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The War of the Spider Queen #4
Extinction
Halisstra Melarn has lived her life in the service of Lolth, every second knowing she would spend her endless afterlife at her godess's side. Serving the capricious whims of a chaotic demon goddess was never easy, but it promised great reward. Now the Spider Queen is gone, and she may never come back. What then? For one priestess, turning her back on the goddess who abandoned her might be her only way out, her only way to escape oblivion. While Pharaun, Quenthel, Jeggred, Danifae, and Valas search for a way into the burning infinity of the Abyss itself, all the while selling each other cheap, Halisstra and Ryld discover a world where life has value and the shadows are free of assassins. But in an effort to survive, will they lose everything it means to be a dark elf? The simple act of asking that question could bring the entire drow race to the brink of extinction. The War of the Spider Queen gets personal.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
50 people are currently reading
2266 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Smedman
79 books114 followersLisa was very much the tomboy growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia--playing in the woods behind her house, building tree forts, damming the creek, playing army with GI Joe dolls, swinging on ropes, playing flashlight tag, building models and go-carts (which she later rode down the street). She also liked reading science fiction novels from the 1940s, the Doc Savage series, and the Harriet the Spy books.
In 1984, she began her professional writing career, first as a journalist then as a fiction writer. She counts science fiction authors Connie Willis, Robert J. Sawyer, and H.G. Wells, and classic books such as Treasure Island, as influences.
Several of Lisa's short science fiction and fantasy stories have been published in various magazines and anthologies, and in 1993 she was named a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest for science fiction and fantasy writers. She has also had three of her one-act plays produced by a Vancouver theater group.
Lisa is the author of Extinction, one of several novels set in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game’s Forgotten Realms universe. Released in 2004, Extinction made the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction.
After authoring several science fiction and fantasy novels, Lisa recently turned her hand to children's books. From Boneshakers to Choppers (2007) explores the social history of motorcycles. Her interest in motorcycles goes way back--as a teenager, Lisa enjoyed trips up the British Columbia coast, riding pillion on friends' motorcycles. She later purchased her own bike, a 50cc machine, to get around town.
Lisa is one of the founders of Adventures Unlimited, a magazine providing scenarios and tips for role-playing games. She has written short fiction for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game's Ravenloft and Dark Sun lines. She has also designed a number of adventures and gaming products for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Cyberpunk, Immortal, Shatterzone, Millennium's End, and Deadlands. Her original games include Valhalla's Gate, a tabletop skirmish miniatures game drawn from Norse mythology and runic lore. An avid gamer, Lisa belongs to the Trumpeter Wargaming Club.
After working for more than 20 years as a journalist, Lisa now divides her time between writing fiction and contributing to the Vancouver Courier (she edits and writes the History's Lens column). Besides a diploma in journalism, she also has a degree in anthropology. She is fascinated by history and archaeology, particularly the Bronze Age. Her future plans include writing more historical fiction, alternative historical fantasy, and game tie-in novels. Lisa is also interested in building models and dioramas, and tabletop miniatures gaming.
She lives in Richmond, British Columbia, with her wife, their son, four cats, and two pugs.
In 1984, she began her professional writing career, first as a journalist then as a fiction writer. She counts science fiction authors Connie Willis, Robert J. Sawyer, and H.G. Wells, and classic books such as Treasure Island, as influences.
Several of Lisa's short science fiction and fantasy stories have been published in various magazines and anthologies, and in 1993 she was named a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest for science fiction and fantasy writers. She has also had three of her one-act plays produced by a Vancouver theater group.
Lisa is the author of Extinction, one of several novels set in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game’s Forgotten Realms universe. Released in 2004, Extinction made the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction.
After authoring several science fiction and fantasy novels, Lisa recently turned her hand to children's books. From Boneshakers to Choppers (2007) explores the social history of motorcycles. Her interest in motorcycles goes way back--as a teenager, Lisa enjoyed trips up the British Columbia coast, riding pillion on friends' motorcycles. She later purchased her own bike, a 50cc machine, to get around town.
Lisa is one of the founders of Adventures Unlimited, a magazine providing scenarios and tips for role-playing games. She has written short fiction for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game's Ravenloft and Dark Sun lines. She has also designed a number of adventures and gaming products for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Cyberpunk, Immortal, Shatterzone, Millennium's End, and Deadlands. Her original games include Valhalla's Gate, a tabletop skirmish miniatures game drawn from Norse mythology and runic lore. An avid gamer, Lisa belongs to the Trumpeter Wargaming Club.
After working for more than 20 years as a journalist, Lisa now divides her time between writing fiction and contributing to the Vancouver Courier (she edits and writes the History's Lens column). Besides a diploma in journalism, she also has a degree in anthropology. She is fascinated by history and archaeology, particularly the Bronze Age. Her future plans include writing more historical fiction, alternative historical fantasy, and game tie-in novels. Lisa is also interested in building models and dioramas, and tabletop miniatures gaming.
She lives in Richmond, British Columbia, with her wife, their son, four cats, and two pugs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 28, 2009
Lisa Smedman's effort comes up a little short for me. Coming off the tidal wave that ended Condemnation, I had high expectations for this book. While it had some strong points and highly entertaining moments, I felt overall it was a bit unorganized and somewhat "soft".
First i'd like to point out, it was very noticeable that this entry was written by a female, because the book has a sort of sentimentality and soft side the other books did not. This was good for telling the story of Hallistra and Ryld, but bad for other things. The drow in this book didn't have quite that same overall negative feel they should have, and that the other authors held onto. There are also some events of the book that go somewhat unexplained and are told haphazardly. For example: (no spoilers, dont worry!) there is a part where Quenthel and Jeggred are instantly underwater with the aboleths without explanation. I suppose Smedman wanted us to assume Pharaun did that with his "do it all" magic? You will also notice in this entry that Pharaun's magic seems to be of archmage status... getting the expedition out of virtually any situation and saving his hide every time. That was somewhat hard to believe at times.
