R. A. Salvatore

I really feel like this book is 3.5 out of 5 stars, but I can't give a half star, so I'm rounding up. The overwhelming feel of this book is oppressive and negative. A problem I notice authors having with huge, epic battles is that they often are one-sided. This happens a lot in anime. One force attacks another and seems to be outright winning on every front. And then when the shift happens and the other force is winning on every front.

This seems to happen with the drow's orchestrated invasion of the Silver Marches. They invade and seem to be invincible, winning at pretty much every turn. Tiago is invincible. We are told time and again that he is unstoppable, except by one or two people. By the end of this book things are looking pretty dire for the kingdoms of the Silver Marches. Kingdoms which were supposedly formidable but have been overrun with seemingly with ease. I understand the drow are sneaky and the orcs, goblins, giants, etc. probably never teamed up to attack before. I also understand that they've divided the kingdoms. But overall it just seemed so one sided.

How can the good guys possibly win? Are the Silver Marches doomed? Are future books taking place elsewhere, so the Silver Marches are being destroyed? Who knows. That's for me to find out in the next book. Victory seems unlikely, but somehow they'll win.

… (mais)