Relentless: A Drizzt Novel

I loved this book. That's not to say there aren't flaws in Salvatore's writing, but the flaws are the same ones they've always been - his writing is formulaic, his perils are repetitions of things he's already done, and his characters are the same ones we've seen before. Depending on who you are, and what you enjoy, these formulas can be either extraordinary or eye-rolling. Me, I grew up on these books, and I've been reading them since I was a kid. To me, they bring back a sense of wonder, joy, and optimism that is sorely lacking in a world where we tend to be barraged by a Relentless (see what I did there?) wave of negativity and bad news. Bob Salvatore takes that and turns it on its head, finding a ray of hope in a world that seems like it wants to crush any last vestige of it. It might feel cheesy at times, but at the end I come out of it feeling both satisfied and ready to look beyond the shadows. Now that I've got that out of the way, let's talk about the book. I'll divide what I say into two parts: spoiler-free, and so full of spoilers it could be a Tom Holland interview. **SPOILER FREE** There's a push within Wizards of the Coast (folks that own D&D and the Forgotten Realms lore) to take out some of the older, less-savory parts of Forgotten Realms lore, and make it more inclusive. I won't say too much more because it could be considered spoiler-ish, but you need to bear that in mind when reading Relentless and the two books previous, as it informs many of the choices made. Speaking of the two previous books, this is the culmination of plot points set up well before this point, and resolves the ultimate conflict of those books in a way that I find both satisfactory and enjoyable. If you enjoyed the previous two books, I think you'll really love this one. There are two storylines - one in the present and one in the past - and they mirror each other, both in tone and action. I found it to be a clever device for setting up the ending, which does not appear to end the story of the Companions of the Hall, but leaves it wide open for further exploration (which I hope leads Wizards to continue to throw work at Salvatore - I know the last three books did not come directly from Wizards, but since it's their lore they had to have a hand in it). It also opens up a whole new world of storytelling in the Underdark, and I'm very interested to see where Wizards takes this opportunity. Now, for the spoilers. Seriously, spoilers ahead. One more time: spoiler warning! Last chance... **SPOILERS** FINALLY. I've always hated the "drow are an evil race with very few exceptions" stance. Maybe it's because I never liked the idea that anyone could be irredeemably evil due to my own religious beliefs, but that was the part of Salvatore's earlier works that I never liked. I did, however, enjoy the stories of redemption - again, in large part because of my own religious beliefs. Relentless takes that head-on, and fully disassembles the idea that "drow are evil", showing that Lolth is an infectious idea, a disease of chaos that slowly perverted an egalitarian society into one of selfishness, greed, and lust for power (sound familiar to anyone in the year 2020?). All stories tend to be a reflection of their time, and this is no exception - but this story beautifully captures the idea that even the most idealistic can fall, if their view of the world is warped and filtered enough to slowly change them over a long period of time. The drow now have a chance at freedom, having broken out of the idea that Lolth is personally looking out for them, with the driders turned back to drow - with Yvonnel Baenre, who I really hope gets her own series now (anyone else think the next books should be a Brie-Zara/Yvonnel teamup?), leading the drow out of darkness, even as they go back into the Underdark to wrestle with the question of "where should we go from here". I personally think that though the ending was left open that it's time for Drizzt to retire. He's had a long, full life. I know he's still got many years as an elf, but...maybe his daughter can take up the reins. Regardless, the story came to a close with hope. Demons crushed, driders healed (!), drow no longer under Lolth's ruthless heel - it can only get better from here. And that's kinda the point, right? We all can look around at life right now and think, man, it's pretty bleak. But there's still hope.

Warning, this review contain spoilers. If we were allowed to give half stars, I would rate this book a 3.5 As a Forgotten Realms fan since 2005 (and yes, the Drizzt books were my introduction to the setting), I have a lot to say about this book, so possible tl;dr. Like the last several Drizzt books, I have mixed feelings about Relentless. I have seen complaints that there is no sense of peril for the characters, as Bob rarely kills characters—and indeed, brings them back. Personally, this is something I actually like about his writing. Yes, readers need to feel afraid for the characters sometimes, but I was thrilled to see the return of several characters, particularly Zak—though I would still love to know where his soul was all this time. Speaking of souls—the gods, indeed, the cosmology of the Realms, was treated very…strangely in Relentless. Bob is known for disregarding canon and doing his own thing (sometimes I wonder why he writes in the Realms at all, if he is going to ignore pretty much everything about the lore. Does he just want to be able to write about drow?) It is true that mortals cannot know everything about the gods or the afterlife, but that doesn’t change the fact that in this D&D setting, the existence of the gods is fact, and the afterlife(s) have been well-established. The Monastery of the Yellow Rose is an Ilmataren temple, yet there was not one mention of this poor and underrepresented deity. Instead, even Kane didn’t know what was beyond. Again, mortals don’t know everything, but, also again—temple of Ilmater. Followers know (or at least have a basic understanding) that they will go to the realm of their patron god, or the deity they worshiped most in life (Faerun is largely a polytheistic society). There was little, if any of that here. The “one with everything” concept was neat in some ways. I also liked Yvonnel’s declaration that souls were energy, and thus could not be destroyed. This is something I have thought about, myself. When you become “one with everything”, you, from my understanding, do not entirely lose a sense of self, but become part of a greater whole. Reminds me somewhat of the Planescape model, in which a petitioner eventually either becomes one with their god or plane, but maintains a sense of identity. It’s a “perfected form”, one could say. But where does this leave the realm of the gods? The souls from the dagger were released into the multiverse (I was vaguely reminded of His Dark Materials and Earthsea here), but what Afa experienced was also a place between life and death. It was a bit confusing, and maybe it was meant to be, but that also meant it was a bit frustrating. I would have loved these scenes to be longer, but they were all crammed in at the end. In Relentless, everything is very convoluted, and I am not really sure how to respond. We also have the appearance of Charon/Sharon, an entity who has appeared occasionally in the Realms before, but isn’t too prominent. In this scene, a binary, Judeo-Christian take on heaven and hell is given. As there are many options for an afterlife in the Realms, one could see this as a simplification of the “heavenly” realms (Celestia, Arvandor, House of Nature, etc), and more “hellish” realms (Banehold, the Abyss, the Nine Hells themselves, etc), or if it really was a heaven/hell as western readers would understand it. If it’s the latter, then that begs the question of whether this was Bob being Bob, or if WotC/Hasbro is making moves to further simplify the cosmology. There has been talk of removing alignment, at least with mortals, and so maybe your fate is based on choices—but, that was already true, as you went to the realm—and god---that was best aligned with your ethics. I am all for redemption arcs, but Entreri was already heading in that direction. It felt rushed—in fact, much of the last quarter of the book felt rushed. Being as it was the last book in the trilogy, RAS was doubtless trying to cram all the revelations and tie up loose end, but he should have started sooner, either in Timeless and Boundless, or at least earlier in Relentless. Speaking of revelations (major spoilers here), the revelation of Lolth was so…out there. Is this a move made by Bob, or something WotC/Hasbro prompted him to do? It is too early to tell, but either way, it goes against decades of lore (does Bob or his editor fact-check?). This could be part of the move to diversify the drow, but this just seems like yet another missed opportunity to have Eilistraee and Vhaeraun. Instead, Lolth, while an entity of some sort, was…an infection? She was a malevolent force that feeds off the corruption that we all have potential for. There was a moment where it seemed to harken briefly back to when the drow were first driven underground, but—Lolth was already Lolth by that point. Again, this all happened very fast, with a lot of information and action crammed into the last 20 percent of the novel. Bob may have been setting the building blocks for future changes in the Realms, but I really am not sure what to take away from all this. Lest it seem like I am tearing this novel apart, I will say that there were some poignant moments, particularly concerning the companions when they thought Drizzt gone—Catti in particular tugged at my heartstrings. And, of course, more Jarlaxle is always a plus. I’ve always been a Zak fan, so I was thrilled at the end of Hero, and to see more of him is always great. I would have actually liked to have seen the reunion at the end—a couple more pages, or at the very least, a couple more paragraphs, would have been nice. Oh well. Despite the fact that this book raised a number of deep questions (and some questions from earlier in the series remain unanswered), I do hope Bob writes something else. The Drizzt series has to end at some point—though fans don’t seem to think so. I personally wished it had ended with Hero. That was such an amazing ending. But here we are, at the end of the Generations trilogy. Is it the final Drizzt trilogy? As of now, and maybe it will be.

