I've been reading them since high school. I'm 49. My favorite series of all time.

Delighted to see someone covering Salvatore. Drizzt is a beloved character by many but doesn’t get a ton of love on book tube.

As a kid learning to read, I struggled. There was talking of holding me back. My dad put homeland in front of me and it finally clicked. Finally, there was something that held my attention. This series is dear to me, I think I read the first trilogy 4 or 5 times

Artemis is also one of my favorite characters. he's well developed in his own series.

When I read the Ryria Revelations recently it brought me back to a time when Fantasy was simpler, less complex than modern Fantasy and just a whole lot of fun. The Legend of Drizzt is that time.

Totally a comfort series for me. One of my favorites.

For me, Legend of Drizzt is the one and only series at a constant war with Dresden Files for my favorite book series of all time. Even with 35+ books I still want more. You are in for a great journey with The Companions of the Hall.

Gwen really is the best animal companion of all time. I met Bob Salvatore a couple of times at book store signings in my younger days. He was always nice and a very good softball player at the time, ha. I do think some of the later novels were a bit repetitive. The Cleric Quintet is really good too. It's good to see these books on the channel. Thanks! .... Jarrod

One of my all time favorites. I think I appreciate more in my reread, now being in my early 40s, than when I was younger.

I have not read this in 20 years! Time for a reread, they are such fun books.

I read these alongside you and I totally fell in love. Thank you Mike for reading these trilogies and introducing me to Drizt. I wouldn't have read them otherwise.

If cats could smile , Guenhwyvar did. 😂 My favourite quote of halflings gem.

I started reading the Drizzt books because of you Mike and I’m glad I did. It became one of my favorite books to read on my list. 😊

Fell out of love with these and stopped around the Gauntlygrym book but listening to this has rekindled my love of the series/world and thrown me back in.

One of my favorite series of All time. Drizzt is one of my favorite characters

Another fantastic video!!! Thank you

Bought the first three for my son for Christmas and my wife and I are reading them as well! Awesome series so far, like you, never tried it before, but having recently started playing D&D, seemed like a perfect time. Thanks for covering them and love the channel!

I gave up on Drzzt books around book 26 when Artemis appears AGAIN!!!! Just too exhausted. Homeland, however, will always be one of my number 1 comfort books.

Drizzt is a comfort series for me. I can always return to the Forgotten Realms if I need a palette cleanser. The return of the barbarians still pumps me up. The creation of Aegis-Fang is still magical. The trollmoors still have me worried for our companions. Artemis Entreri is still a great foil for Drizzt. Glad you are enjoying the series. Also, where did you get that shirt? It's awesome!

I’m glad you’re enjoying Salvatore’s work. He is an author I would consider to be great at characters and dialogue, but decent at prose. I would also recommend you to read his Demonwars Saga. It has a cool magic system based on gemstones each with their own properties that are utilized. They also tend to be brought up by a group of clergymen bestow the gems with rings to allow each member to wield an element on them.

I grew up reading Salvatore. I had every book and would stay up through the night to finish one when I got a new one in my hands. My ten year old is now reading them!

I read publication order. These 6 books got me back into reading bigtime. Having read classic fantasy when young I was wary of troupes. So very glad I started with Dark Elf. It was a very unique setting. The maguc and society had me hooked and feeling 'wow this is different'. Icewind is very troupey but each character has unique and different motivations. But A little slow to find yourself fully immersed in the story. But yeah there are time in every book where you are fully in it and can't put it down. Halfling Gem was my favorite of the 6 books which by publication is the last. So it's great way to finish. For younger unfamiliar fantasy readers I recommend starting with Icewind Dale first. But for familiar fantasy readers Dark Elf is a great starting point. OGs may find many elements of the stories too familiar, though. Great experience. Thanks for the recommend!

It makes me so happy to see someone else enjoying this series. I've been a fan since I was in junior high and I'm 47 now and still enjoying the books!

