Book IV (The Legend of Drizzt 23) - Neverwinter Saga

If you loved all his other Drizzt books, you'll love this one! I think Salvatore is one of the best fantasy authors alive. And Drizzt is one of the best characters I've ever read about. You can't help but fall in love with him and his principles and integrity. I can't put these books down! I've read all of his Drizzt books except for "The Companions".

I can remember picking up The Crystal Shard off the Waldenbooks fantasy shelf when I was but a teenager and thinking to myself, "Wow! This cover art is AMAZING!" Then skimming through the book and being instantly hooked. This feeling pretty much has remained with me through the last 20 or so years every time R.A. Salvatore penned a sequel. I am a huge fan, a loyal fan. That's why this is so difficult for me to write, but also why I feel so compelled to write it. The Last Threshold was a confusing morass of hastily thrown together scenes meandering through R.A. Salvatore's indecisive story plot. We start out with Drizzt's intriguing idea to unite this new band of brothers and sisters in adventure, an idea I was really looking forward to. After all, how long have we all watched and waited for Entreri and Drizzt to finally work together in the spirit of brotherhood instead of need? How long have we waited to see if Entreri could turn that corner and begin to heal the psychological wounds inflicted upon him as a child. Salvatore has teased us about this for so long. Would he finally deliver? The book begins with a purpose, but then immediately falls off the rails as Drizzt and Dahlia (has there ever been a more hated character than this one) begin wandering through the woods looking for Arunika. Why are they doing this? What is the purpose? Then they even get side-tracked again looking for a vampire on the loose, who of course turns out to be Pwent. This leads to an awkward meeting which goes nowhere and serves absolutely no purpose. It doesn't further the plot, it doesn't reveal any pertinent information, it just seems to add pages to the story. In fact, the only thing it seems to accomplish is aggravating the reader by calling to mind girlfriends past who where just incredibly annoying as embodied by Dahlia. This was not entertaining Mr. Salvatore, it was aggravating.

Port Llast was great. The new companions work together, defeat many monsters, accomplish great deeds, and become beloved by the entire city. Farmer Stuyles and his merry band of thieves are incorporated and the city grows. This all makes sense, it all flows nicely, the characters grow, its what we've been waiting for. Bravo Mr. Salvatore. But once again, the book goes off the tracks. Suddenly the drow re-enter the picture. I LOVE THE DROW!!! Unfortunately they are used as a plot device to hurl the book into complete boredom. Now Drizzt and the new companions are on a boat, for a really long time!!! In the meantime, Jarlaxle and Athrogate are back. Thank Meilikki! But once again the question is raised, "Is Drizzt something more than just a Drow? Is he the favored of Meilikki or Lloth?" I find that I really don't care. Why is this so important? The answer has never had any relevance in all of Salvatore's books, so screw it.

Enter Effron. Can this character be just a little more whiny? Just a little? As bad as he is, and as bad as his mother is, at least the two experience some kind of growth on the ship, so that's progress right? I thought so, until the final pages of the book.

Next, the companions enter the Shadowfell to rescue Guenhwyvar. And get their asses beat!! Has any band of adventurers so powerful ever experienced a defeat so decisive? Yeah, it was a little hard to believe. Now Drizzt is held captive, for a year!!?? This is the character who defeated the Crystal Shard with a pouch full of flour!!!! And I'm to believe he can't escape? He escaped Menzobarranzan!!!

This leads us to the most exciting part of the novel. Jarlaxle and Braegan D'aerth. Does Jarlaxle know how to fight a battle? Finally Drizzt, Entreri, and Jarlaxle are reunited, but for only a few seconds!!! Talk about anti-climactic and unsatisfying.

So now this very powerful band of adventurers has to go on the run. Is this a first level Dungeons and Dragons campaign? We've got four powerful fighters, a cleric and a wizard here. They don't need to run from anybody!! (By the way, as an aside, can Entreri find just one magical sword please that won't enslave him?) But run they do, and where do they run? Icewind Dale.

Next we find the characters looking for the magical forest, Iruladoon, where Cattie-brie and Regis are hanging out. Weird in and of itself, but then they actually find it!!! Fall asleep in it!!! And sleep for 18 years!!! Without ever seeing Cattie-brie and/or Regis!!! Again, disappointing and anti-climactic. At least if Drizzt would have been able to speak with Cattie-brie and gotten some closure, it would have made sense!!

In the meantime, Erttu decides to attack Bryn Shander looking for Drizzt. BIZARRE!! And who comes to the aid of Bryn Shander? Why Tiago Baenre and his war party of course. At first, I was thinking, well, at least we've got Ertuu and Tiago and Drizzt in the same general location at the same time. But Drizzt was too busy pulling a Rip Van Winkle while all the action was going on. This fight scene was so obviously an afterthought just to add some action to the end that it was ridiculous! Salvatore spent the last two novels building up suspense for a showdown with Tiago and even another round with Ertuu, and just abandoned it. That to me, is unethical and destroys the trust between author and reader.

Finally, Drizzt and the companions wake up and decide to leave Icewind Dale, feeling safe and secure in their long absence. Drizzt decides not to leave. Dahlia reacts irrationally, forgetting about all the progress she's made with her son Effron, about her budding relationship with Entreri, and her friendship with Drizzt. She attacks him. Is this the Jerry Springer show or a Drizzt Do'Urden novel? Drizzt has defeated drow weapons masters, demons, dragons, monsters, giants, but apparently one crazy chick is too much for him to handle. In the most ridiculous scene in the history of fantasy, Drizzt is slain. Yes. Slain. In a quick battle by a messed up chick with a pair of sticks. His spirit is ushered off to the heavens by Guenhwyvar. The end. No epilogue, no explanation. Talk about disappointing. Salvatore spent over 20 years building up my trust in him, in his characters, in his writing, only to abandon that trust in the final minutes.

What really bugs me is that this book seems to not uphold the principles of Salvatore and his characters, but seems to only further the future goals of Wizards of the Coast and their "D&D Next" rules release. I don't think that the novels should have to compromise on the story just to coincide with the new version of Dungeons and Dragons. I also hope that this is not the last we'll see of Drizzt and these characters. I can see that Drizzt will be the central character in the upcoming "The Sundering" series, but in what incarnation that will be is difficult to predict.

This is a terrible conclusion to an otherwise legendary character. The book itself features almost no book wide plot. It seems like Salvatore was trying to tie in lose ends but all it ended up doing was creating more and the ones that were resolved left a bad taste in my mouth.

To say this isn't the ending that Salvatore's books deserved would be an understatement. I loved all his Drizzt books. Have read all of them twice, but I will never read this one again and wish I never had.

On one hand I'd like to beat the author for writing the ending to the Neverwinter series this way; on the other hand maybe he had/has his reasons. Either way I may be done reading his books. The last few books seemed disjointed and at time like there was little to no reason for things; like Pwent, what ended up happening there? Maybe he's starting a new series to cover that though...

All in All - Worst Ending EVER.

The final book of the Neverwinter saga. It definitely does not disappoint. I'm an avid fan of R.A. Salvatore and couldn't put this book down, but I never can. Great story, great writing and as always, love the Drizzt line of books.

On one hand I'd like to beat the author for writing the ending to the Neverwinter series this way; on the other hand maybe he had/has his reasons. Either way I may be done reading his books. The last few books seemed disjointed and at time like there was little to no reason for things; like Pwent, what ended up happening there? Maybe he's starting a new series to cover that though...

