Thursday, May 23, 2013

Neverwinter by R. A. Salvatore (Neverwinter Book II)



Neverwinter, the second book in R. A. Salvatore’s Neverwinter series, picks up where Gauntlgrym left off. The last of Drizzt’s old companions are gone. King Bruenor fell in battle as he worked to stave off another great cataclysm. Now for the first time in a century Drizzt is free. He is no longer tied down by anyone. Now he is traveling with the deadly female elf warrior Dahlia. First they travel to Waterdeep to try and find some trace of Jarlaxle. While they are unable to locate the mercenary Drow they are able to run into a great deal of trouble. Old enemies of Dahlia attack them and they are forced from the city. Next they travel to the woods outside Neverwinter. Here they have come to do battle against the evil Sylora Salm. Before the novel is over Drizzt and Dahlia will be forced to deal with Sylora, the lich Valindra Shadowmantle, who is slowly regaining her sanity, and they will have to deal with the killer known as Barrabus. Meanwhile Barrabus is operating in Neverwinter. A great secret will be revealed concerning this mysterious killer.

Neverwinter is a good book. It is a major step for Drizzt. Now that he is free of his friends, and dealing in a world that is descending deeper in to chaos Drizzt needs more than ever to find something good to cling to. He will be hard pressed to find the goodness in Dahlia. She is constantly pushing him to let loose. The battle of ideas is Drizzt’s idealism against Dahlia’s pragmatic view. There is a lot of new thematic material appearing here. Drizzt is growing and being challenged. How will he cope with this new world and will he stand strong or give in to the ways of the world. All of that and so much more in this amazing fantasy novel. As always, lot of action and adventure in the Forgotten Realms.

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