Icewind Dale, Dark Elf and Paths of Darkness review

[Anatoli]

As I figured I would run a little homage to stuff that got me into miniature wargaming in the first place on my blog I pulled out my old Forgotten Realms fantasy book collection and wrote a summary/review of the 3 volumes that together form a huge story arc.

The Icewind Dale trilogy, Dark Elf trilogy and Paths of Darkness. There will be a review of the Cleric Quintet tomorrow :-)

The novels are in retrospect no Nobel prize winners, but I loved them as a kid and actually think that they are a nice gateway into fantasy literature for those completely new to the genre as the books have a great cast of memorable characters, fast paced story and does not bog down in overly long descriptions of minor details.

http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/forgotten-realms-week-ra-salvatore-part.html

[white knight]

I used to like the often morally ambiguous villains in those books, who often stuck to their own twisted code of honour.

[Anatoli]

Exactly, and having these books in memory I really look forward to the 3rd installment of the D&D boardgame series - Legends of Drizzt which takes place in the underdark and has the entire cast of heroes from the novels and includes both Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri as villains (with Jarlaxle being both a hero and a villain character depending on scenario)

[Doomhippie]

I remember reading the Icewind Trilogy and hating that brooding and morally oh so good Drizzt almost from the beginning. What put me off as well was the writing style. Just as the Twilight novels have my favourite "hate" description "flawless lips" for Edward (this expression has always made me want to puke into the corner), so has the Icewind Trilogy my favourite "what friends would never call each other" quote: Bruennor calling his close friend Drizzt "noble ranger" to his face. Now what kind of stylistic misstep is that, especially when compared to the rather ordinary way these characters usually talk to each other?

Then again, the story itself was entertaining and I still remember a truely spectacular description of the hafling Regis' feelings when he was fishing: "He noticed to his utter content that lying down he could not see the tips of his toes anymore." Now that is what a hafling is all about. So it's all light and shadow with the main characters unfortunately being mostly shadow for me.

[thebinmann]

I love(d) them and still read every one (but now it is quick because the are very similar) the characters are great!

Perhaps it reminds me of my holidays in Cornwall, though the bookshop is now a juice ber! I got that book and the lone wolf colouring book the same year! COlourng book still not started though 

The cat, the assassin and the halfling are truly class.

I do at some time intend to do the battle of icewindale in 6mm

[Anatoli]

@Doomhippie  
Your post cracked me up, and you are right. I also noted on my blog that the books are probably better when read by a younger person than a jaded adult. If I read them today I would see all the cliché's and be bothered by the same stuff that you were.
But the characters and especially the villains were very memorable. Regis did have a lot of hilarious comic relief moments in the books, but also had some serious story arcs as well. In the end I came to like him a lot  

[thebinmann]

I also noted on my blog that the books are probably better when read by a younger person than a jaded adult. If I read them today I would see all the cliché's and be bothered by the same stuff that you were.

True, but it is a link to childhood, just like gaming.....

[Anatoli]

@thebinmann, agreed

[Gibby]

I've only read The Dark Elf trilogy. I utterly loved it. I still have an old beat up copy of that one in your picture, sent to me by an old friend in Texas. The memories from the books still stick with me today when I'm thinking of gaming projects and such. It helps that I read them in what I now know was one of the best times of my life.

I really must read the Icewind Dale trilogy, as I have that too!

[thebinmann]

I've only read The Dark Elf trilogy. I utterly loved it. I still have an old beat up copy of that one in your picture, sent to me by an old friend in Texas. The memories from the books still stick with me today when I'm thinking of gaming projects and such. It helps that I read them in what I now know was one of the best times of my life.

I really must read the Icewind Dale trilogy, as I have that too!

Icewind Dale is the best for my money, and actually the first. I have my copy of the first book (Crystal Shade), which when it was written wasn't even a trilogy. The others I sold them all, a bad mistake now! It's the only orinal I kept, with Draogns of the Auutumn Twilight...

[Heldrak]

While one can only give so much shrift to a series of fantasy novels based on a roleplaying game, I did think that Salvatore made a good stab at figuring out how an essentially "evil" society (the Drow) would function on a logical basis. I enjoyed the Dark Elf trilogy, but I couldn't make much headway on the Icewind Dale books.

[geronimo]

Never read the books....but Icewind Dale in the title made me think this was a review of the old PC classic 3rd person game 

[Anatoli]

Never read the books....but Icewind Dale in the title made me think this was a review of the old PC classic 3rd person game 

That will be reviewed on the blog tomorrow (along with the Heart of Winter and IWD:2) 

[geronimo]

That will be reviewed on the blog tomorrow (along with the Heart of Winter and IWD:2) 

Nice Spotted them again recently while packing for a house move, there's a good likelihood they'll be dusted off over xmas while the crap telly's on

[TheMightyFlip]

One of the best books was the one where Wulfgar wanders off on his own, becomes a drunk bully in Luskan and then is accused of murder and is forced into the mountains.

The current "Neverwinter" series isnt to bad either, Drizzt isnt so noble anymore and its a good 60 or 70 years since the Icewind trilogy.