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jornan
Learned Scribe

Canada
256 Posts

Posted - 02 Aug 2010 :  11:44:50  Show Profile Send jornan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I on the otherhand think that RAS's Realms of the Dead story points to him holding on to these characters to use or bring back in some form or another in the future Drizzt books...which I truly hope is not this case however.
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Slaygrim
Learned Scribe

111 Posts

Posted - 02 Aug 2010 :  13:21:58  Show Profile  Visit Slaygrim's Homepage Send Slaygrim a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jornan

I on the otherhand think that RAS's Realms of the Dead story points to him holding on to these characters to use or bring back in some form or another in the future Drizzt books...which I truly hope is not this case however.



I think that would push me over the edge.

Watch my gorgeous wife sing at:
www.youtube.com/Airicx
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Sith_Lord_Drizzt
Seeker

Canada
92 Posts

Posted - 04 Aug 2010 :  15:08:07  Show Profile  Visit Sith_Lord_Drizzt's Homepage Send Sith_Lord_Drizzt a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Slaygrim

quote:
Originally posted by jornan

I on the otherhand think that RAS's Realms of the Dead story points to him holding on to these characters to use or bring back in some form or another in the future Drizzt books...which I truly hope is not this case however.



I think that would push me over the edge.




Same here. Time to move on.

"Jarlaxle's grin disappeared as he turned his attention to Drizzt. He watched the fury of the drow unleashed. Jarlaxle had seen Drizzt in action many times before, but never like that".
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Sith_Lord_Drizzt
Seeker

Canada
92 Posts

Posted - 04 Aug 2010 :  22:15:46  Show Profile  Visit Sith_Lord_Drizzt's Homepage Send Sith_Lord_Drizzt a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, I may have got my wish! Here's what's posted on the WOTC site!

When one of his oldest friends, Bruenor Battlehammer, chooses to spend his final days searching for the fabled dwarf kingdom of Gauntlgrym, Drizzt readily agrees. But before Drizzt and Bruenor even get close to finding the lost city, the dwarf assassin Athrogate, black-widow elf Dahlia, and Drizzt’s old nemesis Jarlaxle stumble upon it first. In their search for riches and magic, the three treasure hunters inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to set even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop the impending disaster on their own. They’ll need help, and from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor.

Drizzt joins these new companions with a conflicted heart. The promise of adventure appeals to a primal part of him. But his lust for battle is growing stronger. Is he really is no different from any other dark elf? If he loses the last of his trusted companions, will his drow nature claim him at last? Will his new companions lead him into temptation or deliver him from his darkest desires?

"Jarlaxle's grin disappeared as he turned his attention to Drizzt. He watched the fury of the drow unleashed. Jarlaxle had seen Drizzt in action many times before, but never like that".
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sfdragon
Great Reader

2285 Posts

Posted - 04 Aug 2010 :  22:31:07  Show Profile Send sfdragon a Private Message  Reply with Quote
maybe we will see how Neverwinter gets sacked in the series.




and maybe just maybe all those Aribeth fans will have their revenge, and RAS will kill off Nasher

why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power


My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234
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The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 04 Aug 2010 :  23:02:24  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Black widow elf???

WTH is that?

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Kyrene
Senior Scribe

South Africa
757 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2010 :  06:50:20  Show Profile  Visit Kyrene's Homepage Send Kyrene a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker

Black widow elf???

WTH is that?

It's a black dahlia.

Lost for words? Find them in the Glossary of Phrases, Sayings & Words of the Realms
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Bakra
Senior Scribe

628 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2010 :  12:58:27  Show Profile Send Bakra a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Kyrene

quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker

Black widow elf???

WTH is that?

It's a black dahlia.



You lost me there Kyrene. Here in the States the black dahlia was a name for a 1940's murder victim.

