Vastralaya

Evan Shively (Perseus271)

Edgar Colt

Vitor Miguel

Prisma Soulstorm

Serena

Jordan

Bruna Guedes

Husain Kothari

FRNK

Uendi Prifti

Abdul Hasib

The Fellowship was scattered. Some were bracing hopelessly for war against the ancient evil of Sauron. Some were contending with the treachery of the wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam were left to take the accursed Ring of Power to be destroyed in Mordor–the dark Kingdom where Sauron was supreme. Their guide was Gollum, deceitful and lust-filled, slave to the corruption of the Ring. Thus continues the magnificent, bestselling tale of adventure begun in The Fellowship of the Ring, which reaches its soul-stirring climax in The Return of the King.

A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action."-- "Samurai Maximum."Under the guidance of such celebrated masters as Ed Parker and the immortal Bruce Lee, Joe Hyams vividly recounts his more than 25 years of experience in the martial arts. In his illuminating story, Hyam reveals to you how the daily application of Zen principles not only developed his physical expertise but gave him the mental discipline to control his personal problems-self-image, work pressure, competition. Indeed, mastering the spiritual goals in martial arts can dramatically alter the quality of your life-enriching your relationships with people, as well as helping you make use of all your abilities."If one of your goals is to live with maximum zest and minimum stress, read "Zen In The Martial Arts." The great beauty of the book is that as Hyams' mind receives enlightenment, so does our."-- "Playboy.

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)]

OK - before the comments get out of control, let me say a few things#1 - I love Salvatore's work - I loved the Drizzt series and his work on Amalur and I have no ill feelings towards him AT ALL#2 - I have grown up on D&amp;D and understand fully the game and its mechanics and everything within, having following since second edition#3 - over 50% of the books I read are fantasy genreI could not get into this story - none of the characters had any life to me and the whole thing just seems like a waste of pages (or download in my case) and I am confused.Every time that I wanted to quit, I told myself that it was Salvatore and it would get better - all the way until i hit the final page - what a colossal let down and a waste of my brain pan -Sorry folks, but I cannot support that which I do not like, nothing against the author, but I do not like this book in the series.

The second part of a five book series in the Forgotten Realms is just partway through Cadderly's adventure and his inner quest to find his place in the world. This book brings to question where Cadderly's home really is, and his heart for violence. Slightly spoilery ahead:While I found myself annoyed at Cadderly's particular spot in his character progression, where he comes to be fearful of death and any partake of it, I can see how this is just one part out of more where this young priest will grow.The fighting scenes are stellar as always by R.A. Salvatore, and the dwarven brothers make a much appreciated return.If you at all like Dungeons and Dragons, and a hero that isn't quite up for the task at hand but tries anyway, then this book is definitely for you. But please start at the first book of the Cleric Quintet series.

Baenre, die Oberpriesterin der Spinnenkönigin Loth, rüstet zum Krieg gegen Mithril-Halle. Dort hat der abtrünnige Dunkelelf Drizzt Do´Urden Zuflucht bei dem Zwergenkönig Bruenor und seiner Adoptivtochter Cattie-brie gefunden. Doch Cattie-brie hat furchtbare Träume, die Magie versagt, Drizzts magischer Panther Guenhwyvar ist dem Tode geweiht. Und die Horden aus der Dunkelelfenstadt Menzoberranzan stehen bereits vor den Toren Mithril-Halles...

I can find no answers in Mithril Hall....The apparent serenity of Drizzt Do'Urden, the brooding quiet, will show me nothing of the future designs of the drow. yet, for the sake of my friends, I must know those dark intentions. And so I fear that there remains only one place for me to look...The Underdark. A place of brooding darkness, where no shadows exist, and where Drizzt Do'Urden does not wish to go. The noble dark elf must return there, though, must go back to find his friends in the gnome city of Blingdenstone, and on to Menzoberranzan, the city of drow. Only then can Drizzt discern what perils might reach out from that dark place to threaten his friends in Mithril Hall.he finds allies where he least expects them and enemies he htough long gone. His scimitars slash at monsters too evil to reside under the sunlight of the surface world, while his inner strength wrestles with the tumult of emotions assaulting the noble drow when he looks once more on his dreaded homeland. All the while Drizzt must fend off the weight of guilt he carries for a dear friend lost to him forever.

A buddy read with Kristen, Gavin, and Kaora.This book picks up right where the first one ended. For this reason I cannot give any big details about plot as they will spoil the ending of the first book. Sufficient to say Drizzt is still alive which is not a big surprise as this is the second book of the series about him featuring 15 more. He struggles trying to retain his humanity, or elfinity in his case (hey look, I made up a new word!). He also finally made some real friends. We also get to have a fairly good glimpse at a very interesting civilization of guys who came straight from the pages of this book:This book avoids the dreaded Second Book of a Trilogy syndrome: it is not boring. In fact it is much more action oriented than the first one. Drizzt simply does not have much time for brooding. This was a deciding factor in my rating. I saw too many trilogies with interesting world building in the first book, exciting conclusion in the last one and throwaway filling in the second one. I expected mindless entertainment and this is exactly what I got. I am eager to start the last book of the trilogy, especially considering the way this one ended.