I was truly gripped throughout this book, often wondering where and what happened to the famous dark elf, but was captivated by the stories of all his companions, though some were short, and often not as deep as one may wish, they shared depth and meaningful progress of each of Drizzt’s companions. A fantastic read, and an enjoyable one.

More classic Salvatore. He can make you feel as if you are there with these people he has made you care so much about.

I've been a long time fan of Salvatore. Can't get enough of his books! Highly recommend this series to everyone!

Feels too forced to give a social message on good/bad, friendship in a way that does not fit into characters e.g. Yvonnel, Quenthel's change of character

I loved seeing the many characters from previous books. The story does a good job of keeping you on the edge of your seat with several twists and turns. I look forward to the next adventure.

No spoilers here. I loved this book! It was the perfect ending to the Generations trilogy. I loved these characters already, but when the book ended I was even more invested in them. Salvatore brought it with this book. Not only did it have my heart racing with the action/fight scenes, he hit me emotionally numerous times. There was such an emotional range and depth in this book. I can't wait to read the next book in the Legend of Drizzt series.

In a ruined world, bereft of hope, leadership, or a cause to believe in... R.A. Salvatore rudely interrupts "the real world" by providing the lifeline I needed to feel great, and survive during the "Time of Troubles" more popularly known as the Covid-19/Coronavirus Pandemic. Relentless describes the hero of a generation, Drizzt Do'Urden, but is also a poignant, unintentional descriptor for the author himself. The action, characterization, intrigue, and emotion invoked in this most favored of loving-crafted literary worlds is relentlessly, insistently excellent. I am avoiding spoilers in my review, as I am not the world's worst human being, but I can assure you: lifelong Drizzt Do'Urden fans will finish their journey at the conclusion of Relentless, eager to heap praise on this particular novel, and on R.A. Salvatore, and possibly ready to go to war against anyone who rates this less than 5 Stars, out of Dwarven inspired battle-rage. Join me, in cursing the spiders around you, hefting a frothy mug of ale, and loudly belting a ballad, while horrifying everyone around you during your triumphant read. That's what heroes do. And that's what you will want to do, as you satisfyingly journey with the beloved Companions of the Hall, potentially for one last time.*

Salvatore knocks it outta the park with completion of this series. My emotions were high and low with each of the characters in the story. I can't wait to read more of Bob's work!

I loved this book. That's not to say there aren't flaws in Salvatore's writing, but the flaws are the same ones they've always been - his writing is formulaic, his perils are repetitions of things he's already done, and his characters are the same ones we've seen before. Depending on who you are, and what you enjoy, these formulas can be either extraordinary or eye-rolling. Me, I grew up on these books, and I've been reading them since I was a kid. To me, they bring back a sense of wonder, joy, and optimism that is sorely lacking in a world where we tend to be barraged by a Relentless (see what I did there?) wave of negativity and bad news. Bob Salvatore takes that and turns it on its head, finding a ray of hope in a world that seems like it wants to crush any last vestige of it. It might feel cheesy at times, but at the end I come out of it feeling both satisfied and ready to look beyond the shadows. Now that I've got that out of the way, let's talk about the book. I'll divide what I say into two parts: spoiler-free, and so full of spoilers it could be a Tom Holland interview. **SPOILER FREE** There's a push within Wizards of the Coast (folks that own D&D and the Forgotten Realms lore) to take out some of the older, less-savory parts of Forgotten Realms lore, and make it more inclusive. I won't say too much more because it could be considered spoiler-ish, but you need to bear that in mind when reading Relentless and the two books previous, as it informs many of the choices made. Speaking of the two previous books, this is the culmination of plot points set up well before this point, and resolves the ultimate conflict of those books in a way that I find both satisfactory and enjoyable. If you enjoyed the previous two books, I think you'll really love this one. There are two storylines - one in the present and one in the past - and they mirror each other, both in tone and action. I found it to be a clever device for setting up the ending, which does not appear to end the story of the Companions of the Hall, but leaves it wide open for further exploration (which I hope leads Wizards to continue to throw work at Salvatore - I know the last three books did not come directly from Wizards, but since it's their lore they had to have a hand in it). It also opens up a whole new world of storytelling in the Underdark, and I'm very interested to see where Wizards takes this opportunity. Now, for the spoilers. Seriously, spoilers ahead. One more time: spoiler warning! Last chance... **SPOILERS** FINALLY. I've always hated the "drow are an evil race with very few exceptions" stance. Maybe it's because I never liked the idea that anyone could be irredeemably evil due to my own religious beliefs, but that was the part of Salvatore's earlier works that I never liked. I did, however, enjoy the stories of redemption - again, in large part because of my own religious beliefs. Relentless takes that head-on, and fully disassembles the idea that "drow are evil", showing that Lolth is an infectious idea, a disease of chaos that slowly perverted an egalitarian society into one of selfishness, greed, and lust for power (sound familiar to anyone in the year 2020?). All stories tend to be a reflection of their time, and this is no exception - but this story beautifully captures the idea that even the most idealistic can fall, if their view of the world is warped and filtered enough to slowly change them over a long period of time. The drow now have a chance at freedom, having broken out of the idea that Lolth is personally looking out for them, with the driders turned back to drow - with Yvonnel Baenre, who I really hope gets her own series now (anyone else think the next books should be a Brie-Zara/Yvonnel teamup?), leading the drow out of darkness, even as they go back into the Underdark to wrestle with the question of "where should we go from here". I personally think that though the ending was left open that it's time for Drizzt to retire. He's had a long, full life. I know he's still got many years as an elf, but...maybe his daughter can take up the reins. Regardless, the story came to a close with hope. Demons crushed, driders healed (!), drow no longer under Lolth's ruthless heel - it can only get better from here. And that's kinda the point, right? We all can look around at life right now and think, man, it's pretty bleak. But there's still hope.

Warning, this review contain spoilers. If we were allowed to give half stars, I would rate this book a 3.5 As a Forgotten Realms fan since 2005 (and yes, the Drizzt books were my introduction to the setting), I have a lot to say about this book, so possible tl;dr. Like the last several Drizzt books, I have mixed feelings about Relentless. I have seen complaints that there is no sense of peril for the characters, as Bob rarely kills characters—and indeed, brings them back. Personally, this is something I actually like about his writing. Yes, readers need to feel afraid for the characters sometimes, but I was thrilled to see the return of several characters, particularly Zak—though I would still love to know where his soul was all this time. Speaking of souls—the gods, indeed, the cosmology of the Realms, was treated very…strangely in Relentless. Bob is known for disregarding canon and doing his own thing (sometimes I wonder why he writes in the Realms at all, if he is going to ignore pretty much everything about the lore. Does he just want to be able to write about drow?) It is true that mortals cannot know everything about the gods or the afterlife, but that doesn’t change the fact that in this D&D setting, the existence of the gods is fact, and the afterlife(s) have been well-established. The Monastery of the Yellow Rose is an Ilmataren temple, yet there was not one mention of this poor and underrepresented deity. Instead, even Kane didn’t know what was beyond. Again, mortals don’t know everything, but, also again—temple of Ilmater. Followers know (or at least have a basic understanding) that they will go to the realm of their patron god, or the deity they worshiped most in life (Faerun is largely a polytheistic society). There was little, if any of that here. The “one with everything” concept was neat in some ways. I also liked Yvonnel’s declaration that souls were energy, and thus could not be destroyed. This is something I have thought about, myself. When you become “one with everything”, you, from my understanding, do not entirely lose a sense of self, but become part of a greater whole. Reminds me somewhat of the Planescape model, in which a petitioner eventually either becomes one with their god or plane, but maintains a sense of identity. It’s a “perfected form”, one could say. But where does this leave the realm of the gods? The souls from the dagger were released into the multiverse (I was vaguely reminded of His Dark Materials and Earthsea here), but what Afa experienced was also a place between life and death. It was a bit confusing, and maybe it was meant to be, but that also meant it was a bit frustrating. I would have loved these scenes to be longer, but they were all crammed in at the end. In Relentless, everything is very convoluted, and I am not really sure how to respond. We also have the appearance of Charon/Sharon, an entity who has appeared occasionally in the Realms before, but isn’t too prominent. In this scene, a binary, Judeo-Christian take on heaven and hell is given. As there are many options for an afterlife in the Realms, one could see this as a simplification of the “heavenly” realms (Celestia, Arvandor, House of Nature, etc), and more “hellish” realms (Banehold, the Abyss, the Nine Hells themselves, etc), or if it really was a heaven/hell as western readers would understand it. If it’s the latter, then that begs the question of whether this was Bob being Bob, or if WotC/Hasbro is making moves to further simplify the cosmology. There has been talk of removing alignment, at least with mortals, and so maybe your fate is based on choices—but, that was already true, as you went to the realm—and god---that was best aligned with your ethics. I am all for redemption arcs, but Entreri was already heading in that direction. It felt rushed—in fact, much of the last quarter of the book felt rushed. Being as it was the last book in the trilogy, RAS was doubtless trying to cram all the revelations and tie up loose end, but he should have started sooner, either in Timeless and Boundless, or at least earlier in Relentless. Speaking of revelations (major spoilers here), the revelation of Lolth was so…out there. Is this a move made by Bob, or something WotC/Hasbro prompted him to do? It is too early to tell, but either way, it goes against decades of lore (does Bob or his editor fact-check?). This could be part of the move to diversify the drow, but this just seems like yet another missed opportunity to have Eilistraee and Vhaeraun. Instead, Lolth, while an entity of some sort, was…an infection? She was a malevolent force that feeds off the corruption that we all have potential for. There was a moment where it seemed to harken briefly back to when the drow were first driven underground, but—Lolth was already Lolth by that point. Again, this all happened very fast, with a lot of information and action crammed into the last 20 percent of the novel. Bob may have been setting the building blocks for future changes in the Realms, but I really am not sure what to take away from all this. Lest it seem like I am tearing this novel apart, I will say that there were some poignant moments, particularly concerning the companions when they thought Drizzt gone—Catti in particular tugged at my heartstrings. And, of course, more Jarlaxle is always a plus. I’ve always been a Zak fan, so I was thrilled at the end of Hero, and to see more of him is always great. I would have actually liked to have seen the reunion at the end—a couple more pages, or at the very least, a couple more paragraphs, would have been nice. Oh well. Despite the fact that this book raised a number of deep questions (and some questions from earlier in the series remain unanswered), I do hope Bob writes something else. The Drizzt series has to end at some point—though fans don’t seem to think so. I personally wished it had ended with Hero. That was such an amazing ending. But here we are, at the end of the Generations trilogy. Is it the final Drizzt trilogy? As of now, and maybe it will be.

