Rating: 
Summary: Dissolution of an Empire
Review: I always felt sad about end of empires. Whether real ones such as Roman Empire and Tsarist Russia, or fictional Melnibone - and now, Mezzoberranzan. Sure, empires are rapacious monsters, enslaving what they see as "lesser peoples", but their violent overthrow always seemed to me a waste - waste of culture, music, art, science... waste of beauty. An empire is a bloody row of crucified slaves, a squad of Cossacks trampling peasants, a drow noble feeding his lizard on the entrails of a still-living orc - but it's also Pantheon, Winter Palace, and Tier Breche. A brutal regime certainly deserving divine vengeance, empire is also a work of art.And when that vengeance comes, it is carried out by barbarians who would not know beauty if it came and bit them. They are no less cruel than their former masters, but with even fewer redeeming features. So "Dissolution" - beggining of the end of Mezzoberranzan, - filled me with profound melancholy. I doubt many lovers of Dungeons & Dragons fantasy worlds will see it quite the way I do, but I find it MUCH better that Salvatore's works which set the stage for it. Frankly, I was never fond of Salvatore's wooden characters, and absolutely detested Drizzt - what fun is a hero who NEVER loses a confrontation? This book greatly exceeded my expectations. And yes, I think Pharaun is by far the most interesting drow character anyone had created so far. Warning for those unfamiliar with drow: several times in the book you will identify with Pharaun, seeing him as a "lovable rogue" - then all of a sudden he does something so exquisitely cruel, the nature of drow will hit you like a pail of icy water.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Writer
Review: I am glad that Wizards of the Coast has added Richard Lee Byers as one of the authors that they use. The book was wonderfully written. I strongly reccomend it and I can't wait to read another of his books.
Rating:
Summary: Great Writer
Review: I am glad that Wizards of the Coast has added Richard Lee Byers as one of the authors that they use. The book was wonderfully written. I strongly reccomend it and I can't wait to read another of his books.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, but not without flaws
Review: I couldn't agree with ravon24 more about the long-winded writting style of Mr. Byers. I found it quite annoying, it felt at times like he purposely tried to find the most obscure synonyms he could think of, why I don't know. However despite this, both the characters and story are very intriguing. I DO recommend this book. It shows the Drow being the Drow they are most known and feared for, and it's an entertaining show indeed.
Rating: 
Summary: Dark but good
Review: I didn't enjoy the first book as much as the second and third, however it set the stage for the evil, corruption and backstabbing that goes on in Menzoberanzan very well.
The main characters Pharaun and Ryld are introduced and likeable (as much as you can like any drow.)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: I enjoyed this book very much but I wish that he would have gone into more detail about the city and the drow themselves, although he did a pretty god job anyway. I especially like how Baker depics Quenthel as the "Great High Priestess". Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.
Rating:
Summary: A good lead in to the series
Review: I had some issues with this book, however, overall it was a quality read and worth the money. The main problem I had was the jumpy nature of the plots and subplots. Until three quarters through the book I really couldn't tell you what it was "about" but I could tell you a lot about Drow society. By the last quarter of the book it finally 'clicked' and I could tell you where the series was going to head. There is a lot of information to absorb in this book, and some nice action scenes. But overall I'd have to recommend this book soley on the fact that it gives you a great background into the next book (book II) which is an excellent read. If your expecting a "salvatore" book this may not be exactly what your expecting. If your expecting a neat adventure into the twisted lives of the dark elf then pick it up or wait until soft cover.
Rating:
Summary: Allright
Review: I have read every R.A. Salvatore book on Drow and their ilk, so I was a bit concerned about how this series was going to start. I was hoping that this would be a departure from the "goody two-shoes" that is Drizzt and be more about REAL Drow. I was not disappointed, and you won't be, either. The Baenre clan is at its miserable best, with Triel and Quenthal being the true nasty spider-kissers they are. Gromph Baenre is the king of magic in the Underdark, and newcomers Pharaun and Ryld are the dynamic duo that you always wanted to read about: the Mage and the Weaponsmaster with Drow morals. And with the Spider Queen absent, it is going to get even more evil as the Drow jockey for position. I found this book hard to put down. I have much more respect for Richard Lee Byers now, and I think that this is the closest thing true Forgotten Realms fans will be able to get to a down and dirty Drow fest that is not all about the Drow changing their colors. They are Dark Elves, and this book is about Drow that are Drow...they are not nice, do not make friends, and stress survival of the self. I loved this book.
Rating:
Summary: Your best Drow forward, #1
Review: I have read every R.A. Salvatore book on Drow and their ilk, so I was a bit concerned about how this series was going to start. I was hoping that this would be a departure from the "goody two-shoes" that is Drizzt and be more about REAL Drow. I was not disappointed, and you won't be, either. The Baenre clan is at its miserable best, with Triel and Quenthal being the true nasty spider-kissers they are. Gromph Baenre is the king of magic in the Underdark, and newcomers Pharaun and Ryld are the dynamic duo that you always wanted to read about: the Mage and the Weaponsmaster with Drow morals. And with the Spider Queen absent, it is going to get even more evil as the Drow jockey for position. I found this book hard to put down. I have much more respect for Richard Lee Byers now, and I think that this is the closest thing true Forgotten Realms fans will be able to get to a down and dirty Drow fest that is not all about the Drow changing their colors. They are Dark Elves, and this book is about Drow that are Drow...they are not nice, do not make friends, and stress survival of the self. I loved this book.
Rating: 
Summary: I hope it gets better!
Review: I have to agree with Ravon24, without looking I found 13 grammatical errors that couldn't be missed. Byer's use of large words to make him sound intelligent filled the book with stumbling blocks which will confound a lot of readers, take the advice and have a dictionary handy of you don't have a well developed vocab.
I miss Salvatore and the real Drow too much because the majority of the fight scenes in this book were dull and boring, I never want to hear about fencing again. The sinister race of Drow that I have come to love were soft and weak, they were way too close to each other to the extent of considering others as friends.
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