The book was not without its good parts though! On a positive note, I really like how Smedman wrote both Hallistra Melarn, and Gromph Baenre. We really got to see a new side of Hallistra in this book, and I feel Smedman had the sentimentality to write the female drow well. I also like how she handled Gromph, as she seemed to capture his nature and personality well.
One must question the more weak willed role Quenthel Baenre is taking in the series though.I dont know if this is deliberate, or if its just how Smedman portrayed her, but it seems with every book she becomes less of a leader and more of a fumbling ill-willed priestess who relies on her vipers for advice more than her own instinct.
There were many enjoyable parts of the book, but given its shortcomings, I could not give this book 4 stars. Its not a bad entry to the series, but I feel its been the overall weakest thus far.
First i'd like to point out, it was very noticeable that this entry was written by a female, because the book has a sort of sentimentality and soft side the other books did not. This was good for telling the story of Hallistra and Ryld, but bad for other things. The drow in this book didn't have quite that same overall negative feel they should have, and that the other authors held onto. There are also some events of the book that go somewhat unexplained and are told haphazardly. For example: (no spoilers, dont worry!) there is a part where Quenthel and Jeggred are instantly underwater with the aboleths without explanation. I suppose Smedman wanted us to assume Pharaun did that with his "do it all" magic? You will also notice in this entry that Pharaun's magic seems to be of archmage status... getting the expedition out of virtually any situation and saving his hide every time. That was somewhat hard to believe at times.
The book was not without its good parts though! On a positive note, I really like how Smedman wrote both Hallistra Melarn, and Gromph Baenre. We really got to see a new side of Hallistra in this book, and I feel Smedman had the sentimentality to write the female drow well. I also like how she handled Gromph, as she seemed to capture his nature and personality well.
One must question the more weak willed role Quenthel Baenre is taking in the series though.I dont know if this is deliberate, or if its just how Smedman portrayed her, but it seems with every book she becomes less of a leader and more of a fumbling ill-willed priestess who relies on her vipers for advice more than her own instinct.
There were many enjoyable parts of the book, but given its shortcomings, I could not give this book 4 stars. Its not a bad entry to the series, but I feel its been the overall weakest thus far.
February 6, 2009
This one is in a way different from the other books of the series, but that's not meant as a warning. On the contrary - it's a recommendation.
This is the book where the characters we already know really come alive. Lisa Smedman has such a vivid imagination and a rich writing style, she astounds the reader page after page filled with plot twists, cliff-hangers, intricate details, little particularities about the characters (their inner thoughts, details of their clothing, etc) and Forgotten Realms creatures and races. A very interesting and rewarding book for any fantasy lover and D&D player.
The first 3 books were very good, but this one is so far the best, the one I literally devoured.
This is the book where the characters we already know really come alive. Lisa Smedman has such a vivid imagination and a rich writing style, she astounds the reader page after page filled with plot twists, cliff-hangers, intricate details, little particularities about the characters (their inner thoughts, details of their clothing, etc) and Forgotten Realms creatures and races. A very interesting and rewarding book for any fantasy lover and D&D player.
The first 3 books were very good, but this one is so far the best, the one I literally devoured.
August 16, 2011
Wow! What a ride. Lisa Smedman takes this series and injected a jolt of intensity that it really needed. She has a way of writing that feels very immediate and exciting. The subject (our group of drow splits up, follows paths all over the place, and gets even deeper into trouble) is nothing really special, but Smedman presents it in a way that really made me feel for the characters and kept the pages turning.
I especially loved the way she worked the minutiae of Dungeons and Dragons lore into the story. I've been a D&D fan for a long time now, and we never worry about most of that little stuff in the games we play, but Smedman worked things like spell component collection, the use of those components in spell casting, and in just the descriptions of the various items the characters use into the story. But in a way that flowed naturally, rather than becoming a grocery list of completeness.
I was very very impressed with this book. And I'll be looking out for more Smedman in the future. I think she's an author to watch!
I especially loved the way she worked the minutiae of Dungeons and Dragons lore into the story. I've been a D&D fan for a long time now, and we never worry about most of that little stuff in the games we play, but Smedman worked things like spell component collection, the use of those components in spell casting, and in just the descriptions of the various items the characters use into the story. But in a way that flowed naturally, rather than becoming a grocery list of completeness.
I was very very impressed with this book. And I'll be looking out for more Smedman in the future. I think she's an author to watch!
January 23, 2008
She ruined the characters
October 6, 2025
Review in Greek & English
.
[gr]
Για άλλη μία φορά, θα σχολιάσω το πόσο καλές θεωρώ τις σκηνές μάχης σε αυτά τα βιβλία (αν και συνεχώς για αυτές λέω, τι άλλο καλό έχει εκτός από αυτό, θα πει κανείς;;;)
Από τις πιο όμορφες περιγραφές συνολικά στα βιβλία μέχρι τώρα, ήταν το σημείο όπου η Χαλίστρα ταξίδεψε στον ψυχρό λειμώνα, με τα πνεύματα/φαντάσματα των χαμένων στρατιωτών που ήταν παγιδευμένα λόγω του αδίκου χαμού τους. Ήταν ανατριχιαστικά ωραίες σκηνές αυτές.
Η περιπέτειες της Χαλίστρα και του Ραιλντ σε αυτό το βιβλίο ήταν το κύριο ενδιαφέρον για εμένα και όποτε έβλεπα πως το κεφάλαιο ξεκινούσε με αυτές πάντα ήμουν all in. Η περιπέτεια των αλλονών με κούρασε για να είμαι ειλικρινής, ήταν συνεχώς παγιδευμένοι στο τι να κάνουν, συνέχεια είχαμε τα ίδια μπιφ και γενικώς οι χαρακτήρες του Φάραουν και της Κουένθελ ΚΟΥΡΑΣΑΝ.
