Posts Tagged ‘R A Salvatore’
Neverwinter by R A Salvatore
With the last of his trusted companions having fallen, Drizzt is alone–and free–for the first time in almost a hundred years. Guilt mingles with relief, leaving Drizzt uniquely vulnerable to the persuasions of his newest companion–Dahlia, a darkly alluring elf and the only other member of their party to survive the cataclysm at Mount Hotenow. But traveling with Dahlia is challenging in more ways than one. As the two companions seek revenge on the one responsible for leveling Neverwinter–and nearly Luskan as well–Drizzt finds his usual moral certainty swept away by her unconventional views. Forced to see the dark deeds that the common man may be driven to by circumstance, Drizzt begins to find himself on the wrong side of the law in an effort to protect those the law has failed. Making new enemies, as his old enemies acquire deadly allies, Drizzt and Dahlia quickly find themselves embroiled in battle–a state he’s coming to enjoy a little too much. (From Amazon.ca)
It’s best if you read Gauntlgrym before diving into this one. Lots of events are referenced to the previous book and the story is continuous.
Again, this book does not disappoint the typical Drizzt fan. I really like how his character is developing so far. There are moments throughout the book where I too, feel the loss of his previous closest friends but yet these new experiences Dahlia is introducing to him is also welcoming.
I really am liking Dahlia as a character. In a sense, it’s nice to read how both her and Drizzt are bringing out these changes within each other as they’re both different in personality and very different on their views and opinions. I also have to admit I also like the romantic tension between them, it was inevitable and although she’s definitely not as fun loving as Cattie-Brie, but there’s something very likable in Dahlia. The way she fights, her sly sneaky ways, and who can not comment about her sultry vampy qualities as well?
The plot in this book was well done. There’s a lot of intrigue and backroom planning and plotting. I really enjoyed the story with Barrabus the Gray. I wasn’t expecting that little twist but it was really fun to read! The other story arc, with Sylora Salm was also really good and the ending as usual with R A Salvatore, is fantastic and makes you want to read the next book in the series.
The action scenes in this book is the same, but as always, it’s wonderful to read and can be easily pictured. Salvatore’s writing doesn’t change but his characters do – and that’s a great thing. I loved the ending it does leave room for more questions but now it seems Drizzt will be on another adventure to help an ‘old friend’ out.
Definitely recommended for Drizzt fans. The plot in this series just keeps getting better and better. Everything is changing, but I think it’s for the better in this series. Let’s hope it never stops!
I give it a 9 out of 10
Gauntlgrym by R A Salvatore
Drizzt joins Bruenor on his quest for the fabled dwarven kingdom of Gauntlgrym: ruins said to be rich with ancient treasure and arcane lore. But before they even get close, another drow and dwarf pair stumbles across it first: Jarlaxle and Athrogate. In their search for treasure and magic, Jarlaxle and Athrogate inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to lure even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop it on their own. They’ll need help, and from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor. (From Amazon.ca)
Drizzt fighting? check. World run amok? check. Another story plot where lots of changes are going to happen? check. Yet another book that will please the majority of Drizzt fans all over the world. The last trilogy (Transitions) was one that took me a while to get used to. It could have been because of the drastic changes happening to Drizzt, or it could have been the writing style (I found some parts to be extremely slow) but Gauntlgrym calmed my fears and woes. I could not put down this book while I was reading it.
The plot was most definitely a good read and as exciting as I thought it would be. The action is consistent with all of Salvatore’s novels and I’m glad that has not changed. Drizzt has changed, whether for better or for worse we’re still not sure. His development as a character is still wonderful to read and it’s always amazing to see him develop – especially when you think he’s already reached his limit (or maybe he has?) The pace was definitely faster than most of Salvatore’s novels – yet that could be because I was just so engrossed with the overall plot and how the story was going.
