“
As another installment of the tales of Drizzt Do'Urden, the famed drow elf ranger who spurned the life of his dark heritage, this story is more of an accounting of Wulfgar, the mighty barbarian-king of the Companions of the Hall, and the trials he faces as he adapts to his role within his tribe and returns to the sides of his dearest friends. In the previous novel, Passage to Dawn by R.A. Salvatore, Wulfgar is brought back to the world, several years after his death in the caverns of Mithril Hall, doomed to serving as a prisoner to Errtu, a pit fiend determined to torture Drizzt after the drow foiled a number of the demon's attempts to wreck havoc on the races of Faerun.
Wulfgar struggles with the haunting pain he went through as a captive in the Abyss, finding it hard to put his horrific past out of his mind. He breaks from the group, both mentally and physically, seeking a path that will liberate him from the thoughts that continually challenge his resolve. Like so many who have fallen on hard times, he takes solace in a bottle, drowning away his memories and allowing the darker side of his persona to prevail over his morals, all the while aligning himself with the most unlikely of company.
At the same time, Drizzt and his most trusted friends aim to write the final chapter for Crenshinibon, the ancient, sentient artifact that has come to define their legacy of heroism, after thwarting the countless attempts of the item to dominate the world through manipulating weak-willed humanoids. Along the way, the group eliminates the mounting resistance the artifact puts forth to relocate itself. Unfortunately, for the group, a third party is keeping tabs on both them and their lost friend, Wulfgar. A party that Drizzt can never quite rid himself of. A party that seems to have followed him from his shadowy beginnings...
I enjoyed this part of the saga much more than the epic quests they've set out upon because you see a departure from the solidarity of a group united by common cause and a bond beyond convenience to a fractured, vulnerable association between the group members. In real life, we all face difficulties within our own social structures. It is refreshing to see one of the most notable characters in Salvatore's collection in such personal distress. It brings a genuinely realistic quality to the piece and makes the story that much more interesting to see: that not everything that was assumed to be, will be in the future, nor will everything last forever, good or bad. I also like the fact that some of Salvatore's supporting characters get larger roles, as Drizzt is continually less the focus as the books progress.
Suggestion: For some background leading into this story, read Passage to Dawn first, so that you have an understanding of what the focus is of this book. In saying that, this is the first book of this particular series, so if you haven't read the previous books, you shouldn't be that far behind. ”
Dave wrote this review Saturday, February 9 2008.
(
reply |
permalink )