Okay, there are good and bad review here, but few help one decide where in the series to start. I shall therefore answer the title of this review: begin with Homeland, Exile and Sojourn. Here's why.
While I agree that this is a good book, I can't really understand why it's SO highly rated by so many people. I am enjoying it a lot, but have found the characters less engaging than those in The Dark Elf trilogy.
Also, it's full of action, and a bit too much. You find yourself attached to few of the characters; had I started with this, I may not have gone on to read the others. It's not a book that makes me think "I have to read the others!!"; I want to read the others because I really enjoyed the previous trilogy.
Another reason to begin with The Dark Elf trilogy is because it introduces you properly to Drizzt, who acts as more of a side-character in this book; a shame, since he's one of the most interesting, but then I suppose this was the first book written, and he was written to be an extra. His character is also more admirable in The Dark Elf trilogy. I developed respect and love for him, but in this book he's - well - a tad bland.
But most importantly, almost all of The Dark Elf trilogy's plot is summarised in this book; the books wouldn't have worked as well had I known what was going to happen. That may cause you to ask "why bother to read them then?" My answer is for the character development, the detail, and the quality of the writing which is more developed, more engaging, and more enjoyable.
I know this focussed a lot on the trilogy that comes before this book chronologically, but I felt I wanted to say something different to what's been said in the reviews that have already been published on the page.