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Hunter's Blades #1
The Thousand Orcs
Fearsome enemies unite to destroy The Companions in this explosive new episode of the long-running Legend of Drizzt saga
When Obould Many-Arrows and the united orc tribes band together with Gerti Orelsdottr and her frost giants, no one is safe. After a skirmish with the orcs almost ends in tragedy, Drizzt Do’Urden and the Companions join with Dagnabbit and a group of dwarves to warn nearby towns of the impending hordes.
But the fight inexorably comes to them at the Battle of Shallows, where humans and dwarves must unite to defend the settlement against the rampaging orcs and their allies. As blades slash and feet trample, even the heroes may not survive a desperate stand.
The Thousand Orcs is the first book in The Hunter’s Blades trilogy and the seventeenth installment in the Legend of Drizzt series.
When Obould Many-Arrows and the united orc tribes band together with Gerti Orelsdottr and her frost giants, no one is safe. After a skirmish with the orcs almost ends in tragedy, Drizzt Do’Urden and the Companions join with Dagnabbit and a group of dwarves to warn nearby towns of the impending hordes.
But the fight inexorably comes to them at the Battle of Shallows, where humans and dwarves must unite to defend the settlement against the rampaging orcs and their allies. As blades slash and feet trample, even the heroes may not survive a desperate stand.
The Thousand Orcs is the first book in The Hunter’s Blades trilogy and the seventeenth installment in the Legend of Drizzt series.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
630 people are currently reading
7968 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Salvatore
610 books11.2k followersAs one of the fantasy genre’s most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore’s original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-seller list and at # 4 on The New York Times best-seller list. His books have been translated into numerous foreign languages including German, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, Czech, and French.
Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.
His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.
The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.
Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.
When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...
Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.
His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.
The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.
Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.
When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
May 1, 2020
While most Drizzt books remain enjoyable, there are a few aspects which keep bothering me:
1) Stakes. Good guys simply do not die in this series, and it is exceedingly rare for new blood to enter the circle of protagonists. This means that, from a character perspective, one is stuck reading the same book over and over again.
2) Villains. Most of the series' antagonists are blatantly uninteresting, and simply there as obstacles for the same old protagonists to overcome again and again, with the exception of Artemis Entreri who's just an appallingly poorly written character. Why can the companions not have run-ins with some of the epic villains the Forgotten Realms can offer?
The series is in many ways underrated by people who brush it aside as tie-in fiction. The writing, for instance, is on par with more recognised fantasy. The Forgotten Realms provides a setting that never stops to fascinate. And yet, these issues, and others, keep dragging the books down far below their actual potential.
1) Stakes. Good guys simply do not die in this series, and it is exceedingly rare for new blood to enter the circle of protagonists. This means that, from a character perspective, one is stuck reading the same book over and over again.
2) Villains. Most of the series' antagonists are blatantly uninteresting, and simply there as obstacles for the same old protagonists to overcome again and again, with the exception of Artemis Entreri who's just an appallingly poorly written character. Why can the companions not have run-ins with some of the epic villains the Forgotten Realms can offer?
The series is in many ways underrated by people who brush it aside as tie-in fiction. The writing, for instance, is on par with more recognised fantasy. The Forgotten Realms provides a setting that never stops to fascinate. And yet, these issues, and others, keep dragging the books down far below their actual potential.
December 27, 2021
I have to say that this book was a big step backwards in the writing and plot aspects of this series. We are back to overly simplistic story lines and frankly boring villains. Although Drizzt and Cattie-Brie are officially a couple, we are left wondering if they have consummated their relationship. There is some doubt about the cross-fertility of their two species and whether half-breed children would face a fair future. The difference in life spans between the drow elf and the human is another consideration. There seems to be a bit of reconsideration on both sides.
After the more adult themed books that centered on Wulfgar, this reversion to a major juvenile outlook is a big disappointment to me. If you're into fight scenes, there are plenty of those (as there always are), but for me they are getting old. I need a bit more complex character development to keep me fully engaged.
Predictably, there is a cliffhanger ending, which may be sufficient to lure me on to the next book. My library doesn't have it, so we'll see if I'm motivated enough to interlibrary loan it in the New Year.
Book Number 434 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
After the more adult themed books that centered on Wulfgar, this reversion to a major juvenile outlook is a big disappointment to me. If you're into fight scenes, there are plenty of those (as there always are), but for me they are getting old. I need a bit more complex character development to keep me fully engaged.
Predictably, there is a cliffhanger ending, which may be sufficient to lure me on to the next book. My library doesn't have it, so we'll see if I'm motivated enough to interlibrary loan it in the New Year.
