Kevin's Watch

I think Salvatore did indeed invent the drow race, originally as a game module of course.

I agree with the others about Salvatore. At best he's fun read-it-and-forget-it cotton-candy, at worst atrocious. Drizzt is sort of cool although not a masterpiece of characterization.

I've only read "Servant of the Shard" and as a AD&D player I still found it a little light. After reading Donaldson and Martin I've come to expect a higher standard and I don't fault Salvatore...It's like an artist getting compared to Picasso and Rembrandt.

I'm not certain but the I think the Drow race may have been an invention of Gary Gygax, the grandaddy of D&D. I'll look into this further.

P.S.
RA Salvatore currently lives in the same town I live in. We both grew up in Leominster, MA and still live here. I've never met him myself but my roomate (before I was married) played hoops with him on several occasions and a few of the guys I play D&D with have actually played with Salvatore. All accounts are that he's a really good guy. Very down to earth and not full of himself at all.

bump for LandTaster

Salvatore's books were pretty much like my introduction to the whole fantasy novel realm. I was doing volunteer work at a Goodwill (not really something I'd suggest, btw) and there was a paperback book by him for like 25 cents so I picked it up and started reading it. Of course it happened to be from the middle of the series and so I had to go and get the books that came before it.
I thought, and still think, that they're pretty cool, but they aren't as epic as stuff like LotR and the Thomas Covenant chronicles. So far I've read the Icewind Dale Trilogy, the Legacy of the Drow, the Dark Elf Trilogy, and the Cleric Quintet. I liked them all, although the Icewind Dale Trilogy is some of his earlier writing and I don't like it as much as the other stuff I've read by him. The Cleric Quintet is pretty different from the Drizzt books, and I think if you like the Thomas Covenant chronicles you'd be more likely to enjoy that than the Drizzt books.
I've also recently acquired The Spearwielder's Tale by Salvatore, but I'm going to wait to read that until I finish the Thomas Covenant books (or at least the ones that are out).
As I've read more fantasy stuff, especially LotR and the Thomas Covenant books, I guess I can see how Salvatore's books, or at least some of the Drizzt ones, could be considered lower par, but I still enjoyed them alot myself, and I've enjoyed re-reading some of them too. I won't hold it against anybody who doesn't like them though - whatever floats your own boat

I believe the first appearance of Entreri Artemis is in the 2nd Icewind book, Streams of Silver. I read all the parts with him, and enjoyed his fighting. I'm told that in the next book, The Halfling's Gem, he and Drizzt really go at it. I'll find out in the next day or two.

You are correct Brinn. Gary Gygax, original creator of Dungeons & Dragons, invented the drow race as well as a myriad of others. Poor Gary, who was irascible fellow, was booted from the D&D scene when he instigated a power struggle with his investors, in the mid-80's. This was long before the evil Wizards of the Coast corrupted AD&D with "3rd Edition".

>I believe the first appearance of Entreri Artemis is in the 2nd Icewind book, Streams of Silver. I read all the parts with him, and enjoyed his fighting. I'm told that in the next book, The Halfling's Gem, he and Drizzt really go at it. I'll find out in the next day or two.


Yeah actually Entreri is a pretty cool addition to the story because he actually brings out Drizzt's weaknesses <gasp>. Drizzt and Entreri do alot of fighting in The Legacy of the Drow and in the series after that one, which I can't remember the name of

If any are interested I recently conducted an interview with Ra Salvatore Here

I too thought that the whole Dark Elf stories were overrated. I thought that "The Thousand Orcs" was very hard to read through and I didn't even bother to read the other two in that trilogy. Seemed a rip off of Tolkien also...

Long time no posts, but I'll play anyway. I am reading the Drizzt books now, started with Homeland and am on book 8 in just two weeks. Easy to read, fun, interesting, and the variety in the characters is pretty cool. It is more juvenile in its depth, and Drizzt is predictable to a fault. However, I am loving it nonetheless. At 51 years old, I have not ventured out beyond SRD at all before now (tried the Pern books; hated them immensely), and Drizzt was recommended. If you MUST have the deep, dark, gloomy, grouchy character type of books, you won't like Drizzt. If you want action and fun and a hero with high unshakable ideals, you will love them. I personally think they are great and I have read more in the last two weeks than in the last two years. I'm going to read every Salvatore book I can get my hands on. They are super fun.

Thank you very much, Rocksister, for resurrecting this thread!!!! Dear God that's a great avatar!!!

Eventually, I'll get around to reading your post.

Rocksister wrote:If you want action and fun and a hero with high unshakable ideals...

Never been much for Salvatore, but if you like the above, I can't recommend David Gemmel enough. Start with his first book: Legend.

--A

Nerdanel wrote:I think Salvatore did indeed invent the drow race, originally as a game module of course.

I agree with the others about Salvatore. At best he's fun read-it-and-forget-it cotton-candy, at worst atrocious. Drizzt is sort of cool although not a masterpiece of characterization.

Not sure on this. I never played warhammer but one of my friends showed me some stuff from it. There fantasy universe has been around since 1983 and dark elves are definitely a part.

A bit of digging on wiki found this:

The word "drow" is of Scottish origin, an alternative form of "trow", which is a cognate for "troll". Trow/drow was used to refer to a wide variety of evil sprites. Except for the basic concept of "dark elves", everything else about drow was apparently invented by TSR's writers.

The trow were actually more like dwarves though from what I got of another wiki article.

I was given a few Salvatore books a couple of years ago as a present. Definitely easy to read and fun, light fantasy. After reading the series (can't remember the titles) I had this strong desire to start up a kickass D&D campaign!!



I probably won't rush out to buy any of his books, I also wouldn't make comparisons to other writers like Tolkien or Donaldson because Salvatore isn't even trying to match their style or depth.

Agreeing with David Gemmel... though I suggest the Rigante Trilogy... first book is Demonblade. Unimaginitive, I know, but the writing is gritty and elemental, and may even occasion a tear or two. (it did with me, anyway)

-B