This review covers some general plot points, but doesn't spoil any surprises.

The Story

Exile picks up the story of Drizzt Do'urden ten years after Homeland. Drizzt has been exiled from his home city, and has come to live in the Underdark, where he is slowly losing his mind due to loneliness. Meanwhile Drizzt's family has begun a hunt for him, realizing that his death is the only way to regain Lolth's favor.

Exile #1 sets the stage for the Do'urden family hunting Drizzt and also details the story of Drizzt's interactions with the deep gnomes.Exile #2 centers around the deep gnomes, then Drizzt's later explorations of the Underdark with a strange team of companions.

Altogether these stories have a more organic feel than the earlier Homeland series. Drizzt's adventures feel more haphazard, and sometimes even more whimsical, as there's no longer the need that existed in the origin story to really set up all the major elements in Drizzt's life.

The plotting is fair, if somewhat meandering. There's a strong central core, centering around the Do'urden's hunt for Drizzt, but meanwhile Drizzt's tale is more random, as he wanders from place to place, meets friends, and has adventures. If the Do'urdens are still living out a novelistic plot, Drizzt's meanwhile feels more like a D&D adventure.

The characterization likewise is fair. Drizzt is the only somewhat complex character in the story, with most of the others having pretty one-dimensional goals.

On the whole I enjoyed Exile more than its predecessors, and think it's a fine D&D adventure book, with some novelistic stylings acting as a bit of a backstory. I give it a "3" out of "5" for Substance.

The Artwork

The artwork of Forgotten Realms: Exile continues to be by Tim Seeley. His style is somewhat cartoony, but there's also some nice detail in it. The coloring of the Underdark continues to be somewhat muted, but in these two volumes there's some pretty frequent splashes of color which offer some nice contrast.

I have to admit, the art in the Forgotten Realms has grown on me. I didn't entirely like it at first. Since I first saw it in Homeland I'm certain that the reproduction has improved a little bit, and I'd guess that the artwork and coloring has improved as well. I was pretty enthused with it from the time that I picked up Exile #1.

I particularly enjoyed getting to see a larger array of races depicted more regularly, among them deep gnomes, hook horrors, and mindflayers. I think the original Homeland books suffered a bit visually from the uniformity of a drow city, but as Drizzt travels into the Underdark, that's opened up a bit.

Covers are alternatively by Tim Seeley and Tyler Walpole. I particularly like Walpole's which are impressive looking paintings.

On whole I've given Exile #1 & #2 a "4" out of "5" for Style: I really like how the art is shaping up.

Conclusion

Issues #1 & #2 of Exile continue R.A. Salvatore's story of Drizzt Do'urden. The art continues to improve, to the point where I'm quite pleased with it. The story this time around feels like a mix of half-novel and half-D&D adventure. If you enjoy the Realms, this is another worthwhile comic to take a look at.

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