About the Author

R.A. Salvatorewas born in Massachusetts in 1959. He is theNew York Times-bestselling author of more than forty novels, including the popular Forgotten Realms series, The Legend of Drizzt. 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 computer science to journalism.He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would becomeEchoes of the Fourth Magic.

His first published novel was The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, and his novel The Silent Bladewon the Origins Award. He is still best known as the creator of dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, one of fantasy's most beloved characters.

Reviews

At the start of bestseller Salvatore's second book in his Tolkienesque fantasy trilogy (after 2002's The Thousand Orcs), hordes of orcs, led by cruel King Obould Many-Arrows, sweep down mechanically and unexcitingly on beleaguered dwarves. When he isn't slaying orcs, the story's hero, the dark elf drow loner Drizzt Do'Urden, suffers guilt for allowing a friendly elf to die in his stead and is attracted to Catti-brie, a beautiful human woman who is the ward of the dying dwarf king, Bruenor Battlehammer. The usual fantasy suspects-gnomes, trolls, elves, flying horses, unicorns, giants-crowd the pages, but the author does at times rise above clich?, and a few characters do achieve some complexity. Obould actually speaks of economics, while an elf, Innovindel, having lost her mate in battle, talks pensively of the centuries of her life, in contrast to the paltry few years of human life. This difference is significant to Drizzt, because Catti-brie is only human. Finally, in a moment lifted straight from Tolkien, Salvatore revives the comatose Buennor Battlehammer, like Gandalf, to lead his forces against the orcs. Fans will eagerly await further developments in volume three. (Oct. 28) Forecasts: The huge audience for the publisher's Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games, now in computer form, should help this, like its predecessor, onto bestseller lists. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

War rages across the lands of Faer?n as hordes of orcs go to war against the dwarves of Mithril Hall. Separated from his friends and allies, the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden makes his way across the Spine of the World determined to carry on-alone if need be-in his attempt to save as many lives as possible and avenge his fallen comrades. Salvatore's latest series, featuring his most popular character, includes tense battles, vivid landscapes and memorable characters. Set in the Forgotten Realms R game universe, this book should appeal to the author's fans, regardless of age. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.