A better-than-average addition to the overall Drizzt series and a nice conclusion to this trilogy that has me looking forward to the beginning of the next arc in his adventures. I just wish these books weren't so short. Seems like the trilogy could have easily been a duo-logy. Strong enough writing, however, that I'll probably give Salvatore's new series a try--something I would not have said a few books back.

R. A. Salvatore continues the popular Dark Elf series with his possible conclusion novel of the series. Surprising story with colorful characters that are always part of Salvatore's writing. This book will draw new fans into the fold with its descriptive scenes and interchanges of character dialogue. An entertaining jaunt into the Forgotten Realms.

This is a very good fantasy book that deals with one of the most beloved D&D characters, namely Drizzt Do'Urden. To better understand the book, it is however convenient to read the previous ones in the Homecoming series, rather than reading it on its own. This is because, mostly, the plot is about a mental affliction suffered by the drow ranger of a magical nature whose origin is explained in the previous entries (albeit succinctly described in this book as well). Drizzt is unable to perceive whether what he lives is real or a mere illusion and deceit caused by an evil supernatural being, and so this book is about the efforts of those who love him or appreciate him to help him overcome this problem, and how someone who contributed to his disease ends up admiring and helping him after he refuses to do evil in spite of the curse he suffers. The book portrays Drizzt as a noble hero and shows why he is so beloved, and even addresses interesting existential questions. The characters are compelling and quite interesting, especially Yvonnel Baenre and Artemis (although he is hailed as a "hero" in spite of a murder he commits later on, which I found a bit odd). As has happened to me with previous books in the series, the characters I liked the less are Dwarves, since they are portrayed in a somewhat campy or cheesy manner -e.g. Bruenor has a device that allows him to bring endless beer and his friends chant in a non-serious way.
That being said, it is a great book, pleasant to read and with interesting questions. The main characters, Drizzt, Yvonnel and Artemis, are really interesting, and so are Regis and Wulfgar. Recommended.

Hero is the third in the latest series of books set in the Forgotten Realms by R A Salvatore, and stars his usual characters of Drizzt, Regis, and sundry others to one degree or another. I have previously reviewed books 1 and 2 in this series - Archmage and Maestro and I had some mixed feelings about both of those books. I felt that I owed it to stick it out to the third, as the second was an improvement over the first.

In Hero, Drizzt has had his mind corrupted, which seems like a recycling of a plot Salvatore gave to Wulfgar a few series ago, and has been shipped off to a monastery to study such things as meditating about a burning candle, and a whole lot of sword practice that doesn't seem to be doing much good. Meanwhile Regis and Wulfgar have become entangled in a plot to sire an illegitimate heir on a queen in a faraway place I have never heard of in order to avoid having her head removed. Meanwhile Cattiebrie and the dwarves are working on rebuilding the host tower of the arcane with a dizzy array of laws-of-physics-defying mages. And that is before we even get to the drow, because frankly, I don't understand what they're up to at all.

The thing is that this book is full of rambunctious behaviour, and whizz bang adventurey, but all of these plots seem utterly contrived, and frankly overdone. I felt like the Dwarves-and-Mage brigade disappeared out of the book for extended periods, and I just stopped caring about much of what was going on. Fortunately there were fewish Scottish dwarves littered in this book, although we did see a return of the slightly-less-absurd-than-I-remember-him Pikel Bouldershoulder who has taken up a fancy for gardening, making wine and making a nuisance of himself.

The sad thing is that in isolation all of these characters are not bad, and Salvatore has each of them crafted to an inch of their lives, but there is just so much going on in this book that it reads more like a caper movie than a traditional 'kick arse and save the world' fantasy tale. This is not the Drizzt I remember, and as I have said before this series has jumped the shark so many times with death and resurrection that their lives have lost all meaning.

I will reiterate what I said in my review of the first book, that I think it is time for Drizzt to take up a well-earned retirement, and allow new adventurers to take their place in the world.

This last-for-now novel of Drizzt Do'Urden winds up the saga in a satisfying manner that examines what it is to be a hero. Essential for fans of this series.