The Companions: The Legend of Drizzt

By R. A. Salvatore

A world-shaping event revives old favorites, introduces new complications—and moves hero Drizzt Do'Urden into a restored era of the Forgotten Realms

Alone and with his fate hanging in the balance, Drizzt Do'Urden reflects on the lives of the trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life—the friends now known as the Companions of the Hall. Unbeknownst to him, the goddess Mielikki has given Bruenor, Catti-brie, Regis, and Wulfgar the chance to return to the world they left behind. Reborn as children but with their memories still intact, the friends must find a way back to one another—and to their lone Companion, Drizzt.

Meanwhile, three seemingly unrelated commoners, growing up across the far reaches of the Forgotten Realms, display incredible feats of power. Against all odds, they hold the fate of Drizzt Do'Urden in their hands—a fate that is far from certain. For in the shadows, a cunning cabal of wizards is watching, intent on hunting the "Chosen" mortals who have been blessed by the gods. These wizards know something mere commoners do not: Long-forgotten gods have begun to stir. Long-lost lands have begun to tremble. The world around them is about to change—and these wizards will do whatever it takes to turn the coming chaos to their advantage.

The Companions is the first book in the Sundering series and the twenty-seventh book in the Legend of Drizzt series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 6, 2013
• ISBN: 9780786964352

R. A. Salvatore

Over three decades ago, R. A. Salvatore created the character of Drizzt Do’Urden, the dark elf who has withstood the test of time to stand today as an icon in the fantasy genre. With his work in the Forgotten Realms, the Crimson Shadow, the DemonWars Saga, and other series, Salvatore has sold more than thirty million books worldwide and has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list more than two dozen times. He considers writing to be his personal journey, but still, he’s quite pleased that so many are walking the road beside him! R.A. lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Diane, and their two dogs, Dexter and Pikel. He still plays softball for his team, Clan Battlehammer, and enjoys his weekly DemonWars: Reformation RPG and Dungeons & Dragons 5e games. 

Reviews for The Companions

[arhoads29 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Companions is a new spin on the classic epic fantasy. When Breunor, King of the Dwarves, is killed in battle he finds himself surprised, if not angry, to be in the realm of the Goddess Mielikki whom he does not worship. More surprising is that his long departed daughter Catti-brie is there as well. She informs him that along with another friend, Regis, they must return to the mortal world to save the people that they love. Catti-brie is a mesmerizing character that you will love to follow the exploits of along with her companions who have been scattered to the winds to be reborn. Will Catti-brie and Regis survive their harrowing childhoods? Will Breunor move past being a pawn in Mielikki's plans? Will all three of them survive their journeys, escape their enemies to meet up again as planned?? If you love a novel full of dwarves, halflings, dark elves and vampire dwarves - yes I said vampire dwarves; you'll love The Companions.

[jenn.s · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Salvatore brings yet another well written enjoyable story with familiar characters brought back as only lives in DnD can be. There's no doubt when you pick up a Salvatore book; it's going to be a great read with defined characters and solid plots. I couldn't help but smile as I was drawn in yet again, into a colorful and detailed fantasy world. Solid writing even if parts were predictable.

[gsb68 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Quick fun read looking forward to future novels. Might be a four star book if my favorite character in the series wasn't mostly excluded from the party.

I've felt for a long time that this is a fantasy superhero team series more than anything else and the events here just reinforce that.

[vinbert-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had no idea what was going on with this series. When I read the last book, I was horrified by what I read, thinking Oh my god, they're killing off Drizzt, not with a bang, but with a whimper. That being said, when I read that they were bringing the Companions back, my thoughts were, Wow, what a cheesy way to continue a story line, someone must be desperate for some bucks. That being said, I absolutely LOVED this book. My brain was screaming No No No, but my heart was sighing Yes Yes Yes! Beautifully written, well thought out, and about half way through the book, what had occurred in the last book clicked and I realized what was occurring. The two decades of sleep by Drizzt and Entreri and Dahlia, all of it made sense. Now I can't wait to start on the next one! I felt that the character development was very nicely done, especially for Regis. His determination to be of more help to his friends, and his work toward that end was especially nice. Now, I can just hope that at some time in the future, Cattiebrie kicks the crap out of Dahlia.

[aztwinmom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Companions is the first in the new Sundering series, but is based on characters from Salvatore's other books. This is the first of these stories I have read, but I enjoyed getting to kow each of these characters. Drizzt's companions decide to be reincarnated to help their friend once more. They are reincarnated as babies, but with their memories and identities intact. They must survive until their rendezvous time...and hope Drizzt survives, too.