Book Number 434 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
March 24, 2008
This book is horrible. I've followed Salvatore since the late 80's, when I was in middle school, and I have come to the conclusion that while his reader's have grown, his writing has not. Realizing this back like in '02/03, I purposefully ignored him until now. I figured I could read the last 7(Hunter's Blade, Sellswords, and Orc King) in a month or two, so I decided to get back on that wagon.
This book in particular was just a complete ripoff of the Two Towers(not the book, the Movie. Ugh). From "The companions of the Hall", to the final attack on Helm's Deep, err I mean the town of Shallows, it's all the same.
The characters themselves are wearing thin, with Wulfgar being the only enjoyable one to me. Cattie-Brie is a bore and a forced plot device. Drizzt is... Well what can you say, if he was in his "Fonz" stage 10 years ago(i.e., basically immortal only due to popularity) what is he now? The character is too powerful, unrelatable, and hinders and/or trivializes any story. Oh, and while I'm on the subject, his little journal entries don't work Bob, so just drop it.
I'm not a complete hater and Salvatore(I loved his demon books, as well as his Cadderly stuff), and he is a great memory from my childhood, but he will be much better off if he stopped writing Drizzt for a while, if not forever once this latest Orc trilogy is complete.
This book in particular was just a complete ripoff of the Two Towers(not the book, the Movie. Ugh). From "The companions of the Hall", to the final attack on Helm's Deep, err I mean the town of Shallows, it's all the same.
The characters themselves are wearing thin, with Wulfgar being the only enjoyable one to me. Cattie-Brie is a bore and a forced plot device. Drizzt is... Well what can you say, if he was in his "Fonz" stage 10 years ago(i.e., basically immortal only due to popularity) what is he now? The character is too powerful, unrelatable, and hinders and/or trivializes any story. Oh, and while I'm on the subject, his little journal entries don't work Bob, so just drop it.
I'm not a complete hater and Salvatore(I loved his demon books, as well as his Cadderly stuff), and he is a great memory from my childhood, but he will be much better off if he stopped writing Drizzt for a while, if not forever once this latest Orc trilogy is complete.
April 16, 2017
3.5 stars. It was really fun to read about the companions again! It's been ages since I've read any of the Drizzt novels, and I've missed them.
I would have given this a full four stars except the little parts in chapters with all of the extra characters seemed a bit too much. They definitely tied into the story, and Pikel and Ivan gave me a good laugh (as they always have), but it just seemed to be a bit of a distraction sometimes.
All around it was entertaining though.
I would have given this a full four stars except the little parts in chapters with all of the extra characters seemed a bit too much. They definitely tied into the story, and Pikel and Ivan gave me a good laugh (as they always have), but it just seemed to be a bit of a distraction sometimes.
All around it was entertaining though.
December 19, 2019
Oh man. This series is so comfy. It's so tropey and mostly predictable and great. Like a pair of worn in boots. This was a great installment!
One thing that gets a little tiresome about the Drizzt series is the recycling of the baddies. Not a certain race or archetype, no-no. Literally, the same baddie. Over and over. Thankfully, Baddie Die-Already-And-Stay-Dead doesn't show in this particular installment.
I'd rate this book a PG-13 for some violence and perilous situations, mild humorous slang and cursing, and mature themes.
One thing that gets a little tiresome about the Drizzt series is the recycling of the baddies. Not a certain race or archetype, no-no. Literally, the same baddie. Over and over. Thankfully, Baddie Die-Already-And-Stay-Dead doesn't show in this particular installment.
I'd rate this book a PG-13 for some violence and perilous situations, mild humorous slang and cursing, and mature themes.
July 3, 2024
Salvatore goes above and beyond with this book!
It starts with a raid on a caravan, a narrow escape. Bruenor becomes king so he has to journey to Mithral Hall from Icewind Dale. He has to sit the throne to accept the crown, the former king has passed.
In the meantime, Orcs and Frost Giants have teamed up making a devastating opponent.
Bruenor doesn't want to go directly to Mithral Hall, he feels once he's on the throne he won't be able to kill Orcs. So he is meandering and checking on towns on the way.
There is one town that sees themselves as rivals to Mithral Hall and they have their own issues.
It being partly human and partly Dwarven.
A lot is going on in this book, a lot of action and fighting.
It starts with a raid on a caravan, a narrow escape. Bruenor becomes king so he has to journey to Mithral Hall from Icewind Dale. He has to sit the throne to accept the crown, the former king has passed.
In the meantime, Orcs and Frost Giants have teamed up making a devastating opponent.
Bruenor doesn't want to go directly to Mithral Hall, he feels once he's on the throne he won't be able to kill Orcs. So he is meandering and checking on towns on the way.
There is one town that sees themselves as rivals to Mithral Hall and they have their own issues.
It being partly human and partly Dwarven.
