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The Legend of Drizzt #13
Sea of Swords
Allorché l'emblema del martello da guerra Aegis-fang viene trovato impresso sulla schiena di un fuorilegge dissoluto, Drizzt comincia a temere per la sicurezza di Wulfgar. L'elfo scuro e i suoi compagni decidono pertanto di scovare il barbaro una volte per tutte. Mentre i suoi compagni lo cercano, Wulfgar salpa con il capitano Deudermont in cerca di Aegis-fang, ora nelle mani della vile Sheila Kree....
407 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
R.A. Salvatore
722 books10.6k followersAs one of the fantasy genre’s most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore’s original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-seller list and at # 4 on The New York Times best-seller list. His books have been translated into numerous foreign languages including German, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, Czech, and French.
Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.
His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.
The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.
Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.
When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...
Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.
His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.
The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.
Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.
When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
November 27, 2019
There appears to be two gears to Salvatore's writing. Sometimes he's fast-paced, exciting and coming dangerously close to genuinely innovative (examples include the Dark Elf trilogy, Siege of Darkness and The Spine of the World). Other times he's simply creating a slow and boring slog of a trope-ridden mess. Sea of Swords is unfortunately an example of the latter.
And I'm back to my seemingly everlasting inner debate of whether or not it's worth continuing this series.
And I'm back to my seemingly everlasting inner debate of whether or not it's worth continuing this series.
May 27, 2021
Just acquiring this novel turned into a bit of an issue. First, I ordered it from a secondhand book website. Actually, I ordered the two Salvatore books that I intended to read this year that weren't available at my library. I received my shipment and put the books into the “to read soon" pile without looking at them too closely. Earlier this month I intended to get going on this book and went in search of it. Blimey! I did indeed get two Drizzt titles, but this was not one of them! Undaunted, I whipped off an interlibrary loan request and felt somewhat triumphant when I was informed that it was waiting for me. Was it worth all this fuss and bother?
This is a more typical Drizzt book, less gritty than the last couple of books and reverting to the tried and true formula of plenty of fight scenes. Drizzt brandishes his scimitars, Twinkle and Icingdeath, regularly. It's not Salvatore's fault that those names make me think of cake decorating implements rather than weapons. The fights are fun to read, but I'm not convinced that all of them are necessary to move the plot along.
This is the book that finally sorts out the Drizzt/Wulfgar/Cattie-brie love triangle. Bruenor, Cattie-brie's adoptive father, gives Drizzt a firm nudge and urges him to get on with things (as does Cattie-brie herself). It also eventually features the reunion of the Companions and gives a template for how to overcome the awkwardness after major misunderstandings. Wulfgar gets a romantic interlude or two with Delly, but if Drizzt even kisses Cattie-Brie, we don't get told of it. We are back to being much more coy about sexual relationships.
I had such high hopes after the last two books! But Salvatore seems to have retreated back to the “violence is okay, but sexual attraction is not" school of thought. More kissing, Mr. Salvatore, more kissing! I don't require detailed sex scenes, especially if you are incredibly uncomfortable writing them, but let's at least have Drizzt & Cattie-Brie sharing a bed roll and/or a passionate kiss. Quit teasing me with possibilities that you don't intend to deliver on!
A small detail was annoying. Salvatore dramatically over uses the verb “to skitter.” Everyone seems to be skittering everywhere. Once seen, it could not be unseen. I had at least one instance of the word being used three times on two pages. Several times it was used in two adjacent paragraphs. Blargh!
Book number 412 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
This is a more typical Drizzt book, less gritty than the last couple of books and reverting to the tried and true formula of plenty of fight scenes. Drizzt brandishes his scimitars, Twinkle and Icingdeath, regularly. It's not Salvatore's fault that those names make me think of cake decorating implements rather than weapons. The fights are fun to read, but I'm not convinced that all of them are necessary to move the plot along.
This is the book that finally sorts out the Drizzt/Wulfgar/Cattie-brie love triangle. Bruenor, Cattie-brie's adoptive father, gives Drizzt a firm nudge and urges him to get on with things (as does Cattie-brie herself). It also eventually features the reunion of the Companions and gives a template for how to overcome the awkwardness after major misunderstandings. Wulfgar gets a romantic interlude or two with Delly, but if Drizzt even kisses Cattie-Brie, we don't get told of it. We are back to being much more coy about sexual relationships.
I had such high hopes after the last two books! But Salvatore seems to have retreated back to the “violence is okay, but sexual attraction is not" school of thought. More kissing, Mr. Salvatore, more kissing! I don't require detailed sex scenes, especially if you are incredibly uncomfortable writing them, but let's at least have Drizzt & Cattie-Brie sharing a bed roll and/or a passionate kiss. Quit teasing me with possibilities that you don't intend to deliver on!
A small detail was annoying. Salvatore dramatically over uses the verb “to skitter.” Everyone seems to be skittering everywhere. Once seen, it could not be unseen. I had at least one instance of the word being used three times on two pages. Several times it was used in two adjacent paragraphs. Blargh!
Book number 412 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
July 15, 2014
I completely devoured this book, just as quickly as every other R.A. Salvatore I have ever read. I was so excited to find that Wulfgar was alive in Passage to Dawn. I was even happier when Salvatore dealt with the situation the way he did. I've become so completely sick with the way people will just bring dead character's back to life. It's like there's no lasting consequences, and nothing really matters. Salvatore never seemed hesitant to make things matter in his books. And if Wulfgar had just come back with nothing lost, what was the point? After a lot of trials and hardships, he found himself again in this book. And I think the person he became should be celebrated! Wulfgar the family man? A little strange perhaps when you think of him as the seven foot barbarian who hunted giants for sport. But there is nothing wrong with this change. Wulfgar will never be the same for what happened to him, for years of turmoil that we can never understand. Suffice it to say, he has found happiness once again.
I found the book itself much slower going than most of Salvatore's other works. That to me brought a sense of realism to his characters. The Companions of the Hall were actually people after I read this book. Drizzt before now had been like Superman, a hero who's life is merely a compilation of deeds. This book made him a real person, someone I can feel joy for and sorrow for. Every aspect of this book was saddening for the characters. Bruenor and Catti-brie most of all. it was the second time they had lost someone so very close to them, and this time they couldn't even tell if they wanted him back. This book above all helped me to understand that the life of an adventurer was not always an easy one, or better to say, not always a pleasant one. That sometimes, being a good guy really is hard. It helped me relate my favorite characters to my own life. And I don't think I've ever been more satisfied with any book.
