There are very few authors that I know I will enjoy whenever they put pen to paper, but when R.A. Salvatore writes in The Forgotten Realms setting I have yet to be disappointed. This is something of a big book for Wizards of the Coast, as well, as we are shown the characters in the transition of the world of Toril from the 3.5 edition ruleset to the 4th edition of DnD. The changes that take place for the Companions of the Hall, Cadderly, and Spirit Soaring are quite large, and I am glad that they allowed Salvatore to tell part of the world-changing story with characters that we knew and could relate to.
I want to confess right now that I am only slightly versed in the Spellplague and had to do a bit of wiki research to really get a good basis of what went on. That being said, if you are really looking to debate the Spellplague or just need some more information, check out the Candlekeep website; they have the information and brought me up to date on what I needed to know. At the surface it reminded me a lot of the Time of Troubles, which was discussed in the Avatar Trilogy–still some of my favorite Forgotten Realms books to date–but that is really only the surface of this change. Make sure to check out the interview with Salvatore we hosted yesterday.
When the Spellplague ravages Faerûn, Drizzt and his companions are caught in the chaos. Seeking out the help of the priest Cadderly–the hero of the recently reissued series The Cleric Quintet–Drizzt finds himself facing his most powerful and elusive foe, the twisted Crenshinibon, the demonic crystal shard he believed had been destroyed years ago.
This is a different Forgotten Realms, and Salvatore is given the task of integrating his characters into this new world as well as giving us an overview of what is actually taking place. As we go from pre- to post-Spellplague, we are given enough of the puzzle to allow us to understand the story that Salvatore is telling, but you are teased enough into looking for the whole story of the Spellplague and the whys and whats of how Toril is changing.
The re-introduction of Cadderly Bonaduce, Danica, their kids, and Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder was a nice treat. Often we see heroes for only a brief time (set of books) and then we never get to revisit them to see how their life turned out. Salvatore worked them in, without it feeling forced, which is a testament to his writing. Even Jarlaxle and Athrogate get in on this story, and it works. Actually, I enjoyed the character of Athrogate in this book more than during the previous book; Salvatore got a chance to give him a bit more personality this time around. The Bonaduce children did not seem to get enough time in the story, but this may have been a bit of an introduction for them for future projects. Really, at the end of the day, the book is jam-packed with characters, so not everyone has the chance to play the leading role.
Crenshinibon is back, and at the beginning of the book I was a bit disappointed that this would focus around the crystal shard that has played so heavily into Drizzt’s path. With the breaking of the weave, Crenshinibon (the crystal shard), Hephaestus the dragon, and Yharaskrik the illithid form this super villian (kind of like Voltron) called the Ghost King. At the start of the book I was a bit confused how the entities that formed The Ghost King melded into one being, as well as how the creators of the shard played into this adventure. After a bit of a slow start to the book, it really picked up and is probably my favorite Transitions book to date. I found it interesting how the epic Spellplague event felt personal to the characters. Saltavore gives us lines here and there helping us to envision the overall spread of the plague, but at the same time it is personalized to the characters in this story.
And what the heck was up with the Kimmeral scenes with Jarlaxle? I do get the fact it allows us to get into Jarlaxle’s thought process by having someone to bounce what he is thinking off of, but, really, has Jarlaxle really ever told the full story to anyone? They could also be a bit of a set-up for the future, as well. Having Jarlaxle so far on the side of Drizzt and friends, without a hidden agenda, was a good use of the character. Salvatore has also stated that Jarlaxle is his deus ex machina with all the magic and resources he has at his disposal. Athrogate and Thibbledorf Pwent together on the same team is a destructive force of humor at the core. Salvatore really made the best of their time together.
No matter how much we like or dislike the characters and the setting, there is just no debate that Salvatore can write some kick-ass fight scenes. For me they felt much fresher than the ones in The Pirate King, and I thought having one of the enemies of the last book, Athrogate, fighting alongside the companions made for some interesting scenes. I felt more drawn in, and the battle against the dragolich was amazing; the writing brought me as a reader inside that fight in a way few authors can.
The ending of the book is fraught with major spoilers, but I will say after finishing the book, it felt complete. Things are changing, and Salvatore found a way to push that change from a story and character perspective. The ending is a big deal, and one that Salvatore handles eloquently. Things have changed in Toril and for the companions.