Again, as usual it’s always nice to see other beloved characters from Salvatore’s other works to make an appearance. I’ve always enjoyed (and squeed) when Valas Hune came along as he’s one of my favorite characters outside of Drizzt and his circle of friends also to note, Gromph also appears as well (another squee came from me when I read this part). So seeing a cameo appearance from him was nice to see in this book. There are new characters to add, and Dahlia of course, is the most fascinating one of all. I liked her personality and she was a strong character that could possibly be a potential fighting companion to fight alongside Drizzt, they did seem to fight along really well together. I am really looking forward to reading more about her, as she seems to be a great idea for yet another plot for Drizzt to deal with.
Drizzt fans will be happy with this book. It opens up quite a few possibilities for Drizzt to explore, and with a new set of characters there’s a lot more in store for him. There are also quite a few changes, and although it was sad to see some of the other characters go, I am hoping the new ones will keep Drizzt adventures going for yet another fantastic round. Fans will love this one, and newbies should read the entire Drizzt saga from the beginning in order to fully appreciate it. I can’t wait for the next book!
I give it a 10 out of 10.
Review of The Ghost King
I’ve been a fan of R A Salvatore’s work for a long time. Drizzt Do’Urden is still one of my favorite fantasy heroes. I haven’t read the beginning of his adventures (however I have them and are ready to be read at any given time). However if you have never read these books before, you might want to, as they do backtrack a little but, it’s not entirely necessary. It does help but you can get by without being confused. The first and second book of this series aren’t really related so reading this book as a stand-alone is all right. (But why would you want to do that when you should start with the first one?) 
In the Ghost King, the land of Faerun is set with the Spellplague, a chaotic time where magic has gone mad and unreliable. The undead walk in hordes, and other dark evil creatures also are set upon the land. A battle in which Drizzt thought was won has again resurfaced, this time, much more stronger and allied with other older evils also thought to be destroyed. With the help of his friends, and other unlikely allies, Drizzt will have another battle to fight. A battle that could have very serious consequences in the end.
Of the three books featured in this Transitions series, I liked this one the most. The Orc King was all right (let’s not talk about The Pirate King) but I preferred this one. This one had a lot more character development, and plenty of battle scenes to keep the plot interesting, plus it feels as if all hell is breaking loose. What more could you want? I actually rather liked the concept of the undead horde rising, magic running amok, basically the world going to shreds which kept me interested in the book (the last two were a bit on the dry side, this one made up for it entirely.) Fans of Drizzt and his friends would be glad to see the usual cast of characters, and also including Cadderly and his family (whom I am not familiar with, but will soon be once I pick those books up). There is also the return of Jarlaxle, and some cameo appearances of other characters from other Forgotten Realms books – which is nice to see and makes Faerun a much “smaller world” if you get my meaning. Who I was very excited to see was Valas Hune (who is mostly in the War of the Spider Queen series) even though it was only a cameo appearance.
The plot was good, with plenty of fighting action that is standard in these Forgotten Realms novels. What’s really nice to see is Drizzt developing as a character throughout the book. Also what I enjoyed was seeing a different side of Jarlaxle (the one that’s not so selfish and always wanting something in return). I think both of these characters developed in some way or another. A word of warning however, there will be some fans that might be sad and dissapointed with the ending of this book. It does leave a lot in the open so naturally we can only look forward to more Drizzt and of his friends.
Despite the ending, I was satisfied with how this series ended. It leaves me wanting more and leaves me with a lot of questions unanswered. Fighting was standard, and although there were a few scenes where I wished the story would move along a bit faster, everything else about the book was good. Definitely recommended for Drizzt fans everywhere. Those that have just started with the series though, it’s a good idea to just read the past books for a little background information as it might help you understand what’s happening a bit more clearly. I haven’t read all of them but it was enough information for me to get by. I’m sure if I actually completely read the entire Drizzt series it would be one hundred percent more clearer.
Overall a great book for the Drizzt fans.Fantasy lovers might want to start with The Crystal Shard or Homeland both also by Salvatore.
I give it an 8 out of 10.
