Neverwinter and Drizzt reading order

Waylander · 10-15-2015, 08:32 AM

Hi,

I've read the Homeland trilogy of Drizzt novels, which I actually quite enjoyed, probably because they were written later in Salvatore's career when he'd developed as a writer. I then read The Crystal Shard and... ugh. I mean, really, ewww. The writing was pretty poor. I lost faith in Salvatore's writing ability.

That's not a personal attack. I like the guy, and he can write, as in Vector Prime, which for all the controversy surrounding Chewbacca's death (I didn't really mind, I'm British and we don't really get over emotional, especially over fictional characters' deaths) was well written and was powerfully resonant for me. However, I've lost faith in his Drizzt books. Do they get better after TCS, and if so when? Do I have to wade through drek to get to the good stuff, or can I skip to the good stuff?

Can I just skip ahead to Gauntlgrym? Will I miss a load of crucial stuff out if I do?

eschwartz · 10-15-2015, 09:20 AM

Well, yes -- you end up not knowing all the stuff that happens in between.

If you don't mind that, then just start with any subseries you like.
I am a very big un-supporter of skipping chunks in the middle of a series.

I thought Salvatore's later books were quite good, but I also thought The Crystal Shard was decent too.

What about TCS put you off?

AlbertaCowboy · 10-15-2015, 10:25 AM

Honestly, I followed Drizzt up until Gauntlgrym, and I found that the original Icewind Dale Trilogy to be by far the best of the lot. I lost interest in Salvatore around the time that he did Vector Prime, (and yes, I DID get angry), but I'd probably try to keep reading the series in chronological order.
I don't think personally that one could really have a good understanding of all the events that have transpired in between The Halfling's Gem and Gauntlgrym without having read a good many of them.
Or you could do as I do when I kinda want to know the gist of a movie or novel, but don't really want to read it, is go read the plot synopses on Wikipedia. Generally, they're fan written, so fairly complete, and can act as a Cliff's Notes, without all the whiny existential emo "why do I suffer so" monologues that frequently take up pages of Drizzt.

Dazrin · 10-15-2015, 11:15 AM

You could be fine skipping the rest of the Icewind Dale (Crystal Shard) trilogy but I don't think I would skip The Legacy since it has some crucial events for later in the series. I don't feel any particular attachment to most of the books after that either, so maybe?

As AlbertaCowboy says, you will be missing a lot but could mostly catch up with the wikipedia articles. The whole world goes through a couple major changes and there is well over a century between The Halflings Gem and Gauntlgrym, so unless you are familiar with the changes from another source (AD&D 2E to D&D 5E now?) there might be some changes that are confusing.

Waylander · 10-15-2015, 05:56 PM

Ok, thanks guys.

Dazrin · 10-15-2015, 06:18 PM

I will say that the Icewind Dale Trilogy and the Dark Elf (homeland/exile/sojourn) trilogies are my favorites of the ones I have read (up thru The Companions). I know a lot of that is nostalgia since they are some of the first fantasy books I read but personally I would give Streams of Silver and The Halfling's Gem a shot if you did like the Dark Elf trilogy, they are quite a bit different than The Crystal Shard. TCS was his first book (at least in this series), so there were some growing pains involved.

frahse · 10-19-2015, 06:43 PM

Salvatore is a good and very prolific author. At one time I had read most of his work. My own work prevented me from keeping completely up to date.

Sometimes he is most ingenuous. Other times he is like most authors, writing for the paycheck and forgetting that many readers have good memories.

10-15-2015, 08:32 AM	#1
Waylander Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 2905052 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5 SE, Onyx Boox Poke 3	Neverwinter and Drizzt reading order Hi, I've read the Homeland trilogy of Drizzt novels, which I actually quite enjoyed, probably because they were written later in Salvatore's career when he'd developed as a writer. I then read The Crystal Shard and... ugh. I mean, really, ewww. The writing was pretty poor. I lost faith in Salvatore's writing ability. That's not a personal attack. I like the guy, and he can write, as in Vector Prime, which for all the controversy surrounding Chewbacca's death (I didn't really mind, I'm British and we don't really get over emotional, especially over fictional characters' deaths) was well written and was powerfully resonant for me. However, I've lost faith in his Drizzt books. Do they get better after TCS, and if so when? Do I have to wade through drek to get to the good stuff, or can I skip to the good stuff? Can I just skip ahead to Gauntlgrym? Will I miss a load of crucial stuff out if I do?

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10-15-2015, 09:20 AM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Well, yes -- you end up not knowing all the stuff that happens in between. If you don't mind that, then just start with any subseries you like. I am a very big un-supporter of skipping chunks in the middle of a series. I thought Salvatore's later books were quite good, but I also thought The Crystal Shard was decent too. What about TCS put you off?

10-15-2015, 10:25 AM	#3
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	Honestly, I followed Drizzt up until Gauntlgrym, and I found that the original Icewind Dale Trilogy to be by far the best of the lot. I lost interest in Salvatore around the time that he did Vector Prime, (and yes, I DID get angry), but I'd probably try to keep reading the series in chronological order. I don't think personally that one could really have a good understanding of all the events that have transpired in between The Halfling's Gem and Gauntlgrym without having read a good many of them. Or you could do as I do when I kinda want to know the gist of a movie or novel, but don't really want to read it, is go read the plot synopses on Wikipedia. Generally, they're fan written, so fairly complete, and can act as a Cliff's Notes, without all the whiny existential emo "why do I suffer so" monologues that frequently take up pages of Drizzt.

10-15-2015, 11:15 AM	#4
Dazrin Wizard Posts: 2,631 Karma: 73864785 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PDXish Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices	You could be fine skipping the rest of the Icewind Dale (Crystal Shard) trilogy but I don't think I would skip The Legacy since it has some crucial events for later in the series. I don't feel any particular attachment to most of the books after that either, so maybe? As AlbertaCowboy says, you will be missing a lot but could mostly catch up with the wikipedia articles. The whole world goes through a couple major changes and there is well over a century between The Halflings Gem and Gauntlgrym, so unless you are familiar with the changes from another source (AD&D 2E to D&D 5E now?) there might be some changes that are confusing.

10-15-2015, 05:56 PM	#5
Waylander Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 2905052 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5 SE, Onyx Boox Poke 3	Ok, thanks guys.

10-15-2015, 06:18 PM	#6
Dazrin Wizard Posts: 2,631 Karma: 73864785 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PDXish Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices	I will say that the Icewind Dale Trilogy and the Dark Elf (homeland/exile/sojourn) trilogies are my favorites of the ones I have read (up thru The Companions). I know a lot of that is nostalgia since they are some of the first fantasy books I read but personally I would give Streams of Silver and The Halfling's Gem a shot if you did like the Dark Elf trilogy, they are quite a bit different than The Crystal Shard. TCS was his first book (at least in this series), so there were some growing pains involved.

10-19-2015, 06:43 PM	#7
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	Salvatore is a good and very prolific author. At one time I had read most of his work. My own work prevented me from keeping completely up to date. Sometimes he is most ingenuous. Other times he is like most authors, writing for the paycheck and forgetting that many readers have good memories.

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