BG1 and BG2 remain my favorite PC games, by far. I've done enough homework that I'm not expecting BG3 to be a true continuation from the PC games, so I'm wondering how to best catch myself up to date to it's current setting? I haven't played tabletop D&D in decades (2nd Ed.). I've read the Baldur's Gate novels and it's my understanding that the novels are considered cannon lore above the PC games. While I'm downloading BG3 EA, what basic reading material should I catch up in to familiarize myself with the new setting?
If you want to be up to date with the setting and assuming you already have the grey box from AD&D you need to check out the third and 4th edition Forgotten Realms setting books and the 5th edition Sword Coast Book. But in short all you need to know is BG3 happens more than 100 years after BG2, the original Bhaalspawn is dead so that Bhaal cold be reborn (he's back), there was a calamity in the past 100 years that caused magic to go crazy but it's been recently solved. The Sword Coast is still basically the same although a lot of humans have obviously died in the 100 years time skip between the second and third game. Ah, yes, Minsc and Boo are still alive (due to a petrification effect recently dispelled).
^This. Sadly WotC has not published a 5e FR campaign/player's guide, so for the 5e part of Realms history you have to get it piecemeal from various places.
3.5e: FR Campaign Setting; Player's Guide to Faerun (2 books)
4e: FR Campaign Guide; FR Player's Guide (2 books)
There is also The Grand History of the Realms, written by Ed Greenwood, which is just awesome for FR history.
