How would you rate the Icewind Dale Trilogy?

[John Crichton]

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.

Too true. Too true.

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

Hmmmm... * runs off to check http://rasalvatore.com *

The only thing I can think of is the Demon Wars campaign setting. I flipped through it at the store and the book was very poorly done. If it was at least average I would have bought it on the spot. The new Drizzt novel is out next month. The Demon Wars: Trial By Fire comics are new. Um, otherwise I am clueless as to new HC RAS stuff.

 

[John Crichton]

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? )

Actually, that sums it up for me, too. Drizzt and Catti-brie have some soul to them but without the whole group the other characters are lacking. For example I found Spine of the World a painful read. Wulfgar on his own just wasn't the same. I would not want to read another stand alone book with just him in it. Kinda funny when you consider that Drizzt was initially conceived as a companion to Wulfgar, with Wulfgar being the lead character...

 

[dagger]

enjoyed this trilogy as well and the many books that have followed it (dark elf trilogy and all the stand alone books). It is above average fiction with well written characters. It should matter if YOU like it or not, not what everyone else thinks.

I did enjoy the Dark Elf trilogy better though.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Actually, that sums it up for me, too. Drizzt and Catti-brie have some soul to them but without the whole group the other characters are lacking. For example I found Spine of the World a painful read. Wulfgar on his own just wasn't the same. I would not want to read another stand alone book with just him in it. Kinda funny when you consider that Drizzt was initially conceived as a companion to Wulfgar, with Wulfgar being the lead character...

I didn't mind the focus on Wulfgar, Delly, and Morik the Rogue in Spine of the World. My main beef with that book was the subplot involving the commoner girl and the young aristocrat who was infatuated with her, mainly because it didn't become clear until the very end of the novel why those scenes were included.

The only recurring RAS character I really don't like is Catti-Brie; she wasn't so annoying in the Icewind Dale trilogy, but once she got her enchanted bow and her sentient sword she suddenly became one of the most dangerous characters in the books. Drizzt, Bruenor, Wulfgar, Entreri, and Jarlaxle all have their own formidable skills to fall back on, but Catti-Brie would be severely handicapped without her powerful magic weapons. It can also get annoying how Catti-Brie is infinately wise, insightful, and almost never wrong about anything.

 

[Pants]

Actually, that sums it up for me, too. Drizzt and Catti-brie have some soul to them but without the whole group the other characters are lacking. For example I found Spine of the World a painful read. Wulfgar on his own just wasn't the same. I would not want to read another stand alone book with just him in it. Kinda funny when you consider that Drizzt was initially conceived as a companion to Wulfgar, with Wulfgar being the lead character...

Heh, I really liked Spine of the World, it was a nice change of pace from the rest of the books and I really liked the way Wulfgar changed over the book. However, by Sea of Swords I was saying 'Stop whining Wulfgar, god!' Which is one of the main reasons that I found Sea of Swords so very lackluster. That and Sheila Kree sucked.

I didn't mind the focus on Wulfgar, Delly, and Morik the Rogue in Spine of the World. My main beef with that book was the subplot involving the commoner girl and the young aristocrat who was infatuated with her, mainly because it didn't become clear until the very end of the novel why those scenes were included.[/b]

Morik was bloody awesome. I love that guy.

The only recurring RAS character I really don't like is Catti-Brie; she wasn't so annoying in the Icewind Dale trilogy, but once she got her enchanted bow and her sentient sword she suddenly became one of the most dangerous characters in the books. Drizzt, Bruenor, Wulfgar, Entreri, and Jarlaxle all have their own formidable skills to fall back on, but Catti-Brie would be severely handicapped without her powerful magic weapons. It can also get annoying how Catti-Brie is infinately wise, insightful, and almost never wrong about anything.

Gah. Cattie-Brie annoys the begeezes out of me, I am kinda hoping she bites it one of the next books.

 

[Green Knight]

It should matter if YOU like it or not, not what everyone else thinks.

Considering I haven't read it, I don't have an actual opinion of it. Nor do I want to waste my time on something if it's bad. That's why I asked about it. It's the same reason why people read reviews of the latest play in the paper, or tune in to Ebert & Roeper to see their reviews on the newest movies. Even if they're negatively reviewing something you would normally like, you can still glean that from a negative review, if they point out specifics, in which case you can still determine if it's something you'd like, though the review itself is negative.

 

[TiQuinn]

I can't say that either trilogy was exceptional. I enjoyed the Crystal Shard the best out of the Icewind Dale trilogy, though Streams of Silver was a worthwhile read too. Didn't care for the Halfling's Gem, however, yet it's tough to read the first two and not continue to the last.

The Dark Elf Trilogy starts off with a bang in Homeland, but I really hated Exile and Sojourn. The books feel like they were based off of someone's character writeup for his 2nd edition PC, and then Salvatore went back and filled in the details. With the exception of the first book, the series was more about moving Drizzt from (The Underdark) point A to point B (Icewind Dale).

 

[Desdichado]

There needs to be an option between average and "pretty damned good." Sorta like; good-for-a-laugh maybe, or better-than-a-stick-in-the-eye.

 

[Mog Elffoe]

I rated it a 4 as well. As stated before, the books are good pulp-style fantasy action. If you dig the swords and sorcery genre (as opposed to high fantasy, like LotR) then you'll probably get a real kick out of them.

I especially like when Drizzt faces off with Errtu in Crystal Shard. Coolest Drizzt moment ever.

A lot of folks say the like the Dark Elf trilogy better, but not me. I found it to be very dark and depressing. The other stuff has a much lighter tone, which I prefer.

 

[Welverin]

* runs off to check http://rasalvatore.com *

Did that myself, the lack of updates in certain parts left some doubt as to the accuracy.

I think I’ll stop by Waldenbooks to see what it was, could have just been an older book stuck out front for some reason.

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

I was wondering when this would happen. Still no ones though.