About this title: The long awaited sequel to "Servant of the Shard" is the second title in a new series dealing with two popular characters from the Forgotten Realms world. All three of the books in the last trilogy by Salvatore were "New York Times" bestsellers in hardcover.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
ISBN-13:9780786940738ISBN:0786940735
Description: Very Good. 0786940735 Mass Market Paperback, Condition: Very Good; this book is in very good condition with light curve to the spine / light reading creases to the covers. read more
Description: Good. Purchasing this DVD supports the North Central Regional Library. Thriftbooks and NCRL have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Library ID found on DVD and case. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Date Published: 2005-10-25
ISBN-13:9780786938230ISBN:0786938234
Description: Like New. May be shiny, in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, no damage to binding, may have a remainder mark. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast, Gordonsville, Virginia, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780786938230ISBN:0786938234
Description: Lockwood, Todd. Fine in Fine jacket. Very bright and clean. Number row is complete. read more
Binding: MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
ISBN-13:9780786940738ISBN:0786940735
Description: New. 0786940735 Cover has very light shelf wear. No remainder mark. Pages are clean with no markings, no creases and no dog-ears. Paperback. read more
"I tried reading this for my buddy's sake, but I don't think Salvatore is for me. A few scenes caught my interest, but for the most part I found the characters pretty insufferable & the writing bland and repetitive. Salvatore is good at writing action, but not so much interaction (see what I did there?)."
"The novel starts great from page one when Entreri and Jarlaxle defeat the lich Herminicle and tower in Heliogabalus, remnants of the Witch-King’s power. Then the novel dies and is very boring and dull until part two. So, stick with it! Arrayan, a half-human and half-orc releases the power of the tome of the Witch-King, Zhengyi, in Palishchuk, as a new tower is erected. Entreri and Jarlaxle get tangled up in the politics of the area between the King Gareth and the Citadel of Assassins. In addition to this, Jarlaxle is following the orders of the sister dragons, Ilnezhara and Tazmikella, to seek out the treasures of Zhengyi that are re-surfacing. Naturally, Jarlaxle holds all the secrets while Entreri is left guessing."
"The Sellswords Series has my attention; Largely because while it's not Drizzt, Bruenor, Regis, Cattie-Brie and Wulfgar...but it's set parallel to those stories.
Artemis Entreri is an interesting character because of the internal struggle that is growing within him. Yes, he's a badass. He's also getting older (about 40 at this point). He's also now learning to grow beyond that hard shell he built around himself...seeing his own life as shallow and meaningless. Part of this is due to a magical flute he's been gifted. This is partly due to the interaction with the Drow Jarlaxle.
Jarlaxle himself is mildly interesting. More later...
Here's what I wish to see from R.A. Salvatore: I'd like to see his protagonists actually get in over their head sometimes. I'd like to see Jarlaxle not have a magical item for very occasion for a change.
Promise of the Witch King almost provided a couple of those, which was amusing. Salvatore does certainly describe violence well. Coming from a martial background I can follow most of it pretty well. I think part of what I enjoy is that the scene has shifted from the Sword Coast to Vaasa/ Damara and described a part of Faerun that isn't fully fleshed out yet. The book makes me interested in using the region as a setting for MY games in Faerun...which I guess is the point of game fiction from the perspective of the publisher WotC.
I do enjoy the tension between Jarlaxle and Entreri as well. While I do enjoy seeing Entreri change and develop, I know that in order to remain "interesting" there needs to be some sort of conflict, and retaining a bit of distrust and ambiguity between the protagonists is great. Granted, there are times when I can feel the urge to reach through the pages and throttle Jarlaxle. He is a cocky, arrogant little bastard to be certain. but then...he's supposed to be. In my mind, that is the result of the writer doing his job well...eliciting an emotion response from the reader.
Salvatore has done a good job in keeping Jarlaxle...alien. He's a very ancient being, full of centuries of knowledge and perspectives that we as humans (the readers and as seeing in to the perspectives of Entreri and others) cannot fathom. Jarlaxle's reasons for things change with the wind direction, almost at whim...or do they? I think what his writing does is to force the reader to second-guess himself as far as Jarlaxle goes, which is appropriate.
Overall, I enjoyed Promise of the Witch King. The last half of the book as a whirlwind of an all-nighter read! It has flaws of course, but balancing that are some pretty interesting bits that make the book quite enjoyable."
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