Product Description
Preeminent storytellers Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have redefined epic fantasy. Since the publication of their Dragonlance series, millions of readers have enjoyed their imaginative world-building, rich characterization, and intricate storylines. Now these bestsellingauthors bring their talents to one of the most innovative fantasy creations ever in Dragon Wing, the first volume in The Death Gate Cycle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (142)

Typo Wing
Like other people have posted, the Kindle version is full of very distracting typos. If the Kindle is meant to help immerse people in their reading, more quality control should be exercised on the content to keep it from negatively affecting that result.

One of the best series out there
I bought this series when it first came out and was not that excited about but I bought all the books. Since then I have re-read it straight through several times over the years and it is now one of my favorites. If you havent read it or read them back to back, do yourself a favor and read them. Its a great story and the pace is somewhat brisk.

Not their best work
While giving credit for obviously a large amount of thought and work going into this series I found it fairly boring with poor characters I could not get into, unlike their Forgotten Realms books which I adored each and every character.

Warning, reading this series will make every other fantasy novel you ever read a slight disapointment
Ok, when one thinks of fantasy The Lord of the Rings is usually their first thought. Personally, I think of the Death Gate Cycle. This being the first book in the highly unique series introduces the main characters. This book takes place in the first amazing world of the series. These are almost the best written series I have ever read.

Great Book, Terrible Editing
I read this book many years ago and am reading it again now as a Kindle book.It's just as good as I remember it being except for the editing.I've found an error every few pages including slight misspellings, random characters, strange typographic issues, and missing words.I'd recommend reading this book, but don't buy the Kindle version unless you're not at all bothered by errors.Its's hard to enjoy the story when every few minutes you notice another error and wonder why they didn't have anyone proofread this. ... Read more

Product Description
The Seventh Gate is the thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. In this tale of treachery, power, and heroism, Alfred, Haplo, and Marit embark on a journey of death and discovery as they seek to enter the dreaded Seventh Gate. Encountering enemies both old and new, they unleash a magic no power can control, damning themselves to an apocalypse of unimagined proportion in a final struggle between good and evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (66)

Typos Abound
I loved the series.However I was sorely disappointed in the Kindle version due to the enormous amount of typos.How does this happen?This is not a reflection on the authors, but the publishers.I have enjoyed many, many paper based novels from Tracy and Margaret and will again in the future.I will probably not buy anymore Kindle books because of this.
Steve Shulze

One word: Disappointing
There's really no need to go into a lengthy review with this one.Lots of other people said it well.There were a lot of inconsistencies with the last few books of this series.A big one that annoyed me was the Labyrinth and how small it seemed... even though it's suppose to take generations to escape... it just seemed really small.But really, I can over look that.

The final book in this series gives you a lot of suspense.Xar is still an idiot unfortunately who refuses to see truths that are staring him in the face - the same holds true with the Sartan leader, BUT despite a few inconsistencies and things that make you go, "huh", it's a pretty decent book for the most part.Unfortunately the ending is not at all what I was either expecting or hoping for.Take whatever you think the ending should be and throw that out the window, because it's not happening.Things do get resolved just not in a very fulfilling way.

Overall, the end of a journey is important and an ending that doesn't feel right can kinda tarnish your view on the whole adventure.I don't think this is Weis and Hickman's greatest work.I still think their greatest masterpiece was the War of Souls Trilogy, as well as the original Dragonlance Chronicles.But still...

This book: 3 Stars
The series as a whole: 4 Stars

The Death Gate Comes To A Close

The Seventh Gate is the conclusion to the Death Gate series, the masterworks of fantasy authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. After seven books, four worlds, two races of demi-gods, three of Mensch and a myriad of originality book seven has the unenviable task of bringing it all together and seaming the tale into a satisfactory ending. In that regard, it only about half succeeds.

Bringing the fantasy books into one was never going to be a simple task, especially given the incredibly successful first few books where new and original worlds of water, air, fire and stone are rendered. The last few books had already seen failures in logic and rational continuity, yet The Seventh Gate falls particularly short in several respects. Granted, using words like 'logic' and 'rational' in the context of such fantasy will never win this reviewer accolades, but nevertheless one would have expected a little more due to the astonishing lift-off of the series.
Part problems are the weakness of the Patryn and Sartan races both in physical and mental arenas when it is most called for, the blindness of their leaders despite sheer evidence, puzzling failure on the part of evil and, the worst offender, a relatively short book where the ending seems to have been rushed and carelessly woven together - despite the presence of a useful epilogue. Even there, many questions are left unanswered using a 'no one wanted to explain' device.

Nevertheless, The Seventh Gate is both an important book in the context of the series and a good book overall and does answer many questions as well as binds the series to its end. It does end on a customary happy note, yet leaves enough suspense on the table to remain credible with the continued existence of evil, the serpents, the labyrinth and much suspense regarding the future of the Mensch races, elves, humans and dwarves.

The authors - or rather the Mormon Tracy Hickman - manages to insert a not so subtle 'we are all potential gods' yarn into the ending of the story in line with his LDS religious beliefs, but the conclusion also instills enough trust and regard for the lower races to nullify such overt superstitions.

The Seventh Gate is the ending of one of the better fantasy series out there and along with the preceding six books an imperative read for fantasy buffs and a recommended read for non-fiction enthusiasts.

Wow
As this entire series ties in together and reads almost as a continual book, I'll only review the final one.

The series is about a young Patryn named Haplo, a man from a race of demi-gods that were cast into a magical prison by their counterparts, the Sartan.Haplo and a few hundred of his race have escaped their prison, the Labyrinth, and are seeking revenge on the ancient enemy.He is ordered by his lord to go and explore the four worlds of the universe, reporting back all he finds and watching for signs of the Sartan's presence.

This is the way the story begins, but along the way, Haplo is subjected to hard questions about morality and prejudice that he was not expecting.

While each of the books offer a good read on their own, the series must be read from beginning to end to fully appreciate it, as the strength of the series is the changes that Haplo goes through along his journeys.When he sets out in book one, he is leaning towards being the bad guy of the series.There is a cliche wizard who wants to take over the world to fill that role in book one, but we see that Haplo is a man without pity who looks down on the "mensch" races - human, elves, and dwarves - as lesser beings of little import.