Drizzt is back, and facing a world changed forever! An uneasy peace between the dwarves of Mithral Hall and the orcs of the newly established Kingdom of Many-Arrows can't last long. The orc tribes united under Obould begin to fight each other, and Bruenor is determined to finish the war that nearly killed him and almost destroyed everything he's worked to build. But it will take more than swords and axes to bring a lasting peace to the Spine of the World. Powerful individuals on both sides may have to change the way they see each other. They may have to start to talk. And it won't be easy. The paper-back of the novel that, for the first time since the #4 "New York Times" best seller "The Lone Drow," brought Drizzt Do'Urden to center stage in a book that set fans of Drizzt and the Forgotten Realms line on notice--be prepared for anything! This book wasn't just the next installment in the long-running saga of the famous dark elf, but the beginning of a bold new trilogy that will help change the face of the Forgotten Realms world forever.

To her, to her dying breath, you were the untouchable one, the one whose flesh her dagger could not penetrate.THE ASSASSINA cold and emotionless killer for whom every soul has a price, even his own, embarks on a path to find out just how high that price can be.THE MERCENARYA dark elf of limitless guile dares to challenge a king, and carve for himself a place in the inhospitable World Above.ILNEZHARA and TAZMIKELLA are ancient dragons of great power, accustomed to easily manipulating the humans around them. But not all humans are so easily led. When they pushed Entreri and Jarlaxle into the heart of the Bloodstone Lands, not even they could have imagined the strength of the human assassin’s resolve, or the limitless expanse of the drow mercenary’s ambition.

At 1200 pages, this book is long--but there is really a lot of good writing in here. A great blend of history and fiction; the type John Jakes does so well.There are two events showcased. The Pullman Strike in Chicago is the first. Joe Crown, Paul's uncle is a brewery owner,quite rich and opposed to the untions. Joe, Jr. his son, is rebelling against his father, who likes to control people. When the strike erupts in violence and one of Joe Crown's trusted employees is killed, he is furious with his son. Paul helps Joe , Jr. escape so Paul flees to the Chicago slums and Joe, Jr. heads west.We follower three seperate lives--Paul learning photography and the early days of motion pictures. Joe, Jr flees to California but still cannot escape his sympathy with the underdog and agains is caught between owners and workers in a strike. And Joe Crown , Sr. is tryingep his marriage together, for his wife blames him for the loss of their son and their nephew, Paul.The climatic event of the book is the Spanish American War. Joe Crown,Sr.; a Union veteran is called back to service as an officer.Paul is sent to get the first real photgraphs of an historic event--taking his camera into the war zone in Cuba. The story of Paul and his uncle's meeting in the war zone is very well done. I especially like his portrayal of Joe, Sr.--he is not an ogre or a fool--he is just resistant to change. But he does change,slowly, and endss up a more sympathetic character.All the main characters are well done--true to life, rather than stereotypes. Mixed in are historical characters such as Teddy Roosevlet, Jane Addams, Stephen Crane, and dozens of others.The descirptions of Paul's trip in steerage (horrid); the early days of photography and films; a good picture of Chicago in the 1890's and much, much more is waiting for you in this book.I almost gave five stars but there were just a little too many coincidences. Also, most everything ended fairly happily for our protagonists, and I found happily ever after a bit unrealistic. I mean, everybody comes out okay? Still one of Jakes' better books---lots of drama, good historical research, good character development and a fast and interesting story. The story kept me reading for 1200 pages--about all, it is a strong STORY. The strength of the storytelling overrides the few rough spots.

Six years. Not so long in the lifespan of a drow. And yet--in counting the months, the weeks, the days, the hours--it seemed to me as if I had been away from Mithril Hall a hundred times that number. The place was another lifetime, another way of life, a mere stepping stone to...To what? To where?I ride the waves along the sword coast now, the wind and spray in my face. My ceiling is the rush of clouds and the canopy of stars, my floor, the creaking boards of a swift, well-weathered ship. Beyond that lies the azure blanket, flat and still, heaving and rolling, hissing in the rain and exploding under the fall of a breaching whale.Is this, then, my home?

