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The Halfling's Gem (Forgotten Realms: The Icewind Dale, #3; The Legend of Drizzt, #6)

R.A. Salvatore

Start date: December 1, 2021

Finish date: December 31, 2021

Discussion: Forgotten Realms Reading

Discussion leader: Raechel

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What Members Thought

Dec 20, 2021 Raechel rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: the-legend-of-drizzt, fantasy, fiction, forgotten-realms

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 2.5 stars, rounded down for being wincingly problematic.

As with Streams of Silver I don't understand why this is part of the Icewind Dale trilogy when it doesn't take place in Icewind Dale. Instead, we visit Longsaddle, Waterdeed, sail the sea, and stop in Calimshan on a hunt to rescue Regis and Guenhwyvar (we all know who Drizzt loves more). Also we see more of Artemis, the assassin that Salvator decided halfway through writing would be some sort of inverse of Drizzt through both looks and deed 2.5 stars, rounded down for being wincingly problematic.

As with Streams of Silver I don't understand why this is part of the Icewind Dale trilogy when it doesn't take place in Icewind Dale. Instead, we visit Longsaddle, Waterdeed, sail the sea, and stop in Calimshan on a hunt to rescue Regis and Guenhwyvar (we all know who Drizzt loves more). Also we see more of Artemis, the assassin that Salvator decided halfway through writing would be some sort of inverse of Drizzt through both looks and deeds.

There's a lot of this kind of ret-conning that the author doesn't properly hint at: Catti-Brie and Wulfgar's romance is rarely shown, Drizzt and Aretmis deciding to be obsessed with each other, Drizzt and Catti-Brie's blossoming romance.

This book is mostly just a big chase scene dragged out for 300+ pages. There's some good action but also too much of it. There's also some really bad 90s fantasy racism that you see depicted in Calimshan through both the way the people are described and how one sleezy merchant speaks.

Unfortunately this problematic writing gets worse at about the 90% mark when the heroes pop into Tartarus. Throughout this book and the last Drizzt has seen CB and Wulfgar are in a relationship, even though CB has been making a few hints to Drizzt that he's Too Pure to understand. Then, Drizzt sends Wulfgar off to hold a portal open which he can do "if he loves CB"--and Drizzt runs off to save an unconscious CB... only to kiss her on the mouth while she's still unconscious. This is never referenced again. I guess Drizzt forgot to drink his Respect Women Juice.

We see some serious hypocrisy with Bruenor, who apparently HATES thieves and is happy to see their hands lopped off... but it cool with Regis, who was trained and lived as a thief, become the new head of the thieves guild in Calimshan.

There's a lot of scenes like this that show the author didn't put a lot of thought into character motivation of what they would actually think or what their actions really mean. I've heard Salvatore is a great writer so I hope this is just some weak early writing, but... yikes. ...more

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Aug 14, 2021 Rob rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, fantasy-forgotten-realms

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a full length novel in a single day, but with my recovery from surgery I have the opportunity to do some binge reading!

This is the final book of the Icewind Dale Trilogy, Salvatore’s third published work. His writing style has matured rapidly over the course of this trilogy. The book finds our heroic companions going even further south to rescue one of their own who was taken by a highly skilled and heartless villain, Artemis Entreri. He is an impressive vil ...more

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