The Silent Blade by R.A. SalvatoreMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is my favourite Drizzt book so far! It has taken until book 11, but the plot is finally one designed for adults. Yes, there are the usual plethora of well written fight scenes, which seem to be Salvatore's main skill and the major reason for this series, but we get some kissing in this book too. (It reminds me of days watching Star Trek TNG, yelling at the script writers, “You need more kissing!”)
First we get an unsuccessful encounter between Wulfgar and Cattie-Brie, then there are actually some halfling sex workers, plus when a pissed off & despairing Wulfgar sets off on his own, he ends up with a tavern wench, Delly, warming his bed. This is unusual in a series where everything has been pretty chaste up to this point. It is refreshing to see a basic human dimension finally getting acknowledged.
Wulfgar's being back from being considered dead hasn't done him any favours—his inner turmoil can only be tamed through alcohol, another human frailty that has never been explored in this series before. Mind you, a period of black, drunken despair seems to be standard for barbarian characters (see Milla Vane's The Beast of Blackamore) so Wulfgar may just be following the script for his kind of character.
It's like the characters are finally breaking out of the cardboard cutouts that they've been trapped in for so long. Not only do some of the good guys have weaknesses, but Jarlaxle is a remarkably honourable villain, playing against the stereotype of the drow elf. I guess that Drizzt isn't the only anomaly in that society now. It gives the story a much more realistic outlook, shades of gray rather than stark black & white morality.
With Wulfgar involved with another woman, is Cattie-Brie now available for a romance with Drizzt? The last few books have been building towards this possibility, so I hope that the author doesn't lose his nerve.
Book 11. I had decided to give this series one more chance. And I got what I wanted. It will never be one of my favourites, but I'm convinced that I want to press on to see where things go. Preferably with more kissing.
Book number 380 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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