Much of Nature is beautiful, but only humans can create beauty. Hence, she declares that considerations of art must be "species-centred" or "bioevolutionary". Species-centrism, she warns, must not be misconstrued as detaching us from the rest of Nature. Indeed, as part of our evolutionary heritage, "species-centrism" is essential to understanding who we are. And what we can achieve.

In her final analysis, Dissanayake notes that a radical idea arose toward the end of the Enlightenment. Art was placed in a realm where only the few educated in its precepts could comprehend it. The "critic" became a mediator between the artist and the observer. The too-common expression, "I don't know about art, but I know what I like" represents this break. Later, the "French philosophers", known as the postmodernists, insisted that everything should be reduced to text. This concept has further widened the Enlightenment detachment of art from the beholder. She scorns this notion, reminding us that for nearly all of Homo sapiens' existence, none could read nor write, but art flourished. In contending with the postmodernists, the author hails the work of linguists who seek evidence of a Primordial Language [PL]. PL is another indication of the unity of expression among early humanity that was disrupted only by time and distance.

Dissanayake's analysis, which has been enhanced but not supplanted, has been strangely overlooked. The attitude of art as "outside" reality or only a distant adjunct to daily life apparently has an even stronger hold on our thinking than she suggests. Although she hasn't updated the book with recent work in cognitive studies, which can provide further insight, others have taken up the challenge [see "The Mind In The Cave" by David Lewis-Williams for an innovative example], this comprehensive work is an excellent starting point for understanding why our view of "art", or "making special" needs reconsideration. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A profound work.......2001-06-07

I just finished this book, and... for the record, there are over 40 pages of footnotes and references in the back of the book. I'm not a expert in the field, but Homo Aestheticus feels like a graduate level text, and is certainly more "scholarly" than most books you'll find in a bookstore.

That said, I found Homo Aestheticus to be one of the most unique and insightful books I've read. A few spots were quite detailed and dry, but overall I found myself underlining interesting points like a madman. The concluding chapter was mindblowing. The author somehow cohesively pulled together such topics as human experience, modernism and postmoderism, literacy and writing, oral tradition, language, symbols, and thought, meaning and reality, human and culture evolution, and, of course, aesthetics and art. Certainly, it will have a lasting impact on my thinking about "art." Very much recommended for interdisciplinary thinkers.

Homo Aestheticus.......2000-05-29

Homo Aestheticus is a great attempt by Ellen Dissanayke to find the biological/physiological connection between humans and art or art making. She begins by discussing Darwin and invites us to accept that she has considered some scientific connection between the evolution of humans and why we included art/art making in our evolution. The devise to use science is intriguing and maybe somewhat convincing, but for those of us who require scholarship in research, Ms. Dissanayake misses all the marks.

To write an essay of your own observations relieves the writer from the obligation of proving anything. Just write and hope someone cares. But to write about scientific fact, psychological studies, and human behavior, the writer is obligated to avoid such phrases as "Everyone knows," "It follows that," etc. Another problematic phrase when trying to prove a point of fact is "Research findings indicate" (154). If the goal is to convince me, then site the study. Her phrase "Making Special" just isn't scientific enough for me.

This is the most unscholarly philosophy book I have ever encountered. I wouldn't be complaining about the book if it was billed as an easy-reading-personal-point-of-view thing, but when I must trudge through thick, factual material to get to the point of a thesis, I want my money's worth. I want to come away from the text feeling that I have just earned all those aches and pains from a great cerebral workout. If you want that kind of experience, it's not here in Home Aestheticus. You would more likely come closer to that kind of workout by chatting with someone at the gym than by reading this book.

an invaluable masterpiece.......2000-05-22

In the four years since I first read this book, I have come back to it again and again, to verify points, to re-examine ideas, and to seek inspiration.

It is impossible to review this book adequately in 1000 words. Homo Aestheticus calls for a full-fledged course, to examine its ideas and implications, and to compare similar trends in cultures throughout the world.

Over and over as I read this book, I was amazed (and amused) to see how closely Dissanayake -- quite unknowingly -- mirrored Confucian concepts and reasoning. If I were a librarian, I would file this book under Confucianism.

Anybody interested in art, art history, culture, anthropology, psychology, or sociology will benefit deeply by devoting time and attention to this masterpiece.