I'm so excited to see you loving this. I read these a long time ago and wasn't sure what you'd think. I call them my pop corn books. Great and fun, but not the meat and potatoes of my TBR.

I love, Love, LOVE "The Legend of Drizzt"! I got in on the ground floor when the 1st edition of _The Crystal Shard_ had first dropped, before the internet, and when schools weren't about to encourage nontraditional reading. Now, when I became a young adult and became overwhelmed with adulting, I lost touch with the series for a time. Again, no internet. But as those stresses piled up, I dug up my old copy of Shard, and some other RAS books my brother had picked up but not read, himself. And it all came rushing back to me. And I've never lost the love. Although, I could see that Drizzt was supposed to be the hero from a mile away. Long hair, handsome looks, fast, deep warrior poet type. I could never be that guy, so it kinda held me back from fully relating. But Bruenor? That was my boy! And I have grown up, basing much of my own personality and approach to life on him. So forgive me if I mistakenly call the series The Bruenor Books, on occasion. 😉 If you like the growing cast of characters, "Hold onto your butts!" One of the things RAS has done over the last 35 years of writing is to mix things up, for himself, too. He wrote about the Companions, but then he changed gears and focused on the dark elves and the Underdark. Then he explored a cleric and Forgotten Realms divine magic in another mini-series. He came back to the Companions. And then he somehow found the energy and time to make up several other fantasy worlds on the side and write multiple series for them, too. He eventually dives into antiheroes as well. And then he starts bringing all of those D&D groups together. He includes little call-backs to scenes and journal entries from 20 or 30 years ago (real time), which would be like 100 or 150 years ago (in world). It can seem overwhelming to some, if they're just looking for something short and simple to try out. But that's what makes this ongoing story so good! Salvatore keeps this saga feeling like a tale of the lives of real people, with real memories, real dreams, and real regrets, in a real world. I'm happy for you to be getting into this series now, discovering all that his writing has to offer. And I look forward to discussing the ins and out, ups and downs, the "how cool!"s and the "WTF?!"s. Personally, I recommend "Icewind Dale" first because that's how I read it, and because that's where he introduced his main cast of characters. That's where he set up the mystery and the angst of this warrior poet drow, and let it linger for three books. I don't like the idea of jumping straight into "Dark Elf" and spoiling that mystery, a bit. Regardless, I definitely recommend following in-world chronological order from here on out. That includes the short stories. Like I said, things from Drizzt's past have a way of re-manifesting themselves, and you don't want to find yourself missing even the most obscure reference. You would probably be able to get by, but the saga is more fulfilling when you consume it all, allowing those call-backs to click like they should. Buckle in, and savor every moment!

I haven't read ice wind Dale trilogy since highschool in like 93-96 I think. I remember enjoying it and have always meant to re read it.

Mike you are giving me such nostalgia with these reviews. I read these when I was in highschool in 2000 and watching these reviews makes me want to go back and reread them (might have to after The Expanse). So happy that you are enjoying them! And with the "simplistic fantasy" thing, I use the analogy of sometimes I just want to watch Top Gun instead of Shutter Island. People just pick weird hills to die on imo.

Wow, great review. You spoke of everything I thought about in such an interesting and well structured manner. Subbed

So glad you enjoyed this.

So pumped that you are reading these! You have a long and amazing road ahead. If you love the current characters just wait... You haven't met Ivan and Pikel, Jax, Kimuriel, Pwent and so many more amazing characters. Keep at it, I cant wait to see you react to books down the line.

I was a 7th grader in fall of 1988, when I began reading this series. I like the Dragonlance Chronicles a lot too by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

Really happy that you're enjoying the books so much. The character work just gets better as the series rolls on for the most part. Love Artemis Entreiri. Top tier character.

Great review. I decided to reread the series and I have come full circle.

So glad you enjoyed this trilogy. I got an Icewind Dale omnibus several years ago, and quite enjoyed reading it. This video makes me want to re-read it! Thanks for sharing!