[sable677 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have to be honest and say that I had never read Salvatore before, but that was my reason for being thrilled at having the chance to read and review The Companions. Since I was not familiar with these characters and this world, I got to read this book as a standalone. While I didn't know these characters' history, I was still able to understand and see how much this group mattered to one another. Salvatore did a great job at developing these three characters as they were reborn with the memories of their old life as well as the chance to make new memories with their new life. I think Salvatore did a great job at balancing these two histories enough to make the book enjoyable for new and old readers. The overall storyline was good, and I really enjoyed following the quest these three characters were on as they made their way to their meeting place and their reunion with their old friend, Drizzt, the reason for this quest. The Companions is a book full of magic, action, adventure, and a friendship that is strong enough to come back from death. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read that I think old and especially new fans would enjoy. I am looking forward to reading the next book in The Sundering series, and I was happy to have found a new author that I enjoyed. Since I enjoyed this book, I plan on looking for previous works by Salvatore.Received a copy of The Companions through Net Galley

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in a proposed series of five, each written by a different author. They are based on a previous series by author RA Salvatore.The book begins with Drizzt Do'urden (there are times when I wish fantasy writers would just use names like Bruce or even B'ruce) on the top of a mountain with a head injury and no memory of how he got there. The story then switches to his companions from one hundred years previous, all dead. They are given a choice by the goddess Mieliki to return to life so they can aid their friend. They are reborn as babies but with all their memories and consciousness intact. I will admit i found that kind of creepy but then I find those commercials with that talking etrade baby creepy so, anyway...they are told they are to meet again in 21 years on the mount to try to save their friend. However, there are no guarantees that they will succeed.I won't recount any more of the story as it is almost impossible to do so without spoilers. Suffice it to say that, as the companions grow, they experience many adventures and develop many new attachments but they never lose sight of why they have been given this second life.I am a big fan of fantasy but I never got around to reading one of the previous books in the series. Although there are references to the previous books, I didn't feel this interfered much with my enjoyment of the story. At times, I found it a bit slow going and I preferred some characters much more than others. However, I really appreciated their sense of loyalty and friendships throughout. I am sure that anyone who is a fan of RA Salvatore will appreciate this book. But I would also recommend it to most anyone who likes fantasy. There's plenty of adventure, enough to make me want to read the next in the series; the world is large and interesting; and the characters are more than just cardboard cutouts. I wasn't as enamoured of the magic system and it is here having read the previous books might have come in handy but that's on me and probably not a fair criticism. Anyway, if you like your fantasy high or if you are curious to see how different authors will handle different parts of a series, this one is shaping up to be a pretty decent adventure.

[dcavin-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good book, but I got a bit messed with the time shift and all. Once I got back from that, all was good. Drizzt is pretty much not in the book. I will check out more of the series.

[crtsjffrsn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's been some time since I've read anything from any of the Dungeons & Dragons settings, and The Companions by R.A. Salvatore has left me wondering why/how I let it go for so long. The rich fantasy world that Salvatore weaves found me quickly and easily engaged. The level of connection to the individual characters is one I personally haven't found in a fantasy novel for quite some time.

Even if you haven't followed the previous adventures Drizzt Do'Urden, you won't find yourself lost in The Companions. Salvatore works enough background into the story to pick up the history of the Companions of the Hall along with following their current predicaments. The author also seamlessly introduces the history of the Realms themselves, making this a perfect "jumping in" point for someone wanting to read the books of The Sundering but concerned about not having read the 20 previous Drizzt books.

Highly recommended for fans of the fantasy genre, of Forgotten Realms, of Drizzt, and of books with a well-written narrative.

(eGalley provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[shayrp76 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4 Stars*I received this uncorrected galley from NetGalley*I will not provide a synopsis for this novel as it would only give away spoilers. This is a first in a series but it follows a previous saga.This is my first R.A. Salvatore novel and I am mad at myself that it’s taken me this long. Needless to say, I was not familiar with the story line of Drizzt or any character relationships from the previous books. I was worried that I would be horribly lost and missing some integral part of the plot. That happened a little in the beginning but smoothed out not long after. The characters really made this a fun read. There is this great chemistry between them and that chemistry is what kept me very involved in their stories. I ran into a few slow spots along the way, but the action balanced it all out. It was a great first impression of Mr. Salvatore’s work and I will be reading everything of his that I can get my hands on. I do recommend this one, especially to fans of the fantasy genre.

