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Homeland, Exile & Sojourn

Xanados

Maester
Ah, thanks guys. That explains why the Dark Elf Trilogy wasn't on the cover image. Yes, well, as soon as I get the time I shall purchase this highly reccomened book. I say book because I usually don't buy in trilogies/series. Just in case.
 

Philip Overby

Staff
Article Team
Steerpike's right, the Icewind Dale Trilogy was published first, but the Dark Elf Trilogy was sort of like a series of prequels explaining Drizzt's origin. So you could read them in the order they were published (The Crystal Shard, Streams of Silver, and The Halfling's Gem) or read them chronologically, whichever you prefer.

By the way, I love the original Icewind Dale covers. You should check them out online. Before I read them, I saw them on a friend's bookshelf and was like "Wow, those look like some cool characters."
 

Xanados

Maester
I'm really fond of the covers for the new versions of books one, two and three. I actually don't have many books with fantasy art on them. I hate that. My LotR box set cover's are a plain black. Oh well, at least my the Hobbit is fully illustrated ;)

Edit: I was going to buy Homeland today, but something came across my mind. I feel like I need some time to reflect on Elantris before I buy Homeland (although it has been almost a week). Does that happen to anyone else? Maybe I'm thinking about it too much.
 
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Philip Overby

Staff
Article Team
I would get Elantris out of your system for sure. Think about it, write reviews, whatever you need to do. If you start reading Homeland you're going to keep comparing it to Elantris, and it might not measure up. The next book I read after A Song of Fire and Ice was The Warded Man. While a good book, it's nowhere near is good as Martin's stuff, so I had to put that out of my mind before I continued.
 
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Agreed, if only because of the tone of writing. My favorite thing about the Drizzt books is that they are just a lot of fun, which is really the highest praise I can give a piece. Still, they lack the intrigue and complexity of the longer novels, so it is hard to put them side by side and judge them.
 

Xanados

Maester
I'm not sure how to write this, but I've actually returned Homeland back to Amazon. It's not as reputable as I thought. I haven't read it but I know a community of, well, "elitist" literary critics and they told me that I wasted my money on a book that is the equivalent of Call of Duty (if you see what they mean.) Apparently the book was a load of garbage. Reading further reviews it seems that the book is aimed at people 15 years old. I do not wish to read such work. I should've looked into it a little more. I sent it back.

My schedule is tight at the moment and I don't really want to waste my time on something that is considered childish. I want a challenging read. There's no other way I can put it.

By no fault of your own, MS members. Please, don't think that. ;) I hope I don't sound like a prude.
 
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Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
If you've based your opinion on reviews, and especially on Amazon.com reviews...well, I can only say that is a foolish way to proceed, in my view.

That said, Salvatore is no James Joyce. The books are light-weight gaming tie-ins. If that is what you're interested in, then they are a cut or so above most of what is out there (particularly in D&D). If that's not what you are interested in, then I'm not sure why your ordered it in the first place. Did you not know it was a Dungeons and Dragons book?
 

Xanados

Maester
If you've based your opinion on reviews, and especially on Amazon.com reviews...well, I can only say that is a foolish way to proceed, in my view.

That said, Salvatore is no James Joyce. The books are light-weight gaming tie-ins. If that is what you're interested in, then they are a cut or so above most of what is out there (particularly in D&D). If that's not what you are interested in, then I'm not sure why your ordered it in the first place. Did you not know it was a Dungeons and Dragons book?
No, I was fully aware of what it was. I just only read amazon reviews until recently. I'm talking about reputable and knowledgeable people. Not that you all aren't. Some would consider them elitist, but for some reason I take their views as absolutes.

If you want the full story: I received the book today, but I forgot to ask these "trusted sources". So I did. It was quite a different view compared with amazon's. I just trust the "elitists" more. Perhaps that is a failing in me that I am can't just have a fun read.

Listen, I know I'm very close to insulting MS members because you all recommended it to me and I am now saying that it's an "immature" book that is "without challenge."
And I don't mean to sound like that. At all.

Edit: I based my views, Steerpike, on MS members and Amazon. Was that foolish? No, because you guys are great. I just, as I say, trust those people more. It's kind of hard when a community you love tells you to buy a book, but then a whole other community that is known for their harsh, but well-deserved cynicism, tells you that it's a bad book. I'm trying not to sound like a complete arse!
 
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Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
If it is based on people you already have reason to trust, then that makes sense. I thought you meant just based on random Amazon reviews from people you know nothing about.

The books certainly aren't challenging. They're fun, generally fast-paced adventure stories. The characters in that particularly series get a decent amount of development, but there is certainly nothing there that is going to lead to a lot of rumination on the meaning of the novel, or its themes, etc.

Certainly nothing wrong with not wanting to read that type of book. There are types of books I don't like to read either. For what they are, they're well done (until you get much later into the series). I put them in the same category as other gaming fiction, or Star Wars novels, that sort of thing. Man does not live by bread alone :)
 

Xanados

Maester
If it is based on people you already have reason to trust, then that makes sense. I thought you meant just based on random Amazon reviews from people you know nothing about.