A lot is going on in this book, a lot of action and fighting.
July 22, 2014
This book had some annoying foreshadowing in what I believe was an attempt to add suspense to the otherwise standard hack and slash Drizzt adventure. The reason why the foreshadowing added nothing to the plot for me is that Salvatore has shown a reluctance to kill his heros and have them actually stay dead-- except for Chewbacca in Vector Prime (still crying over that). So when RA foreshadows an a sad moment for Drizzt coming up in the book, not only does the reader not buy into it, but the reader also learns the truth of the situation and welfare of the persons in question, before Drizzt has time to even contemplate the perceived lose. This amounted to a bad use of technique, where a better narrative, editorial process, or better executed plot timeline could have given the reader that suspenseful scene that I think RA was striving to create.
Also, can we stop using the stupid Trojan Horse Ex Deus Machina crap...PLEASE!!! It just highlights some of the issues that I spoke of above, lack of planning, bad editing, and/or poorly executed narrative.
Also, can we stop using the stupid Trojan Horse Ex Deus Machina crap...PLEASE!!! It just highlights some of the issues that I spoke of above, lack of planning, bad editing, and/or poorly executed narrative.
January 21, 2015
You and your dear companions are besieged by enemies on all sides with no hope of escape. Will any help come? Will you be saved from death? That is what Drizzt Do'urden and his companions face in The Thousand Orcs, by R.A. Salvatore. This book is another entry that continues on the epic Fantasy realm Salvatore has created. In the book, Drizzt, along with his companions who are Cattie-Brie, Wulfgar, Regis, and Bruenor, return to Mithral Hall to crown Bruenor king as a result of his predecessor dying. Once they return, they encounter a dwarf with a tale of an organized band of giants and orcs ravaging the roads around Mithral Hall. This leads them to go on a hunt that will uncover some peculiar things. Things that have the potential of leading them to their deaths.
I wanted to read this book, because I'm an avid fan of fantasy, especially the series that involve Drizzt Do'urden. This book contains a lot of action that will keep you glued to the page, as well as a fair amount of character development as some of them begin to realize their true feelings. The message this book gave to me is that Good may not always initially triumph over Evil, and will take sacrifices to overcome Evil. This book is great for those who've read and liked other books by R.A. Salvatore, and those who read the DragonLance saga. I'd suggest people who are not fond of a nice, simple adventure with small plot twists to avoid this book, since this is essentially what it is.
The Thousand Orcs is not one of the best books I've read, but it's still fairly good, so I give it a rating of three out of five. So, if you like fantasy adventures, go pick up this book!
I wanted to read this book, because I'm an avid fan of fantasy, especially the series that involve Drizzt Do'urden. This book contains a lot of action that will keep you glued to the page, as well as a fair amount of character development as some of them begin to realize their true feelings. The message this book gave to me is that Good may not always initially triumph over Evil, and will take sacrifices to overcome Evil. This book is great for those who've read and liked other books by R.A. Salvatore, and those who read the DragonLance saga. I'd suggest people who are not fond of a nice, simple adventure with small plot twists to avoid this book, since this is essentially what it is.
The Thousand Orcs is not one of the best books I've read, but it's still fairly good, so I give it a rating of three out of five. So, if you like fantasy adventures, go pick up this book!
July 27, 2015
The Thousand Orcs is the start of a great trilogy. For this trilogy you really get the whole spectrum – intro and slow rise, building and tension, and then the roller coaster of seeing it all come together.
That’s what you get with the three books. This first book starts out slow. I feel that there’s too much in the way of politics, and a lot of this backstory with Ellifain, the slain…you know what from the previous books.
I could have done without the Wulfgar/Delly love angle, and some of the intros and reshashings with dwarven storylines and characters got a bit old. But other than that, this was a good book.
I like the last 100 pages best, when you see some epic battling and some cool stuff with a wizard’s tower. I like how Drizzt is forced to be alone. The alliances with Gerti and Obould are also good.
Overall, I enjoyed this book much more on the second reading. I’m looking forward to reading Book 2, The Lone Drow, right now. I’ll do the whole trilogy in a row, as this seems like vintage Salvatore.
First Read: 2010
Second Read: 2015
That’s what you get with the three books. This first book starts out slow. I feel that there’s too much in the way of politics, and a lot of this backstory with Ellifain, the slain…you know what from the previous books.
I could have done without the Wulfgar/Delly love angle, and some of the intros and reshashings with dwarven storylines and characters got a bit old. But other than that, this was a good book.
I like the last 100 pages best, when you see some epic battling and some cool stuff with a wizard’s tower. I like how Drizzt is forced to be alone. The alliances with Gerti and Obould are also good.
