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· 3,190 ratings · 206 reviews

Start your review of Hero (Homecoming #3; The Legend of Drizzt #30)

Jan 03, 2017 Khurram rated it really liked it

This book has two paces it is either at a snail's pace straight to light speed. It is the slow parts of this book that put it down to 4 stars for me. it is not that the parts are just slow but the placement of them is also annoying. In one chapter I was reading a intense battle scene, just before the deciding blow is thrown, the chapter ends and I and the next chapter is about character that are not doing much right now, the whole time I am reading this chapter (and it is a long chapter), I was This book has two paces it is either at a snail's pace straight to light speed. It is the slow parts of this book that put it down to 4 stars for me. it is not that the parts are just slow but the placement of them is also annoying. In one chapter I was reading a intense battle scene, just before the deciding blow is thrown, the chapter ends and I and the next chapter is about character that are not doing much right now, the whole time I am reading this chapter (and it is a long chapter), I was thinking about the battle and how it was going to end. I would equate something like this as going to a commercial in the middle of a intense scene in a movie or just as someone kicks a penalty commercial. Very annoying.

As the last book concentrated on Drizzt helping King Bruenor Battlehammer reclaim and restore his ancestral home of Gauntlgrym then return to him own home land of Menzoberranzan to rescue his "replacement companions", in this book Drizzt shares the book with Regis and Wulfgar on their own mission. Drizzt has returned victorious from possible his most dangerous mission and his greatest victory. However he is not happy, a powerful enchantment has been placed on him allowing his to see the "truth" of his incredible life. However even in this state Drizzt has never been one to do as he is told and his legacy of rebellion/honor seems to be contagious.

There are parts of the book that are brilliant, Salvatore excels in battle and martial arts passages. All the parts with Drizzt in them are excellent, during the whole book when the book changed to the other characters I kept thinking to myself yeah yeah can we get back to what Drizzt is doing now. The third part of the book is just and all out intense roller-coaster that cannot be put down the other parts of the book are very slow. This inconsistency in the writing soured my experience of the book slightly. However this is a must have for all fans of Drizzt as it is an ending, and a new beginning for many.

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Oct 26, 2016 Sean Gibson rated it it was amazing

Being a teenager is hard. You're battling hormones, blemishes, homework, first loves, fitting in, body awkwardness, and shirt collars that are perpetually stretched out of shape because every time you try to pull a shirt over your head your nose gets in the way (maybe the latter point was only a problem for me, though). Every day is a struggle, and you're never quite sure which way is up.

Thank goodness for Bob Salvatore, and for Drizzt Do'Urden.

I should note that this is less a review of Hero i

Thank goodness for Bob Salvatore, and for Drizzt Do'Urden.

I should note that this is less a review of Hero in particular and more a summation and reflection, as we reportedly reach the conclusion of the saga of the Companions of the Hall, of how reading 30 Drizzt books has affected my life over the course of two decades.

I discovered Mr. Salvatore's classic Homeland at the tender age of 15 (tender primarily on account of the aforementioned blemishes). As a high schooler, I moved in a weird social space—I was studious and geeky, to be sure, but also a varsity athlete, and not entirely comfortable in my skin in either guise or, in the highly segmented teenage social strata, hanging with a crowd comprised solely of just the former or the latter. And so I tried to forge my own path, moving between worlds, which left me even more confused, wrestling with shyness and uncertainty and temptation and not being entirely sure who I was or wanted to be. I didn't grow up in a religious household, and so didn't have that bedrock to fall back on as a guide, and while I had parents who instilled in me strong values, I was still questioning—and questing—as all young people do.

Enter Drizzt. As Drizzt questioned his upbringing, his culture, his place in the world, so did I. As Drizzt distinguished right from wrong, so did I. As Drizzt learned to follow his heart and to grow and learn and make mistakes and keep trying, so did I. Drizzt became my moral compass, his essays the treatises from which I drew ethical and philosophical inspiration when confronted with difficult decisions. I don't mean to suggest that Drizzt was a more formative influence on my character than my parents or other real-life figures, mind you (I mean, come on—he's a scimitar-wielding dark elf who kills orcs), but his influence was strong, and he came into my life at exactly the right time—right when I needed his inspiration and example and approach. (And, I should note, he not only killed orcs, but he was REALLY, REALLY good at killing orcs, which was something I could not, unfortunately, emulate, but certainly did appreciate.)

As I matured, so did he. His worldview became more complex, tinged with gray where black and white previously ruled. He grew more nuanced in his view of good versus evil (those orcs he once so readily and entertainingly slew suddenly became a thorny ethical quandary, for if he could rise above his heritage to do good in the world, could not an orc do the same?). I didn't always like this evolution—even now I long for the days when I was young and naïve enough to think that one could easily differentiate right from wrong—but I appreciated it, and I understood it as a necessary condition for growth (both for Drizzt and for me). Drizzt's winding path and long life took him away from the beloved Companions of the Hall and onto adventures with a new cast of characters, and while I didn't connect with them as I did with Bruenor, Regis, Wulfgar, and Catti-Brie, still I followed, still I read. And if, in recent years, I've not gotten as much out of reading Drizzt books (to be fair, it's hard to live up to the killer triptych of The Legacy, Starless Night, and Siege of Darkness), if they have served solely as sources of diversion where they once served as soul-feeding guides to self-improvement, perhaps that is the most obvious measure of just how powerful an impact those early books had on my development. I am not a finished product; I am, as all humans are, a perpetual work in progress and wouldn't ever claim to be otherwise, nor would I claim to be without fault—far from it. But, thanks in part to Drizzt, I have the tools to look within and evaluate who and what I am and how I need to change, grow, and adapt to meet the demands of an increasingly busy and complex world (and never so complex as now for those of us who live in the United States).

And, so I say thank you to Bob Salvatore. Thank you for helping me to build that moral framework, and for so many other things as well. Thank you for entertaining me for more than 20 years and for helping me understand the power of stories. Thank you for inspiring me to write (without Bob Salvatore and a handful of other writers driving me to try to do, in some small way, for other readers what they have done for me, there would be no The Camelot Shadow (whose action sequences are unquestionably informed by the uniquely dynamic way Salvatore writes fight scenes) or The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple). Thank you for being so incredibly generous with your time, whether it was responding to a fan letter I wrote in high school, offering advice and encouragement at a signing, answering questions on a panel at a con, or responding to interview questions when I was freelancing and doing work for Kirkus. Thank you for being a good example of how to forge your own path. And, obviously, thank you for Drizzt.

It is with a heavy heart that I close the cover on what would be a fitting conclusion to Drizzt's story—a tale that went to the darkest place imaginable, that tore our hero down mentally in a way that no physical injury could before building him back up—but also with a heart filled with gratitude for all of the adventures we've shared over the years. If we have embarked on our last journey together, I rest comfortable in the knowledge that I need do naught but stand before my bookshelf and gaze upon the spines of so many books, so many opportunities to revisit seminal moments in my reading life, and know that I can ever and always ride with Drizzt once more…and, when the time comes, share his story with my children, for every generation needs a hero, and Drizzt is one for the ages.

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Dec 29, 2019 Twila rated it it was amazing

5 Stars
One of my favourite endings ever!

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Pre-read

There could be no other book that would be as fitting to end the decade with as this, my 30th novel into the Legend of Drizzt saga.

5 Stars
One of my favourite endings ever!

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Pre-read

There could be no other book that would be as fitting to end the decade with as this, my 30th novel into the Legend of Drizzt saga.

