The Thousand Orcs

[John Crichton]

Spine of the World was really bad in my opinion. Boring plot and boring character. Too bad Wulfie didn't stay dead.

I'm forced to agree. Spine of the World was a painful read. And I am a huge RAS fanboy. Easily his worst Realms novel.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I think the reason many people like me enjoyed the novel was that it minimized Drizzt and his apperance in it.

Now if they had left Wulfgar dead, that wouldn't have been a problem for me but I enjoyed his return.

Servant fo the Shard was another good one in my opinion. Not fantastic or anything, but a good read.

 

[diaglo]

no one really dies in the books.

bruenor died with the shadow dragon... but didn't
wulgar died but didn't
artemis died on the cliff but didn't
drizzt died several times but didn't


they need to die and stay dead.

 

[Berandor]

I think the problem is not that they don't die, but that they, to all appearances, die - and then come back happily (so to speak). If you kill them off, at least kill them off for real. That's one thing I don't like about LotR (and the films especially) - Gandalf, Faramir, Pippin/Merry, Frodo (by the Fellowship), Frodo (by Sam), Aragorn (in the movie), Frodo/Sam (at the end) - only poor Boromir stays dead.

 

[qstor]

I didn't really care for the Thousand Orcs series. The older stuff is better, such as Homeland, Servant of the Shard, and the Cleric's Quintet series.

I got into the novels a few years ago and missed the first printing of his novels. I loved this one! The writing really carried me. I had a hard time putting them down. I'm looking forward for getting the next one. Its on my Christmas List. I love Todd Locklocks cover art for the 1000 orc's series.

I can't say that older is really better but I do enjoy some of the older ones too but I loved this one as well.

For folks who haven't read any of the novels I'd see if your local library has any of them and check out 1000 orcs or one of the Dark Elf Trilogy series.

Mike

 

[jester47]

I think the reason many people like me enjoyed the novel was that it minimized Drizzt and his apperance in it.

Now if they had left Wulfgar dead, that wouldn't have been a problem for me but I enjoyed his return.

Servant fo the Shard was another good one in my opinion. Not fantastic or anything, but a good read.

It annoyed me that half the book had nothing to do with Wulfgar and was poorly written. Its a talent of RAS's to set up two separate situations and have them cross over, however this works best over and over in little situations rather than in one big one.

A.

 

[Duncan Haldane]

no one really dies in the books.

bruenor died with the shadow dragon... but didn't
wulgar died but didn't
artemis died on the cliff but didn't
drizzt died several times but didn't


they need to die and stay dead.

I believe Bruenor knew what he was doing when he fought the Shadow Dragon. I think he knew the protective powers of twinkle and used them extremely well in a heroic act that might have brought about his death, while saving his friends. Just because the others thought he died doesn't mean he did.

Wulfgar definately did die. But when an evil creature captures your soul....
Anyway, it took a long time for Wulfgar to be rescued, and his death had a major impact on the chracters.

Didn't Artemis have a ring of regeneration? So long as he didn't die he would get better, and readers were given reason to think at the time that he was alive - just re-read the last couple of chapters of the novel (Legacy). When Regis goes to Artemis' body there is reason to think he might be alive.

I can't think of specific instances where Drizzt "died" - I'm sure they are there, I just don't remember them.

But the three I've mentioned above were all foreshadowed, with a reader who thinks it through given enough clues to know what was really going on - I was waiting for Wulfgar's return from the moment he died.

RAS is writing in a world where Resurrection is a legitimate spell. Yet he tends to write with fairly low levels of magic given the level of the main characters (none of them can even cast spells, IIRC). He uses reasonable literary technique to good effect - ie, having reason to believe a character is dead when they never were (except Wulfgar). They do sometimes seem overused, I agree, but all instances were fairly different.

While I believe it may well be time to retire these companions, I don't think that he's gone overboard to keep them alive.

Duncan (who is not a RAS or Drizzt fanboy, but reads the Drizzt novels for fun, lighthearted reading).

 

[haiiro]

I picked up The Thousand Orcs when it first came out, and was disappointed -- to the point that I stopped after about 50 pages, and haven't picked it up since. Maybe I'll try it again someday.

I loved the Dark Elf Trilogy, but after several attempts I've never gotten further than the second book of the Crystal Shard series (sacrelige, I know ). I keep thinking I'll be in just the right mood for them sometime, which is why I still have them, but I find Salvatore's style really hit or miss.

 

[GreenLantern]

I got into the novels a few years ago and missed the first printing of his novels. I loved this one! The writing really carried me. I had a hard time putting them down. I'm looking forward for getting the next one. Its on my Christmas List. I love Todd Locklocks cover art for the 1000 orc's series.

I can't say that older is really better but I do enjoy some of the older ones too but I loved this one as well.

For folks who haven't read any of the novels I'd see if your local library has any of them and check out 1000 orcs or one of the Dark Elf Trilogy series.

Mike

In general, I do like Salvatore's work, it's just that I think that this recent stuff, for whatever reason, hasn't held my attention.

For new readers though, I agree, read the Dark Elf Trilogy, which I did really enjoy.

Right now, I'm reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - A very promising work from a new author. I've heard that this book has already been picked up for a new film!

 

[diaglo]

I believe Bruenor knew what he was doing when he fought the Shadow Dragon. I think he knew the protective powers of twinkle and used them extremely well in a heroic act that might have brought about his death, while saving his friends. Just because the others thought he died doesn't mean he did.

actually bruenor didn't know the powers of icingdeath. he just picked up the scimitar for drizzt. and he acted heroically... meaning jumped in knowing it would be his death.

Wulfgar definately did die. But when an evil creature captures your soul....
Anyway, it took a long time for Wulfgar to be rescued, and his death had a major impact on the chracters.

that's not a long time for immortal creatures.

Didn't Artemis have a ring of regeneration? So long as he didn't die he would get better, and readers were given reason to think at the time that he was alive - just re-read the last couple of chapters of the novel (Legacy). When Regis goes to Artemis' body there is reason to think he might be alive.

he should've died from the fall.

I can't think of specific instances where Drizzt "died" - I'm sure they are there, I just don't remember them.

the psionic and the battle with artemis... the one jarlaxe (sp?) set up to him artemis get over his obsession. also the battle with the young elf maiden seeking revenge. when a potion of cure lt wounds saves his life vs. hers.


RAS did this in the cleric quintet too. the unnatural aging and the poisoning of the bouldershoulder...and etc...


it wouldn't be so bad if it happened once or twice. but repeat performances are trite.