As he travels, his position changes.It is written beautifully and handled realistically.Haplo is reluctant to change, but after being locked up onboard a ship with a handful of mensch and being saved by others, he can no longer write them off.He begins to care about their individual personalities and their fate, and we see a gradual softening of a man who was hardened by hate.

More than that, these books deal with learned hatred and old prejudices between the Sartan and the Patryns.We are shown how easily our own ideas are influenced.In the beginning, Weis and Hickman introduce the Sartan as the good guys and the Patryns as the bad guys.As the story progresses, we also learn to see them as individuals and judge them according to their actions.

Each book offers new intriguing characters, who are all brought together in what is really a three-book climax.

I found this entire series to be a wonderful read, thought-provoking, funny is some places, sad in others, and filled with a sense of adventure.

Many reviewers have complained about the lack of magic in the Labyrinth, stating that the Patryns lives could be easier.I respectfully disagree.We are shown in Fire Sea that their magic is not unlimited.Haplo even explains to Hugh the Hand that as it is a land of constant danger, they have to reserve their power for things like staying alive.

My only complaint is a love story between Haplo and the Patryn woman Merit.After putting so much work into writing a beautiful story about hatred and healing, I felt that Merit was a character who exhibited absolutely no good qualities and learns nothing, just suddenly changes her mind when she realizes she still loves Haplo.

All in all, it is a worth-while read, and I strongly suggest that anyone who picks up this series starts with book one to enjoy the ride.

Great series
One of the great book series available. I am a DL fan, but this series is better and short and sweet with 7 books.All the books were good without other authors to ruin anything like in DL.I read this series about 8 years ago, time to read it again, it is one I will reread every 10 years for sure. ... Read more

Product Description
First in a brand-new fantasy saga by the co-creator of Dragonlance

Once humans had magic and an alliance with dragons. Now they and the other races have been enslaved by the Rhonas Empire-the elves-and can't even remember the world the way it used to be. But thanks to the intervention of one determined dwarf and the human slave warrior known as Drakis, all of that is about to change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Review of Song of the Dragon
I don't know about you, but when I hear the following words I get goosebumps and a fluttery feeling in my stomach: dragons, elves, chimera, manticore, gnomes, dwarves and magic.

... Okay, so maybe I get that because I'm just a nerd.

But I can't help it! I mean, I grew up on Fantasy - from as early as I can remember I was fed The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.I dreamed about furry-footed little beings and fantastical scenarios!So when I see what looks to be a good fantasy - I jump on it!

Lately I've been reading for my fantasy fixes some old authors, Tolkien being one of them, and some new-to-me-authors, Michael Sullivan and Brandon Sanderson.Now I'm adding Tracy Hickman to that mix and wondering how in the world I didn't start reading his books earlier!

In the interest of full disclosure though, I will tell you that it takes a while for this story to get started.I was a bit confused with all the strange names and concepts, but once everything clicked the story really moved and I was drawn in and devouring every little scene.This book had it all.Traitors? Check. Really mean bad guys? Check.Annihilation of entire races? Check. Slavery? Check. The little guy rising above it all? Double-check!

If you are in the mood for a good fantasy, this one will do it. However, it's the first in a series.. and the rest aren't out yet, so be warned!

Not worth the effort
I did not care for this book at all.Mr.Hickman is a good writer, but this one just did not interest me.

Fun and well writen escape tale
Great story with a fantastic premise of an enslaved society. The author does a very good job of handling destiny vs. choice. Very excited for book 2.

Annals of Drakis, Book 1
Once humans had magic and alliance with dragons. Now they and other races have been enslaved by the elves of the Rhonas Empire. The elves suppress all the slaves' memories with regular House Devotions, using the magic of Aether Wells. These various races of slaves have all heard of the Drakis Prophecies. It is about a human named Drakis who will be a slave but will break his own bonds. The man will come out of the south and journey across the waters to bring back the glory of humanity that was lost and destroy the oppressors of the land. Yet House Devotions keep that memorable legend suppressed.

Drakis, a human warrior-slave of House Timuran, comes across a hiding dwarf named Jugar, who claims to be a simple jester. It is during this campaign that Drakis is troubled by a song. The melody plays within his mind and conjures visions of mythical dragons. Ignoring the tune, Drakis returns to his master with his prisoner. Then the Aether Wells shatter. All suppressed or altered memories surge forward. Most slaves go mad and several elven Houses fall.

The Ibilisi are the most dreaded hunter of the Empire. Keeper Ch'drei charges Inquisitor Soen with the task of finding out what happened in the Western Provinces. Soen is soon hunting Drakis and the six others that fled with him. The small band travel northward, following the song's lure. But even should they survive the long and dangerous journey, will they find dragons, a place to call home, or oblivion?

**** FOUR STARS! I have seldom seen a stranger group of refugees than this one. Three humans, a pair of manticores, a dwarf, and a chimerian struggle to find sanctuary in the far north. One of that group, known as the Lyric, may not be sane since her personality changes almost daily. I found that character to be the most interesting of the bunch. The authors keep the scenery changing, along with the type of perils Drakis must face. This keeps the pace brisk and the story interesting. Of course, being the first of a new series, many strings are left dangling for the second title to pick up. Readers need not fear of a cliffhanger ending. In my opinion, the story halts in a good spot. Yet I am eager to continue the journey to see what other surprises the authors have in store. A solid beginning to a new fantasy series. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Wow, what a great book!
Drakis, a committed soldier-slave of the elven Rhonas Empire has been at war for what seems like years, and he has not been to the house devotions in far too long. The ceremony puts his mind to rest, and reinforces his love for the Empire. But, after the destruction of the last remaining dwarven kingdom, everything seems to come unglued. A captured dwarf can seem to tell him the future, and after the magical well that support's his elven master's house is destroyed, he seems to wake up. The house devotions were actually a magical brainwashing device, a magical procedure that erased all memories of how brutal and sadistic the elves truly are, and now Drakis is remembering more than he wants to.