Επίσης, ΓΙΑΤΙ ΤΟ ΡΟΜΑΝΤΖΟ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΤΟΣΟ ΞΑΦΝΙΚΟ;
Ήθελα πολύ να καταλήξουν μαζί (δε λέω ονόματα), αλλά έτσι όπως έγινε δε το ένιωσα καθόλου ακόμα και μέχρι το τέλος του βιβλίου. Δηλαδή, από το προηγούμενο λίγο μυστήριο μεταξύ τους ξαφνικά αρχίζει το βιβλίο και από την αρχή είναι λες και ξέραμε ότι ο ένας θέλει τον άλλον σαν δεδομένο. Ξενέρα.
[en]
I can’t stop about how much I like the fight scenes descriptions in these books (but I keep fixating on that, is there anything else that good in this series???)
One of the prettiest scenes was when Halisstra had traveled to that snowy valley (idk the English name of it) where spirits of the dead from old wars were stranded and stuck there due to the unfairness of the cause of their deaths. The descriptions of the area and the vibes there was really chilling.
I mostly was interested to the adventure of Halisstra and Ryld than the others, I felt bored and that the stuff happening to them were very repetitive. Also, Pharaun and Quenthel, plz chill >.<
And another thing, WHY IS THE ROMANCE SO FAST?? Like, we ended the last book thinking that they might like each other, and we start this one having them kiss like they’ve always known they like each other? I really wanted them to end up together (not telling names lol) despite all the hardships of that universe but not like this.
A big no-no.
.
[gr]
Για άλλη μία φορά, θα σχολιάσω το πόσο καλές θεωρώ τις σκηνές μάχης σε αυτά τα βιβλία (αν και συνεχώς για αυτές λέω, τι άλλο καλό έχει εκτός από αυτό, θα πει κανείς;;;)
Από τις πιο όμορφες περιγραφές συνολικά στα βιβλία μέχρι τώρα, ήταν το σημείο όπου η Χαλίστρα ταξίδεψε στον ψυχρό λειμώνα, με τα πνεύματα/φαντάσματα των χαμένων στρατιωτών που ήταν παγιδευμένα λόγω του αδίκου χαμού τους. Ήταν ανατριχιαστικά ωραίες σκηνές αυτές.
Η περιπέτειες της Χαλίστρα και του Ραιλντ σε αυτό το βιβλίο ήταν το κύριο ενδιαφέρον για εμένα και όποτε έβλεπα πως το κεφάλαιο ξεκινούσε με αυτές πάντα ήμουν all in. Η περιπέτεια των αλλονών με κούρασε για να είμαι ειλικρινής, ήταν συνεχώς παγιδευμένοι στο τι να κάνουν, συνέχεια είχαμε τα ίδια μπιφ και γενικώς οι χαρακτήρες του Φάραουν και της Κουένθελ ΚΟΥΡΑΣΑΝ.
Επίσης, ΓΙΑΤΙ ΤΟ ΡΟΜΑΝΤΖΟ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΤΟΣΟ ΞΑΦΝΙΚΟ;
Ήθελα πολύ να καταλήξουν μαζί (δε λέω ονόματα), αλλά έτσι όπως έγινε δε το ένιωσα καθόλου ακόμα και μέχρι το τέλος του βιβλίου. Δηλαδή, από το προηγούμενο λίγο μυστήριο μεταξύ τους ξαφνικά αρχίζει το βιβλίο και από την αρχή είναι λες και ξέραμε ότι ο ένας θέλει τον άλλον σαν δεδομένο. Ξενέρα.
[en]
I can’t stop about how much I like the fight scenes descriptions in these books (but I keep fixating on that, is there anything else that good in this series???)
One of the prettiest scenes was when Halisstra had traveled to that snowy valley (idk the English name of it) where spirits of the dead from old wars were stranded and stuck there due to the unfairness of the cause of their deaths. The descriptions of the area and the vibes there was really chilling.
I mostly was interested to the adventure of Halisstra and Ryld than the others, I felt bored and that the stuff happening to them were very repetitive. Also, Pharaun and Quenthel, plz chill >.<
And another thing, WHY IS THE ROMANCE SO FAST?? Like, we ended the last book thinking that they might like each other, and we start this one having them kiss like they’ve always known they like each other? I really wanted them to end up together (not telling names lol) despite all the hardships of that universe but not like this.
A big no-no.
August 31, 2017
Only one more until the end!! this was a really good one! haslisstra became one of my favorite characters :)
October 1, 2024
The writing in this book is my favorite in the series so far. Ooh the plot is so interesting! Big twist! While this book is in so many ways better than the others, it almost felt out of place in the series because it was so different. I dunno. I’m really struggling with how to rate this one. 3.8 stars
February 6, 2023
More of the same although it tended to drag on towards the end. The army battles where a welcome interlude in the adventure but the aboleth city felt out of place
January 26, 2016
This was my second time around reading this book and series and I forgot a lot of what happened in it. I think I enjoyed the book the second time around more so than the first time I read it.
Smedman really digs deep into the character of Halisstra and her change from a priestess of Lolth to one of Eilistraee. Gromph also gets his time in the spotlight as Smedman relates his daring escape and eventual return as THE archmage of Menzoberranzan.
But the main story is the pursuit of Lolth by the smaller group of drow adventurers which becomes the pursuit of a vessel to take them to the Abyss.
A very entertaining read with a wealth of detail and eye for adventure, romance, action, drama, excitement, and plenty of spells.
I was satisfied!
Smedman really digs deep into the character of Halisstra and her change from a priestess of Lolth to one of Eilistraee. Gromph also gets his time in the spotlight as Smedman relates his daring escape and eventual return as THE archmage of Menzoberranzan.
But the main story is the pursuit of Lolth by the smaller group of drow adventurers which becomes the pursuit of a vessel to take them to the Abyss.