I hope Candlekeep continues to be the friendly forum of fellow Realms-lovers that it has always been, as we all go through this together. If you don’t want to move to the “new” Realms, that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with either you or the “old” Realms. Goodness knows Candlekeep, and the hearts of its scribes, are both big enough to accommodate both. If we want them to be.
(Strikes dramatic pose, raises sword to gleam in the sunset, and hopes breeches won’t fall down.)
Enough for now. The Realms lives! I have spoken! Ale and light wines half price, served by a smiling Storm Silverhand fetchingly clad in thigh-high boots and naught else! Ahem . .
So saith Ed. <snip>
love to all,
THO
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Kyrene
Senior Scribe

South Africa
757 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2010 :  14:35:37  Show Profile  Visit Kyrene's Homepage Send Kyrene a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bakra

quote:
Originally posted by Kyrene

quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker

Black widow elf???

WTH is that?

It's a black dahlia.



You lost me there Kyrene. Here in the States the black dahlia was a name for a 1940's murder victim.

Exactly. I made the mental leap "black-widow elf Dahlia," and that may very well be what led to the name of the character. Or not, so it was a bit of a flippant answer to Red.

Lost for words? Find them in the Glossary of Phrases, Sayings & Words of the Realms
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Slaygrim
Learned Scribe

111 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2010 :  16:56:22  Show Profile  Visit Slaygrim's Homepage Send Slaygrim a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Sith_Lord_Drizzt

Well, I may have got my wish! Here's what's posted on the WOTC site!

When one of his oldest friends, Bruenor Battlehammer, chooses to spend his final days searching for the fabled dwarf kingdom of Gauntlgrym, Drizzt readily agrees. But before Drizzt and Bruenor even get close to finding the lost city, the dwarf assassin Athrogate, black-widow elf Dahlia, and Drizzt’s old nemesis Jarlaxle stumble upon it first. In their search for riches and magic, the three treasure hunters inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to set even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop the impending disaster on their own. They’ll need help, and from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor.

Drizzt joins these new companions with a conflicted heart. The promise of adventure appeals to a primal part of him. But his lust for battle is growing stronger. Is he really is no different from any other dark elf? If he loses the last of his trusted companions, will his drow nature claim him at last? Will his new companions lead him into temptation or deliver him from his darkest desires?



Sounds more interesting than Drizzt's stories have been in a long time.

Watch my gorgeous wife sing at:
www.youtube.com/Airicx
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Sith_Lord_Drizzt
Seeker

Canada
92 Posts

Posted - 23 Aug 2010 :  18:09:21  Show Profile  Visit Sith_Lord_Drizzt's Homepage Send Sith_Lord_Drizzt a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Here's a link to the cover of the novel:

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/images/0786955007/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=916520&s=books

"Jarlaxle's grin disappeared as he turned his attention to Drizzt. He watched the fury of the drow unleashed. Jarlaxle had seen Drizzt in action many times before, but never like that".
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Bakra
Senior Scribe

628 Posts

Posted - 23 Aug 2010 :  19:40:51  Show Profile Send Bakra a Private Message  Reply with Quote
And they now have a sample chapter up:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Feature.aspx?x=dnd/feature/neverwinter

I hope Candlekeep continues to be the friendly forum of fellow Realms-lovers that it has always been, as we all go through this together. If you don’t want to move to the “new” Realms, that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with either you or the “old” Realms. Goodness knows Candlekeep, and the hearts of its scribes, are both big enough to accommodate both. If we want them to be.
(Strikes dramatic pose, raises sword to gleam in the sunset, and hopes breeches won’t fall down.)
Enough for now. The Realms lives! I have spoken! Ale and light wines half price, served by a smiling Storm Silverhand fetchingly clad in thigh-high boots and naught else! Ahem . .
So saith Ed. <snip>
love to all,
THO
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The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 23 Aug 2010 :  20:52:29  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Nice little read! But I do find it funny that the year is 1409 and D is refered to as "unlikely drow advisor" to the throne of Mithril Hall....I would say that well before then , he'd be the "Most Likely Advisor!"

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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jornan
Learned Scribe

Canada
256 Posts

Posted - 24 Aug 2010 :  15:55:51  Show Profile Send jornan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
In the description for the book it says that 100 years have passed, but in this excerpt only twenty four years or so have passed. So which is it? Considering the age and race of most of the group introduced in the prologue the timeline couldn't really be advanced another 70 years to catch up to the rest of the realms for the remainder of the book.

