The last book in the Dark Elf Trilogy, Sojourn, was better than Exile, but still not quite as good as Homeland. But it was still an enjoyable read, and the adventures of Drizzt and his friends are fast becoming one of my favorite epics of all time.
In this volume Drizzt makes his way to the surface, forever leaving the Underdark, his natural home, in his past. But his trials are in trying to discover, learn and live in this unknown world with the elements he has never known. He has to unlearn everything he was taught by his people and find out for himself what the surface dwellers are truly like.
As soon as Drizzt makes his way out in the world he finds himself in a world of trouble, and once again on the run. He resigns in himself that he'll never be able to fit in because of the reputation of his people. But later he meets Mooshie, who fast becomes a friend and mentor, and inspires hope in the Dark Elf. Unfortunately, his recent past catches up with him again and again, and after a couple of years on the surface it still haunts him.
Toward the end of the book, Drizzt finally meets some of the characters in The Crystal Shard, namely the dwarf leader Breunor and his adopted human daughter Cattie-Brie. And after facing off against a deadly foe, the three become friends after some early hesitancy.
Homeland was all about Drizzt's upbringing and his people, and we learn why he fled them in the first place. Exile showed Drizzt trying to escape his past, but being surrounded by it. But Sojourn finally connects the dots between the Dark Elf Trilogy and the Icewind Dale Trilogy as the course of Drizzt's life changes forever.
This book was filled with all the themes you'd expect to find, and they are all well placed and utilized. Drizzt grows in this book from a young, unlearned forager to an even more skilled warrior knowing the ways of the realms. He finds friends in unusual places, and enemies in unexpected ones. He's still every bit the warrior, but throughout most of the book he tried to leave those ways behind him, but he wasn't permitted that luxury.
It's a fine send off into the next chapter of Drizzt's travels, and a wonderful ending to the trilogy.
Well, it took me longer than the last one (mainly due to time constraints), but I finished Forgotten Realms: Exile a couple of days ago.
I have to say I wasn't as impressed with this installment as I was with Homeland. It just didn't compel me like Homeland did. It was a good read, don't get me wrong, and it covered a lot of ground. But it didn't hold my interest as well because the plot wasn't nearly as complex, nor were the characters nearly as entertaining, which is odd since most were the same characters from the previous novel.
In Exile, Drizzt has left his homeland to live in the wild of the Underdark, fending for himself, all alone, and has become a vicious hunter because of it. He's nearly lost himself until he chances upon an unusual friend in the bitter enemy of the Drow, the Svirneblin (deep gnomes). Meanwhile, his family, who have fallen out of favor with their deity because of Drizzt have sent an undead warrior to track and kill the wayward son.
So the plot is interesting, and it does take the series in a natural progression from Homeland, but Homeland was a more personal story in my opinion, which made it more entertaining. In Exile, we do get to see Drizzt battle with his inner demons and come face-to-face with his worst fear. We also see him grow from that young Drow in Homeland, to the warrior, and then beyond, putting him on the path to what he was to become in Crystal Shard. So it does lend to the flow of Drizzt's history, and flows in the progression of the story. It just doesn't deliver quite as well as it could have in my humble opinion.
Next up is Sojourn, where Drizzt, and his mystical panther friend, finally travel to the surface to escape his past and never return. Seeing how the bulk of Drizzt's trials, and the very first introduction to the character (in Crystal Shard) came on the surface, I'm eager to see where this book takes the dark elf.
More soon...
B-Out
Well, I finished Forgotten Realms: Homeland, the first book of the Dark Elf Trilogy this morning. I couldn't sleep, so I read the last 80 pages in succession.
I have to say I just couldn't put this book down for long. It's odd that it took me so long to get into The Crystal Shard, yet this book, from the same author about the same characters, came so easily for me. Of course, The Crystal Shard was R.A. Salvatore's first novel in the series, so maybe there was some stumbling there that detracted me at first. As I've said, though, once I finally did get into that book I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Homeland is a prequel detailing the birth and growth of the star of all the books in R.A. Salvatore's corner of the expansive universe, Drizzt Do'Urden, the dark elf (or drow). After reading The Crystal Shard, which only hinted at Drizzt's past throughout, this book was an incredible revelation into the past of the popular character. All the trials he went through being the sole moral light in a world full of evil and vile creatures, including his own kind, made for a very compelling read.
It was intriguing to see this powerful warrior from The Crystal Shard growing up as a wide-eyed and naive boy in a world full of evil cultists with bloodlust and greed for power. You got the sense through the book's duration that Drizzt was very special and possibly even blessed and created for a far greater purpose than to dwell in the Underdark and become one of the many murderers as the rest of his people are.
Salvatore crafted a brilliant tale of a complex and compelling character in Drizzt, showing the tragedy that was his life in Menzoberranzan, the city he called home, and led us expertly to a new beginning that could bring more trials to the skilled warrior.