I was truly gripped throughout this book, often wondering where and what happened to the famous dark elf, but was captivated by the stories of all his companions, though some were short, and often not as deep as one may wish, they shared depth and meaningful progress of each of Drizzt’s companions. A fantastic read, and an enjoyable one.

More classic Salvatore. He can make you feel as if you are there with these people he has made you care so much about.

I've been a long time fan of Salvatore. Can't get enough of his books! Highly recommend this series to everyone!

Feels too forced to give a social message on good/bad, friendship in a way that does not fit into characters e.g. Yvonnel, Quenthel's change of character

I loved seeing the many characters from previous books. The story does a good job of keeping you on the edge of your seat with several twists and turns. I look forward to the next adventure.

No spoilers here. I loved this book! It was the perfect ending to the Generations trilogy. I loved these characters already, but when the book ended I was even more invested in them. Salvatore brought it with this book. Not only did it have my heart racing with the action/fight scenes, he hit me emotionally numerous times. There was such an emotional range and depth in this book. I can't wait to read the next book in the Legend of Drizzt series.

In a ruined world, bereft of hope, leadership, or a cause to believe in... R.A. Salvatore rudely interrupts "the real world" by providing the lifeline I needed to feel great, and survive during the "Time of Troubles" more popularly known as the Covid-19/Coronavirus Pandemic. Relentless describes the hero of a generation, Drizzt Do'Urden, but is also a poignant, unintentional descriptor for the author himself. The action, characterization, intrigue, and emotion invoked in this most favored of loving-crafted literary worlds is relentlessly, insistently excellent. I am avoiding spoilers in my review, as I am not the world's worst human being, but I can assure you: lifelong Drizzt Do'Urden fans will finish their journey at the conclusion of Relentless, eager to heap praise on this particular novel, and on R.A. Salvatore, and possibly ready to go to war against anyone who rates this less than 5 Stars, out of Dwarven inspired battle-rage. Join me, in cursing the spiders around you, hefting a frothy mug of ale, and loudly belting a ballad, while horrifying everyone around you during your triumphant read. That's what heroes do. And that's what you will want to do, as you satisfyingly journey with the beloved Companions of the Hall, potentially for one last time.*

Salvatore knocks it outta the park with completion of this series. My emotions were high and low with each of the characters in the story. I can't wait to read more of Bob's work!

Great book was shipped is amazing shape no complaints at all. Also a ready Great read.

For those of us who’ve followed this story line, and these characters for literally YEARS - it is pointless to try and explain (to the degree needed) why we love this story so much. So for those of you new to the Drizzt Story I can only tell you to start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. For those of you who understand the “why and wherefore” of this story wondering whether or not to read this book - I can speak only for myself, but this may be Salvatore’s best book....ever. I won’t spoil any of the story, but there is an intimacy, wisdom, and a demand of the reader unlike with the other storylines, and books. This is not a knock on the others, just recognition of improvement. Mr. Salvatore, thank you for continuing this story and in the way you’ve done it. It is truly a pleasure reading these stories and perhaps getting to know you (a little better) through them - Thank You.

I have bought (and returned) this book on my kindle three times. When I try to read it on my kindle, it loads a couple of pages, then stops loading pages and shows a spinning "loading" image. After a few seconds of spinning, it freezes. I tried uninstalling it (it won't uninstall without refunding and being forcibly removed by Amazon). I tried reinstalling, restarting my kindle a few times, etc. I tried other books to make sure it wasn't my kindle, and the other books are fine. Something is wrong with this book's download. Update- finally got the book to work on my kindle. GREAT book, but absent Drizzt completely. Guen is also pretty much lacking in appearance or personality. That being said, the story is good... everything comes together nicely in the end. The backstory is relevant and really adds to the current plot. Next please!

"I do not pretend to understand anything at all about you and your damned family, Oblodran," Matron Byrtyn added. "Nor do I trust you." "Deep is the darkness," Kimmuriel whispered... "Do you doubt me still?" Kimmuriel Oblodra shouted at the Baenre priestesses. "Ah, yes, true that," Jarlaxle agreed, feigning defeat. Relentless was a whirlwind of what came before, leading to what comes next. The end is only the beginning. The quotes above are all sequential. All struck me when I read them. The whole Generations series has brought me back to the genre. sure some of the tropes will always get under my skin; emotional halflings, resurrection at a whim, demons aplenty, wizards with handy spells, but Salvatore does an incredible job infusing the rest with a dawning realization that theirs is so much more than what they've known.

I have read every piece of literary art that Bob Salvatore has written. This book is by far one of my favorites, with all of its twists and turns. My only question would be, why it was labeled as a Drizzt book and not a Zaknafien, or companions book. Possibly even a completion to the spider queen wars. Truly blessed to read it. A wonderful adventure that will make you laugh, cry, rejoice, get pissed off, confused, enlightened and elated. What a ride! I can't wait to see how Menzobranzan, Dinin, Zaknafien, Pwent and all the other characters continue to develop. If I have any regrets for this book at all, and I'm knit picking here, there was no Ooooooh Oi!

I have been reading this series and most of his others forever. I have to say that the Zak parts of the previous book and the beginning of this book should have been a book by itself. I loved the perspective from Zak and I more than once thought i had mistakenly opened the first book of the series. It just seemed that the chapters long flashback seemed so polished and the present seems somewhat rushed and compacted. So many different things happening all brought together in the last 10% of the book with little commingling before hand. The writing was a little different in terms of ideas that seemed forced and references to "release". I am not complaining but it felt different to what i was used to.

I have mixed feelings about this book. As always, Salvatore writes an a amazing story, featuring characters that I have always love. Having said that, this story is a little busy at times. It helps to know the history of everyone, but even with that, it felt at times like there was just too much going on. I knew that Drizzt was always the glue that held everything together, but I admit that the story is better than I expected it would be after his death. I will say there has never been, and I don’t ever think there will be, a series of books that has kept me more engrossed than the stories of Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall. Thank you Bob!