I've debated heavily what to write in this review space but, coming off an introspective Christmas time surrounded by tons of amazing family, this feels right. In so many ways, I grew up with Drizzt. It's actually almost exactly 10 years ago that my grandfather gave the first book (Homeland: The Legend of Drizzt #1) to me on my 12th birthday. I was just starting to become a reader and he thought that it was a story that would turn me into a dedicated life-long fantasy fan. I remember the time exactly because it wasn't too long after my birthday that I lost him. I loved my grandfather very much. He and I were as close as heat is to the fire. He taught me so much. He was my best friend. The abrupt absence and loss of someone I so deeply loved led to just about the worst time of my life. I can still to this very day vividly remember my parents gently shaking me awake me in the middle of the night, the shock of the news, the pain that it led to, the denial, the funeral, the anger, and the depression. I remember my siblings and I forcing ourselves to go to school when all we wanted was to sit on our bedroom floors and cry.

Then, remembering his last present and wanting to escape, I try the book and discover this character named Drizzt, someone who reminds me so much of my granddad and someone who embodies many of the character traits I admired about him: humility, kindness, positivity, and a deep appreciation for the simple things in life. Reading about Drizzt gave me many opportunities to reminisce on all the good times I had with my granddad and, more than anything, it was immensely cathartic and gave me a reprieve, if only for a moment, from my grief. Drizzt, for all his weapons and fighting skills, is defined first by his morals and—something I didn't realize as a kid—is a refreshing contrast to the grimdark sensibilities of a lot of today's fantasy. To see the will of his heart, the conviction, the courage and the willingness to do what's right even when it's tough and it hurts, was so motivating to me in times when I felt down. His life journey teaches that friendship is to be honoured and savoured, and that life is to be lived passionately as each day is a blessing. I know it sounds corny, but that really resonated with me as a depressed teen. To see someone live in absolute darkness for so long and yet come to realize that he can still find ways to enjoy life even after the horrors of his past was inspiring. Instead of letting his past trauma define him, he focuses on who he is today, who he'd like to be in the future, the type of world he'd like to live in now and how he can use his daily actions to try and make that world a reality. He is a true hero.

Even with him living a very strange and fantastical life, he has a way of grounding me and helping me realize what's important in my own. He became my vessel of discovery, his journey a catalyst for many important personal questions I've asked myself in life. I don't have to be fighting orcs and slaying liches to relate to his story of loss, guilt, and friendship. Whether it's the heartbreak of losing a loved one, the pain of addiction, or the emotional consequences of child abuse, this saga has triggered profound moments of reflection and self-realizations that helped me expand from the more myopic perceptions I tended to have on certain things in life. I don't want to get into all of it, but it mostly reminded me of how pointless it was to be wallowing in my pain and to always remember all the good people I have in my life now, and to be intentional with my time and take every opportunity to appreciate each and every day with them, but at the same time not to forget the loved ones of my past and that it's okay to cherish those old memories as much as new ones. This is not just "popcorn fantasy" to me. Sure, this series is pure escapism for a lot of people and that's perfectly fine. But this series brought me out of a depression and helped me navigate through life when I really needed it most. It helped me grow, move forward, and most importantly, it healed me.

From my early teens and now into my early 20s, coming back to this series will always be like hearing an old song I forgot I loved. It is a constant reminder of why I fell in love with reading in the first place and it's my go-to books for when I'm feeling down, or for when I miss my grandfather. I can always find comfort in these characters. They're more than friends. They feel like home.

Here's to 10 more years, Drizzt, my friend. Thank you. It has truly been an honour.

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3.5 stars. Drizzt, Drizzt, mhhh. So, the latest installment and probably the last for a while. A must-read for all the drow ranger's fans, and a good book at it. Not exceptional, with an odd rhythm but the current developments called for a less action-filled story where everything could be neatly wrapped-up, so here we are.

Some of the characters acted out of character but that didn't detract from the fun. Anyway, the book delivers a fitting OPEN ending to Drizzt's story: "the journey forward was

Some of the characters acted out of character but that didn't detract from the fun. Anyway, the book delivers a fitting OPEN ending to Drizzt's story: "the journey forward was a somewhat circular path, but rarely did it wind up in exactly the same place" and Salvatore may nonetheless have more surprises in store for his readers, if and when he decides to pen more adventures of this incredible drow and his remarkable friends (Entreri, Entreri, Entreri *wink*).

She has found the truth of competition, that there is no better challenge to be found than one a person can make with herself, that the personal competition outweighs any other, and by great magnitude. Simply, the rise of a rival challenges each of us to do better and be better, and that is to be celebrated, not feared or prevented.

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Oct 24, 2016 Adam Fisher rated it it was amazing

ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

Have you ever been sitting somewhere with your friends, having a great time, and at some point in the night someone mentions a rough patch you got past long ago, causing everyone to stop and think about how much you have been through together as a group? Inevitably, one of you will crack a joke, you will all laugh, and you will move forward, but one or more of those events will get stuck in the forefront of your mind for a couple days. You see, when we are on life's journey with our friends, we need to remember to stop and think about times gone by, and the hope that the future holds.
So...as I sit with the other members of the Legions of the Hall in Gauntlgrym, having just finished the adventure contained within the 30th Legend of Drizzt novel, I remember.
I laugh.
I cry.
I mourn.
I rejoice and shout "Huzzah"!
I grab another glass from "me King" and his wonderful "brew"-ing shield, and I raise a toast to R.A. Salvatore for another adventure that ran me through all the emotions humanly possible, and left me on the other side with hope on the horizon and a smile on my face. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.

The story that closes out the Homecoming Trilogy, Hero, shows yet again the artistry of the author, complete with his famous fight sequences, wonderful world building, and fast paced storytelling that never ceases to surprise. Drizzt, coming off his victory over Demogorgon, is still plagued by the effects of the Faerzress, and still believes that his life is nothing but a lie. The Hosttower of the Arcane is slowly being rebuilt, Regis and Wulfgar return to our tale but begin on a ship in the Sea of Fallen Stars, and the Great Forge gets used several times, near the beginning, to enhance two weapons well known to readers.
Where can Drizzt go to be healed? The answer should have been obvious to me, but it came as surprise, AND led to one of the most epic fights in the whole Salvatore catalog.
(Side note: When this fight began (I'll not reveal here between who), it reminded me of the fight between Morpheus and Neo in The Matrix. You watch (read) with jaw dropped, frantic to see the outcome, yet not wanting it to stop. And when it's over, I, in my mind's eye, saw Morpheus (the winner of the battle written here) look at Neo (the loser) and proclaim "How did I beat you?")
Ups and downs follow, and the story has a wonderful ending that only comes after most plot lines (in this book, trilogy, and the whole series) are wrapped up. A true delight, through and through.

If you are a fan of Salvatore or of the Legend of Drizzt books, you are already going to read this. If you haven't yet delved into this world, and you are a fan of epic fantasy, you truly owe it to yourself to pick up "Homeland" and marathon the whole run to "Hero".
So, readers of this review, raise your glass, shout "Huzzah!", and toast to the Companions and to the author, for another job well done. Go now and retire to your office, get back to your busy life, and don't freak out when an old friend you thought dead for many years appears in your doorway.... wait... what?
REALLY SALVATORE?!? How can you end the book like that? Is it really and truly "him"? My heart soars to see such a reunion!
High recommend. This novel and the whole series.

(Addendum: I have read rumors(not confirmed) online that Wizards of the Coast is going to stop publishing novels. As of the time of this review, Salvatore's contract has not been renewed (again, part of the rumor), and there are no new Drizzt books on the horizon. The author has said multiple times that he is heading back to his created and owned world of Corona. PLEASE WotC... don't take away the future of the rich and wonderful stories many of us know and love. If nothing else, for the sake of possible future half-drow little feet running around.... please.)

