Editing Drizzt Do'Urden (section)

== Publication history ==
{{Further|The Legend of Drizzt}}
[[File:Rasalvatore.jpg|thumb|left|R. A. Salvatore]]

Drizzt's story begins in the novel ''[[Homeland (Forgotten Realms novel)|Homeland]]'', the start of ''[[The Dark Elf Trilogy]]'' and published in 1990 as a prequel to ''The Icewind Dale Trilogy'', which was published between 1988 and 1990. In the book, Drizzt is born in [[Menzoberranzan]] as the third son to Matron Malice, the leader of [[House Do'Urden]] (a type of family akin to a Scottish [[clan]]). His father is [[Zaknafein Do'Urden|Zaknafein]], a weapons master who secretly hates drow society and teaches Drizzt his martial skills as he reinforces Drizzt's innate moral code. The 1996 short story "The Fires of Narbondel", in the ''Realms of the Underdark'' [[anthology]], describes unrelated events involving Zaknafein as the main character, and a young Drizzt plays a supporting role.

During a raid against a group of surface elves, Drizzt finds himself unable to participate in the slaughter with his fellow drow. He pretends to kill an [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|elf]] child, but actually helps her to escape. When the deception is discovered, Zaknafein is sacrificed in Drizzt's stead to appease Lolth, the drow's goddess. Following a war against another House, Drizzt curses his family and the evil drow ways and escapes Menzoberranzan into the [[Underdark]]. At this time he also acquires the statuette that allows him to summon the magical panther [[Guenhwyvar]]. Guenhwyvar travels by Drizzt's side as he makes his way across the Realms.

Drizzt fights off the resurrected spirit-wraith of his father in ''[[Exile (Forgotten Realms novel)|Exile]]'', the second book in the ''Dark Elf Trilogy'' and also published in 1990. ''[[Sojourn (novel)|Sojourn]]''<ref>''Sojourn'' reached 13 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on May 26, 1991. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/26/books/paperback-best-sellers-may-26-1991.html?sq=salvatore+sojourn&sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Sojourn%22&scp=1&scp=1&st=nyt&st=cse |title=Paperback Best Sellers: May 26, 1991 |date=May 26, 1991 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> picks up the story when Drizzt leaves the Underdark for the surface, where he meets a blind human [[Ranger (Dungeons & Dragons)|ranger]] named [[Montolio Debrouchee]]. When Montolio begins teaching him the ways of the ranger, Drizzt realizes that, unknowingly, he had been following those very principles his entire life. From then on Drizzt's patron goddess is [[Mielikki (Forgotten Realms)|Mielikki]], the [[Faerûn]]ian goddess of the forest and of rangers. Montolio eventually dies, and Drizzt travels the Realms in search of a new home. He eventually finds himself in [[Sword Coast|Icewind Dale]] where he meets [[dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)|dwarven]] king [[Bruenor Battlehammer]], and Bruenor's adopted human daughter, [[Catti-brie]].

The fourth book chronologically in the series, although the first published, is ''[[The Crystal Shard]]'' (1988), the first in ''The Icewind Dale Trilogy''. It describes Drizzt's meeting with the barbarian [[Wulfgar (Forgotten Realms)|Wulfgar]] and the [[Halfling (Dungeons & Dragons)|halfling]] [[Regis Rumblebelly|Regis]], and their adventures as they stop [[Akar Kessel]], a [[wizard (Dungeons & Dragons)|mage]] possessed by the [[Sentience|sentient]] artifact [[Crenshinibon]] (the book's [[eponym]]ous Crystal Shard), from gaining control of the region. ''[[Streams of Silver]]'' (1989), tells the story of the group as they journey to [[Mithral Hall]], Bruenor's boyhood home. [[Artemis Entreri]], a recurring character in the series, also makes his first appearance. In later books, Artemis is Drizzt's equal in combat, and they clash often due to their conflicting views and goals. In the 1990 book ''[[The Halfling's Gem]]'',<ref>''The Halfling's Gem'' reached 12 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on March 4, 1990. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/04/books/paperback-best-sellers-march-4-1990.html |title=Paperback Best Sellers: March 4, 1990 |date=March 4, 1990 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> Artemis kidnaps Regis while in the employ of a powerful crime lord. Drizzt and Wulfgar chase the assassin by sea, with the help of [[Captain Deudermont]], to recover Regis. Drizzt ends up in combat with Artemis Entreri, who leaves the battle wounded. At the end of the book the group finds Regis, and Guenhwyvar kills Artemis's employer.