I found the book itself much slower going than most of Salvatore's other works. That to me brought a sense of realism to his characters. The Companions of the Hall were actually people after I read this book. Drizzt before now had been like Superman, a hero who's life is merely a compilation of deeds. This book made him a real person, someone I can feel joy for and sorrow for. Every aspect of this book was saddening for the characters. Bruenor and Catti-brie most of all. it was the second time they had lost someone so very close to them, and this time they couldn't even tell if they wanted him back. This book above all helped me to understand that the life of an adventurer was not always an easy one, or better to say, not always a pleasant one. That sometimes, being a good guy really is hard. It helped me relate my favorite characters to my own life. And I don't think I've ever been more satisfied with any book.
October 13, 2010
The plot is well thought out and the author seems to know where he is headed right from the start, it was realistic (to fantasy standards) and very detailed. Unfortunately,I could predict what was going to happen for the duration of the book in the first fifty pages, this of course, makes even a fast paced book seam to plod along. The main character Drizzt Do-Urden is very unique and well-rounded, his back story is well thought out which allows him to grow and change in a believable fashion. The group of friends that Drizzt chooses to associate himself with is a very stereotypical fantasy group, which is a bit disappointing because of how great of a character Drizzt is. By far my favorite books were Homeland, Exile and Sojourn in which Drizzt is a "lone wolf" so to speak. In a nut shell, the theme was about how friends are important and they can help you through bad times and make the good times all the more enjoyable. Although this is an important message; in my opinion, it is one that is used all too often in fantasy novels, in this book in particular it is over worked and in the end it is ineffective and unmemorable. R.A. Salvator does get a bit bogged down in descriptive detail from time to time, but he is clear and he always paints a picture in your mind. With the books i have read so far, he has a complex writing style that always includes a plot, sub-plot,and then on top of it all the characters have their own story happening.
September 18, 2015
HOW DO YOU HAVE CATTI-BRIE ASK IF HE IS GOING TO KISS HER AND NOT FOLLOW IT UP? EVER?? SERIOUSLY??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2021
Salah satu novel dari universe Forgotten Realms (juga siri game Dungeons & Dragons), antara siri novel fantasi yg terkenal dan banyak peminatnya. Merupakan buku terakhir dalam trilogi 'Paths of Darkness' - menyambung kisah pengembaraan Drizzt Do'Urden dan rakan-rakannya (Bruenor Battlehammer, Wulfgar, Cattie-Brie, dan Regis). Juga merupakan buku ke-13 (dari 34) dalam siri 'The legend of Drizzt'. Novel kali ni mengumpulkan kembali watak2 utama dalam siri novel ini, jadi plotnya laju dan penuh dengan aksi.
Plot novel kali ni mengisahkan tentang Drizzt, Cattie-Brie, Bruenor, dan Regis yg cuba menjejak Wulfgar yg menghilangkan diri. Wulfgar pula kini berlayar bersama Captain Deudermont dalam misi untuk mendapatkan kembali Aegis-fang, yg kini berada dalam tangan lanun jahat, Sheila Kree...
Plot novel kali ni mengisahkan tentang Drizzt, Cattie-Brie, Bruenor, dan Regis yg cuba menjejak Wulfgar yg menghilangkan diri. Wulfgar pula kini berlayar bersama Captain Deudermont dalam misi untuk mendapatkan kembali Aegis-fang, yg kini berada dalam tangan lanun jahat, Sheila Kree...
June 27, 2019
So I had some problems with Drizzt in the last few books and this one only kind exacerbated the problem for me. His whole mantra is about how valuable friendship is and how much he loves all his friends, but then just kind of jumped ship when Wulfgar needed him most and acted terribly judgemental towards him. And now… he’s heard some rumors that Wulfgar’s okay again and so now he’s going to go on a merry adventure to find his friend now that he’s all fixed up and no longer in need of help. Yep, Drizzt is truly the pinnacle of a good friend… and that’s really only added to with his awkward budding relationship with Cattie-Brie. Really? You two can’t keep that under control until you at least find Wulfgar? It wasn’t too long ago when Cattie was reassuring him that she’d never forgotten him so that seemed to go out the window pretty fast.
That being said, the romance aspects of this book were pretty terrible to me. First there’s Drizzt and Cattie-Brie who have secretly been pining for each other for books. Any moment between them just seemed a little lacking to me. The didn’t really have chemistry and the whole thing seemed kind of forced. There’s an entire scene of these two trying to awkwardly flirt and it ends with something along the lines of “just shut up and kiss me” and I think I read this entire section with a mild look of revulsion because the whole thing just didn’t feel natural at all. There’s also Wulfgar and Delly. Now I’m pretty sure this entire romance was a patch job to make Cattie look like less of a bitch that way they could stumble upon Wulfgar, realized he’s moved on to another woman, and she can feel less bad about her feelings for Drizzt. Because again, there’s an entire “romantic” scene where Wulfgar is all cheery and spinning Delly around with more cringe-worthy dialogue. Honestly, this author just kind of needs to stay away from romance. He doesn’t seem to have a handle on it.
Anyways, a good portion of the book was just everyone slogging back and forth and missing each other just barely until Robillard, who has been scrying this whole Scooby Doo chase, swoops in and reunites them with magic and then sends them off in the right direction. I was waiting for the big confrontation with the pirates. Salvatore has always had a way with writing battles where he manages to make them funny and enticing and exciting until- whoops, half the book is gone and I didn’t even realize it because I was so engrossed! And this was promising to be something great, even starting off with the usual fun antics of pissing off a giant monster and sending it hurtling against the enemy to start things off. But after that, the entirety of the battle felt a little bit rushed and it all ended pretty quickly.
And finally, there was Elfhain who’s back and more badass than ever. She’s spent the last few years training, gathering all the skills and resources she needs to finally beat Drizzt once and for all and… she kind of sucks. The whole book is building up to the fight between her and Drizzt, and you finally get there, you see the pieces falling into place, how Elfhain planned every single thing down to the last detail and- THAT WAS YOUR PLAN!? I’m sorry, but what? So yeah, once again she’s a massive disappointment right along with the rest of this book.
The high points here were Robillard, Regis, and Bruenor. End of story.
That being said, the romance aspects of this book were pretty terrible to me. First there’s Drizzt and Cattie-Brie who have secretly been pining for each other for books. Any moment between them just seemed a little lacking to me. The didn’t really have chemistry and the whole thing seemed kind of forced. There’s an entire scene of these two trying to awkwardly flirt and it ends with something along the lines of “just shut up and kiss me” and I think I read this entire section with a mild look of revulsion because the whole thing just didn’t feel natural at all. There’s also Wulfgar and Delly. Now I’m pretty sure this entire romance was a patch job to make Cattie look like less of a bitch that way they could stumble upon Wulfgar, realized he’s moved on to another woman, and she can feel less bad about her feelings for Drizzt. Because again, there’s an entire “romantic” scene where Wulfgar is all cheery and spinning Delly around with more cringe-worthy dialogue. Honestly, this author just kind of needs to stay away from romance. He doesn’t seem to have a handle on it.