Overall, I enjoyed this book much more on the second reading. I’m looking forward to reading Book 2, The Lone Drow, right now. I’ll do the whole trilogy in a row, as this seems like vintage Salvatore.
First Read: 2010
Second Read: 2015
August 17, 2011
I had never read any of Salvatore's work before this, so perhaps my view is skewed. But I found this to be a spectacularly unsophisticated fantasy novel. Drizzt is an interesting character and there is much that could be done with his background. I'm not entirely sure what the connection is between novels centered around him and the Dungeons and Dragons game. I know this book was published by Wizards of the Coast, which created the game also. So maybe it was just used to sell more copies of the game or give RPG-ers something to dig into while not playing. Even if that's the case, I feel like R.A. Salvatore is not my favorite dungeon master. I ended up putting the book down though and moving on to something different about two-thirds of the way through, which I almost never do that far in because I just want there to be some pay-off. If you're really into smash-mouth, D&D-style fantasy stories, this might be up your ally. For me, it was pretty much a dud.
March 25, 2010
Found on the mailroom table at my apt. Not the worst book I've ever read, but very, very far from the best. I am a big D&D fan, but never read any of the novels. Now I know why. I've lost track of the number of gaming cliches I've identified, but dwarves speaking like hillbilies and drow with darkly mysterious pasts should have clued me to what I was getting into ... I also should remember to beware of books that come in series ... and worse, are part of at least two series ... Book One of the Hunter's Blades Trilogy AND Book 14 of the tales of the improbably back-storied character no DM in his right mind would allow into a campaign.
Stop me, before I read again.
Stop me, before I read again.
July 14, 2016
This is a different kind of book for Salvatore.
It was soooo slow for the first 200 pages - we had at least 6 different POV's - many different plotlines (that finally came together in the last 50 pages) - not a lot of action (until the final 75 pages).
I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.
We have the companions back together again.
We have orcs and frost giants on a united front.
Of course the orcs and giants have a battle with the companions.
Yep, that's it
That's the whole book.
I've heard this is one of the better trilogies in the Drizzt series so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
It was soooo slow for the first 200 pages - we had at least 6 different POV's - many different plotlines (that finally came together in the last 50 pages) - not a lot of action (until the final 75 pages).
I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.
We have the companions back together again.
We have orcs and frost giants on a united front.
Of course the orcs and giants have a battle with the companions.
Yep, that's it
That's the whole book.
I've heard this is one of the better trilogies in the Drizzt series so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
September 22, 2013
3 stars for the nostalgia alone. Zero stars for the rest. Sometimes I still feel like a dumb teenager, but books like these make me realize I've grown up, at least a little bit. I'll finish the 3 book series but don't try this at home unless you're 13 yo or so.
February 1, 2025
BOOOOOOOO
April 22, 2014
Beware, several spoilers ahead.
This book was quite interesting. After the last two books that I thought that Salvatore and Drizzt were done and overdone - he throws a curveball with this one.
With the passing of the king of Mithral Hall, Bruenor is called upon to take the crown. So he, his companions and the dwarves begin a journey to Mithral Hall, passing by Mirabar to ensure a better understanding between two cities. Afterwards, they travelled north but To-Be-King Bruenor, Catti-Brie, Wulfgar, Regis and Drizzt and a score of dwarves meet some dwarves that had been ambushed by Orcs. With the thought of revenge they travelled to warn the nearby human cities.
This is the premises of this novel. What we get is a lot but at the same time a bit overdo. Some things come from other books, and people starting here can be a bit lost. This book is full of philosophy and ways of life.
-Catti-brie (human female; adoptive daughter of Bruenor) deals with her relationship with Drizzt a Drow. First should they be together, is it love and after, what would be their future?
-Regis deals with his way of life. He is an halfing and what he likes best his to live his life without many worries. But, with his companions that doesn't happen much. But after being rescued a zillion times by them he feels that he owns them and so he stays.
-Wulfgar, adoptive son of Bruenor is a barbarian with a soft heart. He deals with his past life (lover of catti-brie, imprisoned by a demon) and now together with a woman and her adoptive son. So he has a lot in his mind.
-Bruenor, all his life the dwarf only wanted to return to his ancestors dwelling place, Mithral Hall. But after retrieving he feels incomplete. This is characteristic that plagues almost every human (and dwarves). We are never happy with our life. We want more. And after doing what we achieve we want more. In one way that's what drives humankind ever forward but at the same time that's the reason for all evils humankind do. So in Bruenor, is the decision to be King or to be on the road with Drizzt and kill some foes (this same question dwells on every character).
