Night of the Hunter by R. A. Salvatore

In The Companions R. A. Salvatore brought Drizzt’s old friends The Companions of the Hall back to life. He did this in an amazing original way. Our heroes were not simply resurrected, instead they were given the chance to come back as newborn children. When they were born they had all of their memories of their past life and were fully conscious of this from the moment of birth. The book followed the first twenty-one years of the new lives of Cattie-Brie, Bruennor, and Regis as they grow and develop in their new personas. Each of them faces challenges and each of them grows in understanding as they prepare to meet again in Icewind Dale to stand beside their friend Drizzt.

Night of the Hunter picks up where both The Companions and The Last Threshold end. Readers of Salvatore’s Drizzt books know that he likes keeping a lot of different plot strands going at once. In Night of the Hunter this tendency is taken to the limit. There are at least four main plot lines going throughout the book. There are several other minor ones as well and they all touch, move on, bump in to another, and ricochet off that I felt at times like I needed to keep a score card to keep up with every character and plot happening around me. We follow more intrigues of Menzoberranzan as the Baenre family seeks to increase it’s powerful hold on the city. These intrigues include the new Drow city of Q’Xorlarrin that is being constructed in the ancient dwarven city of Gauntlgrym. Add to that the continuing story of Drizzt and his new friends, and the more recent companions of Drizzt and you have quite the story.

The primary story line follows Drizzt and the Companions as they work their way back to Gauntlygrim. Their mission their is to find their old friend Thibbledorf Pwent who has been turned into a vampire. They want to find a way to put him to rest. It is great to watch the old companions adventure together once again. At the end of The Companions we see that Wulfgar chose to join them as well. For the first time we get a happy Wulfgar. The barbarian lived a life torn by conflicting duties in his first life. Now he is back for the adventure. He plans to live life to the fullest. Regis has also changed and is anxious this time around to be a full member of the companionship, not just a tag along. Cattie-Brie is now the wisest of the team. Her communion with the godess Mielikki has imparted a lot of knowledge and understanding. Bruennor is driven as never before to bring his people together. Drizzt seems a bit overwhelmed, first at the return of his companions from beyond the grave, then with the new dynamics that this team represents. Along the way he will have to face some uncomfortable truths.

If I have one complaint about this book it is that it is too short. I see that Salvatore has a lot that he wants to do with this new story. In many ways Night of the Hunter feels incomplete. It feels like there is a lot of setup for the next book or two. In that sense the book feels incomplete. That doesn’t diminish this volume at all. It is a great new chapter in the Drizzt saga. 

Over the years Salvatore has stood out in the fantasy genre with his abilities to grow and mature his characters. I’ve often been amazed at the emotional depth found in these stories that are on the surface simple sword and sorcery adventure novels. As he embarks on a strange and wonderful new adventure this skill is still there. Night of the Hunter is first and foremost a fun book. Salvatore manages the multiple plot lines with his usual skill. The fight scenes, one of Salvatore’s hallmarks are brilliant as always. His ability to include plot lines that contain everything from great political intrigues that may well change the world, to the emotional trauma of a single character caught up in that change keeps the story fresh and intriguing. Salvatore’s books are rarely ever slow and this volume keeps the pace moving. You find yourself flying through the book and at the end you are amazed that he is able to pack so much story into less than four hundred pages.

I received a free e-book copy of this volume for reviewing purposes. One way that I know I love a book is that immediately upon finishing the free e-book I pre-order the hardcover edition. I have limited space for books on my shelves so I only buy physical versions of books that I want to keep and read over and over again. This book lans in that category. Let me encourage every reader of the Drizzt saga to buy this book. If you have never read Salvatore’s Drizzt books then let me encourage you to start. This is some of the best fantasy writing out there.

Streams of Silver by R. A. Salvatore

In the aftermath of the battle against the wizard Akar Kessel and the Crystal Shard Drizzt, Bruenor, and Wulfgar decide to go on a search for the great dwarven realm of Mithral Hall. Bruenor is the rightful king, but his people had been driven from the Hall and the path has been forgotten. They are joined by Regis who seems to be in a strange hurry to join in an adventure. In the meantime Cattie-Brie is kidnapped by a new nemesis, Artemis Entreri. Entreri is hunting Regis and intends to have him. The travelers face many adventures. Catti-Brie finally escapes and warns them about Entreri. Together they continue the search for the famed dwarven halls. The search takes them through a number of adventures and they meet new friends along the way.

An important theme running through this story is the treatment of Drizzt. As a Drow (dark elf) he is feared and hated. He understands this because of the well known viciousness of his people, but it still hurts him at times. More than that his friends truly experience this hatred and have little patience for it. This helps to cement their bond as a group.

