Exile (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #2) in Fantasy Buddy Reads

Jan 24, 2018 Veronica rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, buddy-read, audiobook

This was light on plot (middle book syndrome?) - unless you consider Drizzt's wanderings through the Underdark a great plot - but it was a quick read. ...more

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Feb 01, 2018 Diana Stormblessed rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2018-read, series, fantasy

Unpopular opinion: I could barely finish this book. If it wasn't for a buddy read challenge I never would have finished. Boring from start to finish. Bad writing style. 2 dimensional characters smeared with lots of angst so you won't notice their flatness. I think me and this series need to part ways. ...more

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Jan 18, 2016 Drew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I think I'm impressed with R. A. Salvatore. I read the first entry in the Dark Elf trilogy and was shocked at the connection I felt with Drizzt & his struggle against a society that has no morality. I didn't expect to "feel it." After all, this is all just D&D stuff, right? Wizards of the Coast, Dragons, and Magic, right? Who said anything about great stories? Maybe it was just a flash in the pan. So I read the second book in the series. Flash, it was not. This go-round Drizzt has wandered the U I think I'm impressed with R. A. Salvatore. I read the first entry in the Dark Elf trilogy and was shocked at the connection I felt with Drizzt & his struggle against a society that has no morality. I didn't expect to "feel it." After all, this is all just D&D stuff, right? Wizards of the Coast, Dragons, and Magic, right? Who said anything about great stories? Maybe it was just a flash in the pan. So I read the second book in the series. Flash, it was not. This go-round Drizzt has wandered the Underdark away from Menzoberranzan for years after the finale of Homeland and has essentially lost himself to the hunter persona that is required to survive in the wild. What endeared me so much to this book is the people Drizzt aligns with and the tragic way they are all brought together. It seems Drizzt isn't meant to just "make friends." No, there has to be something awful that brings him together and bonds him with his buddies. I'm looking at you, Clacker and Belwar. But the tragedy makes them more than friends. It makes them soldiers and brothers against the vile goings-on in the Underdark.

I loved so much about this book. Drizzt's battle with his dual nature, his embrace & rejection by Belwar's people, his fight against his screwed up family, and the two (or 3, depending on how you look at it) different heartbreaking occurrences he (I) gets smacked with in the waning pages of this book. I also loved that there wasn't much time devoted to Menzoberranzan in this book. To be honest, Menzoberranzan is the least interesting thing about the story. I read a review that lamented the lack of Menzoberranzan, saying it was the most interesting part of the story.. I could not possibly disagree more. The politics of that city bore me & the prospect of Drizzt moving on and leaving that aspect of the story behind is just fine with me. Leaving the Underdark completely is a very welcome development and I look forward to that story in book 3. Something about the city of Menzoberranzan is claustrophobic. The passages that deal with house politics & the Spider Queen just don't interest me the way Drizzt and Belwar's travels AWAY from there do. So it was nice that those portions were short & occurred sparingly.

Mr. Salvatore continues to impress with this series. I will be reading his books for a long time if they sustain this level. Very good, surprisingly engaging read. 4 out of 5. ...more

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Sep 21, 2015 Drew rated it really liked it

I distinctly remember writing a review for this book when I read it last year, but it isn't registering on Goodreads.. Not sure why. But I like Salvatore a lot. Not going to rewrite this review, but at least it has my rating now. Good book! ...more

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Dec 20, 2015 Amyiw rated it really liked it

Shelves: z-home-shelf, series, x-2015, z-type-assassins

So in this one Drizzt definitely rounds out more, getting friends and companions that help shape him and show him a direction. He is still being pursued by his homeland and family. His mother is out of favor with the Spider Queen because of Drizzt's actions and now she purses him doggedly. She creates a monster of sorts that might have the ability to finally reign in Drizzt or kill him and bring back favor to the house of D'Urdon.

Drizzt's family is much more rounded in this one. We can feel the ...more

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