Salvatore has become a legend in the world of fantasy fiction having 23+ books with the character Drizzt Do’Urden. Each book, including each book in this trilogy, are self-contained adventures. This is the way I like a series to be, instead of being one book chopped into three parts the way most fantasy trilogies are being done now. These are easy to read, fun books that keep you interested from beginning to end.
The Dark Elf Trilogy are the stories that begin Drizzt’s life, but these are not the first books Salvatore wrote about Drizzt. That was the Icewind Dale Trilogy which happens after The Dark Elf Trilogy in chronology. I decided I would read Drizzt’s story in chronological order instead of publishing order and I recommend that for those jumping into the series.
The first book in the trilogy is Homeland. I was really hesitant at the beginning of this book because it seemed pretty dark, but the virtue of the hero is shown as a great contrast to the world he has been born into. This book starts with the birth of Drizzt during a major battle that his family is initiating. The society of the Drow in which he is born is structured like that of the spiders, in which the females rule the smaller males. Drizzt grows up in an abusive family typical of his society but finds comfort in his training and friendship with the weapon’s master. Eventually, Drizzt must decide whether to follow his morals or the rules of his world.
There are some scenes that very conservative readers would be uncomfortable with, and I would not recommend this to children, but I found the emotional development and complicated moral dilemmas believable with emotionally satisfying outcomes. Drizzt is a compelling character who develops a lot in the course of the book. The ending is bittersweet with the hard choices Drizzt must make. I cheer for Drizzt to the very last page.
The second book is Exil. This book is much lighter than the first. The main enemy Drizzt faces is himself. He has left his home to wander the Underdark, but just surviving alone is a horrible way to live. He makes unlikely friends and finds lots of enemies until he realizes that he will find no peace in that world.
I love the focus on the healing power of friendship in this book. We also get a glimpse of the prejudice Drizzt faces for his race. There isn’t so much a central plot to this books as much as a series of small conflicts the eventually send Drizzt to the surface. Even though this dealt with some internal conflicts that could be dark, I found the book actually uplifting and hopeful. I liked the theme that we need people in our lives and can’t deal with the world alone. The adventure for Drizzt never slowed down and the action was exciting. The many fight scenes did not feel redundant and continually helped develop the story. There was no love story or even love interest, just a bunch of guys on an adventure learning what loyalty really means. It was fun, clean, and a joy to read.
The last book of the trilogy is Sojourn. This may be my favorite of the three, but it is much better after reading the first two. Drizzt goes to the surface. He learns about the surface world, things we take for granted like the seasons and discovers the races of the surface. Drizzt longing for friendship gets involved with various groups but gets blamed for a massacre. He keeps his morals even on the run, earning him respect from those with like minds. Eventually, he makes friends with a blind ranger who teaches him the ways of a ranger. Finally, Drizzt makes his way to Icewind Dale where he finds an unlikely home.
The series of adventures he goes through is launched by his effort to do good even when misunderstood or lied about. He makes new friends and learns the ways of the surfaces. He journeys around the world to end up in the frozen realm of Icewind Dale which is where the next trilogy takes place. It is remarkable how much Drizzt continues to develop. His moral code is not based on Christianity since this is a fantasy world, but his values are compatible with that of the Christian.
I really enjoyed this trilogy a lot, and I am already starting the next trilogy in the series. It is nice to find an author in which you feel free to binge read his books. He makes promises at the beginning that he delivers at the end without getting controversial on the way.
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