Collecting those few slaves that were not driven insane by the destruction of the magical well, Drakis and his band set off to find safety beyond the borders of the Empire. But, the Iblisi, a sort of elven secret police or Inquisition who guard the Empire from the truth (and strangely enough, guard the truth from the Empire), are on his trail, determined to end his run and put the truth back where it belongs. Many believe that Drakis is the man from an ancient prophecy, the man who will release the ancient dragons and overthrow the Empire. Drakis doesn't believe it, but if he and his band are to stay alive, he might just have to do exactly what the prophecy says!

Wow, what a great book! I love books that use the traditional fantasy races of elves and dwarves, especially when they are used in new and interesting ways. Well, just like Mr. Hickman's Death Gate Cycle, this book also takes the fantasy traditions and turns them...well, definitely on a new angle.

This book has some very interesting races. The humans and dwarves are just as you would expect, but the elves are marginally different. Also, Mr. Hickman introduces the lion-man manticores and the four-armed chimerians, which are very interesting races indeed.

But, best of all, the author does a great job of keeping up the suspense and the drama of the story from start to finish. There are so many interesting happenings, and exciting fights and chases, that the book is nearly impossible to put down! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next installment of the Annals of Drakis! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Weis and Hickman Do It Again
I won't plague this review with spoilers but the only part that sucks is I have to wait for the next installment.

Can't wait for the 3rd book after reading this one
This book is much improved over the first. Although I did enjoy the first, this one felt like it had more "meat" to it. This series definately has the makings of EPICness. READ THIS BOOK!!

A view about Weis&Hickman's Dragonships of Vindras
After reading Weis & Hickman's novels for many years, this is one of series which I'm looking forward to. Although the first book did not quite meet many fan's expectations, the plot in the second book thickens quite considerably. Or should I say, a bit too much actually. There was very little explaination about the gods in this series and it leaves many readers wondering what kind of gods Weis and Hickman is trying to impress us on. While book two explains more about these gods and their occasion appearence, I myself find it either too sudden or else the way these gods make their entrance without causing any excitment for the readers. I used to recall the Death gate or Darksword series where there was always a climax or thrilling section where a character does something or meets someone. Obviously Weis and Hickman lost a bit of that touch in here.

Overall, without spoiling any of this novel's contents, I would say that if you'r a big fan of these authors, you will feel somewhat disappointed but the enjoyment is still there, just not that epic. For new readers out there, it is still worth your time reading this.

The 2nd Book is always better...


Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman continue their "Bones of the Dragon" series in an excellent entry, "Secret of the Dragon."Like the first book, Tor/Forge gives readers a kickass cover that screams BUY ME!(So I did).

The second is much improved over the first.With an increased familiarity with Skylan, the plot of Dragon is far more interesting and twisted.We have the power of the old gods led by Torval challenged by those led by Aelon.When 'gods' fade, others take their place and the Gods of Raj step up to the altar.Not willing to take their loss of worship easily, they search for the Five Bones of the Vektia Dragons.The Sinorians and the land of ogres are known holders of two, but three are missing.

Meanwhile back on the 'earth', Skylan Ivorson (crew and Bone Goddess Treia) are betrayed by Raegar into the hands of Lord Acronis via the slave trade.Raegar, over time, discovers that Acronis is not whom he thought, and he realizes that he needs the help of the gods and Dragon King Kahg!

This is a fantastic series that is a little off the beaten path, but experienced guides Weis and Hickman, the paths become something else.Dragonships is one of those series (6 books) that will become legendary as their previous works. Reading this, part of me wants to join the crew...

Secret of the Dragon
I have just started reading this book, but it seems good. I liked the first part either. ... Read more

Product Description
While the Lord of the Nexus orders his servant Haplo and Bane, the human child, to further their master's work on Arianus, the resurrected assassin Hugh the Hand seeks to complete his mission. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

PS Incase you didn't know, Xar is an idiot
This book was wonderfully entertaining.But before I get into that...

Dear Xar,

I don't understand - you survived the Labyrinth, and you continue to go back in and do battle to save more of your race.You obviously are wise and insightful - when that Haplo character started being not entirely truthful with you, you were onto him from the start.But now when some creepy, red eyed Patryns who obviously aren't Patryns, come up to you and feed you lies, you're completely in the dark.Come on!You didn't survive so long just by letting your guard down around people who appear to kiss your ass.

All the best,
A random mensch


Okay and now unto the review.

This book is just fascinating.You've got several assassination plots going on, people coming back from the dead, and of course, serpents at every turn, spreading the chaos for which this book is named.My only complaint is I think Xar is too trusting of the serpents.Just because he wants to believe that these serpents are around to make his life easier, lessons from his past should have taught him better.No matter though - still an awesome book.

5 stars

Back On Arianus... Evil Slithers
In book five of The Death Gate Cycle series for the first time the reader peaks into all four worlds of a sundered world. The hatred within humans, elves, dwarves, Patryn and Sartan has fed the evil that has spread across the four worlds. There is war and malevolence everyone and, worse, for the first time it is free to spread its fangs with the barrier placed by the Sartan unwittingly gone. Evil can be defeated if the races can vanquish their fear and hatred, but old habits, time and the serpents are strong. The elves are divided, the human rulers maintain a dangerous game and the dwarves - lead by a bespectacled revolutionary leader with communalist slogans - have discovered aggression and resentment at the worst possible time. The Hand Of Chaos sheds light on the races past, origins and histories and wonders whether it is all too much for distrust to be surmounted.

Much of the action is back on the world of air Arianus, previously visited at the dawn of the series, given how for the first time in the cycle the book has not moved on to a new world. Chelestra, world of water, is the source of the unleashed hate, but the fomented doom is focused in the realms of sky.
Zifnab is back referencing ancient earth culture and now revealed as a powerful Sartan magus. Xar, the lord of the Patryn, is in Abarrach to learn necromancy and has dispatched Haplo to Arianus on a fool's errand that is meant to cost the latter man's life. Alfred is absent having offered no resistance to the missteps of his Sartan brethren. Hugh The Hand belongs to the Brotherhood and is a changed man. Prince Bane and his Mysteriarch mother are pivotal characters. Iridal does what no mother wants to do.

