Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: TLD has got to be one of the best books RA Salvatore has written, returning back to same style of writing that got me hooked with my favourite drow renegade in the first place. Fast paced, emotional, brutal & not to mention the entry of a new character into Drizzt's life ... excellent stuff. `Nuff said.
Rating: 
Summary: Back from the jaws of boredom and into the fire Salavatore!
Review: I'll be quite honest and say that I have been disappointed with Salavatore's last three forgotten realms book, and yes that does also include Servant of the Shard. This book however has dragged me out of a severe state of boredom that I have been imprisoned in for a long time, maybe I'm just bored of the War of the Spider Queen series, or perhaps I'm just not used to waiting this long for a book. Anyways on to my review, the villains are good, lots of funny dwarves including the two infamous ones from the cleric quintet, and very intricate if not brilliant fight scenes. The story has a sense of realism this time since the "good guys" are not invulnerable like they usually are, and though very serious and heart breaking the book also has a lot of comical humor but not to the point where you can't take the book seriously. Salvatore did not rush through anything in my opinion and this story definately did have more of a plot then The Thousand Orcs. The only reason I did not grant it five stars is because it had a little to much in the way of battle scenes even if they were brilliant, and because even though the plot was good, it was not great and definately not grand like in the cleric quintet series which I always recommend for Salavatore readers. On a side note I would like to state that the rumors are true, Obould is indeed a badass in this book. You might learn to even appreciate an orc villain, for me it was quite easy since orcs are one of my three favorite races but the sheer lack of cunning and the lovely intimidating factor that Obould holds makes him almost as imposing as Entreri or even as scary as the extremely well developed Ghost from CQ. I leave on the final note that Salavatore has indeed gained my appreciation and admiration again. I hope you all find this book as exciting as I found it. =)
Rating:
Summary: Some Drizzt TLC
Review: The Lone Drow is truly a breath of fresh air for Salvatore's favorite Drow. Drizzt was becoming a static character leading up to the Hunter's Blade Trilogy. In this installment, R.A. devotes some quality time to developing Drizzt. This dimension of his storytelling had been lacking for some time in Salvatore's dark elf books. For an avid fan, this was acceptable given the depth of the characters and the world setting for the Demon Wars Saga. Finally, I am once again excited to read about the curious Drow and the companions of the hall.**NOTE** R.A. Salvatore writes books that can be enjoyed by fantasy fans that are no longer children. Salvatore's work smacks much more of Tolkien than that of Lewis. Trying to find fantasy authors that write for adults as well as the whippersnappers of the world is a tall order. Nevertheless, it is an order R.A. fills quite well.
Rating: 
Summary: Getting a little old bob.
Review: I have been a passionate fan of R.A Salvatore for many years, own hard cover editions of all of his Forgotten realms works. All previous works (excluding the pathetic Sea of Swords) were of a high standard, but this particular book did not hold the same excitement that others had before. I found this quite depressing as Mr. Salvatore is my favorite author. The book seemed repetitive, overly violent and seemed to have very little plot. It jumped erratically from one fight scene to the next with very little real storytelling. Where previous Drizzt combat scenes had been spectacularly engaging, these seemed dull with no possibility of Drizzt becoming injured. Characters seemed one dimensional, all alike and what's worse IMMORTAL. All of the Dwarfs in the book were one dimensional Bruenor look-alikes, each with increasingly ridiculous names like 'Muffinhead'. If you want a more interesting read try the Forgotten Realms Avatar series, starting with Shadowdale by Scott Ciencin. I will continue to read Mr. Salvatore's work, but if the conclusion of this series is similar to this will no longer buy hard cover copies. Peace Out.
Rating:
Summary: Orcs attack--but are they only fighting for freedom?