All in All - Worst Ending EVER.

The final book of the Neverwinter saga. It definitely does not disappoint. I'm an avid fan of R.A. Salvatore and couldn't put this book down, but I never can. Great story, great writing and as always, love the Drizzt line of books.

Still getting over it. For me it kind of came from left field, but the hints are more than there. I don't know, kind of a let down but at the same Time a culmination neverwinter. Won't give it away but the last 10 percent leaves you wondering...

A lot of things happen in this book. Some good, some ok and some... Well that's up to the reader I guess. For me it was not all I hoped for but maybe there is something I don't know set for the future. It definitely felt written that way and it felt rushed to clean up everything to end it all. Oh well. Time will tell.

I really liked this, but the ending was a disappointment. However drizzt is an ongoing saga so I suppose the end will be the beginning of the next adventure. The never winter series has been quite enjoyable, the writing is fluid, especially the action scenes. All in all I enjoyed reading all four books, but would have liked a more fleshed out end to the series.

I would usually give this author a 5 star, but the usual action you find in Salvatore's Drizzt novels was a little stale in this one. This book felt more of a transition from the Neverwinter story to his upcoming book than an actual ending to the series. I don't want to spoil the ending completely; but for those who have already read it, he has killed a major character before and brought him back. Be patient and wait to see what's happening in the next book in August 2013.

Many do not give RA Salvatore the respect he deserves as a fantasy writer but I for one who have read all of George RR Martin's GoT books and appreciate his talent as a storyteller love all of Salvatore Drizzt related books(which I have read 20 plus books). This final book of Neverwinter did not let me down, quite the opposite as it brought back a ton of old feelings that I hadn't gotten since the death of the Companions of the Hall! I am excited to see what Salvatore does next with Drizzt!!!

So... this book reminds me of the video game Mass Effect 3. Fantastic content let down by a WTF?! ending. Throughout the read i was enjoying the story tremendously. it has everything i enjoy in a Bob Salvatore book, but the last 10% of the book let me down. This is the ending of a 4 book series and yet the ending offered no closure and was a poorly put together cliffhanger and many dangling plot threads were hastily tied together with no real purpose or satisfaction. Yes i know its not like this is meant to be the last Drizzt book (unlike ME3 which is the last game with Shepard) but you'll understand what i mean if you read it and to say more would be spoiling it. the reason i give it a pass though is unlike ME3 there is more coming, there is the start of the Sundering series in Aug. and i have a feeling it will clear up the confusing ending. I cant wait to read it

I have always loved reading these books but this one felt as if he gave up at the end and just made up an ending. I have no spence of finality and its sad because I've invested over 5 years of reading into this series. I will wait and see if he writes another, or will seek out other books in the series. Still a bitter disappointment.

I honestly have to say one of the best books I've read in a while. This whole Neverwinter series needed to happen, and I personally like the way Mr. Salvatore has gone about it. That being said, maybe I'm not as surprised with the ending as I may have been, had I not known another book was coming in August, before I started reading this one. I'll leave it at that.

This book is easily in his top 3 of quality. I won't spoil anything, and it is so worth the read that attempting to give reasons why is an injustice to the book. My thought at the end of the book is that he is 'cheating' with his characters, as he is helping DnD Next's story along as well.

I can not put RA Salvatore's novels down when I start reading them. He has a way to remove you from where you are and bring you into his world. I have every novel he has written of the Drizzt series and I can not get enough. I really hope this is not the end of his writing Drizzt's life and adventures.

I have read every Drizzt story and love the series. However, this was clearly not up to Salvatore's usual level of story telling. Spoilers ahead! The episode with Pwent...why include it? It went no where. It added nothing to th story. The build up with Errtu, again, what was the point? And he would not know the diffence between Tiago and Drizzt? Drizzt seemed to spend this novel as a victim, and for me at least...came across as weak. The ending episode with Dahlia also seemed thrown together and was just out of character for Drizzt but also, his companions? Oh Drizzt is missing after Dahlia just kicked his A$$? Well, o.k. time to go, I am sure he is o.k. The only segment of the novel that was satisfying was when Jaraxle goes to save Drizzt (and his panther)...but then once he is saved and has Guen back....we never see Guen again. An 18 year nap??? What? I will certainly read the next novel if only to see if Salvatore comes back to the formula that made Drizzt such a fun read. This story just left me with too many questions many of them framed around the fact that Drizzt's actions in this book were not very Drizzt like. And many of them framed around the "thrown together" feel of many of the episodes in this novel. A passive Drizzt is not a fun Drizzt to read about. I mean truly, we read Drizzt because he whoops up on all the bad guys. I want more of that please.

After dozens of Drizzit books this one was a big middle finger to loyal audiences. The final ending of the main character was beyond lazy and showed a complete lack of regard for a loyal audience. Not only do I feel cheated by this book, but I would like a refund on every R A Salvatore book in the series that led me to this dismal conclusion.

Among my entire life, never have I been more entranced by an author author such as R.A.Salvatore. I love the character Drizzt Do`Urden. This book and R.A.Salvatore have changed my life. Never will I be so proud to be among better characters then Drizzt Do`Urden, and the companions of the hall.

Don't let shrewd opinions cloud your own view, this is a solid and entertaining story that finishes the Neverwinter saga with style. Can't wait to see whats going down with The Companions and The Sundering.

You will see if you haven't read it yet, and if you have you understand. Maybe saying you are tantalized as I am. So many paths Bob can take here and some many more potential side series my mouth is watering. I can't wait to read the tales of the new 5 companions and redeemed souls left on Toril. Enteri the most shocking next to Effron.

Love the characters, story, and details. Ending was too easy and not enough attention to close story lines with detail. I hope this is just to create interest in next book. Don't know how they will come back from the ending, but hope so.......

For those of you that enjoy the adventures of Drizzt, Bruenor, Katti-brie, and Wulfgar. This is the next big step in their adventures. I haven't begun reading the series yet, but highly anticipate the quest.

3 books building to several climatic battles that never materialize. Long drawn out travel/downtime for no purpose. A horrible ending that makes hate the psycho slut even more after seeing her start to grow out of that state of being. I don't read Salvatore's Drizzt books for great story telling, I read it because I love the character and have kept up with every book over the years. This book makes me want to stop, I know there is another book coming out with a couple of familiar characters on the cover but that seems like a waste at this point.

For those of you that enjoy the adventures of Drizzt, Bruenor, Katti-brie, and Wulfgar. This is the next big step in their adventures. I haven't begun reading the series yet, but highly anticipate the quest.

3 books building to several climatic battles that never materialize. Long drawn out travel/downtime for no purpose. A horrible ending that makes hate the psycho slut even more after seeing her start to grow out of that state of being. I don't read Salvatore's Drizzt books for great story telling, I read it because I love the character and have kept up with every book over the years. This book makes me want to stop, I know there is another book coming out with a couple of familiar characters on the cover but that seems like a waste at this point.

I fell in love with Drizzt and his panther over 20 years ago. This series has not been the best. Although not the worst either. However this book on its own was the best. Salvatore finally got the emotion to match the fight scenes. At least for me. The introspection by Drizzt at the beginning of sections is by far the best it's been. The redemption part was spot on. The only thing I would change is the very last fight scene. Emotionally I wanted Drizzt to kick her ads

Spoilers ahead!