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Homo Aestheticus (Where Art Comes from and Why)
Ellen Dissanayake
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORZZ0O

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Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes from and Why
University of Washington Press Ellen Dissanayake
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MU6MT6

Book Description

One of the leading designer bookbinders in Great Britian, Arthur Johnson has used his extensive knowledge of book construction to provide a reference manual for the repair and reconstruction of cloth bindings. Each process is explained in precise detail with clear text in order to give the worker confidence in this exacting skill.

Using more than 90 illustrations, drawn by the author himself, Johnson explains his procedures for sound repair that he has developed over many decades. Johnson has written four other manuals on binding that are considered classics and "The Repair of Cloth Bindings" should be no exception.

Included in this work is a brief but comprehensive history of cloth as a binding material from its early use in handwork to complete automation.

Co-published with The British Library.

Book Description

Join us in celebrating MOONSTONE's 10th Anniversary! NEW PRINTING This will be the ONLY time this sold out TPB will be reprinted! The legendary newspaper strip hero makes his triumphant return to comics right here! Thrill to three rollicking 48 page adventures of the "Man Who Cannot Die", "the Ghost Who Walks": THE PHANTOM! This action-packed volume contains the first three graphic novels: "The Ghost Killers", "The Singh Web", and the SOLD OUT "treasures of Bangalla"! PLUS, extra features: pin-ups, sketches, and author/artist commentary tracks! ALL of this brought to you by the KILLER line up of: Ben Raab (Green Lantern, Human Race), Fernando Blanco (Fallen Angel), Paul Mounts (Wanted), Mike Collins (Transformers), and Ken Wolak (Kolchak)! PLUS A COVER GALLERY OF THE MOONSTONE PHANTOM COVERS! PLUS A BRAND NEW COVER PAINTING BY DOUG KLAUBA!

Customer Reviews:

Disapointing.......2003-11-25

I am a huge Phantom fan, he's the hero of my childhood, and probably the only comic book hero that has survived the transition. In fact I think he's a better hero than Batman (who by the way I adore). No gadgets, no side kicks. Just his smarts and his pistols. Also The Phantom knows how to have a family life. I remember fondly waiting each Friday afternoon for the paper so that I could get my Phantom fix.

However this treatment by Ben Raab doesn't bring back much nostalgia. It is absolutely is atrocious and does nothing for the character. The dialogue is awful and the story silly...since when did the Phantom talk like a California surfer?
I hope Moostone replaces him as a scribe. And replaces him with someone who actually understands the character.

The Phantom totally rocks........2003-06-13

Phantom fans everywhere, look out for this new graphic novel about the Phantom. Before spiderman, superman, batman, or even the justice league, there was the Phantom. He is a purple-clad protector of the jungle. This book is definitly there for anyone looking for action, adventure, or just another superhero to idolize. And if you turn out liking the Phantom, there is also a movie(starring Billy Zane, and Catherine Zeta Jones).

The Phantom Chronicles: New Tales Of The Ghost Who Walks! Limited Edition

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The Phantom Chronicles: New Tales Of The Ghost Who Walks! Limited Edition
Craig Shaw Gardner , Jason Alexander , David Bishop , Mike Bullock , Ron Fortier , Steven Grant , Clay Griffith , Susan Griffith , C. J. Henderson , Nancy Kilpatrick , Len Kody , David Michelinie , Will Murray , Mike Oliveri , and Martin Powell
Manufacturer: Moonstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1933076224

