"Sidelights"
R.A. Salvatore has written many fantasy novels that typically appeal to a young adult audience, frequently using the legends of Robin Hood and the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien as his inspiration. Salvatore is especially known for his battle scenes, which are integral to much of his work. His "Forgotten Realms" novels are set in a world that is used in the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. Another series, the "Spearwielder's Tale," follows a man from this world into a "faerie" land. Salvatore, a prolific writer, has also penned a number of other novels outside these series. Featuring well-rounded characters and unique plots, Salvatore's work often "reaches beyond the traditions of the genre to establish new standards," commented an essayist in the St. James Guide to Young Adult Writers, who added: "Readers continue to return to Salvatore novels since he is known for strong, perceptive prose and entertaining stories that speak to the emotions and the senses."
Salvatore's first novel, The Crystal Shard, was also his first in the "Forgotten Realms" sequence. The story revolves around a murderous apprentice who comes to power using the magical crystal shard named in the title. In a review for the Voice of Youth Advocates, Ruth Cline observed: "There are many gruesome death scenes, violent battles, unexplained appearances of weird characters and coincidences in the plot." The book is perhaps most notable for introducing the character of the dark elf Drizzt, who takes center stage in some of the author's later works. "Young adult readers will find many qualities in Drizzt to identify with as the young hero struggles with moral and spiritual conflicts," noted the St. James Guide to Young Adult Writers contributor.
Drizzt appears in sub-trilogies made up of Streams of Silver, The Halfling's Gem, Homeland, Exile, Sojourn, and The Legacy. Born to a cruel race of subterranean dark elves and a powerful family, the House Do'Urden, Drizzt tries to break with the predatory behavior of his relations. The various tales tell of his attempts to hide his true feelings from his evil mother and siblings, and of his discovery of peace-loving elves, dwarves, and humans. In the best-seller The Legacy, Drizzt is hunted by his sister Vierna, an evil priestess who seeks to use him in her religious rituals. A reviewer in Rapport called The Legacy "an adventure story with a heart. ... Whether you've gamed in the 'Forgotten Realms' or not, you'll feel a great familiarity with its territory and a fondness for many of its inhabitants."
Also within the "Forgotten Realms" series is Salvatore's "Cleric Quintet," a five-volume series that follows the adventures of the priest Cadderly. Using his increasingly effective magical powers, Cadderly fights evil forces, including a living-dead phenomenon called "Ghost." Leslie S.J. Farmer reviewed the third volume, Night Masks, in Kliatt, and commented that battles "dominate the story to the detriment of character development." Regarding the next "Cleric" entry, The Fallen Fortress, Farmer found it "not breathtaking wizardry, but ... pleasantly entertaining." About The Chaos Curse,...