A very entertaining read with a wealth of detail and eye for adventure, romance, action, drama, excitement, and plenty of spells.
I was satisfied!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2022
None of the characters seemed to be acting in character. I agree with another reviewer I saw who said they didn’t feel like they were reading a book about dark elves. The ur trademark cunning, cleverness, wit, malice, etc all were lacking. It was cutesy even. Some big themes were true love, friendship, even had a couple main characters teaming up with or consulting their animal familiars to get shit done. Like what? 😂 thankful I get to move onto the next book in line (which I hear made the #22 slot on the NYT bestseller list the year of its release so I have high hopes for!)
March 27, 2019
Quite some continuation errors compared to the first three books (sure, Phaeraun suddenly has a healing potion, yes, the sword had the holes in the hilt all along, of course do they have a loving relationship, it was hinted at the whole time!); I think the characters were changed a bit too drastically in this book. Some passages seem to have been added as an afterthought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2021
Its been really hard to choose a favorite book for this series, although this one might be the one.
Lisa Smedman did an excelent job of telling the ongoing Saga of the disappearance of the Spider Queen.
Lisa Smedman did an excelent job of telling the ongoing Saga of the disappearance of the Spider Queen.
December 30, 2020
Best one in the series so far. LS handles the characters in a subtle and deep way that the other authors were not quite able to capture. Really enjoying Halisstra's arc.
Read
March 26, 2025I picked this title up in a 2020 Humble Bundle called "Read The Realms," which from a pool of around 300 books consisted entirely of those either written by R.A. Salvatore or concerning the evil drow elves of the Underdark that he popularized with his Drizzt character over the course of nearly 40 novels under the Forgotten Realms banner.
For context, the "Forgotten Realms" is the Dungeons & Dragons gameworld created by Ed Greenwood and later acquired wholesale by the D&D publisher (TSR, Inc., at the time) for use as (eventually, sometimes, and currently) the de-facto default setting for D&D game products. It is where the popular Baldur's Gate computer/video games are set; it is where both the Honor Among Thieves D&D movie and the D&D episode of Amazon's Secret Level show is set. As mentioned previously, there have also been nearly 300 books set in this fictional world, plus who knows how many short stories and many many more actual D&D game products. It's an incredibly successful, fruitful, and influential fictional fantasy world for being, frankly, so bland.
This fourth entry in the six-book "War of the Spider Queen" series so far concerns the discovery and investigation of the sudden absence of the evil spider-loving god of the matriarchal drow elves, Lolth, and the advantage of this absence taken by the drow's enemies. Without Lolth, none of the ordinarily powerful drow priestesses have access to their spells, making them effectively weak. Drow cities, situated in vast caverns in the elaborate underground world known as the Underdark, are put under siege and destroyed. Where has Lolth gone, and what is to happen to the drow?
On one hand, who cares? The entire race of dark elves are, by fiat, evil and despicable and all kinds of horrible. They murder each other for advantage, they lie and cheat and steal for power, and they raid the surface world from time to time just to be assholes. If they were ants you'd flood their caves with gasoline and light a match.
So why does this series exist? Maybe because the other 295 Forgotten Realms books already tell stories about the Good Guys; maybe because Salvatore did such a good job with his "but he's good, actually" drow ranger character Drizzt that audiences are thirsty for more drow content; maybe because there's a D&D metaplot to canonicalize.
Smedman does a pretty good job with this book. In it we follow three groups of characters: the archmage Gromph as he navigates the ongoing siege of the drow city of Menzoberranzan; the expedition group of Pharaun, Quenthel, her demon-pet Jeggred, the "battle-captive" Danifae, and the mercenary (Drizzt stand-in) Valas as they seek a way to the Abyss to discover what's happened to Lolth; and the splinter group of Hallistra and Ryld who remain on the surface and engage in very un-drow-like romance and character growth.
There's lots of fantasy swords and sorcery action, multiple demon bindings, telepathic communications with snake-headed whips and eel-like underwater Aboleths, purple worm slayings, and plenty of cliffhanger chapter endings featuring plot-armored characters in mortal peril. What's not to love?
For context, the "Forgotten Realms" is the Dungeons & Dragons gameworld created by Ed Greenwood and later acquired wholesale by the D&D publisher (TSR, Inc., at the time) for use as (eventually, sometimes, and currently) the de-facto default setting for D&D game products. It is where the popular Baldur's Gate computer/video games are set; it is where both the Honor Among Thieves D&D movie and the D&D episode of Amazon's Secret Level show is set. As mentioned previously, there have also been nearly 300 books set in this fictional world, plus who knows how many short stories and many many more actual D&D game products. It's an incredibly successful, fruitful, and influential fictional fantasy world for being, frankly, so bland.
This fourth entry in the six-book "War of the Spider Queen" series so far concerns the discovery and investigation of the sudden absence of the evil spider-loving god of the matriarchal drow elves, Lolth, and the advantage of this absence taken by the drow's enemies. Without Lolth, none of the ordinarily powerful drow priestesses have access to their spells, making them effectively weak. Drow cities, situated in vast caverns in the elaborate underground world known as the Underdark, are put under siege and destroyed. Where has Lolth gone, and what is to happen to the drow?
On one hand, who cares? The entire race of dark elves are, by fiat, evil and despicable and all kinds of horrible. They murder each other for advantage, they lie and cheat and steal for power, and they raid the surface world from time to time just to be assholes. If they were ants you'd flood their caves with gasoline and light a match.
So why does this series exist? Maybe because the other 295 Forgotten Realms books already tell stories about the Good Guys; maybe because Salvatore did such a good job with his "but he's good, actually" drow ranger character Drizzt that audiences are thirsty for more drow content; maybe because there's a D&D metaplot to canonicalize.
