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IceThorn
Acolyte
USA
3 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Sep 2009 : 19:06:41
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Hello all,
I'm finally going to finish the War of the Spider Queen and then read The Lady Penitent and The Empyrean Odyssey trilogies. Since it has been forever since I read any of the Legend of the Drow books, I decided to line them all up in order of DR / chronological order and read through them all. Below is the order that I plan on reading them and the DR dates that I could find. I'm hoping that you wonderful fans will give me feedback if they would read better in a different order or if I have something wrong.
Link to a prettier list.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb16/GeorgeMon/FRBookList.jpg
Title, Series, #, DR Start, DR End
(LoD is Legend of Drizzt)
"Gwenhwyvar", in Realms of Magic (#2), 253, 253
Homeland, Dark Elf Trilogy / LoD, 1/1, 1297, 1328
Exile, Dark Elf Trilogy / LoD, 2/2, 1338, 1340
Sojourn, Dark Elf Trilogy / LoD, 3/3, 1340, 1347
The Crystal Shard, Icewind Dale Trilogy / LoD, 1/4, 1351, 1356
Streams of Silver, Icewind Dale Trilogy / LoD, 2/5, 1356, 1356
The Halfling's Gem, Icewind Dale Trilogy / LoD, 3/6, 1356, 1357
The Legacy, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 1/7, 1357, 1357
Starless Night, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 2/8, 1357, 1357
Siege of Darkness, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 3/9, 1358, 1358
Daughter of the Drow, Starlight & Shadows, 1, 1361, 1361
Tangled Webs, Starlight & Shadows, 2, 1361, 1361
Windwalker, Starlight & Shadows, 3, 1360, 1361
Passage to Dawn, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 4/10, 1362, 1362
The Silent Blade, Paths of Darkness / LoD, 5/11, 1364, 1364
The Spine of the World, Paths of Darkness / LoD, 6/12, 1365, 1369
Servant of the Shard, PoD / Sellswords, 7/1, 1369/1366, 1369/1366
Promise of the Witch King, The Sellswords, 2, 1368, 1368
Road of the Patriarch, The Sellswords, 3, 1368, 1368
The Sea of Swords, Paths of Darkness / LoD, 8/13, 1369, 1370
The Thousand Orcs, Hunter's Blades / LoD, 1/14, 1370, 1370
The Lone Drow, Hunter's Blades / LoD, 2/15, 1370, 1370
The Two Swords, Hunter's Blades / LoD, 3/16, 1370, 1371
Dissolution, War of the Spider Queen, 1, 1372, 1372
Insurrection, War of the Spider Queen, 2, 1372, 1372
Condemnation, War of the Spider Queen, 3, 1372, 1372
Extinction, War of the Spider Queen, 4, 1372, 1372
Annihilation, War of the Spider Queen, 5, 1372, 1372
Resurrection, War of the Spider Queen, 6, 1372, 1372
The Orc King, Transitions, 1, 1372, 1472
The Pirate King, Transitions, 2, 1376, 1377
The Ghost King, Transitions, 3
Sacrifice of the Widow, The Lady Penitent, 1, 1372, 1375
Storm of the Dead, The Lady Penitent, 2, 1376, 1377
Ascendancy of the Last, The Lady Penitent, 3, 1378, 1379
The Gossamer Plain, The Empyrean Odyssey, 1, 1373, 1385
The Fractured Sky, The Empyrean Odyssey, 2, 1384, 1385
The Crystal Mountain, The Empyrean Odyssey, 3
Thank you. 
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Edited by - IceThorn on 25 Sep 2009 19:07:36
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2009 : 20:21:58
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Honestly, I do not see where to improve the reading order. Everything is in timely and sequence order.
