Neverwinter

The second book of the saga bears the name of the series, as well as the MMORPG it's promoting. And of course the city the game is named after. The primordial attack in the first book left the whole Neverwinter in ruins, though, so I guess they're building a new city in there now.

The novel continues to lay the setting for the game. I get the feeling that if I were to play the game, I'd be fighting and meeting the introduced factions and characters. I think I might check out the MMO's open beta just to see how strong a part realmslore plays in it.

While I find the Red Wizards, the Shadovar, and the rest quite interesting in general, I'm not really sure why they all fight for the control of the new Neverwinter. Well, other than to have a place of conflicts for the game. I'm just not convinced the site is that important for all these people.

And then there's Drizzt Do'Urden, the drow ranger, whose only involvement in the events is his new companion, Dahlia (and her silly weapon). The novel might even work without the presence of the dark elf, although he plays an important part by being the a person Barrabus -- or rather, Artemis Entreri -- knows from his previous life.

Drizzt and Entreri finally get to meet in this book, and the not-so-human-anymore assassin seems to gain something back from his glorious past. I do wonder if I've missed a book that covers what happened to Entreri during the hundred year timejump... Oh, right. Silly me. That Curious Sword, the short story I looked up after I had read Gauntlgrym. I need to buy that anthology at some point.

Anyway, Entreri's tricks are pretty limited when compared to Drizzt who carries a fairly significant collection of magic items in his possession these days. Are Entreri's current weapons even enchanted? I predict that in the saga's third book -- titled Charon's Claw -- Entreri will either regain the sword or is at least freed from its grasp.

I didn't read the excerpt from the next installation that was included, only eyed it a bit, but it seems the dark elves will return in force. And probably Jarlaxle, too. I like how Drizzt believes the drow mercenary to be dead, but seriously -- what could kill the infamous Jarlaxle Baenre?