Insurrection (Forgotten Realms: R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book 2) [Hardcover]

Thomas M. Reid (Author)

Book Description

Series: War of the Spider Queen | Publication Date: December 1, 2002

Quenthel Baenre is second only to the matron mother and is Menzoberranzan’s most powerful priestess of Lolth. When the Spider Queen goes silent, Quenthel is called upon to lead a team of dark elves on a mission that could save Menzoberranzan or doom it forever. With the cunning wizard Pharaun Mizzrym, weapons master Ryld Argith, mercenary Valas Hune, and the vicious draegloth Jeggred by her side, the priestess is sent to the trade city of Ched Nasad to determine the scope of Lolth’s silence.

Is Menzoberranzan alone being punished? Are all the drow? Is it just Lolth, or have all the gods gone quiet?

The answers to these questions will determine the fate of the entire drow race and set the course for the future of the Underdark. If the powerful dark elves falter, the world below is open for Insurrection

The War of the Spider Queen spreads.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas M. Reid held numerous positions with TSR and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. His most recent novel is The Temple of Elemental Evil for the Greyhawk (r) line. Reid lives in Texas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast; 1St Edition edition (December 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786927860
• ISBN-13: 978-0786927869
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't put it down. Its an addiction. I need a social group, January 25, 2003

By 

Derrick Schommer (Hudson, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Insurrection (Forgotten Realms: R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book 2) (Hardcover)

I found book II to be much better then the first book of the set. This book has more adventure with a complex yet easy to understand plotline. We're introduced to a few new characters while revisting those from book I.

It is hard to adapt to the fact that this is *not* a book about an adventure group of friends... but a group of adventurers together by convention alone. If things go bad you never know who may backstab who, and everyone is out to protect THEMSELVES.

And its about time someone worked a succubus into a storyline :) I'm a big fan of odd character types, wizardry and magic, and deceit. This book has all three wrapped up in a nice package of chaos. And after its all said and done you still get to read about another city besides the ever popular Menzobaranzan! A new culture with new houses to dominate! Most excellent.

Admittingly, I have not yet finished the book but I'm having a hard time putting it down. I can't say that about the first book, although it was good, it is not of this quality. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to grab some tea and sit down on my comfortable chair and read where I last left off...

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So dark, so cruel, so devious... bring on the Drow!, November 28, 2002

By 

"amplexor" (Coral Gables, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Insurrection (Forgotten Realms: R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book 2) (Hardcover)

For those who are a fan of Salvatore's Underdark will not be disappointed. Salvatore's chosen disciples have big shoes to fill but they seem to be doing just fine thus far. Insurrection is a good buy for a Drow junkie and an excellent follow-up to Dissolution. My only gripe with the series is the fact that, typically, shared characters have been something left to the Dragonlance series. While I'm sure it allows the publisher to pump out books at a quicker pace, it does live up to the Forgotten Realms' MO. This may seem like a minor issue that becomes virtually transparent when you simply sit down and read the books... but I noticed the differences of the characters between authors.

In her infinite wisdom concerning the benefits of chaos, Lolth, the Queen of the Demonweb, has fallen silent to the prayers of even the most devout of her followers. Such silence does not bode well for a matriarchal society whose `stability' eternally teeters back and forth upon the chaotic whims of the noble matron mothers. Their rule is absolute for the power they wield is that which is directly channeled from Lolth. Mercy, love, sadness and friendship have no place in the dark world of the Drow. But what would happen if that overbearing power no longer existed?

Insurrection picks up where Dissolution left off, a party led by high ranking nobles of the City of Spiders, Menzoberranzan, is sent to the trade city of Ched Nasad to discover the reach of Lolth's silence. In true Drow spirit, such a monumental opportunity to drastically improve one's station is never given up. Deceit, lies, conspiracy and bloodshed is what ensues... the very lifeblood of Drow society.

May the War of the Spider Queen continue in all its chaotic glory...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read with a few dissapointments, January 29, 2004

By 

uzzyl77 (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Insurrection (Forgotten Realms: R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

After devouring the first book I could hardly wait to read this one. I found this second book to be satisfying, but left me a little disappointed. The action and plot kept me turning and turning and turning the pages. I especially liked the introduction of the new characters and the jealous alu-fiend, and Halistra's uncharacteristically un-drow behavior in saving her battle-captive. Description of the physical structure of the city was ingenious, as was the short trek through Underdark at the beginning.

What was lacking was development and consistency in the series. Quenthel appeared to have suddenly become "soft" in this book, which was a major dissapointment. And I left wanting to know more about politics and social issues in Ched Nasad, which could very well have differed in interesting ways from those in Menzo as presented in Dissolution.

The last 150 pages were dissapointing for three reasons. First, the action just never seemed to stop, which left me exhausted. Second, our Menzo heroes suddenly began to make a long series of unwise choices. Finally, and most annoyingly, our heroes would stop in the middle of the destruction and have little "review conversations" where they would review the plot for the reader in near lecture-form. As the city was falling apart under their feet! heh.

Overall a great read, and a great second novel in the series. But no Dissolution.