Artemis and Drizzt

[Sytze]

My vacation is progressing quite nicely, but I've cancelled one of my two holidays and since I'm getting quite bored of sitting behind the comp all day when there's nothing to do, I figured I'd start reading some FR. The only fantasy books I've ever read are LotR and The Hobbit, although I'm having trouble finishing the last one. Its a tad boring. Suffice to say, I have little to no experience with fantasy books.

Anyway, I'm particularly interested in primarily Artemis and secondarily Drizzt. I wondered which books I should buy first if I want to read more about Artemis. Or do you, by any chance, simply advice me to buy the entire series. Should the last case be applied, I’d like to know with which book I need to start first.
Furthermore, what would be the best place to buy these books? And should I even buy the pockets, or just the seven hardcover series that CM mentioned in a formed thread about the famous drow.

[Ravager]

Servant of the Shard is a book all about Entreri and Jarlaxle and is quite good, but it makes more sense if you read the Icewind Dale Trilogy. That's definitely a good place to start. The latest Salvatore series is also pretty good, but again makes more sense when you start at the first series. The Dark Elf trilogy is about Drizzt's roots and is also a nice place to start.

The Sembia series is intended to be an intro. to the FR books and is a good range.

I bought the books from Amazon.co.uk.

[Ripe]

You can find complete list (listed in reading orfer) here. I would recomend that you read those books in that order because otherwise you may have a problem to understand some of the material. If you like Artemis he plays big roll in Halfling Gem, Silent Blade and Servant of the Shard, but like I said if you read only those books you would miss a lot, and you may have some problems following plot.

[Sytze]

Thank you for the replies. I wasn't sure the list of yours was the correct list, because the second written trilogy should be read before the first written one.

Now, if I only could find a good place to buy these books here in the Netherlands. Can't say I'm a big fan of buying from amazon.uk...

[Ravager]

Now, if I only could find a good place to buy these books here in the Netherlands. Can't say I'm a big fan of buying from amazon.uk...

Maybe I would have suggested somewhere else if I knew which country . I take it there is no Dutch version of Amazon .

[Ripe]

Originally Posted by Sytze

Thank you for the replies. I wasn't sure the list of yours was the correct list, because the second written trilogy should be read before the first written one.

R.A. Salvatore wrote Icewind Dale trilogy first, and then he recived so many questions about Drizzt and his past that he decided to write Dark Elf trilogy which would give Drizzt's "fans" most of the answers about their past so he does not need to answer people individualy.
That is why the reading order and publishing order are different.

[Sytze]

As a side note, what's the difference between the Dark Elf Trilogy and the Dark Elf Trilogy Collector's Edition.

[Ripe]

Collector's Edition is printed as a single volume, containing all three novels.

[Ravager]

There are lots of short stories too following Artemis and Jarlaxle (in the Best of the Realms books - very good books by the way) and the other anthologies, though they make a lot more sense when read in order.

I'll be surprised if Wizards don't release an anthology of Artemis short stories when there are enough.

[Hill-Shatar]

Ive never read the Icewind Dale Triloy, but I found I understood almost everything in the Dark Elf Triloy and in Servant of the Shard. I dont know, maybe Im missing huge amounts of information.

[Ravager]

The Dark Elf Trilogy is supposed to be a prequel to the IWD Trilogy, so it can be read out of that order. I may have done the same.

Servant of the Shard is quite stand-alone, though you won't know about the histories of Jarlaxle, Artemis or the Shard itself. Still readable though.

[Hill-Shatar]

Originally Posted by Ravager

Servant of the Shard is quite stand-alone, though you won't know about the histories of Jarlaxle, Artemis or the Shard itself. Still readable though.

I can vouch for that

[Psychohalfling]

All of the books mentioned in that list are great books, I liked them alot. I'm reading the Hunter's Blades trilogy now, and I'm waiting until I can make enough money to but the Two Swords, I want to read the end of the series! The best of the realms, I've read some of those and I thought they were great, I also liked the Elminster series by ??? Greenwood (I think). Not really sure about the author, but those books were good. Has anyone read the Magehound series? I'm thinking about buying some of them, but I want to know if they're good. If anyone can find Hrothgars Legacy, it's a great book, and very rare so you should read it, it has some references to Icewind Dale near the end, and Edwin is one of the largest characters in the book, alot about his history and his mission from the red wizards.

[Fiberfar]

Originally Posted by Psychohalfling

The best of the realms, I've read some of those and I thought they were great, I also liked the Elminster series by ??? Greenwood (I think). Not really sure about the author, but those books were good.

Ed Greenwood He is my favourite author... Without him there would be no Forgotten Realms at all..

[Ravager]

There are lots of other good FR books and authors too. One of my favourite series' is 'Return of the Archwizards' written by Troy Denning.