Thank you to Netgalley / the publisher/ and the author for the ARC of this to be published book.

Now, it's been a hot minute since I read anything D&D, and this fit the bill. It had adventure, self discovery with Breezy, reminiscing of longtime heroes and excellent villains.

There's a fair bit of humor in this that I really enjoyed and I can tell why R.A Salvatore has a large and dedicated fan base. There's tons of descriptions that make the world and characters so vivid and stand out. Adored the action scenes and the banter amongst characters.

This was perfect in the Dungeons and Dragons world, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed. R.A. Salvatore continued to write something that I enjoyed and had that fantasy element that I was looking for and the characters were so well done. I enjoyed how well it worked in this universe and loved that the main character was the daughter of two characters that I grew up on. I enjoyed getting to know Breezy and had that spirit that I was hoping for and still be different from her parents. I hope to read more from R.A. Salvatore as I always enjoyed reading each book.

Imagine a dark alley, Jack the Ripper kind of dark alley.. a girl running and being followed … then she dies and the stalker witnesses it.

That literally the opening scene! It’s bloody, it’s dark, it’s morally grey and exciting!

I had fun exploring the world, creatures and even the debauchery. The prose was perfect and transports you into this world where all types of menacing things are afoot.

I enjoyed every second of it and highly recommend this trip down a very, very dark and bloody path!

Thank you to R. A. Salvatore for yet another inspiring book and to Del Rey & Random House for allowing me on this journey!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for providing this arc.
This book just wasn’t for me which is surprising because i usually like reading RA Salvatore and thought the plot idea of this would make for an interesting story. I think the problem is that I’m probably burnt out by how many books of this world I’ve read that the story feels like it’s getting stale. Like with the previous trilogy, there were parts I didn’t like but politics and scheming kept me interested. It’s feels like in this book, there wasn’t anything that was keeping my attention, not even the fight scenes. If there’s a sequel to this book, as of now chances are I won’t read it. I think I’m probably going to take a good long break from these books for a while and maybe that will fix the issue. Hopefully the next time I come back, I’ll have a different response.

Ahh, SO fantastic to see these characters back again. While it's always a little rough to have a timeskip, it was so worth it for Breezy, who somehow is not just the child of Drizzt (she has his stubbornness and respect for life) and Catti-Brie (she has her fire and her intuition) but certainly also of Jarlaxle (she has his tendency to lie, manipulate, and influence others). She is SUCH a great character, and frankly the type of female character we don't often get to have. Stubborn, but frequently right about her own abilities instead of needing a comeuppance; passionate and mercurial without being punished for either, and manipulative -- in the way that male characters are often praised for, instead of the sly manipulation female ones are often stereotyped as (and condemned for unfairly). She's a real firecracker of a character and really fun to have as our POV.

And she's canonically ADHD (though obviously the realms doesn't use the term specifically), and Jarlaxle is also confirmed ADHD as the two share this trait in common. While in-text others may punish her for it in ways people in real life are too familiar with <spoiler>(getting expelled for simply having ADHD and it feeling like being part of her failure)</spoiler>, it's narratively set up to allow her to thrive, to let her embrace as many things as she longs to and cares about and not have to spend her life being bored and exhausted trying to focus on the things she doesn't. It's deeply respectful of her for that and I love it.

It was nice to see the Dinin subplot wasn't forgotten, even if there was just one scene in there to prompt us that there was more coming.

Negative: points get repeated a LOT, we will have the same concepts retrod a few times several pages or chapters in a row. It wasn't so much it actively bothered me, but I could recognize it happening. Also, <spoiler>I deeply hoped for a different outcome with Dahlia, though if Jarlaxle's actions at the end mean anything, there might still be one. I sure hope so.</spoiler>

I first opened The Crystal Shard on long bus rides in the sixth grade, and Drizzt became my closest companion for years. I’m deeply grateful that R.A. Salvatore has continued this saga for so long. With every new book comes a richer exploration of the characters I love, from Drizzt, Entreri, Jarlaxle, and Kimmuriel and now on to Breezy, and I never want this journey to end.

I loved this book. It honors the characters who have defined the series, addresses the questions left lingering after Lolth’s Warrior, and introduces Breezy, a powerful, complex, and wonderfully imperfect new voice in the story. It reminded me of The Sellswords in the best ways, and I hope long-time fans can embrace this new chapter with open minds.

As always, Mr. Salvatore weaves life experience, reflection, and courage into his storytelling. It may be fantasy on the page, but to me, it is also a reflection of how beautiful the real world could be.

The Finest Edge of Twilight: Dungeons & Dragons by R.A. Salvatore

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My casing binds me. The texture of leather invites those whose eyes gaze at my innards. Within my folds, a radiance exudes the heat of the words transcribed on my sheets of the finest vellum. I present to you a story of setback and growth. Her name is Briennelle Zaharina Do’Urden; you may know her as the daughter of Drizzt or Catti-brie, famed heroes; however, she would like you to call her simply Breezy.

R.A. Salvatore, author of numerous fantastic novels set in the harsh world of Faerûn, begins a new chapter in this storied tradition.