Review of the audiobook narrated by Victor Bevine.Between 10 and 20 years ago, back when I only read a handful of books each year, I read through most of this series (up to book 17 of The Legend of Drizzt). With my recent re-introduction to reading thanks to audiobooks I've had the opportunity to get to know a few of the more contemporary fantasy writers. With this, my first re-read in many years, I wanted to compare the old and the new with more than just faded memories.The best part of this book, and the series as a whole, is Drizzt. While he's sometimes obnoxiously virtuous, his thoughts and motivations bring some real depth to a narrative which is sorely lacking in just that. Other that him what this book does well are the action sequences and being a faithful adaptation of D&amp;D. The latter has meaning for me mostly due to my love of the Baldur's Gate I &amp; II (which Drizzt appears in) and Icewind Dale (the setting for this book) PC games in the late 90's. I can now see that the D&amp;D connection can be negative as well, as the general abilities and motivations (or lack thereof) of the various races have already been established. There isn't a real reason why orcs, goblins or trolls are evil - it's just because they are of that race. There is also an overall lack of depth and a cast of one dimensional characters, making this a book I wouldn't recommend to start with. Certainly, you would want to start with Homeland, which I'm pretty sure is better without needing a re-read, then take a step back with the Icewind Dale trilogy, before moving forward with Salvatore.Victor Bevine does an OK job. He's good with different race/character voices, but I didn't care for his regular narration voice. I'm hoping he gets better with the other books in the series.Final verdict: 3.5 star story, 3.5 star narration, 3.5 stars overall (I'm rounding mostly up for posterity to keep this at a 4 star book, but if I was reading it for the first time this would more likely be a 3)UPDATE 6/18/18 (2 days after writing the above review): I cannot in good conscience keep this rating at 4 stars so I have rounded down to 3 stars.

When the vile Crystal Shard once again reveals itself, Drizzt must race against his most formidable enemies in hopes of destroying it before it finds the one being that can help it enslave the world: a dark elf named Jarlaxle. Winner of the Origins Award for best game-related novel of 1998, "The Silent Blade" marked the return of Drizzt to the wind-swept tundra of the Forgotten Realms world. This deluxe reissue features a new Todd Lockwood cover and an introduction from "The New York Times" best-selling author Philip Athans, who has served as Salvatore's editor for almost a decade, starting with the original release of this book. "From the Hardcover edition."

Icewind Dale. Windswept passes and forbidding glaciers stand at the top of the world. Below them, in the cold valleys, an evil force broods: the magic of Crenshinibon, the crystal shard. Now dwarf, barbarian, and drow elf join to battle this evil. Tempered in the furnace of struggle, they form an unbreakable friendship. A legend is born. For the first time in one volume, here is "New York Times" bestselling author R.A. Salvatore's adventure that introduced Drizzt Do'Urden, the heroic dark elf, one of the most beloved characters in fantasy literature.

I can't even begin to explain how much I love these books and characters ❤️My wonderful Wulfgar ❤️The sharp tounged and awesome Bruenor Battleaxe ❤️The lovely and bad to the bone Cattie-Brie ❤️I didn't add Regis but I love him too. 

"Yer eyes'll shine when ye see the rivers runnin' silver in Mithril Hall!"Bruenor the dwarf, Wulfgar the barbarian, Regis the halfling, and Drizzt the dark elf fight monsters and magic on their way to Mithril Hall, centuries-old birthplace of Bruenor and his dwarven ancestors.Faced with racism, Drizzt contemplates returning to the lightless underworld city and murderous lifestyle he abandoned. Wulfgar begins to overcome his tribes's aversion for magic. And Regis runs from a deadly assassin, who, allied with evil wizards, is bent on the companions' destruction. all fo Bruenor's dreams, and the survival of his party, hinge upon the actions of one brave young woman.Streams of Silver is R.A. Salvatore's second book in the Icewind Dale Trilogy, based on the FORGOTTEN REALMS fantasy setting.

Servant of the Shard is the latest offering from New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore, best known for his immensely popular Forgotten Realms novels. Join a cunning drow mercenary to the Crystal Shard, the evil sentient artifact of Icewind Dale, and all the land should tremble. Artemis Entreri, best assassin in all the Realms, watches with trepidation, knowing his position among the hated drow rests on the fate of the one dark elf he has come to trust. His fortunes rest upon a knife edge.

So, I enjoyed these books. Not the most intellectual, but for a fantasy lover that is looking for a fun but easy read, these are good. The fourth book ends without wrapping up all the loose ends, to entice you to his next series I'm sure, but wraps up enough to not leave the reader unsatisfied.The characters of these books are basically well developed D&amp;D characters, which is what the Forgotten Realm books are all based on. They have the traits that are expected and, yet, Salvatore finds interesting ways to tweak the basic D&amp;D molds just a little, to make the characters different and interesting. But because they are based on a specific mold, the characters tend to not have too much depth (thus adding to the book’s fun read, but not too thought provoking status). I would say that Salvatore has two main strengths in the books I have read so far. His playing of the characters off of one another is wonderful, often making me laugh out loud while reading. The camaraderie of the companions seems real and sincere, not forced. His other strength is in his detail of battle scenes, especially fights involving the main character, Drizzt. You feel like you’re in the action, without him adding so many details that they weigh down and slow the action.

ONE DARK ELF.TWO ENCHANTED BLADES.ONE UNKNOWN ENEMY.AND A HORDE OF INVADERS.When a blood-thirsty banc of orcs led by an as-yet-unseen enemy, comes rampaging out of the Spine of the World, it lays waste to everything in its path. Dark elf ranger Drizzt Do'Urden and his most trusted friends find themselves in the path of destruction. As blades slash and feet trample, even the heroes may not survive a desperate stand.

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