Like most of the people here I must agree, the ending felt rushed. The whole introduction of Errtu (walking in snow? why not just teleport....) to the wrap up of Tiago and the 18 year sleep. What was that all about?

And then the ending...yeah, not a fan at all. Not a fan of the whole interaction, of how Artemis reacted, ect - though I suspect o'l Lavender eyes is not really dead (I hope?).

As for Pwent - I saw some stating this was another disappointment but if you read the book you know that it never actually says or confirms Pwnet's fate (Drizzit and company leave before Pwent can end his curse - and even hint at staying behind but don't). Open ended plot? Looks like it.

I rated it two starts for the last few chapters - that said I read the entire book in two days and enjoyed the vast majority of it very well though Drizzit's not making as much "progress" as he has in previous books, in fact it seems like he's slipping backwards, but that may just be me (Suddenly hanging on to Catti-brie? Whats' that about?)

This book starts off flat, has a good middle, and falls on its face in the end. In essence I don't think this was a book book that Salvatore wanted to write. (Spoilers)Example one; In an interview Salvatore himself said he was told to add a 4th book to the Neverwinter series which was supposed to be a trilogy and that it wasn't his choice. This seems to be a consequence of the Forgotten Realms getting another major facelift. Basically meaning Salvatore had to clean up open plot points so he can bring Drizzt, the most popular Realms character by a longshot into the next era. Example two; Pwent the battlerager rises as a vampire at the end of Charon's claw which is kind of a big deal but was given around three pages in The Last Threshold. For somereason unexplained reason he shows up near neverwinter and when Drizzt finds him they have a short dialouge then Pwent decides to wait for dawn and then toast himself. What once would have thought at the end of Charon's claw was going to be a major plot twist is reduced to less words than was given to the boat ferryman in the story. Example three; Errtu a huge nemesis of Drizzts has been shown recently to be plotting his return which is a HUGE deal but Errtu never finds Drizzt and instead accidently bumps into Tiago Baenre and thinks he is Drizzt (I mean please...the Balor knows who Drizzt is and hates him with passion. Are the readers supposed to believe that he didnt recall what Drizzt looks like?) and Tiago kills Errtu. So the whole plot build up of Errtu returning to face Drizzt once again is thrown aside in a strange and short way. The ending I didn't care for as it seemed messy and disjointed. And I could go on and on with these points. All in all it really seemed like this book was unplanned and rushed so that anything Drizzt was involved in could be resolved before the realms move on once again.

I have been reading the Drizzt series since about 1990. I have been an avid follower of both the DragonLance and Forgotten Realm series. This book was outstanding until about the last 5 chapters. Then apparently someone had a stroke and pretty much pulled a literary Rip Van Winkle to move things along 18 years!

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD:
All from the last 3-5 chapters of an otherwise outstanding book:

He dies? Really? You've established that he could live 1000 years, but instead he breaks up with his little girlfriend, and his bed-warmer gives him a solid headshot and breaks a leg, and he magically disappears never to be heard from again? And since he woke up in this magical forest with his dead wife and dead friends; he's frickin' dead.

The amoral assassin is left standing with a redeemed heart-of-gold? Really? And now he's hooking up with the girl that just took down a character with a 20+ year history of kicking demon and dragon tail and didn't shed a tear?

This entire book spits in the face of the fans that have been following these characters since day 1.

I bought this as soon as I saw it had been released. That said instead of having the store alert me like I normally would I spotted it while looking for a book for my wife. I was so thoroughly disappointed by book 3 that I stopped caring about the series. Old habits die hard however and I started reading it on my iPad that night. I didn't remember a lot of the details from the 3rd book but they came back soon enough - Salvatore does a fine job of explaining backstory as he goes. I had the chew through the first half of the book before it really hooked me, but once it did I finished the 2nd half in one day. You can pretty much skip everything before Part III: Into Shadow and thank me for the time you just saved.

Here's a breakdown of what you missed:
* Drizzt: I miss my old friends. I'm going to convert this totally evil party into good guys by doing nice things for people but I'm still going to complain that they aren't as cool as my old friends. I miss my cat. I'm super bad with women. Dahlia is a hot mess.
* Entreri: I'm surly. I kind of like Drizzt but I'm too grouchy to show it. Dahlia is a hot mess.
* Dahlia: I'm a hot mess.
* Effron: I hate my mom and dad! Now I hate my dad but my mom is okay. Now I love my mom. Now I'm a good guy!
* Ambergris: I'm a great character but I'm written like a horny college girl on spring break. Yay beer!
* Afafrenfere: I'm pretty much awesome but I only get in a couple fights and the guy writing this book totally forgot that classic monks are immune to poison.

You're welcome. Use the time I just saved you to plant a tree or adopt a pet or rob a bank or something.

The 2nd half of the book cooked right along and that only made the ending more frustrating and more puzzling because by then I was really invested in how it was going to end. I hated, hated, hated how the book ended. The start of the book was okay but kind of boring because there was a lot more of "Drizzt being emotional and trying to redeem people" than there was ass-kicking but the second half started off so well! Jarlaxle raids a Netherese lord's castle to free his buddies in truly fabulous style - it was gripping and exciting and full of the interplay that made R.A Salvatore such a beloved writer. It felt a little "dragged by the nose" when the team finally got back together and headed to Icewind Dale but I was okay with that because I knew a Balor and a drow hunting party were hot on their trail. All the same, I kept checking the progress bar on the Kindle, wondering how on earth he was going to close out such giant plot lines like Errtu the Balor, Tiago Baenre and his team of hunters, the clairvoyance the succubus put on Artemis, if Guen would recover, if Pwent actually destroyed himself, what Kimmuriel learned from the Mind Flayers, and how all that played into Drizzt returning to Icewind Dale.

Because the wounds this book inflicted on my soul are still fresh from how it ended I'm going to bullet out the worst offenses below:
* The first few chapters are spent talking up the vampire/battlerager that was so obviously pointed out at the end of book 3. When they finally find him, they talk for 5 minutes and then Pwent suicides? Wait, what? Why bring him back at all if the plan is to kill him off (again) without any resolution?
* Valindra Shadowmantle, the insane and powerful lich from the other books, is mentioned a couple times and then ignored (same as in book 3). This is a lich for god's sake. Use her to destroy things or raise an undead army to ravage the towns or something. So much time was spent in books one and two to bring her mind back online that it seems like a total waste to just ignore her now. What about the obvious twist where she bends Pwent to her evil will and forces Drizzt to kill him? C'mon man! That's an easy win and it would've been sooooo cool to read about!
* How come Guen didn't die during the year she spent in that cage while Drizzt was held captive by Draygo? She was withering away after just a couple months so another year should've killed her. And astral creature or not, doesn't she need to eat and drink while on the Prime Material Plane?
* They only fought one group while crossing the Shadowfell. Sure, it was a super tough group, but why? How come there was the hints that Effron would use this cool new staff to whoop some ass only to never have it be mentioned again?
* How was Drizzt a captive for an entire year? Are we to believe he spent an entire 12 months sitting in a small room in a tower doing nothing but talking and eating all day? How was he not overweight and out of practice with his swords when he was rescued? And what was Effron doing the whole time?
* How do Tiago and his team all speak Common? Drizzt had to learn it when he left the Underdark so unless it is now a normal class taught in Menzoberanzan they wouldn't know it. And why again are they being friendly to the people of Ten Towns when the normal drow reaction to humans is murder and chaos? Trying to buy goodwill or not, these are nobles of arrogant and wealthy drow houses - they would just as soon destroy the rest of Bryn Shander because human life means nothing to them. Instead we see them chumming around with the locals and drinking beer. Whatever.
* They disappeared for 18 years for no good reason! I was fine with them going missing while Tiago's hunting party was looking for them because I knew they had found the forest and I totally expected an epilogue where the entire party was accepted into the magical woods where Catti-Brie, Bruenor, Regis, and Wulfgar live. Drizzt would reunite with his old friends and fade into legend, Dahlia and Artemis would decide to leave and set out into the world together, and the monk and the cleric would hang out for a while before setting out on their own. I would've been completely okay with the series ending right there giving the message that all the machinations of mankind fall away in the face of true love and fate or whatever. Instead it seems like a very heavy handed way to make everyone forget the enemies they had collected before coming back into the world. What about Guen? 18 years with no summoning? And why 18 years? The magical forest was something like 60 or 70 years old at that point - why would it fade away at all and why would they be asleep the whole time? If it was supposed to be a message from Catti-brie that she was okay with Drizzt moving on, then she should've appeared to him and told him that.
* Did Drizzt die at the end? I'd be okay with that, hoenstly. He went out like a bitch, but he's had an amazing run. If he didn't die, I'd accept the story that he was snatched up by a deity and that he's sent back as a Chosen. Otherwise that ending was just plain stupid. Sure he was taken off guard and sure he didn't think she'd actually try and kill him but this is Dahlia we're talking about.