Smedman does a pretty good job with this book. In it we follow three groups of characters: the archmage Gromph as he navigates the ongoing siege of the drow city of Menzoberranzan; the expedition group of Pharaun, Quenthel, her demon-pet Jeggred, the "battle-captive" Danifae, and the mercenary (Drizzt stand-in) Valas as they seek a way to the Abyss to discover what's happened to Lolth; and the splinter group of Hallistra and Ryld who remain on the surface and engage in very un-drow-like romance and character growth.
There's lots of fantasy swords and sorcery action, multiple demon bindings, telepathic communications with snake-headed whips and eel-like underwater Aboleths, purple worm slayings, and plenty of cliffhanger chapter endings featuring plot-armored characters in mortal peril. What's not to love?
February 17, 2025
"Extinction" is the fourth title in the War of the Spider Queen series. "Extinction" is set in the Forgotten Realms universe of Dungeons and Dragons and features a lot of high fantasy elements. It should be noted that the author Lisa Smedman also writes the Lady Penitent spinoff following Halisstra Melarn, who features heavily in "Extinction." The reader can treat "Extinction" as a prequel to the Lady Penitent series. Due in part to this being the fourth entry in the series it will be impossible to give a good review without giving spoilers.
December 10, 2022
Let's start off this review with the bad and then end on a good note.
The book is good for what it is, but it is moreso the lack of advancing the story in a powerful and meaningful way to me. I admit that towards the end it got a lot better, but in all reality, the seige of menzoberranzan is still happening, a continuation of book 3, with seemingly not much happening in the city, or with the battle, other than say the Archmage escaping the confines of his imprisonment, and Triel bossing people around in the city. The party that we follow basically ran back to the underdark, had a premonition about some sea creatures that, since consuming other creatures, might know of a physical way to reach the abyss, and they found a boat to get them there, and Halisstra and Ryld fell in love and now worship a new goddess. This is basically the whole story of book 4.
Now let's get to the good stuff and why 4-4.5 stars, despite the above, is still inevitable. Firstly, as a continuation from what I said before, it is simple, but the descriptions of the interim adventures are still captivating. Although the plot is simple to describe, the way in which is delivered is very well done. The descriptions of the spells that are used, the various myriad of enemies that the party encounters along the way and unique encounters that the party find themselves in is well done. The description of Halisstra's fall from Lolth and the love she now shares with Ryld was well done, the nature of the party needing each other, but heeding to their drowlike nature of rivaling one another. The still funny quips and sarcastic nature of Pharaun. All are things I respect.
Did this book absolutely blow me out of my chair, no, but did this book deliver a captivating story that has some twists and is well written. Absolutely. And this is why I give the book 4-4.5 stars. Well done, and I can't wait to see what becomes of our bedraggled party in the next book.
The book is good for what it is, but it is moreso the lack of advancing the story in a powerful and meaningful way to me. I admit that towards the end it got a lot better, but in all reality, the seige of menzoberranzan is still happening, a continuation of book 3, with seemingly not much happening in the city, or with the battle, other than say the Archmage escaping the confines of his imprisonment, and Triel bossing people around in the city. The party that we follow basically ran back to the underdark, had a premonition about some sea creatures that, since consuming other creatures, might know of a physical way to reach the abyss, and they found a boat to get them there, and Halisstra and Ryld fell in love and now worship a new goddess. This is basically the whole story of book 4.
Now let's get to the good stuff and why 4-4.5 stars, despite the above, is still inevitable. Firstly, as a continuation from what I said before, it is simple, but the descriptions of the interim adventures are still captivating. Although the plot is simple to describe, the way in which is delivered is very well done. The descriptions of the spells that are used, the various myriad of enemies that the party encounters along the way and unique encounters that the party find themselves in is well done. The description of Halisstra's fall from Lolth and the love she now shares with Ryld was well done, the nature of the party needing each other, but heeding to their drowlike nature of rivaling one another. The still funny quips and sarcastic nature of Pharaun. All are things I respect.
Did this book absolutely blow me out of my chair, no, but did this book deliver a captivating story that has some twists and is well written. Absolutely. And this is why I give the book 4-4.5 stars. Well done, and I can't wait to see what becomes of our bedraggled party in the next book.
June 20, 2021
”You have the very mind of a demon, when it comes to trickery, and I commend you for it.”
Author Lisa Smedman delivers the fourth book in the The War of the Spider Queen with Extinction and continues the epic adventure and dynamic characterization that has set this fantasy series well above my original expectations and made it a favorite not just among my shelf of Dungeons & Dragons-inspired books, but among all my sword-and-sorcery collections.
With the drow fellowship finally splintered, Smedman tells a parallel tale of two factions, piling on the character development and reminding us just how much fun it is to spend time with these anti-heroes. Best bits include the sorcerer Pharaum’s match of wits against a pair of demons; the cracking of priestess Quenthel’s icy façade as we get a peek into the manipulative, schizophrenic chorus of venomous voices singing inside her head, and the credible turn of Halisstra to the ‘light-side’ as Smedman pulls the series’ ‘other’ priestess out of the background and molds her into a credible foil for Quenthel.
The pacing is such that the overall quest to find Lolth may be advanced just a few steps, but the diversion is time well spent as we get a much better handle on how the journey thus far has changed the major characters and spun the tension – especially among the still loyal followers of Lolth – to the point that claws are coming out and daggers are being readied for backs.
Four books into the The War of the Spider Queen, the series has yet to slump. As role-playing books go, I haven’t had this much fun since the Dragonlance saga!
July 2, 2023
More like a 3.5 than just a 3 for this book, as I did devour this one a lot quicker than the other books in the series.
Lisa adds a lot more personality to the main characters of the book, making them more rememberable than they ever were. Valas especially stood out, as honestly before this book, I never really had any inkling what his personality was like or what was going on in his head. It was refreshing to know what the characters were thinking and feeling and even showing vulnerability, even if some of them were quick to push down those feelings.