''[[Legacy of the Drow]]'' is a [[tetralogy]], unlike the previous two trilogies. The 1993 short story, ''Dark Mirror'', in the ''Realms of Valor'' anthology, describes events just prior to the series. The first three books, ''[[The Legacy (Forgotten Realms novel)|The Legacy]]'',<ref>''The Legacy'' reached 10 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on October 4, 1992. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/04/books/best-sellers-october-4-1992.html?sq=Far+3.3.19&sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22The+Legacy%22&scp=2&scp=1&st=nyt&st=cse |title=Best Sellers: October 4, 1992 |date=October 4, 1992 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> ''[[Starless Night]]'',<ref>''Starless Night'' reached 12 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on September 19, 1993. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/19/books/best-sellers-september-19-1993.html?sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Starless+Night%22&scp=1&st=cse |title=Best Sellers: September 19, 1993 |date=September 19, 1993 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> and ''Siege of Darkness'',<ref>''[[Siege of Darkness]]'' reached 13 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on September 18, 1994. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/18/books/best-sellers-september-18-1994.html?sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Siege+of+Darkness%22&scp=1&st=cse |date=September 18, 1994 |title=Best Sellers: September 18, 1994 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> describe a drow attack on Mithril Hall. Wulfgar is seemingly slain by a [[yochlol]], and Drizzt returns to Menzoberranzan to prevent his friends from being further attacked by dark elves. The drow launch a second attack against Mithril Hall during the [[Time of Troubles (Forgotten Realms)|Time of Troubles]]. It is eventually repelled and Drizzt returns to his friends.

''[[Passage to Dawn]]'',<ref>''Passage to Dawn'' reached 15 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on September 8, 1996. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/08/books/best-sellers-september-8-1996.html?sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Passage+to+Dawn%22&scp=1&st=cse |title=Best Sellers: September 8, 1996 |date=September 8, 1996 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> the final book in the ''Legacy of the Drow'' series and published two years after ''Siege of Darkness'', picks up the story six years after the drow attack. Drizzt and Catti-Brie work with Captain Deudermont on his pirate-hunting ship, with the Companions of the Hall ultimately fighting the powerful demon Errtu who is aided by the Crystal Shard, which had previously been buried under a mountain of snow. Wulfgar, never truly dead, returns to life from the [[Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)|Abyss]] as the demon who had held his soul was destroyed.

Drizzt is the main character in only two books of the ''[[Paths of Darkness]]'' series. ''[[The Silent Blade]]'' (1998) describes the group's journey to permanently destroy the Crystal Shard. ''[[Sea of Swords]]'' (2001)<ref>''Sea of Swords'' reached 14 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on November 18, 2001. {{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/18/books/best-sellers-november-18-2001.html?sq=simon+reeve&sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Sea+of+Swords%22&scp=6&scp=1&st=nyt&st=cse |title=Best Sellers: November 18, 2001 |date=November 18, 2001 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2009-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729112304/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/18/books/best-sellers-november-18-2001.html?sq=simon+reeve&sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Sea+of+Swords%22&scp=6&scp=1&st=nyt&st=cse |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> continues Drizzt's story after the events of ''[[The Spine of the World]]'' (1999), which focuses on Wulfgar, and ''[[Servant of the Shard]]'' (2000), which has Artemis Entreri and [[Jarlaxle]] as the main characters. ''Sea of Swords'' covers the companions' search for Wulfgar's lost magical warhammer, Aegis-fang, and the reunion of the group after an extended separation.

