This is the first book in a new series by the author of the Dark Elf Trilogy, and the creator of one of my favorite characters, the drow Drizzt Do'Urden.
Fans of the tales of Drizzt should love this novel. The tale has a larger scope than anything Salvatore has done in the past.
If you're looking for something completely original, something that you've never read before, this is perhaps not the book for you. It's pretty standard heroic fantasy. Admittedly, the ranger Elbryan Wynden is much like the ranger, Drizzt Do'Urden, and Pony bears more than a passing resemblance to Cattie-Brie. But the story is well-written, and generally pulls itself above much of what's out there now, despite a few flaws. He manages to take a standard plot line, and make it a solid story through attention to detail and sympathetic characters.
The magical system is an interesting twist, however. The magic of the world is based on stones. The stones fall like rain on a remote island once in every generation, and only two priests are allowed to gather them. Each one has a distinct power, and they can be combined by a strong wielder to even greater effect. Overall, it's an interesting twist on magic.
One of the hallmarks of Salvatore's work has always been his combat scenes. They've always been well thought out and well choreographed. I'm glad to see that tradition holds with this novel.
It's off to a fair start, and I look forward to seeing what Salvatore does with the rest of this series.
I was less than thrilled with the first installment of the Demon Wars trilogy, "The Demon Awakens." That's why it took me almost three years to get to the sequel, "The Demon Spirit."
Despite my initial reluctance to begin this book, I was pleasantly surprised.
As "The Demon Spirit" opens, the demon dactyl Bestesbulzibar has been defeated, and Elbryan and Pony are traveling their homeland trying to mop up whats left of the goblins, powries and giants. But things are about to change.
Father Abbot Dalebert Markwart is a man obsessed. He has an impeccable record as abbot at St. Mere-Abelle, and the loss of the magical stones to Brother Avelyn Desbris has marred that. Following the internal nudgings of Bestesbulzibar's spirit, which Markwart mistakes for divine inspiration, the Father Abbot sets on a course to discredit Avelyn, who was killed battling the demon dactyl. He hopes to have Avelyn branded a heretic and portrayed as an ally of the demon.
When he discovers that the stones are now in the hands of Pony, he sets a course to retrieve them that includes acts that sicken several of the members of his own church.
While the first volume of this series was a simple connect-the-dots adventure, this one is much more personal. Rather than the evil incarnate of the demon dactyl, the foe is the Father Abbot of the Abellican church. By all accounts, Markwart was misguided, but certainly not evil before the demon influenced him. On the other hand, this makes his acts seem even more despicable by comparison.
I was also pleased with the growth in the characters of Elbryan and Pony. After the first volume, I thought these two were cardboard cutouts of his other characters Drizzt Do'Urden and Cattie-Brie. In this volume, the characters become more distinct. They still share some major characteristics with the other two, but they separate themselves from that pair.
Salvatore also does a good job of offering hope and then stealing it away. Several times in the book, the reader thinks the "good guys" have things in hand. Whether it's the capture of an assassin sent by the church, or the look in the eyes of Markwart's right hand, Brother Francis, that says he might finally understand he's on the wrong path, things look up for the heroes. But just as quickly those hopes are dashed.
If you're looking for an upbeat tale where everyone lives happily ever after, this isn't the tale for you. This story, especially toward the end, is dark and grim. Even the final scenes leave the reader with a sense of hopelesness. But even with that, it's still powerful. I hear great things about "Mortalis," Salvatore's most recent Demon Wars novel. I haven't gotten that far yet, but "The Demon Spirit" is certainly the best book I've read by Salvatore so far.
This book presents an interesting idea, but doesn't live up to its potential.
In the opening story "God's Law", R.A. Salvatore creates the world of Tethedril. In the following stories, several other writers (mostly writers made popular in TSR's shared world books) flesh out the world through their tales.
The only problems are that most of the stories tend to read more like history lessons than stories, at least partially, and most of the tales seem a bit contrived. Which, in all fairness, I suppose they were contrived to fit this world.
I see potential here, though, and the world is at least a bit intriguing. If they decide to continue this project with another collection of stories, it could be interesting now that the preliminaries are out of the way.
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786913886
June 1999
Paperback
I have to admit that I bought this book expecting disappointment. While I'm a big fan of Salvatore's misfit dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, I've found the last few books about the drow to be a little contrived in the area of plot. I wondered how Salvatore was going to come up with a plausible plot for this volume. To my surprise he did quite a good job of it.
Instead of sending the ruling houses of Menzoberanzan out once again to bring the head of Drizzt to the Spider Queen, he instead opts for a more personal battle. This is a much more introspective book where the quest involved is more mental than physical, and while there are a lot of good fight scenes, the biggest battles are going on inside the characters' heads.
While the plot is solid, there are still a few things I like and don't like about the book.
I do like the fact that we get a better glimpse into the motivations and feelings of some other characters. While followers of Salvatore's work are used to seeing a deep, philosophical side to the introspective Drizzt, we've rarely gotten a good glimpse at other characters. In this book, Salvatore delves deeply into the heads of the assassin Artemis Entreri and the barbarian Wulfgar. It makes for a deeper more interesting novel.
That being said, the book has one major failing. Of the three primary conflicts that run throughout the book, only one - Artemis Entreri's grappling with himself - is even partially resolved. The other two are left dangling. I understand when you work on a series you don't want to answer every single question, or else it's more difficult to get the next one going. Still, I think you should always resolve the central conflicts in each novel as well. Especially when, as these books are, each is written as a stand-alone. That's not done here, and it was very disappointing, almost as if the reader only gets half the story.
There were also two minor errors, typos most likely, in the book that were annoying. They were minor, but they still seemed to take me out of the book when I ran across them - something no writer wants to do. The home of the dwarves, always spelled "Mithril Hall" before, became "Mithral Hall" in this book. Likewise, the drow goddess "Lloth", became "Lolth". As I said, very minor, but they still served to pull me out of the story a little.
Otherwise, the book features Salvatore's usual flair for action. The pace never slows, and it features the combat scenes that seem to jump off the page.
Drizzt fans will love it, but overall, I'd say this is a book for Drizzt fans, but not the average reader. Perhaps if he writes a sequel tying up the loose ends, I can recommend them as a set to someone unfamiliar with the dark elf.
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786914041
June 2000
Paperback
A lot of long-time fans were upset when they discovered that Drizzt Do'Urden would not be in this novel. I wasn't. In fact, I was hopeful.
As much as I like the drow ranger, I have to ask the questions: How many times will the drow pursue him and face humiliating defeat before they decide it's not worth it? How many times can a band of four (or five if Wulfgar's there) humiliate the drow before the dark elves finally bring them down? In short, the tales of Drizzt were getting a little too contrived and unbelievable.
I thought Salvatore had a real opportunity with this book. He had the tortured mind of Wulfgar to get inside, and I really thought he had a chance to rival the Dark Elf Trilogy, where he did the same for Drizzt. Unfortunately, that's not what he did. Instead, we got another typical adventure story.
While Wulfgar and his quest to find himself is the focus of the story, we get very few peeks at the turmoil inside him, which is rife with possibilities for Salvatore to explore. Some of the finest moments with Drizzt were those when the dark elf looked within, and Salvatore examined his inner turmoil. We get that rarely and briefly with Wulfgar's struggle.
To me, the side story which featured a young lord enamored of a peasant girl, Meralda (a girl who accuses Wulfgar of rape to escape her own mistake), was a more interesting story than Wulfgar's. Perhaps, Salvatore saw that too and just wanted to get it in there, because the connection between the two felt more than a little contrived.
Drizzt's journal entries, likewise have suffered. Once one of the best parts of the book, the drow's philosophical and introspective writings have degenerated into preachy sermons on the evils of the world.
For the second time in as many books, Salvatore has really disappointed me. I said it last time, and I'll say it again. There is a time when everything has to end, no matter how good it is. Maybe the time has come to let Drizzt and his companions retire in peace.