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Oct 09, 2016 Michael Adams rated it it was amazing

ARC provided by netgalley for an honest review.
I feel like Bob (R. A.) Salvatore is one of my closet friends in the world. Maybe that is because for the past 23 years I have been reading his books and I can always expect 1-2 journeys with him every year. Sometimes these journeys are in Corona, sometimes in the Realms and sometimes in other worlds or even sci-fi settings. I think that the fact that I can imagine Bob and me being friends speaks to his comfortable writing style. With all this being ARC provided by netgalley for an honest review.
I feel like Bob (R. A.) Salvatore is one of my closet friends in the world. Maybe that is because for the past 23 years I have been reading his books and I can always expect 1-2 journeys with him every year. Sometimes these journeys are in Corona, sometimes in the Realms and sometimes in other worlds or even sci-fi settings. I think that the fact that I can imagine Bob and me being friends speaks to his comfortable writing style. With all this being said I have read close to every Salvatore novel he has wrote (59 at my last count), so I believe I can give insightful reviews of his work.
Hero is book 3 of the homecoming trilogy and the 33rd book of the Drizzt series. Let's be honest if you are reading this book it is highly unlikely that it is your first Drizzt novel so we can make some assumptions about your knowledge of the characters, setting and world.
Hero is a fitting ending to the trilogy, but only if we assume that there are more books, which quite frankly no one knows at this point because of rumors of WOTC cancelling novels. But I digress….
We find our Hero Drizzt at the same emotional place he was at the end of Maestro, troubled emotionally scarred and questioning everything. This is an interesting piece to read because we have always looked to Drizzt to be our moral compass in these pages, but what happens when our compass gets wrecked due to some heavy PTSD-like symptoms and severe depression. For those of you who are asking where certain characters are you will be very happy to get answers to many questions you might have had. Unfortunately at a mere 384 pages sometimes these scenes are much shorter than I would have liked to see. There are really 3 main storylines in this book and like Bob always does he manages to blend them together and get everyone to the same place at the right times. Honestly one of the three stories felt a bit forced to me and just a little too coincidental but I am able to suspend belief because I feel like there are always invisible hands moving the various players of the realms. Plot armor exist in divine inspiration to move the pieces to the right places.
Like every other Salvatore novel the action scenes are superb, especially a key one almost through the midway point where martial skills are displayed at levels that we could only dream of before. No one can weave a tale of combat as well as R. A. Salvatore and Hero is no exception, I daresay it might even surpass some previous efforts just because there are no "easy" battle described anywhere within it.
Even with the minor problem I had with one of the storylines I found myself unable to drop this book and finished it in around 2 days, about 5-6 hours of total reading time. The pacing was superb and no spot felt empty. At the end of Hero I felt many things, sadness, happiness, anger, shock and lastly peace. The only other time I have ever felt the same at the end of a novel was the end of The Ghost King. The Ghost King made me feel so many different things and so did Hero. All I have to say if this is the end, thank you Bob but also damn you Bob. This ending is not something I will be able to fully accept no matter what Wizards does to the novels. The only things I can say right now are:
SCIMTARS HIGH, NOW AND FOREVER!
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Nov 05, 2016 Trevor Sherman rated it really liked it

Hero (Homecoming #3; The Legend of Drizzt #30)
by R.A. Salvatore

I really can't say how many of R.A. Salvatore's books I have read. But I can tell you how many I have loved. Not a number of course or I would have told you how many I have read. My Favorites being The DemonWars closely followed by Drizzt.

I have been reading about the outcast Drow Elf since 1990, and he never disappoints. Lots of action with high-quality characters. Good pacing and as always well written.

This was a good ending to th

Hero (Homecoming #3; The Legend of Drizzt #30)
by R.A. Salvatore

I have been reading about the outcast Drow Elf since 1990, and he never disappoints. Lots of action with high-quality characters. Good pacing and as always well written.

This was a good ending to the trilogy, most likely the series. Possibly the most emotional I have been about a series end since Wheel of Time. But now that I think about it I had been reading that one since 1990 also. God now I feel emotionally wrung out AND OLD.

I have grown and changed considerably in the years since I first picked up a Drizzit book. So has Drizzit and friends. Still I did want to box his stupid pointy ears a few times while reading Hero.

If you have ever read a Drizzt Do'Urden book then you have to read this one. If have never read a Drizzt Do'Urden book then what is wrong with you? You call yourself a fantasy book fan? You should be ashamed of yourself! Go! Just go!

All joking aside Hero is a great book with a more than satisfying end. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Great

Wow. Well, I didn't see the ending coming, that is for sure. Intriguing. The usual fast paced romp and adventure, with a satisfying ending.

Great

Wow. Well, I didn't see the ending coming, that is for sure. Intriguing. The usual fast paced romp and adventure, with a satisfying ending.

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30 May 2019. Finished Hero by R.A. Salvatore.

Rating - 4 stars
Genre - Fantasy
Sub-genre - Swords and Magic
Audience - Adult Male
Publisher - Wizards of the Coast

30 May 2019. Finished Hero by R.A. Salvatore.

Rating - 4 stars
Genre - Fantasy
Sub-genre - Swords and Magic
Audience - Adult Male
Publisher - Wizards of the Coast

Hero is book 30 in the Legend of Drizzt series. Originally when I bought this book, I thought it was the last Drizzt book. Of course since then, Timeless came out, and Boundless was announced to come out this year. Still, I think Hero works as an emotional conclusion to some of the tension that has built up in the series. Drizzt has had some negative energy around him ever since the Transition series. This book felt like a cleanse. It got rid of the negative energy and ended on a high. I know there's more books, but this book felt like what the series needed.

That said, I was a little thrown off by Yvonnel in this one. I mean, I've been disappointed by the drow women for a while. They're hyped up and then they fail. After they fail, they talk their way out of further consequences. I think it's different from the other villains because at least when the other villains fail, they kind of go away for awhile. With the drow women, they kind stay in the background and interact more often. I was hoping for a drow woman to make more of an impact. Yvonnel was hyped up. I was hyped for her. I liked what happened with her. It just wasn't what I was hyped for.

On a side note, I didn't really like the King Yarin and Concettina story line, but I liked that Wulfgar and Regis were off on their own an adventure. It's kind of nice to see characters doing their own thing.

My second side note is The Legend of Drizzt has some of the best book covers of any series I've ever read, but Hero is my favorite of this series. I love Artemis and Drizzt standing back to back.

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Oct 21, 2016 Matt Gabert rated it it was amazing

I have been reading R.A. Salvatore's Legend of Drizzt novels almost religiously since before they were known as "The Legend of Drizzt," and his the first two installments of the latest trilgy, "Homecoming," had me quite convinced that I would not be picking up any following novels until they were available in paperback, as it was getting more and more difficult to justify spending $30 for repeats of events that had happened dozens of books prior, or another tale of Drizzt and his companions over I have been reading R.A. Salvatore's Legend of Drizzt novels almost religiously since before they were known as "The Legend of Drizzt," and his the first two installments of the latest trilgy, "Homecoming," had me quite convinced that I would not be picking up any following novels until they were available in paperback, as it was getting more and more difficult to justify spending $30 for repeats of events that had happened dozens of books prior, or another tale of Drizzt and his companions overcoming overwhelming odds with a simple plot device. "Maestro" was the final nail in this coffin, for me, with how easily Demagorgon was defeated in the end. I only picked up "Hero" the day my local Chapters received it for completions sake (having all books in the trilogy in hardcover). I was going to be finished with this series, save for maybe picking it up once it came out in a cheaper format.

All I have to say now is damn you, R.A. Salvatore.

(Minor spoilers ahead)

Damn you because this novel has once again drawn me back into your world, not least of all because, unlike "The Last Threshold (Neverwinter Saga, Book 4)" and "Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf (Companion's Codex, Book 3)," "Hero" wraps up more plot points than it opens. With the last few series, there has been no sense of the plot ending, but rather it stretched out across the next trilogy or quartet, always left open ended and lacking, to me, a sense of closure and ending to a coherent story arc. Not so with "Hero." All the major arcs introduced within this trilogy) or prior to it) have been wrapped up nicely, and the story of Drizzt really has come full circle, as Salvatore himself said several times in the narrative. The only cliffhanger from the series was dropped at the very end, which only served to entice me to read the next novel as the return of a great character who had far to little time in the series was revealed.