I like these books, fun little fantasy stories. The Spine of the World was the first book in the series I could have done without. It wasn't even the fact that Drizzt isn't in the book. The introduction of new side characters was just a chore to get through. I didn't care about any of them, and had no connection to the rest of the story until paths crossed, it just felt like half a book of backstory to explain the current situation with the main characters when the time comes.

Very glad to see that you are loving the Drizzt books.

I'm hoping to read this trilogy this year - thanks for a great review!

Classic series🙏

Very cool

Yay love hearing love for books in the Forgotten realms. Haha just FYI book 39 is coming out this Fall in the Drizzt Saga... 🤣🤣🤣

So so happy you enjoy IWD. Although i read Rings first in my teens, it was Drizzt that really launched my love for fantasy. Will be interested to hear your thoughts as you progress

I had the opposite reaction. I read Icewind Dale first and liked it, then I've just finished The Dark Elf trilogy and I love it. I'm reading them pretty much at the same time as you, so it's fun seeing your reactions to the books!

I read the Dark Elf trilogy in the Fall of 2022. I loved it and I am very much looking forward to reading this one!

Sold. I'm going to keep my eye on kindle deals and pick them up whenever I can 👌

I have a complicated relationship with Drizzt. The Icewind Dale Trilogy is my favorite of the 12 I’ve read.

Really want to get into this series! Heard such good things!

Hi Mike, you’ve sold me on yet another series that I don’t have time to read so thanks😂 I rarely comment but I saw your new hardback Witcher books the other day, and hearing how you enjoyed this series and the fantasy company dynamic in particular I think you would really enjoy that series if you continue. After the first three books I was a bit unconvinced, but after that it really took off for me and cemented itself as a favourite.

awesome breakdown of this series! i'm making it my goal to read the first part of the drizzt series this year. it's been on my bookshelf for at least 5 years now + i am ashamed. 🤣

Glad to see that you are enjoying Salvatore. I’m just about to dive into Spine of the World.

Great review - you summed up all the reasons why I love Salvatore. If you ever get sick of Drizzt (hopefully not) - Salvatore does have three other worlds that he’s built and he writes books in, the best being his Demon Wars world (he has three or four series in that world). Cheers

I love the Drizzt books. I have four omnibus full of these.

If you keep reading the whole series Artemis has an awesome arch. And book I believe 13 introduces my favorite character and focuses on my second favorite. I read all 38 without breaks

Hi 👋 like ur review video! 🎧📚

Read these books when they came out and loved them. Re-read them years ago but in reverse order and have to say I too enjoyed them better that way. I stopped there, don't know why but since I only have maybe two Dresden books left to read, this could turn into my pallet cleanser too!

Loving these book reviews! I like RA Salvatore but have never started Drizzt. Too much on my immediate TBR. I am curious to hear how it goes when you get deeper into the series. Thanks!

i am glad you are having a great time reading Legend of Drizzt, I agree with you with everything, especially with how the characters are made, I read these back in HS before i read LOTR ... and back then there are polls who would win a fight Marvel's Wolverine or Drizzt And yes you don't need to be a D&D enthusiast to read this series i am looking forward to hear your thoughts on the next part ps: love the shirt

Astral Plane, but close enough :)

I've read or listened to just about all books and series on every KZfaqrs top lists. The storyline of the entire Drizzt series including the series following Caterly, Artemis, and Jarlaxl is in my opinion the best story of any of them. If you're concerned about the reading order between the first two trilogies you should probably Google Legend of Drizzt reading order to follow the story timeline of these 40+ books.

These are great books. I had the paperbacks when the first came out. Later I did get around to reading the prequel trilogy of books that you read first, and I thought they were just as good. I kept up with the series for maybe the first 12 or 15 books, but have lost track.

