Elminster in Hell

Forgotten Realms: Elminster #4

by Ed Greenwood

Taken prisoner by a powerful demon, Elminster, the legendary wizard, finds himself imprisoned in hell, where he is tortured for his powerful mind and confronts the awful choice between death or madness. Reprint.

Genres: Forgotten Realms, Fantasy, Fiction, Dungeons and Dragons, Science Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy, Collections

407 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Ed Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms fantasy world, which became the setting for his home D&D game in 1975. Play still continues in this long-running campaign, and Ed also keeps busy producing Realmslore for various TSR publications.

Ed has published over two hundred articles in Dragon magazine and Polyhedron newszine, is a lifetime charter member of the Role Playing Game Associaton (RPGA) network, has written over thirty books and modules for TSR, and been Gen Con Game Fair guest of honor several times.

In addition to all these activities, Ed works as a library clerk and has edited over a dozen small press magazines.

Invented the character Elminster from the popular Forgotten Realms RPG series. Currently resides in an old farmhouse in the countryside of Ontario, Canada.

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

The cover lied to me. I was promised dragon punching and instead there was graphic torture, infuriatingly flaccid threats, overuse of the word 'diabolical' and whole sections where the author gave up on complete sentences.

I am so disappointed. the cover promised such great things.... if I could give this 0 stars I would

[Michael G · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is easily the worst of the Elminster books.
In general, Greenwood's (never more than adequate) writing has been deteriorating in his last few books. The story jumps around, the plot is difficult to follow and the characters are more and more caricatures. This is even worse in this book. The interaction between demon and Elminster switches between boring, unbelievable and disgusting (awful torture scenes that do little to impair Elminster). The resolution is a complete, unexpected and unbelievably cheap Deus-ex-Machina. And in the end, basically nothing has happened that has long term bearing on the world or the characters.
Elminster is a great idea of a character, the problem is that he is effectively the alter-ego of Greenwood (who in fact claims he is not, and that Mirt is his alter-ego). This means that he is invincible, infallible and irresistible (especially to the ladies) and lacks completely in character development. This last fact is kind of sad, since the whole series is supposed to expose this key character's centuries of back story.

[Sherrey Worley · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I read the reviews for this book, I thought to myself that it couldnt possibly be as bad as people thought. In fact, I quite enjoyed the confusing mass that was the first couple chapters. However, upon reaching the 5th chapter and the 106th use of the word diabolical, I realized they were not incorrect.

This was such an atrocious conglomerate of discombobulated and terribly written chaos.

If you can avoid this book, do so. It made absolutely no sense.

May Mystra grant sense to this balderdash in the coming novels.

[Bridget · Rating 1 out of 5]

Below meh.

[Leonardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting, given the usual nature of Elminster’s adventures. The main plot could have been greatly condensed given that much of the titular character’s nature explored here was explored in other books. It was good when it was, not particularly staying when it lulled. This one can probably be skipped.

[Jaymz · Rating 1 out of 5]

an utterly baffling failure of a novel. full of odd artistic choices that render the thing close to a train wreck; its hard at times to distinguish between the "memories"/short stories, and the "current day"/related to main plot, despite the use of bold font to try to let the reader know. an ineffective & confusing choice of distinction - should have used italics (which is what el's internal dialogue w nergal uses). intercut are hilariously gruesome scenes of our hero elminster being tortured that half the time more closely resemble stage directions than a novel. but essentially, nothing much of note happens for 400 pages. worst of all, the promised fight on the amazingly cool cover happens within the first, like, 20 pages. this is then followed by 380 more of an elderly man being tortured in incomplete sentences. cant believe they let it come out like this, but greenwood diiiiiiiiiid invent the whole forgotten realms setting, so maybe they cut him some slack. sucks!

[GP · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ed Greenwood, perpetrator of the biggest Mary Sue saga outside of the Anita Blake series, hits new levels of awful in this one. Oh. Wait. I am mistaken. There’s going to be a sequel, so new levels or depths will have a chance. I'm fine with Elminister being a hairy, sexy beast that only the hottest of scantily clad avatars of magical power can't help falling in love with. But at least keep track of your plot, Greenwood. And make it fun, not a bore.