Review: Believing his friends have been killed by an orc offensive, renegade drow (dark elf) Drizzt Do'Urden begins a singlehanded war against the orc bands that stream out to join the apparently victorious cause of Obould. Aided by trolls and ice giants, the orcs appear unstoppable. The dwarves, aided by the fallen dwarf-king's adoptive human children, take up defensive positions atop a high hill with flanking forces guarding their path to the dwarf mountain fastness, but even stuborn dwarves know that they have little hope against the vast forces that the orcs bring against them. Normally, orc bands collapse before they can create lasting changes in order. Internal squabbles eventually break out. Obould's allies anticipate this here--the drow who have been aiding him anticipate only the great chaos that will occur as Obould attacks--and is eventually repulsed. But Obould has other plans. He has a vision of a time when orcs can trade with other nations, can claim a country of their own, can exist among civilized people rather than be treated as monsters to be slaughtered. A victory over the dwarves will carve out the territory he needs to stake this claim. And the odd gift of semi-divinity by the orc god appears to make this dream a possibility--much to the surprise, and dismay, of his allies. THE LONE DROW is the second novel in author R. A. Salvatore's Hunter's Blade Trilogy. With characters established and the primary protagonists (Drizzt and his human love interest Catti-brie) separated throughout the book, Salvatore turns to action to keep the plot moving. Most of the novel details the tactical moves made by orc or dwarf armies, and the clash of weapons as Drizzt faces orc, drow, and giant enemies. Salvatore's strong narative voice keeps the reader engaged. Fans of Salvatore, especially readers who enjoyed THE THOUSAND ORCS are certain to enjoy this novel as well. This is not the right place to begin the series, however. If you aren't already involved with the characters, THE LOEN DROW is not written to bring you in. Salvatore accepts the convention that dwarves are good and orcs are bad. But Obould is not simply bad--he's a hero for his people, attempting to lead them out of the bondage that they have been held in for centuries. It will be interesting to see whether the third novel in the series can continue the sophisticated balance between a simple moralistic battle of good and evil and the development of sympathetic characters on both sides of the conflict. Certainly the entire character of Drizzt implies that an individual of an 'evil' race can be redeemed. But can an entire race? Although Obould kills a lot of people, he certainly doesn't kill more than Drizzt or Catti-bie. I'm looking forward to see how Salvatore addresses this conundrum.
Rating:
Summary: Tough to judge, but not the best out there
Review: Well, I went with four stars, because three just did not feel right. I really like this book as an exhibition of the style that kept me buying and reading Salvatore's books since I first read The Crystal Shard: fast-paced (for the most part), good exposition, lots of action. As mentioned by other reviewers, the title is misleading in that not only is Drizzt not the sole focus of the book, but he never really is alone! Salvatore apparently decided to inject a love triangle thanks to some latent cowardice in Dizzt and the racial [age] difference between elves and humans. While it is certainly valid, I can see that in the third installment there are two ways to go. Either love will conquer all or jealousy will tear apart. I felt that the lead-in, while necessary to attain this plot direction, was somewhat out-of-character. Recall from The Thousand Orcs that there were two surface elves who together aided those opposing the orcs and giants. Well, apparently the make decides to venture alone for the first time in the book and winds up causing some problems later. In all other cases, the two were inseparable, so I felt that this was simply a machination to set things up and it was not the disaster as made out. I love the combat sequences, including the innovative battle techniques that Salvatore seems always to interject. There is savagery and cunning on the part of the orcs, who rely on weight of numbers to sway the course of battle, while the dwarves rely on tactics, strength and compassion to oppose the monsters. Deception plays a large roll in the many battles, as well as plain old butchery. It seems that there is a growing lack of suitable and/or believable enemies for the Companions to face, so Salvatore provides a deity-aided enemy in this one. It takes some time for the scope of this enemy's abilities truly to be revealed, but we learn that this opponent is quite able to stand against the Companions of the Hall. He is not Artemis Entreri, though, who was one of the best villains I have ever read and loved to hate. There is little in the way of surprise, save for one late development, which I will not spoil. Self-sacrifice gets played up a little TOO much, but it is done faithfully in character. Drizzt gets in touch with his elven side a bit, but the notion of him coaching someone to be like the Hunter I found ludicrous (since it took him a decade in the Underdark to attain that level of detechment and survival instinct). Some glaring contradictions present themselves, but they are not totally out of character. This book had very little in the way of typos, exceptional among first printings in my experience. There was some pronoun mixups early, but they were largely consistent and correct later. There were a few misspellings, but a lot of grammar errors (split infinitives, anyone?). However, I chose to ignore that in my rating, else it would have been three stars, since it detracted from the reading for me. But this was a good, fast read, despite being ~350 pages. Hopefully the third and final book in the series will deliver some more great enjoyment!
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I thought this was a great book. And this, like all Drizzt books was not a disappointment. The battle scenarios were great, as are the villians. If anything bad is to be said about it, I'd say it seemed a little rushed at the end. The jumping around from plotline to plotline got a bit annoying, because I think we see to little of the main character throughout the first half of the book. The ending was very noteworthy and original. Usually I can predict one way or another, what may happen in the end, but not this time. In my opinion, Salvatore proves to be the Lord of the Forgotten realms (again).
