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ewil6681's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
zreader's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
throd's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
spamrisk's review against another edition
4.0
There’s a demon prince?
Maybe our hero kills it.
Maybe it kills him.
Maybe our hero kills it.
Maybe it kills him.
kaboomcju's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
pidgevorg's review against another edition
4.0
First of all, I have to say that I was REALLY pleasantly surprised by the fact that this book actually resolves its main plot threads. The usual bait-and-switch cliffhanger endings so typical in this genre... yeah, not here, thank God. Dahlia's stint as a Matron Mother--resolved. Tiago's obsession with fighting Drizzt--resolved with appropriately explosive fanfare. The Demogorgon invasion in the last novel--likewise. The Drizzt-Entreri epic frenemy bromance (frenemance? can I coin that word?)--resolved, finally. Finally, a good balance of satisfying resolution with some lingering mysteries that make you want to read the next book in the series. Finally, something I can actually point to and call a "book" as opposed to a "really long chapter 1 of 4 for which I was for some strange reason charged separately..." Anyhoo, I think I made my point. This book is WELL worth buying before the whole series comes out.
Next, I have to say the balance of action vs dialogue here was perfect. There was plenty of interesting action and fight scenes, as well as plenty of intrigue and character interaction. Nothing felt like it was too much or out of place, it was all seamlessly integrated and flowed well. And this despite the fact that one of the major plotlines, the restoration of the Hosttower, is almost nothing other than corporate-boardroom-style meetings and discussions about theoretical magic. And maybe that's not for everyone, but I liked it, I thought it was a refreshing break from the action.
And, as I said, plenty of intrigue--lots of lovely backstabbing in everyone's favorite drow city. But actually, also lots of genuine character development for these very same drow. It's amazing how most of the characters in this series are always evolving and changing, even the minor ones. Not always growing, mind you, but definitely encountering new points of view and having to adjust their own. (Which is more than I can say for some so-called classic literature, which doesn't even have the excuse of being plot-driven, like this novel.) Just seeing Gromph, the mighty deus-ex-machina from previous books, taken out of his comfort zone and forced to reconsider his established point of view... priceless. As was Drizzt's existential angst (can't say more, spoilers). Normally I'm not into the whole nihilistic gloom and doom thing, but in a Forgotten Realms book... it is, again, very refreshing after all the action. It's all a matter of context, I guess.
Not everyone was an interesting character, of course. The drow Priestesses' endless and unremitting posturing did get a little redundant, but then it was supposed to be. They are meant to be annoying, empty-headed fanatics, after all... And it all feels worth it when Artemis Entreri gets to kill so very many of them. (I was so happy for him that he got to do that. The poor man, he's been through so much lately, he deserves his few simple pleasures.)
And speaking of annoying, empty-headed people... here comes my rant about the only problem I have with this book. Yes, it's my favorite pet peeve in these novels, Mary-S... I mean... Catti-brie. Who, yet again, is SPESHUL, SO SPESHUL. Once again, she is a diplomat extraordinaire, ending up the leader of a whole delegation of experienced wizards from all over the world, despite the fact that she manages to horribly insult two of them. Once again, she saves the day with some new super-duper-pooper power that she just pulled out of her butt and certainly didn't work a day in her life to attain. (They should just bottle her turds and sell them, it would solve all the problems, present and future, in the Forgotten Realms setting.) Once again, she's all simpering sweetness... that is, until she's not, and then it's always someone else's fault. It's not that she's tempted to cheat on her husband, it's that the other guy is a rapist... in his mind. It's not that she's a self-righteous shrew, it's that anyone who doesn't lead her lifestyle is a slut. It's not that she doesn't appreciate her dwarf heritage, it's just that she can't be seen speaking their dialect unless she means to insult someone. With a lovely and perfect personality like that, it's no wonder that she hasn't developed as a character since Streams of Silver.