Halisstra and Ryld’s story was by far the best out of the several POVs we got in this book. I really loved seeing their transition from being cold and suspicious to opening up to one another as Halisstra turns over a new leaf. I think it was a big reason why I went through this book a lot quicker than the others to be honest. I look forward to seeing where these two go, even though I have a feeling it’ll go horribly wrong.
Quenthel still feels like a joke in the series. She’s still arrogant as ever, though this time appears to be taking advice from her whip more than I think she ever has in the series, which just made her feel even more stupid than before. I still can’t get over the amount of sass the male characters show her with no punishment vs the female characters never hesitating to strike one another over any slight.
The ending however makes me feel like in the next book she will pull through to be something interesting or worth all of the crap they have put her character through!
Lisa adds a lot more personality to the main characters of the book, making them more rememberable than they ever were. Valas especially stood out, as honestly before this book, I never really had any inkling what his personality was like or what was going on in his head. It was refreshing to know what the characters were thinking and feeling and even showing vulnerability, even if some of them were quick to push down those feelings.
Halisstra and Ryld’s story was by far the best out of the several POVs we got in this book. I really loved seeing their transition from being cold and suspicious to opening up to one another as Halisstra turns over a new leaf. I think it was a big reason why I went through this book a lot quicker than the others to be honest. I look forward to seeing where these two go, even though I have a feeling it’ll go horribly wrong.
Quenthel still feels like a joke in the series. She’s still arrogant as ever, though this time appears to be taking advice from her whip more than I think she ever has in the series, which just made her feel even more stupid than before. I still can’t get over the amount of sass the male characters show her with no punishment vs the female characters never hesitating to strike one another over any slight.
The ending however makes me feel like in the next book she will pull through to be something interesting or worth all of the crap they have put her character through!
April 13, 2020
I know I'm being a little unfair by rating the War of the Spider Queen books while reading them back to back, but it also gives a good idea of how well the different authors are able to depict the fascinating world of the Underdark in this series. Or rather, how well their work blends together into a coherent and compelling story.
Surprisingly, not a lot actually happens in book 4. Major plot points from book 3 are expanded, but none of them reach a conclusion. A couple of minor plot points are added and these focus more on characters, which I actually did appreciate quite a lot. Something that was missing in book 3.
Even though Extinction is quite uneventful, it's a very solid read. The writing style is extremely easy to follow, which is probably one of the reasons I blazed through the book so fast. The story is very coherent and the multiple points of view flow nicely together as they're divided into self-contained fragments. Again, something I felt was missing in book 3.
I am now looking forward to book 5!
Surprisingly, not a lot actually happens in book 4. Major plot points from book 3 are expanded, but none of them reach a conclusion. A couple of minor plot points are added and these focus more on characters, which I actually did appreciate quite a lot. Something that was missing in book 3.
Even though Extinction is quite uneventful, it's a very solid read. The writing style is extremely easy to follow, which is probably one of the reasons I blazed through the book so fast. The story is very coherent and the multiple points of view flow nicely together as they're divided into self-contained fragments. Again, something I felt was missing in book 3.
I am now looking forward to book 5!
February 13, 2025
An enjoyable read! Honest review below.
The novel overall was really entertaining. I enjoyed the shift in religious focus with one of the characters. It was probably the most interesting arc in the whole story in my opinion. There was a lot that happened in the story, although somehow having finished it I feel like not much actually occurred. There was some degree of events being ‘reset’ to their former state which took quite some time, that I feel like contributes to this feeling of not actually having advanced the story greatly. There were some loose ends that never became featured strongly like I personally desired, and the romance that develops further in this book feels strangely lacking the depth that it probably should have but nevertheless interesting. Having said all that it was an entertaining journey overall, giving the spotlight to a character who did very well with it. Enjoy!
The novel overall was really entertaining. I enjoyed the shift in religious focus with one of the characters. It was probably the most interesting arc in the whole story in my opinion. There was a lot that happened in the story, although somehow having finished it I feel like not much actually occurred. There was some degree of events being ‘reset’ to their former state which took quite some time, that I feel like contributes to this feeling of not actually having advanced the story greatly. There were some loose ends that never became featured strongly like I personally desired, and the romance that develops further in this book feels strangely lacking the depth that it probably should have but nevertheless interesting. Having said all that it was an entertaining journey overall, giving the spotlight to a character who did very well with it. Enjoy!
January 30, 2020
This book was good, probably my second favorite in this series, the first book being my favorite. It was great to see Ryld and Halisstra and I was rooting for them. I feel like some of Pharauns qualities that I liked about him in the first book returned to him in this one (they were lost in the second book). Those qualities were really just little things, like worrying about Ryld or Valas. I also liked how he seemed far more cunning in this one like he was in the first one. I feel like the second book made him immature and annoying.
Overall I thought it was good and helped to steer the story back on track, but on the other hand I feel myself losing interest. I think this book had less action and more scenes of dialogue, which I usually don��t mind, but it made the story feel slow in this book.
Overall I thought it was good and helped to steer the story back on track, but on the other hand I feel myself losing interest. I think this book had less action and more scenes of dialogue, which I usually don��t mind, but it made the story feel slow in this book.
January 12, 2018
You can read the full review over at my blog:
https://shadowhawksshade.wordpress.co...
Shadowhawk reviews the second trilogy of the bestselling War of the Spider Queen series, recently re-released in 3-book omnibus-sized editions for the 10th anniversary of the series.
“Expected treachery and Under-dark spanning adventures give way to unexplained betrayals and angst on steroids as the series comes to a close.” ~Shadowhawk, The Founding Fields
My statement above might come across as unnecessarily harsh, but trust me, it is not intended as such. I really struggled to come up with something that would sound more positive but I just couldn’t. Thing is, harsh as it is, that summation captures my feelings about the second trilogy quite well. It’s apt. The first two books in the second trilogy: Lisa Smedman’s Extinction, Phil Athans’ Annhilation, came across as very subpar to me. They just did not hold my interest at all. Unlike Byers’ Dissolution, or Reid’s Insurrection, it wasn’t the writing style that put me off, but the entire plot in general. For me, it was a good thing that Paul Kemp, one of my favourite authors ever, was ending it all with Resurrection.