If you are reading War of the Spiderqueen now, I would however continue with Lady Penitent and Empyrean Odyssey as these books are all somehow linked. |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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IceThorn
Acolyte
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2009 : 20:35:16
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skychrome,
Would you recommending this order:
A
Legends of Drizzt
Transitions
War of the Spider Queen
The Lady Penitent
The Empyrean Odyssey
Or this:
B
Legends of Drizzt
War of the Spider Queen
The Lady Penitent
The Empyrean Odyssey
Transitions
?
Thanks |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36877 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2009 : 21:04:14
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quote:
Daughter of the Drow, Starlight & Shadows, 1, 1361, 1361
Tangled Webs, Starlight & Shadows, 2, 1361, 1361
Windwalker, Starlight & Shadows, 3, 1360, 1361
Other than involving Gromph and starting in Menzoberranzan, these books are pretty much independent of the rest. I'd not feel compelled to try to squeeze them in at any specific point. |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2009 : 22:30:45
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IceThorn, I think that is really completely up to you.
As I said, it makes a lot of sense to read War of the Spiderqueen, Lady Penitent and Empyrean Odyssey in this order as they are to a more (Lady Penitent) or lesser (Empyrean Odyssey) degree connected with WotSQ.
The other drow series are an author thing in my opinion. It makes perfect sense to read all the Salvatore stuff in a row (if you do not get bored) and then Elaine Cunningham or you can mix.
I think it really does not matter. Have fun! |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2009 : 23:59:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Daughter of the Drow, Starlight & Shadows, 1, 1361, 1361
Tangled Webs, Starlight & Shadows, 2, 1361, 1361
Windwalker, Starlight & Shadows, 3, 1360, 1361
Other than involving Gromph and starting in Menzoberranzan, these books are pretty much independent of the rest. I'd not feel compelled to try to squeeze them in at any specific point.
I disagree, to an extent. Having recently re-read the trilogy myself, I feel that the "Starlight & Shadows" trilogy offers some interesting historical perspectives on the recent events of Menzoberranzan featured elsewhere in the various Drizzt novels published up to that point. And they tend to feature unique tidbits about life in the city, as well. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Cain
Acolyte
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2009 : 04:46:23
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I'd say read everything by author because I, personally, find it very hard to pick up from where I left off in the middle of a series. I actually have to go back a reread a few stories just to remember settings and such, but if you keep up with the same author by reading one book after the other you don't have to deal with that problem.
However, if this isn't a problem for you I'd say read it chronologically since that's always fun. |
“Pride can keep you alive, providing, of course, you can keep it from getting you killed.” - Cain (Me) |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2009 : 17:03:50
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Regarding Quenthel Baenre:
<spoiler> The "WOTSQ" books contradict themselves about the precise timing of her post-Siege of Darkness life. In one place, we're told that she spent four years in the Abyss and then ten years back in Menzo, but then in another place we're told she spent ten years in the Abyss and then four years back in Menzo.
So what did "Starlight & Shadows" say about this? How much time had transpired before QB returned, there? </spoiler> |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2009 : 17:32:13
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| I recommend that everyone read Dissolution first, because I need the royalty money. |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2009 : 02:37:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
I recommend that everyone read Dissolution first, because I need the royalty money.
At last one objective and unbiased post in this thread!   |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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IceThorn
Acolyte
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2009 : 20:24:49
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I could've swore that I responded to Richard Lee Byers, but apparently I did something wrong (I think it was that I'm used to the Post button being on the right, not Reset - oops). My response included that I had just read The Haunted Lands and enjoyed them, and I purchased Dissolution when it came out (so I'll be re-reading it).