Book Description

17 new prose short stories of the PHANTOM! High adventure and intrigue in the African jungle, on the high seas, and in the city! There is always justice that needs to be served, whether it's in the present... or the past. Nearly five centuries ago, during a daring raid at sea, pirates took the life of merchant ship captain Christopher Standish. In the heat of the pitched battle aboard the ship, Standish's son was knocked overboard to wash ashore on a remote beach where he was found by a friendly pygmy tribe. After stumbling upon the body of his father's killer, young Standish swore an oath on the murderer's skull to devote his life, and the lives of his sons and their sons, to the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty and injustice. To the outside world, this man, seemingly immortal, has always worn the mask. As the legend grew, it transcended the life of any one mortal. And that legend became THE PHANTOM! Interior illustrations by Disney sculptor extraordinaire Ruben Procopio! And an introduction by The Phantom's creator's (Lee Falk) daughter Valerie! ustice!!!!! Take a look at this great line up of authors: Craig Shaw Gardner ("Battlestar Galactica", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Jim Alexander, David Bishop, Mike Bullock, Ron Fortier, Steven Grant, Clay & Susan Griffith, CJ Henderson, Nancy Kilpatrick, Len Kody, David Michelinie, Will Murray, Mike Oliveri, Martin Powell, Ed Rhoades, Trina Robbins, and Dan Wickline. Cover: Doug Klauba *** DIAMOND EXCLUSIVE: LIMITED Hardcover edition= (limited to 400) Comes signed by cover painter Doug Klauba and has a signed and numbered exclusive (to this edition) Phantom Sketch tip sheet as well! (signed copies and tip sheets limited to initial orders only) *Other books from Moonstone on the Phantom: The Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks: 1933076097 The Phantom: Death in the Deep Woods 1933076062 The Phantom: Legacy: 1933076119 The Phantom: Law of the Jungle 1933076127 *This book would appeal to fans of: Heroes (TV show), Indiana Jones, Batman. *Other works by the authors: by Craig Shaw Gardner: *Battlestar Galactica: "Cylons Secret" 0765315793 *Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Return to Chaos" 0671021362 by Nancy Kilpatrick: *Jason X #3 1844161838 by Steven Grant: *The Punisher: Circle of Blood 0785123318 by David Michelinie: Spiderman: Carnage in New York 0425167038 By Trina Robbins: Wild Irish Roses:Tales of Brigit, Kathleens, & Warrior Queens 1573249521 Animation work by the artist: The Lion King Fox & the Hound Little Mermaid Tarzan

The Phantom Chronicles: New Tales Of The Ghost Who Walks!

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The Phantom Chronicles: New Tales Of The Ghost Who Walks!
Craig Shaw Gardner , Jim Alexander , David Bishop , Mike Bullock , Ron Fortier , Steven Grant , Clay Griffith , Susan Griffith , C. J. Henderson , Nancy Kilpatrick , Len Kody , David Michelinie , Will Murray , Mike Oliveri , and Martin Powell
Manufacturer: Moonstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1933076216

Book Description

Nearly five centuries ago, pirates took the life of merchant ship captain Christopher Standish. In the heat of the battle aboard the ship, Standish's son was knocked overboard to wash ashore on a remote beach. After stumbling upon the body of his father's killer, young Standish swore an oath on the murderer's skull to devote his life, and the lives of his sons and their sons, to the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty and injustice. To the outside world, this man, seemingly immortal, has always worn the mask. As the legend grew, it transcended the life of any one mortal. And that legend became The Phantom!

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The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks (1 of 3)

Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000ICHPGC

Product Description

Direct sales edition comic book published by Marvel comics. Revives Lee Falk's classic comic strip character for the '90s.

The Story of the Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks #1

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The Story of the Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks #1
Lee Falk
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000RKHDBW

The Ghost Who Walks (The Story of The Phantom, #1)

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The Ghost Who Walks (The Story of The Phantom, #1)

Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GSXV52

The Story of the Phantom #1, The Ghost Who Walks

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The Story of the Phantom #1, The Ghost Who Walks
Lee FALK
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KRTH9I

The Story of the Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks (book #1)

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The Story of the Phantom: The Ghost Who Walks (book #1)
Lee Falk
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000OBGJPU

Book Description

The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy

The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of the creation of an epic film experience. Hailed by critics worldwide, part one of the movie trilogy was a box-office smash, one of the most successful films of the decade. Peter Jackson's "fierce, imaginative movie takes high-flying risks and inspires with its power and scale," wrote Newsweek. "In every way this is moviemaking on a grand scale," wrote the San Francisco Chronicle, while Time proclaimed the "grandeur, moral heft and emotional depth" of the film, which received thirteen Academy Award(R) nominations.
Including more than 300 photographs from all three films, most unique to this book, and exclusive interviews with all the cast and crew, Brian Sibley's fascinating book takes every fan inside the process of adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork for the screen. For the first time in history, three major movies were made at the same time, a triumphant and monumental undertaking that took the world by storm. Here can be found details about the hundreds of dedicated artists, craftspeople and cast and crew members who labored for years -- adding authenticity at every stage -- to bring one of the greatest stories ever told to an eager film audience. Sibley takes us inside the process of filmmaking to show us how the magic is made -- from the director, writers and actors to wardrobe, makeup, miniatures, music and digital special effects, it's all here.