The Last Threshold by R. A. Salvatore

The Last Threshold is the newest novel in R. A. Salvatore’s Drizzt series. So much has happened in these novels since Salvatore first introduced Drizzt and his companions. In The Ghost King and Gauntlgrym Drizzt lost his companions of many years. Over the last two novels he has built up a new group of friends. At the end of Charon’s Claw Dahlia had her revenge against Herzgo Alegni. She was struck by an even more profound discovery. The misshapen tiefling wizard Effron is the son that she thought she killed by throwing him off a cliff as a baby. Artemis Entreri thought that the destruction of Charon’s Claw would end in his death. It did not. Now these two join Drizzt on a new journey. Neither have any real place to go. Joining them is Ambergris, the dwarven cleric who had embedded herself as a spy in the Shadovar mercenary team Cavus Dun. She has brought with her another refugee from the mercenary band, a young monk named Afafrenfere.

Drizzt decides to give the group a purpose, so he travels to the city of Port Llast which is under attack from evil sea creatures. Will Drizzt be able to reform this ragtag group? Most of these companions have only lived for themselves and have been killers and thieves. To secure the safety of Port Llast Drizzt will have to work with the Ship Lords of Luskan. There are many more wheels turning in this story. Tiago Baenre seeks to kill Drizzt to cement his own fame. Drayo Quick has taken Guenhwyvar prisoner and is now able to spy on Drizzt and his companions through her eyes. Effron wants to track down Dahlia and make her pay for what she did to him. Wound up in all of this is the drow mercenary band Bregan D’aerthe.

The Last Threshold nicely wraps up the Neverwinter Saga with a lot of surprises and some beautiful story telling. The end of the novel was very unexpected. There is a major new event coming to the Forgotten Realms starting this summer. The first novel is a Drizzt novel. I have no idea what Salvatore is planning, but I can’t wait to read it. It is amazing to me that after twenty-three novels Salvatore still manages to keep the Drizzt stories exciting, entertaining, and thoughtful. 

Charon's Claw by R. A. Salvatore

Charon’s Claw takes Drizzt to new challenges as he tries to deal with all of the events that have been swirling through the Neverwinter Saga. The Thayan forces have been pushed back by the death of Sylora Salm. At the end of Neverwinter Dahlia learned that Herzgo Alegni was alive and in control of Neverwinter. She sets out for the city to claim her revenge on the warlord who murdered her family and raped her. Drizzt does not know the reason for Dahlia’s hatred, but he follows along reluctantly. Barrabus the Grey was revealed to be Drizzt’s old nemesis Artemis Entreri. Entreri joins them in their move against Alegni even though he knows that it could spell his own long overdue death.

In another thread of the story the drow of Menzoberranzan are on the move. House Xorlarrin sends out an expedition to locate the Dwarven city of Gauntlgrym. Their goal is to create a new drow city from the ruins of the ancient homeland of the dwarves. As always with the drow there is much intrigue.

Drizzt, Dahlia, and Entreri must defeat Alegni, take Charon’s Claw, the sentient sword that allows him to enslave Entreri, and destroy the blade. Entreri believes that the destruction of the blade will end his own life, but he is willing to pay that price to be free of Alegni. Drizzt knows that the only fire that will be able to destroy such an artifact as Charon’s Claw is the primordial flame in Gauntlgrym. 

Drizzt goes through a lot of emotional growth in this story. He is troubled by the bond he sees developing between Dahlia and Entreri. Their common hatred for Alegni binds them together in a way that Drizzt does not understand. Before all is over the companions will have learned things about their foes and themselves that will leave them shaken. I wish I could share with you the interesting thrill that occurs on the last page of the book.

Salvatore has, for over twenty years, proven himself to be a master of sword and sorcery style fantasy books. You should always expect to see fights that leave you on the edge of your seat. What I love about Salvatore is how he has grown as an author over time. Charon’s Claw is another great book from a master writer.

Neverwinter by R. A. Salvatore (Neverwinter Book II)

Neverwinter, the second book in R. A. Salvatore’s Neverwinter series, picks up where Gauntlgrym left off. The last of Drizzt’s old companions are gone. King Bruenor fell in battle as he worked to stave off another great cataclysm. Now for the first time in a century Drizzt is free. He is no longer tied down by anyone. Now he is traveling with the deadly female elf warrior Dahlia. First they travel to Waterdeep to try and find some trace of Jarlaxle. While they are unable to locate the mercenary Drow they are able to run into a great deal of trouble. Old enemies of Dahlia attack them and they are forced from the city. Next they travel to the woods outside Neverwinter. Here they have come to do battle against the evil Sylora Salm. Before the novel is over Drizzt and Dahlia will be forced to deal with Sylora, the lich Valindra Shadowmantle, who is slowly regaining her sanity, and they will have to deal with the killer known as Barrabus. Meanwhile Barrabus is operating in Neverwinter. A great secret will be revealed concerning this mysterious killer.