Oh well, it seems like it will be interesting nonetheless.
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Zathras
Acolyte

2 Posts

Posted - 24 Aug 2010 :  16:42:47  Show Profile  Visit Zathras's Homepage Send Zathras a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Personally, I would really like to see Salvatore take a step away from Drizzt, and back in time. I would like to read the beginning stories of Jarlaxle and Zaknafein, and the rising of the main houses of the Drow.

That would put it in a time before all of this spell plague and similar mess.

Just my 2 cents.
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The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 24 Aug 2010 :  16:52:20  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Zathras

Personally, I would really like to see Salvatore take a step away from Drizzt, and back in time. I would like to read the beginning stories of Jarlaxle and Zaknafein, and the rising of the main houses of the Drow.

That would put it in a time before all of this spell plague and similar mess.

Just my 2 cents.



I believe that those are stories Bob would rather tell as well, hes just been contracted for 6 more Drizzt books though....but thats just my opinion.

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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jornan
Learned Scribe

Canada
256 Posts

Posted - 24 Aug 2010 :  16:57:20  Show Profile Send jornan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm under the impression he is contracted for six more FR books, but not necessarily Drizzt books.
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The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 24 Aug 2010 :  21:55:57  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jornan

I'm under the impression he is contracted for six more FR books, but not necessarily Drizzt books.



They are all to feature Drizzt :

http://www.wizards.com/Company/Press.aspx?x=wz/press/38&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

In the second
paragraph there is something about it.

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963

Edited by - The Red Walker on 24 Aug 2010 21:58:03
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore

USA
1714 Posts

Posted - 24 Aug 2010 :  22:02:39  Show Profile  Visit BEAST's Homepage Send BEAST a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jornan

In the description for the book it says that 100 years have passed, but in this excerpt only twenty four years or so have passed. So which is it?

The Prologue is dated 1409 DR, but we don't know how much Bob will move around in the timeline for the rest of the book, or for the rest of the mini-series, for that matter. Maybe this one moves up 25 years, then the next moves up 50 years, then the last moves up 25 more years. There's no telling, yet.

quote:
Considering the age and race of most of the group introduced in the prologue the timeline couldn't really be advanced another 70 years to catch up to the rest of the realms for the remainder of the book.

Right, but remember that "Neverwinter" will be another trilogy. Bob could catch up by book three.

"'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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swifty
Senior Scribe

United Kingdom
517 Posts

Posted - 02 Oct 2010 :  09:19:19  Show Profile  Visit swifty's Homepage Send swifty a Private Message  Reply with Quote
i thought we'd seen the last of that bloody dwarf.damn you ras.

go back to sleep america.everything is under control.heres american gladiators.watch this.shuttup. BILL HICKS.
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Ananta
Acolyte

Finland
22 Posts

Posted - 06 Oct 2010 :  01:12:52  Show Profile  Visit Ananta's Homepage Send Ananta a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Slaygrim

quote:
Originally posted by Sith_Lord_Drizzt

I'm kind of hoping that it's in present time. It would be refreshing to get out of the whole Cattibrie and Wulfgar era.



Agreed, but I won't hold my breath. I'm still half expecting the return of Wulfgar, Cat, Regis, or a combination thereof.

I really would like to see a fresh perspective on Drizzt. One with a new cast and one not tied down to a leader or King as a best friend. Having to explain King Bruenor leaving his station as King of Mithril Hall and walking the road into danger is getting a bit tired. Either you are King or you are not. An occassional sabattical might be explained but to do it every novel... just pass off your duties and retire.

Just my exhausted opinion.



I personally would like Catti-Brie to come back. To hell with Bruenor, Wulfgar and Regis. Just for the love of God they should give Drizzt some time of happiness. We all know CB would die of old age while Drizzt is still young, so RAS could have provided Drizzt with a happy half a century, he's deserved it.

But then again, knowing RAS, if Cat survives, they end up making her one of the Chosen of Mystra and give her immortality D:

quote:
Originally posted by Slaygrim

quote:
Originally posted by Diffan

I'm pretty psyched too, but I still have yet to read the Ghost King (its on my to-do list).

