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Summary: The Goblinkin Hordes Are Coming
Review: The Thousand Orcs is the first novel in The Hunter's Blades trilogy. In this Forgotten Realms story, four drow have convinced King Obould Many-Arrows to ally his orcs with Gerti Orelsdottr's frost giants. In their initial joint raid, a band of twenty orcs and two frost giants attack a dwarf caravan from Citadel Felbarr, killing all but two of the dwarves. Then a band of a hundred orcs and four frost giants level the village of Clicking Heels.When Bruenor receives word that Gandalug Battlehammer has died, he leaves Icewind Dale to return to Mithral Hall. He is accompanied by Regis, Wulfgar, Catta-brie, Drizzt Do'Urden, and a small army of dwarves. First they detour to Mirabar to agitate the dwarves there and then to the Fell Pass, where they run into the survivors of the dwarf caravan. They track down and destroy the band of giants and orcs that had attacked Clicking Heels, alert Mithral Hall to the danger, and set out to warn Shallows town. Obould and Gerti soon learn of the presence of Bruenor in Shallows and sent a band of ten giants and a thousand orcs to bring back his head. Meanwhile, back in Mirabar, Marchion Elastul is showing his paranoia and enraging some of his dwarves, particularly Torgar Delzoun Hammerstriker. This new series by Salvatore describes a massive attack of goblinkin and giants against the humans, dwarves and elves. Drizzt is in the vanguard of the defense, alone except for Gwenhwyvar, and not even knowing whether his friends are still alive. Maybe the negative reviews on this novel are a kind of backhanded compliment to the popularity of Drizzt and his companions. I don't see why people get so bent out of shape over an adventure fantasy? Of course, Drizzt and his best friends are not likely to be bumped off; what series ever did that? What, you point to the New Jedi Order series? Hey, you forgot about the Demonwars series! Maybe Salvatore WILL terminate his most popular character! But you will have to read the other two books in the series to find out! Hee hee hee. For those of you who live only for the fighting, get used to character development. Salvatore is obviously going to continue to develop his main characters, hopefully with less agonizing and more swordfighting than Hamlet, but these personalities are definitely going to change. Recommended for Salvatore fans and anyone who enjoys desperate swordfights against impossible odds.
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Summary: This is a work of art
Review: From beginning to end this book had me hooked. Now this is the first R.A. Salvatore book ive read that pertains to Drizzt. This is an amazing book. R.A. Salvatore is truly the master of battle. He can paint a vivid picture in your mind. Its a great buy and I encourage any one to read this book.
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Summary: my..
Review: gee, ima not sure 'bout everybody else but i kinda liked it... and i hate to say it but i'm not a teen boy either ;) i'm a preteen girl..
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Summary: Good, but nothing new.
Review: I enjoyed the book, but the Drizzt character has gone pass the point of even moderate believability. I realize it's a fantasy story, but to really care for and appreciate the characters one must be able to associate with them on some level. Drizzt has passed that point. You don't feel any sense of mortal danger for him any longer, or for any of the characters for that matter. They always do the impossible without the slightest chance of failure. The thing that makes great heroes is the their ability to overcome great adversity through rigorous and often painful experience. Even when Catti-brie is almost killed, you never truly feel that she is in mortal danger. The calvalry ALWAYS comes on time, and the only people killed are minor characters that you barely remember their names, if they are even introduced. It makes the supporting cast a little unbelievable and extraneous at best. Don't get me wrong it was an entertaining read. Salvatore has great driscriptive ability and the the fights in this are truly wonderful, but that's all that the book is - fight after fight. All the plot is, is filler between the fight scenes. I love a good drow plot as much as the next person, but does everything have to have the drow behind it? The Forgotten Realms is rich in other species and factions that could easily make for a far more interesting plot than the drow.
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Summary: I still have hope....
Review: When I picked up this book I knew that I wasn't in for anything that could be called sophisticated. I have been a fan of Salvatore's for many years now and can easily look past the pulp that Mr. Salvatore's writing has become. This stuff is written for teenaged boys! (That's where I started) The thing that really kills these books is the predictability. Everything you think is going to happen eventually happens! I'll tell you what, everything you think is going to happen in the following two book probably will too! Two other points: #1) How many times can Cattie-Brie fire an arrow "just in time" to save Wulfgar's "hide" #2) What is up with the names?!!! Can you believe some of these names: General Dagnabbit, Shingles McRuff and there was a guy in the last book Sharky or something! OH MY GOD! These are by far the worst ficticious names ever in the history of literature! Do yourself a favor and read Robert Jordan's books. Or read Salvatore up to Sea of Swords, this one isn't worth it....unless you like to figure out the whole book by page 12. Just say it after me "NO MORE DROW, NO MORE DROW"! Can't Drizzt and co go on an "Adventure"?