The books certainly aren't challenging. They're fun, generally fast-paced adventure stories. The characters in that particularly series get a decent amount of development, but there is certainly nothing there that is going to lead to a lot of rumination on the meaning of the novel, or its themes, etc.

Certainly nothing wrong with not wanting to read that type of book. There are types of books I don't like to read either. For what they are, they're well done (until you get much later into the series). I put them in the same category as other gaming fiction, or Star Wars novels, that sort of thing. Man does not live by bread alone :)
And I see what you're saying, Steerpike, I really do. I am, perhaps, just naturally cynical. Would you call someone cynical (or a prude ;) ) if they received a book in the morning and by night have it all packaged up to go after reading a couple of reviews more? I would.

But listen, it's actually more than that. I could've just said to myself that based on the "trusted" reviews I would not read the book, and then proceed to put the book down and not really think about it. But no, I had to, for some reason, be rid of it. It felt like a burden. I couldn't just leave it there. I have a bit of a problem with OCD and a severe case of "everything must be official." I'm not exactly sure what that would be called...

Edit: I guess I just didn't want on my conscious that I added a not-so-respectable book into my collection. That is insanely snobbish of me, though.
 
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Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
Heh. I could use some of that Xanados. I don't even sell back books that I didn't like and never finished. I have over 1500 books, most of which are now boxed up due to lack of shelf space.

I don't have a problem with reading something that is more or less mindless entertainment, though. I love to read authors like Dostoevsky, or Conrad, or Nabokov, but I might just as easily go from one of those to a P.C./Kristin Cast House of Night book :)
 

Xanados

Maester
Heh. I could use some of that Xanados. I don't even sell back books that I didn't like and never finished. I have over 1500 books, most of which are now boxed up due to lack of shelf space.
That sounds like my nightmare! :S

The reason for my saying that can be found in previous edited post.
;)
 
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Philip Overby

Staff
Article Team
I believe I mentioned somewhere in the thread that I read these when I was very young and that they are by no means "high literature." That's also why I suggested that you get Elantris out of your system before you read any Salvatore. If you're trusting "elitists" all the time you may be missing out on some pretty good books. That being said, these are good books. For what they are. To me they are sort of like "popcorn books" I'd say. They're fun in their own way but they're not high art, nor are they intended to be. None of the books based off D&D are considered high art. Considering you play WoW and enjoy Warhammer you probably could possibly enjoy Salvatore as he's kind of in the same vein, I think.

Just saying you might be missing out on good stuff if you don't bother trying to read something first.

So, my suggestion is to get some Guy Gavriel Kay. He's widely regarded as one of the best "literary fantasy" writers out there. Check some reviews out and maybe that would be something more challenging.
 

myrddin173

Maester
While I understand you put your trust in these "elitists" I would still recommend reading them still. Sometimes an "easy" book is good. When I read them I was alternating between them and A Song of Ice and Fire (as in a read Homeland then GoT then Exile and so on and so forth). They gave me a break from the effort of reading an Epic. I also didn't mention this before but the only reason I read them is because the Legend of Drizzt is on NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, so I don't think your elitists are giving the credit the books are due, which is their fault not yours.
 
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Philip Overby

Staff
Article Team
While I understand you put your trust in these "elitists" I would still recommend reading them still. Sometimes an "easy" book is good. When I read them I was alternating between them and A Song of Ice and Fire (as in a read Homeland then GoT then Exile and so on and so forth). They gave me a break from the effort of reading an Epic. I also didn't mention this before but the only reason I read them is because the Legend of Drizzt is on NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, so I don't think your elitists are giving the credit the books are due, which is their fault not yours.

That's a pretty solid list. I'd suffice to say that any of the books listed there are worth taking a look at. Some may be lighter fare and others more challenging, but I'd say a good percentage of them are probably worth at the very least some research.

I also agree with what you said about having something lighter to read in between massive epics. I'm used to reading long, epic books, so it is good to have something that's not as intense to pass the time. I read books in various places and something like Homeland would be perfect for train or bus rides.
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
That's a pretty solid list. I'd suffice to say that any of the books listed there are worth taking a look at. Some may be lighter fare and others more challenging, but I'd say a good percentage of them are probably worth at the very least some research.

I also agree with what you said about having something lighter to read in between massive epics. I'm used to reading long, epic books, so it is good to have something that's not as intense to pass the time. I read books in various places and something like Homeland would be perfect for train or bus rides.

Except The Handmaid's Tale. Terrible book :)
 
I agree with some of the posts; Dark Elf Trilogy was the best and it went downhill form there. I loved those first three, Icewind Dale wasn't bad but wasn't as good either and the rest weren't worth reading (Compared to the original Drizzt books)
 

Lorna

Inkling
I read the first book in the Dark Elf Trilogy a few months ago. I thought the world and society were original and well depicted but was disappointed that there was not more from his perspective. Alot of bad things happen to him, we see his reactions but the author doesn't go into much detail about he feels about it. I enjoyed it, but thought it could have had more depth.
 
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