Is Drizzt destined to become a Classic?

nikolai · Jan 24, 2004

Is Drizzt destined to become a Classic? By classic I mean a classic of the Sword-and-sorcery genre, I'm not comparing it to Tolstoy.

Drizzt is popular and quite iconic. Do you think R. A. Salvatore's hero and writing stands along side that of Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock and Fritz Leiber? Will Drizzt books be next to their's on S&S must-read lists in 10-20 years time. And what do you think of the influence of RPG related fiction on fantasy literature?

Crothian · Jan 24, 2004

No, I don't think it will. The stories are some of the best RPG oriented stories out there, but I don't think they stand up to the classics.

Nightfall · Jan 24, 2004

Druss the Legend is far more iconic/classic than Drizzt.

Dark Jezter · Jan 24, 2004

Salvatore's Drizzt novels consistantly make the New York Times bestseller list, something unheard of for gaming novels. I even know several non-RPGers who love the Drizzt novels and pick up the new ones whenever they come out.

So yes, I think Drizzt could be considered a famous fantasy character. He might not be as famous as, say, Conan or Gandalf. But I'd definately place him on the same level as Elric or (shudder) Rand Al Thor.

Eosin the Red · Jan 24, 2004

Nightfall said:
Druss the Legend is far more iconic/classic than Drizzt.

Amen brother!

I think the Dritzz arch-type is classic and has some mass appeal but the character himself is little known outside of gaming circles. If they made a movie about him that could change.

Dritzz IMO falls into the same category as Wolverine, Tarzan, Rambo, and other outsiders who instinctivly recognize good, no matter how indoctrinated into other ways they might be. They also don't neccessiarily follow the social mores that are more dogmatic than substance. Leaving them on the outside and the victim of stigma, striving to do the right thing as they see it which often gets them into trouble with the institutions.

Course I haven't read Dritzz in nearly a decade so I could be way off.

Buttercup · Jan 24, 2004

[ looks into crystal ball ]

Salvatore's writing classic? Not on your life. The mists of time will swallow him and his work.

I don't think RPG related fiction has had much of an effect on publishing per se. It's part of the whole licensed property concept. Star Trek was the first big winner, then Star Wars, with Forgotten Realms appearing shortly after that. We're starting to see reprints of many of the early Realms and Dragonlance titles bundled in hardback editions, Salvatore's stuff included. This signals the beginning of the end, in my experience. Why? The publisher is trying to milk the same cow twice, at as small an expense as possible.

In 10 years you'll still be able to find Salvatore's stuff on the shelves of larger libraries, because libraries are in the business of keeping stuff. But you won't be able to buy Drizzt books, except on Ebay. In 30 years, no one will have heard of him. Tolkien will live on. George R R Martin will live on. Heck, even Mercedes Lackey, much as her work makes my fillings ache, stands a better chance of living on than Salvatore.

[ swathes crystal ball carefully in its silk wrapper, and puts it away ]

Bendris Noulg · Jan 24, 2004

No. In 20 years, Salvator and his pet munchkin will be long gone and forgotten.

Tinker Gnome · Jan 24, 2004

I think he will become a classic. But, i like Drizzt.

Endur · Jan 24, 2004

There is a whole series of "Oz" books, but only the "The Wizard of Oz" is really recognized as a classic.

The Weis and Hickman original Dragonlance trilogy is a classic in my opinion. The rest of the TSR/WOTC books probably will never be recognized as classics.

Of all of Salvatore's writing, the book that comes closest to being a classic and might be recognized as such, would be the original Drizzt novel, "The Crystal Shard."

gfunk · Jan 24, 2004

The definition of classic is really being used loosely in this thread. Some compare it to Tolkien, whose name many people who haven't read LotR would recognize.

Of the three authors mentioned above, I only know about Moorcock. It is quite possible that Salvatore will be in the same genre as the authors the original poster mentioned.