Sojourn

Rating:
Summary: The conclusion of the Dark Elf trilogy
Review: This novel concludes the Dark Elf trilogy. The series was quite good, not amazing but not terrible either. The most interesting part of the series was the first book (Homeland) where Salvatore laid out the entire world that Drizzt lived in.

The second book shows how Drizzit rejected his society and struck out on his own. However, his race is so widely hated that finding acceptance was quite difficult. Indeed, this theme continues to be of importance in this novel and in "The Crystal Shard" (book 1 of the Icewind Dale Trilogy).

The reason I liked this novel was for the final change in scenery; Drizzit finally emerges from the Underdark to see the daylight. He finally finds some measure of acceptance in this world; but it is hard won and not without misunderstandings. Indeed, this novel brings back the inner turmoil that is a feature of many of Salvatore's protagonists. Dealing with violence continues to be a problem for Drizzit. When should he use his swords? Why does he still feel guilty if he kills someone in the name of self-defence?

As I mentioned in my review of "Exile," there are typical fantasy elements in this novel in addition to Drizzit's problems and struggles. There are battles, fantastic monsters and other such staples of the fantasy genre. While reading these novels is enjoyable, I've been looking for something that it is in the same epic vein as, "The Lord of the Rings." I remain open to recommendations.

The series was reasonably interesting. This is my eighth Salvatore novel that I've read in recent months. I've started the Icewind Dale Trilogy, but I don't know how much of it I will read. I may switch to reading a different genre for a while for variety.

Rating:
Summary: Powerful Conclusion
Review: R.A. Salvatore here brings his superb "Dark Elf Trilogy" to a close. This novel is without a doubt the best of the series. This novel is different from "Homeland" and "Exile" in that it takes place out of the Underdark, on the surface of the world. Because of this Salvatore's writing is explored in a new way as he describes the nature and surroundings around the main character, Drizzt Do'Urden, where in the first two books of the series Salvatore's descriptions were not as used as they were in this novel.

Drizzt has reached the world beyond the Underdark, which turns out to be an interesting place for Drizzt. From the beginning of the book when Drizzt is spotted he is thought to be a villain with the intention of making the world a bad place. Drizzt is accused as the murderer of a whole family and is being chased by a ranger, Roddy McGristle. Meanwhile, the orcs are considering Drizzt a threat and are about to make war against him. While Drizzt is out in the wild of the worlds he meets Montolio (or Mooshie) who is a ranger. Montolio teaches Drizzt history and skills to survive in the world and shows Drizzt how he is really a ranger. Montolio is a great friend and advisor. Together Drizzt and Montolio battle an army of orcs. This is not the end of the story as there is much to be told by Salvatore, but I won't tell you about that; go ahead and read the book.

This book is not a clone of J.R.R. Tolkien's works as it offers an original plot and great characters. This book does, however, include many of fantasy's creatures, such as orcs, goblins, dwarves, giants, and much more. You get the idea. This didn't bother me, though, as all of the creatures took on interesting characters.

Not many trilogies in the fantasy genre have kept me as entertained, as moved, and full of wonder as R.A. Salvatore's "Dark Elf Trilogy." To get the full impact of the story that is told here I advise you to go ahead and read the first two books of this trilogy before getting on to this one. This is a fantasy novel to read over and over again.

Happy Reading!

Rating:
Summary: It pulls you in with practically every paragraph
Review: Running from the party of surface elves hunting him down to see who and what he really is, Drizzt Do'Urden, and his trusty friend Guenhwyvar enjoy their journey, and protect each other from every bad creature that crosses their path. Many people had heard about this drow, but haven't seen him until he comes down to the towns to see what the surface world is really like.
I think that R.A. Salvatore is a great author who wrote an amazing story about a drow elf going on a journey in his book Sojourn. It was a great story which pulled me in with practically every paragraph. It also put a great picture in my mind as it explained what things looked like. For example: he explained what a 'hook horror' looked like, by explaining the feeling of its armor, and the weight of its body. My favorite part in his book was when Drizzt went to avenge a human family's death. He never knew this family very well, and they thought him to be a threat, but Drizzt knew not to hurt them. He tried to protect them from everything, until a demon finally came and killed them all, which made Drizzt very angry.
Drizzt Do'Urden starts up in the middle of his adventure, standing on the surface of the world. He fights to protect himself, and other surface creatures such as elves, humans, and dwarfs from creatures that shouldn't be there. During his adventures he meets many friends that saved him from the surface by teaching him things he didn't know. Drizzt went through a few hardships, and he finally began to realize who he was.
I think Sojourn was a great story, because it gave specific reasons to why Drizzt is such a good drow elf. It made me want to help other people and animals, and it also inspired me to go out and find some animals and make them my friends.

Rating:
Summary: Salvatore is a God among authors
Review: I came across my first "Salvatore" novel, actually, by mistake when I was sixteen years old. It was Streams of Silver. I didn't know that it was the 2nd book in a trilogy until half-way through the book. I decided I wouldn't read it until I had read the first of the trilogy, which was The Crystal Shard. After that, I discovered there were 3 books that preceeded the IceWind Dale Trilogy. Reading those I became familiar with the character Drizzt Do'Urden, who quickly became my hero! His style of writing pulls you into the book as if you have become a part of the story, while looking on and observing. Salvatore gave me words that became mental images and played like a movie in my mind. His words scroll by and allow you to be in-sync with the characters. I wrote Mr. Salvatore to thank him for sharing his imagination with his readers, and was amazed to receive a letter from him telling me about his next book, which was Starless Night. I think he is a genius and as long as he keeps writing, no matter what subject, I'll keep reading them!

