Review by Booklist Review
Fans of Salvatore (Child of a Mad God, 2018) and the intricacies of the Underdark will be doubly excited by this new Drizzt Do'Urden novel, which bounces between modern-day Forgotten Realms and the early adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden's father, Zaknafein, a skilled weapon master. Salvatore explores the origins of the friendship between the drow mercenary Jarlaxle and the weapon master with Zaknafein's mysterious return from death. (Longtime Underdark fans will particularly appreciate the history of Jarlaxle's hairstyle.) Zaknafein's relationships redevelop, and he adapts to the significant changes that have occurred since his death, 200 years prior. Regis, a halfling spy, learns that Lord Neverember, who despises the Gauntlgrym's dwarves led by King Bruenor, has sold nearby ruins to an unknown dwarven clan. The investigation by Drizzt and his allies uncovers demons loose on the surface who are linked to both the Underdark and the dwarven ruins. This first book of a new trilogy sets Drizzt and his allies up for the fight of their lives, with the tendrils of Lolthian chaos stretching throughout the Realms.--Frances Moritz Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This highly anticipated trilogy launch from Salvatore, a prequel to his Forgotten Realms epic fantasy novels starring dark elf Drizzt do'Urden, is a deeply immersive tale of politics and war. In 1018 by the Dalereckoning calendar, Jarlaxle, a mercenary, is sent to save a great warrior, Zaknafein, from a house that is about to lose a war, and to deliver him to another house. He soon finds out there's more to this fighter, and they become friends. The narrative then skips to the year 1488, when Zaknafein returns to life after many years in the grave. Jarlaxle must reintroduce Zaknafein to his son, Drizzt, who had long ago come to terms with his father's self-sacrifice and death, and is not ready to accept that he's returned. The alternation between the two time periods helps new readers understand the action and returning ones refresh their memories. Familiarity with the Forgotten Realms will add nuance to the experience of this installment, but all readers will find pure, often heart-racing enjoyment as they are drawn into Salvatore's beautifully crafted world. Agent: Paul Lucas, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The beginning of a new fantasy trilogy by Salvatore (Child of a Mad God, 2018, etc.), set in the Forgotten Realms and starring Drizzt Do'Urden, the renowned dark elf whose first name sounds like a comic-book electrical short circuit.Created half a century ago as one of the settings for the Dungeons Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Realms owe much of their popularity to Salvatore, who, over three decades, has set many of his novels therein, most of them featuring the said Drizzt. This time, in the present, Drizzt's late father, Zaknafein, has been revivified. By whom? And why? The contending female rulers (males are subordinateeven the wizards) of the aristocratic houses of the Underdark city Menzoberranzan suspect the machinations of Lolth, the ambitious Demon Queen of Spiders. At first Drizzt doubts that Zaknafein is really who he says, and clearly believes, he is. Another problem is that the Menzoberranzan families loathe and despise Drizzt for siding with inferior racesdwarves and elvesagainst them, prejudices that his unenlightened father shares. Meanwhile, nearly five centuries in the past, Matron Malice Do'Urden commissions roguish mercenary Jarlaxle to capture and deliver brilliant and handsome young weapons master Zaknafein to warm her bed and sire the child who will become Drizzt. Jarlaxle, of course, will become friends with both Zaknafein and Drizzt and features in both threads. Despite all those decades of experience, much remains indestructibly, maybe even endearingly, ham-fisted about Salvatore's work, from the clunky prose, clanking exposition, and abrupt switches in point of view to the barrage of names and facts that feels less like being informed and more like being clubbed over the head. Or perhaps the secret's in knowing that the audience is fanatically loyal, expectant, well-informed, and highly forgivingand that he really does deliver the thrills and spills, the battles and swordplay, the jolly banter amid dreadful danger, and the hissing, clawing, chortling, tooth-grinding malice of the villains.Salvatore fans will rejoice. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