The battle of Endor has been over for 21 years and the state of the Republic is still fragile and uncertain. The new generation of Jedi Knights is split sharply into those who want to form another council and those who want to make their own laws. Into this mix comes a new enemy more dangerous than the Empire ever was. With weapons and technology beyond the knowledge of the Republic, the Yuuzhan Vong sneaks quietly into the galaxy and declares war from the inside.
R.A. Salvatore begins a new era in the Star Wars saga. I understand this is a controversial book among the Star Wars "purists," but as far as I'm concerned, it's one of the most refreshing things to happen to the Star Wars novels in quite a while.
When the original Star Wars films were released to the big screen leading up to "The Phantom Menace," I went through a surge of renewed interest in Star Wars. I picked up Timothy Zahn's excellent series that began the revival of the Star Wars novels, and then I read the next 10 or 12 books that followed. Then I began to lose interest. The novels were moving more and more toward watered-down repeats of the same old stories.
Now comes a new era with a new enemy. I, for one, am very happy to see an enemy that I'm not 100 percent sure the heroes are going to beat. The tension and uncertainty that had been lost is renewed in this book. And, we get a reality check when one of the long-time heroes goes down in battle. (You've probably heard which one by now, but just in case you haven't, I won't spoil it.) This death sent those "purists" into a rage, but to me, it reinforces the fact that these characters are mortal -- something that had been lost.
I also have to admit that I felt a tingle of excitement at the idea of a lightsaber duel in the hands of Salvatore, a master of the combat scene. I would have liked a few more of those, but I can live with the ones I got.
As a matter of fact, the only thing that disappoints me about this book is the fact, that once again, Salvatore seems to prefer to play around in other people's worlds instead of going his own way. I can't blame him this time, though. Who could turn down Star Wars?
I highly recommend this book, and I'll be checking out the rest of the series. If, on the other hand, you'd rather have a story where another high-level officer who's been in hiding tries to revive the Empire and is soundly thrashed by Luke, Leia and Han, skip this one. You probably won't get it.
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786918780
July 2001br>
Paperback
Shortly after discovering the fantasy genre in junior high, I turned my attention to the shared worlds of what was then TSR. I was an avid Dungeons and Dragons player, and it seemed only natural to dip into the fiction set in those worlds.
Over the years I drifted away from those worlds and their stories, losing interest as the first generation of writers and characters were retired. Still, every now and then a book by one of the writers or about one of the characters I really liked during those years pops up. When that happens, I just can't resist picking it up.
In "Servant of the Shard" (Wizards of the Coast), R.A. Salvatore again turns his attention away from his scimitar-wielding dark elven hero Drizzt Do'Urden. Instead he focuses on two of the most intriguing villains of the series, the assassin Artemis Entreri and the drow Jarlaxle, leader of the mercenary band Bregan D'aerthe.
The pair have formed an alliance to move Bregan D'aerthe's interests to the surface world, but there are obstacles. Jarlaxle now possesses the crystal shard Crenshinibon, and it has plans for greater conquests. Its influence over Jarlaxle also leads to dissension among the ranks of Bregan D'aerthe, as two of his most powerful lieutenants plot an overthrow.
Salvatore began this series in the late 1980s with the rousing adventure of the Icewind Dale Trilogy, which introduced us to most of the major players. He continued with the more somber and introspective Dark Elf Trilogy, that provided insight into the character of Drizzt. After that, the series began to grow stale. The same plot line was repeated several times: One of the drow royal houses, seeking favor with the Spider Queen, attempts to kill or capture Drizzt and is soundly thrashed by the heroic ranger and his companions. But with the last couple of offerings, Salvatore has shifted directions for the better.
One of the best aspects of this book is the development we see in the characters, most notably Entreri. When we first met the assassin in the Icewind Dale Trilogy, he was a brash 20-year-old with only one goal -- to prove that he was the best swordsman in the world. That meant engaging Drizzt in combat and slaying him. As "Servant of the Shard" opens, we see a much different character. While his mind is sharper than ever, a middle-aged Entreri is facing the fact that he's lost a step and the inevitable time when younger assassins will seek to add a notch to their belts by killing the famous Entreri.
Through the course of this novel, Entreri is brought face-to-face time and again with the conclusion that he has been working toward. By the end of the book he's questioning the choices of his life, but in a way that's uniquely Entreri.