Rating:
Summary: "The Hunter's Blades," Book II
Review: "The Lone Drow," book two in R.A. Salvatore's "The Hunter's Blades" trilogy, is the fourteenth novel that prominently features renegade dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, but despite the title it is a surprisingly ensemble tale in which Drizzt is not a clear focus. "The Lone Drow" picks up where its predecessor, "The Thousand Orcs," left off, leaving the Companions of the Hall and the whole of the northern realm in grave danger. An aggressive orc king is amassing an army of evil creatures to sweep across the land and subjugate its people. But this is no ordinary orc king, for he appears divinely inspired, even god-like. This somewhat pedestrian setup paves the way for the usual serving of Salvatore's trademark action setpieces, which, in general, offer nothing new to those familiar with the author's extensive body of work. In fact, only of a few of the battles in "The Lone Drow" are truly stirring, which is regrettable. The problem lies primarily in Salvatore's choice of opponents. Orcs have ceased to be an interesting threat at this point in Drizzt Do'Urden's career, and in fact never posed much of a threat in the first place. I suppose that is why Salvatore was content to up the number of opposing orcs, throw in a few giants and trolls (which make likewise predictable fodder for the Companions of the Hall and their valiant allies), and grant their leader a supernatural strength unrivaled by any of his fellows. At least the last part, continually unexplained in book two (and begging for explanation in book three), remains compelling. Even so, as exciting as I once found Salvatore's mighty duels and epic battles to be, they are growing increasingly repetitive and time-consuming. "The Lone Drow," just like "The Thousand Orcs," is fueled less by plot and more by incessant action. Still, "The Lone Drow" offers some fine surprises interspersed with its more mundane and unremarkable elements, which maintain its readability even when things are at their weakest. It's always a treat to reunite with the so-called Companions of the Hall and their colorful cast of allies. Better still, I have always felt that Drizzt Do'Urden is most fascinating when things are darkest for him, and "The Lone Drow" certainly fills the beleaguered hero with sorrow and rage, allowing him to once again assume the role of the dreaded Hunter. Drizzt's life has probably not been so ravaged by grief, confusion, or helpless anger since "The Dark Elf" trilogy. The character is at his lowest ebb when he is cool, collected, and proudly wearing a mantle of righteousness. This marks a return to the character I fell in love with so many years ago, and who, in many ways, has not reappeared in full since "Starless Night." My only complaint is that Drizzt just doesn't have enough to do in the book, especially when you consider the implications of the title. When it's all said and done, I enjoyed "The Lone Drow" considerably despite some reservations and regrets. It pales in contrast to earlier Drizzt novels (see any of the three "Dark Elf" or "Icewind Dale" trilogy efforts, as well as the glorious "Starless Night"), but shines in comparison to some of Salvatore's more recent and inferior volumes (see "Passage to Dawn" or "The Silent Blade," for example). Salvatore has managed to re-inject what makes Drizzt Do'Urden such an excellent protagonist into this series, and though the overall conflict itself is lacking, it's still a powerful story, and at its core it is deeply compelling despite some glaring flaws. I can't wait for the next installment, "The Two Swords," predictably slated for an October 2004 release.
Rating:
Summary: Great writing style
Review: R.A. Salvatore takes his characters and makes them grow. He draws you into the story and makes you see that these characters are people with real everyday problems. They laugh, cry, and hurt. Before you read this book though you need to read all the previous trilogies before this one so you can know what is going on in the story.
Rating:
Summary: Creative Grieving Lessons To Beat any 12 Step Program
Review: Yes, another novel in the Series That Never Ends. But... it's a VERY good one. In between, and sometimes during, the carnage (which is rendered with more flair than the last installment) the storyline really does veer right on the edge of a Platonic argument for wholeness. And it has flying horsies in it. NOTE 1: Whenever a well-loved character in a long-running series behaves in ways outside our expectations, or our wishes, a feeling of betrayal may result. In some cases this is justified. In this case, uncharacteristic behavior is handled with such skill, such honesty, and such directness, that I must accept one simple fact: The Lone Drow twists and turns, but it never cheats. N0TE 2: By Platonic, I didn't mean that there's no... oh, read the book. NOTE 3: FLYING HORSIES!!!!
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