Rating: 
Summary: It's not a defect
Review: ...Now as for the book itself. Fantastic. This is shaping up to be a thoroughly enjoyable series and I'll be happy to have it sitting on my shelf. Readers really get a close up of Menzoberranzan and I hope in later novels we get a closer look at some of the other Drow Cities and hopefully hear of some of the other Drow Deities. I feel that Vhaeraun and Selvetarm have been horribly neglected throughout the FR novel line. If Pharaun was a thief, he and Ryld would be the equivalent of the mortal versions of Vhaeraun and Selvetarm I think. Vhaeraun the devious god of stealth and Drow Males while Selvetarm is the god of Drow Warriors. If they don't take advantage of the current situation, I think that would be a missed opportunity on WotC's part. I have faith in Salvatore though and I think he'll give readers and fans what they want to see.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: A warning to Drizt fans, this is about drow...but Drizt is not involved. It is a story about the Drow homeworld, and an upheaval that they are going through. It is not about good vs. evil, it is about pure ambition on all sides. If you love hearing about the dark elves that are not as moral as Drizt, you will enjoy this book. Personally, I had a great time reading the book. Byers does a great job of making you forget that most drow are cut from the same cloth...and then reminding you of it by having a character that you are rooting for do a typical drow behavior. You should definitely pick this book up.
Rating:
Summary: A Lover of All Things Drow
Review: As soon as the book came out, I bought it, even though I had just begun reading the Forgotten Realms series. That was many, many months ago. I knew I was going to like it, since I was enjoying the general series anyway. However, when I finally opened the book and began to read it not too long ago, I was wrong.
I LOVED IT!!!
Anyone who enjoys reading the Forgotten Realms series and/or anything about the Drow themselves, must read this book. I knew the basic plot behind the series and was intrigued, but little did I know how in depth the plot was going to be. I can hardly wait to read the second book, Insurrection, which is already sitting on my bookshelf, beggng to be read.
As a lover of all things Drow, I highly recommend this book.
The Spider Queen has disappeared for no reason, throwing Menzoberranzan into pure chaos. What could be the reason for it? Read the book to begin the journey.
Rating: 
Summary: Good tale however the author use of a thesaurus was overkill
Review: Being a fan of the AD&D and the Forgotten realms setting, I've just about read everything written that comes out of this fantasy world setting (and other D&D worlds as well). I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters, most of which was actually brought to life by one of my favorite authors, R.A. Salvatore. However, the author of this particular book seemed as if he was using a thesaurus every few pages. I constantly found words that seemed like they shouldn't have been placed anywhere in this book. It was almost as if he was trying to prove to everyone that he could write intelligently. The author would be fantastic at writing electrical engineering or computer programming manuals, which is good reading for a person suffering from insomnia (unless of course you are a engineer or programmer).
Rating:
Summary: Gripping the reader's rapt attention from first page to last
Review: Book One of a planned six-part "War of the Spider Queen" series, Dissolution by Richard lee Byers is a demonstrably terrific fantasy adventure novel set amid the dark elves and their labyrinth-like underground civilization, in the Forgotten Realms universe of Dungeons and Dragons role-play gaming. Webs of treachery and intrigue unfold in a world where a dark elf's greatest enemy can only be another dark elf. Four champions are on a deadly quest to save the entire dark elf race from extinction! Dissolution is a simply fascinating saga of evil in secret war with itself, gripping the reader's rapt attention from first page to last!
Rating:
Summary: Something different for a change
Review: Buy this book! Tired of stereotypic fantasy plotlines where the hero saves the world from the badguys? I am. This novel delves into the workings of a society somehow held together by chaos and evil.
Rating: 
Summary: Deliciously Evil
Review: Byers successfully captured the sadistic, vile nature of the drow and left me wanting more. There is no "good" in this book; rather, only varying degrees of evil- as it should be among Lolth's children. I was afraid Byer's would create a wishy-washy Drizzt clone, but he did not. What he has created, is a collection of equally significant characters with their own unique personalities and motives. You love these guys, but you feel guilty for doing it. I was delighted to find the book consistent with the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and D&D 3rd Edition rules. I feel Salvatore has a bad habit of inventing rules, but Byers does not. Dissolution is an excellent read, and I look forward to the next in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Not a bad start but....
Review: Dissolution is really a mixed bag. The story is not that bad, but the are some continuity problems with this book that really, in my opinion, hurt the story. First of all, two of the main characters, the wizard and the warrior from the Academy, are far too close, even using the word friend several times. To the best of my recollection, there is no dark elven word for friend...because they have no use for them. This might be a minor quibble for some, but it is that society that this book endevours to show us. The book just does not succeed in carrying on the sinister feel that Salvatore brought to the city in his series. Sure there are spurts of chaos, but it only seems to be in measured doses. Secondly, a large majority of the book is very repetitive, going from a Banrae priestess, back to the mage and the warrior. I won't give away any of the plot as to why this happens, but it starts getting really annoying after the second time, cause you can pretty much guess what's going to happen when the chapter ends. The central story is a pretty good one, though, and makes the book worth reading, if nothing else, to get background for the books to come. If this was any other culture being portrayed, I think I would have liked this book a lot more. However, trying to match the level of excellence that Salvatore achieved in Homeland, the best book in the Drizzt saga, is akin to trying to defeat the Flash in a race, it just isn't going to happen. I would recommend buying it only if you are heavily into the dark elf saga.
Rating:
Summary: Dissapointment
Review: hmmmmm, what to say. this was a pretty good book but ive read better. As soon as i saw it i knew i had to have it, mostly because im obsessed with Drow. i read till i was done, but i wasnt very impressed with how it was written. i found that there were a few spelling mistakes, but mostly, there was the fact that the drow seemed liked gentle creatures (eg: when the males could be heard from the other room of the spa laughing and splashing and carrying on), when infact there ruthless, kniving, sadistic creatures. i dont really think that this book did them justice, only R.A.salvatore can really capture the true nature of the drow. also i was really, really dissapointed with the fight scenes. but if you can overlook the obvious problems the book is pretty well written, and i intend to get the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Unbridled Choas!!!
Review: How can everyone keep putting this book down. I mean complaining about grammatical errors!!! You got the point right? Everyone that reads these kind of books has to have an pretty open mind and a vivid imagination to even pick these up. Mr. Bylerly puts drow life(with the oversight of Mr.Salvatore) into his own perspective. Do you really think that even a Choatic society could survive without even a few friendships. Even the relationship between Ryld and Pharaun Turns typically drow when the wizard leaves him to fend for himself in the runaway males hideout. All this aside this book stays true to the drow in every way.
You have to remember that the females lost all there divine powers so they are relying heavly on wizards and fighters to hold everything together untill the godess comes back.
THey are being a little more tolerant to males due to the situation but not so slack in that they are losing control over everything. Dark Elves are known for there cunning and for being incredibly intelligent so it stand to reason thay are putting into play certain precautions to help the species survive else the females won't have anything to control when Lolth returns. All in all this book expands what is already one of the most interesting fantasy cultures ever created and I say that anything goes. After all isn't that definitive of Choas!!!
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