Rating: 
Summary: a great read if your tired of drizzt and his friends
Review: it was great to finally read a book about the drow other than drizzt's own warped reality. liriel opened up the drow city and system like drizzt never did. a definte must read if your a fan of the underdark.
Rating: 
Summary: unoriginal
Review: Lirel is not a very interesting character. I was thinking that she wasn't well described, but I think Elaine Cunningham did a very good job at describing a very boring person.The books major problem is that it is formula drive and there is nothing original about it. The bad guys are more interesting, but it's not written so we should care about them. If there was no Lirel and the book was about everyone else, then I would have like to see who came out ahead even thought they are all scum. The books first 10 pages are tbe best. It slowy goes downhill, but the las 100 pages are unbearable. Why does she have to make the story end like a hollywood movie?
Rating: 
Summary: Yeah, it was good.
Review: Liriel gave me a different perspective on the Underdark. While Drizzt struggles against the ways of his people with a passion, Liriel is trying to have the best of both worlds, in true Drow fashion. She's not really good, like Drizzt, or really evil, the way most Drow are depicted. She sits on the fence, almost true neutral. She does what's good for her, and you see that quite a bit in the novel. To put nicely, she's very "practical". To be blunt she's a bit of a brat. The only complaint I have about the book is that it makes the killing and intrigue you expect a little too light. Salvatore's Underdark was extremely tense and the Drow seem paranoid in turns. In DOTD, especially at the start of the book, it seems like good old fashioned high society backstabbing and squabbling. The fighting and killing described in the book left me kinda cold. Since they are Drow, maybe that was the intent... The positive part of this is that you see some of the drow culture come out. I didn't think Drow dressed up and went out to party until I read this book. They almost seem like they have...fun. The other Drow dieties thrown in are a nice touch, and I would like to see more of that in other novels. The book doesn't run quite as smoothly as the Dark Elf Trilogy did, but it's a good read if you want more Underdark.
Rating: 
Summary: no sir, I didn't like it
Review: Maybe I was expecting another 'Homeland', but DOTD just didn't do anything for me. I couldn't care about any of the characters or what was going on so I don't think I'll be reading the next book. A pity, I love the Drow.
Rating:
Summary: Menzobarranzan becomes a place, not just a name
Review: One thing I never really thought Salvatore did a complete job in was his portrayal of Menzobarranzan. He would describe it, and affairs in it, as accurately as needed. Yet he never made it a place that stood alone, it was always portrayed in relation to Drizzt, a moral drow in a ultimately immoral place. No wonder Drizzt didn't have fun there, that type of fun didn't even enter his head. But what is an evil city without wild parties full of chaos as only Lloth herself could fully appreciate? Even though Liriel is not evil, at least not entirely, she does not know how to not be evil, so she does the best she can. This book shows yet another facet of the forgotten realms world. And Cunningham introduces another appeal into an already exciting world.
Rating:
Summary: Dire.
Review: The author has no grasp of Drow society and her attempt to make a teenage love story out of what should have been an exciting book is a total failure.
The main character has no depth at all and the whole story is shallow. I suggest Ms. Cunningham should take some time to learn about the Drow before she writes any more about them.
As for the evil Drow turns good theme... Salvatore already used that one past it's peak, this is just plain boring now.
Rating:
Summary: Drizzt vs Liriel
Review: There are two distinct visions of what Menzoberanzan really is. One, is that of Drizzt, the Salvatore character. The other is Liriel, the Cunningham character. I have read all the books by both authors, and they are all well written. The primary difference is that each character undergoes differing sets of circumstances. Drizzt is a noble male raised in a violent matriarchal society. Liriel is a noble female in the same society. Liriel, through her series of books, has to learn the lessons of honor and loyalty, not mention responsibility and proper behavior because it was never taught to her. Liriel's story is the the female perspective of drow culture. Drizzt's is the male. As a reader of both, I found Salvatore did not really emphasize female perspective. To truly understand the drow cities, be it Menzoberanzan of Ched Nasad, both authors are a must read.
Rating:
Summary: And here I thought I hated Drow
Review: This book brought the drow to a new perspective for me. Having only recently getting involved with TSR/WotC, I had someone literally push this book into my hands and tell me to read it...And thank GOD they did. Liriel Baenre is an incredible leading character that brings the Drow alive for me. I was never a big Drow fan, but this book had me hook, line and sinker. Now I'm just waiting for the next installment....
Rating:
Summary: This book was everything I like in books
Review: This book has every thing that I look for in a book in it. It was fast paced exiting and a book that was hard to put down. I say everyone who likes to read should read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book takes place after the disastrous defeat of Menzoberranzan at the hands of Bruenor and Co, in Salvatore's books but before the events that take place in the War of the Spider Queen series, and is thoroughly enjoyable read. A worthy addition to the dark elf line. Menzoberannzan is portrayed with the usual accuracy, scheming power hungry drow female priestesses, opressed males and slaves, and drow superiority to all beings. In addition a little bit of the partying/lustful side of the drow is shown as well as other drow gods. The latter was interesting in that the gods and godesses are actually fighting among themselves for hearts and minds of their worshippers and are willing to grant spells even to not entirely loyal worshippers in hopes of ensnaring them with this power. The main characters are engaging, Liriel is a talented and beautiful young drow wizardess with some fighter and clerical training. She's appealing in that she's definitely not evil but does admire the drow for their power, skill and magic, and she's always ready for treachery. Her personality combines a certain impish adventurousness with the pride of a drow female noble. Not to mention she has the oh so rare quality in drow of having a sense of humour, similiar to Pharaun in the second War of the spider queen book.
The Rashemeni beserker she later meets and who's quest is intricately tied to hers, is quite formidable and clever himself, and their complicated relationship is interesting as well. The villains are many and appealing too. There's no Artemis Entreri, but Shaktri, Triel, Gromph and Nysstyre all fill their roles well and work for a variety of agenda, focusing of course primarily on their own. They are after all, drow. Triel and Gromph stand out much more if you've read all the other books in which they show up (Salvatore's series and War of the spider queen). Overall a worthy addition to the Dark elf stories in Forgotten realms, particulary if you've read all the other books, but it would probably stand well on it's own.
| 
