Homeland by R.A. Salvatore - Fantasy Book Review

Art by Todd Lockwood

Over the last few years, I have found myself going back to R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms books—specifically the Legend of Drizzt series. There is something special about them. They're straightforward and sincere with wonderful characters and fun adventures. Are they among the greatest written fantasy literature? Heck no, but nor do they try to be.

Homeland tells the origin story of the heroic drow ranger, Drizzt Do'Urden. Most people recommend starting the series with this book, as it is the first chronologically, but I have read them in order of publication—starting with the Icewind Dale Trilogy. This might be a hot take, but I've really appreciated reading them this way. It has not only been a great way to get the 101 on this series (themes, characters, style, etc), but also a wonderful experience reading through Salvatore's journey as a writer. However, with all that said, I think Homeland is also a great entry point.

Homeland tells a more contained story, set almost entirely in the eerie, cavernous world of the Underdark. Salvatore does a great job of fleshing out the culture and aesthetic of the Drow people. In his previously written books, he has eluded to this world, but in Homeland, it is living and breathing.

There is some conversation amongst modern readers in regards to Salvatore's social commentary. While I think that that conversation is valid, it's important to put things into context for when this was written. In the present day, we have the benefit of having explored this genre for many years—we've grown past numerous tropes and stereotypes. In this era, in most generic fantasy settings, orcs were evil, elves were ethereal, and dwarves were greedy. While Salvatore's challenge of tropes like this (specifically in regards to Dark Elves/drow) seems clunky by today's standards, it was certainly a step in the right direction for the genre, and is done so with earnestness.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the characters. I really like Salvatore's character work. Once again, not a whole lot of nuance—the good guys are good for the sake of good, while the bad guys are evil and machiavellian. However, despite the simplicity, I find that his characters are incredibly memorable. Which, in my opinion, is more difficult to accomplish than depth.

I did not expect this review to go so long, if you're still reading, thank you for bearing with me.

Overall, Homeland is a very fun read. The worldbuilding is engaging, the themes are earnest, and the characters are unforgettable. I personally really enjoyed reading these books in order of publication, but this is also a great way to start this classic series. If you enjoy the fantasy genre, Dungeons and Dragons, or just a good ol' adventure, I highly recommend delving into Homeland and the Legend of Drizzt Do'Urden.