Road of the Patriarch (The Sellswords, Book Three) Review
By Ian Strelec, Staff Reviewer
Initiative Round
Written by R.A. Salvatore, here comes the third book in the Sellswords trilogy, following the exploits of the dark elf Jarlaxle and the assassin Artemis Entreri.
After throwing down an entire keep devoted to the Witch-King of the north, Jarlaxle and Entreri found themselves without a goal for the immediate moment. Entreri is, once again, swept along as a part of Jarlaxle’s schemes (in a somewhat apathetic way). Jarlaxle, meanwhile, is attempting to bring emotions out of the cold-hearted assassin using a magical item he acquired from dragon sisters the two were employed by.
His plot takes them into…conflict…with King Gareth and his government. Battles ensue as Jarlaxle’s mad schemes unfold, until eventually the pair finds themselves back on the streets of Calimport, where Entreri was raised. Adventure continues until the shocking end. But I won’t spoil it for you here.
With dragons, castles, schemes, adventure, battle, and even romance, the book is not something to miss.
Insanity abounds and chaos ensues!
Critical Hit
The book is written in typical style by Salvatore, with intense scenes of combat and descriptive and intricate stories in general. It leaves little to be desired, performing as another epic tale in the Forgotten Realms.
Thankfully, Drizzt’s essays (which familiar readers have likely come to expect) continue, despite that particular character’s lack of involvement in this story. One of my favorite points in this series, however, is the character development. Over the course of several books, you notice that the characters are intricate and detailed and constantly evolving and changing. They are thoroughly believable and extremely interesting.
Critical Fumble
I have nothing critical to say about this book, other than a small complaint against a mildly unsatisfying ending and some bad editing.
Coup de Grace
This is an excellent book as a closer to a longer tale. It still leaves something to the imagination, leaves a great deal of room for further adventures. The book has interesting and developed characters, and a strong and interesting story overall. Buy it – it’s definitely worth it.
Final Grade: A
Character Development
While previous books in this series have focused more on Jarlaxle, this one is really about Artemis and what drives him. Not only do we get a glimpse into his childhood and the events that shaped him into what he is now, but we also get a glimpse of seeing into what he's becoming and how he deals withthose changes. As a character, Artemis is becoming as developed as Drizzt. You understand his motivations and can predict the likely course of action he will take.
One of the real strengths of this book however, is the character development of the secondary characters. Despite being thoroughly annoying, you come to like the dwarf Athrogate and his bad rhyming. You also feel sadness over Calihye's choices and her despair at falling in love with Artemis. These characters feel just as real as the primaries, not just window dressing for the story. That is the mark of a successful story, when you care as much for the secondaries as you do the principals.
In my opinion, this is one of Salvatore's best books to date.
Final Grade: A+