Anyways, a good portion of the book was just everyone slogging back and forth and missing each other just barely until Robillard, who has been scrying this whole Scooby Doo chase, swoops in and reunites them with magic and then sends them off in the right direction. I was waiting for the big confrontation with the pirates. Salvatore has always had a way with writing battles where he manages to make them funny and enticing and exciting until- whoops, half the book is gone and I didn’t even realize it because I was so engrossed! And this was promising to be something great, even starting off with the usual fun antics of pissing off a giant monster and sending it hurtling against the enemy to start things off. But after that, the entirety of the battle felt a little bit rushed and it all ended pretty quickly.
And finally, there was Elfhain who’s back and more badass than ever. She’s spent the last few years training, gathering all the skills and resources she needs to finally beat Drizzt once and for all and… she kind of sucks. The whole book is building up to the fight between her and Drizzt, and you finally get there, you see the pieces falling into place, how Elfhain planned every single thing down to the last detail and- THAT WAS YOUR PLAN!? I’m sorry, but what? So yeah, once again she’s a massive disappointment right along with the rest of this book.
The high points here were Robillard, Regis, and Bruenor. End of story.
May 1, 2014
A conciliatory ending to this trilogy(or tetralogie if you count Servand of the Shard, which I didn't read). The first two books were very Wulfgar and new worldbuilding centered, but this time we finally get to follow all our characters on their way to a reunion. I liked it the most in Paths of Darkness and the conclusion is satisfying and builds a good basis for the next books. If I am not mistaken every open plot strand left from the original trilogy got tied up here .... 13 books, amazing. Interested to see what comes next, the following three books are already in my bookshelf, let's see when I'm in the mood for some fun, epic adventures.
February 6, 2016
The Companions of the Hall finally are reunited (towards the end of the book) to get back Wulfgar's hammer (yup - that's the premise of the book).
It was great getting everyone back together again and I thought the climax of the book would be this epic battle against the pirates who had Wulfgar's hammer - this is Salvatore after all and if he does one thing better than anyone else it's the battle scene. But it let me down and felt rushed.
Good read but not great.
It was great getting everyone back together again and I thought the climax of the book would be this epic battle against the pirates who had Wulfgar's hammer - this is Salvatore after all and if he does one thing better than anyone else it's the battle scene. But it let me down and felt rushed.
Good read but not great.
January 26, 2015
This is a much better cover than book. You get some good fights and such, but the Wulfgar/alcohol story is growing thin. There are a few subplots with pirates and the assassins that saves this book, but I'm sorry, I don't like a lot of little kid-things and woman-of-the-hour's messing with my story. That's just me.
September 22, 2022
I had a lot more fun with this one compared to the previous. A literary masterpiece this is not, but if you're 13 books in with this series, you know what you're getting, and you'll probably enjoy this particular one.
January 17, 2019
Finalmente la trilogia delle pippe mentali è finita. Incredibilmente il personaggio migliore è lo stereotipato Bruenor. Cattivo di turno praticamente inesistente.
October 1, 2023
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Drizzt, due to the nature of his people, is used to being shunned, feared, hated, and threatened, hunted even. But never before someone stalked and studied him so meticulously for so very long. A wind-like dark memory from the better-forgotten past, and a blade of vengeance stalks the drow, as he pursues his lost friend across the realm, in hopes to see this odd family of friends he made on the surface – whole again.
My Opinion: Either something in the writing is evolving to be getting better, less “old“, or I just missed it very much. The incredibly rich lore, universe that encompasses so very many fantasy works out there, unique and captivating, yet malleable enough to continuously offer more. Good tale, with wonderful fighting scenes. It’s the characters that make it a bit so-so, the weak point. They follow a pretty clear pattern, so there’s nothing new to expect, unless it’s coming from the outside. All choices are made before they’re even presented.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Drizzt, due to the nature of his people, is used to being shunned, feared, hated, and threatened, hunted even. But never before someone stalked and studied him so meticulously for so very long. A wind-like dark memory from the better-forgotten past, and a blade of vengeance stalks the drow, as he pursues his lost friend across the realm, in hopes to see this odd family of friends he made on the surface – whole again.
My Opinion: Either something in the writing is evolving to be getting better, less “old“, or I just missed it very much. The incredibly rich lore, universe that encompasses so very many fantasy works out there, unique and captivating, yet malleable enough to continuously offer more. Good tale, with wonderful fighting scenes. It’s the characters that make it a bit so-so, the weak point. They follow a pretty clear pattern, so there’s nothing new to expect, unless it’s coming from the outside. All choices are made before they’re even presented.
December 19, 2016
Sea of Swords is a fun read that picks up the story of the Companions of the Hall where The Spine of the World and The Silent Blade left off. Expect lots of grumpy dwarf axe-chopping, smirky drow elf scimitar-slicing, and *ahem* introspective barbarian soul-searching?
That's right, while this tale's premise revolves around Wulfgar, the barbarian's search to reclaim the legendary dwarven-forged battlehammer Aegis-Fang, the deeper story is the internal battle within Wulfgar to reclaim the part of himself he thought lost. But this isn't just a Wulfgar-centric story. The secondary plot, equally as important, consists of a vengeful mystery elf, who has devoted his entire life to taking out Drizzt!
The one-dimensional pirate captain, Sheila Kree, recently acquired the prized Aegis-Fang during a time when Wulfgar spent many of his nights in a drunken stupor. Even though she acquired the item legitimately, apparently she didnt read the fine text on the hammer, "One does not simply taketh from the heroes of our story, and expecteth to get away with it."
Let the story of chasing begin! While Wulfgar chases around Sheila Kree, the heroes chase around Wulfgar. Then Le'lorinel, our mystery elf, chases Drizzt. Add in a few cameos of Robillard the wizard and his spells of flight, teleportation, and invisibility, you get to see what happens when the Forgotten Realms meets the Benny Hill TV Show!
What not to expect: An engrossing tale with intricate plot lines and fully fleshed-out characters; each with their own self-serving motives. Sea of Swords is not that kind of story. While the main characters have a lot of back story from Salvatore's previous novels, many of the new characters are one-sided, seeming cardboard cutouts for the more three-dimensional heroes to move around. Salvatore's writing at this stage of the Drizzt novels is more light-hearted in tone; and while this allows for a chuckle now and then, it sometimes paints our characters as cartoonish.
I do appreciate that Salvatore took the time to explore Wulfgar's inner struggles; it was necessary after his grisly past. Wulfgar can't be let off the hook too easy.