"It was tiring, physically and mentally, but never dull. Three movies, one big story, and so much variety: one day shooting scenes of intimate heart-wrenching drama, the next, vast battle scenes involving hundreds of extras. Every day brought an opportunity to create something new on this enormous canvas that is The Lord of the Rings." -- Peter Jackson

Customer Reviews:

Few nice pictures and that's all.......2007-01-10

I bought this book and I was interested but it really disappointed me! It doesn't give you any information neither details about the making of the movie rather than the author's babbling (honestly)! The only good thing is some nice pictures and they are not many.

lots of behind the scenes info and photos.......2006-12-10

This contains much of the behind-the-scenes information that the "special feature" of the DVD versions contain. There is significant new material, however. I enjoyed the book very much as it describes the amazing job of the team that produced the movies that we love.

trepel 0 7 spy kid 3spys.......2006-07-05

there was 3 yung spys andthey spy,ed on Alie andthe way they spy,ed on her was they sneak acros the house & in side and they went in the vent and put the camra on and spy,ed ontel tomor,o &then they left be for she got up THE END

Great Book!.......2006-03-10

If your a fan of behind the scenes stuff and movie making, this is the book for you. These movies are unlike any other, so seeing what when on during their 18 month filming, premires, etc. is great! Highly recommended!

Ten Thousand More?.......2006-03-06

I loved the movie, but what I am curious about the most is why Lord Aragon allowed the "Ghost Army" to leave when they were facing another Ten Thousand plus army as they did the first? That didn't make any sense!!!!!

Lord Of The Rings - Making Of The Movie Trilogy

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Lord Of The Rings - Making Of The Movie Trilogy
Brian Sibley
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K01TRI

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Deservedly in print for more than fifty years. Superbly done!

Historical Anthology of Music, Volume II, Baroque, Rococo, and Pre-Classical Music (Baroque, Rococo, & Pre-Classical Music)

Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Historical Anthology of Music, Volume I, Oriental, Medieval, and Renaissance Music: Revised Edition (Oriental, Medieval, & Renaissance Music)

Music in the Baroque Era, from Monteverdi to Bach.

ASIN: 0674393015

Customer Reviews:

Deservedly in print for more than fifty years. Superbly done!.......2005-11-15

Willi Apel and Archibald Davidson put together the two-volume "Historical Anthology of Music" with such intelligence, taste, and care that it is still a definitive resource after fifty years in print. This volume begins with an excerpt of recitative from Jacopo Peri's "Euridice" (the first surviving complete opera) and takes to the pre-cursors of Classical music. While great composers are included, so are a range of composers whose music is largely unavailable in popular editions. It is easy to find J.S. Bach's music, but how much Pelham Humphrey do you have on your shelf?

The examples are quite diverse, the notation, including realizations of figured bass (in smaller notes) is wonderfully clear for the ease of understanding by students. There is a nice balance of instrumental and vocal music, of sacred and secular music, and of various geographical locals and different time century and a half included in this book.

There is commentary on the pieces in the back along with translations of the texts into English. The book has a nice large format and is wonderfully easy to read.

Average customer rating:

Delightful Book

Excellent Guide

pleased with waterdeep but...

A decent disappointment

THE BEST CITY JUST GOT BETTER!

City of Splendors: Waterdeep (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement)
Eric L. Boyd
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786936932
Release Date: 2005-07-14

Book Description

The first in-depth look at Waterdeep, the shining jewel of the Forgotten Realms setting, in many years.
City of Splendors: Waterdeep offers an in-depth examination of the great city of Waterdeep in the Forgotten
Realms setting. An overview of the city includes history, a who's who, information on laws, and rules for
running and playing in a Waterdhavian campaign. Information on the people of Waterdeep covers non-player characters, arcane schools, armed forces, guilds, nobility, prestige classes specific to the city, and more. Also included in the book are discussions of specific Waterdeep locales, adventure locales, and new monsters. An extensive appendix gives information on new equipment, magic items, psionic powers, poisons, spells, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Delightful Book.......2007-05-10

Wizards of the Coast has released a book concentrating on Waterdeep, the ultimate adventuring city in the Forgotten Realms. And why not? The city is one of the most beloved locations in the gaming world, finding its only real competition in the City of Greyhawk. Plus, if RPGNOW stats are any indication, there's good money in a well-done city book.
So does Waterdeep hold up?

