Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

R.A. Salvatore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2005 | Series: Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1 (Book 1)

With each kill, I grow wiser, and with added wisdom, I grow stronger.

Powerful assassin Artemis Entreri tightens his grip on the streets of Calimport, driven by the power of his hidden drow supporters. But his sponsor Jarlaxle grows ever more ambitious, and Entreri struggles to remain cautious and in control. Soon, the power of the malevolent Crystal Shard grows greater than them both, threatening to draw them into a vast web of treachery from which there will be no escape.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

R.A. Salvatore has published numerous Forgotten Realms novels with Wizards of the Coast, Inc., most of which have been New York Times bestsellers. He is also known as the bestselling author of the Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novelization from Del Ray.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786939508
• ISBN-13: 978-0786939503
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

R.A. Salvatore has spent so many years winding himself into fantasy worlds that he's still trying to figure out how to unwind. He is the author of more than forty novels and more than a dozen New York Times best sellers, including The Two Swords, which debuted at or near the top of many best seller lists.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Duplicate book!, January 7, 2007

By 

Anonymous (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I am not sure why no one else mentions this, but I first read this book in the Paths of Darkness compendium. Yes, maybe it is my own fault for not checking a little closer, but it seems a bit dubious that it would be included with the other series and then labeled as a different one by itself. The story itself is entertaining and it is nice to move away from the Icewind Dale characters to some a little darker and with ulterior motives. Just check to make sure you don't already own this one before purchasing it!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle... To Good To Be True?, July 2, 2006

By 

Derek Mayrant (New Waverly, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have been reading the Drizzt centered Salvatore books for several years now, and while I have really enjoyed them, I always longed for something a little less cavalier or noble. I didn't always relate to him because of his strong moral beliefs. That said the series did introduce me to a character I was instantly captivated by Artemis Entreri. When I found out that Salvatore had finally written a book about him and had put him with Jarlaxle I had to read it.
It was everything I had hoped. I finished it in 2 days and immediately ordered the sequel. I won't give any hints about the storyline, but I will tell you that the relationship between Entreri and Jarlaxle will have you laughing and cheering often. They are a brilliant duo that is quite capable of anything. It was interesting to see Entreri evolve from the single minded killer in earlier books to a more refined and mature character with many redeeming qualities. By the end of this series I expect him to be on a similar road as Drizzt as he seems to be entering the same moral dilema as the dark drow. Get this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of R.A. Salvatore's best, March 13, 2007

By 

Dylan J. Pittman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Don't be scared away by the lack of Drizzt Do'Urden in this finely crafted novel. Although Drizzt is easily Salvatore's best know and "loved" creation, I don't think his more recent novels (mainly the Hunter's Blades Trilogy) really do the renegade drow justice. They fall off and get pretty campy. The interaction between Cattie-Bri and Drizzt, while it was interesting at first, has taken on a sort of mid-day soap opera turn and it tires quickly in my mind.
Artemis Entrerei and Jarlaxle have always been my favorite characters. The depth Salvatore has put into the development of both characters is far more then any of Drizzt's compaions (most notably a certain one-dimentional barbarian...) and even more than Drizzt himself. Artemis's journey to Menzzoberanzan (both in the physical and emotional sense) was very well done I thought. This novel, however, takes place after his return and domination of Calimport with the aid of the Dark Elf band left by the most paradoxical Jarlaxle.
The brilliance in this novel can be summarized by the revalation that by the end, Salvatore has you rooting and cheering on two of the most cold hearted and ruthless killers in Faerun. Their development, both as individual characters and as partners, in this book far surpasses even the silent blade, and the reader is even given a few glimpses into the underlying psyche of both characters.
A very fun and refreshing read for any fan of Salvatore who has gotten a bit bored with the "drama" that had become Drizzt Do'Urden and misses the action from his adventures in the Underdark.
Bottom line: Awsome fantasy novel.