In conclusion this is a good book for reader's who have followed Drizzt and friends from the beginning, thought I must admit, not as great as I remembed it the first time around.
That's right, while this tale's premise revolves around Wulfgar, the barbarian's search to reclaim the legendary dwarven-forged battlehammer Aegis-Fang, the deeper story is the internal battle within Wulfgar to reclaim the part of himself he thought lost. But this isn't just a Wulfgar-centric story. The secondary plot, equally as important, consists of a vengeful mystery elf, who has devoted his entire life to taking out Drizzt!
The one-dimensional pirate captain, Sheila Kree, recently acquired the prized Aegis-Fang during a time when Wulfgar spent many of his nights in a drunken stupor. Even though she acquired the item legitimately, apparently she didnt read the fine text on the hammer, "One does not simply taketh from the heroes of our story, and expecteth to get away with it."
Let the story of chasing begin! While Wulfgar chases around Sheila Kree, the heroes chase around Wulfgar. Then Le'lorinel, our mystery elf, chases Drizzt. Add in a few cameos of Robillard the wizard and his spells of flight, teleportation, and invisibility, you get to see what happens when the Forgotten Realms meets the Benny Hill TV Show!
What not to expect: An engrossing tale with intricate plot lines and fully fleshed-out characters; each with their own self-serving motives. Sea of Swords is not that kind of story. While the main characters have a lot of back story from Salvatore's previous novels, many of the new characters are one-sided, seeming cardboard cutouts for the more three-dimensional heroes to move around. Salvatore's writing at this stage of the Drizzt novels is more light-hearted in tone; and while this allows for a chuckle now and then, it sometimes paints our characters as cartoonish.
I do appreciate that Salvatore took the time to explore Wulfgar's inner struggles; it was necessary after his grisly past. Wulfgar can't be let off the hook too easy.
In conclusion this is a good book for reader's who have followed Drizzt and friends from the beginning, thought I must admit, not as great as I remembed it the first time around.
April 1, 2017
2.5 stars [Fantasy]
Beware the political correctness, from mild misandry to pontificant philosophy (anatopisms from our world, thinly disguised as "problems in Faerun") to implementing irrational devices of 3rd Edition D&D rules. Salvatore continues to repeat dialog and plot currents for the slow-witted, probably frustrating the majority of fantasy-genre readers.
Beware the political correctness, from mild misandry to pontificant philosophy (anatopisms from our world, thinly disguised as "problems in Faerun") to implementing irrational devices of 3rd Edition D&D rules. Salvatore continues to repeat dialog and plot currents for the slow-witted, probably frustrating the majority of fantasy-genre readers.
April 13, 2019
The Sea Of Swords by R.A. Salvatore is the fourth and final book in the Paths Of Darkness series. It is the reunion episode of the Companions of the Hall. The barbarian Wulfgar finds his way back, mentally and physically, to fight alongside his friends once again.
The tale begins with a surface elf named Le’lorinel who is determined to kill the drow elf Drizzt Do’Urden. We are kept in the dark until the end as to this surface elf’s reasoning for seeking vengeance on Drizzt.
Le’lorinel’s path, guided by a mystic gnome, E’kressa the Seer, leads to a pirate, Sheila Kree. Sheila and her army, which includes a host of ogres, the powerful potion-enhanced Chogurugga, have a mighty warhammer known as Aegis-fang. Aegis-fang was stolen from the barbarian Wulfgar back in Luskan, E’kressa assures Le’lorinel that Drizzt will eventually seek out his friend’s missing warhammer in search of him – and that is how the two elves will finally meet and battle.
The pirates are none too concerned having the surface elf join their company as they are landlocked for the time being, holed up in their cave hideout, Golden Cove, for the winter. They can’t do any more raiding until the spring thaws come.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world, in Ten-Towns, Drizzt, Catti-Brie, Regis and Bruenor Battlehammer ride out to protect the towns from rogues raiding their caravans. They capture a woman named Jule Pepper who bares a strange marking, a tattoo that could have only come from Aegis-fang.
Aegis-fang was crafted by Bruenor Battlehammer. He gave the warhammer as a gift to his adopted son, Wulfgar.
The markings Jule Pepper bares are distinctly Bruenors’ and from this weapon.
Despite the onset of winter in Icewind Dale, a dangerous time to travel, the four decide they must battle the elements and learn of Wulfgar’s fate, if he yet lives. He would have never willingly parted with Aegis-fang.
Their mission to locate Wulfgar sees them battling storms as well as a host of goblins and ogres and pirates in Watersdeep.
Morik the Rogue is back and I really enjoyed his character in this installment.
Wulfgar’s woman from the Cutlass in Luskan, Delly Curtie, caring for the child, Colson, learns she is not safe in Watersdeep in Captain Deurdermont’s home.
The writing in Sea Of Swords is first-rate Salvatore, adventurous, lighthearted and enthralling.
And while I was heartened to see the five companions reunited once again, my one complaint would be the ease at which they are reunited. It seemed too contrived – and I’ll not say more about that.
Wulfgar’s time on-board the Sea Sprite with the pirate-chaser Captain Deurdormont and the wizard Robillard are interesting enough but Robillard’s use of magic to do things, locate things, watch over things, provided too many simple solutions for real problems. Again, I’ll not say more. I did enjoy Robillard’s character more in this edition than in previous ones
There is still plenty of excitement throughout and my favorite characters are once again fun to follow. I had no problem turning the pages.
5 stars, although I wish the author had found a better way to reunite the companions.
The tale begins with a surface elf named Le’lorinel who is determined to kill the drow elf Drizzt Do’Urden. We are kept in the dark until the end as to this surface elf’s reasoning for seeking vengeance on Drizzt.
Le’lorinel’s path, guided by a mystic gnome, E’kressa the Seer, leads to a pirate, Sheila Kree. Sheila and her army, which includes a host of ogres, the powerful potion-enhanced Chogurugga, have a mighty warhammer known as Aegis-fang. Aegis-fang was stolen from the barbarian Wulfgar back in Luskan, E’kressa assures Le’lorinel that Drizzt will eventually seek out his friend’s missing warhammer in search of him – and that is how the two elves will finally meet and battle.
The pirates are none too concerned having the surface elf join their company as they are landlocked for the time being, holed up in their cave hideout, Golden Cove, for the winter. They can’t do any more raiding until the spring thaws come.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world, in Ten-Towns, Drizzt, Catti-Brie, Regis and Bruenor Battlehammer ride out to protect the towns from rogues raiding their caravans. They capture a woman named Jule Pepper who bares a strange marking, a tattoo that could have only come from Aegis-fang.