I wish I could say no, at least this review would be funnier, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. There's a wealth of material in this book and you get the feeling that it just scratches the surface. In fact, I think the only complaint most readers will have is the low page count (at 160). There just isn't enough room in this book for everything that one might find in Waterdeep.

Still, the material is interesting and the author (Eric L. Boyd) has a delicate hand for how much is just right. I didn't feel like he rambled on too long and for the most part I felt like he gave me enough to build a game in the City of Splendors. Heck, I could probably build a whole campaign there, using just this book.

Chapter One begins with an interesting history of the city. This chapter actually captured my attention (whereas usually histories are just text you have to get through). It's hard to point out exactly why this appealed to me, but I think that it has to do with the many iterations of settlement the city passed through before becoming the place we all know and love. It took me back to certain real world histories I've read, and where an author's usual instinct is to say, "The city was founded in ," Waterdeep has lived under different names, guises and rulers over the years. It just felt . . . rich.

The book then moves on to a brief who's who and then a treatise on laws and culture. It then tackles all the ways to get to and from the city . . . including teleportation. It was refreshing to have a high fantasy world deal with an issue that almost everyone ignores . . . how the casual use of magic could kill people in the streets. Finally, the book tackles the defenses of the city, both magical and mundane.

Chapter Two deals with People of Waterdeep (I'm not sure why the Who's Who wasn't here.) This chapter is long an complex, taking about a third of the book. In it they cover everything from guilds to monsters to the underworld to secret societies to the nobility and much much more. This is where the book really sold me, the level of detail just enough to fill me with the maximum number of colorful characters while giving me just enough information to run them properly in the game. As a game designer, I can only say this chapter must have taken five times as long to write as the rest of the book put together (characters can take forever, even when many of them aren't statted). I can only tip my hat at Mr. Boyd for not losing sight of the prize and becoming sloppy. Still, I think there are too many dragons detailed for a city with a ward against dragons.
Chapter Three handles presitge classes. You know what? I'm gonna give the book a pass on this one (and it's not the same pass I gave DMG II). This book needed prestige classes, and while I thought that four was probably a bit excessive, this is the perfect use of the game mechanic: defining a particular organization and their unique and often mystical abilities. The Gray Hand Enforcer, for instance, can tap into the dragonward of the city, accessing its power. I don't mind using a prestige class to simulate this.

Chapter Four is the obligatory sites-of-the-city chapter. I don't have much to say about this. It got the job done.

Chapter Five is a section on adventure opportunities in Waterdeep. This section contains everything from single encounters (a disturbing amount of haunted locales) to mini-adventures, to a small section on Undermountain. I think that a DM could build a good campaign, starting with this chapter.

The final chapter covers more rules-oriented materials. Starting with feats, it then covers magic items, poisons and a section on spells. The section on spells is mercifully short, and I can't begrudge it. People in Waterdeep will make spells. This, like the Prestige Classes, is a much better place for new material like this than 90% of the books WotC produces.

I do have to give one qualification on this review. I haven't done more than skim most of the past material on Waterdeep, so I don't know how much of this book is recycled materials. Still, I found what was here to be interesting, useful and well presented. This is one of the better books WotC has produced since 3.5 released. If you adventure in the Realms, it's probably a must-have.

Excellent Guide.......2005-10-09

This book adds substantial information on one of the key role-playing locations in all the Realms, and also reveals a lot of plots that are going on there. It is written with very easy cross-referencing with other FR material, while also giving some background on the referenced characters. And of course, you get adventure hooks, history background and some very interesting NPCs. This product is a must have for the FR campaign setting!

pleased with waterdeep but..........2005-09-16

i was generally pleased with the waterdeep exercise but i would have liked to see revision stats for the important people.
the book had tons of 411 in it so you could not be displeased with it. i just felt that i needed a bit more if it was to stay in my usage crate and not on my storage shelf...

A decent disappointment.......2005-08-16

I have played forgetton realms but over a decade and I have always loved Waterdeep as a campaign setting. Given that, I was very excited to hear about a 3.5e revision of the city of splendors. However, when I got the book I was very disappointed to find that it did not come with a pull out map. That was one of the greatest appeals of 2e TSR products, they always had such large beautiful maps. This edition only included a split up map mixed among the pages of the book.
Like the reviewers have mentioned it doesn't have much info on Undermountain if that is your interest. Although the Wotc website does have an undermountain article that works perfectly with this book. What this book DOES offer is a great new taste of recent events as well as a fairly revolutionary guild system including magical colleges. The book does not contain very detailed descriptions of the locales in waterdeep. For that, I'd recommend the 2e Volo's Guide to Waterdeep.
This book is most useful for combining with and/or updating existing 2e products. For much more detailed and useful content on the subject of waterdeep, you should really get your money's worth with some .pdf downloads of the old 2e waterdeep products like Volo's Guide to Waterdeep, City of Splendors box set, and Ruins of Undermountain. Overall the book is a decent addition but not wonderful enough on its own for five stars.