There is something here that really tugs at me... I am a mythology FREAK and as such I love it when my beliefs are explored more fully by a character... in this case SEVERAL characters. I honestly don't know what the purpose of existence is... but I would like to think it's to become BETTER... Entreri's ordeal in the preceding book is one of these incidents! I won't give anything away... just suffice it to say... WOW! Don't make this your first book... Start with the Dark Elf Trilogy... If this is really the LAST book Mr. Salvatore writes in the Drizzt series... I am HOPING someone will be allowed to take up the torch!

As Salvatore has seemingly ended the Legend of Drizzt as we know it so has he started a whole new Legend. Only time will tell where the newest Breeze will carry the Companions of the Hall. I would hope one thing, that going forward Salvatore begins to make it clear, that a Father has a place in a child’s life. This should be viewed as a gift and a privilege and treated as such. Too often, in today’s society, are fathers absent. I hope Salvatore will make the case, that if that absence can be avoided that above all else, it should be.

R.A. Salvatore is one of my favorite authors right up there with Heinlein, Asimov, Larry Niven, and David Webber. This book does not disappoint. This book is almost entirely about the Dark Elves with a little Dwarf and Catti-brie thrown in. Drizzt dies SPOILER ALERT --->>> and is back in the last pages. I had to skip to the end just to make sure. :-) Thirty-six books wow. Fortunately, I am retired and can at least think about going back and re-reading them all. RA's introspective thoughts inject a little philosophy into his stories and characters. I enjoy this a lot. And you can tell from the themes in this book that what t-Rump is doing bothers him.

We see the the attack on the service people by the evil Ladies and their Drones Who will win? The interesting part is Drizzt is talked about through the book. It is a great adventure that some of our heroes must step up and face the what must be done. Fun Book and you can't wait to see what happens.

LOTS of new and lore in this book. The ending is dramatic and world changing. Even more so than the War of the Spider Queen series.

I’ve read the entire series as each book has come out. Hard to believe it’s been thirty years! This book does not disappoint.

This book deals with the past, parts of the original book retold, and brings us to modern day. The parts of the past I could've sworn I was rereading a book I read before, and had to check several times. I guess he is sightly expanding on things he has already had us read in past books. The sections regarding the here and now... Well I feel like a different author wrote them. They don't seem to be well written, are VERY confusing, and are very disjointed. I have read every book up to this one many times, loved them all, but something feels very off about this book. I'll edit this review later if I can put my finger on it, but so much of it doesn't make sense and has no context. I had to make sure more than once I didn't skip a book by accident. Edit: I stand by all the above, I feel as if there was a book everyone missed, the first half of the book that talks about the present doesn't make sense. The second half starts to pull things together based on what was introduced, but this book definitely has parts that didn't seem to be written by R.A.

I've read many of the books written about Drizzt D'urden. They never disappoint. Yet each new series seems it would be a greater challenge for Salvatore. How could he possibly top that?!! But he is reliable. I found this series to be not only relentlessly exciting, but incredibly cohesive. I don't know how he does it, but he has me looking for the next series.

This book is a fantastic addition to, and indeed the definition of, Drizzt's legacy. If you, like me, enjoy storytelling - this decades long arc is wrapped up in an intriguing tale of honor, loyalty, friendship, and of course deception. I can't give away any spoilers - and I truly enjoyed the book, but I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't include the sliver of disappointment I felt in the exclusion of some characters. But, given we've relived a bunch of war in these stories - this new perspective, while mildly disappointing, is somewhat satisfying as well. Overall - a fantastic read, and a very enjoyable conclusion (?)

as a 40 years D&D player i liked so much this novel and the whole thrilogy

This was a fantastic ending to a saga I will never forget always remember. I have learned more from Drizzt than any other character in the fantasy universe. I really hope Salvatore writes more but I’ve read the first book to the last book and I’m glad I took the legends of Drizzt journey. I highly recommend to any one to of course, read this book and to also enjoy this series. What a journey Salvatore has provided for us, and with that, I say thank you to him. Beautifully written.

This story has got nothing but better and better! It has surpassed any other series i have read in action, drama, intrigue, love, and excitement. I have to admitt the latest couple books have had me absolutely on the edge of my seat and STARVING for its sequel at the end. And just like the last book.. I am again salivating at the mouth for the next! What a CLIFF HANGER again!! Keep up the great work. You R.A. Salvatore is ny favorite author hands down! Well done!!

In 1993 my mother surprised me with a hardcover copy of The Legacy. In 2017, I finally committed to reading everything from Sea of Swords, where I'd left off, on. Relentless teases the resolution of a cliff-hanger from the previous novel, Boundless. The Generations trilogy is definitely a singular read released in three parts. Throughout it, I was struck frequently by thoughts of real-world examples that mirrored the events and situations within the pages. I was deeply consumed by this book. It was extremely powerful. The end absolutely floored me.

Wow,what a great story, and epic war. Some great history, as well as reveals. I am excited for the next book in Drizzt ongoing story of him and his companions. Thanks Salvatore for letting us share in your tales.

I grew up reading these stories about the lavender eyed drow ranger who had a habit of keeping getting into trouble, either by himself,or with his group of stubborn friends. This book brought back those memories, but was a kind of let down because Drizzt really didn't make an appearance until the end, but it tied together everything that had happened to him up to that point. By and large, it was still a very interesting and good read.

Wow! Wow! Never had I felt such strong emotions for a group of characters as the companions of the hall. Amazing what a way to turn Faerun on its head. Can't wait to read what comes next.

Couldn't wait for paperback. Finally gave in and ordered the hardcover. Imagine my surprise when a signed first edition arrived a few days later! Don't know if this was luck of the draw or what but thanks Amazon!

I love the whole genre of Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall. So many ups and downs, along with a healthy dose of chaos! I'm excited to see what happens next! I am truly involved in all of these characters and you fall in love with all of them! Good and evil. Never judge a book by its cover and always look for the good in everyone.

I'd love to give spoilers here as I just finished and am full to bursting in my desire to share. I will instead say this book, this trilogy, this series of stories is why I love this author! Salvatore, continues to paint a vivid picture, to guide you through the webs of intrigue and show you the intricate steps in a battle. I hope to see more, to explore the character of Drizzt, to see him grow and develop more lasting relationships with his friends and family.

I have been reading this series for the last 5 years or so on and off, and have always thoroughly enjoyed the story of Drizzt and his companions. This was the culmination of 30 years and it shows. This particular book doesn't cater as heavily to the action, but does a great job of broadening and closing the saga all at once.

Honestly some weird decisions to try and dissect the book below. A story is the authors alone to tell. Someone alluded to lore? Lore is literally written, its meant to be changed and re-interpreted.... Thats how stories work. But I digress. No spoilers... The book was good. Its not the best Salvatore book I ever read simply because of the structure of the story but it was in no way a bad book or an unwelcome addition.

I have been reading R.A. Salvatore since the Clerical Quintet. He continues to draw me into the story and keeps me reading and "engrossed in a novel." Great story and it is a good read if you have read the saga since it's inception. Another fellow Salvatore reader read a previous book of this series and liked the books like I do even having never read any of the previous books by Salvatore.

All three stories in this series were great. However, the obvious lack of a competent editor became more apparent with the start of each new book. The second was worse than the first and the third was a travesty. With each successive page the editing got worse and continually ripped my attention from the story while I attempt to decipher the jumbled mess that the author so clearly neglected to put any resources or time into. I hope he spent the money well that he scrooged on an editor. Hopefully, on something benevolent like housing or medical support for stray dogs.

I’m at a loss for words. No book has touched my heart strings like this one has. Not once, not twice, but thrice I cried. There is no shame in my words as they were the truth of my soul in the struggles and turmoil the characters underwent. This the book set was not the normal of a drizzt series. For that I didn’t appreciate until the end. These three last books deserve a thorough read through on multiple occasions.

I can’t believe Salvatore went in this direction. He is a great author and I’m proud of him for the direction he chose to take the major characters. I’m still pissed Salvatore didn’t let Pwent die an amazingly depicted hero’s death several books ago, but that has no bearing on this book. Read it! You will not be disappointed.

The Author R.A. Salvatore does it again. He weaves events, startling discoveries, and unanticipated endings in a manner unparalleled. Looking forward to the next adventure!

R.A. Salvatore continues his journey of Drizzt in true adventurous fashion. 30 years of wonderful, highly detailed character & story development. Here's to hoping & seeing 30 more! If only could get this autographed to join other first editions. If you are not familiar with the legend of Drizzt, pick up a copy of the prequel in his story, Homeland. It helps to greatly understand his life & struggles when starting at the beginning.