Jarlaxle has always been confident and calculating. He's quick witted, agile and prepared for almost anything that can be thrown at him. The mercenary leader is one of the few males to hold any power in the matriarchal drow city of Menzoberanzan. That changes when he takes possession of Crenshinibon. The artifact begins to control the usually wily mercenary through subtle manipulation. When Jarlaxle is forced to face the fact that he's been duped, he gets a new outlook.
This book is also unique in that both primary characters are "bad guys." Still, they are intriguing characters and Salvatore manages to create sympathy for even a couple of cold-hearted killers.
"Servant of the Shard" also pulls in a couple of characters we haven't heard from in a while, the priest Cadderly and his wife, the fighting monk Danica. It was interesting to catch up with them and see what changes have come about in the years since Salvatore's Cleric Quintet.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Salvatore book if there weren't a few intense fight scenes. Salvatore does combat better than any other writer out there, and there are plenty of intricate battles in this volume. The descriptions put you right in the middle of the action -- so close that if you're not careful you could get cut.
Salvatore has expressed an interest in possibly checking back in with Drizzt and his companions in the next volume, and that would please many fans who have complained about the dark elf's small role in the last two books. But for some, the change in direction has brought a new outlook to the Dark Elf series, and those will likely think this is the best offering in quite a while.
"Servant of the Shard" is a refreshing departure for the series, breathing new life back into a tale that was growing stale.
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786927720
August 2002
Paperback
After two books that focused on other characters, R.A. Salvatore puts his popular dark elf hero Drizzt Do'Urden back in the spotlight in his latest.
"Sea of Swords" (Wizards of the Coast), the fourth book in the "Paths of Darkness" series and the 14th installment of Salvatore's tales of the drow and his companions, marks the return of the scimitar-wielding hero with a new enemy and a new mission.
Since Wulfgar's breakdown and disappearance, the remaining Companions of the Hall have continued to uphold the peace in Icewind Dale. Then they capture a bandit with a strange brand on her shoulder - a one-of-a-kind design that could only have come from the head of Wulfgar's war hammer, Aegis-Fang. The discovery sets the companions on their friend's trail - to either find him or discover what became of him.
While his former friends are searching for clues in Luskan, Wulfgar himself has found a home with Captain Deudermont's pirate-hunting ship, Sea Sprite. He, Delly and their adopted child have settled in Waterdeep, but it's an unstable home. Wulfgar remains haunted by his past and intent on recovering Aegis-Fang from the pirate Sheila Kree. That path eventually leads to a reunion with his friends and a showdown between the companions and the pirate band that forces the barbarian to face some of his inner demons.
First, I've got something to get off my chest. I really find the inconsistencies in these stories annoying. They're mostly little things, but as someone who has followed Drizzt's story since the beginning, they seem glaring to me. As an example, a few books ago Bruenor's ancestral home "Mithril Hall" suddenly became "Mithral Hall." Likewise the spider goddess "Lloth" became "Lolth." They're little things, but every time I run into one of those words in the book, I think, "that's not right" - and it knocks me out of the story.
Aside from those nit-picks, "Sea of Swords" is another solid installment in Salvatore's series. It's a rollicking adventure tale in the spirit of the early books in the series.
I was surprised at how pleased I was to see Drizzt spinning his scimitars while his mysterious panther Guenhwyvar pounced on unsuspecting enemies. I enjoyed the last book of the series, "Servant of the Shard," more than any of the other recent stories - and it hardly featured Drizzt at all. But from the first flash of the dark elf's blades in this book, I realized that I had, in fact, missed his presence.
Salvatore does send mixed signals in "Sea of Swords," though. In a lot of ways, this book seems like a finale. A lot of loose ends are tied up, and there's almost a feeling of farewell. But at the same time, he sets up other intriguing paths for the story to take - like the growing courage of the halfling Regis. And, of course, Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle are still out there with Crenshinibon, the crystal shard.
If it is a farewell, then Drizzt has had a good run, and he goes out on a high note. If not, I'll be looking forward to the next installment.
