Customer Reviews

Luthiens Gamble (The Crimson Shadow)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

R.A. Salvatore proves with this book that he was, at the time, running short on original ideas. Drizzt is my favorite character of all time, so I am fully aware of Salvatore's talents, but this book is lacking - much like the others in the series. For starters, there are just TOO many similarities to Tolkien to be ignored - the names Luthien and Eriador have been ripped right out of Middle-earth. The battle with the dragon is clearly the confrontation between Smaug and Bilbo modified to fit into Salvatore's story. And lastly, the character Brind'Amore, though a decent character, seems very much akin to Gandalf and therefore lacks in originality. The two major things that make this book worth reading, however, are Salvatore's trademark action scenes and the wonderful "highway-halfling," Oliver De'Burrows. But if you haven't read any of the Drizzt books, read them instead.

This trilogy is the first I have read of R. A. Salvatore's works, and I have to say it will be the last. The stories are very simplistic - the heroes full of (noisome) witty repartie and banter as they fight endless hordes of cyclopians (I wish I had a pound for every time the word `brute' is used substituted), wizard-dukes and other two dimensional foes. This really is sword & sorcery by numbers. There is no plot that piques your interest or pricks your sense of wonder; the heroes just go from same-old fight to same-old fight, which serves as interminable fillers in the progression from oppressed country in the first book to free country in the third book. If you're under 10 or easily pleased then you might like this. If, however, you prefer a little more from your fantasy then you should read J. R. R. Tolkien (anyone who hasn't, hasn't lived), J. V. Jones (for excellent realism), Robin Hobb (wonder plots and characters), Robert Jordan (for mega-quests), David Eddings (a little formulaic but fun), etc. This is one reader that hopes the Crimson Shadow stays hidden in his magic cape in future...

For being R.A. Salvatore's #1 fan, (yeah, I'm the one), I'm really surprised this book was written by him. It lacks any shock value. Luthien was about as predictable as Presidents Clinton's denial, lacking substance and reality. A few characters did manage however to keep me mildly intrested in at least finishing the book. I won't be reading any continuations.

This book is amazing, a good read. The characters have depth, the story is good, and combat scenes are nothing short of amazing. this is good but the Dark Elf Trilogy is better.

Middle Earth type fantasy set in an island that looks very much like Ireland?
The wizards and heroes of this tale are kind of English with a
shift toward Ireland, maybe? Elves, dwarves, cyclops, demons and dragons
inhabit the text.
The name Eriador for the north kingdom that is "freed" in this
second book in the series that gives me the thought it resembles Ireland.If you like swashbuckling fantasy,
you should like this one.
It even has a kind of sense of humor.
It is better than the other R. A. Salvatore series that I have read, so far.

Although not the greatest book I have ever read, Luthien's Gamble has to be on the top ten. In fact the whole Crimson Shadow series is on the top ten but Luthien's Gamble is my favorite. One thing I like about this book is the fact that it has a simple plot and some simple sub-plats. Sometimes you get books that contain either one boring plot or too many sub-plots to follow. The book's plot is basically Luthiens struggle to keep his country (Eriador) from being taken back over by Avon. Some of the sub-plots include who's Luthien gonna love, how he's gonna raise an army, and very simple stuff like that. However, my favorite part about this book and the series is the character Oliver. You should of met him in the first book so I'm not ruining anything. Oliver is probably the best character I have ever read. He is funny and so full of himself that it makes him even funnier. He is the halfling that provides the comedic relief for an otherwise serious book. He is always hitting on women, and poking people with his rapier, and boasting about himself constantely. After reading this book I have declared Oliver my role model.
My only dislike about his book and it's series is that the plot is very commen although in a different form than most books. It's basically a "gotta save the world from evil" book which has been written about constantely.

The second book of the "Crimson Shadow" is what I have expected - very good adventure story with a lot of combats. However that the first chapters are kinda boring(Luthien doesn't know who to love - Sioban, beautiful female halfelf or Catherin, his first girlfriend), the final is awesome, with hearthstopping magical duel.
Reccomended.

Luthien's Gamble is the second book in R.A. Salvatore's standalone Crimson Shadow trilogy. Luthien and his allies have liberated Montfort and the north, but the fight for freedom is just beginning.

Unfortunately, Salvatore does little to either build on the promise of Sword of Bedwyr or to allay its weaknesses. He neither builds greater richness and scope into his world nor adds complexities to the story that unfolds.

I had a level of intellectual frustration with this book I did not have with its predecessor. Salvatore is anything but subtle. At one point a character makes a statement to another laced with innuendo and double entendre. That should have been enough to get the point across. But the character then makes clear that the reference was bawdy, and Salvatore adds the same for good measure.

Luthien's growth as a character comes to an abrupt halt, unfortunately. He realizes he is a mere figurehead for the revolution about 150 pages after the reader does. This could have worked on a meta sort of level, but this really isn't that sort of book, and it isn't fully explored. The success of the rebellion continues with a string of dramatic victories in battle, but however well choreographed the battles are their effect on the reader is diminished by the tangential role played by our protagonist. Nor do his fellows step up and do the heavy literary lifting, as is often the case in long fantasy series.

I cannot say that I did not enjoy Luthien's Gamble, but the fact that I have read it twice and neither time felt compelled to pick up the final volume of the trilogy says a lot.

The book will not be enough to satisfy "veteran readers" of fantasy. There are several parts rather predictable. But then again, the events in both "Sword of Bedwyr" and "Luthien's Gamble" parallel somewhat to the tale of William Wallace (of whose accounts were "bastardise" in the movie "Braveheart"). The maps and the backgrounds and events of Eriador, Avon and Gascon resemble those of Scotland, England and France respectively. However, don't expect the same events, the Crimson Shadow is in its own world, not ours.

I could go on and on about how excellent this book is, but if you are at this page reading this then you probably know how good Salvatore is. And if you've read the first in this trilogy, well, this one is just as good. What I especially like about this book is Salvatore's description of the battle scenes (although they were a bit lacking compared to the rest of his work). I just have no idea how he can be that descriptive in his battle scenes. Makes you wonder if he was a medival hero in a former life.