Ok, so clearly avengers had a wee impact on the theme of this book, but the pacing and character development is breathtaking in speed. There are clear references to the earliest books in the series, and overall the characters have become so powerful that only the biggest and baddest of the baddies are viable. Clearly drizzt phase 5 is all about the immortals 😊

Though this story is in the fantasy genre, I see it as much more. Indeed the story itself is a fantasy but within the story we find all the elements of real life. Every actor in this story has something to teach us. Every book in the series is about the philosophy of life. Perhaps that is why I have been following Salvatore for over two decades.

Reading this book was probably the hardest, longest and at times was about to just give up!.I kept reading, admittedly not even really intereste at times! Took me 4 days, usually read in 48 hrs ! It was the worst one ever, but am glad I stuck with it!!!! Personal note if you ever write another one like this, I am not reading it!

I will never get tired of the Legend of Drizzt and the amazing story telling Mr.Salvatore. I started reading these books as a boy in middle school I was hooked immediately, I'm now an adult in my 30s and these books still capture my imagination as they did when I was young The Companions of Icewind Dale will always be close to my heart. ❤

I’ve been reading this series for almost 30 years. I hope the next is as good as this. And twenty

Salvatore always delivers. Always. From gut wrenching anxiety, to deep sadness, to the highest peaks of joy and hope, he delivers. This book is no exception. Thank the Gods for the last paragraph, I went immediately from deeply sad, to yes, overjoyed. Thank you Salvatore. Keep them coming!

Just about everything a devoted, long time Driz'zt fan could hope for and finally achieve. A fitting conclusion to 20+ years of a incredible and epic saga.

This was a fitting end to this unique trilogy. RA Salvatore keeps to the birfucated structure of the first two books, while delicately interweaving the story threads to line up an extremely satisfying ending that must be experienced by any true Drizzt fan. I can’t wait for Bob’s next book - I hope it brings the restoration of the Forgotton Realms.

R.A. Salvatore...... None can match his detailed fight scenes and few can reach that introspective depth of self analysis required to reach that internal epiphany that changes your world if you allow it and will it. I cannot and do not want to be in a world without another tale of Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall to look forward too.

An amazing and wonderful story. Couldn't put it down. I loved the battle of good vs evil shown inside is all, as well as the possibility of Redemption shown in Artemis Entreri. We have it in us all to do good with what we are given in this life. Now I can only imagine what is in store for Menzoberanzan.....

Like all of his books about this beloved character. I must give him his due.5 stars doesn't seem enough. Once again I'm shouting with the thrill of battle,crying in sorrow for companions lost, and toasting in great halls to victory..And to HOPE... JH

I have been reading these since the beginning and have watched myself grow alongside drizzly. While my life hasn't been nearly as interesting.i found this to be the perfect end for such an amazing story. Thank you to the author who makes every ready feel like a companion of the hall.. I will miss these amazing characters.

This is another very good book by R.A. But I honestly found it lacking somewhat. The ending especially was rushed compared to the rest of the book. Some main characters are barely included. Idk just to much for one book imo.

This book had me on a roller coaster of emotions from trepidation to excitement back down to nervousness to joy...and some disappointment in there. Yet in the end there was redemption for this appropriately titled book. This journey has indeed been relentless!

It was an interesting book, and conclusion to the trilogy. I enjoyed the twists, both expected and unexpected. No spoilers from me. I will say that it was refreshing to find a lack of "if he felt it, he did not show it" lines that I had grown tired of from R.A. Salvatore's books.

I am once again amazed at how well he draws me into the book and how well he sets it up. So many times I thought oh I see what's happening,then bang I'm wrong. Such a good book. I have read all most twice. Looking forward to the next book.

Have read the entire series and still want one or two more. I want to know what happens next does the baby girl become as her father is there a brother or sister??

Great

I chose this Five Star Rating because Mr. Salvatore deserves nothing less. I only hope the Story of Drizzt, his family, friends, and Yvonnel (Grompt's daughter) never ends. I absolutely Love everything Mr. Salvatore writes.

Love Drizzt and all the companions!

Maybe this is not a classic novel (what's a classic anyway) but it made me laugh, cry and mostly enjoy every chapter. Getting older might be making be a little more emotional.

If you like fantasy and have traveled with these friends before you will not be disappointed. If your new it's an adventure worth going all the way back to the crystal shard to get every ounce out of this tale. It's perfect.

I can always expect a fine read in the Drizzt series. I enjoy all the twists and turns that Salvatore puts into this rollercoaster. Is this the end? Maybe? I hope not? Maybe a new series to come? Some questions are still left unanswered, or maybe that’s the point.

Salvatore is just an amazing writer. This book was amazing. From goosebumps to tears it was a rollercoaster! He beautifully describes each an every fight in such a way only he can. Only bad thing I can say is now I have to wait to read more, lol.

How he keeps putting out such great stories is beyond me, but I glad he does!!! I've been reading these stories for 30 years and look forward to 30 more..Keep em coming sir and thanks for allowing me to grow up in the halls...

R. A. Salvatore maintains his ability to tell a story with wonderful pace. A slow build to an absolutely intense, page turning climax. Tackling relatable themes with relatably fantastic characters. This series has been one of my favorites in all of his work.

I've been here since I was 12. Following the characters. I'm not 40. I will never stop. I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Thank you.

I have read every book written by r a salvatore. By far drizzt has been my favorite character and once again another great book as a matter of fact his best so far.

I like the development of the history of Zach but The only thing i would of like a little more is for Drizzt to be involved in book sooner rather than when he came in.

Great book. Captivating story telling as always. RA Salvatore is my favorite author. His books will always leave you wanting more. If you love amazingly detailed fight scenes and characters you won't ever forget, I recommend you read this and all of his books!

Really liked this one. Hoping that another is on the way. Love where the characters have all gone and looking forward to where they are going.

Creatively and intelligently pulling together different time lines and forces of good and evil and the multiverse. Complex.... Yes, but any reader will see the beauty in the end

This is one of the most emotional books I've ever had the pleasure of reading it'll make you laugh, feel hopeless and hopeful, cry in sadness and joy truly one of the best in the series in my opinion

I loved it - from the beggining to the very end. I was waiting for that book over a year and finished it in a week. I'm a huge fan of Drizzt novels and this one did not disappoint.

I've been with this series for years and never miss a release. Looking forward with hope for more. Just hope wizards lets it continue after they cancelled all their other books. I hate not getting new forgotten realms novels.

A fantastic conclusion, something you need to read and go experience for yourself. Salvatore weaves a web of emotion, adventure and intrigue that will even tranform your vision of Menzoberranzan and even Lolth herself.

This was a perfect ending to one of Salvatore's best trilogies to date. It feels a little rushed at times but it drives the urgency that is occurring and the second half of the book steamrolls to (literally) the last sentence.

Just sad to read the last page of all his books cause I just want more and more and more! One of the glimmers of positivity in 2020 great job R A and please keep them coming!

This was a great book that continues the story and as always lays the groundwork for more. I can only hope that Mr. Salvatore continues the story. Sorry, not details as I do not want any spoilers in the review.

R A Salvatore has done it again. Another great story taking place across 2 timelines in another fascinating tale of the Companions of the Hall.

One of his top books. Brilliantly delivered. Top notch action, suspense, plot with a solid kick as the ending! The back and forth weaving if the plots, revealing the ending was too perfect. Can't wait for the next!

This book pulls all the characters together. I am waiting to see what this wonderful author will bring forth in the future.

This was a surprising story arch. I didn't expect it to turn out the way it did, but glad it happened nonetheless. Thanks again, R.A. Another grand addition to your incredible work. Looking forward to the next one.

Best in this series so far. Salvatore never misses when it comes to getting you invested in his stories and characters. He knows just how to get EVERY emotion out of you. Well done and thank you sir!

R.A. Salvatore with another spellbinding novel! Masterfully delving into the past, linking it to the present. I order to expand on the mythology ant create a greater future. Can’t await for the next epoch!

After all these years of enjoying fully the life and adventures of Drittz Do'Urden and the Forgotten Realms characters, this book encompasses how their story will continue in peace. It is well written, as usual.

On the last dam page !! Ok when is the next book coming out... Soon or will have to read them all again for the 5th time, and enjoy every minute of it ;)

I had thought that the return of Zak would have been a great stopping point for the Drizzt novels, but I was mistaken. So much hope and promise is offered with this ending. Well done Bob!