-Drizzt, the main character. A goodheated drow(dark-elf). At times he is the most hated of characters. He is that kind of person that whines and takes everybody pains/difficulties as his own. He is a self-sacrificing guy and he is never happy with his decision... always wondering if he made the right choice and always suffering for past events. The problem relating with him his that. Nobody is that good. But at the same time, he is a god in the arts of war. He can kill everything. He reminds me of Gotrek the Trollslayer.
Nevertheless this flaws (to me they are); his battlescenes are probably my favourite battlescenes in any books I have ever read. His books are worth reading just for that. When Drizzt battles Entreri, where a battle takes ten or more pages, is glorious.
Well with so many critics, why did I rate four? Some critics are not critics. It's good to see characters wonder about their life choices. The problem is overdoing it and Salvatore is overdoing it for some books.
This book is life Two Towers (movie) as a small force of dwarves and humans try to stop the power of orcs and giants. Again our main characters are overpower in relation of their enemies but I can handle that.
The Regis scenes, of all companions, are the best ones. And the highlight must be the almost comic appearance of Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder. They are quite interesting characters.
The story moves forward in the end and end with several cliffhangers. First Drizzt thinks his friends are lost beneath the rumbles of the destroyed city. Then we've got Torgar of Mirabar and his band of refugees who aid Bruennor. We have most of companions of the hall hurt or demoralized. We have Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder as they meet Bruenor. The elves as they see with caution the appearance of the Orcs in the forest and then we've got the evil alliance of Drows, Orcs and Giants who want nothing more than to destroy Mithrall Hall and Drizzt.
I am eagerly waiting to read Lone Drow.
This book was quite interesting. After the last two books that I thought that Salvatore and Drizzt were done and overdone - he throws a curveball with this one.
With the passing of the king of Mithral Hall, Bruenor is called upon to take the crown. So he, his companions and the dwarves begin a journey to Mithral Hall, passing by Mirabar to ensure a better understanding between two cities. Afterwards, they travelled north but To-Be-King Bruenor, Catti-Brie, Wulfgar, Regis and Drizzt and a score of dwarves meet some dwarves that had been ambushed by Orcs. With the thought of revenge they travelled to warn the nearby human cities.
This is the premises of this novel. What we get is a lot but at the same time a bit overdo. Some things come from other books, and people starting here can be a bit lost. This book is full of philosophy and ways of life.
-Catti-brie (human female; adoptive daughter of Bruenor) deals with her relationship with Drizzt a Drow. First should they be together, is it love and after, what would be their future?
-Regis deals with his way of life. He is an halfing and what he likes best his to live his life without many worries. But, with his companions that doesn't happen much. But after being rescued a zillion times by them he feels that he owns them and so he stays.
-Wulfgar, adoptive son of Bruenor is a barbarian with a soft heart. He deals with his past life (lover of catti-brie, imprisoned by a demon) and now together with a woman and her adoptive son. So he has a lot in his mind.
-Bruenor, all his life the dwarf only wanted to return to his ancestors dwelling place, Mithral Hall. But after retrieving he feels incomplete. This is characteristic that plagues almost every human (and dwarves). We are never happy with our life. We want more. And after doing what we achieve we want more. In one way that's what drives humankind ever forward but at the same time that's the reason for all evils humankind do. So in Bruenor, is the decision to be King or to be on the road with Drizzt and kill some foes (this same question dwells on every character).
-Drizzt, the main character. A goodheated drow(dark-elf). At times he is the most hated of characters. He is that kind of person that whines and takes everybody pains/difficulties as his own. He is a self-sacrificing guy and he is never happy with his decision... always wondering if he made the right choice and always suffering for past events. The problem relating with him his that. Nobody is that good. But at the same time, he is a god in the arts of war. He can kill everything. He reminds me of Gotrek the Trollslayer.
Nevertheless this flaws (to me they are); his battlescenes are probably my favourite battlescenes in any books I have ever read. His books are worth reading just for that. When Drizzt battles Entreri, where a battle takes ten or more pages, is glorious.
Well with so many critics, why did I rate four? Some critics are not critics. It's good to see characters wonder about their life choices. The problem is overdoing it and Salvatore is overdoing it for some books.
This book is life Two Towers (movie) as a small force of dwarves and humans try to stop the power of orcs and giants. Again our main characters are overpower in relation of their enemies but I can handle that.
The Regis scenes, of all companions, are the best ones. And the highlight must be the almost comic appearance of Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder. They are quite interesting characters.
The story moves forward in the end and end with several cliffhangers. First Drizzt thinks his friends are lost beneath the rumbles of the destroyed city. Then we've got Torgar of Mirabar and his band of refugees who aid Bruennor. We have most of companions of the hall hurt or demoralized. We have Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder as they meet Bruenor. The elves as they see with caution the appearance of the Orcs in the forest and then we've got the evil alliance of Drows, Orcs and Giants who want nothing more than to destroy Mithrall Hall and Drizzt.
