With R.A. Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt, book series have kept coming, thick and fast, into the historical campaign setting of the realms. Dungeons & Dragons was created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in the '70s, but the Forgotten Realms were officially introduced via a sourcebook first published by TSR in 1987. Created by Ed Greenwood, this magical place spawned legions of characters and stories. Now, even Netflix has caught on.

After the flop that was the Dungeons & Dragons movies, finally Honor Among Thieves emerged, a movie worthy of the D&D name. Despite critical success and audience adoration, the movie suffered slim box office profits, partially due to a difficult climate following COVID-19 and the challenge of introducing D&D to the mass market. So, a sequel is unlikely. Meanwhile, Paramount+ pulled out of streaming the D&D TV show that was being planned for years. But finally, Hasbro has found its next on-screen D&D enterprise a home. The Forgotten Realms will come to Netflix, making Realms books suddenly very interesting.

10 The Sundering Saga

Various Authors

The Sundering is a really mixed bag when it comes to Forgotten Realms books, which may just be what makes it so great. Some of these novels could feel a little jarring to newcomers to the D&D world if they are unfamiliar with the previous stories that established the worlds described throughout the series. However, for the most part, all the Sundering novels do work well alone. And, they give new readers a quick intro to many different series.

One book in The Sundering covers the adventures of drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden, made famous by R.A. Salvatore, who popularized the drow species with his books. Yet another dive into Brimstone Angels territory. This is another hugely popular D&D book series. No matter which characters The Sundering follows, the series is pulled together by the Forgotten Realms reeling in the wake of the Sundering. The characters are united under the common struggle of pulling their lives back together.

9 The Elminster Series

Ed Greenwood

As the creator of the Forgotten Realms, Ed Greenwood may be the best author to introduce the Realms to readers or to give readers a sense of the true scope of the world. Greenwood's world-building is exceptional across the Elminster series, which goes into detail on the Realms' most famous wizard. Elminster, of course, is the Gandalf of Dungeons & Dragons, and D&D fans would be remiss not to include his books in an exploration of the Realms.

Greenwood's worldbuilding is exceptional across the Elminster series, which goes into detail on the Realms' most famous wizard.

Ed Greenwood writes Elminster in a variety of different scenarios in this sprawling series, which encomes a few miniseries. It is vital to know the character to understand the Realms, but he can occasionally come off as a little too perfect to be seriously compelling. Those who like their heroes clear-cut will love this. Some readers may also be put off by Greenwood's writing style, which is quite stuffy and archaic at times.

8 The Harpers Series

Various Authors

Created by multiple authors, the Harpers books are a real gem in Dungeons & Dragons' crown. Spanning work from Elaine Cunningham, Ed Greenwood, and Troy Denning, the series provides a real glimpse into the diversity of writing talent at Dungeons & Dragons. It focuses on the secretive Harpers society, defending society from threats - if it suits them. This allows the books to cover many different threads.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is set in the Forgotten Realms.

It is a shame that an Honor Among Thieves sequel is unlikely, because Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves shared such a fun investigation into the Harpers. Elgin the Bard was a Harper in the movie, so fans of Chris Pine's performance and the lore behind his mission may want to dive into the Harpers series. Although the makers of the movie won't be involved in the TV series, there's always a chance that little parts of Honor Among Thieves could creep in.

7 Starlight & Shadows

Elaine Cunningham

Starlight & Shadows is one of the most enjoyable short series in the entire Dungeons & Dragons franchise, focusing gleefully on Liriel Baenre. Elaine Cunningham may be the second-best writer on the Dungeons & Dragons roster, with R.A. Salvatore possibly being the first. This writing style picks a heroine with no Mary Sue qualities, relatable sass and courage, and a sidekick of epic character.

Fyodor of Rashemen accompanies Liriel through her adventures, which explore the Baenre family and the Underdark it comes from. The Baenre family is one big player in the Forgotten Realms. These drow include Pharaun, who is explored in War of the Spider Queen, and Jarlaxle, who is a big NPC in the excellent Waterdeep: Dragon Heist 5e campaign. This is a great trilogy to start exploring the Realms with, and it will excite readers as to Salvatore books too.

6 War Of The Spider Queen

Various Authors

With R.A. Salvatore as the advising editor for War of the Spider Queen, this series is a very well-produced exploration of Lolth, the Spider Queen, and her impact on various characters and places. Salvatore runs a tight ship, and this series could be abstractly considered a sister series to his Legend of Drizzt books, if not a direct part of them. Although Salvatore did not invent Lolth, he used her as his main villain.

