Customer Reviews

Streams of Silver: The Icewind Dale Trilogy, Part 2 (Forgotten Realms: The Legend of Drizzt, Book V)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Once the Companions of the Hall have made an allegiance to protect each other at all costs, they set off to find Mithral Hall (Bruenor's ancestral home). Meanwhile, a deadly killer is on the pursuit in bringing an end to the companions' destruction. In my opinion, I liked it a little less than The Crystal Shard but it was suspenseful to a point where I read it in less than 4 days. However, the most successful twist that Salvatore made was focusing the attention on Cattie-Brie. She had taught me to always be calm and good under pressure whenever facing a crisis situation.

Regarding the plot, it was not scattered and had a suspenseful chapters at every turn. I got hooked on and always pondered what were going to be the villains' next moves? Streams of Silver is a heroic quest novel that is successful like The Crystal Shard except this one the companions are traveling. Since there is no central location, it gets challenging to keep the plot focused but Salvatore continues to keep it well. Frankly, my comments seem positive Salvatore's works because he does such a good job in making the Drizzt Trilogies likeable! Hope he continues the work on The Halfling's Gem!

Streams of Silver picks up pretty much where the last book, The Crystal Shard, left off. Bruenor (a dwarven leader, by blood the king of the Battlehammer clan), Drizzt (a self-exiled drow elf) and Wulfgar (a young barbarian) set out on a quest to find Mithril Hall, ancestral home of Bruenor and his clan. Shortly after they leave, they are also joined by Regis (a halfling) - although they suspect that he is running from something, rather than running to join them on their quest.

Running he certainly is, from Artemis Entreri, a deadly human assassin, who is tracking Regis to return a stolen gem to the leader of a southern Thieves Guild. Catti-brie, Bruenor's adopted human daughter, becomes Artemis' hostage. To complicate matters further, an evil mage seeks Drizzt to locate the crystal shard, a powerful artifact which was the subject of the last book. Deciding that cooperating would be mutually beneficial, the mage dispatches his apprentice, a golem (think of a Frankenstein-like creature of incredible size and strength, but completely mindless), and a soldier to help Artemis.

The road for the four friends, then, is fraught with peril, fighting barbarians, bog-men and trolls to name a few, along the way. While they do gain some allies of questionable help, they must also encounter the extreme prejudice leveled against Drizzt on account of his dark elven heritage.

Salvatore brings us another rousing tale of high adventure and endearing characters, while introducing a powerful evil mirror of Drizzt in the form of Artemis Entreri. Salvatore skillfully immerses us in his world, and keeps enough suspense going throughout the book to make it very difficult to put down. Further, his character study of Drizzt throughout many of his books (this one included) brings us to an in-depth understanding of this complicated, tortured soul who has abandoned the evil ways of his people, only to have to come to terms with the evil of prejudice on the surface.

I highly recommend this book (although it might be best to start with The Crystal Shard for a better understanding).

Over the holidays, I reread R.A. Salvatore's Icewind Dale trilogy for the first time in almost twenty years. "Streams of Silver" is still a good read and Salvatore is able to flesh out a number of the secondary characters-namely Catti-brie and Regis-in the series and move them towards center stage. He also introduces Artemis Entreri-the prime nemesis of Drizzt. Just as in "The Crystal Shard," as the book progresses, the reader can see increasingly that Drizzt is taking over the role of protagonist from Wulfgar. While the book holds up well after twenty years, "Streams of Silver" was Salvatore's second book and parts of the plot seem rushed as he takes the heroes through perhaps too many various dangers and wondrous localities. This is not to say that Salvatore went into a sophomore slump as too many authors whose first book does better than expected-but it is fair to say that Salvatore was still learning his craft. If the plot does not flow as smoothly as it did in "The Crystal Shard," Salvatore was crafting a more complex story in "Streams of Silver." Salvatore is also much better about character development in "Streams of Silver" and, as any reader of the Drizzt series knows, this remains one of Salvatore's chief strengths over the years. Despite these minor growing pains, even in an early outing like "Streams of Silver," readers can see the traits and abilities that made Salvatore one of the leading fantasy writers of his generation.

... Salvatore has managed to create dynamic characters that I fell completely in love with almost immediately upon meeting them (and even those who I did not fall immediately in love with, I immediately hated. A strong feeling, either way). With the exception of one (Wulfgar the barbarian calls to mind others of his type, such as Conan), they are fairly unique, and each of them only gets more well developed as the story goes on. This is especially true in the case of the dark elf Drizzt, who turns out to be what most would consider the main character. From the start, you are witness to internal reflection on a level that most novels do not allow, but in a way that does not diminish the action of the story. ...

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"Streams of Silver" is exciting, fast-paced and suspenseful! Salvatore kept me guessing and fasinated with every turn of the page! I found this book exceedingly hard to put down for anything! I highly suggest this series to anyone no matter their prefered ganre! IT IS AMAZING!!!!

In STREAMS OF SILVER, Drizzt and companions travel hundreds of miles from their home in Icewind Dale in search of Bruenor's legendary Mithral Hall. Meanwhile, the formidable assassin Artemis Entreri stalks the party in search of Regis, the halfling possessing the ruby pendant stolen from his former guild leader. From a greater distance, the wizards of Luskin eye Drizzt, who they assume possess the Crystal Shard following the defeat of Kessel. These three parties intertwine precariously, culminating in an incredible battle with surprising casualties.

Salvatore continues to demonstrate his exceptional storytelling prowess in STREAMS OF SILVER with intertwining, parallel plot lines, vast new landscapes and formidable opponents. You'll no sooner finish this novel and you'll be running to get your hands on part three (THE HALFLING'S GEM). An outstanding novel, "A+"

I thought about writing a one word review, the title being "Dwarfs" - the body being "Dwarfs". Then I realized that readers may feel as if a dwarf advocate. Far from it my friends, far from it.

I wanted to give this review two and a half stars; half of the book is great because we have the fun act of reading about the character the book was written for. Yet the other half was reading about a dwarf.

Dwarfs.

So here is the plot in a nutshell: A ranger (Drizzt, who is also an elf), halfling, barbarian, and a ... dwarf head out on a quest to find the lost Mithril Halls where the...dwarf....were to be king. The halfling has a very valuable piece of jewelry tied around his neck which has a great power.

I think I've read this before. Can't quite remember the title.

The entire time the dwarf grumbles, the halfling whines, Drizzt gets gay for the barbarian. Everyone is racist, everyone wants to kill them, a dragon appears, who by the way was absolutely useless (minus one specific action), then it's over.

I reiterate - Dwarfs.

I wanted to love this book as I loved the previous ones, but that damned dwarf kept getting in the way. Every. Single. Time. I. started. Enjoying. Myself. That freaking dwarf opened his dumb mouth.

If it wasn't the dwarf spouting off incoherently, it was his pseudo-daughter Cattie-Brie. She is human, yet speaks like a dwarf. Which if you ask me, makes you a dwarf. It's like watching Star Wars with everything cut out but the Jar Jar Binks scenes!

I loved the ending, not because of the obvious cliffhanger, but because something happened that I wish happened on page one, but didn't. If you read it, you will understand.

I say this book does not deserve a five star rating. Unfortunately we cannot rate infinent ^_^

When I read this book I was very pleased since I was a true fan of the series.

R A Salvatore is one of the best authors that I can recommend.

Streams of Silver is an excellent book, and a pleasant read.

This is part of a great series that continues the legendary tale of Drizzt a drow elf in the upper world that fears the very existence of his race.