the best books in The Legend of Drizzt. I may be alone in that speculation, since The Dark Elf Trilogy and The Way of the Drow inevitably constitute some of R.A. Salvatore's best work, while this short audiobook is a mere footnote in the overall greatness of The Legend of Drizzt. However, I am sure there are those with attention spans as short as me, and in many ways, this brief flight into Salvatore's fantasy is all the better for its brevity - and its cameo.

American writer R.A. Salvatore invented drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden in the 1988 publication The Crystal Shard. The first book in The Icewind Dale Trilogy, Crystal Shard didn't focus on Drizzt, but Salvatore realized his popularity and made his next venture a Drizzt-based prequel series. Since this series, The Dark Elf Trilogy, Drizzt has featured in over 40 books with his Companions of the Hall, including graphic novels, YA books written with Salvatore's son, a standalone, and a range of short stories. Guenhwyvar is one such short story, and it is read by none other than Tom Felton on Audible.

Draco Malfoy Actor Tom Felton Reads Legend Of Drizzt Audiobook Guenhwyvar

Tom Felton Narrates A Standalone Legend Of Drizzt Novella

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, The Collected Stories: The Legend of Drizzt got a re-release on Audible, read by celebrities like Tom Felton. I'm sure I'm not alone in my joyous response to this union of two fantasy titans - Tom Felton and R.A. Salvatore. Or, should I say - Draco Malfoy and Drizzt Do'Urden. Guenhwyvar was the short story voiced by Tom Felton, released in 2014 and covering the origin story of one of Drizzt Do'Urden's Companions of the Hall - Drizzt's astral panther sidekick. Guenhwyvar is a must-read for Guen fans.

Guenhwyvar's best content may have come earlier in The Legend of Drizzt series, and this standalone story offers rich lore for anyone missing her presence in later publications in the wider series. Originally published in Realms of Magic in 1995, Guenhwyvar may be one of my favorite additions to The Legend of Drizzt. Not only is Guen an oddly noble presence for a panther, but she brings the series an innocent and childlike joy, which is refreshing in a series that can be quite dark. Tom Felton's narration brings this out perfectly.

Why The Quintessentially British Harry Potter Star Is The Perfect Fireside Storyteller

The Voice Of Draco Malfoy Is Painfully Appropriate For The Legend Of Drizzt

Tom Felton played Harry Potter villain Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies released between 2001 and 2011, and he is the perfect narrator for Guenhwyvar. The Legend of Drizzt books on Audible are often narrated by Victor Bevine, who performs the different characters in The Legend of Drizzt well. Bevine's comforting tones are an ideal soundtrack to the Forgotten Realms, and some of the 40th-anniversary celebrity audiobooks are exceptional, but I would pay good money to have Tom Felton back on board. His work stands out amid a crowd of impressive contributors.

This hilarious and paternal subversion of his role as the wizarding world's most sniveling, spoiled brat is immensely satisfying.

If you are familiar with Harry Potter - and many people are - then there is every chance that you will agree with me that there may be no one better to read you a bedtime story than Draco Malfoy. This hilarious and paternal subversion of his role as the wizarding world's most sniveling, spoiled brat is immensely satisfying, feeling like some kind of victory over Malfoy's hard-to-tame villainy. There is something uniquely suited to high fantasy about evil British aristocrats, like Tom Felton's Harry Potter character. He could make Drizzt and his scimitars sound particularly imposing in other tales.

Short, Sweet Origin Story For Drizzt’s Panther Is A Perfect Intro Or Gift For D&D Fans

Guenhwyvar Is A Good Standalone In The Legend Of Drizzt

Guenhwyvar is very short for a Legend of Drizzt story, making it a good book for beginners in the world of Drizzt, D&D, or fantasy. Also, it works well as a standalone - it isn't part of a miniseries like most Legend of Drizzt books. Consuming Guenhwyvar in its written form or its auditory form demands very little of readers, requiring little commitment and dishing out a lot of thrills. It is enjoyable whether someone is familiar with the Forgotten Realms or not, needing no prior knowledge of the world or its lore.

Guenhwyvar may be a great place to start with The Legend of Drizzt, bearing in mind its short, sweet, standalone appeal. That said, The Dark Elf Trilogy is another excellent entry point to the series, constituting its chronological beginning. I would also advise newcomers to the series to get acquainted with the iconic Drizzt Do'Urden quickly, especially if they like Guenhwyvar, as the heroics of Drizzt and his panther rival fantasy greats like Harry Potter in their own way. Drizzt and Guenhwyvar bring something new to the genre, from the gothic horror of Menzoberranzan to the swashbuckling antics of Deudermont.

For all intents and purposes, Tom Felton makes Guenhwyvar one of Dungeons & Dragons' strongest releases.

All said and done, Guenhwyvar may be the perfect gift. If you want to dive into the main plot of The Legend of Drizzt, it would be best to dig straight into Homeland. You'll have to persist with the series for a few books to get to highlights like The Hunter's Blades. And, you may want to consider the other short stories in the series, some of which are read by Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Felicia Day and musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. However, for all intents and purposes, Tom Felton makes Guenhwyvar one of Dungeons & Dragons' strongest releases.