And I for one agree that I hope Drizzt moves on past the old companions of the Hall and onto something completly different. Change is something that is much needed IMO.



Once again, I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way. Bob's creation is his creation and I would never suggest he shouldn't do what he wants to with his story. Having said that my interest as a fan has been on a RAPID decline for the Companions of the Hall and all of the usual suspects being forced into every storyline.
I've actually found myself skipping through many scenes in the Ghost King-which I am currently reading. Most of them are the large battles. I don't know... guess I've just read so many battle scenes to where I just want to get through them and back onto the storyline and dialogue.



Haha, same here. I too find myself, if not hating, but disliking, the fighting scenes. There's only so many ways you can squash an orc head before it gets boring. Or so many "OH DAWG DAT SURE WAS CLOSE. IF ONLY THAT FEATHER HADN'T FLOATED PAST MY NOSE I SURE WOULDA DIED LOL"'s before it gets old.

I don't skip 'em though, I hate skipping things, even if its pain reading through them.





We'll see how long I'll have to wait till I get to read Gauntlgrym. I'm currently waiting for Silent Blade to become available at the local library. I've forgotten most of the stuff in the earlier books because it's been a while since I read them, so I started re-reading the whole series.


On another note, I'm from Finland, and a lot of books like Realms of the Dead etc never get translated, or in the bookshelves of the shops, or in the library, so they are really hard to get. I was wondering if you guys knew a site or two from where I could possibly download them? Or online stores that ship books as far as Finland...?

I'm fluent in English, so that's not the problem. It's just the availability. The books are quite literally nowhere to be found here in Finland :(

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Sandro
Learned Scribe

New Zealand
266 Posts

Posted - 06 Oct 2010 :  01:42:36  Show Profile Send Sandro a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ananta

On another note, I'm from Finland, and a lot of books like Realms of the Dead etc never get translated, or in the bookshelves of the shops, or in the library, so they are really hard to get. I was wondering if you guys knew a site or two from where I could possibly download them? Or online stores that ship books as far as Finland...?

I'm fluent in English, so that's not the problem. It's just the availability. The books are quite literally nowhere to be found here in Finland :(

Amazon.com is a great resource -- even more now I realize how cheap their international shipping rates are, as well as the dirt cheap prices for which they sell books. I just recently (i.e. yesterday) realized that even in New Zealand, it's cheaper to order from Amazon and pay shipping than it is to order from a domestic book store. To get a book shipped to Finland, it'll only cost you $8 for standard shipping, which'll arrive in 2-3 weeks (according to Amazon's website), or you can pay more, and, naturally, get it quicker.

Even with the shipping, at that rate it'll only cost you 23USD for Gauntlgrym, a brand new hardcover book. Not too shabby, I'd say.

"Gods, little fishes, and spells to turn the one to the other," Mordenkainen sighed. "It's started already..."
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Ananta
Acolyte

Finland
22 Posts

Posted - 06 Oct 2010 :  02:14:48  Show Profile  Visit Ananta's Homepage Send Ananta a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Sandro

quote:
Originally posted by Ananta

On another note, I'm from Finland, and a lot of books like Realms of the Dead etc never get translated, or in the bookshelves of the shops, or in the library, so they are really hard to get. I was wondering if you guys knew a site or two from where I could possibly download them? Or online stores that ship books as far as Finland...?

I'm fluent in English, so that's not the problem. It's just the availability. The books are quite literally nowhere to be found here in Finland :(

Amazon.com is a great resource -- even more now I realize how cheap their international shipping rates are, as well as the dirt cheap prices for which they sell books. I just recently (i.e. yesterday) realized that even in New Zealand, it's cheaper to order from Amazon and pay shipping than it is to order from a domestic book store. To get a book shipped to Finland, it'll only cost you $8 for standard shipping, which'll arrive in 2-3 weeks (according to Amazon's website), or you can pay more, and, naturally, get it quicker.

Even with the shipping, at that rate it'll only cost you 23USD for Gauntlgrym, a brand new hardcover book. Not too shabby, I'd say.



Ohhh, that's great. And yeah, if its 23 USD, then it is indeed cheaper than it would be from domestic store here in Finland, too.