The Ghost King was a worthy Drizzt book, and at the same time a book worthy of DnD lore. I would say all readers of Forgetten Realms books really cannot afford to miss this book for the adventure, as well as the history. Players of the tabletop game should not miss a book that helps explain some of the lore that transitions the game itself. It was interesting to see Cadderly transition from the 3.5 edition ruleset to 4th edition, even if the character and sometimes the reader did not fully grasp what was going on. That was the fine balance that Salvatore had to walk; the characters in the story did not get a new set of rulebooks, they have to live the transition, so there is some confusion on their end, some things they cannot yet explain. For the readers of WoTC books who do not play the tabletop games, it was something that they had to be able to follow and that would not take away from the flow of the story, and Salvatore was up to the task.
We are also given a lot more insight as to why we are shown 100 years into the future in the prologue and epilogue of The Orc King. Also a lot of little tidbits of information with characters that hints to me that we will see them as lead characters in future books. Two scimitars up from this reviewer.
Thank you for this article. RA Salvatore is my all time favorite author.
R.A. Salvatore is also one my favorite authors in the fantasy fiction genre. I enjoyed your review and how it commented on putting the characters together and the roles that enhanced the book and gives it a future. References were made towards Artemis of course and I continued to wonder when his entrance would be known through this book.
I haven’t had much time to find a site or comment made from Salvatore himself to figure out what he has in store for the future of the series and what adventures Drizzt will take us on. Any help and an explanation of what occured with the “spoilers” at the end would be greatly appreciated if you have a better insight to what happened and why.
A very ggood read. I actually cried at the end. I was disappointed. I hope that there is a way to bring back Cadderly Bonaduce, he is a kick ass guy. Many more books can and should have been written about him. I will miss regis and Catibrie……
I’ve always enjoyed Salvatore’s novels, this one included. I was a little disappointed at the ending. So many main character deaths….and what about Wulfgar? Will Salvatore ever touch that character again?
I like your review, though I believe you touched on the novel with an optimistic lean.
I have been a Drizzt fan throughout my life. R.A. Salvatore helped make me into the person I am today, simply by producing the many great novels he wrote, The Silent Blade was my first book read front to back, and after reading it I HAD to start from the 1st and work my way. That being said, and showing you that I am a true fan, I cannot agree that this book was anywhere close to his best work.
It seemed sloppy. Compared to the pieces he has constructed before, this book seemed rushed (as if Robert was just trying to be done with this latest trilogy so he could move on to something else…)
And the book was predictable- the Dracolich not actually being defeated the first time around, the reptetive fight scenes. I could have lived happily without reading so many of them at Spirit Soaring. Alas, however, I say that I was hoping for a more resounding bang, to the end of Transitions. The Orc King was the best, the Pirate King showed growth as an author for Rob, as his style was slightly skewed compared to before, but this book…was the most painful read since the Crystal Shard.
However painful it was, I can’t say I didn’t find enjoyment in the combo of Athrogate and Pwent, Jarlaxle and Drizzt. Jarlaxle was always a favorite character of mine. Though, I am excited to see where Entreri plays into it all…he is by far the most intriguing character, and my favorite, HANDS DOWN, that Rob has ever written about.
To sum it up, I give it a 5 out of 10, enjoyable enough for a strong fan to read, but otherwise, don’t waste your time.
Thanks for your review.
-Isaac
I disagree with you Isaac, I found this novel to at least move in a direction, any direction. I felt that The Pirate King was the weakest book of this trilogy and did not move the story forward much at all. I actually enjoyed the Ghost King because it gave us some insight into other characters, finalized some stories and thought his fight scenes were well played out this time around.
With all due respect to Mr. Salvatore of whom I have been a dedicated fan for lo these many years I cannot accept the 4th edition D&D rules and 4th edition Forgotten Realms setting. I will not buy any of the books and I will never play that system ever. It has taken a system rationally and historically grounded in classical and medieval mythology and turned it into a comic book system thrown together purely out of whole cloth all for the enrichment of the corporate greed of WotC.
Whatever it’s literary merits The Ghost-King is a sellout to WotC, which has with 4th ed., bastardized and destroyed everything that was good about the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying gaming system and Mr. Salvatore should just have said no when it came to writing it. The whole concept of the “Spellplague” is ridiculous. Unless I have missed something it has yet to be explained how a deity, a divine, immortal being gets “murdered”. Maybe someone can explain this to me.
Salvatore should have just refused to promote the abomination that is the 4th ed. He has gone to the well one too many times. Perhaps too literally the tale is too “deus ex machina” and that is a departure from everything that Salvatore has written thus far in the Legend of Drizz’t. Sadly art has taken a backseat to the inevitable press of the almighty dollar. Transitions fails despite Mr. Salvatore’s talents as a writer.