Drizzt returns as the main character throughout ''[[The Hunter's Blades Trilogy]]''. In ''[[The Thousand Orcs]]'' (2002),<ref>''The Thousand Orcs'' reached 11 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on November 3, 2002. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/03/books/best-sellers-november-3-2002.html?sq=%22R.+A.+Salvatore%22+%22Thousand+Orcs%22&scp=1&st=cse |title=Best Sellers: November 3, 2002|date=November 3, 2002 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> Drizzt and his friends encounter the powerful orc Obould Many-Arrows, who has employed [[Giant (Dungeons & Dragons)|frost giants]] to aid him in gaining control of the region. After a battle at the town of Shallows, Drizzt believes the other Companions of the Hall to have fallen in battle, and he sets off into the wilderness to fight all orcs in vengeance. ''[[The Lone Drow]]'' (2003)<ref>''The Lone Drow'' reached 7 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on November 16, 2003. {{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/16/books/best-sellers-november-16-2003.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715000111/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9800E4D81539F935A25752C1A9659C8B63 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |title=Best Sellers: November 16, 2003 |date=November 16, 2003 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> continues this storyline as the still-living Companions protect Mithril Hall from orc attacks without the aid of Drizzt. He is reunited with his friends in ''[[The Two Swords]]'' (2003).<ref>''The Two Swords'' reached 9 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on November 14, 2004. {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/books/bestseller/1114besthardfiction.html?scp=1&sq=%22R.%20A.%20Salvatore%22%20%22Two%20Swords%22&st=cse |title=Hardcover Fiction|date=November 14, 2004 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref>

R. A. Salvatore's next series of Forgotten Realms books, ''[[The Sellswords Trilogy]]'', focus on the further adventures of Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle, with Drizzt only being mentioned in them. However, Drizzt is once again the main character in the ''[[Transitions (novel series)|Transitions]]'' trilogy, consisting of ''[[The Orc King]]'',<ref>''The Orc King'' reached 17 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on November 11, 2007. {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/books/bestseller/1111besthardfiction.html?scp=1&sq=%22R.%20A.%20Salvatore%22%20%22orc%20king%22&st=cse|title=Hardcover Fiction|date=November 11, 2007|work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> ''[[The Pirate King]]'',<ref name="Pirate">''The Pirate King'' reached 8 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on November 2, 2008. {{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E7D7133AF931A35752C1A96E9C8B63&scp=2&sq=%22R.%20A.%20Salvatore%22%20%22pirate%20king%22&st=cse |title=Best Sellers: Fiction : Sunday, November 2nd 2008 |date=November 2, 2008 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> and ''[[The Ghost King]]''.<ref>''The Ghost King'' reached 11 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on October 25th, 2009. {{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E7D9163EF936A15753C1A96F9C8B63 |title= Best Sellers: Fiction: Sunday, October 25th 2009 |date=October 25, 2009 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref> Drizzt is the main character, along with Bruenor, in R. A. Salvatore's next series in the Forgotten Realms, ''[[Neverwinter Saga]]''; the first book in this series, ''[[Gauntlgrym]]'', was released October 5, 2010.<ref>''Gauntlgrym'' reached 13 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on October 24, 2010. {{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E1DC173EF937A15753C1A9669D8B63 |title= Best Sellers: October 24th 2010 |date=October 24, 2010 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref> The second book in the series ''[[Neverwinter (novel)|Neverwinter]]'', was released October 4, 2011,<ref>''Neverwinter'' reached 8 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on October 23, 2011. {{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DE5DC123EF930A15753C1A9679D8B63 |title= Best Sellers: October 23rd 2011 |date=October 23, 2011 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref> with the third installment entitled ''[[Charon's Claw (novel)|Charon's Claw]]'' released August 7, 2012.<ref>''Charon's Claw'' reached 13 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on August 26th, 2012. {{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05EFDE163EF935A1575BC0A9649D8B63 |title= Best Sellers: August 26th 2012 |date=August 26, 2012 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref> The fourth book in the series "[[The Last Threshold]]", was released March 5, 2013.<ref>''The Last Threshold'' reached 20 on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list on March 24th, 2013. {{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9503E0D7163EF937A15750C0A9659D8B63 |title= Best Sellers: March 24th 2013 |date=March 24, 2013 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref>