Beyond Reality discussion

I'm kinda confused on how the Forgotten Realms series by R.A. Salvatore really works. Basically, do you have to read the early trilogies before the later ones in order to understand the characters/places/plot (ex. Would I have to read the Icewind Dale Trilogy in order to understand the Dark Elf trilogy)? I'm asking because I recently got Homeland and The Silent Blade and I'm curious if I have to read them in a certain order to avoid confusion, or if they aren't really connected at all and I'm worrying for nothing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Forgotten Realms is a shared world which has been contributed by a number of authors and contains a number of series. Not all of them were written by R.A.Salvatore, and not all of the books written by him were about the same characters. In other words, some of the series have nothing to do with each other other than they happen in the same shared world.

I would say you want to read the individual series in order. So if you read the Icewind Dale series, you want to read that one in order.

Now the two books you mention happen to be Drizzt Do'Urden books, who is a main character in a number of the series written by R.A.Salvatore. As far as the order of those particular series go, I don't know as I've only read Icewind Dale and The Dark Elf trilogy. As far as those 2 go, I'd say you could read either one first and you would be fine. As far as the other Drizzt books go, I can't say for certain.

I'm surprised Kevin hasn't answered this yet. He's a big fan of the series and will likely be able to give you a better feel for what you can get away with reading in which order.

For myself, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise, I'm a huge fan of reading a series in its publication order.

Salvatore's Drizzt books are more of an action adventure fantasy than a deep plot series, although there are deeper currents running for those who pay attention, that being said I started with the prequels (Homeland....) then icewind dale......, although i know people who read the caderly series first. The series is very approachable from any point

As R.A. Salvatore puts it is that Forgotten Realms is one of the best shared worlds around. Different authors are doing and writing their own things. So characters are never shared.

Also as R.A. Salvatore also puts for his own series is that they are also stand along books, where you can pick up any of his Drizzt book, and read it. The trilogies, quartet, and quintet are actually marketing tools to appeal to readers since so many book series in fantasy are market that way. The Drizzt books are actually a whole long narrative of Drizzt's life.

I, myself would recommend everyone to start off by reading The Crystal Shard since it was the first to be published. The writing and the character of Drizzt in the book is different, so one can see the evolution of the character and Salvatore’s writing better.. Plus I’m more of a publication order person rather than an chronological person. On the other hand, Salavtore himself would recommend Homeland since it is the first chronologically in the series.

Thank you everybody, this series has been one that freaks me out a little because I constantly see the series on best and worst fantasy series so I thought a bad start off-point would ruin a normally superb series, so I've been putting off the reading for awhile (I guess it's purely personal taste). I'll probably try to find Crystal Shard first since it might assume less of me then the others.