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R.A. Salvatore
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What Else Are You Reading? > Which R.A. Salvatore Books should I read/start with

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message 1: by Rob, Roberator (new)

Rob (robzak) | 7204 comments Mod
After the great podcast I'd really like to find time to read some stuff by R.A. Salvatore. He's been on my radar for awhile, but I've never got around to it.

The problem is he's got way too much stuff.

I love D&D and forgotten realms, so I was thinking of trying the Icewind Dale trilogy to start.

For those of you who have read his stuff, what should I start with?

If I want to Drizzt Do'Urden in particular, what should I read first?

Icewind Dale was written first, but it looks like Dark Elf comes first chronologically.

Thanks.


message 2: by P. Aaron (new)

P. Aaron Potter (paaronpotter) | 585 comments My opinion is already on file but I'll expand by saying that I think the Icewind Dale trilogy is the best place to start since it hangs together as a story in its own right better than the Menzoberranzan 'prequels' do. The Dark Elf books were written (much!) later, and they move much more slowly...Salvatore becomes very invested in the internal monologue of his characters. For someone who is already a fan, it's great to hit those deeper notes, but it's the IWD trilogy that will either make you a fan - or not - in the first place.


message 3: by Rob, Roberator (new)

Rob (robzak) | 7204 comments Mod
P. Aaron wrote: "My opinion is already on file but I'll expand by saying that I think the Icewind Dale trilogy is the best place to start since it hangs together as a story in its own right better than the Menzober..."

Cool. Thanks.


message 4: by Ctgt (new)

Ctgt | 329 comments Not being familiar with Forgotten Realms, Salvatore or Drizzt, I started with the Dark Elf trilogy and have read up through Streams of Silver. I do agree with P. Aaron, there was quite a bit of the internal monologue going on, but it didn't really keep me from continuing on. I plan on wotking my way through the series.


message 5: by Tamahome (new)

Tamahome | 7221 comments Around 7:15 in the podcast he says Homeland for the dark elf, or The Highwayman if you're less hard core.


message 6: by Charles (new)

Charles | 248 comments I'm fine with starting with the Icewind Dale trilogy.

Not a big fan of the Cleric Quintet (it was okay...) so you're probably better off with the Drizz't books.


message 7: by Thomas (new)

Thomas (velverin) | 42 comments Well I read the Icewind Dale trioloy first, and a long time had passed until I read the Dark Elf triology. Since I am not a big fan of Drizzt,the later didn't really got me.

Also the Demon Wars Sage, while it wasn't bad, it was not as good as the Icewind Dale books.

But what I really enjoyed was Spearwielder's Tale.


message 8: by Kevin (last edited Sep 07, 2012 07:25AM) (new)

Kevin Xu (kxu65) | 1081 comments P. Aaron wrote: "My opinion is already on file but I'll expand by saying that I think the Icewind Dale trilogy is the best place to start since it hangs together as a story in its own right better than the Menzober..."

I agree, and that is what I also recommend because the Crystal Shard's writing style is a little different from all the others books he has ever written because in part Drizzt was suppose to be a secondary character, but I've never heard of a secondary character that actually moves the plot around.


message 9: by Rob, Roberator (new)

Rob (robzak) | 7204 comments Mod
Tamahome wrote: "Around 7:15 in the podcast he says Homeland for the dark elf, or The Highwayman if you're less hard core."

Yea. I totally forgot he mentioned that. Pretty dumb on my part. So the author thinks I should start with his prequel trilogy and it seems some of you agree with him, while others still say chronological order.

I guess I should go with what the author says, but I've always favored reading books in publication order, at least for the first pass. Now I'm torn.


message 10: by Micah (new)

Micah (onemorebaker) | 1071 comments As mentioned above "the Highway man" was an enjoyable fairly quick read. Plus it was a 1 off novel so it might be an easy place to start.


message 11: by Jlawrence, S&L Moderator (new)

Jlawrence | 964 comments Mod
I've added Homeland to my to-read shelf, because I wants to see some Drizzt.


message 12: by A.E. (new)

A.E. Marling (aemarling) | 49 comments Homeland is by far the most interesting setting. How many fantasy books do you read that take place a mile beneath the surface in a cavern sweltering with chaos and purple light?


message 13: by Rob, Roberator (new)

Rob (robzak) | 7204 comments Mod
I'm totally fine with heavy fantasy. I just need to find time to work it in. At this point it's looking like the earliest I might read one of his books is December.

That will give me some more time to mull it over.

Thanks for all the input.


message 14: by Natalia's Daddy (new)

Natalia's Daddy (nataliasdaddy) | 8 comments I would have to say the Icewindale Trilogy. You get introduced to his first companions which are referred ven in his latest book (Charon's Claw). After that maybe the Legacy series to get a background on Drizzt.


message 15: by John (new)

John (johnbrock) | 33 comments I read the prequels first and absolutely loved them. They are still my favorites out of the considerable amount of Salvatore I've read.


message 16: by Derek (new)

Derek Knox (snokat) | 274 comments Micah wrote: "As mentioned above "the Highway man" was an enjoyable fairly quick read. Plus it was a 1 off novel so it might be an easy place to start."

Not really, it's book one of The Saga of the First King. There have been 4 other books since. It's a good book and could stand alone if you don't want to read further. I don't know if he meant it as a stand-alone and then decided to write more with those characters, or what. Because it's story is complete, but the rest of the books lead into the next book.


message 17: by [deleted user] (new)

I started out with the Dark Elf trilogy and it is still my favorite set of books by Salvatore. I've lagged on the last couple of trilogies though and I'm working to catch up.


message 18: by Tim (new)

Tim | 64 comments Do not read the cleric quintet. That is all.


message 19: by John (last edited Sep 09, 2012 05:07PM) (new)

John Ballou | 2 comments Awww I enjoyed the cleric books, I agree the last one was a little eh but overall an enjoyable series.


message 20: by P. Aaron (new)

P. Aaron Potter (paaronpotter) | 585 comments I'm with Tim. I'd skip the cleric quintet.


message 21: by John (new)

John Ballou | 2 comments Guess I'm out numbered lol


message 22: by [deleted user] (new)

I didn't think Cleric Quintet was that bad. As far as books set in Forgotten Realms I'd say it is middle of the pack.


message 23: by Micah (new)

Micah (onemorebaker) | 1071 comments Snokat wrote: "Not really, it's book one of The Saga of the First King. There have been 4 other books since. It's a good book and could stand alone if you don't want to read further. I don't know if he meant it as a stand-alone and then decided to write more with those characters, or what. Because it's story is complete, but the rest of the books lead into the next book. "

DUDE!!!! MICAH'S MIND=BLOWN!!!!!! I read that book probably 8 or 9 years ago and never knew that it was a first of 4. Now I wil have to scrounge the used book stores for the sequels. Thanks for the heads up.


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