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786929804
July 2003
Paperback
After nearly a decade and a half of tales about the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, the story has come full circle in R.A. Salvatore's latest, "The Thousand Orcs" ($25.95, Wizards of the Coast).
The book marks a new beginning for Drizzt and his companions, opening a chapter that promises to bring the series back to its adventurous roots, while still retaining some of the introspective aspects of more recent volumes.
As the book opens, Drizzt and his companions are once again on the road to Mithral Hall, only this time to stay. The old dwarven king Gandalug has died, and Drizzt's friend Bruenor Battlehammer, the dwarf responsible for the retaking of the ancient dwarven home, has been named the new king.
But Bruenor is reluctant to chain himself to the throne of the dwarven kingdom. He still longs for the freedom and adventure of the road. A chance meeting with a pair of dwarves from a neighboring stronghold who had been attacked by orcs on the road, provides the perfect opportunity for him to duck his duties for a little while longer. In the process of tracking the band of orcs, the companions uncover a more sinister plot. Someone has united the orcs with the frost giants of the north and given them direction and a mission - to capture Mithral Hall and kill Bruenor and his companions.
There are also problems on the political front for Bruenor. Since the reopening of Mithral Hall, Bruenor's kin have been taking business from the metalsmiths of Mirabar, a mixed community of dwarves and humans. A visit by Bruenor breeds discontent between the two races, ultimately leading to a confrontation that threatens to rip the community apart and shift the balance of power in the region to Mithral Hall.
In an interview earlier this year with The News-Star, Salvatore said he was more excited about the new tales of Drizzt Do'Urden than he's ever been. This volume should have the same effect on Salvatore's fans.
For them, reading "The Thousand Orcs" may be a little like jumping on a time travel machine and dialing up the late 1980s. The book captures the spirit of Salvatore's "Icewind Dale" trilogy, the tales that began the story of the dark elven ranger.
Like "Icewind Dale," it's a tale of the companions, free and for the most part happy, on the road to adventure. But at the same time, there's a bit more depth than the original trilogy. The political maneuverings between Mirabar and Mithral Hall are a nice touch and promise to make things interesting over the course of the next two stories.
There's also a much darker feel to this story than the first books. Salvatore promised to shake up the lives of his characters in this latest chapter, and he certainly has. Without giving away any of the twists and turns, I'll just say the ending should leave long time fans more excited about this series than they've been in a long time.
"The Thousand Orcs" shows Salvatore fully recovered from the lull his "Forgotten Realms" books went through in the mid- to late 1990s. The book kicks off the "Hunter's Blades" trilogy which promises to revitalize characters that are in need of some change. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786932287
June 2004
Paperback
If my count is correct, "The Lone Drow" is R.A. Salvatore's 17th book about the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, and it brings the unlikely hero full circle, to where his journey began.
For the first time in a long time, Drizzt is well and truly alone. He thinks his friends have been lost in a battle with a group of orcs that someone has somehow forged into a formidable army. The only thing that's left to him is vengeance.
Gone is the friend, mentor and confidante that Drizzt has become over the years. He's been replaced by the hunter - a cold, unfeeling and methodical side of the dark elf that we've rarely seen since he stalked the Underdark in Salvatore's "Dark Elf" trilogy.
As Drizzt wreaks havoc among the orc armies, his friends Cattie-Brie and Wulfgar are very much alive. (These books are a bit like a comic in that Salvatore does seem to have a problem killing his heroes, and even when it happens, they find a way to come back.)
While Bruenor lays grievously wounded, they attempt to hold Mithral Hall against the bulk of the orc army. Unlike Drizzt, Catti-Brie and Wulfgar are confident their friend is still alive, but they have bigger problems at hand.
After losing his way somewhere in the middle of this series, Salvatore has rebounded with the last few installments. He's made an attempt to take the series back to its roots, and for the most part, it's been pretty successful. The reunion of the original group in "Sea of Swords" and the rousing adventure of "The Thousand Orcs," definitely rekindled my waning interest in Drizzt's story.