I think the thing that makes the "friendship" angle less hokey/corny, is that to me it's less of a typical friendship and more of a found family. In the queer community, a found family is especially important as so many are kicked out/disowned by their real family. A found family is so powerful because no one in the group is forced to care about or love each other the way its expected of relatives who don't get along. A found family is made up of people who *want* to spend time with, take care of, show love and acceptance to, and overall appreciate each other, and sometimes. And it isn't just in queer community, either. Anyone who's grown up in a toxic family and/or been cast out for any reason understands the importance of surrounding yourself in healthier relationships in a found family, and that group will typically fight for each other in ways our own family may not be willing to. Drizzt's party remind me of an ever-growing found family, because he came from such horrifying cruel society in Menzoberranzan, but after escaping the unserdark and growing outside of its influence, learning who he is as a person beyond his race's reputation, he comes across others that he grows closer to and will fight to protect. They all support each other, and what they are becoming throughout their experiences, and to me that's what makes their "friendship" so powerful -- the unconditional support and shared growth that brings these characters together over the course of the Drizzt series. Gods I love this series.

if you love rangers i recomend the greyhawke books: White Plume Mountain, Descent into the Depths of the Earth and Queen of the Demonweb Pits - all by Paul Kidd

Artemis eventually goes to mensoberanzzon.... crazy stuff.

It still can't wait for you to meet Jarlaxle....

regis becomes insane in the later books. he's actually way more useful.

I would say that even if you don't read them for the channel, you will want to read the Clerical Quintet for the background knowledge. The characters end up in the main story for a good bit in the later books of the series.

This is definitely something that is out of my wheelhouse, but I did purchase Homeland because I'm curious as to how I'll like it.

Please tell me you are going to keep going and do The Legacy of the Drow Quartet

You’d probably like the “Tales of” series of video games. A lot of the themes you enjoy greatly are all there, including animal companions.

Every video highlights a different in genre mug. When are we going to see a coffee mug tour, there have to be a few with worthy stories. We watched you assemble shelves, we deserve ceramic goodness.

i want that T-shirt

I got 40 pages into Homeland and realised I had no idea who anyone was, what was going on and where it was going on. I may return to it at some point and start over but it didn't bode well.

Does the computer game follow this trilogy or is it just location? Anyone know?

I have never read this series before. I'm not the biggest fantasy reader yet so is this a easy series to jump right in to?

Man you hit the nail on the head when you said "Entreri is a human with drow morals". Wait until you get to Starless Night, you will see that exemplified tenfold. Heck, WAIT TILL YOU GET TO THE SELLSWORDS TRILOGY! He is one of the two main protagonists in that trilogy (won't tell the other one cause spoilers). Oh my dude, just warning you that (in my personal, subjective opinion), the next book (Legacy) is kind of one of the weakest. I really didn't enjoy it that much, and frankly the whole Legacy of the Drow quadrilogy is just "okay" (except the last one, Passage to Dawn, I thoroughly enjoyed that one). That being said, the whole series in general is my favorite of all time. Just know there will be some you like and some you like a little less. Hope you enjoy.

Looking forward to seeing yours thoughts on the next three books. After which point the war of the spider queen spin-offs begin which will be interesting to if you decide to take that route too!

These early books were great, but each series starts to feel like villain of the week. And just wait, now that they found Mithril hall, they need to find an even more ancient dwarven homeland.

I tapped out after Sojourn for the same reasons you didn't like it. I should give it a try again.

These talks are nice but it would be even better if you showcased some of the drawings from the book on screen when talking about the characters or areas.

Try markus heitz dwarves

He’s got 38 books out with 39 on the way

So reading Dark Elf trilogy before Icewind Dale trilogy is SORTA like watching the Prequels* before OT SW?

He does a lot of reviving the dead, so I could never take any decisions seriously. I was very disappointed in that.

Drizzt is more fun than Malazan

I thought Icewind Dale was good. I did prefer the dark elf trilogy when I was younger because, at the time, I’d never read anything like it.

It's annoying that it's even called "simplistic fantasy". With the rise of lame grimdark fantasy, now everyone thinks that's cool 'grown up' fantasy while everything else is 'children's fantasy'. It reminds me of a teen who thinks being an adult is wearing suits, smoking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol🙄🙄