The overall narrative of "Hero" was also much better structured than the previous installments, with the main driving force being something that has been touched on before, but never fully explored in Salvatore's novels, at least not to the point it was here. Set up at the end of "Maestro," Drizzt finds himself not believing that his friends are actually back from the dead, and, indeed, questioning all of reality, including his escape from Menzoberranzen centuries earlier. This leads him to question everything around him, every moment of joy stolen as he looks for demons and servants of Lolth everywhere around him, fully believing it to be an insidious plot by the Spider Queen to make him believe that all he ever wanted was finally his, then tear it all away from him and reveal the charade. Watching Drizzt fight this most intimate of battles--how do you win when you are fighting against yourself, questioning the truth of every thought you have ever had?--until its ultimate conclusion had me unable to put it down. And the ending did not disappoint, bringing a sense of finality with it that has not been felt, at least by myself, since the ending of the Icewind Dale Trilogy so many years ago.

It has been far too long since I finished a Drizzt novel feeling this satisfied.

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Dec 12, 2016 Travis Duke rated it it was amazing

A beautiful end to an awesome era of the companions of the halls... but is this the last of Drizzt? I dont really believe so but I will come back to that thought. Drizzt has survived the Underdark and the Demogorgon and is home but he now has to deal with an even greater battle, his corrupted mind. I really liked that everyone is involed in this story, the harpells to Jarlaxle, the monks of the yellow rose, the dragon sisters and ofcoarse the drow. Even better was we got a Wulfgar and Regis side A beautiful end to an awesome era of the companions of the halls... but is this the last of Drizzt? I dont really believe so but I will come back to that thought. Drizzt has survived the Underdark and the Demogorgon and is home but he now has to deal with an even greater battle, his corrupted mind. I really liked that everyone is involed in this story, the harpells to Jarlaxle, the monks of the yellow rose, the dragon sisters and ofcoarse the drow. Even better was we got a Wulfgar and Regis side story that invloved the Boldersholder's that was really awesome, truly brought me back to early books of fighting on the sword coast and even Cadderly. Kane and the Yellow Rose was also really great part of the book, a side we almost never saw in past books and I was eager to get a glimpse in. Lets all agree Kane is a super bad ass that deserves more attention. I wish Yvonell was explained a bit more, her sudden change of heart was so of jarring. In the end it was an epic conclusion with Loth herself and it was really well written. Do I think this is the last we will see of Drizzt? No, but is it the end to his series of books? probably. Salvatore as of now wont comment. But I suspect his is down with massive series. When you consider the past and right around the spell plague, Salvatore was forced into events and I bet after that he was plotting the end. This time line has seen its fair share of battles its time to move on...

One last thought... that was some of the best wulfgar we have had in a while, I loved how carefree he was I just wish I could of seen the war hammer in action a bit more :( for old times sake.

O.k. 1 more thought.... After such a bad ass sword was made for Drizzt we didnt even see it in much action or see it get tested on how strong it is???? come on salvatore!

Spoilers and ideas below

Firstly I want to saw there are to many doors open to say we will never see Drizzt again. Like I said "this" series is almost certainly done but come on.... Drizzt has a baby on the way and do we really think Loth is done with him after his wish coming true about Zak, Loth isnt done with him apparently? What about that meeting with Jarlaxle and Zak at the end? You mean to tell me thats it???? If i had to guess I would assume we will fast forward a few hundred years to when Drizzt's son is older and we would get flashbacks on what happened. Its a fresh start and we could get some cool flashbacks and cameos but overall its a whole new adventure. Thats my two cents.

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... Ok. So I don't know how many of you keep up with Salvatore's Drizzt, but since the spell plague has fallen, I was kind of a little bored with the story outline. It's great to see the old faces back. And even better to see them compliment each other in new ways.

But it kind of went full tilt sideways. Forgotten realms has always in their novels pushed a sort of multi classing approach or single minded determination of a person.

With I believe Neverwinter like 5 books ago we met basically a st

But it kind of went full tilt sideways. Forgotten realms has always in their novels pushed a sort of multi classing approach or single minded determination of a person.

With I believe Neverwinter like 5 books ago we met basically a student monk whose order's master "ascended". I am not gonna lie, pretty sure he hit lvl 20 as a monk who took no deity. It's kind of a weird compliment system. But as always the gods are fallible.

But this last book ends with something I think most people have wanted. Truly asked for since the second book. Just an end to certain ideals and notions that limit the world.

I think during the last book three books, Salvatore has done not else but prepare the epilogue for this book.

All else can be ignored, if you just want to keep up with the biggest changes in the series in more than 20 years. Read the epilogue. It's not only a must, but it will drive home the last two books as well worth all the side intrigue and meaningless politics.

It made me laugh out loud with joy. Because Salvatore for the longest time has seemed completely heartless on the topic.

Everything you might ever want, will change with the next book. My gosh, Salvatore could literally retire Drizzt with the situation he just made and crank out books with just the characters from this last book for years and never directly follow Drizzt and people would eat it up.

Ugh now I have to wait for his next books!

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Jul 27, 2019 Christopher rated it really liked it

Drizzt enters the Matrix.

A really strong and satisfying end to this mini-trilogy (though really it's more like 7 books if you start with the Companions reincarnation in..."The Companions").

The efforts by the drow priestesses to get inside Drizzt's head in the last novel bear fruit as Drizzt begins to doubt that ANYTHING he is seeing is real and slowly begins to waffle between believing everything he sees (friends included) is simply an illusion crafted by an evil god and rejecting ANY divine in

Drizzt enters the Matrix.

A really strong and satisfying end to this mini-trilogy (though really it's more like 7 books if you start with the Companions reincarnation in..."The Companions").

His friends eventually convince him that he needs to "find himself" of sorts so Drizzt enters a monastery and we get an entertaining, if highly derivative, sequence of Drizzt in an episode of "Kung Fu." He doubts his teachers, argues, fights, doubts, argues, fights, etc etc. Despite my glib description, it works, especially as all the monks call Drizzt out for being so prideful and borderline narcissistic that he can't accept the reality of what's going on.

The culmination is a satisfying redemption of sorts for Entreri, who hasn't really been "evil" for like 15 years....so it's fitting. There is a subplot of Wulfgar and Regis trying to help a Queen who has married a Henry VIII type character and can't produce an heir. While this plotline does eventually tie into the main Drizzt plotline, each time it was a distraction. Nevertheless, the Drizzt plotline was strong enough to make this a forgivable sin.

Also, the final pages bring back a character that should prove very interesting for the next series of novels (for there will always be more Drizzt novels).

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May 25, 2019 Dave rated it it was amazing

The third book of the Homecoming trilogy comes down to Drzzt's toughest battle which is against himself and his inner demons in the form of a vicious abyssal spell on him forcing him to doubt his friends, life, and reality.
The other stories involved in the book touch the other Companions of the Hall and their involvement with the nasty king of Damara Yarin and his quest for an eventual heir to the throne.
I laughed out loud later in the book involving a short battle involving Regis and Entrer The third book of the Homecoming trilogy comes down to Drzzt's toughest battle which is against himself and his inner demons in the form of a vicious abyssal spell on him forcing him to doubt his friends, life, and reality.
The other stories involved in the book touch the other Companions of the Hall and their involvement with the nasty king of Damara Yarin and his quest for an eventual heir to the throne.
I laughed out loud later in the book involving a short battle involving Regis and Entreri against a Behir, which neither has ever faced before this time. And I really enjoyed the personal journey that Yvonnel took in this book. Twists upon twists I never saw coming.
My only gripe is Salvatore's often repeated question throughout the book coming from numerous characters in the form of "what do you know?" It is used too often and mentioned by too many different characters and my only beef with the book. ...more

Jun 08, 2017 Lydia rated it liked it

Recommends it for: angsty teens into fantasy and role playing games

The names in this book are ridiculous even by fantasy standards. Drizzt was basically having one long existential crisis the entire time which was pretty annoying. The only reason I'm giving this three stars is because of the characters Pikel and Wulfgar, that's it.