Another fantastic entry in the world of Drizzt and the Companions of the hall. This is fantastic story telling with great arcs

One of the few authors I continue to buy books of. I hope the series continues. One of the best characters ever

Oh I'm so looking forward to the next book already! The ending is alley leaving me with different possibilities in my head can't wait to see how they turn out!!!

This was a great story with characters who have been with me since the 5th grade. I preferred the “current day” time line to the “past” timeline, though the story starts with the past.

Don't want to ruin your read but this is a wonderful storyline, one of his best, yet please first read the rest. I can hardly wait for the sequel.

This is my favorite character and my favorite author for a reasons. Since 1988 I've been a part of this epic journey and I hope to have many more years of it.

I have been a massive fan of this series ever since the first book was written. This is a must read for all fans of the the series.

This book is why I hate you and love you at the same time. Well played sir, well played...... 🧐

Thanks!

I had a hard time putting this book down in anticipation of reading the ending. I wasn’t at all disappointed. If you’re a fan read this book !,!!

Full of twists and turns but still so much a Salvatore novel about Drizzt. An excellent read as one would expect. Great pace and character development.

i'm still reading this book right now but i love all of them the storyline is great and thought projectioning i really like it.

Always an awesome read! Never gets tired of books written by this author especially on adventures of Dritz and friends.

You album know this is about at this point. If you made it this far you know what you're here for.

Not a review for the content which I have read reviews that it is amazing, thus this purchase. The book arrived damaged. Needless to say I returned it.

How do they get better every book? He has truly out done himself this time. I love back stories, it made this book top tier.

Little less action this time but another solid addition. I enjoyed the “history” aspect and learning what less up to our characters being who they are today.

I've read every book this guy has ever written and enjoyed every one of them. This one was no exception. Write faster please.

This has always been my favorite series with Drizzit as the main character. I really enjoyed this journey with these characters and their stories.

Great book. Have enjoyed this series for over a decade now. Can’t wait to read future adventures. Hopefully they come sooner than later.

This is a great installment of the Legend of Drizzt series as with all of his novels it makes you want another book as soon as you finish.

From Drizzts very beginning I have been a fan,thru the years I've followed the fellowship of the companions,I hope this isn't the end!

Always read these books too fast and than I am left wanting. Wanting another one right away. I love Drizzt and all the other characters in these books

very good book focusing on the other companions of the hall more so than drizzt .gives more insight on their strengths by themselves,not just in a group.

Salvatore continues to be my favorite author and the story he created around Drizzt and his family continues to keep me engaged and wanting more.

I’ve kept up w these characters since the early 90’s and I’m in awe of R.A. Salvatore keeping up these stories for so long. Well done sir!

Great third book. I may finally be able let Dritz be. I've read every single book.....perfect ending I felt like I was given a choice.

In have been reading R A Salvatore since The Crystal Shard came out. This is an excellent addition to the legend that is R A Salvatore.

My favorite hero for many years,,his growth and wisdon and trials will always be with me. You Mr R.A. Salvatore should be very proud

i like it al but need more Drizzt

I can’t wait for the next adventure. The adventure of drizzt being a father himself! And to see what special talents Breezy will have!!

I am a huge fan ! This book is beautifully written. Thank you for giving me a word that I can escape to.

The freaking climax at the end and now I have to wait another year! Yer killin' me!😂 I can't take it anymore! Awesome as always!

Love the whole series. Going to miss these characters. Been reading for 25-30 years.

This was a great ending to an amazing Saga. I hesitate to write too much but I cannot give this story high enough praise!

Great as always, never a disappointment in any book I ever read. Be safe and enjoy the ride wherever it takes you.

I don't think I've ever read a book this fulfilling. Thank you R.A. Salvatore for once again bringing another incredible story to us.

I thought he had gone George R R Martin in us with the foreboding body count! But fear not, another great read

Great conclusion to a great trilogy,can't wait for the next one.You won't be disappointed.Good read all the way through to the end.

After all these years I still want to read more , the very last part bummed me out but the rest is perfect.

Well written. Not thrilled by ending.

R.A Salvatore at his best! A surprise in every page, this book is definitely worth the time. A tale to be remembered!

I loved it. One of my favorites. It kept me reading and I couldn't put it down. Great job Mr. Salvatore

Another incredible chapter in the Drizzt saga. I was literally breathless after reading the last sentence! Are you kidding me?

One of like 35 books my son has by this author. He really likes the Drizzt character.

Saving for a special time to read. Love the author, have read everything I know he has written.

Inspired art for the soul. Such an amazing series with tremendous depth of character, heart,and philosophy. Thank you Mr. Salvatore

This was a great closure to the first 2 books. It was an emotional rollercoaster of blades, magic and family.

While predictable at points this book was great. Tying two worlds together with the threads of fate.

Been reading this series since the late 80's early 90's!

This was a great book. I enjoyed reading it

Book was in excellent condition.

Very good read! The implications in this novel are Faerun changing!

I really enjoyed this book but I wish Drizzt was in it

So I was anticipating a longer book. I’ve also not been a fan of the flash back/forward. It makes sense but it is messy. Oh this was a Drizzt Novel? Where’s Dtizzt... Not the best but not the worst. Mediocre.

This series is nothing short of amazing.

great book

Bout time drizzt died

It’s a book! A good one too I guess

I've been reading this series since I was a kid, since the first book came out. I've read fantastic Drizzt books, I've read some pretty awful ones. The latest few have been...kinda weird. As though Salvatore wants us all to convert to some transcendent order of oneness or something. This was the culmination of some path, as though Salvatore-via-Drizzt-Sue is moving beyond belief and into self-sustained joining with the universe. Between the constant description of that and the frequent allusions to orgasms, this book was off compared to his normal writing.

THE LAST BOOK I NEEDED.

A Drizzt series in which frizzy hardly participates ,one can only hope this series is with the themes and ending is setting up something better.

As always, an enjoyable instalment in the Drizzt series.

great reading, Salvador never disappoints

This book is awesome!

This book could have been so much more. But it lacks a significant amount of depth and character development. It is too superficial. A shame.

Love his work

Good ending to the series

Loved the happy ending

Not one of Salvatore’s best. Felt like a rehash of Homeland. Main storyline was condensed and main characters were rather limited in the story.

Great book as always.

Not his best work and a ending that is a little to romanticized. Wrapped up to quickly and glossed over several details

First 2 books ok. Lack luster finally. Maybe author should have spent more time writing story and less time posting about politics.

thanks

A bit anticlimactic, a few unanswered questions. Not enough Jarlaxle as usual.... Is the Legend of Drizzt finally over?

I usually am very happy with his books but this one seemed to have been written by someone else. The real story doesn’t seem to begin until the last 45 pages or so and then it’s over. The large bulk of this book was drow politics and bickering. This author has never disappointed me before so I’m wondering what happened.

I've read every Drizzt book and thoroughly enjoyed almost all of them. This one (for me) marks the end. Stuffed with endless female drow political claptrap, there is almost no plot, very little of interest occurs - truly a sub-par effort. Many of the characters' voices and actions weren't true-to-form at all. Also didn't appreciate the ham-handed LGBTQ propaganda crap, no thanks, I'm done.

I've been a huge fan of Drizzt (and Zak) for well over a decade, and this book's release has been something I've been eagerly awaiting. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but quite a bit felt heavy handed and "preachy", enough so to spoil the story a good bit. That said, I'd still buy it again for the conclusion to the story, so...

Love the author. Not his best book.

Was intrigued enough with the first two books of the series by the third hoping the storyline might get better. It does not. This story has the feel of Star Wars to me in that the storyline is fantastic but has been taking too far while using the same ideas over and over... Disappointed

pent on the drow politics and dramas. I miss the stories of the original heroes and their adventures that they shared

The book was in fine condition upon arrival.

All the demons and back from the dead stuff is not much for me. Adventure is one thing, this series was not.

Loved it until the last sentence turned the whole story into a cheap sideshow trick.

