This rating is based upon my reaction the first time I read it, many years ago.

With the reread, it's 4 stars. ( )

I can't. I'm sorry, I just can't get into books like this. I started reading this book at the suggestion of my husband but I just can't. I like fantasy fiction but I'm a bit picky about this particular genre because I can't get into books like this. The names of people and places are ridiculously hard to pronounce (even just in your head), the scenes & stories are typical cliche's and it is extremely difficult for me to get into the story at all. Its just not for me.
However I'm sure someone that enjoys high fantasy such as World of Warcraft and Dungeons and Dragons on a frequent basis would really enjoy these books. Would definitely recommend to someone fitting this description. ( )

Keeps you on the edge of your seat. ( )

RA Salvatore can write entertaining stories, and I'd recommend all of his Drizzt books through to the ones he hasn't yet written.

With that said, if you own the books yourselves I'd recommend when you get to each new section heading and Drizzt writes an op-ed essay in the first person in the italic text, just do yourself a favor and rip those pages out of the book entirely. Pretend they don't exist.

I think RA Salvatore falls into the trap of role playing Drizzt and expressing ideas he believes Drizzt believes, but doesn't believe to be true himself. That or his worldview needs more critical thinking. Most of the ideas expressed in Drizzt's essays are lazy, and the ideas that don't seem as lazy would be torn up with quick rebuttals if reposted in any messageboard anywhere. All those years ago when I read the first several books, the early essays didn't grate on me so much, and on rereading the series recently, they weren't so bad. So clearly RA Salvatore is getting lazier as he writes more books.

Whatever the reason, the Drizzt essays actively aggravate me. But they're only a small section of each book, and you can skip them without losing any of the plot, so it's no big deal.

Anyway the action is worth it. The books are entertaining and I'd recommend them, so long as you a) skip the truly terrible essays/op-eds at the beginning of each section, and b) take a D&D campaign view of the plot which explains a lot of unexplainable events and meaningless character deaths.

Basically just go with it and you'll enjoy yourself. ( )

One of the best AD&D (Dungeons and Dragons) fantasy trilogies. This series introduces the Drow ranger, Drizz't and his companions Bruenor the dwarf, Wulfgar the human barbarian, Regis the halfling and Catti-brie the fighter. One of the things that makes this series stand out is Salvatore's treatment of dwarves and drow elves, expanding on the limited scope of them in D&D fantasy and giving both races some real depth. (pun intended). ( )