R. A. Salvatore

Robert Anthony Salvatore is a science-fiction and fantasy author best known for his Star Wars and Forgotten Realms novels.

Robert Salvatore was born in Massachusetts in 1959. During his time at Fitchburg State College, he became interested in literature, especially fantasy, after reading J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from his university, and later returned to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English.

In 1982 he started writing more seriously, developing a manuscript he titled Echoes of the Fourth Magic.

A character that appears in many of Salvatore's Forgotten Realms stories is Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow who has forsaken the evil reputation of his race, and carries twin scimitars as his preferred weapon.

Critical reputation

The legion of readers and critics who love Salvatore seem to praise his battle scenes most. His descriptions seem to transcend the page and paint a picture in your mind that can, at times, move with such speed and power that it leaves the reader in a cold sweat. When asked how he keeps his battle scenes so fresh and vivid, he said, “I really don’t know, except to say that I actually watch the action taking place in my head, in slow motion, while I’m writing the battle scenes.” Some critics say that this actually backfires on him due to some of his more graphic death scenes. Others say that the amount of time he spends on building his battles is detrimental to his character development. Those critics are quite few and far between.

His works include the Icewind Dale Trilogy/Dark Elf Trilogy series which centre around Drizzt Do'Urden, the Cleric Quintet which centre around Cadderly, a priest of Deneir, and several others. Many critics claim his works lack depth of theme and maturity. However, even his detractors acknowledge that he is a master of battle scenes and action.

Bibliography

• The Icewind Dale Trilogy:
  • The Crystal Shard (1988)
  • Streams of Silver (1989)
  • The Halfling's Gem (1990)
• The Dark Elf Trilogy:
  • Homeland (1990)
  • Exile (1990)
  • Sojourn (1991)
• Chronicles of Ynis Aielle
  • Echoes of the Fourth Magic (1990)
  • The Witch's Daughter (1991)
  • Bastion of Darkness (2000)
• The Cleric Quintet
  • Canticle (1991)
  • In Sylvan Shadows (1992)
  • Night Masks (1992)
  • The Fallen Fortress (1993)
  • The Chaos Curse (1994)
• Legacy of the Drow
  • The Legacy (1992)
  • Starless Night (1993)
  • Siege of Darkness (1994)
  • Passage to Dawn (1996)
• Spearwielder's Tales
  • The Woods out Back (1993)
  • The Dragon's Dagger (1994)
  • Dragonslayer Returns (1995)
• Crimson Shadow
  • The Sword of Bedwyr (1994)
  • Luthien's Gamble (1996)
  • The Dragon King (1996)
• Demon Wars
  • The Demon Awakens (1997)
  • The Demon Spirit (1998)
  • The Demon Apostle (1999)
  • Mortalis (2000)
• Paths of Darkness
  • The Silent Blade (1998)
  • The Spine of the World (1999)
  • Servant of the Shard (2000)
  • Sea of Swords (2001)
• Star Wars: New Jedi Order
  • Vector Prime (2000)
• Demons War (Second Saga)
  • Ascendance (2001)
  • Transcendence (2001)
  • Immortalis (2003)
  • Trial by Fire (2001)
  • The Highwayman (2004)
• The Hunter's Blade
  • The Thousand Orcs (2002)
  • The Lone Drow (2003)
  • The Two Swords (2004)
• The Sellswords
  • Servant of the Shard (2000)
  • The Promise of the Witch King (2005)