One immediately gets the sense that this is a very personal endeavor for Salvatore (the lead character is named Gary, after the author’s brother; his girlfriend, who appears later in the series, is named Diane after Salvatore’s wife; the dwarf, Geno, shares his name with Salvatore’s son, etc.). The premise is certainly a winner. A disenchanted fantasy addict from ‘Real-earth’ (aka, our world) happens into a fairy tale world (or, in other words, a generic Middle-earth clone), and winds up embroiled in a Hobbit-like quest to slay an evil dragon. Unfortunately, for everything “The Woods Out Back” gets right, it gets something else quite wrong.

On the positive side of the coin, Salvatore delivers some vivid characterizations (all save Gary, the somewhat bland everyman of the trilogy). His action sequences, while overused, are up to his usual standards. And, as per Salvatore usual, the writing is colorful, even if his prose is sometimes awkward. It’s also clear that Salvatore was passionate about this work, and it shows. “The Woods Out Back” is definitely endearing, and fantasy buffs should find it instantly relatable.

However, it is a flawed novel. For starters, Salvatore often has his characters dispute J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic, “The Hobbit.” “If your Mr. Tolkien knew anything about trolls, he’d know that sunlight doesn’t turn them to stone!” says one of the leads (though not in those exact words). I find this unsavory, for it seems, despite his obvious respect for Tolkien, that the author is trying to convince the audience that his world is the TRUE Middle-earth. Forget that “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” are far more believable and enchanting than “The Woods Out Back.” On top of this, despite being a fairly brief read, “The Woods Out Back” seems overstuffed with useless segments – the action scenes, while superbly well-crafted, are repetitive, for instance. Salvatore is often in the habbit of repeating himself as well, and he does so here as per usual.

“The Woods Out Back,” like others in the series, suffers from an unbalanced tone. For example, one moment the death of an enemy goblin may be intentionally comical – but the next moment finds Gary lamenting such a kill. I also feel Salvatore missed a golden opportunty to insert some underlying message, given the premise of the tome – and while one feels that Salvatore is attempting such a message, it’s muddled at best. To top it off, there are small annoyances such as Gary’s manner of speaking, which is completely unrealistic for a 22-year-old American. And what of Faerie (or the generic Middle-earth, so to speak)? Is it truly a place of fantasy, as Salvatore implies one moment, or a place of brutal reality that rivals our own, as he also implies?

In the end, though, “The Woods Out Back” is Salvatore’s finest work outside the Drizzt Do’Urden novels (which will forever be his magnum opus). It’s a good, solid read, although not without its glaring flaws. Still, I recommend it to fans of the writer, and fans of the genre in general. It’s no ground-shaker, but it’s good for a vibration or two. Rating: 3 / 5

The story revolves around our human hero, Gary Leger, an elf, Kelsey, a dwarf, Geno, and a leprechaun, Mickey. Gary is transported to an alternate realm and is unwillingly sent on a quest along with his unlikely companions. You may find the action a little slow and unrefined compared to other works by RAS, but this story is mainly about the characters. These are real individuals that you can easily relate to. You may not know a dwarf, but you probably know someone who acts like one. And even RAS admits that many of them are based on people from his world. I guess it’s almost like a fantasy version of Bob’s autobiography.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy this wonderful tale of a man’s adventure through an unknown world. You’ll quickly find out that strong characters make a great story. Rating: 5 / 5

Did I mention that there were many, many boys? Because there are. And they’re fabulous!

This book is amazing. Rating: 5 / 5