Aegis-fang was crafted by Bruenor Battlehammer. He gave the warhammer as a gift to his adopted son, Wulfgar.
The markings Jule Pepper bares are distinctly Bruenors’ and from this weapon.
Despite the onset of winter in Icewind Dale, a dangerous time to travel, the four decide they must battle the elements and learn of Wulfgar’s fate, if he yet lives. He would have never willingly parted with Aegis-fang.
Their mission to locate Wulfgar sees them battling storms as well as a host of goblins and ogres and pirates in Watersdeep.
Morik the Rogue is back and I really enjoyed his character in this installment.
Wulfgar’s woman from the Cutlass in Luskan, Delly Curtie, caring for the child, Colson, learns she is not safe in Watersdeep in Captain Deurdermont’s home.
The writing in Sea Of Swords is first-rate Salvatore, adventurous, lighthearted and enthralling.
And while I was heartened to see the five companions reunited once again, my one complaint would be the ease at which they are reunited. It seemed too contrived – and I’ll not say more about that.
Wulfgar’s time on-board the Sea Sprite with the pirate-chaser Captain Deurdormont and the wizard Robillard are interesting enough but Robillard’s use of magic to do things, locate things, watch over things, provided too many simple solutions for real problems. Again, I’ll not say more. I did enjoy Robillard’s character more in this edition than in previous ones
There is still plenty of excitement throughout and my favorite characters are once again fun to follow. I had no problem turning the pages.
5 stars, although I wish the author had found a better way to reunite the companions.
November 19, 2022
It would be difficult to talk about Sea of Swords, by R.A. Salvatore without discussing some spoilers as this book ties up many of the story lines over the course of the previous several novels. So here’s your spoilers ahead warning.
Sea of Swords can best be described as a finale. The way the book ties up many of the lingering plot lines from previous novels, definitely gives it the feel of an epic ending to a long saga. For both good and bad the book moves at an incredible pace.
Wulfgar is making a life with Delly and baby Colson in between sailing with Captain Deudermont on the Sea Sprite. Wulfgar has come to the Sea Sprite as it is the most famous of all Pirate hunting ships and Captain Deudermont has a long history with the Companions of the Hall. Wulfgar is hoping to regain his fable hammer, Aegis-Fang, which was sold to the pirate Sheila Kree during Wulfgar’s dark drinking days in Luskan. Unbeknownst to Wulfgar, the friends he left long ago are also converging on waters around Luskan and brands have been showing up that are of the same symbol engraved on Aegis-Fang.
What I found fascinating with the storyline here is that Sheila Kree, the captain of The Bloody Keel, did not come across Aegis-Fang in any sort of shady manner. Aegis-Fang had been sold to her by Josi Puddles. While Josi had stolen the fabled hammer because he hated Wulfgar, Sheila Kree actually came into the possession of the hammer through a fair sale. Little did Josi know when he sold the hammer, that he would inadvertently set in motion events that would lead to the full might of both the Sea Sprite and the Companions of the Hall. The Bloody Keel and Chorugga’s band of ogre’s all brought down from this transaction between Josi and Sheila in The Spine of the World.
By the time I finished Sea of Swords, I had really wished the Sheila Kree saga had played out over more than just this single book. Sheila was an imaginative character and R.A. Salvatore had surrounded her with a unique and interesting band with Jules Pepper, Bellany, the Ogres of the Cove. Being unique and interesting characters in their own right, I would have enjoyed reading more about them. It wasn’t to be though, the Companions of the Hall make quick work of the Bloody Keel and crew in what was a quintessential R.A. Salvatore battle scene. In fact the small battle and the outpost with the ogres was about the same length as the final epic battle for Aegis-Fang. Like I mentioned earlier there is a lot in this novel and it moves fast.
In many of the previous Legend of Drizzt novels, I have felt little character development. This has been a common complaint of mine. The first few novels in the series were great in introducing a wonderful new setting and fantastic new characters but then there was a long span of stagnation for the characters. Well, at this point, Sea of Swords corrects that. Sea of Swords ties up a lot of the ongoing story lines and we see just about all of the Companions of the Hall and associates take step forwards as characters.
Take our main hero, Drizzt Do’Urden for example. Drizzt starts the series as a novel concept, a “good” Drow and over time develops into the superhero like judge, jury and executioner of all things he deems evil. It gets pretty stale quite honestly. Sea of Swords does a fantastic job of reigning that in. Drizzt has some more purpose, he wants to find his friend Wulfgar. He learns consequences - he too late realizes what he has done in his final confrontation with Le’lorinel and begs his companions to save her rather than himself.
Wulfgar as well. Wulfgar’s evolution over the past several novels is one of the main elements that have kept me reading on. Wulfgar’s return from death and dealing with the consequences of that are enough to power these novels. On top of all that though, Sea of Swords caps off with Wulfgar finally coming to terms with who he is now and finding comfort in it. I found myself cheering inside when he yelled “Tempus!” before wading into the final conflict. Wulgar might have the most overt changes of any in the group, but through the help of Robillard, the Sea Sprites’ wizard, Wulfgar finds his friends and regains Aegis-Fang. Wulfgar also has found peace in who he is now. He’s not the same man Bruenor raises, he’s not the man who fell in love and was engaged to marry Catti-Brie and he’s most definitely not who he was upon his first return from the Abyss.
Regis is another of the Companions that has grown with the books. Normally content to sit back and let his friends do the heavy lifting, Regis has found a courage that he didn’t once possess. Several times throughout the Sea of Swords, Regis surprises even himself at what he is willing to risk and try in the face of battle or scary situations. You can see a swelling pride in Regis each time as well. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take Amazing Kreskin, you can see a fall for Regis coming up very soon. Pride goeth before destruction, and nothing in Sea of Swords lends me to believe that probably very soon old Regis is in for some serious trouble.
There is one character development that did not go over nearly as well as these others, and that is of the developing relationship between Drizzt and Catti-Brie. The tickle play-fighting garbage was like reading some 6th graders take on what it was like to be dating someone, and I physically cringed reading that. I have not been in favor of this pairing from the very beginning of the Drizzt series and I am still not in favor of it now.
I will say, even though the flirting was cringe worthy, I do think R.A. Salvatore did a fine job navigating out of the hole he had placed the characters with Wulfgar and Catti-Brie’s original pairing. I enjoyed Catti-Brie getting to see the Keep at Auckney and bits of what Wulfgar had been through. It felt a very natural way for Catti-Brie to move on from Wulfgar and was a very nice conclusion to their chapter together.
