The Legend of Drizzt is a long-running fantasy book series by the internationally acclaimed author R. A. Salvatore.
It began back in 1988 with the first book, The Crystal Shard, and a whopping forty-two books later, the series is still going strong.
Yet, with so many titles in this epic saga, it can be hard to know where to begin. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’ll give you a full list of every The Legend of Drizzt book and explain their reading order. I’ll also include details of R. A. Salvatore’s related short stories and popular graphic novel adaptations, too.
The Legend of Drizzt Books
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Homeland (1990) | • Print length: 320 pages • Publication date: January 1, 1990 | Check Price |
 | The Crystal Shard (1988) | • Print length: 336 pages • Publication date: January 1, 1988 | Check Price |
 | Canticle (1991) | • Publication date: January 1, 1991 | Check Price |
 | The Legacy (1992) | • Print length: 316 pages • Publication date: September 1, 1992 | Check Price |
 | The Silent Blade (1998) | • Print length: 347 pages • Publication date: October 13, 1998 | Check Price |
 | The Servant of the Shard (2001) | • Print length: 384 pages • Publication date: July 1, 2001 | Check Price |
 | The Thousand Orcs (2002) | • Print length: 352 pages • Publication date: October 1, 2002 | Check Price |
 | The Orc King (2007) | • Print length: 346 pages • Publication date: September 25, 2007 | Check Price |
 | Gauntlgrym (2010) | • Print length: 352 pages • Publication date: October 5, 2010 | Check Price |
 | Night of the Hunter (2014) | • Print length: 384 pages • Publication date: March 11, 2014 | Check Price |
The Legend of Drizzt is an overarching series that is made up of several smaller series.
There are a couple of ways you can approach these books. Many fans insist the best way is to read them in chronological order, while others prefer to work through the series in the order the novels were published.
So, in this post, I’ll list both options, so you can decide which works best for you.
About the Legend of Drizzt Series
The main titles in the series are set in the popular Dungeons & Dragons setting of the Forgotten Realms, a fictional land on the continent Faerûn, in a secret corner of the Abeir-Toril dimension.
The books follow the adventures of a dark elf named Drizzt Do’Urden, a member of the evil drow rangers. But unlike the rest of his people, Drizzt is thoughtful, sensitive, and kind, so he abandons the drows and transforms himself into a force for good and a hero of the Forgotten Realms.
When R. A. Salvatore first published his many novels chronicling Drizzt’s unforgettable exploits, they were listed as separate series, each with its own unique title. But since then, the books have been compiled into one mega-series, simplifying the reading process.
Still, it’s important to know the sub-series that each Legend of Drizzt book falls under. Here they are in the order they were written.
- The Icewind Dale trilogy
- The Dark Elf trilogy
- The Legacy of the Drow
- The Paths of Darkness
- The Sellswords
- The Hunter’s Blades
- Transitions
- Neverwinter
- The Sundering
- Companions Codex
- Homecoming
- The Cleric Quintet
Along with the sub-series above, author R. A. Salvatore also penned a separate five-book collection entitled The Cleric Quintet.
Strictly speaking, these novels aren’t part of the official Legend of Drizzt series, but since they feature character crossovers, they’re often considered essential reading by hardcore Drizzt fans.
So, in this post, I’ll be including The Cleric Quintet titles, too.
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The Legend of Drizzt Books in Chronological Order
Below is a list of every book in The Legend of Drizzt series in chronological order, starting with Drizzt’s early life and following his journey over the years.
The Dark Elf Trilogy
The Dark Elf Trilogy was published after the original Icewind Dale Trilogy and intended as a prequel to those first three books. But if you’re reading in chronological order, you’ll want to start with these titles first.
They chronicle Drizzt’s childhood, from his birth all the way through to his transformation into a heroic swordsman.
The Icewind Dale Trilogy
The books in this trilogy were the first three published in The Legend of Drizzt saga, laying the foundations for this epic series.
The Cleric Quintet
The Cleric Quintet was originally published as an independent series. But while the cast is different, the stories are set within the familiar fictional universe of the Forgotten Realms, and eventually, many of the main characters cross over.
So, if you’re serious about delving into The Legend of Drizzt, then you won’t want to miss these five books.
Yet fans remain divided about the best way to insert The Cleric Quintet into the series reading order. There’s no official guidance here, but the overriding consensus is to start these titles after finishing the final book in the Icewind Dale Trilogy listed above.
