Books like The Spine of the World

Well, would you look at that?The Spine of the World is solidly one of the best books that I have read in the Legend of Drizzt. Which is almost absurd, considering that Drizzt is not part of it. Nor are most of the other major characters. It mostly serves as an interlude depicting the life of Wulfgar during the lowest parts of his life, and as attempts to cope with his pains, sorrows and failures. Another POV is provided by a poor peasant girl whose life is turned upside down in all the worst ways possible.Unlike the previous books in the series, this one is practically a grimdark story set in the Forgotten Realms. There's all kinds of doom and gloom, not as much emphasising evil villains as much as the horrors and hardships of everyday existence.It overall reads as a depiction of the dark side of life in the rather feudal Realms. And it's a fantastic change of pace from the standard course of the series.Original "review": (view spoiler)[A question for my Drizzt enthusiast friends: do I have to read every book in the series to understand later events?There have always been issues with the series for me, but Paths of Darkness is a clear low point where it seems I am too fed up to motivate myself to keep going. However, there are later books I really do want to read because of their geographical settings (Neverwinter saga in particular).Wondering if I should skip ahead or suffer through... (hide spoiler)]