This article contains spoilers for The Legend of Drizzt.With Dungeons & Dragons recurring character, Drizzt Do’Urden, appearing in books continuously since 1988, he has starred in some excellent stories and some average ones. Regardless of the varying quality of the books he features in, he has transformed the landscape of D&D and carved out a place for the drow in the global high fantasy formula. Dark Elf Drizzt Do’Urden is the product of American writer R.A. Salvatore. He cropped up first in the Icewind Dale books, but after proving his popularity, he went on to feature in 38 other novels.
Drizzt Do’Urden’s two scimitars and the Companions of the Hall accompany Drizzt on his journeys across the Forgotten Realms in R.A. Salvatore’s books. The campaign setting gets explored across 13 book series published by Wizards of the Coast, who also publish the legendary D&D tabletop game. Drizzt experiences adventure and battle galore, with romance and character development thrown in, slowly but surely. Therefore, while ranking these books is a little subjective, there are certainly standouts, underlining marked progress in Drizzt’s stoic, but legendary character.
13 The Sundering
The Companions (2013)
The Companions is actually very interesting in a number of ways but falls victim to the franchise element of the Drizzt books. It relies too much on prior knowledge of other goings-on, and on the existence of other novels. The Sundering is a fairly unique book series in R.A. Salvatore’s Forgotten Realms world, with only one novel out of the six constituting a Drizzt Do’Urden book. The Companions is included both in The Sundering and The Legend of Drizzt, but the other Sundering books focus on other characters.
Drizzt is often the focus of Salvatore’s work, resulting in an overarching book series retroactively titled
The Legend of Drizzt
and encompassing the Drizzt-focused novels in Salvatore’s bibliography.
The Sundering books are tied together through their focus on the Sundering, a cataclysmic event mastered by Mielikki, Catt-brie’s new goddess. Each book feels a little stilted, and The Companions is a good example of the series getting lost in world-building, having to link somehow to multiple other arcs while standing alone. Drizzt’s philosophical journal entries are a treat, but the narrative itself goes nowhere.
12 Companion’s Codex
Night Of The Hunter (2014), Rise Of The King (2014), Vengeance Of The Iron Dwarf (2015)
Companion’s Codex is fun and quick to read but feels a bit repetitive and convoluted. Night of the Hunter has a valuable focus on Drizzt and Artemis Entrari. It is refreshing to read the Companions of the Hall on such top form and Entrari’s plotline offers an arguably even more engaging arc. The sparkling writing that is often present in Salvatore’s books occasionally gives way to mechanical fight scenes, but the battles are gripping in Rise of the King and Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf.
Drizzt Books In Chronological Order |
Series |
Release Year |
---|---|---|
Homeland |
Dark Elf |
1990 |
Exile |
Dark Elf |
1990 |
Sojourn |
Dark Elf |
1991 |
The Crystal Shard |
Icewind Dale |
1988 |
Streams of Silver |
Icewind Dale |
1989 |
The Halfling’s Gem |
Icewind Dale |
1990 |
The Legacy |
Legacy of the Drow |
1992 |
Starless Night |
Legacy of the Drow |
1993 |
Sige of Darkness |
Legacy of the Drow |
1994 |
Passage to Dawn |
Legacy of the Drow |
1996 |
The Silent Blade |
Paths of Darkness |
1998 |
The Spine of the World |
Paths of Darkness |
1999 |
Servant of the Shard |
The Sellswords |
2000 |
Promise of the Witch King |
The Sellswords |
2005 |
Road of the Patriarch |
The Sellswords |
2006 |
Sea of Swords |
Paths of Darkness |
2001 |
The Thousand Orcs |
The Hunter’s Blades |
2002 |
The Two Swords |
The Hunter’s Blades |
2003 |
The Lone Drow |
The Hunter’s Blades |
2004 |
The Orc King |
Transitions |
2007 |
The Pirate King |
Transitions |
2008 |
The Ghost King |
Transitions |
2009 |
Gauntlgrym |
Neverwinter Saga |
2010 |
Neverwinter |
Neverwinter Saga |
2011 |
Charon’s Claw |
Neverwinter Saga |
2012 |
The Last Threshold |
Neverwinter Saga |
2013 |
The Companions |
The Sundering |
2013 |
Night of the Hunter |
Companions Codex |
2014 |
Rise of the King |
Companions Codex |
2014 |
Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf |
Companions Codex |
2015 |
Archmage |
Homecoming |
2015 |
Maestro |
Homecoming |
2016 |
Hero |
Homecoming |
2016 |
Timeless |
Generations |
2018 |
Boundless |
Generations |
2019 |
Relentless |
Generations |
2020 |
Starlight Enclave |
Way of the Drow |
2021 |
Glacier’s Edge |
Way of the Drow |
2022 |
Lolth’s Warrior |
Way of the Drow |
2023 |
Fight scenes are the bread and butter of The Legend of Drizzt, and if that turns readers off, they would probably do well to investigate other fantasy series. However, there are so many conflicting storylines in this novel that it can be hard to keep up, siphoning emotional relevance from some of the fighting. The problem with The Legend of Drizzt is often the convoluted missions, and all three books suffer a little in this regard.
