This one was all right. I'm one book in and it is good, but not fantastic. It is set in the Forgotten Realms and is published by TSR / Wizards of the Coast so it has a very strong Dungeons and Dragons feel to it. A lot of the terminology is lifted right from the game so it was quite familiar. I wonder if Salvatore wrote it that way, or if TSR made alterations to give it that DnD mechanic.. I could see that happening. You can almost see Drizzt rolling a D20 sometimes. I wonder what feet he is going to choose at level 15..
Drizzt is a badass Fighter / Mage born into the evil Drow society. The story of his birth really sets the scene of ruthless ambition well. Salvatore paints a great picture of the subterranean Lawful Evil society. Drizzt himself is not evil and he feels that he does not fit in to the mold of what a Drow is expected to be. He struggles to break the bonds of his wicked clan / community and strike out on his own. Normally I'd write something about a few of the other characters in the book - like his mother Malace or his uncle Zak (shh.. it's his father) but they weren't all that well developed to be interesting enough to note. Sorry, spoiler alert about Zak - but you can see it coming from miles away.
p119
Zak slid one of the swords from the scabbard and admired the weapon's wondrous detail. This sword, as with most of the Drow weapons, had been forged by the grey dwarves, then traded to Menzoberranzan. The duergar workmanship was exquisite, but it was the work done on the weapon after the dark elves acquired it that made it so very special. None of the races of the surface or Underdark could out do the work of the dark elves in the art of enchanting weapons. Imbued with strange emanations from the Underdark, the magical power unique to the lightless world, and blessed by the unholy clerics of Loth, no blade ever sat in its wielder's hand more ready to kill.