I've finished reading these books in this order:
"Gwenhwyvar", in Realms of Magic (#2), 253, 253
Homeland, Dark Elf Trilogy / LoD, 1/1, 1297, 1328
Exile, Dark Elf Trilogy / LoD, 2/2, 1338, 1340
Sojourn, Dark Elf Trilogy / LoD, 3/3, 1340, 1347
The Crystal Shard, Icewind Dale Trilogy / LoD, 1/4, 1351, 1356
Streams of Silver, Icewind Dale Trilogy / LoD, 2/5, 1356, 1356
The Halfling's Gem, Icewind Dale Trilogy / LoD, 3/6, 1356, 1357
The Legacy, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 1/7, 1357, 1357
Starless Night, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 2/8, 1357, 1357
Siege of Darkness, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 3/9, 1358, 1358
Daughter of the Drow, Starlight & Shadows, 1, 1361, 1361
Tangled Webs, Starlight & Shadows, 2, 1361, 1361
Windwalker, Starlight & Shadows, 3, 1360, 1361
Passage to Dawn, Legacy of the Drow / LoD, 4/10, 1362, 1362
R.A. Salvatore
Elaine Cunningham
I'm about 1/2 way through Passage to Dawn, so I've passed the author transition. I'm glad that I read them in that order for these reasons:
* Daughter of the Drow picked up the story in Menzoberranzan right after the events in Siege of Darkness. Both Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs did a good job of describing the turmoil (political, logistical, etc.) that the city was in after the failed attack on Mithril Hall, including information on other families.
* The Starlight & Shadows trilogy gives a lot of post-Malice background information on the Baenre family, especially Gromph. (not as much in Windwalker)
* The Starlight & Shadows trilogy gives a ton of information on the surface Drow: followers of Vhaeraun and Eilistraee. That also included their activities such as the "Vhaeraunites" raiding human villages. I think that is interesting information about how Drow exist on the surface and their interactions with other races to put Drizzt's journey on the surface into a richer context.
* Six years elapse between Siege of Darkness and Passage to Dawn, and I felt like reading the Starlight & Shadows trilogy between them helped me to feel that temporal gap.
My plan is to continue in this order:
The Silent Blade, Paths of Darkness / LoD, 5/11, 1364, 1364
The Spine of the World, Paths of Darkness / LoD, 6/12, 1365, 1369
Servant of the Shard, PoD / Sellswords, 7/1, 1369/1366, 1369/1366
Promise of the Witch King, The Sellswords, 2, 1368, 1368
Road of the Patriarch, The Sellswords, 3, 1368, 1368
The Sea of Swords, Paths of Darkness / LoD, 8/13, 1369, 1370
The Thousand Orcs, Hunter's Blades / LoD, 1/14, 1370, 1370
The Lone Drow, Hunter's Blades / LoD, 2/15, 1370, 1370
The Two Swords, Hunter's Blades / LoD, 3/16, 1370, 1371
Dissolution, War of the Spider Queen, 1, 1372, 1372
Insurrection, War of the Spider Queen, 2, 1372, 1372
Condemnation, War of the Spider Queen, 3, 1372, 1372
Extinction, War of the Spider Queen, 4, 1372, 1372
Annihilation, War of the Spider Queen, 5, 1372, 1372
Resurrection, War of the Spider Queen, 6, 1372, 1372
Sacrifice of the Widow, The Lady Penitent, 1, 1372, 1375
Storm of the Dead, The Lady Penitent, 2, 1376, 1377
Ascendancy of the Last, The Lady Penitent, 3, 1378, 1379
The Gossamer Plain, The Empyrean Odyssey, 1, 1373, 1385
The Fractured Sky, The Empyrean Odyssey, 2, 1384, 1385
The Crystal Mountain, The Empyrean Odyssey, 3
The Orc King, Transitions, 1, 1372, 1472
The Pirate King, Transitions, 2, 1376, 1377
The Ghost King, Transitions, 3
Richard Lee Byers
Thomas M. Reid
Richard Baker
Lisa Smedman
Philip Athans
Paul S. Kemp
I'm still not sure about where/when to read the Transitions books. I left them at the end, but if anyone thinks they are better singly or as a trilogy between two other books please let me know.
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Dantrag
Learned Scribe
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2009 : 02:30:20
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| Thats as good an order as any..., though, in my estimation, i would not consider The Empyrean Odyssey a "drow" book. |
" The truth comes out only in bold and underlined" |
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Recommended Order for Reading the "Drow" Novels