My one hope going forward is that there is some fallout or more about the clash between Le’lorinel. Le’lorinel was such an incredible character and a call back to earlier novels. The moon elf that Drizzt saves in that very first surface raid, spends the entirety of her adult life preparing to fight and kill Drizzt. Drizzt saving the child originally cost him his beloved father Zaknaifen and now all these years later Drizzt unknowingly kills this child as she never understood Drizzt and had become a sworn enemy to him. It is such a complicated set of events and emotions, I am wishing and hoping it doesn’t just become a forgotten story as the series proceeds on.
Overall, I give this book a solid 4.0 stars. It’s a satisfying conclusion and wraps many of the loose plot lines of several previous novels. I would definitely avoid reading this one if you haven’t been reading the previous novels. If you have been reading right along this is one of the better novels in the Legend of Drizzt series.
Sea of Swords can best be described as a finale. The way the book ties up many of the lingering plot lines from previous novels, definitely gives it the feel of an epic ending to a long saga. For both good and bad the book moves at an incredible pace.
Wulfgar is making a life with Delly and baby Colson in between sailing with Captain Deudermont on the Sea Sprite. Wulfgar has come to the Sea Sprite as it is the most famous of all Pirate hunting ships and Captain Deudermont has a long history with the Companions of the Hall. Wulfgar is hoping to regain his fable hammer, Aegis-Fang, which was sold to the pirate Sheila Kree during Wulfgar’s dark drinking days in Luskan. Unbeknownst to Wulfgar, the friends he left long ago are also converging on waters around Luskan and brands have been showing up that are of the same symbol engraved on Aegis-Fang.
What I found fascinating with the storyline here is that Sheila Kree, the captain of The Bloody Keel, did not come across Aegis-Fang in any sort of shady manner. Aegis-Fang had been sold to her by Josi Puddles. While Josi had stolen the fabled hammer because he hated Wulfgar, Sheila Kree actually came into the possession of the hammer through a fair sale. Little did Josi know when he sold the hammer, that he would inadvertently set in motion events that would lead to the full might of both the Sea Sprite and the Companions of the Hall. The Bloody Keel and Chorugga’s band of ogre’s all brought down from this transaction between Josi and Sheila in The Spine of the World.
By the time I finished Sea of Swords, I had really wished the Sheila Kree saga had played out over more than just this single book. Sheila was an imaginative character and R.A. Salvatore had surrounded her with a unique and interesting band with Jules Pepper, Bellany, the Ogres of the Cove. Being unique and interesting characters in their own right, I would have enjoyed reading more about them. It wasn’t to be though, the Companions of the Hall make quick work of the Bloody Keel and crew in what was a quintessential R.A. Salvatore battle scene. In fact the small battle and the outpost with the ogres was about the same length as the final epic battle for Aegis-Fang. Like I mentioned earlier there is a lot in this novel and it moves fast.
In many of the previous Legend of Drizzt novels, I have felt little character development. This has been a common complaint of mine. The first few novels in the series were great in introducing a wonderful new setting and fantastic new characters but then there was a long span of stagnation for the characters. Well, at this point, Sea of Swords corrects that. Sea of Swords ties up a lot of the ongoing story lines and we see just about all of the Companions of the Hall and associates take step forwards as characters.
Take our main hero, Drizzt Do’Urden for example. Drizzt starts the series as a novel concept, a “good” Drow and over time develops into the superhero like judge, jury and executioner of all things he deems evil. It gets pretty stale quite honestly. Sea of Swords does a fantastic job of reigning that in. Drizzt has some more purpose, he wants to find his friend Wulfgar. He learns consequences - he too late realizes what he has done in his final confrontation with Le’lorinel and begs his companions to save her rather than himself.
Wulfgar as well. Wulfgar’s evolution over the past several novels is one of the main elements that have kept me reading on. Wulfgar’s return from death and dealing with the consequences of that are enough to power these novels. On top of all that though, Sea of Swords caps off with Wulfgar finally coming to terms with who he is now and finding comfort in it. I found myself cheering inside when he yelled “Tempus!” before wading into the final conflict. Wulgar might have the most overt changes of any in the group, but through the help of Robillard, the Sea Sprites’ wizard, Wulfgar finds his friends and regains Aegis-Fang. Wulfgar also has found peace in who he is now. He’s not the same man Bruenor raises, he’s not the man who fell in love and was engaged to marry Catti-Brie and he’s most definitely not who he was upon his first return from the Abyss.
Regis is another of the Companions that has grown with the books. Normally content to sit back and let his friends do the heavy lifting, Regis has found a courage that he didn’t once possess. Several times throughout the Sea of Swords, Regis surprises even himself at what he is willing to risk and try in the face of battle or scary situations. You can see a swelling pride in Regis each time as well. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take Amazing Kreskin, you can see a fall for Regis coming up very soon. Pride goeth before destruction, and nothing in Sea of Swords lends me to believe that probably very soon old Regis is in for some serious trouble.
There is one character development that did not go over nearly as well as these others, and that is of the developing relationship between Drizzt and Catti-Brie. The tickle play-fighting garbage was like reading some 6th graders take on what it was like to be dating someone, and I physically cringed reading that. I have not been in favor of this pairing from the very beginning of the Drizzt series and I am still not in favor of it now.
I will say, even though the flirting was cringe worthy, I do think R.A. Salvatore did a fine job navigating out of the hole he had placed the characters with Wulfgar and Catti-Brie’s original pairing. I enjoyed Catti-Brie getting to see the Keep at Auckney and bits of what Wulfgar had been through. It felt a very natural way for Catti-Brie to move on from Wulfgar and was a very nice conclusion to their chapter together.
My one hope going forward is that there is some fallout or more about the clash between Le’lorinel. Le’lorinel was such an incredible character and a call back to earlier novels. The moon elf that Drizzt saves in that very first surface raid, spends the entirety of her adult life preparing to fight and kill Drizzt. Drizzt saving the child originally cost him his beloved father Zaknaifen and now all these years later Drizzt unknowingly kills this child as she never understood Drizzt and had become a sworn enemy to him. It is such a complicated set of events and emotions, I am wishing and hoping it doesn’t just become a forgotten story as the series proceeds on.
Overall, I give this book a solid 4.0 stars. It’s a satisfying conclusion and wraps many of the loose plot lines of several previous novels. I would definitely avoid reading this one if you haven’t been reading the previous novels. If you have been reading right along this is one of the better novels in the Legend of Drizzt series.
May 7, 2019
A very good book overall.
At some points there were somethings that seemed a bit "hasty" (possibly a work or page cap by the editors?) and there seemed like Salvatore wanted to write more, but he either didn't or it got editted out, but not in a scale that would bother the reader or create an actual inconsistency. Just a vague feeling that "oh man, I wish this scene was bigger"
Huge props for the pages with E'kressa the Gnome. Maybe the only instance where Salvatore managed to write a chapter that could have been straight out of Pratchett's Diskworld and that is high praise indeed, in my book.