The Hand Of Chaos is the continuation of Serpent Mage (The Death Gate Cycle, Vol 4) and followed by the sixth book of the series of seven, Into the Labyrinth (Death Gate Cycle). The action is unremitting and the travellers faced with tension wherever they go. Yet, it is the treachery and odium that engulf the book. Everything rests on whether the species can rise above ancient enmities.

Great series
One of the great book series available. I am a DL fan, but this series is better and short and sweet with 7 books.All the books were good without other authors to ruin anything like in DL.

The Hand of Chaos - clever title now that I think about it....
The Hand of Chaos - Book Five of Seven in the Death Gate Cycle series. This book is another excellent addition to the series, and also necessary to read, no matter what other people say. It is very action packed, and brings back some of my favorite characters (Ex: Bane, Hugh the Hand (shocker...I know!)and Iridal). The book does have its shortcomings, but otherwise it is very good.

This installment starts off right where Serpent Mage ended, with Haplo trapped in the room and the water starting to flood the Sartan City. Haplo escapes (without magic) and heads through Death's Gate, but not before finding out that the evil dragon-snakes have also headed through. He heads to the Nexus, but is beaten there by the Dragon-Snakes, who have already found Xar and pledged their allegience to him. Xar says he is happy to have them on his side. Haplo comes and tries to convince Xar that they are evil, but Xar doesn't believe him. Haplo leaves for a walk as Bane (remember him from Dragon Wing?) walks in and begins chatting to his adopted "grandfather". Meanwhile, as Haplo accidentally meanders infront of the Final Gate, Zifnab comes. Zifnab, while rambling, tells Haplo that he is Sartan, and that his "wife" never died and is still in the Labyrinth, with his child. Haplo is startled by this news, but what is even more startling is that Bane overheard this all.He reports back to Xar, who tells Bane that he is sending him to Arianus with Haplo to continue stirring up unrest and to activate the Kicksey-Winsey. As soon as this task is accomplished, he is to kill Haplo. Bane agrees, and the both of them leave.

Thus the plot is set for The Hand of Chaos, along the way, Hugh the Hand comes back from the dead, We learn a LOT more about the Brotherhood of the Hand, and more about King Stephan's empire. This is a very good book, with only one major shortcoming, Alfred's disappearance. At the end of Serpent Mage, Alfred was being cast into the Labyrinth, yet in "Chaos", we have no news of what is going on with him. This is the only real shortcoming of the book, and it is an excellent, fast paced read. Pick up and read it now!

Totally not necessary
First, I will tell you how to get the most enjoyment out of this series.Start with going to the library and renting all of these books.Do not buy them as they are not worth it.Then read books 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 without reading the footnotes or the appendixes.You have the option of reading books 2 and 5 if you are really enjoying the series, but they are only filler and do not even need to be skimmed.Finally, accept the fact that Weis and Hickman may only be one hit wonders and move on.

Second, I write reviews for those who seek good fantasy and not for the zealots who hang on every Weis and Hickman word.You would think from some of the reviews of this series that these books were greater than War and Peace and written by Bronte and Conrad.In reality, this series is not very good.I am not trying to trash Weis and Hickman, I found the Dragon Lance series to be extremely enjoyable and would give at least the first two series of that line four stars.This series deserves no more than 2 stars.The books are incomplete thoughts that may have been much better had the authors taken more time to flesh out the story.Beware of fantasy books that contain footnotes and appendixes.Usually, these are the telltale signs of poor writing.Having said that, I did manage to read most of these seven books and here are some thoughts.

Many reviewers have made a lot of the fact that Xar is actually tsar or czar.I fail to see the significance here.Xar is a ruler and a tsar is a ruler.So what?What I found to be much more interesting and ultimately distracting was the use, by the authors, of the word mensch.Mensch is a Hebrew word.It is not close to a Hebrew word, it is a Hebrew word.If you look it up, mensch means a person of integrity and honor.What are the authors trying to say here?That all people without ambition or power are full of integrity and honor.I read all seven books trying to understand the use of this word to no avail.

Not surprising considering the books are filled with errors and inconsistencies.Some of these errors and inconsistencies are no doubt addressed in the footnotes and appendixes, but it would take an additional seven books to address all the problems.I believe that most of these problems occurred because the authors did not take the time to complete their work. Perhaps they were pressured by their publisher.

Most of the characters are thinly veiled shadows of those characters from the Dragon Lance series.Only, these characters are not as interesting or as engaging.Part of the problem is that Weis and Hickman never determine where they want the story to go.They blur the line between good and evil, then they erase the line, then they re-draw the line in bold.In Dragon Lance, it was intriguing to see how the characters dealt with the discovery of the duality of their own nature.In this book it is just confusing. ... Read more

Product Description
Pursued by assassins, Haplo, the only one who knows the location of the mysterious Seventh Gate, and his old companion, Alfred, seek refuge in the Labyrinth, a lethal prison maze whose inhabitants are condemned to death. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

In The Labyrinth... Mysteries Are Created And Many Are Resolved

Into The Labyrinth is the sixth book of the Death Gate series. It follows book five The Hand of Chaos (Death Gate Cycle, Book 5), and precedes the conclusion to the epic series The Seventh Gate (The Death Gate Cycle). The book whose main story line is revealed in its obvious title is a fun read, has many of the elements that fans love about the series and the genre, produces fascinating characters and has a few twists to boot. Having said that, it does lose a couple of notches for reasons of logic and consistency. Where to begin?
Patryns are demigods and have powers and magic to match, but have trouble crossing a plank or guiding/assisting others to even in the direst of times.
The same powerful beings that have had to evade the worst menaces of the labyrinth and have partly found their way out are blinded by the most obvious of trickery. Even Lord Xar, the self-styled Patryn leader, cannot see the obvious dangers lurking beneath the scale of the dragon snakes. This, even after one dragon snake commandeer's the Patryns' ship and people. None of the Patryn left onboard notice the fake runes or detects the impostor.
Patryns cannot break through Sartan runes even in the absence of an active defense by the Sartan. Xar needs humans or an amulet carried by an unaware dwarf to gain access to a rune-inscribed ship. The Patryn cannot even duplicate weapons or food.
Vasu, the semi-demigod, sees the red glow of the final gate while residing at the mouth of the labyrinth.
And so on.