[David Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll write more later but let is suffice for now to say this is awful. Nothing but story fragments strung together by a tedious and annoying frame. The scene at the end reminded of something a 4 year old would tell. This series started out with a great book, continued with a good book that was followed by a mediocre book. Now with book four we have come to awful. I am afraid of what the next book might bring. Things do not bode well.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I imagine the reader would be best served with more background knowledge of Elminster, the Sage of Shadowdale, and of the lore/history of Faerun before delving into this book. As my experience with these topics was rather limited, I spent the first 100 pages or so thoroughly confused. Eventually I got over that and just rolled with the storyline. Decent read and, as with all Wizards of the Coast material, good inspiration for crafting adventures of one's own design.

[Brett · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of my least favourite AD&D and Forgotten Realms novels ever. The memory scenes were often well written and the only thing that kept me reading, in fat some of them could have been fleshed out to really good novels. The scenes with Elminster and the devil lord were simply boring and pointless.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as I thought it would be. The writing was good but the story wasn’t. I expected something different so that might be the issue. Ed is a good storyteller for sure, this one just wasn’t his best work.

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite in the elminster series.

[Tim Stephens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible.

[XO · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t think even young adults will like this... couldn’t make it pass 10%

[Silver Mantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might be the best of the books at this point of the series

Mr. Greenwood really introduces us to a myriad of character, situations, wonderful moments (as always), but in a very unique way (no spoilers). The concept of Elminster finding himself in the first of the 9 hells is an interesting proposition in itself, much less who else “comes to the party”.

For all you Mystra loving Chosen Fans - this one is one of the best - stop reading my review, and go get LOST IN HELL with Elminster!!

[Robert Carter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. I read this decades ago, and I remember being so annoyed I actually threw it in the middle of the street. Don't waste your time on this trash. It's Ed Greenwood essentially saying "Elminster is the best! And, oh and he sleeps with this sorceress and slays this demon prince. Now, back to seducing this beautiful elven maid." No struggle or character growth. If that's what you want to read, well, enjoy.

[PJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely loving following El through all of his crazy ass journeys. This book continues with the fantastic imagery and badassery, but it throws in a lot more humor. Leave it to El to distract and irritate a devil with adventurous memories of being a slut for love and battles. A frustrated devil asking El, just who haven't you banged?

[Kagan Oztarakci · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No friend is worth dying for - when your detah isn't going to help him."

"Time not spent is not saved."

"Only fools know all the answers."

"Rumor...runs like a yapping dog; the truth creeps like a silent snail in its wake."

[Big E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is unquestionably the best book I have ever read. The torture scenes really stood out to me- they were outstanding, particularly how El got completely destroyed! I only wish they were longer! My favourite part was when he got his tongue ripped out.

[Michael Paulini · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I think the idea of a collection of short stories bound by the "in hell" bit is good, the disjointedness and missing bits make it for a really irritating read. I would wish the writer had fleshed out some a bit more and also smoothened the in-hell bit a bit more.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many of the scenes revolve around the demon lord Nergal demanding that Elminster show him his memories of magic in use and then a random scene.

With how slow the plot moved, I feel that 2/3 of this book could have been cut out to pick up the pacing.

[Thomas Roche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

I have read this book several times now and I laugh and cry every single time I have read it

[Mark Braun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing style. Okay once I got the hang of it. More like a collection of very short stories.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elminster goes to hell and are tortured. Alot of memories that jumps all over the place and are hard to follow. The worst i have read so far.

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not bad this is the worst than the first three. The plot is simple, Elminster is stuck in the Hells and needs help. The big one turns out to be the Simbul.

[Lindsay Cote · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good fantasy novel to read.

[Brent Maxwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's really just a guy in hell. There's no real story or character development. Cool snippets of potential plot to feed other stories, but not much here.

[Jean-Francois Simard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here are five main takeaways from Elminster in Hell by Ed Greenwood, based on the novel's themes, plot, and character development:

1. Elminster’s Resilience Under Torture: The story showcases Elminster’s extraordinary endurance and mental fortitude. Captured by the archdevil Nergal in the Nine Hells, he is subjected to brutal physical and psychological torment as Nergal seeks to extract the secrets of Mystra’s silver fire from his mind. Despite this, Elminster’s wit, courage, and ability to heal himself allow him to cling to his sanity and identity, highlighting his status as a legendary figure in the Forgotten Realms.