As for the essays between the chapters? I found them very interesting when I was a teenager and I still find them very interesting now. Thought-provoking is possibly the right term instead of plain ol' "interesting" ... now this either means that I am still as immature as I was back in 1999-2001 or that Salvatore really did a great job at writting those essays.
Read the book and you can decide for yourself :p
At some points there were somethings that seemed a bit "hasty" (possibly a work or page cap by the editors?) and there seemed like Salvatore wanted to write more, but he either didn't or it got editted out, but not in a scale that would bother the reader or create an actual inconsistency. Just a vague feeling that "oh man, I wish this scene was bigger"
Huge props for the pages with E'kressa the Gnome. Maybe the only instance where Salvatore managed to write a chapter that could have been straight out of Pratchett's Diskworld and that is high praise indeed, in my book.
As for the essays between the chapters? I found them very interesting when I was a teenager and I still find them very interesting now. Thought-provoking is possibly the right term instead of plain ol' "interesting" ... now this either means that I am still as immature as I was back in 1999-2001 or that Salvatore really did a great job at writting those essays.
Read the book and you can decide for yourself :p
September 20, 2021
I feel like more pages should have been devoted to Wulfgar and his quest for himself, and I was a little shocked by how much the threat of sexual assault came up, seeing how the previous books had almost none of that.
Still, for the most part, it was fun. Paths of Darkness has become my favorite sub-series in the Legend of Drizzt so far.
Still, for the most part, it was fun. Paths of Darkness has become my favorite sub-series in the Legend of Drizzt so far.
December 18, 2019
Ok book, nice wrap-ups of loose ends. Fitting road ends to heroes and villain alike.
But more than anything, new splits in the road for most of our heroes, and rediscoveries/reconciliations of one's self for more than one character.
But more than anything, new splits in the road for most of our heroes, and rediscoveries/reconciliations of one's self for more than one character.
April 12, 2022
3/5
was ok, the ending kinda messed me up
was ok, the ending kinda messed me up
June 3, 2024
I don't ask for much, I'm a simple man. How are you gonna set up a romance scene with cattie-brie asking when he's going to kiss her and then END THE CHAPTER 😭😭😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2014
I read at least a dozen of Salvatore's books in my teens, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. They read like a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, chock full of adventure, intrigue, magic, sorcery, and more than a bit of mayhem. I am the kind of nerd who loves a bit of tabletop roleplaying games, so Salvatore's books seemed to scratch that itch for me. That being said, there must be a reason I stopped reading Salvatore more than ten years ago.
One day, whilst feeling a bit nostalgic, I picked up Sea of Swords, the book in the series (in what is now referred to as the "Legend of Drizzt Saga") up to which, as a teen, I had read everything prior. As I began reading this book, I was reunited with all the characters I remembered loving, or at least liking, as an adolescent. During this reunion, I began to piece together where I had left off in the story, recalling memories of the heroes' previous exploits which led them to this point in the "Legend," along with the new plot developments occurring as I continued to read. It didn't take long to remember why I stopped reading this series. Salvatore attempts to make the story suspenseful, but the reader knows that nothing too terrible will befall the heroes, certainly not death. The books are riddled with Deus ex machina, seemingly unsolvable situations brought to an abrupt happy ending. As for the characters, aside from the occasionally deep soliloquy of the main protagonist, Drizzt, they all seem to be driven purely by an insatiable need to kill stuff. The author constantly reminds us that it is when the heroes are adventuring that they feel most alive, but in this case adventuring means bloodshed. I understand that this is a direct result of the violent baddie-filled fantasy world they live in, but do the heroes need to be so unlike-ably cocky about their homicidal tendencies? And don't even get me started on the blow-by-blow descriptions of the fight scenes that account for at least 20% of every Salvatore book I've read.
BUT, let it be known that I give credit where credit is due. There's a reason Salvatore's publisher is Wizards of the Coast/Dungeons & Dragons. It's because he writes stories that make you want to play Dungeons & Dragons, and after you play D&D you just might want to read his stories. He may not be the best writer fantasy has to offer, but he's imaginative, and I believe he's doing exactly what his publisher wants him to do.
Even as a teen, I recognized these books to be kind of flat, very imaginative, but overall juvenile and without substance. I would say if you're between the ages of 10 and 15, these books will be a hit, but after that the spell wears off. R.A. Salvatore would make an amazing Dungeon Master, but unless you're a teenager with a D20 I can't recommend his books.
One day, whilst feeling a bit nostalgic, I picked up Sea of Swords, the book in the series (in what is now referred to as the "Legend of Drizzt Saga") up to which, as a teen, I had read everything prior. As I began reading this book, I was reunited with all the characters I remembered loving, or at least liking, as an adolescent. During this reunion, I began to piece together where I had left off in the story, recalling memories of the heroes' previous exploits which led them to this point in the "Legend," along with the new plot developments occurring as I continued to read. It didn't take long to remember why I stopped reading this series. Salvatore attempts to make the story suspenseful, but the reader knows that nothing too terrible will befall the heroes, certainly not death. The books are riddled with Deus ex machina, seemingly unsolvable situations brought to an abrupt happy ending. As for the characters, aside from the occasionally deep soliloquy of the main protagonist, Drizzt, they all seem to be driven purely by an insatiable need to kill stuff. The author constantly reminds us that it is when the heroes are adventuring that they feel most alive, but in this case adventuring means bloodshed. I understand that this is a direct result of the violent baddie-filled fantasy world they live in, but do the heroes need to be so unlike-ably cocky about their homicidal tendencies? And don't even get me started on the blow-by-blow descriptions of the fight scenes that account for at least 20% of every Salvatore book I've read.
BUT, let it be known that I give credit where credit is due. There's a reason Salvatore's publisher is Wizards of the Coast/Dungeons & Dragons. It's because he writes stories that make you want to play Dungeons & Dragons, and after you play D&D you just might want to read his stories. He may not be the best writer fantasy has to offer, but he's imaginative, and I believe he's doing exactly what his publisher wants him to do.
Even as a teen, I recognized these books to be kind of flat, very imaginative, but overall juvenile and without substance. I would say if you're between the ages of 10 and 15, these books will be a hit, but after that the spell wears off. R.A. Salvatore would make an amazing Dungeon Master, but unless you're a teenager with a D20 I can't recommend his books.
January 8, 2024
This is barely holding onto the second star I'm giving it. I'll start with the title that I wouldn't have minded if I didn't think this story was so bad. It had little to do with the actual story. I believe the title was chosen to keep in theme with the preceeding book. This would make total sense if the first book in the trilogy had a similar title.
