The first book,The Companion, by R. A. Salvatore, was released last summer.

are getting rebooted nowadays, but some fans are not too crazy about the idea of rebooting old favorites.

What led to that decision?

We know that every Realms fan has favourite characters, conflicts, and moments in history.

We didnt want to undo or overwrite something that might be a fans favourite part of the setting.

Our guiding principle is to embrace the past and not pass judgment or rewrite history.

Some world-shaking events, such as the Time of Troubles and the Spellplague, are particularly controversial and polarizing.

Theyre very good at internalizing canonical elements that are important for the stories they want to tell.

Prior to The Sundering, The Spellplague had also ushered in a 100-year jump in the novel series.

Fortunately, in a magical world, its possible to restore that which was lost.

I liked how R. A. SalvatoresThe Companionshandled the return of Bruenor, Wulfgar, Regis, and Cattie-brie.

Jim Zubs newLegends of Baldurs Gatecomic series brilliantly tackles the return of Minsc and Boo.

Other familiar faces will undoubtedly return as well.

Can you tell us about other Forgotten Realms novels in the pipe?

Whats the challenge of making the Forgotten Realms appealing to new gamers?

One of the great strengths of the Realms has always been that a million stories can take place there.

Thats an appealing idea, but we need to show, not tell.

Tyranny of Dragons and other stories are our way of doing just that.

Why do you think some critics have such dim views of the genre?

I think it comes down to personal taste.

Curiously, the criticism leveled at shared-world novels rarely carries over to shared-world television.

R. A. Salvatore called The Sundering the reversal of the Realms to a place of adventure and joy.

Do you feel that the Realms prior to The Sundering had become too dark?

Did that have an impact on the popularity of the novels series?

The Spellplague was certainly a dark time for Drizzt DoUrden.

However, Drizzt is just one character, and the Realms is a big place.

I wouldnt say that the Realms as a whole had become too dark.

We lost the fans confidence in our stewardship of the setting.

I dont think reading the older books is a requirement, but it can be helpful and rewarding.

Similarly, there are iconic Realms characters that havent appeared recently that are worth discovering.

Whats happening in the other Dungeons & Dragons realms (Eberron, Krynn, etc.)

while The Sundering is happening?

A few years ago, Wizards of the Coast released the Abyssal Plague series that tied-in three different realms.

Can we expect to see more crossovers?

In the coming years, we hope to visit several of our established worlds and see whats happening there.

Anything is possible, but I cant offer any predictions at this time.

Well visit Krynn again when the stars align and we have the perfect Dragonlance story to tell.

Thank you very much!

The Sundering has concluded now with the release of Ed Greenwoods The Herald earlier this summer.

Wizards of the Coast has not announced any new Forgotten Realms books for 2015 and beyond yet.