2. The Power of Memories as Narrative: The novel’s structure is unique, blending Elminster’s present struggle with a tapestry of his past memories, which Nergal forcibly extracts. These recollections feature a wide cast of iconic Forgotten Realms characters—like The Simbul, Storm Silverhand, and Khelben Blackstaff—offering readers a deeper look into Elminster’s centuries-long history and relationships. This approach serves as both a storytelling device and a testament to the richness of his life.

3. Mystra’s Influence and Divine Intervention: Elminster’s connection to Mystra, the goddess of magic, is central to the plot. When he is trapped in Hell, Mystra senses his plight and, unable to intervene directly due to cosmic rules, sends powerful agents like Halaster Blackcloak and The Simbul to rescue him. This underscores the divine stakes of Elminster’s existence as her Chosen and the limits even gods face in the multiverse.

4. The Battle of Wits with Nergal: Elminster’s interactions with Nergal are a highlight, marked by a mental duel where the wizard uses sarcasm and cunning to taunt his captor, despite the inevitable pain it brings. This dynamic reveals Elminster’s defiant spirit and adds a layer of humor and humanity to his character, contrasting with the grim setting of Avernus.

5. A Climactic Rescue and Return: The novel builds to a resolution where The Simbul, Elminster’s lover and a formidable mage, locates and frees him, defeating Nergal with his help. This climax emphasizes the strength of Elminster’s allies and the theme of hope amid despair, though some readers note the ending feels abrupt or reliant on external salvation, sparking debate about its narrative satisfaction.

These takeaways encapsulate the essence of Elminster in Hell as a tale of survival, legacy, and the interplay between mortal grit and divine forces in the Forgotten Realms.

[LordSlaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elminster in Hell by Ed Greenwood, another D&D Forgotten Realms novel about the mighty mage, is a weird book. Elminster finds himself trapped in Hell and this novel chronicles what he underwent there and the various attempts of his friends and colleagues to rescue him. The framing device is strange, hopping back and forth between the thoughts of Elminster and those of the arch-fiend Nergal who has captured him. The rest of the novel moves back and forth between Elminster's sometimes fragmentary memories and present-time events. In some ways, Elminster in Hell reads as a collection of short stories, but there is an overarching story and plot to the work. At the beginning, I almost abandoned the book, not sure what to make of it, but I stuck with it. Even though the ending is perplexing, even though it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all of the characters, even though some of the scenes of Hell's tortures were particularly gruesome and gut-wrenching, I ended up liking the book. Some of the memory vignettes, such as the mystery surrounding the murders of a number of Lords of Waterdeep, were quite captivating. And I particularly enjoy Greenwood's ability to describe the way magic looks and feels and acts as it is being cast, and I think he is particularly good at describing spell battles. Plus, I give Greenwood bonus points for trying something different and experimenting with storytelling styles. This is the fourth Elminster book I've read (all in the space of a few months) and although it turned out to be an enjoyable read, I think I'm ready to be finished with the Old Mage for a while. The Elminster books are good, but not great, and I've read a bunch of them, so I need a break. But I'm sure at some future point in time I'll be back to read more of Elminster's adventures.

[Theresa Ramseyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

You do start in the middle of the action in this book. A bit more lead in would have been nice.

I haven't read any of the other Elfminister books, so this was probably not the best for me to start on. But this is the first one the library had, so .

I did find it mostly easy to tell when he and the devil were communicating, and when Elminister was giving up a memory. It got complicated when the devil's buddies started showing up. Who was who, and where did you come from again? But that was on the demon side; telling who was who on Elminister's side was easier.

The book is graphic in describing pain and torture. The ending and one other part seemed too magical - Elminister is reduced to literally almost nothing, then one magic spell and he's whole and restored and just hunky dory again, thank you very much, whether to be tortured all over again or to celebrate being saved. No residual problems, it seems. "Say what?" was my reaction both times.

Given a choice, I would definitely read the first three books first. Otherwise you might get lost in the who's who and some unanswered questions. I might read this again once I have finished those, and see how I like it then.