- Canticle (1991)
- In Sylvan Shadows (1992)
- Night Masks (1992)
- The Fallen Fortress (1993)
- The Chaos Curse (1994)
** From here on out, the chronological reading order of the sub-series is simplified, as they follow the same order that each of the debut titles were published. **
The Legacy of the Drow Quartet
Paths of Darkness Trilogy
The Sellswords Trilogy
The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy
Transitions Trilogy
Neverwinter Saga Quartet
Sundering
Companions Codex Trilogy
Homecoming Trilogy
Generations Trilogy
The Way of the Drow
The Legend of Drizzt Books in Publication Order
Although many Drizzt readers insist on reading the series in chronological order, some purists prefer to approach the series in the order the books were published.
The list below includes all of the smaller sub-series listed above, as well as The Cleric Quintet books.
- The Crystal Shard (1988)
- Streams of Silver (1989)
- The Halfling’s Gem (1990)
- Homeland (1990)
- Exile (1990)
- Sojourn (1991)
- Canticle (1991)
- In Sylvan Shadows (1992)
- Night Masks (1992)
- The Legacy (1992)
- Starless Night (1993)
- The Fallen Fortress (1993)
- Siege of Darkness (1994)
- The Chaos Curse (1994)
- Passage to Dawn (1996)
- The Silent Blade (1998)
- The Spine of the World (1999)
- The Servant of the Shard (2000)
- Sea of Swords (2001)
- The Thousand Orcs (2002)
- The Lone Drow (2003)
- The Two Swords (2004)
- Promise of the Witch King (2005)
- Road of the Patriarch (2006)
- The Orc King (2007)
- The Pirate King (2008)
- The Ghost King (2009)
- Gauntlgrym (2010)
- Neverwinter (2011)
- Charon’s Claw (2012)
- The Last Threshold (2013)
- The Companions (2013)
- Night of the Hunter (2014)
- Rise of the King (2014)
- Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf (2015)
- Archmage (2015)
- Maestro (2016)
- Hero (2016)
- Timeless (2018)
- Boundless (2019)
- Relentless (2020)
- Starlight Enclave (2021)
- Glacier’s Edge (Expected in August 2022)
The Legend of Drizzt Short Stories
If you can’t get enough of Drizzt’s fantastical adventures in the Forgotten Realms, then these supplemental short stories are an essential read.
The tales were originally published in various issues of Dragon Magazine and the Forgotten Realms anthologies, and for a long time, many of them were hard to get hold of.
But now, they’ve been collected into the companion anthology entitled The Collected Stories: The Legend of Drizzt.
Each story gives fresh context to the main novels and expands on Drizzt’s unforgettable legacy.
- The First Notch
- Dark Mirror
- The Third Level
- Guenhwyvar
- That Curious Sword
- Wickless is the Nether
- The Dowery
- Comrades at Odds
- If They Ever Happened Upon My Lair
- Bones and Stones
- Iruladoon
- To Legend He Goes
The Legend of Drizzt Graphic Novel Series
Some of the books in R.A. Salvatore’s classic Legend of Drizzt saga have since been adapted into a popular eight-part graphic novel series featuring illustrations by various artists.
Each title in The Dark Elf Trilogy and The Icewind Dale trilogy, plus books one and two in the Legacy of the Drow Quartet, feature in the series.
- Homeland: The Graphic Novel
- Exile: The Graphic Novel
- Sojourn: The Graphic Novel
- The Crystal Shard: The Graphic Novel
- Streams of Silver: The Graphic Novel
- The Halfling’s Gem: The Graphic Novel
- The Legacy: The Graphic Novel
- Starless Night: The Graphic Novel
Conclusion
Knowing where to begin your Legend of Drizzt reading journey can feel pretty overwhelming if you’re new to R. A. Salvatore’s work. But hopefully, in this post, I’ve helped you figure out the best reading order for you.
If you’re already a Drizzt fan and you’re looking for some new reading recommendations, then I’ve got some great suggestions.
Check out this list of twelve incredible fantasy series by some of the most acclaimed authors in the world, and if you’re after some more classic fantasy fiction, here’re some of the very best fantasy books of all time.
Have you read the Legend of Drizzt series? If so, what is your preferred reading order? Let me know in the comments below!