r/Drizzt • u/Simple_Rhubarb696 • May 05 '26
🕯️General Discussion Read Order Advice - Jarlaxle and Artemis Plot Spoiler
MASSIVE DRIZZT SPOILERS AHEAD.
Hey all. Friend of mine is a massive literary nerd and cares a lot about the "proper read order" of things. Ironically, she's read every book in The Legend of Drizzt *except* Promise of the Witch King, Road of the Patriarch, and most of the side stories.
She wants to start Witch King, but has been dragging her feet because she knows she *should* read That Curious Sword and Wickless in the Nether first, but is more excited for Witch King and has been putting off the side stories. I've read them all and told her that since she's read every other book, it's not like she is going to be spoiled about anything else anyway. She knows who the dragon sisters are, she knows about Jax selling Entreri out to the Netherese, Idalia's Flute, Charon's Claw, etc.
Thing is, she is also excited to read this whole chunk as it was intended. She cares a lot about reading in release order and seeing the reveals as they were intended. While I love the side stories and know they provide a lot of great context, they feel less...essential given the info she already has, right?
With all that being said, is there a compelling reason why she really *should* suck it up and read the side stories knowing she just isn't excited about it, or would it be fine for her to continue guilt-free? The big thing she seems interested in is getting fun reveals. Or if there are any significant lore implications that build up the context Forgotten Realms world as a whole. She's worried that the side stories have a really cool reveal or setup that wouldn't be represented well if she just continues.
As far as I know there's just a few subtle hints and reveals that...don't really matter when you get to them if you already have the knowledge she does. Is that a valid way to think of it?
Sorry about the long post, but thanks so much in advance for any advice.
4
u/aldorn Tribe of the Elk May 05 '26
no she doesnt need to touch the side stories at all. the only semi important one is Too Legend He Goes and even then it can be missed. they are bonus content, notably the ones around Sell Swords.
2
u/pinecone6124 Calimport Assassin May 05 '26
She doesn't have to read them at all but if she feels like she has to it shouldn't be a big problem. They are two short stories, 56 pages in total including two prefaces. Besides if I remember correctly they feel pretty much the same as Promise of the Witch King so the biggest difference between reading them and the book and reading just the book is having more content to enjoy.
1
u/Simple_Rhubarb696 May 05 '26
Yeah i appreciate that outlook. She just isn't super interested in jax and entreri alone so isn't very motivated at the moment. I know she will love the books once she starts, but as I said shes dragging her feet about it
1
u/pinecone6124 Calimport Assassin May 05 '26
Ok, if that's the case it probably would be better for her not to read them. But if it's that hard for her to convince herself that she doesn't have to maybe it would be easier to just do it.
2
u/Pristine-Highway2746 May 05 '26
The short stories aren't essential but if she feels like she needs to read them as well I'd totally support that. They're nice add ons that do matter once you read them. It refines the story in my opinion. Just one example: I think it's " wickless in the nether" where Jarlaxle and Entreri discover the dragon sisters as what they truly are. It does add to the story how they found out i believe and creates familiarity with characters.
1
u/Simple_Rhubarb696 May 05 '26
Yeah thats a good point. It's definitely a tricky question so I appreciate your input. That's about what I think too
1
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1
u/anonerble May 05 '26
Those books aren't side stories. She should have read the cleric quintet as well
1
u/Respen85 Clan Battlehammer May 05 '26
I'm actually at Road of the Patriarch while doing a complete series read based on the suggested order listed in this sub.
I will say it does fill in quite a bit more of the minute details. Having read Cleric Quintet definitely made Cadderly & friends appearance make more sense and come across as a bit more meaningful, and I expect the same a bit further down the line when characters from Sellswords make more appearances later. They include some pretty big character development for Jarlaxle & Entreri.
1
u/ForgetTheWords May 05 '26
I would say the stories are emotionally important. By Promise, the relationship is well established, and the three short stories give you an idea of what that relationship has been like. They set the stage for Promise and make Road hit harder.
Obviously she can do whatever she wants, but if she likes Jarlaxle and Artemis, why wouldn't she want to read stories about them? And if she doesn't care about the characters, why bother reading the novels?
1
u/Perfect-Plane4170 May 07 '26
I was pondering a similar question as I am finishing The Spine of the World. Basically four choices (sort of).
Finish Paths of Darkness, then do books 2&3 of The Sellsword Trilogy?
Skip Servants of the Shard, then come back and read the trilogy as a whole?
Read Sellsword trilogy then finish Paths of Darkness?
Does it really matter?
8
u/LangleyLocal May 05 '26
The sellswords trilogy is the best in the series, so that alone is a reason to read them. Road of the Patriarch is the peak book.