Okay so I'm very weird when it comes to series novels. I cannot get thru a whole series completely that has 3 books let alone one that has 28. In fact the only two series that I was able to read fully and love was The Lord Of The Rings (Hobbit included plus Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales) and of course Harry Potter because who doesn't love Harry Potter (I'll tell you NO ONE!!!!). To be honest I actually didn't think I'd like Salvatore all that much despite the fact that his books take up an entire aisle at Barnes And Noble. I decided finally to get his books and I was told to read The Legend Of Drizzt first. I was very skeptical because again I don't really read series because I get bored after the first book and move onto something else. So after some reluctance I picked up Homeland and sat down and read it all the way through. I actually was very surprised at how much I loved it. The book was great but it did have some cons being that the book was very political and at times slow. I still loved the book despite at how slow it was at times because of how well Salvatore creates characters. The story was so well woven and even though the action was few and far between being that Homeland is Drizzt's origin, it was a fantastic read. I knew after I finished Homeland that I had to read Exile so I went to my computer and ordered it instantly. (Slight Spoilers ahead for Homeland) Okay so Exile takes place roughly about 10 years after the end of Homeland. Drizzt has forsaken his people, Masoj Hunnett is dead, and Malice Do'urden has been left out of favor with the evil deity known as the Spider Queen. Drizzt having forsaken his people and left Menzoborranzan behind is now living in exile alone (except for his trusty panther) in the Underdark. Drizzt has been surviving the Underdark for 10+ years alone and is now trying to gain control and suppress murderous urges and another side of himself he calls "The Hunter", while still trying to avoid his mother Matron Malice and the mistakes of his past. I'll leave the summary there and get onto the review. So I did say that while I did love Homeland it was a bit boring and slow at times because it dealt more in politics than actual combat. This book fixes all of that because Drizzt is no longer part of the Political web (see what I did there Spider Queen? Political "Web"???) that rules Menzoborranzan. In this book the main focus is on Drizzt trying his best to survive and make it to the surface. This book is filled with nothing but bloody combat from start to finish with Drizzt being on the run from Malice and her lackeys. This book while about combat and action is also about Drizzt coming into his own and figuring out who he really is and how different from the other Drow he truly is. This is the book that really shows you what the series is about. if Homeland is more like Game Of Thrones then this book is more like Lord Of The Rings. This book is more about questing and surviving and having sword fights and using magic. This book is (I hate to use this term) but the true first book in the series. Now what I mean by that is Homeland is more of how Drizzt grows up. The first book is about his training and how he comes to rebel and rebuke his people. The first book is more about Menzoborranzan and the Drow Elves than it is about Drizzt in particular. Exile on the other hand focuses entirely on Drizzt and leaves the drow elves all but entirely behind. In this book Drizzt is already a master swordsmith and very competent sorcerer when he needs to be. Drizzt needs help emotionally but when it comes to fighting he is entirely capable. This book shows you the character for who he really is and it shows you his heart and his fighting ability at the same time. This is the book when Drizzt truly comes into his own and when the reader finally realizes what he's gotten into. A fantastic and masterfully written fantasy epic. Yes you read that right not a series but an epic. This book really has no cons that I can think of. The action is graphic and descriptive (though not so descriptive that you get bored, I'm looking at you George R.R. Martin) and the environment is so well described and put together that you feel drawn into the world and you feel as though you've taken up scimitars beside Drizzt himself. The only two cons that I can think of are of a character called Clacker who appears about 75% thru the book. I won't spoil the character or the story but Clacker really has no place being there and it seems as though he was put as a filler. Clacker also seems to have been put there to sort of tug at reader's heart strings but we don't find out enough about him to really care that much for him. The only other con is that these books go fast. I started reading Exile the 1st of the month and was finished by the 6th and already starting the 3rd book Sojourn. This isn't a huge issue due to the fact that there are literally like 30 books in this series (28 to be exact I think) and Salvatore still isn't done with the series. HE'S STILL WRITING IT!!!!! In fact he just released book 28 this year. I highly recommend this series and if you liked Homeland you will absolutely love Exile. There is more action and a lot more fight scenes and bigger set pieces in this book than there was in Homeland. My one regret is that it took me all these years to read these books because I thought honestly that they would be lame or that I wouldn't like them. R.A. Salvatore has made it onto my list of favorite authors and I can't wait to read all of the Legend Of Drizzt novels!!!!!