My main issue was, like in many video games, when you are over leveled for the specific quest you are on and there is no difficulty and no consequences. Reading this felt like that. There was no suspense. I thought there was for a se

Boring. The word is boring.

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Nov 19, 2020 Kati rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked Pikel and Ivan and also Yvonnel. I hated the constant raping and I hated the lather-rinse-repeat of Drizzt's "it's real, it's not" wailing. Things that I wanted to see - like Dahlia's reunion with Effron - happened off-page but we sure got pages and pages and pages and pages of Drizzt's navel-gazing. And also rape. Why? Why is Salvatore so enamored with Drizzt's misery and rape in general? Regis' annoyance when Wulfgar didn't want to prostitute himself and then his amusement when they fo I liked Pikel and Ivan and also Yvonnel. I hated the constant raping and I hated the lather-rinse-repeat of Drizzt's "it's real, it's not" wailing. Things that I wanted to see - like Dahlia's reunion with Effron - happened off-page but we sure got pages and pages and pages and pages of Drizzt's navel-gazing. And also rape. Why? Why is Salvatore so enamored with Drizzt's misery and rape in general? Regis' annoyance when Wulfgar didn't want to prostitute himself and then his amusement when they found out that it wasn't Concettina but a succubus was just the rotten cherry on top. ...more

Warning: there are spoilers in my review.

I finished this book in about 2 days. It was an engaging read, though I felt the events could have been divided into two books, or at least in a thicker one, for a lot was crammed into this last volume. A part of me is glad this is the last (or at least, rumored to be last) Drizzt novel. The series has been going on for 20-some years, and has to conclude at some point. I was worried about how it would end, and hoped that it would be a happy ending, for s

Warning: there are spoilers in my review.

Fortunately for my sappy tendencies, it was a good ending. It felt a bit rushed, but again, a lot needed to be done in this last volume. The epilogue made me fangirl squeal in joy, even as it raised questions. We have been told that Zaknafein's soul is in a good place (it has been mentioned in previous novels, and was mentioned in this one, too), but where that good place is, we have been left to speculate. Towards the end of Hero, Lolth taunts Drizzt, saying she could return Zak to life, and Drizzt points out that she has no claim to him, that he isn't with him. Lolth doesn't deny this, but says it doesn't matter. In the epilogue, Jarlaxle and Yvonnel are speculating about Lolth, and how she could be "changing". While I doubt Drizzt has that much influence over her—though she clearly has an interest in him—and then Zak is there. Jarlaxle is thrilled, and so am I, but it raises questions. Who did restore him? Was it Lolth, or perhaps Yvonnel herself had a hand in it? Zak didn't belong to Lolth, so, if it was her, it makes me wonder which deity she appealed to—something I can't see her doing—or if another deity was watching and decided to do it her/himself. We're left to speculate, I suppose, but I am happy to see Zak.

I am glad Drizzt isn't the only one to find peace in the end. Entreri does, too, though the relationship between him and Dahlia seemed a bit forced. He and Jarlaxle speak of Calihye, and then, in the same scene, he goes to Dahlia and realizes he loves her. Kimmurial had helped to heal her mind, but still…I don't know. While I feel sorry for Dahlia, I have never been fond of her, though she deserved peace, too. Entreri just seemed to fall into the relationship so easily, but perhaps they will be good to each other.

Drizzt's descent into despair was hard to read. The greatest foe he ever faced are his own demons, and it was a necessary road, perhaps, but those scenes were tough—as they were probably meant to be. I felt it was a bit negated by the fact it was a curse, but oh well. The point was made, and, thankfully, Drizzt is healed in the end and surrounded by those he loved. I thought it sweet his last journey entry was addressed to Guen. He has a promising life ahead of him.

Wulfgar is the same as ever. I've never been overly fond of him, and his womanizing ways annoy me, though he fully admits he takes precautions. Jarlaxle is a womanizer too, but he is a far more witty and engaging character, in my opinion. I didn't like Wulfgar in his first life, and my feelings didn't change in his second one. He's not terrible, I just don't prefer him.

While the rumors of the ending FR novel line greatly sadden me, I hope this is indeed is the last Drizzt novel (though I would have liked to have seen the reunion between him and his father). We have been on this journey for a long time, and I feel this is a good place for it to end, even though there are unanswered questions. If Bob is contracted to write FR novels again, I hope he writes about other characters in the novel, or completely new characters. I dearly hope the FR novel line is eventually picked up again.

While I have had my issues with the Drizzt books (especially the latest ones) about the inconsistencies of lore and lack of mention of the other drow deities (Eilistraee and Vhaeraun have returned, after all), I have always loved Drizzt as a character. And I am happy to see him happy. I am glad I was able to hug the book at the end instead of throw it across the room. All around, a good ending to a long journey.

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Nov 23, 2016 Mike rated it really liked it

The scimitars appeared in Drizzt's hands, Icingdeath and Vidrinath.
"It is past time to end this," Artemis Entreri said.

I first picked up "The Crystal Shard" when I was, probably, 13 years old. This means, I have been reading the adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden, off and on, for two-thirds of my life. I recall thinking the first 50 pages of that first Drizzt novel (having no idea that Drizzt was going to be the central hero of the epic - and perhaps Mr. Salvatore didn't quite know, either) was actua

The scimitars appeared in Drizzt's hands, Icingdeath and Vidrinath.
"It is past time to end this," Artemis Entreri said.

As I matured as a man and as a reader, these books became classified as "brain candy," and I would just read the next in sequence, no matter how ludicrous some of the storylines had become because reading these novels, 33 of them, were like coming home. I knew this world, these characters, and I loved them like one might love the foolish drunk uncle at Thanksgiving.

The first two books of the "Homecoming" trilogy were no different. Salvatore pits the mortal characters against a seemingly-insurmountable crew of immortal or netheril foes, and waxes philosophic in the diary entries that introduce each "Act" of the book.

"Hero" serves as a fitting conclusion (and I truly hope that this is the final entry), bringing pretty much most of the surviving central characters from the Legacy of Drizzt together for one epic jaunt that provides a satisfactory amount of closure to most of those players.

"Hero" is a 4.5 out of 5, but I "rounded down" this time because the Salvatore-isms I've come to despise (e.g. "Oh, how they ran/screamed/howled/danced") were prevalent enough to occasionally take me out of the flow (view spoiler)[and the whole Yvonnel storyline, from its inception, was way too contrived for my taste...even moreso than the resurrection of the Companions of the Hall (hide spoiler)]. But, once again, Salvatore is a maestro at describing one-on-one (or close enough) battle scenes, which tempt the reader to try to duplicate the hand, arm, foot, and leg positions as the fights progress. Those almost never get old.

The best part of "Hero" is that it's the first Drizzt novel since "The Pirate King" where you're not sure whether Drizzt is going to find complete victory (and, indeed, in "The Pirate King" (view spoiler)[he did not win (hide spoiler)]). His struggle with his madness against the Abyssal forces in his mind is exquisite and is the most interesting thing about the novel. It was also fun to journey along with Wulfgar and Regis for a time, since they were largely absent from the previous two entries.

Then there's my favorite fantasy character of all-time, Artemis Entreri, who, despite being absent for long stretches in the novel, gets a worthy finale, as well (you'll have to read to find out if that finale is death, either by Drizzt or sacrifice, or redepmption). After all, [I]s there anyone in all the world better at bringing Drizzt Do'Urden to a place of great crisis than Artemis Entreri?

The final third of this novel (120 pages or so) moves quickly, and much of it is predictable (refer to "rounding down from 4.5 to 4), but if you've been "tuning in" this long, it's still exciting and fun - which is what I imagine most of us want in a fantasy-adventure novel.

You've come this far. Finish it.

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May 18, 2018 Matt rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Fans of Drizzt Do'Urden or Forgotten Realms or Fans of oldschool action films

Recommended to Matt by: Found the first book in the Library as a wee runt

Hero (Homecoming Book #3, 30th book in the Legend of Drizzt)
R.A. Salvatore

Wow, after a lifetime of reading The Legend of Drizzt this was not what I expected.