11 Way Of The Drow
Starlight Enclave (2021), Glacier’s Edge (2022), Lolth’s Warrior (2023)
Starlight Enclave has the strength of being amazingly written, but the weakness of hardly featuring Drizzt. Drizzt provides the compulsion to consume a lot of the books in R.A. Salvatore’s body of work. In the grand scheme of things, this series lacks a bit of focus, without Drizzt to pull narratives together. But Way of the Drow only compares unfavorably to all the books featuring Drizzt Do’Urden in a very wide comparison indeed, featuring a lot of unmissable action.
In many ways, this series starts to complicate the moral axioms of its world in contemporary and door-opening twists.
Jarlaxle is a highlight of Way of the Drow. He is a gray-scale character that complicates black-and-white morality, and he has some intriguing moments in this trilogy. The often heroic Ice Drow get a lot of attention in Starlight Enclave, stepping away from the idea of most drows being bad. This idea was built up a fair bit in the first few Drizzt books. In many ways, this series starts to complicate the moral axioms of its world in contemporary and door-opening twists.
10 Neverwinter Saga
Gauntlgrym (2010), Neverwinter (2011), Charon’s Claw (2012)
This series exhibits a bit of a difference from previous Drizzt Do’Urden books, allowing for a slightly more adult tone. Drizzt interacts significantly with Dahlia, creating a carnal moment for the beloved character in a series where he was mostly celibate. This tonal shift represents a cultural dynamic whereby fantasy gradually became grittier over the years. The results are a grown-up set of novels that suit Drizzt and his depth.
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Drizzt Do’Urden is a classic hero in the fantasy genre, and most epic book series incorporate strong and steadfast archetypal characters like him.
However, some readers may prefer the sparkling innocence of some of the earlier Drizzt books. The tone of high fantasy can vary greatly. In The Dark Elf Trilogy, R.A. Salvatore’s Tolkienian influence shines a lot more than it does in Neverwinter. Fans of George R.R. Martin may appreciate this trilogy, with its political elements and pursuit of more varied relationships than previous Drizzt books.
9 Homecoming
Archmage (2015), Maestro (2016), Hero (2016)
Far from a bad series, Homecoming just isn’t R.A. Salvatore’s best attempt at The Legend of Drizzt. The stories across all three books are fast-paced, which is part of the appeal of the Drizzt books. However, the narratives often seem scant on detail, sacrificing character development to the plot. And, while the plotlines are fairly absorbing, their complexities can make them confusing.
Fantasy warrior Drizzt gets a fairly typical treatment in Archmage, making for an entertaining fantasy adventure. Neither Archmage, Maestro, nor Hero break any boundaries within the Forgotten Realms or fantasy in general, which positions Homecoming as a safe read for those who enjoy formulaic genre writing. However, there is a lack of creativity in Homecoming, compared to The Dark Elf Trilogy or Sellswords.
8 Legacy Of The Drow
The Legacy (1992), Starless Night (1993), Siege Of Darkness (1994), Passage To Dawn (1996)
Legacy of the Drow is a classic ’90s set of Drizzt books and retains that star-spangled high fantasy feel that R.A. Salvatore mastered in Icewind Dale, but it has some key flaws. This long series seems a little empty compared to its earlier counterparts. Starless Night may encapsulate the flaws in this series the most, with Salvatore’s characteristic fight scenes dragging on past their welcome.
Despite that, ranger Drizzt Do’Urden heads back to Menzoberranzan in this foursome of books, making for a nostalgic return to one of D&D’s most beguiling environments. Passage to Dawn meanders a little and perhaps doesn’t have much of an exciting direction to go in, making this book series seem a little stuck overall. Fortunately, Salvatore certainly returned to form in later novels.
7 Generations
Timeless (2018), Boundless (2019), Relentless (2020)
Generations is a great entry into The Legend of Drizzt, it just perhaps lacks a tiny bit of the magic that the first few books captured, comparatively. Timeless dives into Drizzt’s father, which is actually one of the best ways of exploring the drow Drizzt Do’Urden. As such, those who are motivated by Drizzt’s psychology should definitely dive into Generations. Zaknafein is a fascinating character in his own right. Boundless also features some emotional moments that make sense of Zaknafein’s fatherhood.
The action in this series remains strong, but the intrigue of the drow goddess, Lolth, is the real tie-in to the wider world, which makes the series feel relevant to the other books. The pacing of the novels is a little jarring, with a lot of slow narrative and then a sudden burst of rapidly occurring events. For those who appreciate the slower and more psychological elements of these books, Generations could be a highlight. If not, it could lack interest.
6 The Sellswords
Servant Of The Shard (2000), Promise Of The Witch King (2005), Road Of The Patriarch (2006)
This series doesn’t actually focus on Drizzt Do’Urden, but it does focus on the brilliant Artemis Entrari, who is often villainized in the Drizzt books. However, he provides a powerful counterpoint to Drizzt in the books, often proving that he may be far more suited to being Drizzt’s soul mate than his enemy. This complex relationship makes the Artemis focus in these books a huge highlight.