The book ended abruptly and I cursed so furiously that it startled my dog. I think she may have even pee'd a little. I honestly questioned if my Kindle dropped a few pages. There wasn't even a back cover...it just freaking ended. I was annoyed by Charon's Claw because a ton of plots were opened and not resolved so I had to wait until the next book to finish those stories in my mind. This is the last book in the Neverwinter series so anything left open is technically done and closed or if not closed, to remain unanswered indefinitely. The few plots he did close (Errtu and Tiago for example) were closed in a rushed and sloppy fashion. The drow hunting party runs into Errtu and they kick his ass and then the drow hang out for a while and then they leave? That's it? And no further mention of Neverwinter or any of its characters? And no further mention of Jarlaxle or anyone else - just a quick reference that they got bored of searching after 20 years and called it? And after the fight with Dahlia, Artemis takes the group and heads out - as far as they know Drizzt is dead or missing so they leave Icewind Dale and that's it? They don't bother with Ambergris casting a few spells to find him or heading back to Ten Towns? Where's the loyalty? And how come they don't turn on Dahlia for potentially murdering Drizzt? She loved him and he didn't feel the same way, I get it, but damn woman! Get over it! She reconnected with her son and killed the dude that ruined her life so move past the "I kill all my lovers" shtick and try and be normal for a damn minute.

If I had to offer an opinion, I think R.A. Salvatore had a ton of idea for where he wanted the legend of Drizzt to go and instead of picking the best few story lines and writing a book, he crammed them all haphazardly into the last two books of the series and hoped that we'd just choke it all down. Maybe he's too busy with other projects or maybe he's having trouble closing the book on one of the most influential characters in the entire Forgotten Realms mythos, but Charon's Claw and The Last Threshold were massive disappointments. If he wanted to tell all these stories and set the stage for the next series, he should've released a second book of short stories instead of trying to fit it all into a novel or two. I won't even bother with the tree analogy because book 4 is a yard full of grass compared to a tree. There's no central story, just a bunch of stuff that never gets explored beyond a glance.

Several contradictions of both character and world abound in this book. No satisfaction to any of the stories in this book, at all. It's like Salvatore just had a bunch of different notes for various story ideas laying around that he had jotted down over the years and then got into a pinch w/ a deadline (or just need the money) and so he threw them all together into one sporadic, non - connecting and wandering monologue that leaves the reader confused, unfulfilled & irritated. The ending is the absolute worst! (Possible slight spoiler ahead) I don't want to go into any details, but it is Nonsense. Absolutely no way that it would end like that way for one of the characters. It honestly feels like Salvatore either started letting someone else write the Drizzt books, or he had just given up and threw some crap at the wall to see what would stick so that he could cash another paycheck. Just rubbish. Shame on you, Salvatore. All these years we've followed you and your stories, and this is what you give us? SMH.

The book was very rushed. You have this build-up from Drizzt's past, characters returning etc but then they never really feature. At the end of the book it was kind of like the author suddenly remembered that he included demons from his past but never mentioned them again, and suddenly, at the end, they make a cameo appearance. I really enjoyed most of the Drizzt Saga books but this one was very disappointing. I couldnt wait to finish it, and not because it was gripping, but because I really wanted to start on the next book to see if it has improved.

Also, the books of the Neverwinter Saga seems to be a lot less about Drizzt, and more about his companions. His fighting has become a lot less, and also a lot less descriptive. He fights more with the bow than with his scimitars and to be honest, what battle can you descriptively elaborate on when it mostly includes a bow? Bring back the old Drizzt that we all love, fighting mainly with his scimitars and proving superior to all on the battlefield with these two weapons in his hands. His scimitar fights have not become boring at all and he still meets a worthy foe that gives him a run for his money, and that is what I used to like; magnificent swordplay to the death...

R.A. Salvatore is a great writing in my opinion. His Drizzt novels are fun and exciting, especially within the universe of Forgotten Realms when you can get so many campy, cheesy novels that literally sound like a bunch of nerds writing down their Dungeons and Dragons campaign into book format. Nothing against nerds. I play D&D. Just saying that some of the quality of writing in the Forgotten Realms universe can be somewhat lacking.

Anyways, Salvatore does a great job with characterization in his Drizzt novels. Characters like Drizzt and Wulfgar are believable to me. He also writes action really well. I was entertained throughout the whole book and in reality, that's why I read a Forgotten Realms novel, to be entertained.

Don't look for any earth shaking themes and don't look for any moving discoveries to life's many questions. Pick up this book and look to have fun, have your imagination invigorated, and be entertained. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves action & adventure and loves good science fiction & fantasy.

If you do like good action and adventure and you are a fan of good science fiction and fantasy, then pick up a copy of the newly released novel A Chance Beginning: Book One of the Shadow's Fire Trilogy

Like many others, this is a hard review to put into words. The first 3 novels of the Neverwinter Saga felt like they were going somewhere, and I greatly enjoyed them. Bringly Entreri back was exciting, taking Drizzt out of his element and surrounding him with decidedly more gray moraled characters was interesting, and seeing him in a new romantic relationship was interesting.

Sadly, the elements I found interesting did not go anywhere. I feel, in this case, that Mr. Salvatore had a good plot ready to go, and was then forced to nuke all of his plans due to ANOTHER change in the Forgotten Realms setting brought on by the change in Dungeon and Dragons editions. The fact that this is occuring so soon after the last transition must be frustrating for an author trying to plan any kind of advanced plot. As such, this book plays out like more of a detailed outline. You could have easily expanded the elements from this novel into 3 or 4 other novels, something that Mr. Salvatore may have had planned and been forced to expedite due to the edition changes. I wouldn't mind this, except he already had to do this 5 years ago.