Rating:
Summary: A good story, but weaker than the first two books
Review: This book concludes the "Dark Elf Trilogy," which tells the saga of the early years of the drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. The previous volumes, "Homeland" and "Exile," took place almost entirely in the Underdark, the gigantic underground world where the evil drow make their home with multitudes of other unusual creatures. "Sojourn" brings Drizzt, forever cut off from his society because he rejected their evil values, to the surface of the Forgotten Realms. The story traces his journey that leads him the Icewind Dale, and the start of the "Icewind Dale Trilogy" ("The Crystal Shard," "Streams of Silver" and "The Halfling's Gem"), which R. A. Salvatore wrote before this series.

But because "Sojourn" is principally a linking novel that connects Drizzt's life in the underdark with his later adventures with his companions, it is the weakest of the trilogy. It is still an enjoyable read; Salvatore is a clear, vivid writer who excels in actions sequences. However, it doesn't have the imaginative spark or strong plot line of the first two books. The Underdark provided a fascinating, bizarre, and dangerous setting. Without it, Drizzt's solo adventures seem a bit more...well...ordinary. Most of the story is episodic, resolving itself every seventy-five pages or so. It follows a distinct pattern: Drizzt tries to fit in various places, finds himself in danger from misunderstandings or aggressive foes, and then must move on. There are various villains, but no central strong bad guy who carries the whole story. The closest the book comes is a grizzled vengeful bounty hunter named Roddy who has a grudge against Drizzt, but he doesn't measure up to many of Drizzt's other adversaries.

The strongest sequences in the book deal with Drizzt's loneliness and his moral bind of proving to himself that he is a good guy who is not responsible for the deaths that seem to follow him. The center of the book deals with Drizzt's encounter with a kind and wise blind ranger, Montolio, who becomes Drizzt's mentor. (We finally discover how this underground dweller learned about tracking in the wilderness!) The best action scene also takes place here, with Drizzt and Montolio cleverly defending their home against a raid of orcs, giants, and evil wolves.

"Sojourn" is very readable, but slips a notch below the early two books in the trilogy. Fortunately, Salvatore has other great adventures in store of Drizzt and his panther Guenwhyvar. Their story continues in The Icewind Dale books, and after that, "Legacy." Even more to come....

Rating:
Summary: Maybe the best of the Drizzt books I've read
Review: This book was awesome. Exciting and emotionally moving the entire way through. While some of the other Salvatore books are pretty basic hack and slash fantasy, this book provides much more than that.
The story is of Drizzt's first experiences on the surface world away from the Underdark in which he lived the first 40-something years of his life. He encounters many difficulties and pains, but also learns to appreciate the beauty and the wonder of the world around him. Drizzt is confronted mainly by misunderstanding and distrust of those he meets, but does find some friends, including an old blind ranger that shows in the truth of his destiny: to be a Ranger. My favorite character of the book has to be Roddy McGristle with the mean yellow dogs, an obsesive bounty hunter that is determined to get Drizzt if it costs him everything.
I highly reccomend this book to anybody.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, Simply Wonderful
Review: Salvatore dosent stop at anything to give us another great novel. His descriptive scenes and moving images had instilled many thoughts of the land of faerun and other worlds... Buy it... its really awsome.

Rating:
Summary: An end....... and a new beginning
Review: Drizzt has now made one of the most critical decisions of his life, to leave his entire world behind and seek out a new life upon the surface. Here he must deal with the fear, hatred, and prejudice invoked by his heritage, as well as continue to face his own personal demons. Violence and killing especially haunt him, and he must come to terms with their necessity in his life. Underneath the sun he must learn to accept himself before he can possibly be accepted by others, and through his learning and struggles he makes new friends, heals old wounds, and undertakes the training to become a Ranger.

Salvatore does a great job showing the hardships Drizzt faces in leaving the Underdark behind. The narrative is fast moving, and does a nice job tying in Drizzt's history with his eventual settlement in the remote region of Icewind Dale, the setting of the next phase of his life. Salvatore has made Drizzt a very complete and complex character, beloved by his fans, and a true fantasy hero.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat okay, mostly lacking.
Review: I honestly thought the third book would be all about Drizzt' struggle through Menzoberranzan to the surface, however this book starts on the surface. I miss one guy from Exile. Ok so the book is kind of weak by the end. The beggining is good, then once we meet Mooshie it is alright. The big battle is fine, not too great for my tastes, but it has some fighting. Drizzt doesn't do that much sword to sword fighting. Homeland had alot of it, Exile didn't have alot, now this book seems to have basically none. I mean, Homeland had the most detailed fights, and Exile had some but they weren't intricately detailed like Homeland. This book seems to have some sword to sword fights, but it is more, "Drizzt and the giant fought many minutes, the drow's swords parralleling numerous blows while Drizzt searched for an opening." The only thing I really saw described vividly were Mooshie's arrows. Them, and mabye the first Roddy McGristle encounter.

The story lacks any purpose, there are a few small plots, but nothing is really suppose to happen. The first book was Drizzt growing up, the second, finding a place in the underworld, and survivng. This book is about Drizzt coming into contact with a new race, but basically that lasts about the first 50 pages, then the plot is about Drizzt learning to be a ranger, then a dragon, then a town, then a home, then it is over?

I started reading the crystal shard, but I am not as intrested in it as I was in Homeland, hopefully though once I get past the first 100 pages i'll be more intrested.

Rating:
Summary: Part three of the Prequel....Dark Elf Trilogy
Review: Drizzt had finally made the decesion to leave the Underdark altogether. He feels he can no longer bare the lonilness he that he had to endure while hiding from his people of the Underdark. The friendships he had were scarce or short-lived... he decides to face his fears and venture into the unknown. His only companion, a mystical panther Guenhwyvar, by his side assured him that he wasn't truely alone. All the characters Drizzt meet are confusing to him especially humans...soon enough he begins to learn what true friendship is all about.