Thanks for the tip!


I must check Amazon out a bit more seriously tomorrow. It's 4.15 AM here at the moment, should go to sleep xD

Edited by - Ananta on 06 Oct 2010 02:15:05
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jcw928
Acolyte

5 Posts

Posted - 09 Oct 2010 :  02:19:36  Show Profile  Visit jcw928's Homepage Send jcw928 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
-- Slightly spoilerish --

Well, I just finished reading the book, and as someone who's been more than a little disappointed by RAS's Drizzt novels lately, I finished the day I got it. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I get the feeling that this novel will be much more to the liking of the people who tend to frequent these boards. And it would seem that Drizzt is in for 'truly' a fresh start after the events of this book, and more than a little change to his personality.

Also, for those who are disappointed that there is no Artemis Entreri in this book..well, would an Entreri by any other name still be as deadly? After all, it was only a name, and much time has passed between the time he used it and the events in this book.
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Captain black
Acolyte

13 Posts

Posted - 10 Oct 2010 :  18:12:51  Show Profile  Visit Captain black's Homepage Send Captain black a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I have ordered the book, but I may need to know what you are talking about with Entreri before I get it.
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Ananta
Acolyte

Finland
22 Posts

Posted - 10 Oct 2010 :  20:50:04  Show Profile  Visit Ananta's Homepage Send Ananta a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Captain black

I have ordered the book, but I may need to know what you are talking about with Entreri before I get it.

*SPOILER*

Entreri isn't completely human.

Edited by - Ananta on 10 Oct 2010 20:51:04
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Lady Fellshot
Senior Scribe

USA
379 Posts

Posted - 11 Oct 2010 :  04:11:19  Show Profile  Visit Lady Fellshot's Homepage Send Lady Fellshot a Private Message  Reply with Quote
But we've known that since "That Curious Sword" Ananta. ;)

Rants and reviews that interest no one may be found here.
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Ananta
Acolyte

Finland
22 Posts

Posted - 11 Oct 2010 :  15:08:54  Show Profile  Visit Ananta's Homepage Send Ananta a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Lady Fellshot

But we've known that since "That Curious Sword" Ananta. ;)

Meh, in most countries, such as mine, those books never get published. So they are quite hard to get. So the common reader doesn't usually bother going through the whole ordeal of getting them.

And since they don't get translated into Finnish, a lot of the readers who would otherwise like to read them, can't because their English isn't good enough. xD
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Aginor37
Acolyte

20 Posts

Posted - 14 Oct 2010 :  20:43:34  Show Profile  Visit Aginor37's Homepage Send Aginor37 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Lacking a Book Club entry, I figured I would give my impressions of this book here. Warning, many spoilers abound below, skip past this post if you don't want to know major plot points. Also be warned, this is going to be a hugely long post, so it may need Moderator assistance to correct any formatting/possible double posting issues.












SPOILERS AHEAD!!!












First, let me say I didn't love the entirety of the Transitions series. Was so-so on The Orc King, had a mostly positive view of The Pirate King, and again, so-so at best on The Ghost King. Taken all together, they were probably my least favorite Realms trilogy (overall, not just by Salvatore), so I was more than a little nervous picking this one up. The way Regis and Cattie-Brie's deaths, in particular, made me worry about more (IMO) poorly done and seemingly senseless deaths of favorite characters to come. But I have been a big fan of Salvatore since The Crystal Shard, so I figured I at least owed him a chance to convince me. And I am glad I did.

A few minor Quibbles aside, this is an awesome book. It took me back in time to when I craved the heroic adventures of the Companions of the Hall, while at the same time making it perfectly clear that this would be the end of that particular story. Because make no mistake, at the end of this book, the Companions are no more, both in the individual and thematic sense. In my view, while this is also a beginning (more on that below) this is also an end, and as such is everything the Ghost king should have been. It's almost as if Salvatore had too many stories to wrap up, and the events of this book should have been the finale of Transitions, but he ran out of book space. It really does feel like the final book of a series (one you know is leading into another series) rather than the start of one. It might be the beginning of a new time for the world, but for those many of us who grew up with a certain Drow ranger, an old dwarf, a young barbarian, a beautiful and fierce young archer, and a mischievous but loyal and brave halfling... it truly is the end of an era.