The pages on the book were damaged. Otherwise pleased that’s it’s a signed first edition

Relentless is the third book in the Drizzt trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. Released 28th July 2020 by Harper Collins on their Voyager imprint, it's 464 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. This is immersive campaign fantasy in a classic style. It provides political action, campaigning, skulduggery, questing, magic and everything for the 'doorstop fantasy' nerd. I have followed the progress of the series and world building since the beginning, and will say right away that I believe that this book would suffer greatly by attempting to read it as a standalone. There's way too much backstory and context necessary to be read by itself (although the author does spend probably 30% of the content recapping things that went before). The series has spanned over 3 real-life decades and I have no idea how many books altogether (35? More?). Although the author includes an extensive dramatis personae at the beginning (along with the requisite maps) it's not a trivial task to keep everyone straight and remember which house is trying to kill whom. (Spoiler, they're all trying to kill each other). I enjoyed the series very much and thought this last volume did a good job of wrapping up some of the disparate plot threads. Most of the action involves Zaknafein and for a Drizzt book there was a marked lack of Drizzt. It wasn't too perfect or upbeat. Admittedly it didn't feel complete to me. Astoundingly enough, I've been with these characters for roughly 30 years. (!!!) The entire Forgotten Realms universe has such verisimilitude because it's built up over so much time and the canon has so many layers that it's gained a sort of reality, gravitas even. The language is about average for a doorstop fantasy. There's a fair amount of violence and some sexual content, along with discussions of infanticide, regicide, murder, etc. I don't imagine it would offend the majority of readers. Three and a half stars, and four strong stars for the series thus far. It'll be interesting to see what's in store in the future. Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Edit: the parts dealing with young Zaknafien have earned this book a better rating. The rest is basically Siege of Darkness, but recycled and not as good . I am reading this just because I read every Drizzt book and short story. But he’s just phoning it in at this point. Nothing is permanent, everyone has plot armor, recycled stories from Siege of Darkness (which was an amazing novel, btw) done for about the fourth time, I really wish he would just take the characters in a new and exciting direction, something that feels natural and appropriate and not just trying to sell more books. I’m sure he’s just being paid to keep things as close to the same as possible for marketing purposes. I get it. And I love Salvatore and his work so much that I would never think to give just one star. His work has been influential not only in the genre of fantasy writing for modern times, but to dungeons and dragons players everywhere. His important in this aspect cannot be understated. I feel like a great opportunity was missed with the character of Drizzt. I feel like he should’ve become a mentor, they should’ve aged the story up, Companions of the Hall long gone except for him, and he is a mentor to some other hero that emerges. It could’ve been an amazing transition for a wonderful new character arc. And I KNOW that Salvatore could not only just pull it off but make it sing! Wizards of the Coast needing a status quo has robbed him of this unique opportunity. I hope someday it comes though. One thing I can’t stand that he seems to be focusing a lot on is the monks. I don’t know what it is, I’ve never liked them in dungeons and dragons, and his absolute focus on them in this in the past few stories has been nails on a chalkboard to me. That’s just my opinion though.

This was suppose to be a gift and this is how I got it

This is the last book in the generations trilogy and I kid you not in the least.... I personally thought that this was a great series....I loved the flashbacks to a younger Zak and Jaraxle that gave insight to just why Jaraxle seems to really care for Drizzt. The character growth of Yvonnel and Artemis..... Don't know why anyone would give this less than 4 stars...I gave it 5... The main reason besides the fact that I just loved it... The all star cast of characters from Zack to Yvonnel to Artemis and Jaraxle as well as the companions themselves never disappoints. RA Salvatore is by far my favorite writer in this genre easily....and he skillfully takes the reader on a rollercoaster of events that tug on every emotion. I highly recommend this book... Lots of cliffhangers Lots of action Great Flippin ending Generations in my opinion was the best trilogy in the Drizzt series in a long time Looking forward to the next one... I love, love, love the cast of characters RA Salvatore has brought to life thru his brilliant writing especially Drizzt.... Please keep em coming Mr. Salvatore for all us Drizzt junkies out here.

Another epic installment in the Drizzt books! I loved this! Classic fantasy through and through! I was pulled so far into the world that I didn't want it to end. I wanted to keep reading, and upon finishing, I started it all over again with book 1. It was just fantastic. I wish I could describe it better. What a conclusion to this world and Drizzt Do'Urden.

Amazing book, I have been a fan of these books since I was in HS. At one point I was in tears.

I feel Bob didn't do a good job with this trilogy. I am so over hearing the adventures of Jarlaxle and Zak. It is sad that anyone who read The Dark Elf Trilogy knows everything that happened. I didn't enjoy the jumping around. I didn't need to see the same events from a different standpoint. I really, really, really didn't. I enjoyed the present, but when a majority of the book is basically filler and foreshadowing, I mean...cmon. Just like book 1+ 2, I found myself struggling through the flashbacks and trying to just make it through and get back to the good stuff...which was really fun, at least up until the end. Sadly so little happened in this book, Bob could have written one chapter and summed it up in 20 pages. I feel he should have saved all these stories for a Zaknafein trilogy. The flashbacks took almost all the fun out of the actual story. Sadly, the end was just beyond lame in that it was the same predictable junk we have been seeing for years. No one ever dies, Bob can't even move on from The Crystal Shard. At this point, he puts in 0 effort and just beats the SAME CHARACTERS TO DEATH. Pwent? Oh ya lets bring him back because Bob couldn't make up a new character to save his life. Read the cleric quintet? Remember when he said how all along he wanted a monk as a main character, but he got pushed into using Cadderly, with Danica as a support? Hmm, and the start of the book is a totally pointless flashback of Afrerenewhatever....conveniently all of Drizzt's equipment is passed along and does ANYONE doubt that in the next series, Drizzt will be the monk that RA Salvatore always wanted. I really wish he would introduce a bunch of new characters. I mean Jarlaxle never gets old, but the rest are just predictable with 0 depth. To sum up, I truly enjoyed the small part of the book that wasn't just Dark Elf Trilogy 2.0. I hope next time, he doesn't go to the past. I wish he would try to do a better job of making his books even slightly realistic in the context of the Forgotten Realms. I mean, did he not read about the Time of Troubles. How does he justify all these powerful "evil" beings CONSTANTLY CONSTANTLY interfering with mortals, which the Overgod clearly said was not allowed. And WHY DO THE GOOD DEITIES NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER do anything to counter this, I mean Lloth can meddle, summon armies, etc etc (Read the war of the spider queen 6 part series) and yet the good deities never do a thing? Also. CB is a CHOSEN of Mystra. I am not sure if Bob is familiar with the forgotten realms, but A. she would have a close connection with Mystra, B. She would have silver fire flowing through her making her a demi-god with immense powers and durability. C. As Chosen, she would have a close connection with the other Chosen and with Mystra herself. I am let down by this novel and by the lack of Forgotten Realm novels. I sure hope we get more than just another tame, predictable trilogy from Bob in the future.

I love Drizzt and have been reading these books for 20 years. This was a fun installment, I enjoyed the past timeline better in the last few books but I felt the ending of this one was not done as I had hoped but still fun to read. The ending of the book itself in the present was also a bit of a let down and felt rushed and a little much to me. However, I sped through the book as I always do and it is worth the read if you are still following Drizzt, of course you pick up this book

I am hoping Amazon or Netflix picks up the series like a new Game of thrones or Witcher. CGI or anime would work.

GUILTY,,of reading every single book in the series. After a while the people in the books almost become real. I sometimes feel I'm with them ,, battling in the underground tunnels, experiencing there joys and sorrows,, it's been a wonderful ride and these last 3 books brought back all those wonderful memories. For someone just considering these books,, the best thing is you don't have to wait months or years for a new book to be released.. there are about 30 books in the series so far. Open the door to another relm, meet new friends, battle ancient evils, live a new life ,, All you need do is open the first book in the series and step in,,

This latest installment in Salvatore's long running books on everyone's favorite dark elf, Drizzt Do'urden, picks up where we left off in "Boundless". Most books in this saga are divided into trilogies of sorts, and this final installment in this trilogy there is a lot that is very familiar, but also a few twists that I can hope will turn out to be interesting in the future. First, a minor spoiler: Drizzt does not appear in the book. The end of the previous book as such is not resolved here, though there are quite a few hints on the subject. This is not the first time we've had a book without Drizzt in it, but it's still noteworthy as for the first time we're not quite sure of his fate. Otherwise the book follows the same path as the earlier books in this trilogy: about half is following Zaknafein's adventures in the past while the other half is on the present. As before, the past is more interesting than the present though less so than in the earlier books. We've reached the events of Homeland so there isn't much new information to be had, and surprisingly seeing the same events unfold from Zaknafeins point of view is a lot less interesting than I thought it would be. I was quite disappointed that the whole training montage section is missing entirely. As for the present, I'm never a big fan of massive army battles with thousands of demons and other high-level beings thrown around like rags. There aren't even any interesting strategies or tactics this time around which makes it doubly boring. I can't talk of the conclusion without giving away spoilers but it's questionable at best. There are some things happening that seem very "deus ex" and people acting way out of character. This might lead us to new and interesting paths though, so I'm trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. In short, this is a typical installment in the Drizzt saga - not one of the better ones, but not one of the worst ones either. If you've kept up with the series all the way through, no point in stopping before this book (or likely, after it either). Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

This is one of Salvatore's most epic and beautiful works to date. The legend of Drizzt continues and is more powerful than ever. Salvatore is a master of engaging the human spirit. I am thankful for these stories during such trying times. Thanks Bob!