I thought that 'Hero' would be our dark skinned Scimitar slashing friendly neighborhood Drow Elf. Going down in a rain of fire, saving everyone, all peace on Toril.

Spoiler Warning!
I was wrong....

Instead, it ended up being a redemption story for his main rival Artemis Entreri. We have seen this building up over the past few trilogy's as Entre

Hero (Homecoming Book #3, 30th book in the Legend of Drizzt)
R.A. Salvatore

Wow, after a lifetime of reading The Legend of Drizzt this was not what I expected.

I thought that 'Hero' would be our dark skinned Scimitar slashing friendly neighborhood Drow Elf. Going down in a rain of fire, saving everyone, all peace on Toril.

Spoiler Warning!
I was wrong....

Instead, it ended up being a redemption story for his main rival Artemis Entreri. We have seen this building up over the past few trilogy's as Entreri finds his heart and begins to change. He has found love twice and doesn't hate absolutely everything in existence now. Throughout the book we get small moments where he interacts with each of the companions positively and even rescues a few of them.

Being one of my favorite side characters I was completely ok with this direction.

I'll admit there were a few moments where some characters acted a bit out of character. (Dahlia mostly) but it didn't affect my experience that much. The End also had a few parts that were a little convenient and cheesy, but it's a Drizzt novel, you just have to expect a little side of cheese with your main course.

(Thankfully it's sharp cheddar so everything is good!)

I would honestly have given this book 4/5 stars, but being it is the end to a series I have read my whole life I bumped that up to 5 stars.

But that Ending though, but really, ya, that ending though...... I'll leave you with that haha

A must read for any Drizzt fan!

Now forward to Timeless in September.

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Over 40 books strong and still getting better

You can't go wrong with R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt series, I've never seen an author prevent a story line from going stale with only half this many books in it.

Over 40 books strong and still getting better

You can't go wrong with R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt series, I've never seen an author prevent a story line from going stale with only half this many books in it.

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Good read as always from Salvatore

Nov 13, 2016 Stefan rated it it was amazing

What an incredible finale to the Homecoming series!

If I could I would give it seven stars. Been on this journey for a long time and this one really amazed me. Well done yet again Mr Salvatore

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was a weird installment of the Drizzt series. Additionally, rumor has it that it's the last installment, too. Something about Wizards of the Coast, the company in charge of Dungeons and Dragons, getting out of the novel business. Anyway, it doesn't really tie up many loose ends, although it does leave most of the main characters in a good spot.

The main plot is Drizzt getting healed of his mental malady. It turns out that not only does he pick up some kind of abyssal madness while in the un

This was a weird installment of the Drizzt series. Additionally, rumor has it that it's the last installment, too. Something about Wizards of the Coast, the company in charge of Dungeons and Dragons, getting out of the novel business. Anyway, it doesn't really tie up many loose ends, although it does leave most of the main characters in a good spot.

The main plot is Drizzt getting healed of his mental malady. It turns out that not only does he pick up some kind of abyssal madness while in the underdark, Yvonnel the super cleric also hit him with a super gawd curse. She originally intended for Drizzt to kill his wife in a fit of madness, but he couldn't do it, and Yvonnel started feeling sorry for him. By the time she made it to Gauntlgrym, Gromph, Cattie-brie and Kimmuriel had already tried and failed to cure Drizzt, so instead of getting a more powerful cleric, they sent him to a monastery to learn self discipline. Yvonnel revealed that that would never work (even without the curse, the abyssal madness would prevent Drizzt from properly centering himself and finding inner peace), and tricked a powerful servant of Lloth into helping her cure the curse for them.

While all that was going on, Regis and Wulfgar were shown to have missed the entire fight for Gauntlegrym because they were travelling together back to the land where Regis grew up the second time (after being gawd reincarnated) so he could reunite with his girlfriend Donnola, who led a halfling assassins guild. Meanwhile, the queen of Damara is shown to be a young woman trapped in a marriage with an evil king, who wants an heir but is impotent, and so keeps killing his wives. She didn't know this before her father married her off!

So, Regis and Wulfgar finally make it back, but in the intervening 5 years since Regis left, which included the jump from Forth edition D&D to Fifth, and included the Sundering, whatever the hell that was (mostly skipped over in this series: aside from some readjustment as Cattie-Brie and the other mages in the books as they switched from whatever passed for magic in 4th edition back to something closer to what it was before, there were brief mentions of geologic upheaval in this book), their guild lost power and was now more of an information broker deal. But! They attend a party, and the Queen of Damara's father was there. He had sort of gotten his daughter into that dangerous marriage out of greed, but had gotten a letter from her, felt bad about it, and now and begged Donnola to save his daughter! So, Regis and Wulfgar were sent up there to deal with it! They weren't sure what they were going to do, but their options were A: kill the king, B: abduct the queen, or C: have Wulfgar secretly knock the queen up. No one bothered telling Wulfgar about the third option, because they figured his new lifestyle of extreme carousing would make him more than willing, but they didn't account for a few things... A: Wulfgar didn't like being forced to do things like that, leading to B: They tried to force him on the queen without letting nature take it's course, and C: they didn't realize he'd actually been practicing whatever passes for 'Safe Sex' in the Forgotten Realms, and didn't want to sire a random kid that he'd never see.

However! While that was going on, there was yet more points of view! (So far we've had points of view from Drizzt, Afafrenfere, Yvonnel, Cattie-brie, Jarlaxle, and Regis... Never Wulfgar for some reason!) These were from Ivan Bouldershoulder mostly, with a few from his brother Pikel. They were both originally from Salvatore's Cleric Quintet series, but crossed over with this series a number of books ago, when they had that kinda dumb time jump to the 4th edition timeline but had an entire trilogy of books still set as extended flashbacks at the tail end of the 3.5th edition before the spellplague. Ivan's original deal was that he was a... I want to say 'fighty cook'? I remember that he was in Cadderly's temple, and he would fight with his dwarven battleaxe, but with a cook pot on his head. Pikel seemed like a simpleton who erroneously believed that he was a druid, but then it turned out he really was a druid (I think at the time dwarves hated magic and couldn't be druids, so it was a surprise), although it's never really clear if he's as dumb as he looks (those with divine powers just need to be wise, not smart). So now they're super old dwarves, and they work for the king of Damara, even though he's evil. Ivan is a king's guard, and Pikel is the king's gardener. No word on why they don't just snap and take over, honestly. They're both pretty high level, as D&D things go... how many queens does the king need to murder before they act? Evidently all of them.

So, Ivan is in the throne room when some weird dwarves show up and bribe the king in order to be part of the kingdom. Ivan is ordered to check them out, but he never does. Turns out they're Spriggans, evil mining giants who can take the form of dwarves, but are much stronger, much more generally evil, and like eating people. Turns out they're in league with a bunch of drow from house Hunzrin, who give them magic soul stealing gem, which they give to the king, who in turn gives them to the queen. It turns out that the gem contains the super powerful demon lord Malcanthet, the Succubus Queen! [Side note: a few books ago, the evil drow goddess Lloth tricked Jarlaxle's psionic flunky Kimmuriel into tricking the drow archmage Gromph into casting a super spell that altered the faerzress of the underdark (they said weakened it, but that's not how the faerzress works, Salvatore!) such that demons could wander in and out at will, and also summoned the most powerful demon lord, Demogorgon! Also, for some reason, suddenly all the other demon lords showed up, along with lesser demons. Really, there was no reason for anyone else in particular to show up, but they did, which was all part of Lolth's plan, so she could take over their realms.] Malcanthet was afraid, you see, because all (or most?) of the demon lords were still in the underdark, including her enemy Grazzt, and she was fine with that as long as Demogorgon was still around, but the drow had used Drizzt as a puppet to kill Demogorgon and send him back to the abyss in the last book, so now she wanted to escape to the surface, and had to do so by hiding in a gem and using it to possess someone. So, boom, she was now in the queen's body, which she used to bone the king a few times! Then, when Regis and Wulfgar showed up and reconnected with Ivan and Pikel, they unwittingly sent Wulfgar in to bone the demon!