I am eagerly waiting to read Lone Drow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
3.5 stars
January 14, 2021
Not only leans but entirely depends upon the plots and events of novels past, offering only a thin veneer of independent significance and story. Difficult to engage with for a casual reader, though I’m sure it’s rewarding for folks with fresh memories of the preceding 13 books.
June 23, 2014
I was really torn over whether to give this a three or a four star rating.
Good points:
The action scenes were fun, there was a nice spread of characters and the ending was satisfying, up to a point.
Not so good points:
I think my main complaint was that I didn't feel invested in the characters by the time I reached the end. I grew up reading the Icewind Dale trilogy and know the people. Perhaps had I read it again before I began this it would have helped. I did enjoy the development of the characters and their concerns. The overall theme of the book was very much looking at how their world and lives had changed and whether they were still doing the right thing. That resonated with me, but I still didn't feel emotionally attached.
So, for a fun, simple read that ticks all the necessary fantasy cliches, I would recommend this book.
For anyone who wants something a little deeper, I'd recommend The Diamond Throne
For anyone who wants something a lot deeper, try this: Gardens of the Moon
Good points:
The action scenes were fun, there was a nice spread of characters and the ending was satisfying, up to a point.
Not so good points:
I think my main complaint was that I didn't feel invested in the characters by the time I reached the end. I grew up reading the Icewind Dale trilogy and know the people. Perhaps had I read it again before I began this it would have helped. I did enjoy the development of the characters and their concerns. The overall theme of the book was very much looking at how their world and lives had changed and whether they were still doing the right thing. That resonated with me, but I still didn't feel emotionally attached.
So, for a fun, simple read that ticks all the necessary fantasy cliches, I would recommend this book.
For anyone who wants something a little deeper, I'd recommend The Diamond Throne
For anyone who wants something a lot deeper, try this: Gardens of the Moon
August 20, 2013
One dark elf. Two enchanted blades. One unknown enemy. And a horde of invaders.
"I am not afraid to die because I know that I am part of a something, a concept, a belief, that is bigger than all that is me, body and soul."
R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt series is a staple of the fantasy genre. You almost can't talk about fantasy books and not relate back to Drizzt somehow. It is a fantastic series, and this one is one of the best books in it thus far.
As usual, the character development is full of depth and meaningful exchanges, the storyline is fluidly paced, and the action...well, the action scenes are fantastic. There is a lot of fighting in this book (surprise, surprise!) and all of it took my breath away and left me wanting more. There was also a lot of dwarf politics in this story, which I found fascinating to read about, since I find Salvatore's dwarves some of the best written dwarves in the genre.
And in the end this book is a great read, full of laughter, sadness, epic brawls, sassy dialogue, and great characters that you wish you could take home with you. I would recommend this series and author to anyone who enjoys fantasy!
"I am not afraid to die because I know that I am part of a something, a concept, a belief, that is bigger than all that is me, body and soul."
R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt series is a staple of the fantasy genre. You almost can't talk about fantasy books and not relate back to Drizzt somehow. It is a fantastic series, and this one is one of the best books in it thus far.
As usual, the character development is full of depth and meaningful exchanges, the storyline is fluidly paced, and the action...well, the action scenes are fantastic. There is a lot of fighting in this book (surprise, surprise!) and all of it took my breath away and left me wanting more. There was also a lot of dwarf politics in this story, which I found fascinating to read about, since I find Salvatore's dwarves some of the best written dwarves in the genre.
And in the end this book is a great read, full of laughter, sadness, epic brawls, sassy dialogue, and great characters that you wish you could take home with you. I would recommend this series and author to anyone who enjoys fantasy!
September 28, 2011
It was a really good book. It was fun, light, enjoyable, and moral (in a sense). It was so much better than what Salvatore has been producing. It was back to the old days of the Companions of the Hall. It does seem a little bit like Salvatore is trying to redo what worked for him before. The group heads out from Icewind Dale to help Bruenor claim the crown of Mithril Hall, AND there’s going to be a grand adventure of trying to find an ancient Dwarven stronghold. I don’t care though, if it means there’s two more books on the way I’m happy.[return]What I found lacking in the book was that the relationship between Cattie-Brie and Drizzt goes splat. She has a near-death experience and decides that she wants to settle down and have children (or something). She gets all distant and weird and Drizzt gets all mushy and romantic talking about how he has to respect her wishes bla bla bla. But, I guess Salvatore was just looking for a little drama. I just hope they do end up together. I’d love to see little Drizzt-Brie.
June 23, 2011
2.5 stars. Pretty much Tolkien's "The Two Towers" retold with Salvatore's characters. It was just way, way too similar. Actually, exactly the same plot. Kind of disappointing after "Sea of Swords" which I enjoyed immensely.