When last I was in the Forgotten Realms, the principal characters had just returned from a harrowing and shocking trip to the Spider Queen’s, Lolth’s, domain. The implications of what they had seen, combined with their trip on the surface world both before and immediately after that, were staggering because it indicated that the Goddess had well and truly abandoned the drow. Richard Baker’s Condemnation ended on a grim note and things looked to be about to get worse for the characters.
They do get worse, except that in this case it applies to two entire novels where they make uninformed and hasty decisions that the reader will often struggle to understand, and that by now the series has become more of a “this is the world of the Forgotten Realms, welcome to these fine tourist attractions”. In essence, it is a travelogue where the writers delve into a multitude of the varying races that call Faerun home. The most unbelievable characters here were High Priestess Quenthel, former Priestess/current battle-captive Danifae, and Haalistra Melarn, the latter’s master.
Unlike my previous review, I’m not going to do a novel-by-novel review. For the first two novels, I’d just be regurgitating my negative thoughts about them, and that would not be productive.
In my review of the first trilogy, I praised the characterisation of the characters highly. To see such a treacherous race in action from it’s own point of view was a fantastic experience that the authors delivered handsomely on. But with the second trilogy, it seemed that Smedman and Athans lost that touch, that feel, that immersion. Reading Extinction and Annhiliation was a real slog therefore. Where before the characters all (mostly) had levels of nuance to them, in these two books they turned into cliches, that nuance having been lost.
Quenthel’s character particularly just deteriorated, turning into someone who has no control over either herself or the group that she is nominally the leader of. Her scourge, the snake-head tipped multi-pronged lash, is far more exciting than her, and that’s saying something.
Similarly, with Danifae, there are plenty of suggestions as to where her character is going, where the series team wants to take her. The way it is executed however, just leaves me wondering what the hell Danifae is thinking when she does what she does. Playing Pharaun against Quenthel? I totally get it. Playing Haalistra and Ryld against the others though? That I didn’t get. And in both cases very little attention is paid to what her thought process is. She just…. does it, without any explanation to the reader.
Haalistra felt a really odd one out. On one hand I get why she betrays her faith in everything she’s held dear thus far, but it just does not jive with how I’ve seen her so far. And she takes Ryld with her, in a sequence that is entirely incidental to the rest of the narrative and is odder than Danifae’s actions. These were fantastic opportunities for the writers to get into the psyche of these characters and explore how they are changing after having witnessed the proof of Lolth’s absence. But that’s not what we get.
There are a host of other characters, such as Jeggred, Pharaun, Valas, Gromph, the Lichdrow, Nimor, Kaanyr Vhok, Aliisza and Triel, who just don’t grow at all. Their characterisation ultimately remains flat. For some, it’s their inventiveness that is bigged up, for some it’s their sexuality, for some it’s their skills, for some it’s their humour, but that’s all it is: being bigged up. No growth at all. Or rather, what little there is of it, it is just too little too late. Some such as Nimor and Jeggred are fantastic opportunities (there’s that phrase again) to tell some really deep stuff, given their respective unique natures where the narrative is concerned. As it is, these two get very little screen-time of worth. The former is just going around talking and planning. The latter’s time is taken up by switching loyalties and then acting in a most ridiculous way. I hesitate to use the word stupid, but that’s just how it is. Not to mention that throughout the series, all the other characters get a good amount of pages in which the narrative is told from their view point. Not so for Jeggred.
Disappointing.
https://shadowhawksshade.wordpress.co...
Shadowhawk reviews the second trilogy of the bestselling War of the Spider Queen series, recently re-released in 3-book omnibus-sized editions for the 10th anniversary of the series.
“Expected treachery and Under-dark spanning adventures give way to unexplained betrayals and angst on steroids as the series comes to a close.” ~Shadowhawk, The Founding Fields
My statement above might come across as unnecessarily harsh, but trust me, it is not intended as such. I really struggled to come up with something that would sound more positive but I just couldn’t. Thing is, harsh as it is, that summation captures my feelings about the second trilogy quite well. It’s apt. The first two books in the second trilogy: Lisa Smedman’s Extinction, Phil Athans’ Annhilation, came across as very subpar to me. They just did not hold my interest at all. Unlike Byers’ Dissolution, or Reid’s Insurrection, it wasn’t the writing style that put me off, but the entire plot in general. For me, it was a good thing that Paul Kemp, one of my favourite authors ever, was ending it all with Resurrection.
When last I was in the Forgotten Realms, the principal characters had just returned from a harrowing and shocking trip to the Spider Queen’s, Lolth’s, domain. The implications of what they had seen, combined with their trip on the surface world both before and immediately after that, were staggering because it indicated that the Goddess had well and truly abandoned the drow. Richard Baker’s Condemnation ended on a grim note and things looked to be about to get worse for the characters.
They do get worse, except that in this case it applies to two entire novels where they make uninformed and hasty decisions that the reader will often struggle to understand, and that by now the series has become more of a “this is the world of the Forgotten Realms, welcome to these fine tourist attractions”. In essence, it is a travelogue where the writers delve into a multitude of the varying races that call Faerun home. The most unbelievable characters here were High Priestess Quenthel, former Priestess/current battle-captive Danifae, and Haalistra Melarn, the latter’s master.
Unlike my previous review, I’m not going to do a novel-by-novel review. For the first two novels, I’d just be regurgitating my negative thoughts about them, and that would not be productive.