The second time they sent Wulfgar in to bone the demon, someone found out and sent the guards. A battle broke out, and Wulfgar was sucked into a magic mirror and abducted! Regis and Pikel tried to get him back, but were defeated again.

Finally everyone reconnects. After Yvonnel and Entreri cure Drizzt, they get word from a dying Pikel about what happened, then they all go fight Malcanthet and the spriggans. Unfortunately, Drizzt and Entreri totally fail, Drizzt is taken out of the action, but Entreri and Regis have an entertaining time trying to get Wulfgar out of the mirror by first sending random goblins in to displace the current cadre of prisoners, and then, when they finally got Wulfgar out, Entreri tossed the mirror into a pond so no one else could find it, but it turned out to be basically a koi pond, and the fish kept looking at the mirror and so on. Heh! Yvonnel has to bail them out with some trickery (which included turning a spriggan into a copy of Grazzt to scare Malcanthet, then tricking the Hunzrin drow into curing Pikel for her), and Malcanthet fled! However, that also involved summoning Lolth herself, and she and Drizzt had a showdown with her! Then she left. The day was saved!

After that, everyone was fine! Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder moved to Gauntlegrym, Regis married his girlfriend, Wulfgar is still carousing, Gauntlgrym is doing well, and Cattie-brie and Drizzt are having a baby. Woo!

Finally, Yvonnel, still super powerful because Lloth evidently thought she made things less boring, resurrected Zacknafein, probably. Huzzah?

************

This was a weird way to wrap up these books. The really strange part is that with each of the last three novels, Drizzt, who until now has basically been one of the most powerful beings in the Realms, has been shown up at every turn, used as a pawn, and is now resigned to getting his butt kicked by side characters with increasingly ridiculous names (I'm looking at you, Afafrenfere).

I suppose that what the author might have been going for was that the previous books were about adventures Drizzt was on, rather than books about 'what's going on with Drizzt'. I would say that would be undermined quite a bit by all the really lame 'Drizzt monologues' between the sections of every single book. It also made the last few books comparatively boring.

I think my biggest regret about this book is that I thought that when the dragon sisters said that they thought Drizzt could heal himself by 'transcending', that he was going to become a demigod or something. That would be a kick butt sendoff, and was totally a character option in DnD 3.5 and 4.0. But nope! Just sending him off to do some monk training for a few days.

************

So, to recap:

Bruenor: Still king, but oddly okay with turning his dour dwarf kingdom into a magical wonderland.

Cattie-brie: Not that great as either a mage or a cleric. Yay for finally having a baby though, I guess!

Wulfgar: Still only using the one magic item, his war hammer. Got sucked into a magic mirror during a demon fight without having done any damage.

Regis: Ineffective as a fighter, but now also not a rogue. But he sure can hold his breath for a long time! He's getting married to his girlfriend Donnola, and they're moving their entire clan to within Gauntlegrym.

Dahlia: Didn't do anything in this book, so I guess she's just hanging out!

Effron: Dahlia's lame warlock son! I guess he's just hanging out too! No word on his three skull headed staff.

Artemis Entreri: Still an assassin! But now, like, kinda in a good way? No word on why he could sneak past a legion of armed guards to snuff out the evil king at the end of the book, but couldn't sneak past a bunch of dumb giants earlier on.

Ivan Bouldershoulder: Works as a mostly ceremonial guard of the portal at the Harpel's mansion.

Pikel Bouldershoulder: Druids it up at the Harpel's place, growing their grapes with extra magic to make nice wine. No word on why he, a powerful druid, hasn't regenerated his damned arm after a freaking century.

Drizzt: Once the best fighter ever, now a whipping boy. Also a blood donor for a succubus? Hah! Succubi aren't vampires, Salvatore, and Malcanthet never actually had that succubus power in the first place!

Pwent: Speaking of vampires, surprise visit from Pwent! Started as a crazy battlerager, aged into a wise battlerager, turned into a vampire, then a spirit thing called by a magic horn, and now a vampire again, but now the dwarven gods approve of him? The heck?

Afafrenfere: Almost forgot about this guy! After beating Drizzt up a few times, he isn't asked to help them fight the demon lord... they get his boss instead, and his boss only shows up after the action is over. Then he lost his next monk fight for a promotion! I guess Salvatore mixed up monk rules with the old Druid rules? I guess that's what they get for equating being good at punching with leadership and administrative skills!

Yvonnel: Possibly a new Drizzt, but more competent, since she's an epic level mage and cleric?

Gromph: Everyone just forgave him for all the mind raping, I guess, because he's still in control of the Luskan Wizard's tower.

Mirror Inhabitants: Unknown! Look guys, an evil demon lord has a magic mirror that sucks in whatever looks into it, that she trades to an evil lich so he can eat their souls. Why wouldn't someone think to check if there were more than one good guy in there? Sure, a couple of monsters pop out, but what if, just after they left, after seeing a half dragon pyrohydra fighting some other monster, an angel popped out or something?

Malcanthet: Plane shifted back to the abyss, even though there was zero reason she couldn't have just teleported to somewhere else on the surface of the planet. The way things work, she's not really able to just plane shift back to the prime material plane (that's what the whole faerzress magic thing was for), so she really missed her chance there! Good luck taking on Lolth!

Flame Primordial: Still no idea why he doesn't mind hanging out in a mountain, powering a forge, even if it's a really nice forge. Also, if he wants to stay, why does anyone need to keep him caged up? If he doesn't want to stay, why is he helping to fix his cage? This guy doesn't make any damned sense.

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7.5/10

Hero is the last book of the Homecoming trilogy and, possibly, the last one in The Legend of Drizzt saga, and even in the Forgotten Realms in general; and in this book Salvatore moves away from the Sundering with the story reminding more to his usual style as he takes us into a very interesting, if not perfect, and unique finale that sets Drizzt and the Drow into a new path, and will, probably, change them like never before.

After this book my feelings are somewhat mixed with both sadness a

7.5/10

After this book my feelings are somewhat mixed with both sadness and happiness. This has been a long series, counting now 30 books, plus ' The Sellswords' spin-off trilogy, plus a short-story collection and a few comics; and it has indeed gone through a lot of ups and downs all these decades and personally I can't say that I didn't got disappointed in some books or that I didn't wished - many times over- to see a final ending for Drizzt and for the Companions.
But thinking about why it even survived so long is something really wondrous. It survived because of Salvatore's great talent to make lovable characters and take you through their magnificent adventures and make you love them even more than before. Because of his wonderful, and very unique, choreographic fighting scenes that were always something to look forward in each book; as also being the one that brought a very special race that changed the world of the Forgotten Realms like no other author has done before, or even managed to come close enough.
It has been a long ride and I, certainly, can't say that there isn't a sadness in my heart to see this series end, but I can't say either that I'm not happy to see it go after reading this book as Salvatore brings both an epic and a wonderful ending.

So, in Hero the story is something more different than Salvatore did since the Sundering came, which surprised me a first as it reminded me a bit some of his earlier works, and it was, indeed, really nice to see after so long as we see Drizzt struggling to find his own self through a curse; and with some unexpected friends trying to help him it will put them all in an adventure and against enemies that they didn't expect to find.
It's a good, standard story, but what really stands out in this book is the way Salvatore combines new and old characters, bringing them closer to Drizzt's struggles and taking them all into a very unique path that will change them forever; as also closing this series with a very epic finale. Of course, Salvatore does leave something in the epilogue that would be something very interesting to see happen, as many (like me) wished a long time ago, but not necessarily something needed as everything closed pretty nicely.

Closing, I have to say that this trilogy was far from my favorite ones as I struggled a lot after the Sundering came but with this book, I believe, everything becomes right again, and it's well deserved.