My favorite parts? Every scene involving Regis, he has become my favorite character of the whole series - Drizzt, the main hero, is just way too frickin' whiny. And then Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder for comic relief.
What I disliked most? Drizzt and Catti-brie. The whole "will they, won't they" is getting on my last nerve. I'm now really glad that Wulfgar got together with Delly Curtie because she's more down-to-earth and stronger than Catti-brie with her unending "issues" that are becoming more and more annoying with every book.
My favorite parts? Every scene involving Regis, he has become my favorite character of the whole series - Drizzt, the main hero, is just way too frickin' whiny. And then Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder for comic relief.
What I disliked most? Drizzt and Catti-brie. The whole "will they, won't they" is getting on my last nerve. I'm now really glad that Wulfgar got together with Delly Curtie because she's more down-to-earth and stronger than Catti-brie with her unending "issues" that are becoming more and more annoying with every book.
January 24, 2016
Very political but never boring!
January 17, 2024
რეჯისი <3
Old Review:
როგორც იქნა დაიწყო ლეწვა-ჩეხვა და ძვლების ჭახუნი. უბრალოდ 13 წიგნი რო ამას ელოდები ცოტა ტეხავს, მარა ღირდა.
ორკები, დვორფები, ელფები არიქა, შმარიქა.
Old Review:
როგორც იქნა დაიწყო ლეწვა-ჩეხვა და ძვლების ჭახუნი. უბრალოდ 13 წიგნი რო ამას ელოდები ცოტა ტეხავს, მარა ღირდა.
ორკები, დვორფები, ელფები არიქა, შმარიქა.
November 6, 2022
This one’s great!
It’s very layered with multiple plot-lines, some resolved, and some leading into the next instalment in this trilogy/story arc of the greater Legend of Drizzt series. Salvatore delivers another great entry!
Happy reading, everybody!
It’s very layered with multiple plot-lines, some resolved, and some leading into the next instalment in this trilogy/story arc of the greater Legend of Drizzt series. Salvatore delivers another great entry!
Happy reading, everybody!
February 20, 2025
A much slower burn of a story than many of the other Drizzt novels, but very solidly written. The politics and growing threat are really well managed, and something about the writing about the end really got me -- I found myself tearing up as I read. A solid entry!
November 4, 2019
Quite the epic battle in this one leaving things unsettled leading into the next book.
April 10, 2025
this would be 5 stars if it wasn't for the constant will they won't they romance nonsense
January 9, 2012
by S. A. Salvatore, published in 2002.
Drizzt, Cattie-brie, Wulfgar, Bruenor and Regis are embarking on yet another huge adventure. This time though Bruenor the dwarf is none to pleased about it as it looks certain that he must be the next king of Mithral Hall, a position he does not want.
By now these characters must be very familiar to avid Salvatore readers. For myself, well, I skipped all the books in between after “The Halfling’s Gem” and started up again right here with “The Thousand Orcs.”
What I found is that so much has happened between then and now that many of the references to past events and people left me out in the cold. So let me just review this book as it stands; part one of a trilogy called the “The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy.”
The Spine of the World, in the Forgotten Realms where the Drizzt books take place, is never a friendly place at the best of time. There are savage beasts, large orc tribes, frost giants, just to name a few dangers. But the stakes just got raised to their highest level yet.
It would appear that among the orcs a leader has arrived, but instead of the slack-jawed, bulging muscled moron with little intellect, an anomalous orc has appeared. He has cunning, intelligence and even social graces which allow him to forge (with the help of drow, of course) an alliance with the clan of Frost giants.
This union is very, very bad for the dwarves and humans who live there. And, as you can guess, Drizzt and his long time friends are going to get caught directly in the middle of it all.
And boy do they ever. There are some colourful characters added (perhaps from previous books) like Pikel the dwarf druid and his brother Ivan.
I also found this book had a fairly complicated plot where characters paths crossed at interesting times, and some twists thrown in for good measure. The meat of the tale though is Drizzt and his friends confronting something bigger than they are.
Which leads me to the battles scenes which crop up. Very well done and fun to read. You actually get the sense of the futility of fighting 1000 orcs and a dozen frost giants from the heros and town defenders perspective. Quite entertaining.
Well, I will certainly finish this trilogy now. And the end of this book leaves us with Drizzt alone among the hordes of enemies, and what they have just fought through was only the vanguard of a much, much larger force.
More mayhem on the way for sure. If you are a Salvatore fan then you know what I speak of already. If you are not, perhaps you should give him a try - if you like heroic fantasy novels that is.
Drizzt, Cattie-brie, Wulfgar, Bruenor and Regis are embarking on yet another huge adventure. This time though Bruenor the dwarf is none to pleased about it as it looks certain that he must be the next king of Mithral Hall, a position he does not want.
