The Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore
"The Dark Elf Trilogy" is a fantasy series that explores the life of Drizzt Do'Urden, a dark elf (or drow) who defies the brutal conventions of his society. Set in the subterranean city of Menzoberranzan, the story delves into the matriarchal and ruthless nature of drow society, which is heavily influenced by their goddess, Lloth, the Spider Queen. As Drizzt grows, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the values of ambition and treachery that dominate his culture, leading him to seek a life of honor and compassion.
After witnessing the sacrifice of his father by his own family, Drizzt escapes Menzoberranzan and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Throughout his adventures, he faces numerous challenges, including conflict with his family members who seek to punish him for his defection. Drizzt's encounters with various beings, including gnomes and rangers, help him navigate the complexities of life on the surface world, as he strives to build connections and understand a culture vastly different from his own.
As Drizzt grapples with the consequences of his past and seeks acceptance, he becomes a symbol of resilience and the quest for identity in a world defined by prejudice and misunderstanding. The trilogy intricately weaves themes of loyalty, redemption, and the struggle against societal norms, making it a compelling read for fantasy enthusiasts.
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The Dark Elf Trilogy
First published:Homeland (1990), Exile (1990), and Sojourn (1991)
Type of work: Novels
Type of plot: Fantasy—magical world
Time of work: Indeterminate
Locale: The Underdark drow city of Menzoberranzan, the caverns of the Underdark, and the surface
The Plot
Menzoberranzan, in the Underdark, is a home to the dark elves known as the drow. The drow society is a cruel one dominated by the female drow and their goddess, Lloth, the Spider Queen. One’s station is important in drow society, and ambition is prized by Lloth. Houses dominated by the matron mother ascend to importance through assassination and magic. “Don’t get caught” is the overriding rule of drow society.
Drizzt is born while the House Do’Urben is eliminating another house to improve its station. Drizzt, a misfit, is honest, unambitious, and compassionate, like his father, Zaknafein, the weapons master. As he matures, Drizzt comes to doubt the stories told to keep the drow in line. As he grows more skilled as a warrior and more dissatisfied with drow society, Drizzt makes friends with a magical cat, Guenhwyvar, and realizes that he will have to leave Menzoberranzan to preserve his honor. Drizzt kills two drow in self-defense, thereby gaining ownership of Guenhwyvar. After discovering that his mother and sisters have sacrificed his father to Lloth to acquire an advantage during the attack on House Hun’ett, Drizzt leaves Menzoberranzan.
Ten years later, the war between House Do’Urben and House Hun’ett ends with House Do’Urben victorious, but House Do’Urben’s matron mother, Malice, still is not in Lloth’s favor. She can regain Lloth’s favor only by punishing Drizzt for his defection. Malice sends her eldest son, Dinin, and her daughter Briza to capture Drizzt, who has been living on his own in the tunnels of the Underdark. Drizzt prevails in the encounter but realizes how savage, isolated, and lonely he has become. He goes to Blingdenstone, home city of the svirfnebli gnomes, and surrenders to assuage his isolation and loneliness. He finds friendship and acceptance with Belwar Dissengulp, whose life he had saved shortly before he had left Menzoberranzan.
Matron Malice animates the corpse of Zaknafein to capture and kill Drizzt. Such zombies must be controlled carefully by the high priestess, who in this case is Malice. Controlling “Zak” proves difficult because he had shared Drizzt’s values and friendship. The mission, however, is Malice’s last chance to regain favor with Lloth. Zak follows Drizzt’s trail, wreaking havoc wherever he goes. The gnomes learn that the havoc involves Drizzt and ask him to leave. When he does, the gnome Belwar, his dear friend, goes with him. They later make friends with a pech who has been transformed into a hooks horror by a human wizard.
Drizzt heads toward Menzoberranzan to find a wizard to reverse the transformation spell put on the pech. The zombie Zak cuts them off and kills Drizzt’s transformed friend. Drizzt and Zak fight, and Drizzt reaches Zak’s memories. Zak regains control of himself long enough to throw himself into an acid lake. Because Malice has failed to gain favor with Lloth, Briza kills her to protect the family. The House Do’Urben nevertheless is destroyed by the ruling house.
Briza and Dinin are adopted by that house. Although unaware of this development, Drizzt knows that the danger to him and anyone with him is not over. He decides to go to the surface, accompanied only by Guenhwyvar.
After Drizzt moves to the surface, he remains isolated, for two good reasons: He needs time to get acclimated, and he does not speak any language of the surface dwellers. He finally decides to try to communicate with the human farm family living near where he has settled. A barghest whelp massacres the human family and makes it appear as though Drizzt is the culprit. Drizzt avenges the human family after finding the dead bodies, but the human townspeople still believe that Drizzt is the murderer. After killing a bounty hunter’s dogs, he fights and scars the bounty hunter, who develops a hatred for him and vows to kill him.
A human ranger called in to hunt Drizzt examines the evidence and concludes that Drizzt is innocent. She believes that Drizzt has avenged the farmers’ deaths. Drizzt, who nevertheless feels responsible for the humans’ deaths, moves on. He stays in a relatively uninhabited forested area, where he has a minor conflict with an orc tribe. He is saved by a blind ranger, who teaches him about the surface world and the common language. The orc tribe attacks, but Drizzt and the ranger defeat them.
Some time later, the ranger dies. Drizzt wanders about aimlessly. He eventually finds his way to the Icewind Dale, where he settles. The bounty hunter comes to the Icewind Dale looking for Drizzt and annoys the dwarf leader living on a nearby mountain. The bounty hunter is driven away. This is the beginning of the friendship between Drizzt and the dwarves.