Proof that the remaining 10% is worth gathering your party before venturing forth for here.
These are recommendations made by Tropers for Baldur's Gate fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.
You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.
Authors, and Websites
- Recommended by VVK.
- A site with an endless collection of BG and to some extent other video game fan fiction, both new stories being posted and entire novel-length stories and a multitude of shorter ones archived. Has slowed down over the years, and only the Baldur's Gate sections are remotely active anymore, but there's a slow trickle of new short stories and chapters to longer stories, and the amount of old stuff is mind-boggling. There's a general lack of anything downright awful and plenty of very good stuff. Some of the long-time contributors have apparently also been active in the creation of mods and involved with the original writing team of the game.
- Malleus Animorum, mentioned below, is also being posted here, or at least was. While I agree it's good, it can barely compete with many of the other stories there. Because they're just that good, too.
- A Cappella by Silrana. A Massive, and Complete, 325 chapter fic that goes through the entirety of BG2, Throne of Bhaal and well after it. Follows the Jaheira romance plot, but is in no way a shipping fic. Notable in that it manages to turn Anomen into an extremely likable character without really changing anything about the character (okay, maybe one thing). Read it here
- Bethphel's Diary by Leo. A complete fic that takes on Baldur's Gate I. Lyrical, beautiful, descriptive writing; at least a cameo from every single joinable character; a troubled protagonist on a redemption arc; and a delightful sense of time. Read it here or starting from here.
Just Out For A Walk, Part Two, by Reality-Helix
- Recommended by Inkfrost
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A short story about Xzar and Montaron that provides a pleasant fix to certain events of Baldur's Gate 2.
- Comments: The two Zhents are characterised rather on the fluffy side, but nonetheless it's an amusing, nicely written tale.
At Soul's Edge and Malleus Animorum
- Recommended by Fading Echo
- Status:
- At Soul's Edge: Complete
- Malleus Animorum: Dead
- Synopsis: An ongoing serial of the Baldur's Gate saga, with ASE covering the first game and the in-progress second installment covering the second game, that takes some liberties with the canon plot and characters in favor of a more realistic world and characters.
- Comments: This may be one of the best Baldur's Gate tales out there, despite-or perhaps because-of the author's open admission that he takes liberties with the canon material to produce a more compelling story. The first few installments of the first book do smack of immature writing, but the tale improves markedly once the author hits his stride, and the normally action-packed adventure of the games are slowed down in favor of intrigue and a great deal of philisophical discussion that manages to never hit an Author Filibuster. Given the nature of the game the story is based on, Shipping is inevitable, and the author has repeatedly dropped bridges on potential ship-mates. Also, the protagonist may be heading towards bisexuality, but so far it has been tastefully handled.
- It's worth noting that the author portrays a more complex and realistic world than the games do as well-in particular, the games' near-epic levels of the Bystander Syndrome are thrown out the window in favor of intelligent, capable, and resourceful allies-who nevertheless still require the protagonist's aid. A great deal of Alternate Character Interpretation is also present, most notably with Nalia so far.
- Very much better than it sounds, especially if you only skim over it and see that the protagonist is a psionic tiefling (human with fiendish blood) soulknife who later becomes a priestess-she is presented as a compelling, interesting character. To the author's credit, he has also publicly admitted she was originally a Sue, and has developed her in a very different direction.
- The part about being a tiefling could just have been dropped, as after the author decides that everyone shouldn't freak out at seeing her after all it becomes irrelevant. Well, at least considering that the protagonist is something like that anyway in this story even if they appear to be just a human or elf or whatever.
- I really didn't like it. The writing isn't very good at the start and it doesn't get much better. I didn't much like the characters and I thought they suffered from character derailment from their game personalities. Some of the in-jokes are funny until Fridge Logic sets in. However, the Hollywood Atheist-to-Priestess character arc is just awful. It comes out of nowhere and makes no sense. I don't like how the tiefling is extremely easily converted (Sorry. It's a pet peeve. I hate the Easy Evangelism trope and I hate how common it is in fantasy literature). Anyway, if you don't take violent dislike to this story because of a personal bias, this fanfic is OK. Not good. Certainly not great. Just OK. Honestly, you're better off replaying the games.
- This troper disagrees-the protagonist's Hollywood Atheist situation is expressly noted and discussed in the story (hint: pay attention to the characters talking about their views and philosophies), and the buildup to the Priestess arc is hinted at and alluded to quite a bit-it also very much fits the protagonist's nature, and is consistent with her personality. This troper also feels the Alternate Character Interpretation works for the tale-the author has expressly stated he isn't trying to follow the games precisely, and is going a different direction.
Tide of Destiny and Sowing Chaos
- Recommended by beetnemesis, seconded by Pykrete and Inkfrost
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Two complete novels of the Baldur's Gate tale, covering the second game and its expansion pack. A LOT of character interaction, while hitting many of the sidequests. The leading man is a snarky thief who progressively becomes more mature as he deals with the events of the games and the growing influence of Bhaal.
