[Mithfânion]

Light fluff like Lackey's Valdemar books and Eddings's books or more interesting, inspired Fantasy?

I've always put it off because I generally don't go for Forgotten Realms stuff. Having said that, this does seem to be the best thing out there where FR or D&D is concerned (rivaled by Dragonlance), so may be worth a try.

What's Drizzt like? Is the representation of him on the covers adequate or is it, as so often, no indication at all? Is he the white-haired, scimitar wielding bloke? What's the black tiger doing there, also related to him?

How is the magic handled. Not fireballs is it?

[Rob B]

Light fantasy, IMHO, a bit below Weis/Hickman's DragonLance. I read Icewind Dale by the same author VERY QUICKLY. I read it partly because I got the Computer Game and wanted to give it a try. I wasn't expecting all that much so I guess I was pleasantly surprised. Salvatore does do fights and action pretty good though.

One MAJOR complaint though, in the Hardcover omnibus of Icewind Dale there are an unnaceptable, inordinate amount of typos considering the books have been around for a while and Wizards of the Coast is a fairly large publisher.

Word is that Salvatore's novelization of STAR WARS EPISODE II: Attack of the Clones is very good.

[jbcohen]

ok, I will tell you what I know. I have asked this question on the Forgotten Realms discussion page and have never gotten a straight answer. The best I have been able to find out is that the images that you see of him on book covers is very accurate. Anyhow, here is a link to where you can find the Forgotten Realms discussion site, http://boards.wizards.com.

[Corwwyn]

I've been too-ing and fro-ing on reading the Dark Elf Trilogy myself.

Firstly I feel I must state I like Dragonlance and related books. No, really. I find them soft, strong, and highly absorbent. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

Another way to put it is when Dragonlance is mentioned I tend to want to run away...very fast. Forgotten Realms in general has a lesser, yet similar effect on me...at least whenever Elmunster is mentioned.

However, a LOT of people seem to like the character Drizz't quite a lot, and that he is shock both competent and affable, so I'm thinking maybe I should put my preconceptions aside and have a shot at it.

...Especially since it's by R A Salvatore rather than Weis/Hackman & Co.

[SusF]

The covers are so very ugly. Don't go by them. The panther is a shadow-beast that can be called from a figurine. Drizzt picks him up in the first book of the first series.

Drizzt is black-skinned, white haired with lavender eyes. He wields two scimitars and is trained as a ranger. He was born a dark evf but is not evil by inclinationa and at the end of the first book, leaves his home city. It is interesting to read about the dark elf culture in the first trilogy.

The Icewind Dale trilogy (which comes next) was the first written. They are strictly adventure stories, and really pretty good. You don't go reading Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance looking for deep meaning, but they are nonetheless entertaining. Good enough, I say! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Susan

[Mithfânion]

Susan, thanks! That was the sort of description I was looking for http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm suddenly thinking that Drizz't must look an awful lot like Anomander Rake from Erikson's Malazan book of the Fallen, who is white-haired, black-skinned and carries a mean sword, aside from being able to transform into a dragon.

Or even Elric of Melnibone...

Corwwyn, I know what you're feeling.
So many people seem to enjoy this character that it must be above average. Perhaps a slightly flawed reasoning but I'm hopeful.

Fitz, do you know when Attack of the Clones is supposed to be released. I thought the first book by Terry Brooks was also quite good and I would expect even more of Salvatore.

When you read some reviews on Amazon, for Icewind Dale, you'll notice that a couple of folks have pointed out the enormous amount of typo's. I cannot believe a publisher can be so sloppy with such expensive books.

[Warewolf]

Mith,

Just thought I'd weigh in with my 2 cents worth. Salvatore is a brilliant author. Although I enjoyed the Icewind Dale Trilogy more than the Dark Elf Trilogy, they were both very good (not to mention the books that come after). His characters are engaging, especially Drizzt. He is a complex character, a bit tragic, and just a joy to read. In a lot of the books, we are exposed to his writing in a diary and his analysis of the irony of his being a drow, but not espousing any of their beliefs. Very well written stuff. And don't get me started on his swordfights...these are the stuff of legend. He balances the fast pace with just the right amount of description so that the reader feels the adrenalin and tension of the fighters. I'd be very surprised if you read these books and didn't at least enjoy them. You might not think they were some of the greatest books around, but you will still like them.

[saintjon]

I've been those books for a long time, so I have a lot to say.
First of all, if you ask me, the cover for the Crystal Shard is the best representation of Drizzt. The cover for the newest one, Sea of Swords is a close second (though that artist could do with just a scoshe more technical skill). The covers from The Legacy to Passage to Dawn are pure filth. Pure. Filth. Especially the ones where he looks like an old white guy (hasn't this artist ever read a desciption of an elf?).
For the record, the black tiger thing is a panther from the astral plane named Guen'hwyvar, is Drizzt's best friend in the whole wide world and it was established in the later books that Guen is a she.
Lots of soulful stuff in the Dark Elf trilogy but I don't think Salvatore reached full bloom in this regard until recently writing of Wulfgar's struggle for redemption and Entreri's battle against the onset of age and apathy. I'm gonna go against popular opinion though and say I think The Demonwars trilogy was a more well-told, moving story. I think too, after reading Sea of Swords that I've read enough Drizzt. I'm satisfied with where things ended in that book and don't feel a need to know more. (I thought I was free before but that was before someone told me what happens in Passage to Dawn) Anyhoo, I wouldn't call it light fluff by any means, there's some rousing adventure in those books and good characters to boot.

[lukaspriest]

I've been tossing aroundl the idea of reading Icewind Dale and Darkelf...can anyone tell me what series comes first? As in, the proper reading order of these two trilogies? Thanks.

[saintjon]

Dark Elf trilogy takes place first but was actually written after the Icewind Dale trilogy.