Neverwinter is a good book. It is a major step for Drizzt. Now that he is free of his friends, and dealing in a world that is descending deeper in to chaos Drizzt needs more than ever to find something good to cling to. He will be hard pressed to find the goodness in Dahlia. She is constantly pushing him to let loose. The battle of ideas is Drizzt’s idealism against Dahlia’s pragmatic view. There is a lot of new thematic material appearing here. Drizzt is growing and being challenged. How will he cope with this new world and will he stand strong or give in to the ways of the world. All of that and so much more in this amazing fantasy novel. As always, lot of action and adventure in the Forgotten Realms.

The Pirate King by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

The city of Luskan has long been known as a rough port town. The city is run behind the scenes by a rivalry between the five high captains and the great wizards of the Hosttower. This balance of power has become unstable as on of the high captains seeks to increase his power. At the same time the head of the Hosttower is an evil lich who seeks to gain more power as well. The battle for Luskan is then joined by those in Waterdeep who seek to bring order to their neighbor to the north. They recruit the noble pirate chaser Captain Deudermont to aid them.

Drizzt and Regis have left Mithril Hall to search for Wulfgar. They want to find out what fate has come to their friend. They pass through Luskan on the way north and see the shape of the city. When they return they are caught up in the battle for Luskan. The fate of many will be decided not by honor on the battlefield, but by intrigue and manipulation. Many good men will die in this cause. The question that everyone will ask in the end: was it worth it?

This is the second book in the Transitions Trilogy. This is the darkest cycle in the Legend of Drizzt saga. As always the battle scenes are intense and well written. Salvatore is doing something different. With every novel he seems to grow as a writer. This book takes the passion, the adventure, and the heartbreak to a whole level. The story of the Companions is winding down and as painful as it is he is taking on this process with amazing skill.

The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

The war between the orcs and the dwarves has ended in an uneasy truce. Both sides think that it can’t last. Obould wants to build a new kingdom, a kingdom for orcs. He sees a chance to create a kingdom like other races, to build cities, to engage in trade. This is not in the orcish tradition. Many of his followers are waiting for the war to start again. The dwarves do not trust the orcs. Orcish nature is to kill and plunder. Some of Obould’s closest advisors are working against him in the shadows. They send for a clan of half-orcs half-ogres to see if they can push Obould into a fight with the dwarves.

In the meantime Wulfgar and Catti-Brie set out to find Wulfgar’s adopted daughter. His wife, alone and afraid, fell under the spell of the sentient sword Khazid’hea. She handed their daughter over to a refugee and headed out, only to be slain by orcs. Now Wulfgar wants his daughter back. After finding her he leaves Catti-Brie to journey back to the north. He needs to discover his place in the world.

Bruenor is unhappy with an orc horde at his door. More than that he wants to find the ancient dwarven city of Gauntlgrym. He believes that he may have seen it at an earlier time just before the orc war started. With Drizzt, Regis, Pwent, and others he travels to the location. There he finds not what he is looking for, but simply more puzzles.

The stage is set, can Obould control his unruly horde? Will Wulfgar find his way home? Will the truce end? What can Regis learn from the scrolls taken from the buried city? These are the questions that have to be answered. The ending is quite surprising as Salvatore takes a major step in the development of his characters. A lot of great story telling and a lot of groundbreaking work. Salvatore hits it out of the park again.

The Two Swords by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

The dwarves of Mithril Hall are still besieged. Somehow their king Bruenor Battlehammer has returned from them. All thought that he had gone to the halls of his fathers even though the clerics had kept his body going. Somehow Regis had been able to reach inside and pull him out again. Now Bruenor is leading the dwarves once again. Reinforcements are on their way. The orc horde of Obould still holds strong. Obould is now believed to be possessed with the powers of the orcish god. Meanwhile outside of Mithril Hall Drizzt continues his personal war against the orcs. Still believing his friends slain he fights with no other purpose than revenge. He has joined with the Moonwood elf Innovindil as they seek to avenge the death of her lover. In addition to helping Drizzt fight the orcs she also teaches him that he must learn to live his life in short spans when dealing with friends of the lesser races. If he refuses to live and love then he will always be alone. The pain of loss will come, but that is offset by the joy of living.

