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A review by astoriedsoul
Archmage by R.A. Salvatore
5.0
The Companions of the Hall are together again for another high-stakes, fast-paced adventure that will see blades whirl, axes fall, and blood spilled in the name of what is good and just. This time, Drizzt will be pulled into the intrigue, darkness, and evil of the drow and his birth city of Menzoberranzan.
It’s hard for me to review any book by R.A. Salvatore because I don't want to be biased, but I admire his work so much so that I believe he’s this century’s J.R.R. Tolkien (yeah, forget George R.R, Martin, really). The Drizzt series as a whole has been the series (other than Harry Potter) that got me back into reading as a young adult. These were the books that kept me going back to the bookstore every day to get the next in the series because I couldn’t stop reading. That’s how amazingly immersive, imaginative, and fantastic Salvatore’s work is. This new installment, Archmage, is no exception.
A lot has happened to the Companions of the Hall; they’ve fought war against orcs, they’ve fought through the Spellplague, and then came the Darkening. Archmage begins with drow plots after Lolth’s plan to bring darkness to the surface of Faerun has failed–because of Drizzt. He became the conduit for ending the Darkening and now the drow threat from his birth city, Menzoberranzan, is growing, and a lot rests on Drizzt’s shoulders. On top of this, it’s time to retake Gauntlgyrm. All of this will explode into a story with a plot that fast, action-packed, and doesn’t relent. Readers will be whisked way on a fantastic and exciting ride from the start.
From the very start of this novel, be prepared to not put the book down until you turn the last page–Salvatore’s writing is that engrossing. It’s so incredibly fluid that it washes over you like a comforting, warm blanket. He is the best writer for the Realms in my opinion, and in the fantasy genre as a whole I feel he’s the best. Word choice, description, and emotion is written with a masterful authenticity. The world-building is phenomenal. Faerun, the Underdark, the dwarven kingdom, though fantastical in nature, seem as real as any city in this world. Salvatore has a skill in painting scenes and mapping out geography that will make the reader feel like they are really are seeing what Drizzt and his friends see. Battle scenes and everything in between is just as artful.
Drizzt himself is such a compelling character. He’s THE fictional character that I’ve grown with so much since I started his story about 12-14 years ago. His thoughts, his feelings, the changes he goes through are all so completely real, relateable, and acutely written that you see what we call humanity in an elf. A fictional character has never seemed so well-rounded and real to me. The companions have changed though, and much is different between them as readers will discover in this volume–so much so that we see the group’s path diverge in directions. And now, we are back in the Underdark, which presents interesting complications for Drizzt through the story.
I am so excited to see where this part of the story will go; yet, I don’t want to ever see Drizzt die like he did in the past. I hope this series goes on forever. It’s such a major part of my life and who I am, give it a try and I hope it becomes yours too.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review, which does not alter or influence my opinions.
This review originally appeared on my website: The Literarium
It’s hard for me to review any book by R.A. Salvatore because I don't want to be biased, but I admire his work so much so that I believe he’s this century’s J.R.R. Tolkien (yeah, forget George R.R, Martin, really). The Drizzt series as a whole has been the series (other than Harry Potter) that got me back into reading as a young adult. These were the books that kept me going back to the bookstore every day to get the next in the series because I couldn’t stop reading. That’s how amazingly immersive, imaginative, and fantastic Salvatore’s work is. This new installment, Archmage, is no exception.
A lot has happened to the Companions of the Hall; they’ve fought war against orcs, they’ve fought through the Spellplague, and then came the Darkening. Archmage begins with drow plots after Lolth’s plan to bring darkness to the surface of Faerun has failed–because of Drizzt. He became the conduit for ending the Darkening and now the drow threat from his birth city, Menzoberranzan, is growing, and a lot rests on Drizzt’s shoulders. On top of this, it’s time to retake Gauntlgyrm. All of this will explode into a story with a plot that fast, action-packed, and doesn’t relent. Readers will be whisked way on a fantastic and exciting ride from the start.
From the very start of this novel, be prepared to not put the book down until you turn the last page–Salvatore’s writing is that engrossing. It’s so incredibly fluid that it washes over you like a comforting, warm blanket. He is the best writer for the Realms in my opinion, and in the fantasy genre as a whole I feel he’s the best. Word choice, description, and emotion is written with a masterful authenticity. The world-building is phenomenal. Faerun, the Underdark, the dwarven kingdom, though fantastical in nature, seem as real as any city in this world. Salvatore has a skill in painting scenes and mapping out geography that will make the reader feel like they are really are seeing what Drizzt and his friends see. Battle scenes and everything in between is just as artful.
Drizzt himself is such a compelling character. He’s THE fictional character that I’ve grown with so much since I started his story about 12-14 years ago. His thoughts, his feelings, the changes he goes through are all so completely real, relateable, and acutely written that you see what we call humanity in an elf. A fictional character has never seemed so well-rounded and real to me. The companions have changed though, and much is different between them as readers will discover in this volume–so much so that we see the group’s path diverge in directions. And now, we are back in the Underdark, which presents interesting complications for Drizzt through the story.
I am so excited to see where this part of the story will go; yet, I don’t want to ever see Drizzt die like he did in the past. I hope this series goes on forever. It’s such a major part of my life and who I am, give it a try and I hope it becomes yours too.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review, which does not alter or influence my opinions.
This review originally appeared on my website: The Literarium