I put up with the lack of any rules to the character's abilities (a new magical ability or skill seems to pop out of thin air as the author needs it to push the story along). I thought that the paper thin facade of the background story of 'good' vs 'evil' was just that-a 'facade'-and that the author was setting it up just to tear it down in the second and third book (as a great trilogy author would). I liked the story of the first book-despite the very week development of the mythology, history, and characters. I stuck through progressively worse books, all in hope the author was going to take that idea to its fruition. I was very interested in the idea of the first book: taking the viewpoint of the Tolkien-style 'evil' races and exploring an individual's experience and ethical growth in the face of an 'evil' culture, leadership, and deity. I liked the book enough that I will be picking up the next book from the author about the character. Narration seems correct for this type of book, and story zips along at a brisk pace. All in all, this is a good book with a great sense of adventure. His attempts to establish relationships eventually bare fruits, and his adventure continues in a different direction. There underline theme of pre-conceptions people have and how they are quick to judge based on appearance. These attempts and his appearance / race lends him in trouble.

Once somewhat comfortable with his new environment, Drizzt tries to establish relationships which really back fires. For seasoned readers, it is a sense that does not easily achieved and I really appreciated it. Since a reader could feel for the character, book provides a great sense of adventure as if reader itself is walking out to the world for the first time. A small thing such as weather change, which we might take for granted, was not well understood by Drizzt. Author did a great job of actually going through a lot of detail about how surface / light / environment impacted Drizzt. At this point, reader knows enough about the character to really understand how one might feel and experience when face with such circumstances. Book starts with Drizzt living in cave trying to make sense of an alien environment. This is the last and best book of the series.

Sojourn by ra salvatore