The Sellswords Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords Books
Servant of the Shard | (2001) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Promise of the Witch King | (2005) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Road of the Patriarch | (2006) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Author R. A. Salvatore writes “The Sellswords” series, which are epic fantasy novels that are part of the bigger “Legend of Drizzt” series, which is set in Salvatore’s much larger “Forgotten Realms” universe. These are some of the few books in this large saga that do not star Drizzt as the main character.
The series began publication in the year 2000, when “Servant of the Shard” was released. Upon its release, it debuted at number 25 on the New York Times bestseller list. The final book was released in the year 2006, when the third book “Road of the Patriarch” was published.
The first book of the series, “Servant of the Shard”, is also book three in the “Paths of Darkness” four part series.
The series of novels focuses on Artemis and Jarlaxle and is able to develop both characters much more than was possible than in the other books of the series. It gives the readers a much more in depth perspective of Artemis’ cold and calculating mind, and the opportunistic and ambitious Jarlaxle.
Artemis is the self-proclaimed archenemy of Drizzt Do’Urden’s. Both Artemis and Jarlaxle are antagonists in the books that star Drizzt. Jarlaxle was relevant, leading the Bregan D’aerthe, which is an outlaw group made up of drow that is based mainly around and in Menzoberranzan, which does most of its business with drow in Menzoberranzan.
Artemis is described as wiry and not being all that tall. He is lean, agile, and muscular. He likes to have a trimmed goatee and a moustache, and has short black hair. He does not laugh or smile all that much.
Jarlaxle is tightly muscled and slender. He picks out clothes that are the brightest of colors and has a cape that shines in each of the visible and infrared spectrums.
“Servant of the Shard” is the first novel in the “Sellswords” series, which was released in the year 2000. After Artemis Entreri gets his will to live and confidence back, he ends up allied with Jarlaxle (who is a mercenary) and is the drow’s tie to the surface world.
Caught up in plans that Jarlaxle’s band came up with, Bregan D’Aerthe, Artemis finds that he is back in Calimport. This is the city that he gained a name for himself as one of the best assassins in Faerun.
Entreri does not have many ties left in the city since he spent time in captivity to the drow, he has to rebuild his reputation while attempting to stay alive against Calimport’s guilds and Jarlaxle’s lieutenants. All the while, Jarlaxle allows the crystal shard to intrude into his mind, while it starts pushing Jarlaxle to fulfill his endless ambitions.
This is a fun read that allows the reader to see Cadderly and the rest of the gang one more time. Fans of the novel found that this stuck to the main plot and was an intense thrill ride that never lets the reader catch their breath. Some enjoyed the way the book picks up the story of their favorite character of the series and show them as they go their own way. There is a lot of wit and action, more than in the Drizzt stories.
“Promise of the Witch King” is the second novel in the “Sellswords” series, which was released in the year 2005. The book was hidden well. In the pages of it, it promised the same power that the Witch-King had. Now that it is found, nothing stops people from fighting about it. Not even the simple fact that it will kill anybody stupid enough to open it.
In the Bloodstone Lands. Artemis Entreri, a human assassin and Jarlaxle, his dark elf companion arrive at the wastelands in the frozen north. They are here because their dragon patron requested they come here. Before long, they are caught in a struggle of powerful forces that want them both dead, or worse.
Jarlaxle and Entreri are not your average wandering sellswords. These ancient evils and blood feuds of the wilds that are the Bloodstone Lands might just have met their own match here.
This book is pure action the entire way through, and Salvatore is able to keep some mystery in the book and reveal things in unpredictable ways. Fans of the novel found that this was a combination of fight scenes, adventure, and romance that keeps you hanging on each word. Some like that it takes out Drizzt in order to focus on a more heartless hero, in Artemis, allowing it to make for a stellar read. Here is a book that holds all that readers hope to find when reading an epic fantasy book. These books are the coolest of the “Forgotten Realms” spin offs, and it is able to continue the main series and not skip a beat.
“Road of the Patriarch” is the third novel in the “Sellswords” series, which was released in the year 2006. A cold killer, without emotion, for one that every soul has got a price (including his own) he goes on a journey to see just how steep that price can be.
A dark elf whose guile knows no limit dares to take on a king, and try to get himself a spot in the World Above, an inhospitable place.
Ancient dragons with great power, Tazmikella and Ilnezhara, are used to manipulating the humans that are around them with ease. Not every human is easy to lead, however. They had no idea how strong the assassin’s resolve was or how limitless the drow mercenary’s ambition was.
Fans of the novel like how Entreri seemed like a straightforward villain when first introduced, but has evolved over time. This is a book that is going to have you on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. Some enjoyed getting to know these two characters much more, and find they are developed really well. You even get more of Artemis’ back story. This is a great way to end the saga that is going to leave fans of these books wanting even more.
Book Series In Order » Characters »