Breezy, not one lacking in self-confidence, proceeds to take on the challenge of Gregory to ascend to Master of Dragons. Using the absence of light, the shadows are her ally. Surely this well-disguised expertise will surprise Gregory and enable victory. Her overconfidence becomes her undoing, and Breezy is expelled from the monastery. She is an adventurer, the seeker of knowledge. The ways of the monk, while important, provide a limited set of skills to consume. Boredom would come calling, and Breezy, ever free-flowing, would wilt like a withered flower. She needs to be mentored by someone cut from the same cloth, and Jarlaxle, founder of the infamous Bregan D’aerthe, is the person selected to help mold Breezy.

No longer a child, Breezy sets out into the world. Can Drizzt and Catti-brie truly let go?

And thus, as you, dear reader, turn page upon page, find yourself lost in the world of Icewind Dale. Vampires, drow, halflings, and dwarves lie happily at your feet for you to discover. A pungent odor of smoke rises through the air as the fiery forge creates new magical weapons for our characters to bear. Maegera lies in wait below, a treacherous, fire primordial, with whom those courageous enough to seek assistance can help craft fantastical weapons. Names such as Taulmaril the Heartseeker, a majestic bow previously owned by Catti-brie, Breezy’s very own mother, beckon for uncovering, or perhaps you prefer Dahlia Sin’Felle’s Kozah’s Needle, a magical tri-staff.

I enjoy R.A. Salvatore’s prose. The style never lacks for complexity, and yet I can find my footing upon the soil in Icewind Dale rather comfortably. The action explodes at breakneck speed and, in my opinion, is some of the best I have read in the fantasy genre. Chapters fly by as quickly as subterfuge, and weapon trickery lashes out at the retina in blinding fashion.

The sweat drips off your fingertips and quenches my haptic skin. Your emotions greet me with satisfaction. As you turn my last page, I hear you sigh. Sadness, perhaps? Maybe the sounds of contentment? My cover snaps shut; my job is done. I have successfully brought happiness and pain throughout your journey. As you place me upon a dusty shelf, I patiently await the next person whom I can dazzle in the land carefully constructed by R.A. Salvatore.

Recommended!

Many thanks to Del Ray, Random House Worlds, Inklore, for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

I am exactly the target audience for this book having already ready every single Drizzt book and I wasn't disappointed by this installment!

I really enjoyed getting to know Breezy and see her character development as well as get to see how all the characters I've grown to know and love are doing. There's something really comfortable about going back to such a familiar setting. I particularly enjoyed seeing how Drizzt and Cattie Brie settled into being parents as well as seeing how Breezy navigated being the daughter of two successful adventurers. It would be nice to see how the very real advantages she has be explored in more depth but they were acknowledged here which is a good starting point.

Im already looking forward to the next book from her perspective and seeing more development for the characters both old and new.

In this 40th installment of RA Salvatore's Legend of Drizzt series, a familiar cast of characters and settings come to life once again. Though instead of focusing on the heroics of Drizzt Do'Urden as usual, this novel is centered around Brie "Breezy" Do'Urden, the mischievous daughter of Drizzt and fellow Companion of the Hall, Cattie-Brie.

Breezy is in training to fight one of her fellow students, hoping to displace him and take over one of three positions of the rank of Master of Dragons in their monastic order. But in preparing to do so, she has chosen to focus her efforts not on the Way of the Open Palm as she has trained, but instead on the less-understood Way of Shadow. While Breezy aims to further her studies, her scheming uncle Jarlaxle has other plans for her.

Meanwhile, dwarven King Bruenor Battlehammer faces opposition as he attempts to build a teleportation gate that will connect the secluded environs of Icewind Dale with his home base in Gauntlgrym. And we haven't even mentioned the recently-turned vampire Dahlia from the book's opening scene.

Filled with adventure, this tale of finding one's own path in life marks the beginning of a new era in the Drizzt saga. And in doing so, it also makes for a good entry point for those new to the series. Watch out Drizzt, there's a new challenger for the title of biggest badass in the Forgotten Realms.

4-1/2 stars

The vibrant world of Faerun unfolds with the daughter of legendary heroes Drizzt and Catti-brie. Breezy is a young woman with a great future ahead of her, if only she can figure out what it should be. This novel is mostly her character's background story. I'd say 80% is backstory her recent struggles of discovery, her education, finding her path. Only the last 20% has any plot movement at all. There really isn't much plot just dribbles of story here and there. There are many touches connecting with past stories, heroes and epic battles. All to explain Breezy's connections and motivations , While an interesting start what is mostly likely another epic tale, this book is more an extended character sketch than a novel with a proper plot. It's a good starting point but isn't an epic tale yet.

Thank you for the ARC. Another super cool story with old legendary characters we all adore, and with some new ones as well. Being a teenager is never easy, even if you are Breezy...
I enjoyed this story so much. You get a perfect plot and the best fighting scenes, you laugh and you cry. Master Salvatore amazing as usual.

Great book! R.A. Salvatore takes you inside the world of dwarfs, elves, halflings and many mystical creatures. It is a very descriptive world that one enjoys reading. This can easily become a series if Salvatore is so inclined. I would enjoy reding more.