Exile: Legend of Drizzt: Dark Elf Trilogy, Book 2. Audiobook ReviewReview by Paul Fiander
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Written by: R. A. Salvatore
Narrated by: Victor Bevine Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins Publisher: Audible Studios |
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At the conclusion of Homeland Drizzt along with his companion Gweuhyvar found themselves leaving the Drow city of Menzoberranzan for good for a new life living in the wilds of the Underdark. A place according descriptions of Drizzt’s patrol outings that was treacherous for a group of well armed and supplied Drow let alone one renegade with a powerful yet part time magical companion. As exile starts we are informed a decade has passed since the events of Homeland and incredibly Drizzt has managed to survive. The question is what of the light hearted Drow has survived and what has died? It’s a question that permeates through the book, allowing Salvatore a chance to bind multiple strands into one central theme.
The opening description of the Hunter is rather haunting and owes a lot to Bevine’s narration. The description of the animal instincts and violent streak of this “survivor” belittle the character we knew but also go a long way into explaining how he managed to survive. As the book goes on we get an increasing look at the psychology of loneliness that plagues Drizzt throughout his new existence. His loneliness leads him to commit desperate acts that give this book its main hinge point. This also allows Bevine to throw a different dialect into the narration which helps to make characters more discernible through the confrontations that litter the book. The narration again has its breathless moments but there are times where the tone I driven towards melancholy where I read it as a more forceful resolve. This could well just be my interpretation of a scene but it did help to give the book a more downbeat ending than I thought after reading it. |
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Salvatore has a bit of a George RR Martin thing going on within these stories, we know Drizzt survives this is a prequel after all, but thanks to the demise of the weapons master in the first book we know the axe (or claw) could easily fall elsewhere. The wonder of the story though is I still find myself holding my breath at points thinking “How can they survive this?” It’s the way the story plays out that makes this book instead of just the death toll.
This is the middle of a story and it certainly feels that way, though I am quite happy with stories that end on an open note. Salvatore does though continually throw information at you from the previous book, this makes sense as the books were published some time apart but if like me you are go through these books at a rate of knots you may find yourself every now and then wising there were two versions of the book, one for the series read through and one for the first time reader. All in all though this is a great follow up to Homeland and helps to continue the story of this most remarkable character. |
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