Thankfully, Zifnab and his dragon provide much entertainment (and benevolence) as they battle for the lesser races and the fate of the worlds. In the same context, each of the lesser races demonstrates higher logic and reasoning than the higher races. Admittedly, this is a deliberate design of Weis and Hickman. As well, the tytans' mystery is partly resolved.
Adding to the lost opportunity, however, is the battle between Samah and Xar that never was. The book could have, and should have, taken up the opportunity to cast the meeting of the two most powerful representatives of their races as a grand battle of sorcery and might. Alas, the still unexplained magic-nullifying water pours cold water on that notion.

Into The Labyrinth is still a fine book. It is good in its own right and indispensable as part of the series. Haplo's (a Patryn) dog is beautiful and fascinating. Alfred (a Sartan) is revealed as Coren and much more, Marit (another Patryn) regains her love and her senses and a furious battle takes place, albeit in an unlikely setting. It is just that the book could have done so much more and made so much more sense.

A great book
The entire Death Gate Cycle series is great. I would say this book is my favorite in the series though. If your in to fantasy books you won't be disapointed with this book or any other in the series. In my opinion this book and the rest in the series is better then Lord of the Rings and that is saying a lot cause I love Lord of the Rings novels. As much as I would love to go in to the details of what goes on in this book, I don't want to spoil the story for anyone.

Great series
One of the great book series available. I am a DL fan, but this series is better and short and sweet with 7 books.All the books were good without other authors to ruin anything like in DL.

Death Gate Cycle
This is the 6th book in the Death Gate Cycle series.If you haven't read the previous ones, this book does do a good job of catching you up.However, for full understanding you should read them in order.The authors do a great job on character development and plot.I could not put this series down.

Into the Labyrinth
Into the Labyrinth
The book Into the Labyrinth by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman was an amazing book. It is the seventh in the Death Gate series. In this book Haplo, Alfred, Marit, and Hugh the Hand are thrown back into the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth is the prison created by the Sartan to hold the Patryn but something went wrong and the magical prison started to use its magic to try to kill any and all who wished to escape. Using evil magic, creatures, and the forces of nature it tries to kill all inside of it. While in the prison the heroes discover a Patryn city inside the Labyrinth, something unheard of for the Patryns because they are constantly moving on hoping to reach freedom. While in the city they make another astonishing discovery -read the book to find out what it is.

The book was incredibly exciting to read because there were a ton of cool battles between good and evil. The battles were so exciting to read because the author made up so many new creatures to fight against, like the Chaodyn, an insect-like creature that if it is not stabbed in the heart and killed instantly any drop of blood shed will make another Chaodyn. You were definitely able to feel like you were in the book because the author brings you into a new world and puts so much detail into everything. You can picture every thing happening because of the amazing descriptions. The main conflict did interest me because it was the classic good vs. evil but with a new twist where good and evil have been given actual beings that try to persuade people to do good or evil. That makes the book a lot more interesting too. Most of the characters seemed realistic, except they had magic powers or weren't human, because they had real emotions and the author was very good at describing them. Instead of saying "they were happy" the author would say "they felt boundless joy." The books' ending was pretty satisfying but it did leave a lot to be answered in the next one.

The author's voice is generally first person except when they might explain some of the history. The author uses a simple vocabulary but mixes in made up words like Sartan and Patryn. Some things that make the authors unique are that they made up an entirely new world, one where there is four worlds not one. They have gone above and beyond to create this world. They made a history of all the races and the actual worlds.They have made up new creatures to inhabit this world, like Wolfen and Snogg, and they even went as far as to not create one history for all for worlds but every world has its own unique story. The author used dialogue to move the story along, explain things, and let you know the characters better. The author was very descriptive of everything be it a person, place, or other. The overall tone of the book was we must save the world. I really like the way the author writes because I love fantasy and they have made a great fantasy series for all those who enjoy reading. It is new, unique, and an original story line.

I would give this book a nine and a half out of ten because I like the way the author was detailed about everything, the battles were amazing, and the story made you not want to put it down but it did leave a bit unanswered. I hope you read it. ... Read more

Product Description
On steamy Pryan, never-ending sunlight and plentiful rain have created a jungle so vast that humans and elves dwell high in the trees and only dwarves live anywhere near the ground. From the treetops the aristocratic elves sell weapons to the other races, whose incessant warfare sends a steady steam of profits and essential resources skyward. Now, generations of dissent and race hatred will not heal -- not even under the threat of annihilation at the hands of legendary Titans. Armed with little more than their wits and prophecy, an elf, a human, and a dwarf must unite to try to save the world from destruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Elven Star - slow start but worth it in the end
This book is a fantastic bit of world building, as was the first book in the Death Gate Cycle.The pacing in the beginning is a bit slow.Did I say, a bit slow?Dull and tedious explain the first almost 50 pages very well.It doesn't grab you right from the beginning and not let go.It doesn't start becoming a page turner until around page 100, so if you're not a patient reader and wants lots of action and suspense right from the beginning this book isn't for you.However, if you're reading this book it's probably because you liked Dragon Wing, and if that's the case you're hooked and will have to read this book and the rest of the series.

Luckily, even though this story starts off slow, after the first 100 pages the tension and sense of urgency really starts to grow.This book get's pretty dark.It's not some happy go lucky tale where everything turns out rosy in the end.This is probably the reason why the authors drop in a whimsical bit of comic relief that fans of their Dragonlance novels will get a real kick out of - everyone else will be completely in the dark.I don't often laugh when reading, even if something is meant to be funny - I'll understand that it's humorous but not to the point of laughing.This book had me randomly laughing out loud, followed by chuckling to myself afterwards.

Overall the writing in this book is really superb.The world is unique.The story, the immediate story and how it fits in place with the larger story, is a work of art - I found it both thought provoking and insightful.As I said, it's slow but if you give it a chance it will turn into a real delight to read.

Four stars.