With reading every book in the series to this point I've felt I have a decent grasp on the main characters and their design. The last two books have shown me that isn't close to being true. There were a lot of character decisions that just didn't make sense to me. Majority of the story the main characters struggled to decide where they wanted to go and Salvatore had the same problem writing this.
Salvatore seems to be showing a tendency of copy and pasting with with a new skin. These may sound silly or minor but it's so common that I can't help but think him to be unimaginative. There is also little worry for the main characters. For the most part it seems the only encounters that would be worrisome was if they pissed off all major villains and dieties and had to fight them at once and even then I'm sure the companions of the hall would win.
There were many opportunities for some awesome writing and almost every moment was a disappointment. I'm not sure who was more excited for this book to be done. Me reading or Salvatore writing it. So many of his stories of Drizzt have had me completely captivated and this book had one chapter that did that. I miss the days where I could not wait to see what was in the next chapter. I hope this trilogy and book was a slump and the rest will be better.
With reading every book in the series to this point I've felt I have a decent grasp on the main characters and their design. The last two books have shown me that isn't close to being true. There were a lot of character decisions that just didn't make sense to me. Majority of the story the main characters struggled to decide where they wanted to go and Salvatore had the same problem writing this.
Salvatore seems to be showing a tendency of copy and pasting with with a new skin. These may sound silly or minor but it's so common that I can't help but think him to be unimaginative. There is also little worry for the main characters. For the most part it seems the only encounters that would be worrisome was if they pissed off all major villains and dieties and had to fight them at once and even then I'm sure the companions of the hall would win.
There were many opportunities for some awesome writing and almost every moment was a disappointment. I'm not sure who was more excited for this book to be done. Me reading or Salvatore writing it. So many of his stories of Drizzt have had me completely captivated and this book had one chapter that did that. I miss the days where I could not wait to see what was in the next chapter. I hope this trilogy and book was a slump and the rest will be better.
December 14, 2016
To me, this is and will likely always be the final Drizz't story. It resolves pretty much everything, at the peak of the characters' careers and then some.
I find that everything that followed, defying all established logic in order to accommodate for changes and rules of D&D's subsequent editions is a massive mess.
As the Forgotten Realms Wiki mentioned before the 5E Sundering series started being published (and after which I assume the wiki was edited):
"The changes to the Forgotten Realms when 4th edition D&D were announced in 2006 were done without the consultation of Ed Greenwood or any of the main Realms authors. Despite entreaties not to go through with them, they happened anyway. Ed and R.A. Salvatore worked together to come up with a plan to fix the inevitable damage that these changes would cause."
So to me, Hunter's Blades and all the other nonsense never happened, so I had no real need for the Sundering revamp (although it's sort of a comforting thought). I am happy for the saga of the Companions to end with this excellent book, the 13th in the series.
I find that everything that followed, defying all established logic in order to accommodate for changes and rules of D&D's subsequent editions is a massive mess.
As the Forgotten Realms Wiki mentioned before the 5E Sundering series started being published (and after which I assume the wiki was edited):
"The changes to the Forgotten Realms when 4th edition D&D were announced in 2006 were done without the consultation of Ed Greenwood or any of the main Realms authors. Despite entreaties not to go through with them, they happened anyway. Ed and R.A. Salvatore worked together to come up with a plan to fix the inevitable damage that these changes would cause."
So to me, Hunter's Blades and all the other nonsense never happened, so I had no real need for the Sundering revamp (although it's sort of a comforting thought). I am happy for the saga of the Companions to end with this excellent book, the 13th in the series.
June 4, 2015
El Mar de las Espadas es la conclusión lógica de lo que ha sido Senda de Tinieblas, es decir, una novela de lectura rápida que intenta recuperar todo lo bueno de la saga de Drizzt juntando de nuevo a los Compañeros y haciéndoles vivir una aventura (por separado) hasta juntarlos para recuperar el martillo de Wulfgar, y con él a su amigo.
Y poco más, acción, enemigos con algo de carisma, unos cuantos combates e incluso humor. La conclusión? Que estamos ante una novela ligera que únicamente sirve para recuperar a un personaje importante.
Es de esos libros ideales para leer entre cosas más potentes, que te dejan avanzar por sus páginas sin esfuerzo alguno y te ayudan a olvidarte del mundo real durante un rato. Eso sí, únicamente para fans del personaje, el resto se lo puede saltar sin demasiados problemas.
Reseña completa en: http://darlantan8.blogspot.com.es/201...
Y poco más, acción, enemigos con algo de carisma, unos cuantos combates e incluso humor. La conclusión? Que estamos ante una novela ligera que únicamente sirve para recuperar a un personaje importante.
Es de esos libros ideales para leer entre cosas más potentes, que te dejan avanzar por sus páginas sin esfuerzo alguno y te ayudan a olvidarte del mundo real durante un rato. Eso sí, únicamente para fans del personaje, el resto se lo puede saltar sin demasiados problemas.
Reseña completa en: http://darlantan8.blogspot.com.es/201...
March 10, 2011
It was nice to finally see the team come back together and Wulfgar finally come to terms with everything that had happened to him. What really excited me about this novel was the progression of Drizzt and Catt-brie's relationship and that Wulfgar had found love with Delly. I also really enjoyed how Regis is partaking in more of the action and isn't as much of a sissy as he used to be. Overall another enjoyable read by Salvatore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2011
The best Drizzt Do'Urden story yet, in my opinion. Salvatore's writing evolved so much since his first "Forgotten Realms" book, it's like night and day. This book was actually really well written and I liked all the storylines that he had woven together here. I especially enjoyed the scenes Robillard and Wulfgar had together - they weren't really friends and yet they were. Another thing I enjoyed was how brave Regis turned out to be. A really good book.
January 12, 2024
The return of Wulfgar
The Sea of swords was a vast improvement on the last book. Drizzt has returned and proven yet again that he is master of the scimitar. The story with the pirates and the elf was very entertaining I enjoyed the twist of having someone hate Drizzt but not being evil just misguided. Most of all tho we finally have out barbarian back to his former self! Short of being engaged to Cat.
The Sea of swords was a vast improvement on the last book. Drizzt has returned and proven yet again that he is master of the scimitar. The story with the pirates and the elf was very entertaining I enjoyed the twist of having someone hate Drizzt but not being evil just misguided. Most of all tho we finally have out barbarian back to his former self! Short of being engaged to Cat.
June 18, 2020
Ugh, I couldn’t even finish this one. I read someone else’s review that it was a trope ridden and boring mess. And I’d have to agree. ‘Its a shame as Drizzt is such a great character. Oh well, on to next book.
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