In a word, like my title, I was just disappointed. Everything that I had hoped to see did not happen. No tense rematch between Drizzt and Errtu, no showdown with the cocky Tiago, no confirmation of the budding relationship between Artemis and Drizzt, and no chance to grow and find new adventures with his new "Companions." I had hoped these novels were a chance for Drizzt to fall from grace a little bit and get his hands dirty. But alas, it was not meant to be. The world continues to change and Drizzt continues to stay the same and refuse to adapt. By the end of the novel, it feels like he's given up, allowing an irrational Dahlia, who seems to have forgotten her lessons from the last 4 books, to strike a (likely) fatal blow against him.

I am hoping that this book is simply a product of the politics involved in writing for a proprietary setting, and not just Mr. Salvatore being lazy or losing interest. I am also hoping that he'll be able to return to form once this pointless transition is finished.

I don't know if I can properly review this book without spoiling it for some folks but perhaps it will suffice to say I hope "The Last Threshold" isn't the last threshold.

An interesting synopsis and a love of elves led me to read "The Dark Elf Trilogy" (Homeland, Exile, Sojourn) almost 10 years ago although I was totally unfamiliar with Dungeons & Dragons and the Forgotten Realms setting. I was hooked before the end of the first chapter. I then spent the next 18 months reading every Drizzt Do'Urden book that was extant at that time [about 16 books], in chronological order, one right after the other. I actually felt bereft when I finished the last one and had to wait almost a year for the next one to be published and this love affair eventually led me to read other unrelated books set in the Forgotten Realms. Since that time, another 7 Drizzt books have been released, "The Last Threshold" being the latest. It has been an interesting, oftentimes thrilling journey. But like the Real World, time marches on. Things change, not always for the better and like we mere humans, R.A. Salvatore's beloved characters must change and adapt with the changing Realms. Mr. Salvatore is playing in a sandbox not his own and not under his control. Through a series of triumphs and tragedies, he has led Drizzt and company through the shifting landscape of the Time of Troubles and the Spellplague and now the Sundering lies on the horizon.

With all that being said, "The Last Threshold" is a fitting conclusion to the "Neverwinter Saga" and perhaps even to the "Transitions Trilogy" before it. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. The ending of "The Last Threshold" felt rushed to me and felt both satisfying and not, if that's possible. I can only take comfort in believing that it was as difficult, if not more so, for Mr. Salvatore to write this book (and "The Ghost King" previously) as it was for me to read it. Mr. Salvatore has been quoted recently, saying that he knew people would be upset by this book but he's "at peace" with "The Last Threshold" and I hope that in time, I will also make peace with it as well. His next book, "The Companions" is due to be released in August, barely 3 months away as I write this and I wait hopefully for it. I don't want this journey to end.

End note to Mr. Salvatore: Thanks, Bob... you made me cry... again. But I trust you enough to continue making this journey with you and can only hope and imagine where it will lead from here...

This is an interesting discussion point. Who does Drizzt serve through action or thought ? The result becomes apparent in the last couple of chapters of the book.

The quest to get Guen is more realistic than the assault Szam Tam.

And it re-introduces some people we like :-). I still have hopes that Drizzt will return to Menzobarrenzen and turn its on its head :-).

Errtu has a cameo which probably had a REAL purpose when RA started writing this book and was turned and twisted into a something else... idk lol.

Effron and Dahlia have some interesting character development or lack thereof. Dahlia is an empty soul. Drizzt shouldn't waste time on her...

It's good to see him back in Icewind Dale.

I have generally enjoyed the Neverwinter series but I did not like this book, the original trilogy was stretched from three to four books and the conclusion is just a mess. Multiple climaxes are hinted at but none come to fruition much to the readers disappointment. If not for the inclusion of Jaraxel in the later half of the book it would far worse. The supporting cast is fleshed out some what as you learn the origins of the new companions, but they are overshadowed by Drizzt's constant comparisons to the his lost comrades. I usually enjoyed Drizzt's philosophical musings but they were far to whiny in this novel. There are multiple curveballs that are introduced for the plot that are a struggle to believe I think the biggest challenge to enjoying the novel is the multiple jumps forward in time as the years pass by it is hard to believe why this band is still together. I hope the series picks up again with the Sundering.

I have to start this review by saying that I have been a fan of Salvatore and Drizzt since I was a kid; in fact his books were some of the first that I truly enjoyed reading. For that, and for Drizzt being a companion to me for years, I thank RA Salvatore.

But his "Neverwinter" series has spoiled my fond memories of the Companions of the Hall and Drizzt in particular. Perhaps its because I put Salvatore away for so many years before picking it up again and, in that time, actually read well written fantasy from good authors. What's wrong with this book? The two biggest are the complete character assassination of the protagonist and the unabashed pandering to D&D game nuts.

For the first nail in the proverbial coffin of this book: the "pusification" of Drizzt. Drizzt has always been pensive; dwelling on moral issues of right and wrong etc. But by God he is beginning to sound like a whiny b$%^&. For someone who has lived for for over a hundred years you would think that his sense of morality would have developed beyond a 5th grade notion of right and wrong.

Okay, maybe that is how Salvatore intends to keep Drizzt: pure of heart and with a straight moral compass despite the vagaries of his world. But for the love of God stop spending every third page of the book having Drizzt rehash the same damned "moral dilemma" and at the end get NOWHERE! "Can I change Dahlia's sadist personality around?" "Oh I miss my companions," "Gee, this Dahlia sure is kind of evil, should I try to show her how to be good?" "I miss the companions of the hall." "Dahlia is pretty intriguing; can she replace Catti-brie?" "Speaking of her, I sure do miss the Companions of the Hall." And so on for the entire god-forsaken book. Other reviews have commended Salvatore's character-building capabilities but they seem to overlook the "building" part of that term.

Now, for the second atrocity that sent this particular past-Salvatore fan up the damn wall. There is a point in almost every chapter of this book in which you look up from the page, distracted by the faint sound of die hitting a tabletop and the prepubescent squeals of some acne-riddled kid dressed as a halfling. That's harsh, I actually have nothing against people who play D&D. But for the love of everything that is holy, Salvatore, you are writing a BOOK, NOT A GOD$%##$ COMPANION GUIDE TO A GAME OF D&D! Drizzt takes his new-found companions (why the hell does he need them any way? Sure, keep Dahlia along, since he continues to faun over her and cover up a base animal desire to bang as a moralistic need to "help" her be a better person) and goes off on a quest. Yes, folks, they literally embark on a minor quest, diverting the entirety of the "plot" (a term, which in this book, is a generous appellation for a thing that meanders in and out of episodes of Drizzt's moaning, self-contemplation and episodic outbursts of action).

If the reader can make it through the twisting maze of Drizzt's simplistic philosophizing and the unabashed D&D-esque episodic plot and action then rest assured and Savatore's trite prose will break what is left of your soul. I, for one, will leave Salvatore's books where they belong: on the bookshelf and in the world of my childhood memories where the mists of time and forgotten memories can render them palatable to my future recollections.

I have followed the story of Drizzt Do'Urden since the beginning. It was awesome. I am disappointed with this story. I have always known he would outlive the Companions of the Hall and eagerly awaited for that group to be replaced. But it never happened. This book teased of a new group of friends for the drow but it just didn't happen. I felt the influence of wizards of the coast in the forgotten realms before, during the transition to 4ed. Am I Feeling it again? You remember it, during the whole king titled books, Orc and Pirate in particular .I hope so because then there would be an excuse to the nonsense that has happened in this book. Obviously if you're a fan of the series like me then it's a must read but be prepared for a lackluster end. I hope there will be something to look forward to in this series but I don't see it. The book was well written as usual but too many stupid events that I hope are the results of another transition, than the true intent of Bob Salvatore.