Exile is the next book in the trilogy, and I'll be starting that one soon. If it's nearly as good as Homeland was, in a week or so there will be a similar post of praise about it.
B-Out
I couldn't think of a clever title, so that's what you get.
Thanks for all the concern about my tooth. It was so swollen they could only give me meds, so I go back on the 19th to have it worked on. The meds have kept it at bay, thankfully.
In a couple of weeks the family might go away for a day or two to some lake. I guess that would be around Labor Day. Makes sense.
Not that I get a chance to visit too many anymore (mainly Digital Webbing), but forums are getting on my nerves these days. Every discussion somehow turns into an argument at some point, or people just insult other people all the time. It just gets old. There's no true conversation, just a bunch of jockeying and posturing, and it frustrates me.
Lettering work has been very progressive the past couple of weeks. I finished M-Theory #2 (though I'm waiting for four pages to be colored to apply the letters to really wrap it up) and Shadowline is pleased. I've also completed several other projects and made headway on others. So all the work has been fruitful.
I have some gigs and some potential gigs coming up next month, so I'm looking forward to those.
I won't be going to Baltimore. I thought I might, but I won't. The next one for me will be Mid-Ohio, and I'm kind of sad about it. My cousin's wedding is the same weekend in Illinois, and my mother got mixed up and told her and her parents I was going to be there and they got all excited. Now I feel doubly bad for having to miss it as I really wanted to be there. But what are you gonna do?
WW Texas is still an option and one I'm hoping to make mainly to meet and hang with Cary, and to meet some more of the Ronin Studio folks that will be there. We'll see how that all plays out.
I've been writing letters back and forth with a former Sunday School student of mine who is in Basic Training in Oklahoma. I think of him as a little brother, and he of me as a big brother. I hadn't seen or spoke to him in a couple of years before hearing he was in BT. We're planning on hooking up and hanging out when he gets home, so that should be cool.
My brother got all his curls cut off! His hair's so short in comparison it's wild. As soon as I can, I'll get a picture of him and post it up. He just got tired of fooling with it, and having to comb all the tangles out every day. He also wanted a change, and man, did he get one! He looks great, though, everyone thinks so. The salon he went to were going gaga over cutting his hair, and loved the result afterwards. Plus my brother, who was a little scared, loved it.
I finished the The Crystal Shard finally. Pretty good book. So good, in fact, that I'm now reading Homeland and Streams of Silver. Homeland is the first book in the prequel trilogy that precedes The Crystal Shard, and Streams of Silver is the next book after The Crystal Shard. Both are good so far.
I am so bored today. I have plenty more work to do today, but where I've been working so hard the past couple of weeks, and it being Saturday, I just don't feel like doing it. I probably will because I have no life and nothing else to do (save watching TV, which I only do when there's actually something on, which is not often in the summer).
Speaking of TV, if there was one reality/game show I'd want to be on it would be The Mole. I was so thrilled when they brought it back (it just ended this past Monday) as it was one of my favorites. I'd love to be on that show. It just looks so fun, and I love mystery and games like that. So much better than the Amazing Race for my tastes.
WWE Summerslam is tomorrow, but I won't be getting it. Only one or two of the matches sound appealing, and then not that much.
I've seriously been considering writing a book, a novel, lately. I've started a couple before, but never finished them. It would most likely be a fantasy novel because that's what I most enjoy reading. I've also been thinking again about doing a children's book, but the ideas aren't really flowing. I just so want to take my writing seriously again, and let it be the focus. It's just hard because it's lettering and logo design that pays the bills. The only writing I've ever been paid to do is like article writing and press releases, which is not the kind of writing I really want to do in the long run.
If (when) I ever become wealthy I'm hiring a maid! I hate cleaning. I cleaned my bathroom a few days ago and hated every second. I used to clean my church every week and didn't care for that either, though surprisingly, it was more tolerable than cleaning at home.
I have not caught any of the Olympics. I missed the only events I was interested in, so the rest is just a waste. But I was talking to my mom the other day remembering how when I was a kid the Olympics were so much more of a big deal. They were on the whole summer and took over all of the local stations. This year, I didn't see any commercials for them until right before, and then they only take up one local channel and a couple of cable channels late at night. It's just not the spectacle I remember it being.
I've not been eating healthy lately, and I've been paying for it with my gallbladder. It's mainly been -just buy something quick and cheap- which, whether fast food or grocery, isn't usually very good for me. I've been getting braver, eating peppers and stuff, and it hasn't sat well with me. I'm just so sick of bland food. Plus I'm pretty picky, and of what I'm supposed to eat there isn't much that I could even tolerate. I so hate this.
I hate routines and ruts, and I seem to be in them now. I need to get out more. haha
Well, now I'm running out of things to rant about, so I guess I'll go find something else to occupy (read "waste") my time today. :)
B-Out
