The Thousand Orcs Review
 

I was at my local bookstore looking for something to read on my weekend trip and came upon The Thousand Orcs, the new Drizzt Do'Urden book by R. A. Salvatore. It's the first book in a new series, The Hunter's Blades Trilogy. I finished it in a day and here are my thoughts.

This is my spoiler warning! If you do not want to be spoiled, stop reading now!!!!

I have been very down on Salvatore lately. I didn't care much for The Legacy of the Drow series, nor did I particularly like his Descent Into Darkness books. You can find my thoughts on these works in various threads on this forum.

It is my opinion that Salvatore had written Drizzt Do'Urden into a corner where he is accepted and content with his lot in life, a role that is wholly unsuited to his character. I have also felt that the last couple of books were of the "phoned-in" quality and not very good. Happily, Salvatore seems to have hit his stride once again and he delivers with The Thousand Orcs.

The story starts with Bruenor Battlehammer uprooting the dwarves of Clan Battlehammer from Icewind Dale and returning to Mithril Hall. He is to once again assume the throne after the death of his grandfather, Gandalug Battlehammer. Bruenor was never comfortable with this role because it made him give up his adventuring ways; it was the journey, not the destination, that he enjoys. Coming along for the ride are Drizzt, Regis, Cattie-Brie, and Wulfgar and his wife, Delly Curtie and Colson.

Unfortunately for the dwarves, an orc leader is rallying the various orc tribes in an allegience with a band of frost giants. Unbeknownst to them, they are both being manipulated by a group of four rogue drow elves. Meanwhile, the human and dwarf population of Mirabar is divided along racial lines with respect to the dwarves of Mithril Hall. The humans see Clan Battlehammer as a trade enemy while the dwarves view their distant kin simply as economic competitors.

A fourth subplot is (to me) most unwelcome because it features a crossover with Salvatore's "other" Forgotten Realms series, The Cleric Quintet. Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder make an appearance, although its purpose is never really clear and in my opinion, is just a cheap ploy to get people to buy The Cleric Quintet (something I recommend against). Just to add in another subplot, the elves who raised Ellifain (the elf Drizzt rescued but tried to kill him in Sea of Swords) are looking for her.

My major problem with the premise of the book is that a single orce leader could unit hundreds of orcs under a single banner. Traditionally, D&D orcs are tribal by nature and although among the smartest of the goblinoid races, aren't given to cooperation unless by a very powerful leader, something the orc king doesn't appear to be. Akar Kessell, for example, used the magical influence of the Crystal Shard to subvert his armies to march on Icewind Dale. The orcs in the book are also generally smarter than I usually give them credit for, something which is perhaps my fault and not Salvatore's. Still, I don't truly buy into the general plot that orcs were capable of organising themselves into a force large enough to attempt what they're doing. Just to be fair, they are being maniplulated by some drow, so anything is possible.

The overall book is very good and reminiscent of Streams of Silver. There is a quest plot that isn't overshadowed by long, boring fight scenes and Drizzt's inter-chapter soliloquies aren't preachy or superflous. Salvatore returns the drow ranger to his brooding ways by interjecting some artificial angst about his inability to settle down with a family and questions about his relationships with the other Companions of the Hall.

I enjoyed The Thousand Orcs more than any Drizzt Do'Urden book since Homeland. It's a very quick read (I finished it in about four hours total) and for the $25.95 cover price, it's a little short of bang for the buck. Still, I recommend it because he's gotten away from the single-book story arcs of the Descent Into Darkness series, which weren't up to Salvatore's previous standards. I would, however, recommend that you either buy it online for about 40% off, or wait until the retail superstores start putting 30% off stickers on them.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10

Hmm, very similar to my thoughts. The first half of his recently completed series is the part that sucked. The latter two books were better, but still not up to the caliber of the old ones. This is a good return to the old Drizzt books. I just don't want to have to wait another year for the next one :rolleyes:

If you want to sate your need for a drow elf fix, pick up Dissolution by Richard Lee Byers (this is a shamless plug for my review of that book which appears in this very forum). I think that book 2 (of 5) in the series is due out soon.

Is it good? Most of the novels being turned out these days are crap (or worse).