By now these characters must be very familiar to avid Salvatore readers. For myself, well, I skipped all the books in between after “The Halfling’s Gem” and started up again right here with “The Thousand Orcs.”
What I found is that so much has happened between then and now that many of the references to past events and people left me out in the cold. So let me just review this book as it stands; part one of a trilogy called the “The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy.”
The Spine of the World, in the Forgotten Realms where the Drizzt books take place, is never a friendly place at the best of time. There are savage beasts, large orc tribes, frost giants, just to name a few dangers. But the stakes just got raised to their highest level yet.
It would appear that among the orcs a leader has arrived, but instead of the slack-jawed, bulging muscled moron with little intellect, an anomalous orc has appeared. He has cunning, intelligence and even social graces which allow him to forge (with the help of drow, of course) an alliance with the clan of Frost giants.
This union is very, very bad for the dwarves and humans who live there. And, as you can guess, Drizzt and his long time friends are going to get caught directly in the middle of it all.
And boy do they ever. There are some colourful characters added (perhaps from previous books) like Pikel the dwarf druid and his brother Ivan.
I also found this book had a fairly complicated plot where characters paths crossed at interesting times, and some twists thrown in for good measure. The meat of the tale though is Drizzt and his friends confronting something bigger than they are.
Which leads me to the battles scenes which crop up. Very well done and fun to read. You actually get the sense of the futility of fighting 1000 orcs and a dozen frost giants from the heros and town defenders perspective. Quite entertaining.
Well, I will certainly finish this trilogy now. And the end of this book leaves us with Drizzt alone among the hordes of enemies, and what they have just fought through was only the vanguard of a much, much larger force.
More mayhem on the way for sure. If you are a Salvatore fan then you know what I speak of already. If you are not, perhaps you should give him a try - if you like heroic fantasy novels that is.
March 6, 2012
The Thousand Orcs by R.A. Salvatore is a fast paced story from the Hunters Blades Trilogy. From the minute you pick up this book you can not stop turning the pages because of the fast pace and exciting characters. If you are a fan of the other books by this author that share the character Drizzit this is a must read. Also if you have never heard of R.A. Salvatore and are just interested in a good book this would be a catching and easy read for those who love stuff like dark elves and fantasy and war.
The story takes place in a medieval type world on an entirely different planet from ours. It is not some type of space travel junk it just takes place in a different type of world with many different races. There are elves, orcs, dark elves, humans, dwarves, giants and trolls on this planet and one orc stands above his peers. He wants a war with the dwarves so he leads some of his people out of their dark holes and starts raiding caravans and small villages by the spine of the world. There this leads to the dwarves finding out about the orcs and king Bruenor taking action against them.
King Bruenor (dwarf) and his friends Cattie-Brie(human), Regis(Halfling),Drizzit Do Urden(dark elf aka drow),Wulfgar(barbarian human), and a small band of dwarves set out to hunt down what they believe to be a small force of orcs terrorizing the countryside. What they meat instead is an organized force of hundreds of the beasts all armed for war. They get hunted all across the countryside until they come to the walled village of shallows. There they make their stand and kill a lot of orcs. That’s all I have to say so that I don’t give away some of the better parts or the ending.
I recommend this book for those who like a lot of suspense and action. Also if you like heavy fantasy this would be a really good read for you. Another thing I noticed about this book is that it would really suit people who like unexpected endings. So to all you people who love good and fast reading this is a book I liked and I recommend it.
The story takes place in a medieval type world on an entirely different planet from ours. It is not some type of space travel junk it just takes place in a different type of world with many different races. There are elves, orcs, dark elves, humans, dwarves, giants and trolls on this planet and one orc stands above his peers. He wants a war with the dwarves so he leads some of his people out of their dark holes and starts raiding caravans and small villages by the spine of the world. There this leads to the dwarves finding out about the orcs and king Bruenor taking action against them.
King Bruenor (dwarf) and his friends Cattie-Brie(human), Regis(Halfling),Drizzit Do Urden(dark elf aka drow),Wulfgar(barbarian human), and a small band of dwarves set out to hunt down what they believe to be a small force of orcs terrorizing the countryside. What they meat instead is an organized force of hundreds of the beasts all armed for war. They get hunted all across the countryside until they come to the walled village of shallows. There they make their stand and kill a lot of orcs. That’s all I have to say so that I don’t give away some of the better parts or the ending.
I recommend this book for those who like a lot of suspense and action. Also if you like heavy fantasy this would be a really good read for you. Another thing I noticed about this book is that it would really suit people who like unexpected endings. So to all you people who love good and fast reading this is a book I liked and I recommend it.
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