The Sellswords books also explore Jarlaxle, another huge selling point in The Legend of Drizzt. Plus, the last book in The Sellswords trilogy is quite key to future novels, so for those committed to pursuing the entire series, skipping Sellswords isn’t recommended. However, for those seeking a way into the Drizzt books or a short, sharp burst of his story – this series isn’t the one.
5 Paths Of Darkness
The Silent Blade (1998), The Spine Of The World (1999), Sea Of Swords (2001)
Paths of Darkness is not bad in terms of its storytelling, but it disappoints in that book two strays far from Drizzt’s perspective. While Drizzt is not the only reason to keep reading R.A. Salvatore’s books, he is the pull for many readers, and for good reason. The lack of Drizzt is sorely felt reading The Spine of the World, with other characters feeling a little superficial in comparison. When violence is anchored to Drizzt’s personal drama, it is much more engaging. However, the Artemis Entrari redemption arc in Paths of Darkness makes reading these three books well worth it.
In many ways, Entrari has more chemistry with Drizzt than Catti-brie, the Moriarty to his Sherlock, or the Vegeta to his Goku.
Entrari is a key character in the Drizzt books, and Salvatore finally makes good use of him here. It is a relief to read these books and feel that in the future, Entrari and Drizzt could finally start to see the connection that they always deserved. In many ways, Entrari has more chemistry with Drizzt than Catti-brie, the Moriarty to his Sherlock, or the Vegeta to his Goku. This book series works towards that yin and yang duology, developing an enchanting element of the Drizzt books.
4 Transitions
The Orc King (2007), The Pirate King (2008), The Ghost King (2009)
Transitions is really one of the better trilogies in The Legend of Drizzt, demonstrating some of R.A. Salvatore’s boldest moments. Drizzt and Catt-brie get married at some point between The Pirate King and The Orc King, defining a victory for the will-they-won’t-they couple. Although this appears to happen outside the main narrative of the trilogy, it marks a solidifying of The Legend of Drizzt’s key romance.
The Ghost King offers up some major character deaths, marking an absolutely massive turning point in the Drizzt books, and helping give weight to this series’ title. They don’t feel unearned, either, with The Orc King and The Pirate King allowing the characters a suitable swansong. And yet, they are still shocking, proving that Salvatore is able to create impact through character deaths, which is sometimes dubious in his work.
3 The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy
The Thousand Orcs (2002), The Two Swords (2003), The Lone Drow (2004)
The Hunter’s Blades trilogy is R.A. Salvatore at his best, emerging from the initial stages of Drizzt’s development into a confident new era. Drizzt Do’Urden needs an on-screen presence as much as Honor Among Thieves needs a sequel, and novels like The Lone Drow prove why. It is a thoroughly enjoyable journey of gripping action, without feeling completely driven by world-building.
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Where Salvatore’s Drizzt books can fall short is their character-driven momentum, with a few trilogies forgetting what makes Drizzt so interesting. The nature of drows is where a lot of the interest lies, and Drizzt’s uniqueness as a drow creates a lot of heroic tension in this trilogy. Catti-brie and Drizzt get a landmark moment at the end of The Hunter’s Blades books that is worth waiting for.
2 The Icewind Dale Trilogy
The Crystal Shard (1988), Streams Of Silver (1989), The Halfling’s Gem (1990)
The Crystal Shard may be as close to iconic as Drizzt books get, featuring Icingdeath, a terrifying dragon. This novel lays down the foundations of Drizzt Do’Urden as a character in the epic universe of Dungeons & Dragons, fighting with friends for the good of others, just like players do in the tabletop game. This novel also contains a great fight with Errtu, who remains one of the best villains in the Drizzt Do’Urden books.
The Crystal Shard
constitutes Drizzt’s first appearance in an R.A. Salvatore book, and also Salvatore’s first novel.
The Halfling’s Gem is another classic that is one of the best books in the whole Drizzt series. Drizzt kisses Catti-brie while she is unconscious in a decidedly ’90s move that seemed adorable at the time, but certainly reflects a dated element of the novels. Nonetheless, this marks the start of an adorable relationship. Regardless of their glacial courtship, Drizzt and Catti-brie’s strong dynamic starts blossoming in this novel.
1 The Dark Elf Trilogy
Homeland (1990), Exile (1990), Sojourn (1991)
Dark Elf contains the three best Drizzt books, easily. The Dark Elf Trilogy is the first series of books in The Legend of Drizzt, should readers wish to approach it chronologically. As such, it is probably the best starting point for most readers. It is a prequel series to Icewind Dale, but it focuses on Drizzt in a way that Icewind Dale never did. Exile contains some excellent Underdark arcs, including the Companions’ epic run in with the mind flayers.
Sojourn may be the best Drizzt book of all time, confirming Drizzt as a misunderstood hero well-suited to lead a franchise. It is a milestone read, marking Drizzt’s first look above the surface of the Underdark. If only he knew quite how many years’ worth of adventures were ahead of him. A defining moment of the trilogy entails Drizzt ending up at a drow ritual orgy where none other than his own older sister leads him away, marking Salvatore’s Dungeons & Dragons story out as one that was full of surprises.