From Publishers Weekly
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 cliche, 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. Fans will eagerly await further developments in volume three.


Book Description
This title is the second hardcover release in the latest trilogy from R.A. Salvatore, which once again features his popular dark elf signature character. The hardcover release of the first title in this trilogy, The Thousand Orcs, had the highest debut ever for a Salvatore title on the New York Times best-seller list, and it remained on the list for an unprecedented 10 weeks. The Thousand Orcs hardcover was also the fastest-selling novel in the history of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

Alone on the battlefield.
Surrounded by death.
Cornered by enemies.
And ready to die.

Drizzt Do’Urden has become an orc’s worst nightmare: a lone drow with nothing to lose and nowhere to run. As the North spirals into chaos and war, one dark elf has decided to take it personally, and it will take an army to stop him.

The Hunter’s blades have been drawn, and Drizzt will never be the same.



About the Author
R.A. Salvatore was born in Massachusetts and still makes his home there. He has published numerous Forgotten Realms novels with Wizards of the Coast, Inc., most of which have been New York Times best-sellers. He is also known as the best-selling author of the Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones novelization from Del Rey.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Fantasy fans, rejoice! Drizzt Do'Urden, the legendary butt-kicking dark elf featured in dozens of R. A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realm's novels, is back and badder than ever in The Lone Drow, the second book in Salvatore's Hunter's Blades trilogy.

In A Thousand Orcs, the first book in the trilogy, an army of orcs and frost giants have joined forces and overrun an important dwarven stronghold. The monstrous fighting force is led by King Obould Many-Arrows, a hulking orc with something most orcs are lacking -- intelligence. During the terrible orc onslaught, one of Drizzt's close friends (and there aren't many of them!), the legendary dwarf King Breunor Battlehammer, is lost as a tower collapses. Drizzt can only watch as his friend falls to what must surely be his death￯﾿ﾽ

In The Lone Drow, Obould Many-Arrows and his evil minions are systematically closing in on Mithral Hall. When the orc priests declare Obould to be the living personification of their god, religious fanaticism reaches a frenzy and the slaughter reaches new levels. With orcs and giants on all sides and trolls in the tunnels, the future looks bleak for Drizzt's companions and all the dwarves inside the great hall. But the dwarf king Breunor isn't quite dead, and Drizzt stalks the orcs in the wilderness like a black-skinned madman, wielding two razor-sharp scimitars. Will it be enough to stop the approaching army?

It doesn't matter if you're a teenager or an octogenarian; Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels are guaranteed to be addictively entertaining. Great characters, complex story lines, nonstop action, and breathtaking locations -- this is adventure fantasy at its very best. Paul Goat Allen

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This title is the second hardcover release in the latest trilogy from R.A. Salvatore, which once again features his popular dark elf signature character. The hardcover release of the first title in this trilogy, The Thousand Orcs, had the highest debut ever for a Salvatore title on the New York Times best-seller list, and it remained on the list for an unprecedented 10 weeks. The Thousand Orcs hardcover was also the fastest-selling novel in the history of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

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 cliche, 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. Fans will eagerly await further developments in volume three. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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