In my review of the first trilogy, I praised the characterisation of the characters highly. To see such a treacherous race in action from it’s own point of view was a fantastic experience that the authors delivered handsomely on. But with the second trilogy, it seemed that Smedman and Athans lost that touch, that feel, that immersion. Reading Extinction and Annhiliation was a real slog therefore. Where before the characters all (mostly) had levels of nuance to them, in these two books they turned into cliches, that nuance having been lost.
Quenthel’s character particularly just deteriorated, turning into someone who has no control over either herself or the group that she is nominally the leader of. Her scourge, the snake-head tipped multi-pronged lash, is far more exciting than her, and that’s saying something.
Similarly, with Danifae, there are plenty of suggestions as to where her character is going, where the series team wants to take her. The way it is executed however, just leaves me wondering what the hell Danifae is thinking when she does what she does. Playing Pharaun against Quenthel? I totally get it. Playing Haalistra and Ryld against the others though? That I didn’t get. And in both cases very little attention is paid to what her thought process is. She just…. does it, without any explanation to the reader.
Haalistra felt a really odd one out. On one hand I get why she betrays her faith in everything she’s held dear thus far, but it just does not jive with how I’ve seen her so far. And she takes Ryld with her, in a sequence that is entirely incidental to the rest of the narrative and is odder than Danifae’s actions. These were fantastic opportunities for the writers to get into the psyche of these characters and explore how they are changing after having witnessed the proof of Lolth’s absence. But that’s not what we get.
There are a host of other characters, such as Jeggred, Pharaun, Valas, Gromph, the Lichdrow, Nimor, Kaanyr Vhok, Aliisza and Triel, who just don’t grow at all. Their characterisation ultimately remains flat. For some, it’s their inventiveness that is bigged up, for some it’s their sexuality, for some it’s their skills, for some it’s their humour, but that’s all it is: being bigged up. No growth at all. Or rather, what little there is of it, it is just too little too late. Some such as Nimor and Jeggred are fantastic opportunities (there’s that phrase again) to tell some really deep stuff, given their respective unique natures where the narrative is concerned. As it is, these two get very little screen-time of worth. The former is just going around talking and planning. The latter’s time is taken up by switching loyalties and then acting in a most ridiculous way. I hesitate to use the word stupid, but that’s just how it is. Not to mention that throughout the series, all the other characters get a good amount of pages in which the narrative is told from their view point. Not so for Jeggred.
Disappointing.
January 1, 2019
Średni tom.
Kolejna zmiana autora niekoniecznie wyszła na dobrze, a przynajmniej takie mam wrażenie. Niby przez trzy tomy zdążyłam się przyzwyczaić, że kilku bohaterów jest po prostu nieśmiertelnych, ale pparę akcji z tego tomu udowodniło mi, że aż nadto. Ogólnie... Niekoniecznie wiele się działo, jeśli chodzi o coś nowego. Oczywiście wszyscy zadzierają nosa, uważają się za najmądrzejszych, ktoś zdradza, ktoś knuje, ktoś powraca. Czytało się mega szybko, ale z drugiej strony nie czuję się "spełniona" i troszkę mnie zawiódł tom.
Kolejna zmiana autora niekoniecznie wyszła na dobrze, a przynajmniej takie mam wrażenie. Niby przez trzy tomy zdążyłam się przyzwyczaić, że kilku bohaterów jest po prostu nieśmiertelnych, ale pparę akcji z tego tomu udowodniło mi, że aż nadto. Ogólnie... Niekoniecznie wiele się działo, jeśli chodzi o coś nowego. Oczywiście wszyscy zadzierają nosa, uważają się za najmądrzejszych, ktoś zdradza, ktoś knuje, ktoś powraca. Czytało się mega szybko, ale z drugiej strony nie czuję się "spełniona" i troszkę mnie zawiódł tom.
August 3, 2021
Again this series seems to be improving as it goes on. Smedman’s entry was the most engaging thus far, with clear arcs for multiple characters, and a smaller amount of eye rolling plot moments.
I’ve come to realize the book titles are completely meaningless. Nothing about this book was related to ‘Extinction.’ Furthermore, the second book is called Insurrection… but the plot of the FIRST book literally revolves around an insurrection… but whatever.
I think I’m priced in to finishing the series before I move on to reading something else, so hopefully the trend of improvement continues.
I’ve come to realize the book titles are completely meaningless. Nothing about this book was related to ‘Extinction.’ Furthermore, the second book is called Insurrection… but the plot of the FIRST book literally revolves around an insurrection… but whatever.
I think I’m priced in to finishing the series before I move on to reading something else, so hopefully the trend of improvement continues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
The problem with having so many authors of the same series is the constant continuity errors. The characters here are completely different than they were at the beginning and suddenly they have super powerful magical artifacts at their disposal they weren't using before. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read its nice to see we finally get to stop meandering and start actually moving towards the end.
June 5, 2018
"It was a land creature, with two walking legs and two holding legs."
"Not daring to touch her, he kissed the cold stone in front of her feet, whimpering softly...That much was enough. That - and the comfort of having someone to give him commands again."
"Not daring to touch her, he kissed the cold stone in front of her feet, whimpering softly...That much was enough. That - and the comfort of having someone to give him commands again."
November 18, 2019
Okay, now this was the best book in this series since the first volume.
The story got some interesting but kinda unexpected turns. Like, Halistra being the chosen one? Wait wut? But all in all the book was a nice read.
Pharaun is still bae too.
The story got some interesting but kinda unexpected turns. Like, Halistra being the chosen one? Wait wut? But all in all the book was a nice read.
Pharaun is still bae too.
July 28, 2022
I would have read this book in one sitting, but I was just too tired, or maybe the prose didn't intereset me enough. That's why it's only getting a four star-rating. I would still recommend this book, should anyone ask. That's it for now, I'm off to the fifth installment in the series.
July 1, 2021
Best book in the War of the Spider Queen saga so far. Smedmans writing is so smooth and flows beautifully. Wonderful book because of her writing style & the story is amazing.
December 15, 2021
3.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews