The Legend of Drizzt 25th Anniversary Edition, Book I

The Legend of Drizzt® 25th Anniversary Edition, Book I collects the first three novels in this best-selling series: Homeland, Exile, and Sojournin a new trade paperback edition. A great value for anyone who’s ready to experience the Legend of Drizzt.

Drizzt Do’Urden made his first mistake the moment he was born: he was a boy. In the rigid matriarchy of the dark elf city of Menzoberranzan, that makes his life forfeit. But when his own mother tries but fails to kill him, Drizzt's path is set. He must find a way to escape the treacherous Underdark, even if that means setting out alone into the no less dangerous World Above. 

Review by Andy

The first of the Drizzt Do’Urden trilogies is quite good. Parts of the plot are a bit slow but it is good overall. Drizzt’s and Zaknafein’s characters are very interesting in contrast to the rest of the drows, who find pleasure in killing, especially killing and not getting caught. Then when Drizzt moves to the surface and finds the prejudiced hatred of the surface people.

The plot has exciting chases and battles, which fill up most of the book, as well as interesting parts about drow society, with Drizzt growing up in a world going against his principles. Getting into the book is confusing with the battle, since you have no idea what is going on or why, but soon enough it gets good. Also, the part when Drizzt first gets to the surface is not as good, as well as the part with the illithids.

The pacing, like I said has some slower parts, but for the most part it is pretty fast. It isn’t the fastest of the fantasy books I have read but it was still moves along pretty good. I was able to get through this thousand page book in easily a week, so it is a fast read. The slower parts typically are where the plot isn’t as interesting and generally everything that happens in those sections is a little boring. That’s probably why I can’t read some books, especially those considered classics.  They just don’t move fast enough for me or are to boring.

The characters are very interesting, not only Drizzt but his whole supporting cast. His many friends are very interesting and unusual. Clacker, for example, used to be a pech, a race with a deep connection with the earth, but was changed into a type of monster called a hook horror, and constantly slips closer to becoming a full on monster without any remains of his original identity. Montolio, the blind ranger who trains Drizzt to be a ranger is also interesting. He’s probably more accurate than some people with full sight and an amazing fighter who helps Drizzt find a place in the world.  Salvatore has odd characters that really make his books stand out.

I noticed one thing, which is that while the drows’ deity. Lolth is pretty active and makes her presence known while Mielikki, Drizzt’s and Montolio’s deity doesn’t really do anything. I find that in fantasy realms, gods and goddesses try to be balanced and are pretty active.  So the fact that these two deities don’t do much doesn’t seem quite right to me.

I liked this book even though it was different from some of the other fantasy books I had read. If you like DragonLance then you would probably like this book. Also if you are into mainstream style fantasies with the wizards and clerics then this book would be good for you.