From Wizards of the Coast (via The Wertzone), we’ve got news that R.A. Salvatore has signed on for six more novels in his stupidly successful Forgotten Realms series.
Today, Wizards of the Coast LLC announced a new six-book deal with New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore. Published by Wizards of the Coast, the first book is scheduled to release in 2011 with a new book anticipated to follow once per year after that.
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“I’ve always maintained that I would keep writing Drizzt as long as it was fun and as long as people wanted to read it. Now I understand that this journey with Drizzt is more than just ‘fun’ for me,” says Salvatore. “Writing Drizzt is an exercise of constantly reminding myself to find new trails and adventures in my own life; the character remains fresh to me because there’s always a new turn, sometimes painful, often joyous, always alive.”
I know. Shocking, huh? I’ve read a handful of the Drizzt books and enjoyed them well enough. My heart, though, lies with Salvatore’s work outside of the Forgotten Realms world, particularily the early novels in the Demon Wars series. As a fan of those books, it’s frustrating to see Salvatore more or less shackled to the Drizzt series. Sure, he’s putting out two novels a year, one set in the Forgotten Realms universe and one set in the Demon Wars universe, but the quality of those books has gone down in recent years and one has to wonder if Salvatore’s not stretching himself a little thin by trying to work on two series for two different publisher at the same time. Still, Drizzt pays the bills, and the fans are legion.
Cue the Drizzt-is-finally-gonne-die-in-the-sixth-book rumours.
It amazes me how much stuff R.A. Salvatore can pump out. I know that, when comparing to other authors he is on par. It’s just that when I walk into the “Fantasy” section of a bookstore I see a wall of R.A. Salvatore books. It’s almost memorizing. And honestly, I don’t even know how good the books are. I’ve got one or two lying around here but I haven’t read them. It may be about time?
They can often be hit-or-miss. A lot of his early stuff (the first six Drizzt books and the first four Demon Wars books, in particular) are quite good. He seems to be in cruise control at this point in his career and it shows in his writing.
I am a fan of Salvatore, mostly his earlier Realms novels and some of his non-Realms works. Hell, the man’s work is what lured me into the genre in the first place. Unfortunately, it is getting to the point that I really don’t want to pick up his books anymore. I have sworn off his latest Corona efforts after buying The Ancient, which seemed to attract all of his bad writing habits. The Drizzt books of recent years have been more miss than hit, with only The Pirate King standing out for throwing Drizzt into the back seat and trying its best to be a little different.
I was really hoping that with his last contract coming to an end, he would finally take his exit with Wizards and concentrate on more of his own worlds. Oh well.
u r all insane!!! salvatore is amazing i read the drizzt novels every year before the new one comes out true some are less well written than others but im really invested in the characters and will be truly gutted when the series ends, ive read the Luthian Bedwyr books which aren’t his best work but i still enjoyed them immensely as well as the first 3 instalment of the demonwars saga havnt read the others yet as i have other authors i read too (ie feist gemmel jordan and more) as gutted as i was to see (spoiler) cattie-brie and regis die im optimistic that it will pave the way for new companions after all drizzt will live for hundreds of years if you have only read them once give them another go trust me it time well spent :)