How would you rate the Icewind Dale Trilogy?

[Tyler Do'Urden]

I have the opposite reaction to the two trilogies. I really enjoyed the Icewind Dale trilogy (I voted "Pretty Damned Good"), but found the Dark Elf trilogy to be very disappointing. And the trilogy after that, I couldn't even get through the first book. I found Salvatore's writing to get worse with each series he put out. While the Icewind Dale books aren't going to be considered great literature, they have a fun story, decent plot, and a good, well rounded cast of characters. Once you get rid of the supporting cast in the later books, I found Drizzt to be to much to take.

I didn't really care for the Dark Elf Trilogy, and I really didn't like The Cleric Quintet. Salvatore's stuff seems to improve- the plots become much more complex as the series advances, and the Legacy of the Drow series has to be my favorite of the series' released so far (even if Salvatore used it as an excuse to bring back Cadderly, which I will not forgive him for!).

I voted 4 on the poll, the same as my review of the IWD Collector's Edition trilogy on Amazon.com. No, it's not great fiction, and it's very derivative, but like a good action movie, it's too much fun for you to care.

 

[The Serge]

I voted average.

Frankly, I detest Salvatore's style and his cardboard characters. In fact, the only character who wasn't cardboard was Driz'zt... and now, he's become a cliche because of all the fans he's generated.

I think that Salvatore's writing's gotten better over time, as have his plots. However, that's not saying much.

His dialogue is always stilted. His plots, while showing promise, are usually thin. If you really read his Dark Elf books, you find that Salvatore fills in a lot of space with descriptions of battles rather than any kind of character development or plot progression. It's essentially from one fight to the next.

Also, he has a tendancy to introduce interesting characters (like some of the Baerns or Alustriel) and then sort of let them disappear (Alustriel) or kill them in a lackluster fashion.

I'm not expecting high brow writing here. However, I do expect quality writing. Salvatore's inability to offer really involved plots or characters are mitigated by his incredible sense of action and a pretty good dose of suspense (actually, it's dramatic irony). These two balance each other out. Since I prefer involved plots and character progression to strict action, I am very hard on him. But, when compared to other genre fantasy out there, he's pretty average. He lucked out with a niche that captured the lack of imagination in most people. For that, he should be commended.

 

[NiTessine]

You have the book bought already? Then you don't ask opinions, you just pick it up and read it, and then form your own opinions.

I voted 4. It's not world literature, but it is good. The Dark Elf trilogy is even better.

 

[CrusaderX]

I voted 4. It's definitely not great. It's far, far, FAR from great. But hey, it did entertain me, and I had fun reading it. I value good lightweight entertainment, and that's exactly what this trilogy is.

 

[KnowTheToe]

The Cleric Quintet was one of the worst fantasy series I have ever read (I only read the first two).

The Crystal Shard is a quick light hearted read with a fun and easy story line. As mentioned above, do not expect mind blowing plot twists or multi-layed plot development. It is pulp fantasy, good pulp fantasy.

 

[S'mon]

The original book predates the TSR Ethics Code and has a freshness about it I like with some good villains (the protagonists are cardboard), it's pretty good and I'd rate it a 4.
By the end of the trilogy it's heading towards 2, so 3 overall. Of course it just got worse after that...

 

[Henry]

Definitely 4, to me. It's not extremely complex, but Salvatore does three things very well:

1) Writes entertaining fight scenes.

2) Makes characters that you can care about.

3) Writes a plot that keeps moving.

The series does a great thing by not focusing on Drizzt: The first book really focuses on all the characters, the second book focuses on the three core characters together (Drizzt, Wulfgar, Bruenor), and the third on Regis and Artemis Entreri. Drizzt is not the serious focus until later works (where he undergoes a little self-discovery of his own), but the tradition of his diary quotes being used to frame each book starts here.

If you ever get a chance to read the Dark Elf Trilogy, it's worth it.

 

[Hackenslash]

Very Good...but !!!

I voted 4, as it was Salvatores early work and his later work IMHO is much better, but the Icewind Dale trilogy is still a good solid read and introduces the reader to some very well thought out characters and excellent villains. The Dark Elf Trilogy is his best IMO and his later work with the Legacy trilogy is also pretty good. And yes I did try and play a Dark Elf Fighter/Ranger with two scimitars and yes I was sad...hehehe but that just goes to show you how popular and endearing the Drizzt Character really was. I'd say read it...I think you'll enjoy it.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Definitely 4, to me. It's not extremely complex, but Salvatore does three things very well:

1) Writes entertaining fight scenes.

2) Makes characters that you can care about.

3) Writes a plot that keeps moving.

Hmm... I can agree with you on #1, to an extent. But I must respectfully (and very strongly ) disagree with #s 2 and 3. I've never yet come across a character in one of his books that I felt anything for, and I find his plots slow and plodding more often than not.

I really am not a fan of RAS's work. He's perfectly adequate, but certainly nothing more than that. I've never read a book of his that I've loved, and I've only read a few that I really even liked. I couldn't even finish his Demon trilogy; it just bored me, I'm afraid.

 

[Green Knight]

I assume you have read the Dark Elf Trilogy already?

Nope. Save for one short story in a Realms anthology book, I've never read a Drizzt story.

You have the book bought already? Then you don't ask opinions, you just pick it up and read it, and then form your own opinions.

Well, I didn't buy them, per se. But anyway, just wondering if I should pick it up and read it, now, or read something else. I got a habit of buying books in large groups, and then reading them later. So whenever I want to read something, I usually got a large selection of unread books to choose from.