R. A. SALVATORE was born in Massachusetts in 1959. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College and a Bachelor of Arts in English. His first-published novel was THE CRYSTAL SHARD from TSR, Inc. in 1988; he has since published more than a dozen novels, including four New York Times bestsellers. He makes his home in Massachusetts with his wife, Diane, and their three children.
Adult/High School-Taking place in one of the settings for the Dungeons and Dragons game, this novel chronicles the attempt of Salvatore's popular hero, the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, and his friends to foil a plot by orcs and frost giants to terrorize the North and conquer human and dwarvish settlements there. The author breathes some new life into the stereotypical creatures of the milieu: the motivations of his villains make sense without violating the traditions of the game. His heroes face dilemmas deeper than merely how to slay their foes. The barbarian Wulfgar has to decide between his desire to stay with his family and his need to pursue his career (which, in this case, happens to be adventuring with his friends). The dwarf Bruenor has to balance personal desires with the call of responsibility. Drizzt loves the human warrior Catti-Brie and must confront the reality that the children of a dark elf and a human will face a lifetime of hostility from both races. Salvatore has long used his dark elf protagonist to reflect on issues of racial prejudice, notably in the "Dark Elf Trilogy" (Random, 1998) and this novel is no exception. The action keeps flowing, mostly in the form of fights, which are described in vivid detail. Humorous dwarves help provide some comic relief from the often-bloody combat scenes. The attraction of the "Forgotten Realms" trademark should lure readers, who will find this book better than most of its kind.-Paul Brink, Fairfax County Public Library System, VA Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
Drow Elf Drizzt Do'Urden and friends return for another rousing tale of derring-do and harrowing escapes, the first volume of a new trilogy in Salvatore's bestselling Forgotten Realms series. Catastrophe is about to strike, and Drizzt and his intrepid fighters once again rush eagerly into the fray. What starts out as a quiet trip back to Mithral Hall for the crowning of King Bruenor Battlehammer turns unexpectedly into a journey far longer and more perilous than Drizzt and company could have supposed. Unbeknownst to the Drow Elf, a group of orcs, headed by King Obould, who fancies himself an especially clever orc, has decided to join forces with a group of frost giants to lay waste to the area around the dwarven hold of Mirabar. Drizzt and his group stumble into the middle of a skirmish and, thinking that it's just a small group of orcs, decide that they need to do a bit of clean up work. What Drizzt doesn't know is that these early skirmishes are the prelude to a bigger invasion that amounts to nothing less than an all-out war. The philosophical Drizzt spends his downtime pondering the frailties of humanity, which adds a bit of depth to an admittedly light-hearted sword and sorcery novel. A nifty cliffhanger promises more excitement to come in the sequel. 8-city author tour. (Oct. 15) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
A host of orcs now occupies the Citadel of Many Arrows, formerly a dwarven stronghold, and threatens the Spine of the World with its onslaught. Only the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden stands a chance of defeating them and, to do so, he must travel deep within enemy lines. Best-selling author Salvatore (the "Demonwars" series; Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) returns to his most popular character for a new trilogy set in the Forgotten RealmsR role-playing universe. Complex characters and meticulously described battle scenes make this a strong choice for most fantasy and YA collections. Consider multiple copies where the demand warrants. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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