How would you rate the Icewind Dale Trilogy?

[Green Knight]

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

Well, I've got every single Salvatore Realms book sitting here on my shelf (I had the opportunity to get them all free a while back, so I decided to get them on a lark), so I'll probably get around to reading it, eventually.

And yes I did try and play a Dark Elf Fighter/Ranger with two scimitars and yes I was sad...hehehe

Well, at least you admit your mistake, and have corrected it.

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.

Yeah, that's what I figured when I got them. At first I thought to myself, "I'm not gonna get any Drizzt books. I can't stand all those Drizzt wannabees". But then I thought "Well, considering how many people out there want to play Drizzt clones, maybe it's because the books are good?". Well, we'll see. Though the voting's looking pretty good. Maybe I will read it, instead of reading The Once and Future King for the third time?

 

[Dark Jezter]

I've re-read the trilogy at least 3 times. I'm also a HUGE RAS fan. That said, I voted #4 simply because while it was a good read with some fantastic action and characters, it wasn't what I consider a classic which equals greatness, to me. I thought the books got better as they went along. The Crystal Shard is a slighty above-average book, Streams of Silver introduces one of my favorite villains of all time in Entreri and The Halfings Gem tops it all off nicely with some truly great fights.

Agreed 100%. I, too, am a big fan of R.A. Salvatore's books and characters, and he also writes fight scenes better than just about any fantasy author I can think of (only Robert E. Howard compares).

Here's a list of R.A. Salvatore books I loved: The Crystal Shard, Streams of Silver, The Halfling's Gem, Homeland, The Legacy, Starless Night, Siege of Darkness, Servant of the Shard, and The Thousand Orcs.

Here's a list of R.A. Salvatore books that had their moments, but I feel could have been better: Exile, the Silent Blade, and Spine of the World.

These only two Drizzt RAS books that fell far short of my expectations were Sojourn and Sea of Swords.

This week I'm starting The Cleric Quintet and I'm excited for it; most FR novels (and fantasy novels in general) focus on powerful wizards or skilled warriors, but The Cleric Quintet stars a priest. Should be unique, to say the least.

 

[NiTessine]

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.

Ah... I tend to do that, too. I keep a list on my computer of which books I haven't read yet, and keep working my way down it... The list is usually about 30 titles long.

 

[John Crichton]

Agreed 100%. I, too, am a big fan of R.A. Salvatore's books and characters, and he also writes fight scenes better than just about any fantasy author I can think of (only Robert E. Howard compares).

Here's a list of R.A. Salvatore books I loved: The Crystal Shard, Streams of Silver, The Halfling's Gem, Homeland, The Legacy, Starless Night, Siege of Darkness, Servant of the Shard, and The Thousand Orcs.

Here's a list of R.A. Salvatore books that had their moments, but I feel could have been better: Exile, the Silent Blade, and Spine of the World.

These only two Drizzt RAS books that fell far short of my expectations were Sojourn and Sea of Swords.

This week I'm starting The Cleric Quintet and I'm excited for it; most FR novels (and fantasy novels in general) focus on powerful wizards or skilled warriors, but The Cleric Quintet stars a priest. Should be unique, to say the least.

Wow, we are basically in agreement about the taste of the books we didn't like and loved.

The Cleric Quintet was a really good read. The first book is good and the last one is really good with varied amounts of good in between. You have been slightly spoiled by reading all the Drizzt books because Caderly is in them but it shouldn't ruin things. The next series you should pick up is his Demon Wars series. I think it is easily as good as his earlier Dark Elf books maybe better. Some here didn't like them much but I found them very enjoyable (except for the middle 200 pages of Book 2, that was boring as sin). Totally worth it.

 

[S'mon]

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'd agree with this analysis, except that I can't really see Regis, Catti-Brie, Bruenor et al as 'good, well-rounded characters'. But it had the flavour of an ad-hoc D&D PC party with some thin background detail to get them all into the adventure, and for a D&D book I regard that as a forgivable sin.
Re the Dark Elf trilogy, again I think it started quite well and got more tedious as it went on. I finished it and read several of the follow-ups, before eventually realising the whole thing was going nowhere.

 

[Welverin]

The next series you should pick up is his Demon Wars series. I think it is easily as good as his earlier Dark Elf books maybe better. Some here didn't like them much but I found them very enjoyable (except for the middle 200 pages of Book 2, that was boring as sin). Totally worth it.

Ho, ho what!

Anyway I liked the books, but then I have everyone of his books (except the Tarzan one) so i guess it's really no surprise.

Gk, since you have them already give them a read instead of tOaFK again.

 

[John Crichton]

Ho, ho what!

LOL

Anyway I liked the books, but then I have everyone of his books (except the Tarzan one) so i guess it's really no surprise.

Wow, same here. I just couldn't bring my self to buy that one....

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

I'd agree with this analysis, except that I can't really see Regis, Catti-Brie, Bruenor et al as 'good, well-rounded characters'.

Actually, I said "a good, well rounded cast of characters". As a whole, the characters balance each other out, and work well together. Individually, they are a bit flat. As you mentioned, they have the flavor of a D&D party, and it is a D&D book.
(Ok, so, have I dug myself out of this, or am I just getting in deeper? )

 

[Welverin]

Wow, same here. I just couldn't bring my self to buy that one....

I just never got around to it, still want to some day. Of course I'm an obsessive collecting completist (stupid comic books), so that has more to do with than any desire to read it.

tangent: I was told there was a new RAS book out (HC), do you know anything about it or is my informant mistaken?

 

[jasper]

Below avg junk fiction with carboard characters. I read better Star Trek novels.