The Hunter's Blades Trilogy
Fantasy trilogy following Drizzt Do'Urden against an orc king.
R.A. Salvatore's The Hunter's Blades Trilogy is a fantasy series consisting of *The Thousand Orcs* (2002), *The Lone Drow* (2003), and *The Two Swords* (2004). It continues the storyline from the Paths of Darkness series and precedes the Transitions series. The trilogy centers on Drizzt Do'Urden, a character Salvatore had written about in sixteen works by the time *The Two Swords* was released, as he works to prevent an orc king from unleashing chaos and war. The books appeared on *The New York Times* Best Seller list, with *The Thousand Orcs* debuting at number 11, *The Lone Drow* at number 7, and *The Two Swords* reaching number 4. *The Two Swords* also hit number 1 on *The Wall Street Journal*'s hardcover bestseller list after two weeks, a record for its publisher Wizards of the Coast, and number 2 on *Publishers Weekly*'s list.
The trilogy features recurring characters including Drizzt, Catti-brie, Bruenor Battlehammer, Wulfgar, and Regis. Critical reception was mixed. *Publishers Weekly* called *The Thousand Orcs* a "rousing tale of derring-do and harrowing escapes," noting it was a light-hearted sword-and-sorcery novel deepened by Drizzt's philosophical reflections on human flaws. Paul Brink of *School Library Journal* highlighted how Salvatore used Drizzt to examine racial prejudice. For *The Lone Drow*, Tom Gafkjen of d20zines.com gave a "B" grade, praising the combat sequences but criticizing repetitious writing about Drizzt brooding over a moon elf's death. *Publishers Weekly* found the novel clichéd but acknowledged occasional complexity in characters like Innovindel and Obould the orc king. Jackie Cassada praised the second book's tense battles, vivid landscapes, and memorable characters. *The Two Swords* was deemed predictable by Patrick Bergeron II of fantasybookspot.com, who noted expected plot points like Drizzt learning his friends survived, but he still enjoyed the story and characterization. James Voelpel of mania.com described *The Thousand Orcs* as a welcome return to Salvatore's earlier style, with a solid plot and vivid battles, though he felt secondary stories and characters sometimes overwhelmed the main cast, and the romance between Catti-brie and Drizzt felt underdeveloped. The first printing of *The Thousand Orcs* was 200,000 copies.
- Author
- R.A. Salvatore
- Nationality
- American
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Number of books
- 3
- First book
- The Thousand Orcs (2002)
- Last book
- The Two Swords (2004)
- Followed by
- Transitions series
Lore & Background
The Hunter's Blades Trilogy follows the Paths of Darkness series and is composed of three books: The Thousand Orcs (2002), The Lone Drow (2003), and The Two Swords (2004). The Two Swords was Salvatore's 16th work concerning one of his most famous characters, Drizzt Do'Urden. In this series, Drizzt tries to stop an orc king from spreading chaos and war. The series reached The New York Times Best Seller list and is followed by the installments of the Transitions series.
The first printing of The Thousand Orcs was 200,000 copies. The Thousand Orcs debuted on The New York Times Best Seller list at number 11. The Lone Drow debuted at number 7. The Two Swords reached No. 5 on The Washington Post's Bestseller List, debuted at No. 4 on The New York Times Best Seller list, and at No. 1 on The Wall Street Journal best seller list in early November. It peaked at #4 on The New York Times Best Seller list in 2004 and reached the top of
Reader's Guide
The Hunter's Blades Trilogy is significant as a best-selling fantasy series by R.A. Salvatore, continuing the adventures of his iconic character Drizzt Do'Urden. The trilogy's commercial success is evident from its multiple appearances on The New York Times Best Seller list, with The Two Swords reaching number 4 and topping The Wall Street Journal list. The series also set a record for its publisher, Wizards of the Coast, by reaching number one on the Wall Street Journal's hardcover bestseller list after only two weeks. Critical reception was generally positive, with reviewers praising the action sequences and the philosophical depth Drizzt brings to issues of racial prejudice, though some found the writing repetitious or clichéd. The trilogy serves as a bridge between the Paths of Darkness and Transitions series, and its focus on an orc king's war reflects Salvatore's ongoing exploration of conflict and morality in the Forgotten Realms setting. The first printing of 200,000 copies for The Thousand Orcs indicates strong initial demand. The series remains a key part of Salvatore's extensive Drizzt bibliography, which by The Two Swords had reached 17 works featuring the character.
Did You Know?
- The Two Swords was R.A. Salvatore's 17th work concerning Drizzt Do'Urden.
- The first printing of The Thousand Orcs was 200,000 copies.
- The Two Swords reached No. 1 on The Wall Street Journal best seller list after only two weeks, a record for its publisher Wizards of the Coast.
- The Lone Drow debuted at #7 on The New York Times Best Seller list in October 2003.
More in Novels by R. A. Salvatore 1-24
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