This book is good but that's just it. I would usually say great. I was not feeling the ending at all. The character development GREAT. And I agree with the Dahlia and Entreri choice but even though the ending was well written, it seemed more like a cop out. I guess my man Salvatore is ready to move on to new things but making Drizzt decide to be a hermit and then killing him on a fluke was beneath Drizzt.

Errtu had no purpose... and I really wanted to see Tiago and Drizzt go at it even if it didn't end in death.

I was expecting some kind of resolution with Catti-brie and Dahlia but the 18 year nap thing didn't seem to have a purpose. It left no inspiration.

In all, I would still suggest this book as a buy and addition to the collection. I just think that better choices should have been made (Except for Entreri and Effron - Loved there character arcs)

“Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Drizzt's life"
I liked the book but i can see why there are so many bad reviews.
It plays like a tv drama plus it's a bit wordy.
A trilogy would have worked better.
On too Companions

I enjoy fantasy fiction and started reading the Drizzt books years ago. Of the newer books some are obviously better than others.but few are as entertaining as the first dozen. It almost seems that they are not written by the original author but follow a similar story line. Several of the words used in the books I am unfamiliar with are not defined by any dictionary supported by Kindle or in any of my college edition dictionaries. I could nitpick and find faults with multiple issues but overall the story line is entertaining and I expect I will follow the series to its conclusion.

I won't go into labored detail because other reviews here have done a far better job breaking down the issues with this installment. Suffice to say that I have read the Dark Elf series since its inception and it has been a mainstay in my library and always a joy.

That being said, reading the last half of this book in particular made me feel like Salvatore called in a relief pitcher who flounder helplessly on the mound to ultimately fail. While I had not expected a storybook ending for Drizzt, I did expect a well designed and written one. This is far from it. The ending smacks of corporate backing; forcing an author not only to manipulate his entire character history to generate another series at the expense of a solid set of (albeit not goody two shoes) rich characters to resurrect the companions who stories had ended well and with which I had come to peace.

And having read the first book in the Companions Codex series, the distaste has only grown. If you feel as if you must read this for the conclusion then find a good library. This was terrible in more ways than I could have imagined and only merits a second star because the mechanics of Salvatore's writing held true, even if the story did not.

I was torn between whether or not to give this book a four or three star rating, but decided it was a three. As a fan of most of Salvatore's Drizzt books from Homeland all the way to this current outing, I thought this book was the weakest. There are certainly are some interesting plot lines in this book such as Jarlaxle, Kimmuriel, and Bregan D'aerthe's motivations, but they are few and far between. I also did enjoy seeing the change in Effron. It will be curious to see how he plays out in future installations. Drizzt and company seem to be pulled all over the place with no apparent rhyme or reason behind it. Drizzt seems bogged down in philosophizing for the entire book. His own nature as a dark elf and how he has overcome that evil nature are core to his experience. While Drizzt looking at his inner moral values and how that affects his views of the world and people around him are hardly rare, that seems to be all he does in this book. For almost the entire book he reflects on the past and how can not move forward with his current love interest Dhalia and his current companions because their moral codes do not match that of his own like his previous companions do. I would say this is fine, but dedicating an entire book these philosophical musings seems a bit much. He even takes the group to the town of Port Llast where they help battle away sea demons for the simple purpose of showing them how good it can feel just to do the right thing. This is never given a chance to be fleshed out though because they are whisked away from it for no apparent meaningful reason so fast. At one point when he enters the shadowfell I thought it was finally going to get back to what Drizzt does best. Being an awesome swordsman and battling against impossible odds yet finding a way to succeed. But even this ends up being no more than a philosophical debate for Drizzt. So many of the plot lines that were introduced at the end of the previous book seem closed unceremoniously in this book such as Pwent as a vampire and Erutuu, that begs one to wonder why they were introduced in the first place. Near the end of the book the group is relocated to Icewind Dale to hide from "dangerous enemies." Drizzt has never had problems with "dangerous enemies" before so why he is hiding seems so uncharacteristic of him. The pending battle between Drizzt and Tiago I was looking forward to never even takes place. Then there is a bizarre 18 year sleep that is suppose to keep them hidden from the world and make them fade from history and essentially give all in this group a new fresh start on life. This seems interesting enough, but again it never seemed to go anywhere. Maybe in future installations. While I will not spoil the end of this book it does seem that by the end Drizzt has all but given up. Were it not for the fact that there is another installation due out this August called "The Companions" I would say this was the end for Drizzt. This upcoming book is supposed to be about Drizzt leaving his past behind and going into a new era in light of "the sundering" which is supposed to be some kind a cataclysmic event that changes Faerun. This may indeed be the "great change" that is so often referenced in this book. Hopefully that outing will get Drizzt back in track with what we have all come to know and love about him.

I have been a reader of Mr. Salvatores books since the first one came out in the 1988. Looking at my first copy on my shelf now along with every other copy I purchase almost every year. I really have enjoyed his books for quite some time and have become an avid fan but I have to say towards the last few years, it seemed that the books have become a rehash. I particular enjoyed the offshoot that was done with the Cleric Quintet and again with just Drizzt and Artemis. But as with so many other readers of a series, I decided to trudge on for the adventure. Having been dismayed with much of the early direction and writing of the entire spellplague genre, as it seemed mostly scatter brained to me, this last series of Salvatore's seemed to be going a different direction. It peaked my interest after book 2 of this Neverwinter series.
I just, not only minutes ago, completed this last book. Towards the 1/2 way point of this book, I have to say I couldn't put it down. The pace was brisk as I recalled the adventures of the first 6-9 books of this series. By the time I reached the end, I was left with that "WOW!" feeling again. One that I so long since missed of this series in quite some time. I urge anyone that has been dismayed in recent years to pick up this series again. There is more heart and action in story with this work then Mr. Salvatore has produced in some time. Great quality and left me again wanting more. The newest book "The Sundering" came out only a few days ago and since passing this 1/2 way point of this book, I purchased it from the store day 1. I haven't done that in awhile. As usual for me, my process in reading Mr. Salvatore's work is to read most of the book and then slow the pace down until the new release is about to come out. I lingered through this series for awhile. After this book, if the others are just as good, I'll be picking up my usual pace again. And to Bob, if you read these posts, YOU'RE BACK BABY!!!

The book was not up to the usual standards of a Drizzt novel. Too many unlikely events were just brought together in the last few chapters before the final battle with Dahlia. I was extremely unhappy with the time jump while sleeping in the forest as well as the ending and disposal of Drizzt. I love the Drizzt character and have read all his books over the past twenty years. Heartbroken doesn't begin to describe the feelings of betrayal and wrongness in how the book ended. I am very disappointed in Mr Salvatore's decision to end Drizzt. There was just no reason for it. The book was building up to a new group of companions of the hall to travel and adventure with. This new group could be the basis for several novels, so long as Drizzt is alive and a participant.

When I was 15 years old, The Crystal Shard became the first book I had ever read by choice. I read it for myself because I loved it; it spawned a love of reading and fantasy fiction that will follow me to my last days.

Now after 21 years following the exploits of Drizzt Do'Urden I was horrified to find him ultimately betrayed by the very hands that lovingly crafted his story over all those years for our enjoyment.

Leap frogging his story through time in these last few books, dissolving the very foundations, characters, and principals that made him so beloved and ultimately ending the series with a fantasy fiction rendition of a bad made for TV movie.