THE BEST CITY JUST GOT BETTER!.......2005-08-09

After more than fifteen years, gamers in the Forgotten Realms campaign are finally getting a new and updated version of the campaign's most famous and notorious city, Waterdeep. The Forgotten Realms has always been my favorite campaign to adventure in and run. It is supported by dozens of supplements as well as dozens of novels set within the realms. No campaign the kind of source material that the Forgotten Realms can. In this new, 160 page hardcover by Eric Boyd, the City of Splendors gets a makeover to update it to the current system and provide greater depth and detail than the original supplement.

Boyd provides a thorough history of the city and provides background information on major characters, rulers, laws, trade and much more. There are literally hundreds of organizations and guilds operating within the city, and many of them are outline in the book which includes the guild type, alignments of members, dues, salary, class requirements, and leadership. The same elements are also provided for all of the various churches and temples found within Waterdeep. Then there are a wide array of ruffian and rogue gangs such as the Black Boar Tribe, a group of fighters and barbarians who run protection rackets in the Dock Ward and the Shadow Thieves who were banded long ago but are now re-emerging as a threat. In addition, Boyd provides information on noble houses that includes their histories, key members, and plots and intrigues which can be starting points for adventures for player characters.

Four new prestige classes are included and unique to Waterdeep: The Knights of the Blue Moon, Moonstar Agents, Sun Soul Monks, and the Gray Hand Enforcers. The latter is the most intriguing, being they are basically the shock troops of the Lords of Waterdeep. Enormously powerful, non-evil aligned fighters who gain attack bonuses and resistance to damage and spells. People tend to get out of the way of these guys as they have a reputation for causing a great deal of collateral damage when dealing with a threat.

Boyd covers each of the 6 main districts of Waterdeep which are referred to as "wards". Each ward has a corresponding map and legend which details some of the more important buildings to be found but much is left for the DM to fill in as he or she best sees fit. Each of the buildings has a class rating which designates it's size and scope. Besides the main 6 wards information is provided on the notorious haven for smugglers known as Skullport.

While Waterdeep works as a great city it also works as a great dungeon as there are many different dungeons that can be explored from inside of the city including the Dungeons of the Crpyt built by the vampire Artor Morlin, The Cliff Watch Ruins, Citadel of the Bloody Hand, and many more. The Sewers of Waterdeep are vast and connect many of these dungeons and crypts and a full map of the sewers is included. Along with the noting the tunnels which connect to these other areas, a random encounter table is available to the DM. The most famous dungeon in Waterdeep and in all the Forgotten Realms can be found here, too. The Ruins of Undermountain were covered exhaustively more than ten years ago with two outstanding boxed sets. Hopefully WOC will do an update on that as well but if not, try and find those on the secondary market. Boyd does give some details on the Underhalls but refers to these products as the primary source or for the DM to create his own dungeon if these cannot be located.

The Waterdeep sourcebook features 9 new monsters, a half dozen new feats, over three dozen new magic items including new artifacts, and a couple of dozen new spells. The full color illustrations throughout the book are all uniformly good and it's the kind of quality book you expect from Wizards of the Coast. My only complaint is that I wish they had included a fold out map of Waterdeep. The Maps of the various wards are all on separate pages and kind of small. A pull-out map would have been a great extra perk. As it is Waterdeep is a great update on a classic Forgotten Realms city.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

The City of Splendors: A Waterdeep Novel (Forgotten Realms: The Cities)

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Not their best...
dry and unimaginative
Great for fans
About average
Grade= D+ Fair to Poor

The City of Splendors: A Waterdeep Novel (Forgotten Realms: The Cities)
Ed Greenwood , and Elaine Cunningham
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786937661
Release Date: 2005-08-11

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Amazon.com's Significant Seven
Ed Greenwood kindly agreed to take the life quiz we like to give to all our authors: the Amazon.com Significant Seven.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: I can't possibly pick just one. The Lord of the Rings is one of them, but there have been so many. I have 80,000 of them at home right now.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: The book: any Discworld omnibus (Terry Pratchett), because I'm greedy. I think I'll ask him if I can pick my own selection, the next time his publishers are slapping several titles together. If it really must be just a single book: A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay.

