Review by Booklist Review
Salvatore launches The Way of the Drow trilogy, picking up a few years after the conclusion of the Drizzt: Generations trilogy (starting with Timeless, 2018). A full-fledged civil war is brewing in Menzoberranzan, resulting from the earlier actions of Drizzt Do'Urden and his allies. Drizzt's wife, the priestess Cattie-Brie, and his father, renowned weapons master Zaknafein, accompany rogue Jarlaxle to the far north, searching for Doum'wielle, the last wielder of Khazid'hea, a powerfully evil sword. They hope to form an alliance with Doum'wielle's family against Lolth, the chaotic goddess of the drow. In the frozen wasteland, they encounter a society that Jarlaxle has heard rumors of: drow who have never lived under Lolth's influence. Meanwhile, Drizzt returns to the Monastery of the Yellow Rose with his daughter, Brienne, to meditate on how his beliefs have changed after returning from transcendence. Salvatore turns the racial assumptions of the Forgotten Realms on end in this story, forcing his characters to confront their own biases in their hopes of forging a better world.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Salvatore returns to the world of the Drizzt: Generations series with the enjoyable epic fantasy that launches his Way of the Drow series, set almost two years after the defeat of demon hordes left the northern Sword Coast at peace. This respite gives dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden the chance to deepen his connection with his daughter, Brienne, by taking her to the Monastery of the Yellow Rose, the spiritual community that transformed his life. There, Drizzt overcame the curse of reasoning beings, which is an "unconscious bent toward some determined level of tension." His plan doesn't sit well with Catti-brie, his wife, who has a different theological perspective, but she consents to the plan after he agrees to give her a similar opportunity to influence their child. This plotline alternates with a more action-oriented one as mercenary Jarlaxle searches for a way to remove the malignancy from a magical sword called Khazid'hea. Salvatore manages to wrangle the extensive backstory to make this an accessible entry point for first-timers, and the superior characterizations that marked Salvatore's prior books are again in evidence. His many devoted fans have reason to anticipate the sequel. Agent: Lucas, Paul Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Aug.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The first installment of Salvatore's new fantasy trilogy returns readers to the Forgotten Realms with an adventure revolving around Catti-brie, the wife of the author's signature character, the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden. After the birth of their daughter, Brienne, Drizzt is markedly changed--spending more time contemplating deep existential questions and trying to rediscover the clarity and purpose in his life. To those ends, he decides to travel with his toddler daughter to the Monastery of the Yellow Rose to train with the monks and introduce Brienne to Grandmaster Kane. As Drizzt embarks on his own spiritual quest, his wife joins forces with smooth-talking drow mercenary Jarlaxle, human assassin Artemis Enteri, and weapons master Zaknafein, Drizzt's father. At Jarlaxle's request, the quartet of adventurers (via magic portal) travel to the top of the world searching for a person who, if found, could stop the drow city-state of Menzoberranzan from destroying itself in a civil war. But aside from almost dying multiple times over in the strange world without true night--the killing cold, frost giants, polar worms, etc.--the group finds something completely unexpected, a revelation that will change the way they look at the world, and themselves, forever. Longtime fans of Drizzt Do'Urden will surely enjoy the novel's breakneck pacing, nonstop action, cast of familiar and beloved characters, and deep philosophical exploration throughout. This storyline, in particular, packs a thematic wallop that is both timely and timeless. "We're never to see peace--none of us--until we come to recognize that a child of a culture that is not our own is as precious as one who is." And although the transitions between the two story threads aren't exactly smooth, some fight scenes are a bit flat, and the conclusion is little more than a respite until the next installment, readers should embrace Salvatore's newest adventure with Drizzt and company. Fantasy that entertains and enlightens. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