The whole Neverwinter series put together feels like the author is in a headlong rush to toss his years of work with Drizzt off a cliff "from on high"! Disregarding the cheesy time skips and half hearted explanations he gives along the way and all the untold stories buried beneath his mad rush. He blew past two far more fitting endings with either Errtu or Barne back to back at the very end of the novel in favor of an abysmal finish!

My advice, skip the book, or the Neverwinter Saga entirely if you can, it adds nothing of substance to the Drizzt saga and takes away so much.

Plain and simple, this book signifies the demise of one of my favorite characters from my childhood/young adult phase. Salvatore takes our hero from the eternal optimist that began the series to a whining, unsure of himself character. Simply, this is a mail it in effort by Salvatore that I wish that I had not read. This is the death of one of fantasy's icon characters and I would have rather not been a part of it.

R.A. Salvatore strikes again, this time from a slightly different perspective. There are still the amazing fight scenes that he is so well known for describing, but this book is less focused on the fighting and more focused on the turmoil inside some of the main characters of the Neverwinters series.

Although his writing style and his insight to the characters is very well written, and his fight scenes are written in typical Salvatore fashion, there were a couple things I didn't like as much. One of those is that there is one spot in particular where he doesn't visit a certain character (or group of characters) for a while, and then when he does, it's confusing as to what's going on at first until he readdresses their plot. I was VERY confused as to what was going on at first.

I won't go into detail about this dislike because I don't want to give out any spoilers, but the ending isn't what I was expecting.

That being said, I would recommend to any Drizzt fan that they get this book and read it. The fight scenes are still very well written, and the description of the environments really draws you in. I would have given 5/5, had it not been for the aforementioned dislikes.

Spoiler Alert (And honestly, these last few books have been one long disaster, and no, I don't care about the politics of WotC):

One of the greatest and most enduring fantasy characters since The Hobbit, Drizzt is now...Dead? Beaten to death by his bipolar girlfriend? WTF?

I'm not going to go into the tedious, ham handed, heavily phoned in writing, the lackluster plot lines, the Deus ex Machina around every frikkin corner. (And Athrogate is one of the WORST characters ever.)

When did Drizzt go from the badass of Icewind Dale, scourge of the ENTIRE city of Menzoberranzan, slayer of Dragons, Giants, and various critters, thorn in the side of a Goddess, exiler of Demons, become a whiny, navel gazing, domestically abused Jon Mayer?

Here's how it SHOULD have ended....Drizzt and his friends going up against Errutu on the top of the Kelvins Cairn, with Drizzt defeating the Demon once and for all, but being mortally wounded and dying surrounded by friends, then lifted into the arms of Mielikki.

Honest to 20 sided dice, this book was a huge frikking trainwreck. If this is the best we can expect from Salvatore from now on, then please, don't bother. Theres other artists who are willing to sweat blood and tears to create good stories and characters, not just grind out tripe for a check. I thought the Clerics Quintet was terrible, but compared to this....

R.A. Salvatore has forgotten the fans who brought him his fame and success. He owes us all an apology.

For those of you who have read this book and the others that came before it i hope you share my rage. How could an author I have come to enjoy and respect since the first time i picked up the Icewind Dale trilogy betray the love I had for Drizzt? At the end of the book you see our Hero in a halfhearted fight with some whiney little girl (Daliah) and then for almost no reason just up and Dies? What happened to the legendary ranger who never once gave up hope or stopped fighting no matter the situation? Drizzt does not go silently into the night, he does not merely stop living. Drizzt is hope personified, the very beacon by which the goodly races can judge themselves. Drizzt had centuries left to live, and was acknowledged to be the finest fighter anyone had ever seen. How does this seem possible given the method of his demise? We have been robbed.

I have been a fan of Mr Salvatore since the beginning. I had missed the last two series (Transitions and Neverwinter), so I picked them up recently. I can't say I was overwhelmed by the Transitions series, but I was, at least, mildly entertained. The Neverwinter Saga I found odd and disappointing throughout. Plots and hooks are introduced (or reintroduced) and ultimately fizzle or left unresolved. The Last Threshold was especially frustrating, as some of these plot lines appear to be headed toward conclusion, then simply conclude with little fanfare, and less help from the main characters. In fact, nothing, aside from a brief interlude in Port Llast, is accomplished by Drizzt and his current band of ruffians. They were, however, very well rested for the sad and odd ending.

Hands down! R. A. Salvatore has done again!
No Spoliers. Just my opinions and feelings about this book!
Note: there WILL be moments when you will cheer, cry, curse or some combination of the three while reading this book!
I was gonna take some stars away from my rating on this book because of the "disappointing" moments but after completing the book I realized that those moments weren't really all that disappointing & actually helped make this book great! I will admit that this book; when compared to the first books in Drizzt's saga is more on the emotional/drama side. Drizzt spends a lot of time contemplating the path/road he's on & trying to redeem others in his group. I think he succeded in 3 out of 5. I say this because the ending caught me off guard. But at the same time it wasn't a big surprise given the emotional character Dahlia became.
I guess the end left me with mixed emotions... Drizzt is the MAIN @#$% character!! It can't end like this!!! @#$%!!!!! But; at the same time it has been awkard reading about Drizzt w/o Bruenor, Catti~brie, Wulfgar, & Rumblebelly (Regis) ;) throughout this last (Neverwinter) series; I have been secretly wishing for a reunion of the "original" Companions of the Hall.
(I guess I'm just as emotional as Dahlia after this series! Ha ha!)
So I end my review happily awaiting the next series! Oh, yeah Baby! It continues....
The Companions: The Sundering, Book 1
(I already pre~ordered mine! August 6, 2013) make sure to get yours!
Yes! It continues!!!!!!

There is a reason Drizzt has been around for 25 years. R.A. Salvatore knows how to write, plain and simple! Whether he is giving us a glimpse into a character's mind or heart, or he is choreographing a huge battle or a one-on-one confrontation, or he is revealing the intricacies of the intrigue and politics and motivations of the characters and their world, Salvatore knows just what details to give his readers to keep them enthralled.
One thing you can always depend on with Salvatore's characters - they are not stagnant. They grow, they learn, they change, they evolve, they surprise. The characters that populate The Last Threshold are full of surprises, as is the plot of this book, with it's many twists and turns. Some readers may love the outcome of this book, some may be shocked, some may be appalled. One thing is certain - most readers won't be able to put this book down, and they will eagerly await the next book in the series.

I have read the Drizzt saga from the beginning. Really, what happened? The story seemed more about Drizzt bemoaning his dead friends and trying to makeover his present companions into the old ones. The newer characters do not get a lot of fleshing out. Why does Drizzt fixate on Cattie-brie like she is the only hope? He is supposedly going to live a thousand years and he acts like he has run out of time to look around. Why did Pwent show up and immediately decide to commit suicide? Did Drizzt really spend a year imprisoned? Why does he not inquire about Guen? About Ephron? We don't switch to Ephron during this imprisonment. The rescue by Jax is great, one of the few parts that are. What did they find out from the Mindflayers?
The eighteen years asleep seemed stupid. Ephron really didn't do a good job of being a bad guy. Dahlia has gotten reconciled with her son but decides to try and force Drizzt to kill her just because he is lukewarm toward her? And Drizzt suddenly loses all his grace and skill at combat? And will Guan's token stay unused at the top of that peak? How did Entreri become a good guy?
AND I HATED the ENDING!!! The thought of no Drizzt is appalling, but if he had to die, let him die saving some innocent. The books content should not be pressured by the game, I thought the games should take after the book.
So I am just confused and concerned. It will take a lot to fix this.