The CD: Cheating time again. Your Hundred Best Tunes (London label, two four-CD sets, but a dearly loved and now-vanished store, the Madrigal, once sold them taped together, in a brick of glorious music). Force me to pick just one? I can't. Tubular Bells? Selling England by the Pound? Eldorado? No, I just can't.

The DVD: Jackson's complete Lord of the Rings set. If I really can only pick a single disc: The Man Who Would Be King (Connery, Caine, and Plummer). Beats The Princess Bride by a nose, some days but not others.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: Not telling a friend that the love of her life had just been killed, because I didn't think she should learn that from me, in that place, at that time. It hurt to do it, and I still think it was the right thing to do, but it still hurts.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: A Secret Place: a quiet spot where I can go off by myself to think. For me, a forest glade. That just happens to have electricity running up a handy stump, right beside a smooth stump angled to sit upon. Not just for my computer, but for kettles so I can brew endless mugs of green tea and hot chocolate.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: Here lies Ed, who tried to make people happy. Please sit down and have an easy moment. I now have plenty to share.

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: Any of my grandfathers ("Any?" long story), because I was too young to be able to pick their brains in a candid, man-to-man fashion ere they died. Not just because I'd love to know the truth, or at least their side, of various family tales, events, and disputes. Not just because I desperately want to know more of their characters, and spend more time with them. It's also because they were gushing, articulate fonts of knowledge about times now gone, the daily customs and attitudes and aspirations of "then." The saying: "There were MEN in those days" comes to mind. And no, I'm not belittling the women of the family. They did talk to me, at eloquent length, before passing away. They knew the importance of sharing and passing lore on.

Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: The power to read people's minds, at very close range and only when I tried to. Not to read bank account numbers or anything of the sort, but to know their true feelings, so as not to offend and so I can best make them happy. Spreading happiness has to be the most heroic thing ordinary folk can daily do.

Book Description

The fourth novel in The Cities series, set against the background of civil strife at the heart of the Forgotten Realms setting. This novel is set in the most important city of the Forgotten Realms setting: Waterdeep, city of intrigue and secrets. Its authors are considered by fans to be among the most authoritative figures writing in the Forgotten Realms setting, and each has a legion of loyal readers. This novel is their first collaboration.

Customer Reviews:

Not their best..........2006-11-14

I was hoping for something great. Ed Greenwood and Elaine Cunningham together... Well, the prologue was awesome and I bought the book.
Chapter after chapter, I was hoping for the story to get interesting... at last... to no avail.
Not everything was bad. I learned some interesting things about the city and got the feel of some places at least.
I will try to forget this book and fondly remember others I enjoyed so much.

dry and unimaginative.......2006-10-19

being a loyal forgotten realms fan, i was disappointed with greenwood's take on waterdeep. the story line never drew me in and the characters were one dimensional and largely uninteresting. would definitely not recommend this book - thank goodness he didn't write a trilogy.

Great for fans.......2006-09-10

Im actually surprised by some of the more negative reviews, i found this arguably one of the best d&d based novels i've read, and i have read no small number.

Its a quick fun story with several characters i really enjoyed, the depiction of khelben arunsun in the beginning was better written and painted a more interesting character then the entire blackstaff novel did, though this book does not focus on him. The main characters were amusing and interesting. All in all if your interested in waterdeep, or a fan of the forgotten realms it is worth a read, as mentioned before its become one of my favorite d&d novels.

As for its downside, the primary enemy to me was actually less interesting then the misadventures of the main group, whom manage to in my opinion make up for it, the ending was not my favorite either.

In the end its better then average realms fare, but lacking the epic scope of some of the more famous d&d series, still for a single shot story its fun and provides a interesting look in to the city of splendors.