I've got mixed feelings on "The Lone Drow." While I enjoyed seeing the hunter emerge again, it lacks the story depth and emotion that was present the last time we saw him, in the "Dark Elf" trilogy. This book is pretty much a "smash 'em and bash 'em" adventure tale. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that. It's still quite enjoyable, particularly for fans of Salvatore's past work.
I still think Salvatore needs to shake up the world of his drow hero a little more to bring some excitement back into the storyline, and I do think he needs another well-developed and credible arch-enemy, a la Artemis Entreri, instead of the creep-of-the-week approach.
But "The Lone Drow" does reaffirm Salvatore's knack for breathless adventure and leaves me with high hopes for the conclusion of the storyline in "The Two Swords," due out this fall. Just a few years ago, I said Salvatore should retire Drizzt, but now I think there just may be some life left in the dark elf after all.
When R.A. Salvatore began his first "Demon Wars" series several years ago, I was disappointed. Salvatore is one of my favorite writers, but the first book in the series, "The Demon Awakens" seemed to cover the same old ground. The heroes - Elbryan and Jilseponie - struck me as far too similar to his famous characters Drizzt Do'Urden and Cattie-Brie from the Dark Elf books.
It was only recently that I pulled the second book, "The Demon Spirit," out of my to-be-read stack and gave the series another chance. I discovered that I had given up on it too quickly. In the second book, Elbryan and Pony became more distinct characters and the world fleshed itself out as Salvatore's own. It was a far more satisfying novel.
Now, comes "Ascendance," the first book in a second "Demon Wars" trilogy, and a lot has changed since the beginning of the series. Jilseponie, now revered as a hero, has won the heart of King Danube of Honce-the-Bear. When she accepts his offer of marriage and becomes queen, she has no idea of the pit of vipers she's about to step into. Though she's a hero, she was still born a peasant and the nobles don't like the idea of the "peasant queen."
At the same time, Aydrian, the son of Elbryan and Pony, is coming of age. As far as Jilseponie knows, she lost the child in a battle with the possessed Abellican leader Dalebert Markwart. In fact, the child was spirited from the field by the Touel'alfar and trained in the ways of the ranger. But now he has left the elven kingdom and taken the mantle Nighthawk, fitting of his desire to become more of a legend than his father.
With the help of a conveniently-worded decree by King Danube and the fallen monk Marcalo D'Unnero, Aydrian is about to make his presence known.
Since I haven't gotten around to reading "The Demon Apostle" or "Mortalis" - widely acclaimed as Salvatore's best work - I missed many of the changes. The rosy plague, the covenant of Avelyn and most importantly, the death of Elbryan Wyndon, the Nightbird, all passed me by. Fortunately, Salvatore does a good job of filling in the gaps in the prologue of this book, as well as through clues in the text. Prior knowledge of the characters and their world makes it a richer experience, but is not necessary.
"Ascendance" shows Salvatore's writing continuing to mature. Many of his early works were action-packed adventure tales, and when it comes to those, he's among the best. But now, he's turned his attention to other things. While there's still plenty of action in this book, there's a deeper side to "Ascendance." Courtly intrigue and elaborate conspiracies replace dazzling swordplay as the key conflicts are often fought with brains rather than brawn.
But fans of Salvatore's action sequences shouldn't be disappointed. There's still plenty of swordplay, and Salvatore is still in top form when it comes to combat scenes that put the reader in the middle of the action.
With "Ascendance," Salvatore has achieved a solid balance between action and intrigue and woven them into a very satisfying story. Though I haven't yet read "Mortalis" - and that may change my mind - at this point I have to rank this as Salvatore's best effort.
Following hot on the heels of his adaptation of "Star Wars Episode II," R.A. Salvatore dives right back into his "Demonwars" series with "Transcendence" (Del Rey).
Salvatore finds himself in the strange situation of having two books released back-to-back. "Episode II" hit shelves on April 23, while this book followed on April 30.
The second novel of Salvatore's second "Demonwars" saga, "Transcendence" tells the story of the elven-trained ranger Brynn Dharielle. She has returned to her homeland of To-Gai intent on liberating her people from the oppressive rule of the Behrenese. In order to do that, though, she faces a number of challenges - not the least of which is her own conscience.
