Intro

The Legend of Drizzt—which Homeland is the first book of—has been one of my favorite series since I was in my early teens. I’ve got lots of fond memories of binge reading it over the course of multiple summer vacations (yes, it’s so long that it lasted me multiple summer vacations), so it’s kind of become one of those series that I just automatically associate with summer. Which is why I thought it would make a perfect July reading recommendation.

Set in the Forgotten Realms—a setting in the Dungeons and Dragons TTRPG—the series follows Drizzt Do’Urden, a dark elf ranger, as he takes on various adventures alongside his band of friends, the Companions of the Hall. Homeland—and the two books that come after it—show his backstory, and how he left the brutal underground world known as the Underdark in search of a better life on the surface.

So, if you like dramatic backstories, action-packed adventures, and heroes who can sometimes be a little over the top, you don’t want to miss this. Without further ado, let’s get into details.

Homeland by R.A. Salvatore Overview

The city of Menzoberranzan is an infamously brutal and dangerous place. Ruled by followers of Lolth, the wicked Spider Queen and goddess of chaos, it’s a place where only the strong—and the heartless—can thrive.

It’s also the birthplace of Drizzt Do’Urden. Born to a noble family with a high standing in the city, he’s expected to be the ideal highborn son—and his family will accept nothing less. 

But, the more Drizzt learns about the followers of Lolth’s teachings, the more he comes to realize that they don’t line up with his own perceptions of right and wrong. But disowning the Spider Queen is heresy, and the punishment for heresy is often a fate worse than death, so he keeps his doubts to himself.

He can’t keep his secrets forever, though, and it isn’t long before he’s forced to make a choice: adhere to Lolth’s cruel ways and lose the ideals that he holds so dear, or leave Menzoberranzan behind and risk being consumed by the dangers of the Underdark.

Personal Thoughts

I know I always tend to nerd out about the characters but, when I nerd out about how great a character Drizzt is, I really mean it. While there’s a lot to love about this book, Drizzt himself is easily the best part. Although he might not always seem like it on the surface, he’s complex and weirdly realistic for an over the top, scimitar-wielding, dark elven fantasy hero. His emotions and personal struggles feel authentic, despite the often-borderline-ridiculous situations he always finds his way into. He manages to be both larger than life and believable at the same time, which isn’t something you see all that much in fantasy books. (Or any books, now that I think of it.)

Another thing that I appreciated about this book was the fact that there aren’t really any of those dreaded super slow parts that you get so often in fantasy. There’s a lot going on, between watching Drizzt grow up and all the various layers of intrigue unfolding between the dark elf noble families, so there’s never a dull moment. The pacing is fast, despite the book taking place over the course of about thirty years, so there’s a lot packed into it.

I will note that, depending on your interests, you might actually want to consider reading the Crystal Shard—which is technically the fourth book in the series—and the rest of the trilogy it’s part of before you read this one. Although Crystal Shard comes after Homeland chronologically, it actually came out first, and it’s about Drizzt and his friends—the aforementioned Companions of the Hall—adventuring together, in full Dungeons and Dragons style. If you want a book that feels very DnD, Crystal Shard definitely fills that bill better. It’s also a lot more fun and light-hearted, whereas Homeland is a little more dark and serious. I personally read Icewind Dale—the trilogy that Crystal Shard is the first of—first, and it was the thing that made me really start liking Drizzt, which I think made me a lot more into Homeland when I finally read it. I already knew I liked Drizzt, so I was eager to learn more about him, and it added to the experience. But, no matter which one you read first, I highly recommend them both.

Outro

That’s all for this month’s book recommendation. If you’ve already read this book and are looking for something similar, feel free to check out some of the other books—more Dungeons and Dragons/Forgotten Realms stuff, because there’s an endless pit of them—I’ve listed below. Thanks for reading!

Books Similar to Homeland

• The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore
• Canticle by R.A. Salvatore
• Spelljammer: Memory’s Wake by Django Wexler
• Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter by Jaleigh Johnson
• Honor Among Thieves: The Druid’s Call by E.K. Johnston