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Doug Winenger's Reviews > Sojourn
Sojourn (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #3)
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So many writers regurgitate the same themes, ideas, and characters in their books that the lack of original ideas or thoughts is often disappointing.
The Dark Elf Trilogy uncovers the previously unveiled world known as "The Underdark". While many creatures in this realm are fierce, barbaric, or evil, none compare to the race known as "Dark Elves". The depth of their savagery, brutality, and cunning is inspired by generations of purely evil practices.
In the Underdark, you either kill or be killed, you watch your own back because no one else will, and your worst enemy might just be a member of your own family.
Insert into this environment, Drizzt, a character with an inner sense of morality, justice, and and even a concept of love, mostly due to a recognition of its absence. Drizzt is a dark elf born into the most unusual of circumstances. While he cannot put name to the traits he finds so lacking around him, he knows that the dark elf race is evil, and he eventually discovers that he doesn't belong.
This trilogy is the story of Drizzt's journey as he grows through his early years, trains in the weapons and tactics of his race, and learns ultimately that he can not live among them for fear of compromising or losing altogether his sense of good and his recognition of evil.
He leaves everything he knows and ventures into the Underdark where he discovers another challenge to his identity. While Drizzt, at this point in his life, is an unparalleled fighter and master of weaponry, the primal creature he is forced to become to remain alive in the underdark is no better than what he believed he would have become living amongst his race.
Finally, Drizzt finds his way to the surface in an effort to escape his past and build some semblance of a life based on the ideals he inherently senses. But, instead of escaping his dark elf heritage, he is forced to combat their stereotypes at every turn.
As a voracious reader of several hundred fantasy and science fiction books, I find the original environment introduced in Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy enchanting while his twist on the age-old good vs. evil theme enticing. This trilogy remains one of my favorites since the first time I read it over 10 years ago.
The Dark Elf Trilogy uncovers the previously unveiled world known as "The Underdark". While many creatures in this realm are fierce, barbaric, or evil, none compare to the race known as "Dark Elves". The depth of their savagery, brutality, and cunning is inspired by generations of purely evil practices.
In the Underdark, you either kill or be killed, you watch your own back because no one else will, and your worst enemy might just be a member of your own family.
Insert into this environment, Drizzt, a character with an inner sense of morality, justice, and and even a concept of love, mostly due to a recognition of its absence. Drizzt is a dark elf born into the most unusual of circumstances. While he cannot put name to the traits he finds so lacking around him, he knows that the dark elf race is evil, and he eventually discovers that he doesn't belong.
This trilogy is the story of Drizzt's journey as he grows through his early years, trains in the weapons and tactics of his race, and learns ultimately that he can not live among them for fear of compromising or losing altogether his sense of good and his recognition of evil.
He leaves everything he knows and ventures into the Underdark where he discovers another challenge to his identity. While Drizzt, at this point in his life, is an unparalleled fighter and master of weaponry, the primal creature he is forced to become to remain alive in the underdark is no better than what he believed he would have become living amongst his race.
Finally, Drizzt finds his way to the surface in an effort to escape his past and build some semblance of a life based on the ideals he inherently senses. But, instead of escaping his dark elf heritage, he is forced to combat their stereotypes at every turn.
As a voracious reader of several hundred fantasy and science fiction books, I find the original environment introduced in Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy enchanting while his twist on the age-old good vs. evil theme enticing. This trilogy remains one of my favorites since the first time I read it over 10 years ago.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
September 24, 2007
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Charlie
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rated it 5 stars
Nov 01, 2008 10:33PM
Well met! Excellent summary of the manifold virtues of this series. Thank you for putting it out there. This book, Sojourn in particular, was my favorite for many years, before I discovered China Mieville. The Dark Elf trilogy was the first I ever read twice, and I agree it contained more and deeper themes than you usually find in the genre. Drizzt's conversion to a ranger was motivated by a well-presented and believable love of nature. I would review it but there are already so many good ones.
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