About average.......2006-09-03

WATERDEEP: THE CITY OF SPLENDORS is by no means a bad book. It even becomes decent in parts, but at the beginning, it's stifled by mediocrity. The Gemcloaks I find boring, the dialogue I find overblown (with trademark Greenwood vocabulary and phrasing), the narrative nothing special and oh, the character descriptions? They come in info-dumps that tell you what the character looks like from head to toe, a bit about the character's personality, and a bit about the character's background. They are shoved all at once down your throat, and that is never a pleasant experience. It strikes me as amateurish, but then, many other FR novelists do the same. There's even a paragraph consisting of one long, messy run-on. With this and the inconsistencies in other novels (WAR OF THE SPIDER QUEEN's internal factual errors, game products not agreeing with novels, novels not agreeing with novels, factual errors in THE LAST MYTHAL trilogy), it's obvious that WotC has no editing standards whatsover. Is it any wonder that some people consider this line of novels to be laughingstock or hack jobs, even in the fantasy genre?

The storyline meanders a fair bit, and there are probably too many characters. It does start to come together about two-third through the book, though, which is a good thing. I far from oppose this kind of plot: it keeps things unpredictable, even if one has to put up what seems initially to be unfocused and somewhat undisciplined. We have the "New Day" people, with Dyre at the center: at first, again, I found them irritating because it doesn't seem like they'll go anywhere, just old men gibbering about things they'll never get around to. The Gemcloaks are so-so. The Dyrre daughters are all right. For many chapters, I mostly read it for Lark and, of course, for Elaith, a character I've always been fond of in Elaine Cunningham's novels. Mrelder is another character that interested me from early on. All in all, though, I do think that as fantasy characters go, CoS' cast comprises of a fairly atypical mix: an aged master stonemason, his daughters and maidservant, a sorcerer who's not so much evil as... afflicted with issues, and nobles that don't start off being nice and friendly to the common people (a tired device to make them sympathetic. Befriending the kitchen help, and all that; these young men act as those raised opulent and carefree should -- they are brats).

But ultimately, I don't think I cared much for the characters. One Gemcloak dies, but all that came to mind for me was "Oh, yay, we're down with one pointless character!" It's one of the least moving death scenes in fiction I've ever read, and part of that has to do with the fact that Gemcloaks mostly share the same personality. They have a few distinguishing trait and they wear cloaks with different colors, but in most scenes, you can substitute one's name with another and it will still read the same. The characterization, here, is incredibly lazy. I think the book'd have been better off with just three Gemcloaks. The cameo of Asper and Mirt annoyed the living daylight out of me; once again, Mirt pops up to make the same kind of "sly" comments and give "wise" advice, and Asper appears to make men gawk at her (look, she's not only amazing with a blade but also seductive and sexually aggressive -- just like every other Greenwood female character; how refreshing!). Author's darlings, author's darlings. I wish Greenwood would actually develop them or kill them off already. They're just boring and have nothing new to do or say. I swear, even if the Walking Statues had trampled all of Waterdeep into dust, Greenwood's pet characters would still somehow survive.

Elaith's scenes shine. There's an edge to everything he does, though I wish they would drop his angst already. His "conflict with my past! conflict with my morality! I am tortured!" has gone on for a long, long while, and by this point it's become tiresome.

Golskyn's megalomania... came out of the blue. Aren't evil overlord types with insanity a little dated, here? Worse, his madness seems to be a plot device for Mrelder to get out of his father's shadow. It's random and weird. Yes, he's a bit too much "Domination monster domination dominationtion!" from the start, but he started off relatively sane. Why the sudden insanity? What triggered it? Did he get hit by one of those dementia spells?

Still, I liked the overall tone of the ending: not happy, not entirely subdued, but somewhere in the between. Tragic but hopeful, which is, I think, the happy medium. I didn't much care for the action-packed parts, however. Brief action punctuated with "BOOM" gets really old really fast, and if I see the word "BOOM" again, it'll be too soon.

Grade= D+ Fair to Poor.......2006-07-21

This is a slow story that fails to hold the readers interest, it is difficult to read due to lack luster settings and prose, and populated with un-interesting characters. The plot is silly and boring, I did not care at all about story line or the characters, and found this completely dull.

Overall= D+
Readability= D, Character= D, Plot= D, Setting= D, Action= D+, Romance= D+.

City of Splendors: Who's Who in Waterdeep (Forgotton Realms Campaign Expansion)

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City of Splendors: Who's Who in Waterdeep (Forgotton Realms Campaign Expansion)

Manufacturer: TRS Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FJ7WQ6

Book Description

The book's six-point plan proposes a reconstitution and rejuvenation of public broadcasting's mission so it can advance into the twenty-first century as a leader in public speech. Visit our website for sample chapters!

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