"Transcendence" runs concurrent to the last novel in the series, "Ascendance." That book told the tale of Brynn's childhood companion and fellow ranger-in-training Aydrian Wyndon, son of the legendary Nightbird, Elbryan Wyndon. This one establishes Brynn as a To-Gai-Ru warleader. The next, and final book, should be explosive.
The "Demonwars" series has gone a long way in establishing Salvatore as one of the premiere writers in fantasy. The six books of the series are easily the best he's written, even surpassing his excellent "Dark Elf" series.
The "Demonwars" books are different for Salvatore in a number of ways. Instead of the rousing adventure tales he's written in the past, these books offer a deeper look into the environment that breeds the conflicts. The world of Corona is probably the most detailed he's ever built, with complex political and cultural structures. That's really the driving force behind the stories, unlike the "Dark Elf" series which revolves around the characters.
Salvatore said this series is something he felt he had to do as a writer.
"'Demon Wars' is a world-driven, philosophically-driven series," he said. "I needed to do this for me. I had to prove to myself that I could build a world like this. It challenged me on every level as a writer."
Salvatore, who is currently working on "Immortalis," the final book in the series, said he's very happy with how the project has turned out. He's eager to get the final book on the shelves.
"It's very satisfying the way the last piece is falling into place," he said.
Though "Demonwars" will be finished next year, he says he's not finished with the world of Corona. Salvatore says it's a place rife with possibilities, and a world he's intent on visiting again.
"The world of Corona is so rich that I could write about it forever," he said. "I intend and hope to go back to Corona in the future."
If future stories are as good as "Demonwars," his readers will gladly follow him there.
(NOTE: If you look on the back cover of the paperback version, you'll find a snippet from my review. It's one of the coolest things to ever happen to this Star Wars geek.)
A lightsaber duel written by R.A. Salvatore. Do I need to say anything more about this book?
Not for anyone who understands Salvatore's writing style and his flair for combat scenes. But that fight is only one of the highlights of "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones."
Ten years have passed since the end of "Episode I: The Phantom Menace." Anakin, training under Obi-Wan Kenobi, is well on his way to becoming a Jedi Knight. Padme is now the senator from Naboo. They haven't seen each other in a decade, but after a failed attempt on her life, seemingly by opponents of her political stance, Anakin and Obi-Wan are assigned to protect her. That's a task that proves more complex than it sounds.
The assignment sends Anakin and Padme into hiding on Naboo and Obi-Wan across the galaxy on a search for a mysterious bounty hunter named Jango Fett.
At the same time, Anakin's mother has been abducted by Tusken Raiders and his dreams have been calling him back to Tatooine. There's also an important vote expected in the Senate. Many of the Republic's leaders want to form an army to deal with a perceived threat from separatist systems.
Without giving anything away, I have to say that there are some scenes in this book that I can't wait to see on the big screen. The frenzied finale should be especially impressive.
That's good, because I was beginning to worry a little. The book started slow, allowing Anakin and Padme to get to know each other again - and allowing the reader to learn more about the changes the last decade have wrought on the characters. There's some political maneuvering and a touch of romance, interspersed with a few spikes of action.
Anakin is no longer the sweet little boy of "Episode I." He has grown into a brash, hotheaded and slightly arrogant teen-ager, who questions many of the Jedi ideals. Padme is questioning her life of public service and wondering what else life has to offer. Obi-Wan is questioning his sanity for taking Anakin on as a Padawan.
"Episode II," at least the novel version, shows more depth and character development than any previous installment. The first half of the book focuses largely on Anakin's inner turmoil and the uneasy relationships he shares with his master Obi-Wan and his love interest Padme. It's something that perhaps has been lacking in previous "Star Wars" episodes.
But that doesn't mean there's not plenty of action, adventure and wonder. It wouldn't be a "Star Wars" movie without exotic locales, swashbuckling lightsaber duels, daring rescues and plenty of other derring-do.
For those "Star Wars" fans like myself, who have some misgivings about this movie, the novel is a relief. If the book is any gauge, "Episode II" will be much better than some of the trailers have led us to believe.