This novel has some great parts. The ending really isn’t an ending, it’s more of a setup for the next trilogy. The important part of this book is Drizzt finally learning to come to grips with his own emotions. There is love, loss, heroism and heartbreak in this volume of the Legacy of Drizzt. It is more high action from the king of Sword and Sorcery fantasy.

The Lone Drow by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

The orcs of the mountains have come down in force. Led by the chieftain Obould Many-Arrows they have swept all before them. The dwarves have been pushed back to a defensive position. Obould is like no other orc chieftain before. His goal is not plunder, but instead he seeks to establish a kingdom. In Mithril Hall King Bruenor Battlehammer lies at death’s door. Regis has been named regent. Catti-Brie and Wulfgar fight at the defensive lines hoping that something will bring them victory. Help comes from many places. The Bouldershoulder brothers Ivan and Pikel have joined the fight. Dwarves from all over begin to stream to the aid of Mithril Hall. The orcs seem to be a vast horde and the only hope lies in the natural tendency of orcs to turn on each other. Drizzt meanwhile is outside. Still believing his friends slain he seeks to kill as many orcs as possible. Two elves of Moonwood try to befriend him, but he keeps them at arms length. Slowly Drizzt is once again becoming the Hunter. The Hunter was the persona that he became during his years alone in the Underdark. As the Hunter he lives to slay the dark things, he feels nothing. 

The Thousand Orcs by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

The Companions of the Hall are together again. The call has come to Bruenor. It is time for him to return to Mithril Hall and take up the kingship. So the companions set out for the great city of the dwarves. Along the way they encounter hostile forces, but they seem to treat the entire trip as a light adventure. Unknown to them a new force is rising. The orc chieftain Obould is raising the tribes living in the Spine of the World. They are moving out in force. Obould is no ordinary chieftain. He has bigger aim in mind. He will come to see himself as the founder of a new nation.

The orc forces encounter the Companions and their Dwarven guard in a town. The defense of the city seems hopeless. Drizzt goes out to fight the frost giants who are helping the orcs. In the battle he is swept from his friends. He believes that they are all slain. Now the Hunter has returned. Drizzt lives only to slay more orcs, but what can he do against a host this mighty? 

Sea of Swords by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

With Sea of Swords Salvatore returns to the story of Drizzt and his companions. Drizzt, Catti-Brie, Regis, and Bruenor have returned to Icewind Dale. They still miss Wulfgar, but have found other things to occupy them. While Bruenor has reopened his old mines Regis has once again made his way to the Council. Drizzt and Catti-Brie have taken up hunting the bandits that are plaguing the caravans from Icewind Dale to Luskan. After defeating one of the bandit groups they capture a bandit who has a brand on her shoulder. They recognize the brand as having been made by Wulfgar’s hammer Aegis-Fang. The companions decide that it is time to find their missing friend. 

Meanwhile Wulfgar has taken up with the famed pirate hunter Captain Deudermont. Together they are searching for the female pirate captain Sheila-Kree. Wulfgar has learned that she is the one who has Aegis-Fang. Even though he has worked through many of his problems Wulfgar is still not in control of his rage in battle. This causes problems as he tends to put his comrades in danger in battle.

How will the companions finally meet up with each other? Will they be able to defeat this pirate captain? Who is this elf warrior Le’lorinel who seems to have no greater desire in the world than the death of Drizzt? Why this intense hatred for one he has never known? All off these questions are answered amidst the action and adventure that one expects from a Drizzt novel.

Spine of the World by R. A. Salvatore

Spine of the World picks up the story of Wulfgar from The Silent Blade. Broken in spirit by his many years as a prisoner of the demon Errtu, Wulfgar has left his friends and become a bouncer at a bar known as the Cutlass in the city of Luskan. He has found that the only way to drown the pain is to drink. At night he drinks and fights and drinks some more. His new companion is an unsavory character known as Morik the Rogue. Before the book ends Wulfgar will have plunged to the very depth of his soul. He will dig himself out and begin the process of trying to find himself again.

The is the first of the novels to focus on one of Drizzt’s companions other than the drow ranger. Salvatore gives a fascinating look at the character of Wulfgar and what it means for a man to try and find redemption and to find his sanity again after losing everything and going through unspeakable tortures. Wulfgar’s journeys take him from Luskan to the Spine of the World. The greatest journey though is the one within. How does the nobel barbarian finally find his way back? For that you have to read this difficult, but excellent book.