The author obviously wanted to go a very different way with this entire series and make it more of a reflective piece. I just don't think it worked as the story came off disjointed. I have probably read most or all of the Drizzt books over the years and certainly lose track of certain characters and lines, so maybe someone more familiar would have gotten more. But for me, the entire saga (when did we go from three book trilogies to four book sagas?) was to ambitious and didn't deliver.

I would have given this 5 stars instead of 4 if the ending wasn't what I'm afraid it might be.... SPOILER ALERT NEXT BEWARE..... If this is truly "the end" of Drizzt and all we have come to know and love, as I don't know if there is another novel in the works, then I am a disappointed man. I am 40 years old now and have been reading these since The Crystal Shard in 1988 when I was in High School. Not the end of a quarter century worth of reading I hoped for. I guess I wanted Drizzt to be happy with Dahlia and have her understand true love since being reunited with Effron. Maybe this isn't the end though, at least I hope it isn't.

This was an exciting book from beginning to end. Yes I agree it didn't end the way I would have written it, but I'm also incapable of writing a book. Only Fairy Tales I read to my kids end the way everyone wants them to! If there is never any danger to a character, how can there be suspense when a character is in danger? I left the book unsure how to interpret the ending, and hoping I'll find out in the next book. So 5 stars from me.

Finished another Drizzt book today. Ending was vague and disappointing. Likely to lead into other books about the "companions" without Drizzt. Bring Drizzt back into some great climatic situation, yet to be named. Lots of issues left hanging in this book. Sorry, I just feel let down. Oh, Well on to Terry Brooks latest next. He hasn't let me down yet.

I do not feel like I can review this book thoroughly. To do so would give themes of the plot away. Speaking vaguely, this book was a great read. I have read every book on this character, and the off shoots. It's book had me locked in and I drank up very page, always wanting to know what was next. You know that a book is well written when it has u emotionally involved. Becoming frustrated with a characters decisions and surprised by the events tell you that the book, the story line is a good one. It gives life to the characters who show that they may make decisions that a real person would, not as a stereotype would.

I just finished reading The Last Threshold by R.A. Salvatore and all I can say is... WOW and ERGH!!! I have been a Salvatore fan for many years now and I have read many other series but I gravitate back to walking the realms with Drizzt and his companions. This book leaves us with such a huge cliff hanger, but that in itself is one crafted by pure genius!!! Because now all of us have to get the next book, “The Companions” to see what happens with Drizzt.

Even though this story really doesn't have some sort of an big enemy or emergency within its pages. This book delivers with an enjoyable journey with each of the characters developing into something more then we have seen them in the past. Even though Entreri and Dahlia regarded Drizzt with skepticism or contempt through most of the book. That is counterbalanced with a wonderful contrast of warm memories of Drizzt’s relationships he had with his old companions.

And if you love the Character Jarlaxle then you wont be disappointed in how with a certain Shadovar warlock, that’s all I’m going to say! I just love how this character always brings a smile to my face and has me wondering what he will do next.

I was hoping to see a major in this book like we’ve always seen in the past. But you get to see something more in this book about Drizzt and his effect on those around him. As well as a possible answer to which goddess truly follows Drizzt. This book really seemed to wrap everything up to allow for Drizzt to move forward with the upcoming Sundering and the new world before Drizzt.

Mr. Salvatore, thank you once again for allowing me the opportunity to be one of Drizzt companions.

I was wrapped up in the storyline until this came out, but couldn't bring myself to start it. How do you bid farewell to a character you've known for the last 20-25 years? But then, the story continued, and I could read on.

I gave this a three star rating mostly due to my love of the series. However, this book, and its story, felt rushed nearly cover to cover. I felt underwhelmed with the quick tie offs to plot lines and characters. As if the author was just going through the motions to be done with it.

What happened ????????

I was looking forward to a fantastic/epic battle, that didn't happen.
Everything was set and ready to happen and then Salvatore went to sleep.

What happened ???????

Last 1/4 book seemed to not flow with rest of book. Seemed out if place with rest of book and many sub plots from previous books. I think Salvatore was forcing the end of this series to flow into coming Sundering multi-author series he's kicking off in August.

90% of the novel is excellent. Then Salvatore gives up on his most successful character. He quits on all the remaining storylines. It is a complete failure. From an excellent series that has readers fascinated for a couple of decades, the conclusion is a clumsy and amateurish failure. Will never pick up anything by this author again . . . and this is from an absolutely devoted fan! Thanks for kicking dirt in our faces, RA.

Good character exposition. Interesting to learn about new characters. However, not enough action so the pace dragged compared to other Salvatore Forgotten Realms novels. Companions was better, but still a bit on the slow side. But I understand the writer was limited by what WOTC wanted to do with D&D

There were parts of the book that had me completely lost. I read the book twice to be sure I did not miss anything. I have read every Salvatore book and if this is the end to one of the most beloved characters, I will be really disappointed.

Another great book...I have read almost all r.a. salavotor and I am never let down ..I never had a author who I am soooo excited waiting tilk a book comes out but sad when I am down cause I miss the char in the books

R. A Salvatore and his Forgotten Realms Books always delivers! Drizzt is by far one of my most beloved characters and the series just keep getting better and better. What an unexpected ending and as usual keeps me wanting more....Neverwinter has become one of my favorite series....

I have only started the drizzt series a couple of trilogys back, but this is by far the best novel. Drizzt was well played till the end, and i will miss his memorable companions as well. it seems he is pulled by his old friends into a new era of forgotten realms, which should be interesting. the one thing i dont like is all the sex in the book that really diverts from the story and doesnt make it quite as enjoyable for a younger reader like me.

This book starts off flat, has a good middle, and falls on its face in the end. In essence I don't think this was a book book that Salvatore wanted to write. (Spoilers)Example one; In an interview Salvatore himself said he was told to add a 4th book to the Neverwinter series which was supposed to be a trilogy and that it wasn't his choice. This seems to be a consequence of the Forgotten Realms getting another major facelift. Basically meaning Salvatore had to clean up open plot points so he can bring Drizzt, the most popular Realms character by a longshot into the next era. Example two; Pwent the battlerager rises as a vampire at the end of Charon's claw which is kind of a big deal but was given around three pages in The Last Threshold. For somereason unexplained reason he shows up near neverwinter and when Drizzt finds him they have a short dialouge then Pwent decides to wait for dawn and then toast himself. What once would have thought at the end of Charon's claw was going to be a major plot twist is reduced to less words than was given to the boat ferryman in the story. Example three; Errtu a huge nemesis of Drizzts has been shown recently to be plotting his return which is a HUGE deal but Errtu never finds Drizzt and instead accidently bumps into Tiago Baenre and thinks he is Drizzt (I mean please...the Balor knows who Drizzt is and hates him with passion. Are the readers supposed to believe that he didnt recall what Drizzt looks like?) and Tiago kills Errtu. So the whole plot build up of Errtu returning to face Drizzt once again is thrown aside in a strange and short way. The ending I didn't care for as it seemed messy and disjointed. And I could go on and on with these points. All in all it really seemed like this book was unplanned and rushed so that anything Drizzt was involved in could be resolved before the realms move on once again.