[eileenlina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is book 1 of 5. The Companions of the Hall: Regis, Wulfgar, Bruenor, Catti-brie and Drizzt Do’Urden are its main characters. The story begins in the presence of Drizzt Do'Urden on Bruenor’s Climb, with a wound to his head, not knowing how he got where he was, his black cat Guenhwyvar standing against him supporting his shattered leg, nor does he remember calling to her. The end of the book, after the passage of 21 years for the other Companions of the Hall, finds us in the same place with his 4 companions just arriving to save his life. These four friends were pulled from their past having died, given a chance by the god Mielikki that they could be reborn into a new life (retaining their old memories) with the opportunity to save their good friend Drizzt Do’Urden. They all said they would do this out of their loyalty and friendship and thus begin their journey, both physically and mentally. The reader experiences the lives of the friends as they age to 21trying to overcome the trials and misadventures of life and just staying alive, preparing for the event of saving Drizzt Do’Urden. By books end, each of the friends has a back trail of problems that they must eventually face, setting up further adventures in other books. People, wizards, and the dead are searching for these wayfarers. This book would have had more impact on me if I had read previous stories by this author who writes his stories in this fantasy realm. However, that being said, I feel the story of loyalty and friendship that is woven through the characters. It is quite entertaining if not a little confusing with each friend having his/her old life and name and new life and name and the shifting back and forth between their pasts with inclusion of talk of the gods. It took some time for me to sift things through, however, I felt that I knew each of the friends quite well– their stories well told exposing their insecurities, doubts, and hopes for the future. This story begins the series of 5 books, each one written by a different author, however following the story line. I recommend reading this book for fantasy readers of R.A. Salvatore and I shall look forward to reading book 2.

[marfisk_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I got offered this title for review through NetGalley, I was intrigued mostly because my son has been recommending this author and the Forgotten Realms novels for a while. I can see what drew my son to R.A. Salvatore. He’s a very talented author.The Companions is an interesting book for a variety of reasons, especially coming into it new to the characters. If you’re coming into the book as I did, the first couple chapters might be a bit of a struggle focusing as they do on characters we don’t really know yet but in such a way as though we do–too little information to inform but just enough to remind. They are for those who are already know this group and want to reconnect with them. For the rest of us, those chapters do little to prepare for the complicated, fascinating narrative to follow.The title tells exactly what this novel is about. The group who were Drizzt’s favored companions are offered the chance (in the very beginning) to return to mortal life after their respective deaths some time ago. Their assistance may be critical in helping Drizzt defeat his greatest foe. Though this occurs in the book itself, it’s more like the premise for the story to come. The Companions follows each of those who take the offer from Catti-brie’s goddess, Mielikki, to be reborn, and this is meant literally for they must each be placed in a newborn infant, fully aware but with the physical abilities of their current forms.That’s what makes this book fascinating. It manages to tell their separate journeys from moment of birth, or rebirth, though with some skipping over the uneventful years. The companions are fully aware of who they were, but they have some ability to drive who they will grow into in this lifespan. They make new bonds and feel the weight of choices from their first lifetime. Concerns of faith, purpose, and determination abound. The novel is a play on the question of how would you live your life if you had it to live all over again knowing what you know now. They have only a vague understanding of what is to come, but they know their weaknesses and strengths in their first life so can choose to dwell/lean on those, or to make the changes necessary to become something more.In some ways this book could be seen as backstory for the coming event, the sundering. The convergence of their lives occurs for one purpose only in the chance to help Drizzt. But that would be missing the value of The Companions all together. Because of the conflicts of old and new, the awareness of both lifetimes, each of these characters is explored in a depth not commonly available in most novels.A lot of the story is internal, growth coming in the choices made and reflection upon them, but don’t let that make you think the story lacks conflict and external events. I’m keeping the names of the companions close to my chest for a reason you’ll understand once you start reading, but there are attacks by mages, orcs, street gangs, and others. There are great journeys and adventures as well. The companions do not find their path to be either easy or straight. Catti-brie’s goddess gave them a chance, nothing more. And the chance therefore comes with no guarantees that they’ll arrive in one piece, arrive at all, or even find Drizzt at the end of the trial.The characters captured my attention with each of their journeys, and overall, the book was very enjoyable. I found a few artistic choices, though, made me stumble. Each chapter has a header that is important to notice. The timeline is not linear, and it can get a bit confusing when going from one character to the next because you might be two years before where you were the previous chapter. The header includes a year, though, that allows you to know where you are in the progress of this particular thread, and I don’t remember any times where I didn’t know which companion’s tale I’d joined. I found the point of view a little more flexible than I’d expected, sometimes narrowing close to the characters and sometimes sitting back and narrating them. And on occasion, the description seemed a bit much. Not a single one of these subjective issues took me beyond a moment of confusion or annoyance, and once I pushed past the first few chapters, there was never any question about continuing on. I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series to see how these characters who I’ve watched grow into their new maturity handle the upcoming battles, both of spirit and body.