- Comments: The dialogue and character interaction are really what make this fic. Each has his or her own tone, and are very different from each other. Highly, highly recommended- amazingly better than the "official" novels in every possible way.
- Pykrete: Characters are kept very faithful to what we know they should be, though wiggle room is made for some genuine development that we didn't see in the game — and there are a ton of great moments between them. The fact that characters are given enough development that even Anomen turns out likable(!) should tell you how good the author is.
Grand Theft Cookies by Kellen
- Recommended by Neo Silver Thorn
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A short piece set pre-Baldur's Gate I. Imoen talks the PC into helping her steal cookies from the Candlekeep kitchens. Hilarity Ensues.
- Comments: It's told from the view of the game's player character, and said character is never named. Regardless of that quirk, it's still a very amusing story.
On the Subject of Gratefulness by Tami
- Recommended by Mr Valentine
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Separated from the Bhaalspawn's party during BG2, Viconia and Jaheira encounter a witch who collects the ghosts of her victims, and who curses the drow with a ghost of her own: Khalid.
- Comments: A nice little character piece, its biggest strength is the interaction between the two women.
Fury by Incanto
- Recommended by FurryFury, seconded by Inkfrost
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A young man finds himself hunted, marked for death by powerful enemies of whom he knows nothing...but the real threat may lie closer to home. A new take on the story of the game.
- Comments: The best Baldur's Gate fanfic This Troper has read. It's an AU of the first game with quite a few liberties taken in regards to the characters and the story (which is, arguably, a good thing for a video game fanfic - rehashing the same plot every time gets boring very fast), is very well written and sometimes bittersweet in tone.
- Heartily seconded. This is not a tedious blow by blow replay where the main character uses a wand of frost, followed by a charm spell, etc. Incanto knew to strip out the side quests and they pared down the narrative to its essentials. If BG and its fanfic are like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Incanto is like George RR Martin writing A Song of Ice and Fire, bringing to life a cast of flawed, well-drawn characters who are struggling to do their best in a crapsack world. There's a lot of heart and atmosphere. The villains are particularly well-done—I am in awe of how Incanto handled the mage Semaj and the cleric Neria. They imagined a beautiful and dramatic backstory for each of them, and I'm just so impressed at how they fleshed out two characters that had at most, one line of cheesy dialogue each in the original game. The hero is believably fragile and endearing. The emotional stakes are high. Fury is the most literary BG fic I've ever read, and if you're only going to read one, read this one. — zhezhijian
Bethphel's Diary by Leo
- Recommended by Inkfrost
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A young woman begins in Candlekeep. Her tattered, blood-stained diary tells a story...
- Comments: Lyrical, descriptive, and beautifully written. This novella is succinct and poetic, but encompasses all the main events of Baldur's Gate I. As a completed Baldur's Gate I fic, this is a must-read for fans of the first game. I don't think a single joinable character fails to make at least a cameo appearance, and the characterisation is all intriguing. There's also a great sense of passing time, and a full character arc for the troubled fighter protagonist. If the language reaches out and grabs you from the beginning, then you'll love this fic. It sustains the artistic, expressive mood all the way to its inexorable conclusion.
Tale of the Bhaalspawn by Captain Incredible
- Recommended by Jeffcole 1
- Pairing: PC/Jaheira
- Synopsis: a long and well-written novelization of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, with the main character being a half-elf sorcerer named Greywulf. From great characterization of everyone from Minsc to Irenicus, to awesome fight scenes, to the growing attraction between Greywulf and Jaheira over the course of the story, this is a fic well worth reading.
- Status: Complete at 104 chapters. A Throne of Bhaal-based sequel, Wars of the Bhaalspawn, is in progress, currently at 20 chapters.
Mere Glimmering and Decay by Blue-Inked Frost
- Recommended by Cannibalistic Skittles
- Status: Complete
- Pairing: PC/Xzar
- Synopsis: An interesting take at a PC who tries to figure out what really goes on inside the necromancers head on top of everything.
Romancing the Bhaalspawn by Sings-off-key
- Recommended by rehberre
- Pairing: PC / Battle Harem
- Synopsis: A quick, humorous piece that answers the question: "What happens when a female PC is playing with a bunch of romance mods all at once?" Involved parties are a Ditzy Genius female PC, Xan, Solaufein, Valygar, Haer'Dalis, a badly friend-zoned Anomen, and Sarevok, accompanied by some Deadpan Snarker moments from Imoen.
- Status: Complete, one-shot
The Tales of Jon Irenicus by Blackbɨrd
- Recommended by Shelv
- Pairing: Irenicus/Neera
- Synopsis: Within the city of Athkatla, Jon Irenicus faces tragedy, bloodshed and romance. In a desperate race to restore his soul, the scarred wizard must also deal with his powerful ambitions to become a god. Based on Baldur’s Gate II, the original game’s plot is reimagined and rewritten. He also romances Neera. High quality writing and a interesting take on the Baldur's Gate 2 saga with a few twists along the way!
- Status: Complete. 14 Chapters/Parts.