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Sep 03, 2018 Tony rated it it was ok

Hero is Salvatore's 394th book in the Drizzt series (okay, slight exaggeration). But seriously, there have been so many that I have lost count, too many. Hero follows two separate plotlines - one that involves an infertile king and some of Salvatore's famous silly dwarves, and the other is the aftermath of Drizzt's battle with Demogorgon, in which he begins to question the very nature of his reality. The latter storyline being darker and more intriguing compared to the comical story of the king Hero is Salvatore's 394th book in the Drizzt series (okay, slight exaggeration). But seriously, there have been so many that I have lost count, too many. Hero follows two separate plotlines - one that involves an infertile king and some of Salvatore's famous silly dwarves, and the other is the aftermath of Drizzt's battle with Demogorgon, in which he begins to question the very nature of his reality. The latter storyline being darker and more intriguing compared to the comical story of the king attempting to impregnate his queen (very reminiscent of the The Spine of the World).

Hero is filled with the standard battles involving pirates, dwarves, giants, a boss-demon, and capped off with a well-written nostalgic duel. What I've noticed with authors who have a long-running series is that they usually write in a lot of callbacks to previous adventures. This is fun for long-time readers of their work but doesn't completely make up for re-used and lackluster plots.

Salvatore deserves credit for adding some levity in the infertile king plot that balances the dark struggles Drizzt encounters within himself; however, it takes away from the thought-provoking ideas presented in Drizzt's story.

Every character's motivations revolve around how Drizzt affects them; it's all rather grandiose. Characters like Yvonnel Baenre play a big role in Hero as well as Drizzt's normal cast of friends and frien-emies (Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle.)

Several character arcs come to completion by the end of Hero. Although it may not be the best ending to a series that started off as dark, twisted, and full of malevolence, it still offers a conclusion, and could serve as an ending to the series had Salvatore not written Timeless, yet another follow-up in the Drizzt saga.

In the end both plotlines are tied-up rather haphazardly, it's almost as if Salvatore didn't have enough material for a full novel, so he combined two short stories together. Hero deserves a double-rating - 1 star for the Kingdom of Damara plot and 3 stars for the Drizzt plot - with lots of unrealized potential in the latter.

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This is a very good fantasy book that deals with one of the most beloved D&D characters, namely Drizzt Do'Urden. To better understand the book, it is however convenient to read the previous ones in the Homecoming series, rather than reading it on its own. This is because, mostly, the plot is about a mental affliction suffered by the drow ranger of a magical nature whose origin is explained in the previous entries (albeit succinctly described in this book as well). Drizzt is unable to perceive wh This is a very good fantasy book that deals with one of the most beloved D&D characters, namely Drizzt Do'Urden. To better understand the book, it is however convenient to read the previous ones in the Homecoming series, rather than reading it on its own. This is because, mostly, the plot is about a mental affliction suffered by the drow ranger of a magical nature whose origin is explained in the previous entries (albeit succinctly described in this book as well). Drizzt is unable to perceive whether what he lives is real or a mere illusion and deceit caused by an evil supernatural being, and so this book is about the efforts of those who love him or appreciate him to help him overcome this problem, and how someone who contributed to his disease ends up admiring and helping him after he refuses to do evil in spite of the curse he suffers. The book portrays Drizzt as a noble hero and shows why he is so beloved, and even addresses interesting existential questions. The characters are compelling and quite interesting, especially Yvonnel Baenre and Artemis (although he is hailed as a "hero" in spite of a murder he commits later on, which I found a bit odd). As has happened to me with previous books in the series, the characters I liked the less are Dwarves, since they are portrayed in a somewhat campy or cheesy manner -e.g. Bruenor has a device that allows him to bring endless beer and his friends chant in a non-serious way.
That being said, it is a great book, pleasant to read and with interesting questions. The main characters, Drizzt, Yvonnel and Artemis, are really interesting, and so are Regis and Wulfgar. Recommended. ...more

Jun 20, 2017 Shane Jardine rated it did not like it

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While I've been a fan of R.A. Salvatore's books for as long as I can remember being a reader, I've been disappointed in the Drizzt books that have released over the last few years. So I was glad to see Hero was getting such good reviews, it actually got me fairly excited to read the book. Sadly that excitement didn't last all that long. I actually loved it in the beginning, I was unable to put it down for at least the first third of the book, but then my progress slowed down

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It's hard to say for sure just what I enjoyed so much in the beginning of this book that I didn't find in the last two-thirds. Part of the problem is probably how nostalgic these books always make me feel when I start reading them, the Drizzt books were some of my favorite fantasy books growing up, but nostalgia can only carry a story so far. The fact that Salvatore is such a great writer probably makes me judge these books a bit more harshly than I should — I know he has to write them to fit the Forgotten Realms stories but that shouldn't detract from the story as much as I find it to.

All that aside, I did finish the book and it was a decent enough conclusion to the trilogy and I'm sure I will read the next Drizzt book if and when it comes along next year. I would also recommend anyone new to the series start go back about 27 books or so and start from the very beginning, otherwise you're going to be completely lost.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This is the first Drizzt book I enjoyed since "Companions," which is the first book I enjoyed since "Spine of the World." "Hero" felt like a classic Drizzt book - no overwhelming amount of characters, or annoyingly grand plot. This dealt mostly with internal struggles and personal conflicts, overcoming obstacles using not only wits but the heart. I'm usually wary of new characters, but the ones in Hero were interesting and relevant. It was a return to Drizzt once again at odds with his nature, a This is the first Drizzt book I enjoyed since "Companions," which is the first book I enjoyed since "Spine of the World." "Hero" felt like a classic Drizzt book - no overwhelming amount of characters, or annoyingly grand plot. This dealt mostly with internal struggles and personal conflicts, overcoming obstacles using not only wits but the heart. I'm usually wary of new characters, but the ones in Hero were interesting and relevant. It was a return to Drizzt once again at odds with his nature, and the story itself was simple enough to become easily emotionally invested. And what happens in the epilogue is worth the entire book alone - readers like me who have been following from the beginning will likely shed more than one tear. I really enjoyed this book, and I'll keep reading this series for as long as Salvatore keeps writing them. That doesn't necessarily mean I'll enjoy them all, so when he writes something that reminds me of why I fell in love with this series and these characters in the first, it's particularly special. ...more

I'm glad to have finally caught up on Drizzt novels, though I'm also glad to have had a slight delay on this one, so I didn't have to wonder if this was the last one. I liked the return to form of the books since Homeland, but some of this particular trilogy have been a bit hard for me to follow. Perhaps part of that is that I have switched to audiobooks to catch up quickly, but part of it is also that the characters are changing a bit from what they were in their previous lives, and Drizzt has I'm glad to have finally caught up on Drizzt novels, though I'm also glad to have had a slight delay on this one, so I didn't have to wonder if this was the last one. I liked the return to form of the books since Homeland, but some of this particular trilogy have been a bit hard for me to follow. Perhaps part of that is that I have switched to audiobooks to catch up quickly, but part of it is also that the characters are changing a bit from what they were in their previous lives, and Drizzt has been moving into some pretty weird places. This book starts from one of those places, with Drizzt in the midst of an existential crisis of sorts, and I found it interesting how much it mirrored my own experience with depression. Salvatore's books are always rather insightful, and that deepened my enjoyment of this book. I appreciated the way this book concluded, and found it somewhat hard to believe people actually thought there were no more books forthcoming, since there is a tremendous cliffhanger for fans of the series. I look forward to seeing what's in store in the next volume. ...more

As one of the fantasy genre's most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore's original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter's Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-seller list As one of the fantasy genre's most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore's original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter's Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-seller list and at # 4 on The New York Times best-seller list. His books have been translated into numerous foreign languages including German, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, Czech, and French.

Salvatore's first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter's Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.

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 computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.

The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer's letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.

Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including "Adventure fantasy" and "Why young adults read fantasy." Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.

Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.

When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...

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