This series offers fun snapshots of characters but not the ongoing character development that D&D's best series are known for.

She is an excellent villain at that, with a beautiful woman fronting the facade of a giant spider, able to take various forms to manipulate her minions. Dungeons & Dragons has a new best villain in Lolth, considering her role in The Legend of Drizzt and War of the Spider Queen, plus her huge appeal for the new TV show. Vecna and Tiamat can move aside. This series offers fun snapshots of characters but not the ongoing character development that D&D's best series are known for.

5 The Finder's Stone Trilogy

Kate Novak & Jeff Grub

The Finder's Stone Trilogy includes the much-loved 1988 novel Azure Bonds, one of the all-time best that Dungeons & Dragons has to offer, though it doesn't tie in much to other series. Also, it maintains a thoroughly consistent tone of voice due to being written by two authors working together. This is one of the earlier book series set in the Forgotten Realms, but it is remarkably one of the best. Alias, the main character, wakes up having forgotten everything.

This is the perfect plot device to draw readers into her dazzling and confusing world, as she knows no more than they do on her journey trying to discover her past. Azure Bonds is Jeff Grub's favorite book of the series as well as many readers', incorporating elements of high fantasy, mystery, and suspense. The commercially successful 1989 video game The Curse of the Azure Bonds was also based on these books.

4 The Cleric's Quintet

R.A. Salvatore

R.A. Salvatore has unquestionably cooked up Dungeons & Dragons' best books. Although not one of the original world-builders of Dungeons & Dragons, Salvatore's writing style captured the hearts of most fans. Like War of the Spider Queen, Cleric's Quintet is a great companion series to The Legend of Drizzt. It focuses on the scholar-priest Cadderly, with excellent content around the drow mercenary Jarlaxle Baenre.

Jarlaxle may be the icon Dungeons & Dragons needs as it looks for its direction with The Forgotten Realms series on Netflix. Although the show will likely invent many original characters for its main plotline, it would be remiss not to include at least one drow or touch on any of Salvatore's stories. Cadderly would make a fantastic cameo in the show, but readers should pick up The Cleric's Quintet regardless of whether or not it gets adapted.

3 Brimstone Angels

Erin M. Evans

Brimstone Angels is one of the most beloved series in Dungeons & Dragons, across any campaign setting from The Forgotten Realms to Dragonlance or Spelljammer. Erin M. Evans remains one of the best writers in the franchise, so gamers and readers shouldn't ignore her best work - Brimstone Angels. This series follows two tiefling sisters, Farideh and Havilar, who are relatable and inspiring.

Honor Among Thieves restored a classic Dungeons & Dragons race in its exploration of tieflings, bringing wider awareness to this intriguing D&D species. Sophia Lillis played Doric in the movie, representing the race, although not as faithfully as some may have liked. Meanwhile, Evans' books offer a truly faithful deep dive into tiefling lore, eccentric ing characters, and unforgettable adventures.

2 The Icewind Dale Trilogy

R.A. Salvatore

R.A. Salvatore's first published novel was The Crystal Shard, the first book of The Icewind Dale Trilogy. Now considered a part of The Legend of Drizzt book series, this miniseries did not adopt Drizzt as a main character. It focused equally on Dungeons & Dragons' Companions of the Hall, especially Wulfgar the Barbarian. This series is the perfect D&D book series, embodying all the fun of saving lives with friends.

In that sense, it also reflects everything that was great about Honor Among Thieves. This series has danger and humor and diverse characters, with an innocent joie de vivre that doesn't rely on romance like Hollywood fantasy tends to. It is true that future novels in The Legend of Drizzt were often better, perhaps, than the first two books in this trilogy. However, The Halfling's Gem remains one of the best D&D books ever.

1 The Dark Elf Trilogy

R.A. Salvatore

After monitoring what was popular about The Icewind Dale Trilogy, Salvatore decided to focus his next trilogy on Drizzt, resulting in the brilliant The Dark Elf Trilogy. What makes this book series so scintillating in the grander scheme of Dungeons & Dragons books is its originality. In setting itself in Menzoberranzan, the dangerous drow city of the Underdark, The Dark Elf books cover unique fantasy territory - an underground nightmarescape of warring tribes.

This is an escapist fantasy of truly enjoyable scope, offering the simplicity of one main light in the darkness. Drizzt was born into a matriarchal society that enslaved and abused its men and competed with other families for power, with no respect for life. Drizzt, with his complex father, navigates a way through this mess to emerge as the hero of the later books. This Dungeons & Dragons prequel story encomes the awkwardness of teen life, the loneliness of being an outcast, and growth into one's true self despite being knocked back by all others.