Drizzt Do’Urden is a Dark Elf, born in the Underdark in the
Dark Elf city and home of Menzoberranzan. Menzoberranzan is an evil and
sinister place, home to many of the Dark Elves. Dark Elves are seen as evil
creatures throughout the book; it is referenced on multiple occasions of the
atrocities that the race has committed against others, and even themselves. He
is a Ranger, who wields who scimitars. They are both the finest scimitars one
could hope to wield; one is magnificent silver, the other a magical glowing
blue, Twinkle, as Drizzt refers to it. The Dark Elf is seen as having a very
strict moral code, even refusing to kill his own kind at the start of the
adventure. Drizzt is very honorable, trusting, and respectful to all. Drizzt is
running from something in Menzoberranzan; he is afraid of what might come
attack both him and his friends in Mithril Hall.
Bruenor Battlehammer is the eighth king of Mithral Hall. He
is the adoptive father of Catti-brie and Wulfgar; and is a very close friend of
Drizzt Do’Urden and Regis. Catti-brie is a human, raised by Bruenor. She wields
a longbow, and is perfect with every shot taken. Catti-brie is shown as a very
high-spirited individual, one that loves the thrill of combat, and loves
everything that is dangerous.
Wulfgar is a Barbarian from a tribe of Barbarians in Icewind
Dale. His tribe is very male-oriented, with the women being treated as
property. Throughout the story, Wulfgar must overcome his teachings of this,
and treat Catti-brie as an equal, or else he will lose his lust for her.
Wulfgar’s trouble is not only his own, it effects the entire party throughout
the entire adventure. Wulfgar is a dear friend to Drizzt, as well as to
everyone else in the party.
Regis is a halfing rogue, who was once head of a thieves’
guild. He is nicknamed “Rumblebelly” by Bruenor, for his enormous appetite. He
arrives at Mithril Hall early, in time for the wedding of Wulfgar and
Catti-brie. The entire party is very suspicious of him, especially Drizzt, as
they have no idea how he learned of the wedding plans, but Regis tells them all
that the Assassin Artemis Enteri, Drizzt’s complete opposite and forever enemy,
took it from him.
This story begins in Mithral Hall, and Bruenor is sending a
group of dwarves to investigate goblins in the deep tunnels of Mithral Hall,
that is unexplored. Drizzt is soon to arrive, and soon after Regis. The Goblins
are found, but there is tension rising among the group. Wulfgar expresses his
possessiveness through asking Catti-brie to stay out of the fight, but
Catti-brie sees this as excessive, unwise, and very annoying. They defeat the
goblins, with almost no losses. The group is joyed they finally got to feel the
excitement of battle, with Bruenor and Drizzt both expressing their need and
want for a fight prior to the goblins. Life goes on as usual in Mithral Hall,
and the wedding continues to be planned, as normal.
Soon, a patrol of dwarves goes missing. Drizzt prepares
himself to investigate, as he is very weary of this, unlike Bruenor who
believes they have struck Mithral and are mining. Oddly, Bruenor suggest that
Regis accompany Drizzt to search for the missing dwarves. The pair of them
discover the patrol; but they are too late, they have been slaughtered. Drizzt
is very weary, as he believes the cuts to be as precise as only Dark Elves can
make. He soon identifies the murders as Dark Elves, with the signature Hand
Crossbow bolts sticking out of the fallen dwarves’ corpses. The drow and the
Halfling soon pursue the dark elves in the tunnels, and afterwards Drizzt
questions Regis and his new combat abilities, which Drizzt had never seen
before. Drizzt soon is trapped by his past, full of enemies from
Menzoberranzan, and must fight his way to save his friends, for they will
surely perish without his help. He must fight his family, his sworn enemy Artemis
Enteri, and survive the loss of a friend. Drizzt fights through moral battles
as well, with his ongoing hatred for the other Drow, and Artemis Enteri, he
must control himself in order to keep that which separates himself from those
that are evil.
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading
fantasy fiction novels. It is full of action, emotions, friendship, and
hardship. R.A. Salvatore really expresses the characters as though they are
people; after reading, I feel as though I know who Drizzt Do’Urden truly is,
and where he came from. It will keep you reading right up to the very end, and
you will want to read the next book, and all other books by R.A. Salvatore.
Drizzt is a character in almost all of Salvatore’s books, and there are many others
like this. If there are so many, they have to be good enough for anyone to try.
Book Review by Joe B.
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