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A review by teachinsci
Siege of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore
3.0
This book was my least favorite of Salvatore's work so far. I had, pretty much forgotten what it actually consisted of back when I read it most of 20 years ago. In rereading, it struck me as a shoe-horned in story (since most of Salvatore's works are trilogies and there is one more to go in this one) of 'what happened to the Drow during the Time of Troubles.
Some good things: there were lots of intricate (though well paced) scenes of battle and heroic deaths. Greater delving into Drow society and the personalities at play there (including the undercurrent of resentment of the weaker gender). The ever amusing Harpells (how can you not enjoy Harkell?).
Some things that bothered me: The main characters are there... there is a bit of development of the characters and some resolution of some standing problems, but these seem almost beside the point in the novel. Catti-Brie trains for a few weeks (months?) and can hold her own against Drizzt and many dark elves. The BIG, BAD, DROW are coming and in greater numbers than can reasonably be faced... but the sheer plucky goodness of the outnumbered defenders of Mithril Hall tears them up... wait, I thought they were super tough (to be fair, several newly introduced characters died). Llolth makes a deal with a demon to somehow answer the prayers of her faithful, which he does almost not at all that I notice, and she is OK with that?
All told, not a horrible book if you are familiar with the wider Forgotten Realms, definitely not a book by which to judge the author.
Some good things: there were lots of intricate (though well paced) scenes of battle and heroic deaths. Greater delving into Drow society and the personalities at play there (including the undercurrent of resentment of the weaker gender). The ever amusing Harpells (how can you not enjoy Harkell?).
Some things that bothered me: The main characters are there... there is a bit of development of the characters and some resolution of some standing problems, but these seem almost beside the point in the novel. Catti-Brie trains for a few weeks (months?) and can hold her own against Drizzt and many dark elves. The BIG, BAD, DROW are coming and in greater numbers than can reasonably be faced... but the sheer plucky goodness of the outnumbered defenders of Mithril Hall tears them up... wait, I thought they were super tough (to be fair, several newly introduced characters died). Llolth makes a deal with a demon to somehow answer the prayers of her faithful, which he does almost not at all that I notice, and she is OK with that?
All told, not a horrible book if you are familiar with the wider Forgotten Realms, definitely not a book by which to judge the author.