In Pryan... The Saga Takes Flight
Elven Star is the second volume in the series of seven that comprise The Death Gate Cycle. It follows Dragon Wing (The Death Gate Cycle, Book 1), which takes place in the realm of air and precedes Fire Sea: The Death Gate Cycle, Volume 3 (A Death Gate Novel), which takes place on the realm of stone. Oddly, the cover of Volume 1, the realm of air, was red, while Eleven Star of the realm of fire has blue artwork.

Pryan, realm of fire, has four suns, which corresponds to the four realms the Sartan fashioned. The suns shine constantly. It is thick with vegetation and a surface rarely seen or visited. On this sundered world the plot initially revolves around the elves, but ultimately the humans and dwarves and their joint interactions becomes the essence of the story. Haplo, a powerful Patryn, is here and seeking clues and fomenting despair. The equally powerful Sartan have gone missing. Adding to the mystery is the human wizard Zifnab whose accompanying dragon is a puzzling catalyst to the story. The races, characters and species with whom fantasy buffs are so familiar take on new forms and complex narratives. The action is never lacking. The reader is also given a more detailed explanation of the Labyrinth and the Nexus and the tribulations of the Patryn.

Several points of interest particular to this volume:
-Apparently, discerning who is a Patryn is not as complex as the prequel, Dragon Wing, wanted us to believe. There is a particular hair characteristic that Alfred, the Sartan, missed in that book. Identifying the Satryn is apparently so easy as well that even an elven maiden could figure it out.
-Adding to the richness is the aforementioned old wizard Zifnab who is incredibly powerful and constantly refers to the olden days of human technology and quotes from The Lord Of The Rings. Zifnab is shrewd enough to know that Haplo is coming. Zifnab's dragon is pivotal in the story too and supplies some comic relief.
-Lenthan Quindiniar is the patriarch of the elven family. He seeks his beloved dead wife and tugs at the heart with his romanticism. His desire to ascend to the stars to be with his wife has religious overtones courtesy of the authors. Then again, he is a mad man.
-Lenthan's daughter Calandra has taken over the family's business of selling weapons to all sides. Unmarried, she is willing to die for the family business. "What are men, after all, but creatures who spend your money and interfere in your life," she reckons. The elves live in a matriarchal society.

Haplo comes close to solving the puzzles of Pryan. He will report back to his Lord before preparing to journey to Abarrach.

Volume two is exciting, rich and textured. It comes with the typically detailed fantasy artwork and sets one up for the next chapter.

Better than the last one for sure
This was much better Dragon wing, but I got bored.The wizard character was the most entertaining and I'd like to see a series based on his character.I feel no desire to keep going with the series.

Hilarious Work!
This book was hilarious!Zifnab?Oh, come on!It's freaking Fizban for crying out loud.Weis is a Goddess.She can write some of the funniest awesome.Zifnab (Fizban) and his easily offended dragon made the book.I actually had to buy this one, ya'll.

Great series
One of the great book series available. I am a DL fan, but this series is better and short and sweet with 7 books.All were good without other authors to ruin anything. ... Read more

Product Description
The Chronicles retold--from evil's point of view.

The story starts in Neraka, where Kitiara uth Matar and Emperor Ariakas hatch a plan to retrieve a dragon orb and thereby destroy Solamnia and the Companions in one fell swoop. But the guardian of the dragon orb, Highlord Feal-Thas, disagrees with this plan. Kitiara must go to Ice Wall to force him to accept Ariakas' will, but her journey does not end there. Thrown out of favor, she conceives a daring plan to enlist the aid of the most feared beings on Krynn--Lord Soth and the Dark Queen. Meanwhile, Laurana and the Companions retrieve the dragon orb and take it back to Solamnia--not knowing that they bring their allies' doom with them.

The second volume of a new trilogy from celebrated authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, The Lost Chronicles details the famed War of the Lance from the perspective of the evil that menaces Krynn. The books are written in such a way that they will be marvelous complements to the original Chronicles, while at the same time accessible and exciting to new readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

I love this series!
The missing adventure! The lost chronicles are the stories that fall in between the Dragonlance Chronicles. This one takes place between Dragons of Winter Night, and Dragons of Spring Dawning, and encompass the struggle to obtain the dragon orb, and the politics and goings on in the Dark Queen's forces.

I highly recommend this book.

Fantastic!
Any comments could spoil this wonderful book.
If you read the previous books of the authors, than you know what I'm talking about.
Can't wait to read the next book of this trilogy! =]

NOW WE'RE TALKING...
ENJOYED THIS ONE ALOT. MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS OFFERING, DWARVEN DEPTHS. THE COMPANIONS FELT LIKE OLD FRIENDS AGAIN AND I'M GLAD WEIS & HICKMAN FINALLY FILLED IN AN UNFORGIVABLE GAP DETAILING THE LEG OF THE QUEST CONCERNING LAURANA AND HER GROUP THAT RECOVER THE DRAGON ORB AT ICEWALL, AS WELL AS MORE OF KITIARA'S DEALINGS TAKING PLACE DURING WINTER NIGHT. WE GET THE ADDED BONUS OF AN EXPANDED ROLE FOR DEREK CROWNGUARD AND HIS PARTY, CHAPTERS INTRODUCING US TO FEAL-THAS, AND A FEW NEW CHARACTERS THAT MAKE KEY APPEARANCES SUCH AS COMMANDER GRAG THE DRACONIAN. READ THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH WINTER NIGHT, STAGGERING CHAPTERS AS NECESSARY. FELT LIKE A KID AGAIN, LOADS OF GIDDY EXCITEMENT AND ADVENTURE, OLD AND NEW.

4 OUT OF 5 STARS

Evil Never Looked So Good
This is one of the new books in the Dragonlance saga. It chronicles the War of the Lance through evil's perspective. However, there are parts that help to enrich the War of the Lance and refine Krynn just a bit more. A must for Kitiara fans!!

Pretty durn good!
This is an exciting read, and it provides more depth to the puzzling character--derek crownguard. Overall, its just plain awesome. ... Read more

Product Description
Tanis Half-Elven... Flint Fireforge... Tasslehoff Burfoot... the classic Dragonlance characters are back!

