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A review by mkmcelroy
The Halfling's Gem by R.A. Salvatore
2.5
If what you’re looking for is standard old school sword and sorcery, this book will deliver. You’ve got daring chases, plenty of battle scenes, and a health dose of magic.
Despite these things, the book (and this trilogy overall) was a bit lackluster. With a plethora of editing mistakes, inconsistent characterization, and half-baked moral arguments, the book feels clunky and underdeveloped.
My biggest issue with the book was that the writing style focuses on telling the reader exactly what the characters are feeling/doing and why. There was no nuance or faith in the reader to pick up on hints or read into the text.
Additionally, the discussion around the stigma drow elves face was incredibly clumsy. If you are going to discuss issues of racism and discrimination, the impacts that can have on a person’s psyche, you need to bring more nuance and effort into the conversation. Instead Salvatore writes one conversation directly addressing the issue and suddenly a character with no experience on the topic has “solved” it.
If you’re looking for a book purely for an adventure plot and some traditional fantasy, this can still fit the bill. But Salvatore’s inexperience as a writer makes for a frustrating reading experience where nothing quite lands or feels fully satisfying.
Despite these things, the book (and this trilogy overall) was a bit lackluster. With a plethora of editing mistakes, inconsistent characterization, and half-baked moral arguments, the book feels clunky and underdeveloped.
My biggest issue with the book was that the writing style focuses on telling the reader exactly what the characters are feeling/doing and why. There was no nuance or faith in the reader to pick up on hints or read into the text.
Additionally, the discussion around the stigma drow elves face was incredibly clumsy. If you are going to discuss issues of racism and discrimination, the impacts that can have on a person’s psyche, you need to bring more nuance and effort into the conversation. Instead Salvatore writes one conversation directly addressing the issue and suddenly a character with no experience on the topic has “solved” it.
If you’re looking for a book purely for an adventure plot and some traditional fantasy, this can still fit the bill. But Salvatore’s inexperience as a writer makes for a frustrating reading experience where nothing quite lands or feels fully satisfying.