The Silent Blade by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

At the end of Passage to Dawn it was discovered that Wulfgar was not dead. Instead he had been held prisoner for many years by the demon Errtu. He was freed during the battle between Errtu and Drizzt. At the end of the battle Drizzt also gained control of Crenshinibon, the sentient crystal shard. Drizzt hopes that Cadderly will be able to help him destroy the evil artifact once and for all. The five companion, Drizzt, Bruenor, Regis, Catti-Brie, and Wulfgar head out for Spirit Soaring, Cadderly’s magnificent cathedral. 

The book splits into three stories. After a bad flashback to his imprisonment by the demon Wulfgar hits Catti-Brie. After doing this he doesn’t trust himself with his friends and goes off on his own. He stumbles to the city of Luskan where he finally finds work as a bouncer in a bar. It seems that drink and violence are the only thing that can take his mind off of his past.

Drizzt and his remaining friends continue on their journey to Spirit Soaring. Their journey is made far more difficult along the way by the powerful artifact. Crenshinibon continually calls out to dark creatures such as orcs, trolls, ogres, and even men with evil designs. All are drawn by the power of the shard.

In the third thread we follow the story of Artemis Entreri. Entreri was able to escape from the drow city of Menzoberranzen and now he has finally made his way back to Calimport. There he tries to renew his alliances among the criminal elements of the city. He becomes embroiled in the turmoil that is taking place among the criminal pashas. Before long he discovers a new ally. It sees that Jarlaxle has decided to bring his Bregan D’Aerthe organization to the surface in a clandestine way.

Salvatore weaves these stories together quite well. There is a lot going on in this book and the stage is being set for the next few novels. A lot of action and a lot of exploration of the characters, particularly Entreri and Wulfgar. A fun fantasy novel in a great series.

Passage to Dawn by R. A. Salvatore (A Drizzt Novel)

At the end of Siege of Darkness the drow army was defeated. A restless Drizzt set off on his own to find adventure. Catti-Brie has followed him on this excursion. A the beginning of Passage to Dawn we see them joined up with their old friend Captain Deudermont. They have found their adventures on the high seas as pirate chasers. A new adventure begins when a shape-shifter takes on the form of the Captain and attacks Drizzt and Catti-Brie. To find answers they must seek out a mysterious island. There they will learn that someone dear to Drizzt is held prisoner by a demon that is an old foe. They journey in search of the location. On this quest they will meet the great Cleric Cadderly, they will encounter old friends, old enemies, and will battle against the power of the demon Errtu which is enhanced by the artifact Crenshinibon. 

Adventure on the high seas, wizards, demons, and sword fights galore. another great Drizzt novel from the master of sword and sorcery R. A. Salvatore.

The Halfling's Gem by R. A. Salvatore (Legend of Drizzt)

This is the third novel in the Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. In the previous book, Streams of Silver, Regis had been taken prisoner by the assassin Artemis Entreri. Bruenor had fallen to his death in Mithril Hall in battle with a dragon. We learn in the beginning of this book that Bruenor is not dead, but was saved from the dragon fire by the magic of Drizzt's sword Icingdeath. Drizzt and Wulfgar set out for Calimport on the trail of Regis and Entreri. Catti-Brie remains behind to gather a dwarven army to retake Mithril Hall from the deugar, a race of treacherous dwarven type creatures. Along the way Drizzt and Wulfgar meet Captain Deudermont, a character who will appear in many more of the novels. The search will bring the four companions together again. The only question is will they be in time to save Regis.

An ongoing theme in the Drizzt novels is the theme of prejudice. Many of the races and peoples of The Forgotten Realms dislike each other. Some races are more hated than others. Orcs, trolls, and goblins are universally loathed. The drow, the race of dark elves who live deep in the earth in the Underdark are among the most hated and feared of all races. Drizzt understands this of course. His race is known for their cruelty and treachery. Their entire culture is built on such ideas. Their evil goddess Loth, the Spider Queen, is nourished by treachery and chaos. Drizzt rejected his people's ways and set out on his own. Everywhere he goes he has to prove over and over that he is different. In this story he fears that the rejection of his race will hinder him in the search for Regis. A friend gives him a magical mask that will change his features to that of a light elf. He uses it, but it causes him great emotional pain. The need for the mask also pains and angers his loyal friend Wulfgar. Along the way though Drizzt will find that his deeds always make him welcome among good people.

All of the usual elements of a great Salvatore novel are here. Salvatore is rightly famous for his fight scenes. The battle between Drizzt and Entreri is legendary and long. Classic Sword and Sorcery fantasy at it's best.


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