Estimated from the page count of this edition. Dense books can take longer than the estimate.
About the book
To protect Mithral Hall from another drow attack, Drizzt Do’Urden returns to Menzoberranzan, the underground city he abandoned, where his departure is regarded as betrayal and enemies want him dead. Catti-brie follows him into the Underdark, unwilling to let him face the danger alone. Their journey leads into the rival ambitions of the city’s ruling houses and mercenaries.
Reader notes
Extended sword fights take up much of this epic fantasy, interrupted by political maneuvering and Drizzt’s doubts about returning to the society he rejected. It is the second Legacy of the Drow novel and the eighth Legend of Drizzt installment, continuing the threat to his adopted home.
How it reads
Writing style
Descriptive · Dialogue-driven · Direct
Tone
Atmospheric · Dark · Suspenseful · Tense
Structure
Braided · Linear
Driven by
Character · Plot · Worldbuilding
Point of view
Multiple viewpoints
Setting
Menzoberranzan (invented world) · Mithral Hall · Underdark
Reading complexity
Writing
2 / 5
Ideas
2 / 5
Structure
3 / 5
Background knowledge
4 / 5
About this profile
Collected’s assessment, not reader ratings. Complexity runs from 1 (least demanding) to 5 (most demanding).
Writing
How much attention the sentences and language require.
Ideas
How much interpretation or abstract reasoning the book asks of you.
Structure
How much you need to keep track of speakers, timelines and connections.
Background knowledge
Prior knowledge needed to follow the book, beyond what it explains.
Emotional intensity
Emotional pressure, from gentle (1) to intense (5). Separate from difficulty.
15Promise of the Witch-King: Dungeons & Dragons · 2005
16Road of the Patriarch · 2006
17The Thousand Orcs · 2002
18The Lone Drow · 2003
19The Two Swords · 2004
21The Pirate King · 2008
Questions readers ask
Do I need to read the earlier books first?
Yes, earlier books provide important context: this is the second Legacy of the Drow novel and the eighth Legend of Drizzt installment, continuing the threat to Drizzt’s adopted home, Mithral Hall.
Is it hard to read?
Not really, at the sentence level: the prose is direct and dialogue driven. Multiple points of view and braided storylines add some complexity, but familiarity with Drizzt’s earlier story matters more than prose difficulty.
Is there more fighting or political intrigue?
Extended sword fights take up much of the story, with political maneuvering between the ruling houses and mercenaries interrupting the action. The pace is brisk, while Drizzt’s doubts about returning give the adventure a more reflective element.
How strong is the violence?
Strong violence is central, with extended sword fights occupying much of the story and enemies seeking Drizzt’s death. The atmosphere is dark, tense, and suspenseful.
How long is it?
352 pages in the Random House Worlds 2025 paperback edition.
Which edition is shown here?
Random House Worlds · 2025 · Paperback. ISBN 9780593873137.
How long does it take to read Starless Night: Dungeons & Dragons?
About 7 hours at 50 pages an hour, based on the 352-page Random House Worlds edition. Dense books can take longer.
About the author
R. A. Salvatore
R. A. Salvatore is an American fantasy writer best known for the long-running Legend of Drizzt, set in the Forgotten Realms. He has also worked in his own high-fantasy setting for The DemonWars Saga and in the shared universe of Star Wars. His novels favor direct, descriptive prose, frequent dialogue, and action built from clearly staged pursuits, battles, and journeys. Their larger conflicts often remain tied to questions of conscience, loyalty, and belonging. Drizzt Do’Urden, a dark elf who rejects the cruelty expected of him, gives these interests their most sustained form. Homeland follows his moral resistance within the competitive society of Menzoberranzan, while The Crystal Shard places his outsider status inside a broad military adventure involving rival settlements, barbarian tribes, and an invading army. Salvatore often moves among parallel strands of action, shifting between solitary ordeals and collective danger. In The Lone Drow, Drizzt’s private grief and isolated campaign unfold beside the wider defense of the North, keeping personal resolve connected to the momentum of war.
