This is Book 1 of The Sundering, a 6-part multi-author series describing the next big shift in the D&D realms, and the launching pad for the next installment of the books featuring Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall. I believe that this is the only book in this series to feature these particular characters.
At first, I couldn't decide if the concept of this book was hokey or clever. But in the end, I really liked it. Perhaps I was just taken over by nostalgia for the original characters. Perhaps I was glad that RAS was finally moving away from the faux-Companions that we have been following around for the last few books. Either way, I didn't really care. I enjoyed the book. It had the feel of RAS's earlier works and it finally gave me hope that we might truly be coming out of that horrible slump that began with the Transitions series.
Even though RAS is bringing back the original Companions, they are not carbon copies of their originals. Regis is not longer the weak little tag-along that he used to be. Cattie-brie is now a powerful wizard-druid with goddess-inspired wisdom. Bruenor seems to be the least changed of them all in personality, but not in perspective. Drizzt is hardly present, but this book wasn't really about him after all.
There will be mixed opinions regarding RAS's decision to bring everyone back, but I really can't blame him for doing so. He was bound by the timeline of the D&D world when he had to tear the group apart, and I don't think he was finished writing about these characters any more than we were finished reading about them.
In all, this was a delightfully good book that gave a fresh look to old characters and I am honestly looking forward to finding out what happens next.
At first, I couldn't decide if the concept of this book was hokey or clever. But in the end, I really liked it. Perhaps I was just taken over by nostalgia for the original characters. Perhaps I was glad that RAS was finally moving away from the faux-Companions that we have been following around for the last few books. Either way, I didn't really care. I enjoyed the book. It had the feel of RAS's earlier works and it finally gave me hope that we might truly be coming out of that horrible slump that began with the Transitions series.
Even though RAS is bringing back the original Companions, they are not carbon copies of their originals. Regis is not longer the weak little tag-along that he used to be. Cattie-brie is now a powerful wizard-druid with goddess-inspired wisdom. Bruenor seems to be the least changed of them all in personality, but not in perspective. Drizzt is hardly present, but this book wasn't really about him after all.
There will be mixed opinions regarding RAS's decision to bring everyone back, but I really can't blame him for doing so. He was bound by the timeline of the D&D world when he had to tear the group apart, and I don't think he was finished writing about these characters any more than we were finished reading about them.
In all, this was a delightfully good book that gave a fresh look to old characters and I am honestly looking forward to finding out what happens next.
