With this book, Salvatore returns to one of his most popular creations: the drow ranger, Drizzt Do'Urden. THE LEGACY takes place several months after the end of THE ICEWIND DALE TRILOGY (THE CRYSTAL SHARD, STREAMS OF SILVER, and THE HALFING'S GEM). While it's not necessary, I highly recommend that you read that, as well as its prequel DARK ELF TRILOGY (HOMELAND, EXILE, and SOUJOURN), before you pick this book up. These two trilogies introduce the characters and places that THE LEGACY focuses on. If you haven't read them, you will still be able to enjoy the story, but you won't be able to pick up on a lot of the nuances and references to past history that makes the story so rich in detail. Two things that Salvatore is brilliant at: characterization and battle scenes. Drizzt has got to be one of the most interesting, three dimensional characters in all of fantasy. He is passionate, caring, and introspective. It is a joy just to read his philosophizing on how he lives his life. The supporting characters are all individualized with their own quirks and passions. The interactions among them are at times a joy to read and, at other times, very frustrating, mainly because we come to care for them. Salvatore's fight scenes are probably the best I've ever read. His description, though detailed, his very fast paced. Every time I read one, my heart races and my hands shake. It is pure brilliance and this book is no different, except for the fact that there are more battles in this book than in any two of the previous books. If you are a Salvatore or a Drizzt fan, you're going to love this book. If you haven't read any of the Drizzt books I mentioned above, I suggest you start there so you can get the full appreciation for this one.