This story is amazing, thank you R.A Salvatore. The underlying ideas and concepts in this story are great, and the emotional attachment the reader develops to the characters is vast and complex. The twists in the plot are profound and inspiring to the reader and can help one to see new possibilities or ways to think about things. This one is truly a masterpiece.

Great book. Had fun the whole way through. Had me at the edge of my seat. A must read

Good fun and can only hope for more Drizzt stories to come.

RA Salvatore does it again. A mind grabbing fantasy book with thrilling fight scenes and heart clenching drama. A story you never want to end.

Great book as always, great narration.

House Kardashian is looking to move on House Jenner. Will the top house of Menzoberranzan House Trump approve of such a bold move? And now that House Biden and House Kamala have united what does the future hold for the city Menzoberranzan. Civil War? "I don't even know what you're talking about. I don't even know what just happened." -Zaknafein You and me both. It's been over 20 years of Drizzt in my life. A big fan. I found this book to be repetitive and at times muddled. There were moments of action and i did like the ending. Yvonnel is the alpha and the omega? Still confused. But too many plot lines and Salvatore just couldn't juggle them all. Still always nice to revisit my youth. Maybe i'm just getting to old for these kind of books.

Having read the entirety of the Drizzt Saga over the years, I am always happy to read the newest title by R.A. Salvatore. The majority of this title takes places with the dark elves and is really dialogue heavy for the first half of the book. The typical action Salvatore picks up the second half the book with an excellent ending. Not one of the best titles in the series, but still a good entry into the Drizzt Saga.

Long time reader of the series. The last few books are not the normal stories we have come to expect. I do believe the author is not writing the books by himself anymore. Too different from previous older stories. Something isn’t right with this series.

TL;DR: Even good writers don't always hit the mark. We begin with the positives. There is some beautiful writing to be found here. Bob has been at this for a long time, and his skill is evident. You may find yourself about to purchase this book because you’re a fan of Drizzt, or the Realms, or perhaps the author in general, and have already made a commitment in time and funds in the many novels it took to get here—to say nothing of the other stories Bob’s had a hand in for the Realms, such as “The Cleric Quintet”, “The Stone of Tymora”, or the “War of the Spider Queen”. When anything Forgotten Realms or Dungeons and Dragons is mentioned, Salvatore comes to mind as a titan among the hive that made it what it is. I marked it one-star after the first reading, and spent the next few days reading it twice over to make sure I felt the same before I started writing this review. I won’t dare try to refund that purchase, because that’s foul—if you read a story to any degree of completion, you own that in mind and wallet. If you aren’t a stickler for details then you may very well love this (alleged) final chapter in the Legend of Drizzt. If you’re something of a lore-hog like me, then you might come to the same conclusions I did. Read on, if that’s the case. The negative review comes down to three factors: pacing, plot holes, and the deus ex machina. Up till around the middle of the novel, the pacing was fine. It was impressive, honestly, considering there was a balance between two vastly different timelines that continued the trend from “Timeless” and “Relentless”. Then, in the midst of what appears to be an increasingly hopeless situation, the war we’ve been following for a few books is seemingly abandoned after a certain Chosen goes “Fwoosh”. What follows are some mostly bizarre attempts at character building in scenes that felt either out of place or poorly handled, and I’m still not sure where my final opinion falls on that. Afterwards we get to some “great” revelations regarding the distant past, and all mention of demons, drow, driders, potential human neighbors coming in for a rescue (?), the Hosttower and assorted residents, Luskan, Waterdeep, the Margasters, and any other shady elements all fall by the wayside. The book ends, and apart from a scene reminiscent of the Lion King whereupon Simba gets raised to an adoring throng and Yoda kicks in the door before credits roll, there’s no actual conclusion. What happened? To start, I get that books and products coming out of Wizards of the Coasts are related. When I got “Waterdeep: Dragon Heist” and looked at the year it took place I already knew, well in advance, that Jarlaxle was alive and kicking. And to that end, Luskan still stands, and Bregan D’aerthe maintains its autonomy. The good guys won, and this should surprise nobody. What’s less clear are the implications. Bob teased in a tweet to expect big changes in the Realms, and I finished reading “Relentless” with absolutely zero indication of what those changes might mean in concrete world-building. Which brings me to the plot holes. When dealing with the Forgotten Realms, they happen. A lot. Some things are minor, such as the relationship between Uthegental and Mez’Barris; in the books immediately preceding the Generations Trilogy (“Archmage”, “Maestro”, “Hero”,) it’s mentioned that he’s her beloved son. In “Relentless” he’s her lover/patron, and allegedly she has no idea what he is or where he came from. Minor, but an annoyance. In the “War of the Spider Queen” books, Kyorli is consistently female. In Generations, she is now a he. I’m not about to speculate after Gromph’s opinion on whether his familiar has a set of dingleberries, but one assumes a level a consistency from that one. On a larger note, there was a book published in 2007 titled “The Grand History of the Realms”, with Drizzt ON THE COVER, wherein Menzoberranzan was around for a few millennia longer than the whole “Yvonnel being as old as the city” narrative suggests. That particular point stuck with me not just through Generations, but nagged in other novels where she was mentioned in terms of her advanced age. Was this retconned? Why? Kimmuriel and Jarlaxle lend a possible “out” in that our knowledge of these events is only as accurate as the brain is came from, which may or may not have been meddled with, but it’s a poor cover, and immediately taken for gospel truth. I’ve followed Bob on social media for years. His views on current events and his personal journey come as no surprise, and regularly revealing themselves in portions of writing that he once jokingly referred to as the Dao of Drizzt. They were welcome, endearing snippets that felt like a wave from writer to reader in passages advancing his stories throughout the years. My main issue is that this came across as a heavy-handed slap in the final third of “Relentless”. Jarlaxle’s mentioning of “better angels”, this notion of Charon and the “arc” of heaven. I felt less and less like I was reading a Realms novel, and more like I stumbled upon a fanfic of his twitter feed. His views and opinions don’t surprise me. I agree with them. But they glared at me here with the intensity of a televangelist shoveling convenient scripture down my throat. Yvonnel has ever been a character that was methodical, well-written, and marvelously sinister even in her seeming benevolence. Fantasy demands suspension of disbelief, but I found her sudden acceptance of these supposed truths jarring—to say nothing of Quenthel. What was the impact here? When people are presented with evidence that contradicts their entire worldview, the realistic response would be to dig in harder. Sos’Umptu was somewhat more believable in this respect. But I was asked to believe a race so convinced of their own superiority suddenly had their preeminent examples say, “Meh, I was wrong. Let’s laugh about it,” and get away with it all? What does that say for the relationship between the Gods, the Seldarine, the other pantheons? Again, what, what, what? Kimmuriel was treated well in this book. Jarlaxle was handled excellently. Zaknafein, too, was dealt an even hand. Artemis was confronted with the Ghost of Christmas Future and pulled a total Scrooge. That was a personal kick in my gut. Dahlia, with her care for Effron, didn’t event think to try and hole up with him? To ask what was up, or whether he was on the line somewhere dealing with this mess? If this is indicative of greater changes for the Realms at large, I grow even more uneasy. I haven’t had such a visceral response since I sat down to find out what “Spellplague” meant, and proceeded to fight off tears. I love the Realms, but though Relentless has the names and faces I, and others, have seen countless times before, I don’t recognize them. Do I blame editing, or lack thereof? Do I blame myself for being on the wrong side of popular opinion? What could have been glorious and profound and meaningful comes across as rushed and self-indulgent. All in all, I was here for the journey with everyone else who got to this point. I don’t regret the laughs and tears along the way, and am genuinely happy for those who found this to be a satisfactory way to end it. I know I’m in the minority when I say I feel a little betrayed, and very hurt.