The plot is standard Salvatore fare, the journey being the big thing... but probably has the biggest climax of any Drizzt book in memory. It also takes place over a large span of time... somewhere in the middle of the book there is a line that if Wulfgar is still alive, he would be 112 years old (or something to that effect, exact number may be wrong but over 110 is correct) and the end takes place years after that, too. It is very much a post-Spellplague novel, one plot point involving Szass Tam's post-Haunted Lands attempts at raising Dread Rings across Faerun. But in style, in tone, it is still very much in keeping with the entire Drizzt saga.

Now on to characters and events that I found notable, one more spoiler space because the big stuff is below.












I don't have a lot to say about every character, just the ones I found most interesting. Drizzt is definitely becoming harder, colder, and "more drow" so to speak. There is pretty much zero angst in this book, and I think only one or two "diary of Drizzt" sections. He is definitely starting a new phase of his life, and while it is interesting in he could go in any direction from here, he is much less the focus of this book. So let's go into some of the more interesting foci of the story.

First, there's Athrogate. This is definitely a story for the Dwarves, and he shows far more "dwarven-ness", for lack of a better term, than we ever see from him in previous book. He knows he is a killer, a robber and a scoundrel, and we see that aspect of him in every appearance in previous novels. But his reverence for Gauntlgrym, his, not just respect but fealty to his "king", his absolute determination to make his mistakes right, all show that no matter where he is or what he does, at his heart being a dwarf is who he is. while not one of the 3 (IMO again) main characters in the story, he gets more character development than in all his past appearances put together.

Pwent is another one that gets the full treatment when it comes to character development. Our favorite battlerager is defined by his loyalty to king, clan, and friends. It is utterly heartbreaking, the scene where he admit he no longer has the strength to accompany his king on his last journey, and while also sad, his death at the end is very much a triumph, a death to sing about, to raise a mug to, but not to be mourned. His death is a perfect one, and anything less would have been a real shame. He died as he lived, and that is enough.

Dahlia is a somewhat interesting character, in that she is very much a damaged person. I think Salvatore might have gone overboard in his need to make her exotic, but strangely enough an elven warrior from Thay who wields a unique staff-nun-chucks-whip-etc. weapon actually fits the part. The weapon I think is mostly for "cool factor", but the rest really meshes well with who she is. Captured and raped and forced to bear a child from her rapist, she has valid reasons to be who she is... and also for tho she begins to become. Clearly evil at the start, by then end she is a big question mark, like Drizzt capable of going in any direction.

Jarlaxle is Jaraxle, although his further time away from the underdark seems to be allowing him to more and more exhibit "good" qualities, like saving Athrogate "“My friend, I must, as you must go to your Bruenor,” Jarlaxle replied with a shrug.". His horror/anger at what Drizzt seems to be becoming is an emotional scene in a book full of emotion. His notion that Drizzt was an inspiration for male Drow, not for escaping Menzo, but for escaping what being Drow is, was both insightful and very telling as to what Jar is, or wants to be, at his core.

But the big star of this show is definitely Bruenor. From his faking his death to abdicate at the beginning, to his heroic end, you know this is his story, and his last. He has done everything a dwarf can hope to, become a legend, and his final act is perfectly in keeping with his life. You would think a Dwarf going toe-to-toe with a pit fiend would come off as cheesy, deus-ex-machina, or fanservice... but with the way it is built up, with the way the life and legend of Bruenor has built up, and the sheer heart and determination of Bruenor Battlehammer, it is perfectly fitting. He truly earns his rest.

I may add a part two to this later, adding what I thought of the events of the story, but to me this was a book about the characters, and they were by far the most important part.
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Zu-l-karnain
Acolyte

Russia
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Posted - 16 Oct 2010 :  22:06:55  Show Profile  Visit Zu-l-karnain's Homepage Send Zu-l-karnain a Private Message  Reply with Quote
One question-what happens to Jarlaxle? He once again departs with Athrogate for future journeys?

Through destiny and might we shall rule supreme
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