Picking up where the first book of the classic Dragonlance Chronicles left off, this tale follows the Companions of the Lance on their adventures following the rescue of the refugees of Pax Tharkas. Flint and Tanis Half-Elven travel to the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, while the rest of the Companions confront challenges of their own.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Heros from my youth are back
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman do a great job filling in the gaps between the first and second chronicles. To make sure I went back and began the series from book one. These books make me feel like that teenage boy again. Great job and hope they return to the world of Krynn agian.

Good Book!BAD E-Publication!
This is a great first book, however words are mis-spelled, in the wrong order, or just don't make sense.It is hard to read when you have to consistantly try to figure out the authors intent.

With that said, I found the story and characters well writen and enjoyable.Kindle or the publisher should lower the cost or fix the problems. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of the best Dragonlance short stories from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

This anthology showcases 20 years of storytelling in the Dragonlance world by gathering into a single volume the most popular stories written by the New York Times best-selling authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Their tales have defined the entire Dragonlance saga from inception to the present day, from the Chronicles to the War of Souls and beyond. Drawn from various Dragonlance anthologies published over the last two decades, each classic story now features an introduction from a Dragonlance author. Each introduction will be different and will share that author's perspective on the past 20 years of Dragonlance tales. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Okay
This is a good way to get the Weis/Hickman short stories without having to buy a dozen short story collections, or back issues of Dragon magazine.It is incomplete however, and if you love Weis and Hickman, you may still want to go out and get the rest of their short story work that was not deemed good enough for this best of edition. ... Read more

Product Description
The dramatic conclusion to the Lost Chronicles series!

The War of the Lance is nearing its end—for good or ill. The wizard Raistlin Majere travels to Neraka, the lord city of the Dark Queen. Raistlin ostensibly plans to work for her, though in reality he means to further his own quest for power. The Dark Queen plans to destroy the gods of magic on the Night of the Eye, when all the wizards will congregate. Raistlin has to find a way to thwart the plot, even though this means doing battle with his own sister, the Dragon Highlord Kitiara, and her terrifying ally, the death knight, Lord Soth. And still he must overcome his final foe: the archmagus Fistandantilus, who seeks to kill Raistlin and steal his soul.

The creators of the Dragonlance® world return with their iconic characters, the Companions of he Lance, to show fans the rest of what really happened in the epic battle that determined the fate of the world of Krynn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

Your imagination will fill in the holes between the Chronicles better than this book
Pretty disappointed with the plotline and writing in this book. The manuscript -while still delayed from its initial date- seems to have been rushed by the writers and the Wizards of the Coast to meet business minded deadlines. It felt like it was written more to cash in on the popularity of Raistlin and the Heroes of the Lance, rather than having anything more to say about the characters. A lot of the story is filler that leads nowhere (Hidden Light anyone?) and the interaction between the characters and Gods feels inconsistent, forced, and confusing. The whole "third act" of the novel was a let down, and felt like it was trying to tie up loose ends for Dragons of Spring Dawning.I have a problem with these Lost Chronicles in general, and their insistence to retrograde Chronicle storylines. (SPOILER!) Why does every character have to be secretly present for events in the Chronicles!?

Not so - Superbookdeals
Still waiting to receive.Was emailed that it shipped.After two weeks, emailed Superbookdeals to advise lack of receipt.They said they would re-ship.Still waiting 5 weeks later still.

Well worth the wait
I had been waiting for this to come out in paperback for so long.
Was sad to see the hard-bound cheaper then the paperback but I guess that is the way it goes sometimes.
Awesome book and series and well worth the wait.

Very Satisfied
I love this series of books and these are no exception. What a great writer to keep you so engrossed for so many books in a series.
The delivery of this item was very good. Thank you

Beautifully written and Amazing book
This is a book for Dragonlance fans that love the character, Raistlin. It's also one for those that just want to know what happens behind the scenes before Takhisis's entry. Not recommended for those that never read the series. But, it's great for those that are die hard fans. Weis and Hickman have done a great job with Dragons of the Hourglass Mage. ... Read more

Product Description
Arriving in a land where humans, elves, and dwarves have learned to live in peace, Alfred and Haplo the Patryn realize that they have a much more powerful enemy than each other. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Buy in Paperback and Save Yourself a Headache
Before I go into the negative, I'd like to mention that I would give the novel itself five stars, hands down.Like the rest of the series, it is well written, complex, and an absolutely phenomenal read.

That being said, the Kindle download of this book was shot to hell.With obvious (and sometimes confusing) typos in just about every single freaking paragraph, it was obvious that there was no attempt to review or edit after the translation to digital.I am ashamed to have paid money for this garbage, and am definitely buying the rest of the books in paperback to save myself the frustration of trying to figure out what what the authors had actually written.I've come to accept a certain amount of errors in my Kindle downloads and can ignore them for the most part, but this was absolutely unacceptable.

100 pages of I don't care.
During the last book, Fire Sea, the authors gave us a first person perspective of what was going on through the journal of a necromancer named Balthazar.It wasn't what I was expecting but I must admit, it was very well done.It helped suck you into the plight of the Sartans living on Abarrach and really gave you a feel for what was going on and what was at stake.The authors tried a similar trick in this book.The book is littered with journal entries from a dwarf named Grundle.Unfornately, these journal entries are a bore to read.At least they were for me.

This book is another slow read.I recognize that it's world building, and if I hadn't read Fire Sea I would be 100% understanding.But in Fire Sea, Weis and Hickman proved that you can have world building and yet also a fast paced, suspense driven adventure from page 1.Things don't need to be slow to start.

Just like Elven Star though, when this book finally decides to wake up and take off, it doesn't let you go.This book really starts to unravel the mysteries of the Sartan.And many things will shock and surprise you.You get to experience more of Haplo's inner struggle.You get to experience Alfred continuing to bumble around but also hints of him developing a backbone and gaining some selfconfidence.Despite the start, this book finishes strongly and propells you head first into the next book.

