Passage to Dawn
.jpg) Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | R. A. Salvatore |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Legacy of the Drow |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast |
Publication date | 1996 |
| Media type | |
| Preceded by | Siege of Darkness |
Passage to Dawn is a fantasy novel by American writer R. A. Salvatore, the fourth and final book of his Legacy of the Drow series.
Plot summary
Passage to Dawn finds Drizzt and Catti-brie aboard the Sea Sprite six years after the events of the previous novel, with the company of its captain, Deudermont, its wizard Robillard, and its powerful crew. The Sea Sprite is indeed a feared force on the Sword Coast, with few pirates choosing to attack its deadly wizard, drow ranger, panther, archer or ballista.
Reception
Trenton Webb reviewed Passage to Dawn for Arcane magazine, rating it a 4 out of 10 overall.[1] He commented that "Bucking the Prince, Princess and Dragon rescue trend, Passage to Dawn tries to add the extra element of mystery to the adventure by withholding the identity of the victim. So, where more traditional tales focus on the link between rescuer and abductee, this story drags its heroes the length of the Forgotten Realms on a mission to save somebody. They're not exactly sure who, but someone needs rescuing and there's a good chance of a ruck, too."[1] Webb adds: "This plotline employs an eclectic cast who seem bound by AD&D reality when it suits them and liberally free of it when the plot gets out of hand. Drizzit, the star, is a male Ranger with a fondness for sunrises and the open sea, while the wizard Harkle Harpell behaves exactly as described in the Forgotten Realms expansion set The North, but his unbridled power and sudden appearance is, sadly, anything but convincing."[1] He continues: "Together with dwarven-raised humans, barbarian friendly halflings and kindhearted pirates, the characters do their damnedest to add gusto. But while this makes individual encounters fun, it begins to pull the weak plot out of shape. What starts out as a pirate chase turns into a treasure hunt, which leads the crew to a far away lake and back up north for a final showdown with a Balor."[1] Webb concludes his review by saying, "The result is a vaguely interesting tale which leaps between locales and characters for its own benefit rather than the reader's. All too often, your concentration is shattered by the introduction of Drizzit's essays on life, a sudden change of tack, or the arbitrary introduction of superfluous characters. There are some neat set-pieces but they just don't hold together."[1]
Passage to Dawn debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number 13.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Webb, Trenton (November 1996). "The Great Library". Arcane. Future Publishing (12): 80–81.
- ↑ "BEST SELLERS: August 25, 1996". The New York Times. 1994-09-18. Retrieved 2008-05-31.