Originally posted by Ned Flanders:
<STRONG>Do you think there be more concerning Artemis and Jarlaxle?</STRONG>
I think he left Entreri and Jarlaxle in a situation where he could come back to them, but I don't think he will, at least in the form of a novel. Jarlaxle has always been a character of moral ambiguity. There's no doubt in my mind that he can be as ruthless and evil as any other drow, but the characteristic drow bloodlust is absent from his character. Jarlaxle enjoys physical pleasure and the intrigue of Menzoberranzan, but he's not megalomaniacal like Matron Baenre or Briza Do'Urden.
Entreri started his literary life as a hired gun, very similar to Boba Fett. Like Fett, he was at the top of his craft and was willing to hire out his services to the highest bidder (who happened to be Pook). As
Streams of Silver and
The Halfling's Gem progressed, Entreri developed into an evil character and rival to Drizzt; indeed they appeared to be mirror images of each other.
However, after the
Legacy of the Drow series, Entreri was "shown the light" after living among the drow and became a simple mercenary again. In my opinion, that was the worst way for his character to go. Instead of being an anti-Drizzt, Entreri is not reformed but neither is he seething with the evil and hatred that made him such a great villain. Plus, he's aging quickly while Drizzt Do'Urden is still young for an elf.
Salvatore has written Entreri and Jarlaxle into a position where they may appear again, but that also could have been their "riding off into the sunset" scene. I think that the only times we will see them again will be in short stories or in bit supporting parts. Having been basically de-villified, the pair may turn into allies of Drizzt in the next crisis when he saves the world, or they may just disappear.
<STRONG>
I believe he's got one more trilogy left in him to bring everything to a head. It will be a shame to read the very page where Salvatore kills Drizzt, his breadwinner, for good. Is there any other way to end the series??? I guess he could hang out and watch all of his friends die of old age.</STRONG>
I think that Salvatore has written himself into a corner and doesn't know how to get out. Drizzt is at the pinacle of his life; he's found a home among friends in Icewind Dale, his romantic aspirations have now been fulfilled with Cattie-brie, and he's at the top of his craft as a fighter and ranger. In short, there's nothing more he can do to become a complete character.
Part of Salvatore's problem is that many of his main characters are of the short-lived races. Wulfgar, Deudermont, Cattie-brie and Entreri are human. Bruenor is a dwarf, but he is growing old and is already well over two hundred. Regis can expect to live to be about 150, but Drizzt will still out-live him by 500 years or so.
Two of Drizzt's major nemeses have been disposed of: Matron Baenre is dead and Errtu is banished to the Abyss, at least for as long as the other Companions of the Hall have left to live. Entreri is gone from the dark elf's life, probably never to return (at least as an antagonist).
So what does Salvatore do with Drizzt? He can write another book 100 years down the road, where Bruenor has just died with his heir taking the throne at Mithral Hall and Drizzt's own half-elf child at his side. But even then the drow will only be 150 or so, right in the prime of life for an elf. It won't be Wulfgar's son, but his great-grandson, joining the party, maybe as a wizard. Hardcore fans will scream bloody murder because their favourite "other" characters are missing and the chemistry isn't the same.
On top of that, from a product standpoint, WOTC doesn't want its authors going too far astray, because then they can't market products and sell you RPG campaign setting stuff. For instance, if someone writes a book that is advanced 100 years ahead of the other Forgotten Realms books, how are you going to explain how half of the main characters (Fzoul, Khelben, Alustriel, Danilo, etc.) just died. Marvel tried that with their
2099 comic book series (remember them?) a few years back and it failed miserably.
There are a lot of ways Salvatore can go, but I feel like there's not much more he can do with the literary character of Drizzt. In his soliloquies between chapters, Drizzt has explained that he is at peace with himself and the world around him. Unless Salvatore invents another epic villain for Drizzt to fight, the drow has bested everything that has crossed his path.
So how do you sate your audience's desire for more Drizzt Do'Urden? Sadly, I don't know that you can. Part of what made people like him so much in the
Dark Elf Trilogy was that the drow was constantly an outsider who never fit in, either among the drow, the svirfneblin or the humans. Many people identified with him because of his status as an outcast. As things stand at the end of
Sea of Swords, Drizzt is not longer an outsider; the people of Icewind Dale revere him as a protector, Clan Battlehammer values him as an ally, and among all the goodly folk of the north (Silverymoon, Longsaddle, even Waterdeep) he is known and appreciated despite his drow heritage.
I just don't think that there's a lot Salvatore can do with Drizzt. Plus, I think he's probably a little bit tired of writing him. Of course, when he tried to venture out with new characters, the nicest way to describe the result is "mediocre". (Sorry, I just never cared about Cadderly; you'll also notice how he tried to get you to buy his other books by doing a crossover in
Spine of the World, a classic Marvel trick).
[ 12-06-2001: Message edited by: HighLordDave ]