In fact, Catti is very similar to another character in this book, Yvonnel, the creepy magically-grown-and-enhanced baby Chosen of Lolth. But whereas everyone seems to know that Yvonnel's unexplained power-ups and her simpering, chirping ways are creepy and evil, no one seems to have cottoned on to Catti-brie. Except, appropriately enough, Yvonnel herself, who makes a dire prediction for Drizzt at the end of the book. I really hope Salvatore decides to take that up and actually goes there. But I'm afraid it will all be resolved painlessly (aka. Catti will bludgeon poor gormless Drizzt into moral submission) and Catti will continue to stampede over this series, hurling puppies and rainbows all around...
Next, I have to say the balance of action vs dialogue here was perfect. There was plenty of interesting action and fight scenes, as well as plenty of intrigue and character interaction. Nothing felt like it was too much or out of place, it was all seamlessly integrated and flowed well. And this despite the fact that one of the major plotlines, the restoration of the Hosttower, is almost nothing other than corporate-boardroom-style meetings and discussions about theoretical magic. And maybe that's not for everyone, but I liked it, I thought it was a refreshing break from the action.
And, as I said, plenty of intrigue--lots of lovely backstabbing in everyone's favorite drow city. But actually, also lots of genuine character development for these very same drow. It's amazing how most of the characters in this series are always evolving and changing, even the minor ones. Not always growing, mind you, but definitely encountering new points of view and having to adjust their own. (Which is more than I can say for some so-called classic literature, which doesn't even have the excuse of being plot-driven, like this novel.) Just seeing Gromph, the mighty deus-ex-machina from previous books, taken out of his comfort zone and forced to reconsider his established point of view... priceless. As was Drizzt's existential angst (can't say more, spoilers). Normally I'm not into the whole nihilistic gloom and doom thing, but in a Forgotten Realms book... it is, again, very refreshing after all the action. It's all a matter of context, I guess.
Not everyone was an interesting character, of course. The drow Priestesses' endless and unremitting posturing did get a little redundant, but then it was supposed to be. They are meant to be annoying, empty-headed fanatics, after all... And it all feels worth it when Artemis Entreri gets to kill so very many of them. (I was so happy for him that he got to do that. The poor man, he's been through so much lately, he deserves his few simple pleasures.)
And speaking of annoying, empty-headed people... here comes my rant about the only problem I have with this book. Yes, it's my favorite pet peeve in these novels, Mary-S... I mean... Catti-brie. Who, yet again, is SPESHUL, SO SPESHUL. Once again, she is a diplomat extraordinaire, ending up the leader of a whole delegation of experienced wizards from all over the world, despite the fact that she manages to horribly insult two of them. Once again, she saves the day with some new super-duper-pooper power that she just pulled out of her butt and certainly didn't work a day in her life to attain. (They should just bottle her turds and sell them, it would solve all the problems, present and future, in the Forgotten Realms setting.) Once again, she's all simpering sweetness... that is, until she's not, and then it's always someone else's fault. It's not that she's tempted to cheat on her husband, it's that the other guy is a rapist... in his mind. It's not that she's a self-righteous shrew, it's that anyone who doesn't lead her lifestyle is a slut. It's not that she doesn't appreciate her dwarf heritage, it's just that she can't be seen speaking their dialect unless she means to insult someone. With a lovely and perfect personality like that, it's no wonder that she hasn't developed as a character since Streams of Silver.
In fact, Catti is very similar to another character in this book, Yvonnel, the creepy magically-grown-and-enhanced baby Chosen of Lolth. But whereas everyone seems to know that Yvonnel's unexplained power-ups and her simpering, chirping ways are creepy and evil, no one seems to have cottoned on to Catti-brie. Except, appropriately enough, Yvonnel herself, who makes a dire prediction for Drizzt at the end of the book. I really hope Salvatore decides to take that up and actually goes there. But I'm afraid it will all be resolved painlessly (aka. Catti will bludgeon poor gormless Drizzt into moral submission) and Catti will continue to stampede over this series, hurling puppies and rainbows all around...
kerush's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0