There have been hundreds of Dungeons & Dragons novels. Although all are interesting in their own way, some rise above the others with their vivid battle scenes, fascinating characters, and breath-taking plots. Interestingly, many of those are written by fantasy author R.A. Salvatore.Salvatore was born in Leominster, Massachusetts in 1959. He got his start writing for TSR, Inc. (the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons) in 1987 after sending a manuscript of his first book, Echoes of the Fourth Magic, to them. TSR asked Salvatore to audition for the chance to write the next book in the Forgotten Realms seriesa fantasy dimension once connected to Earth but now “forgotten.” As it would turn out, it was one of the best decisions the company could have made.In his first novel, The Crystal Shard, Salvatore introduced the dark elf character Drizzt Do’Urden. The character was originally created as a supporting character, but he grew to become one of the most popular characters in the D&D universe. Besides appearing in multiple novels, Drizzt has been included in accessories and campaign settings for the game, numerous graphic novel adaptations, and several video games. Drizzt even has his own “scenario pack” for the Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game.Salvatore has currently written 29 novels in the Forgotten Realms setting, falling into larger series or story arcs:
- The Icewind Dale Trilogy
- The Dark Elf Trilogy
- Legacy of the Drow
- Paths of Darkness
- The Cleric Quintet
- The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy
- The Sellswords
- Transitions
- Stone of Tymora
His latest FR novel, Gauntlgrym, is part of a new Neverwinter trilogy. This series will be centered around the city-state of Neverwinter, founded by Lord Halueth Never, and will follow Drizzt’s adventures in the city as it’s being rebuilt. The city was destroyed during the Spellplague in Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition.Salvatore has written novels outside of the Forgotten Realms setting as well. His first novel written, Echoes of the Fourth Magic, was later published after the success of his Icewind Dale trilogy and serves as the first book in his Chronicles of Ynis Aielle. Other series include The Spearwielder’s Tale, The DemonWars Saga, the Crimson Shadow series, and The Saga of the First King, in which his first novel from 2010, The Bear, is set.