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Summary: The Most Intelligent 'Drizzt' Novel so Far
Review: R.A. Salvatore's 'Drizzt' saga began many years with the Ice Wind Dale trilogy. The original trilogy was an excellent adventure that introduced readers to what would become the Companions of Mithral Hall: Drizzt, Wulfgar, Breunor, Regis, and Cattie-Brie. Since that time, the characters had largely stagnated, not really growing or changing as they moved from adventure to adventure. That changed with 'Spine of the World' and 'Sea of Swords' as Wulfgar began his return from the abyss and his friens began to adjust to the changes that they found in their friend. Finally, in 'The Thousand Orcs' the rest of the cast begins to explore their own inner demons. The novel opens with Drizzt and Co. beginning their trek to Mithral Hall where Breunor is to resume the throne after the previous king died. Along the way, the stumble upon the aftermath of a growing army of orcs, postponing their return to Mithral Hall. This is much to Breunor's delight, as he is not anxious to resume his duties as king, which he views as a very dull lifestyle. Regis, the halfling thief, continues to evolve following the near loss of his arm in a previous novel. He is no longer content to hide behind his friends as they fight for him. The trouble is, he doesn't know how to be more of a help without getting in the way and putting his companions in further danger. As events unfold in the novel, he has some difficult decisions to make. Cattie-Brie, facing a near death experience, makes some difficult realizations that will lead to some difficult decisions in future novels. She and Drizzt, a human and a Drow Elf, have an evolving relationship. But what can become of such a relationship? What will happen as she grows old, but Drizzt maintains his youth, inherent in the elven race? These questions plague both Cattie-Brie and Drizzt and will shape their future for novels to come. This novel has a very Tolkenesque quality to it. Readers familiar with 'The Two Towers,' either the novel or the movie, will recognize several similarities. However, Salvatore resolves things in his own way and does so in fairly satisfying fashion. This book will make the most sense if you have read the previous novels of the series, however, it is not entirely necessary. There is a lot of new material in this novel, that a new reader to the series will be able to grasp and understand without having read any of the previous works in the series. For one, all the old enemies (Entreri, Jarlaxle, etc.) are absent, so no past history is needed to understand the foes. I highly recommend this novel to any fantasy fan.
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Summary: Not great literature, but a fun story
Review: Though I've played DnD for many years, this is the first Salvatore I've ever read (I picked the book up because he was in town for a book signing). While I think there's far better fantasy out there, this story was sort of light, cotton candy fantasy. Not that this is a bad thing. My only real complaint with the book is that the jacket is incrediby misleading. Don't expect Drizz't to solo 1000 orcs.
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Summary: Much Better Than Paths of Darkness
Review: After a bit of a lull with Paths of Darkness--a series only true Drizzt fans would enjoy--Salvatore does a much better job with the first book of The Hunter's Blade triology. Everything that's grand about Salvatore's writing is present: fantastic battles, great characters, and converging plots. Like many of the other reviewers I felt the Drizzt/Catti-Brie romance is dragging out incessantly. My other minor gripe is that the main characters--being the Companions of the Hall--were often less interesting than the ancillary ones. I found myself more entertained with Torgar and Pikel than I was with Catti-Brie, Wulfgar, and Drizzt. Still, the Salvatore does a great job adding depth and new twists to Bruenor and Regis. Minor aside: this is the nicest a Drizzt book has ever looked. The borders, segment breaks, and logos are of a higher production value than previous Salvatore tomes. Great cover too! If you've enjoyed Salvatore's previous work, but felt Paths of Darkness was under par, this book should bring him back into your favor.
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Summary: Back to Salvatores Best
Review: Salvatore is back with a double bladed vengeance! For those of you who are fans of the series, The Thousand Orcs marks Salvatore's return to the basics...and if you ask me what he is best at. Without giving away the books story this book brings us back to the five companions facing tall odds and delivering with heroic deeds. Salvatore once again proves that he is that master of action. The book is full of dramatic battle descriptions filled with amazing detail. The grand battles of the Icewind Dale Trilogy and Legacy series continue without some of the slower, and somewhat depressing, psychoanalysis of the last few books. Don't get me wrong, as always, we still get to toil with issues of morality and hard choices but in a venue that is more exciting and action packed than recent works. What more can I say other than I will be waiting to buy the next two in the series. If you are new to Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels start at the beginning with the Dale Trilogy. You will not regret the time spent. Happy Reading
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Summary: Call it 9/11 in Faerun
Review: It was evident from the start, with all the talk of death in Drizzt's musings between sections that Salvatore was dwelling upon and drawing from the terrorist attacks in the US last year. It became more apparent as the story reached its climax and the decription of mutilated bodies, loss of friends and ultimately the collapse of a wizard tower that 9/11 was exactly what Salvatore was using as his inpiration for this novel. I didn't dislike the book, it though I wonder why all the these characters have such a hard time coming to terms with their own feelings. Drizzt speaks about living in the present yet he is too frightened to even speak his thoughts to the woman he loves. Build a bridge; get over it. Either kill her or let them get married. I believe that Salvatore is trying to breath life into Drizzt the same way the death of Chewbacca reanimated Han Solo. Lets hope it works, though unless a certain mortally wounded character ends up dying, this probably won't happen.
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