4 Stars.

In Chelestra... Gods, Demi-Gods, Mortal And The Immortal Encounter

Book four of The Death Gate Cycle series introduces the final of the four worlds created by powerful Sartan in the Sundering. It is a world of water... water with magical properties that - unplanned by the Sartan - nullifies magic, acts as air and harbour and introduces powerful and ancient evil which materialize as dragon-snakes.
The powerful and ancient enemies, Sartan and Patryn, come face to face and mingle with humans, dwarves and elves, but a bigger and more ancient enemy is also present. Will aeons of distrust and condescension be overcome or will the feuding be the end of all? Notwithstanding that, the two protagonists also come closer than ever to each other as a shocking surprise is exposed.

Following Fire Sea: The Death Gate Cycle, Volume 3 (A Death Gate Novel) and preceding book five The Hand of Chaos (Death Gate Cycle, Book 5), Serpent Mage adds much to the history and mystery of the Sartan and Patryn and their interactions. Where Haplo, the travelling Patryn, sought to sow the seeds of dissent and disunity elsewhere, in Chelestra his objective is the reverse. It takes young members of the lesser species, however, to stand for sanity and logic in a world where everything is coming undone.

With all the action, reaction and revelation comes several shortcomings too. Notwithstanding a trifling of an explanation in the appendices, the reason behind the magic-quashing properties of the water remains unexplained. The aged and ancient Sartan - save two - prove extraordinarily ignorant and resilient to even the most elementary of evidence and logic. The ever faithful, and nameless, dog too remains much of a mystery despite one Sartan's (Alfred Montbank) hints.

Serpent Mage pushes the saga forth and brings much to light. The characterizations are vivid and the pace of action breathtaking. The book, however, also sets up the rest of the series for a conclusion that is yet to unfold.

Best in the series
Dragonlance doesn't hold a candle to this series. And Serpent Mage is the best book in the 6 part series (or is it 7?) Ironically, they don't reprint Serpent Mage, so you have to buy it used. (or so I've been told by the major booksellers). Anyway, I highly recommended this series, and especially this book.

Part of one of the greatest series of fantasy books every written
In this sequel to Fire Sea, Haplo moves on to the fourth of the four worlds created by the Sartan, Chelestra, the world of water. But, Alfred the Sartan has arrived at the same time as Haplo, and together they trigger a chain of events that may just bring about the end of all the worlds. There is a powerful race of dragon-snakes on Chelestra that have their own agenda, and it might just bring about the deaths of both Haplo and Alfred.

This is another excellent book, part four of one of the greatest series of fantasy books every written. I first read this book when it came out in 1992, and every few years I read it again - it's that good! I love books that include elves, dwarves and wizards, but this series takes that genre and moves it in a direction you might have never expected. I love the fascinating worlds that the authors created, and also the interesting characters and institutions that fill them.

Overall, I think that this is one of the greatest series of fantasy books, if not the greatest. I highly recommend this book, and the other six that make up the series. Believe me, they are well worth your time! ... Read more

Product Description
Tanis Half-Elven... Flint Fireforge... Tasslehoff Burfoot... the classic Dragonlance characters are back!

Picking up where the first book of the classic Dragonlance Chronicles left off, this tale follows the Companions of the Lance on their adventures following the rescue of the refugees of Pax Tharkas. Flint and Tanis Half-Elven travel to the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, while the rest of the Companions confront challenges of their own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

Captivating
Excellent book and the narration on the audio version is perfect IMO.I wish the Chronicles and Legends were also available in audio.I travel a lot and could listen to these books over-and-over.

Oh where, oh where have the pages gone...
Well, it goes like this ~ I'm happily spending my afternoon reading until I get to page 292 where I notice that pages 293 thru 340 are missing and 40 pages of a different novel, The Measure and the Truth, by Douglas Niles had been inserted.

At first I'm peeved and wondering how long it would take to get a 'corrected' book from Amazon. But being the impatient person I am, I decided not to ask for a new book and to just keep on reading knowing I could pick up the gist of the story as I went along.

Missing pages or not, I enjoy reading anything Weis & Hickman write.

I would have given more stars, but, well, there are the missing pages.

I REALLY WANTED TO LOVE IT...
I wanted sooo bad for this book to take me far away just as the originals did. Well, I've been let down before so I wasn't surprised when I grudgingly had to admit that this volume in the chronicles series was just plain boring. That's not to say that it didn't have it's moments, it was fun to read about the scheming draconian, but that was about all that kept me going. The migration of the slaves into thorbardin was dreadfully slow and uninteresting. The companions travelling by way of skullcap showed promise, but eventually fell apart into ridiculous plot threads that felt contrived and, well, the whole novel just felt like the authors needed some cash and came up with a ho-hum adventure in true crashcourse fasion. It really is an uninspired effort to say the least, and that's a shame cause as far as i'm concerned there was a huge opportunity here to re-create the magic. Thorbardin, Skullcap, the hammer of Kharas, draconian generals, Hederic; all these elements, with all the potential for a fun, great adventure, are sadly wasted. Even the rich personalities we discovered in our heroes the first time around are nearly non-existent. They all seem like pale, diluted ghosts of the companions of the lance, and this in itself made me feel almost heartbroken, like a part of my childhood had lied to me...
I'll be fair and say that there were one or two moments outside of the draconians that I had fun with, and i guess the read is worth it if you are a completist as I am. It gave me a small sense of satisfaction in that one regard. But overall, immature and insulting to a true fan that has helped to make Weiss & Hickman as notable as they are by supporting their fantastic world from the beginning. Here's to hoping that Highlord Skies offers something with more calories for a hungry fan that's all in and ready to chow down.

1 star for the cool draconian chapters
1 more cringing star cause i'm a DL homer

2 out of 5 stars

A disappointment; still, mildly entertaining
I can't help but compare this to the original Dragonlance Chronicles series "Dragons of Autumn Twilight", "Dragons of Winter Night", and "Dragons of Spring Dawning".The originals had rich descriptions and characters with various personality aspects, motivations, and conflicts."Dragons of the Dwarven Depths" is just not at all the same in terms of depth; the descriptions are brief, the characters relatively shallow.

More than that, fans of the original series will notice that some of the characters in "Dwarven Depths" behave in uncharacteristic ways.Perhaps the characters in the Dragonlance series were always *meant* to be the way they were portrayed in this book, and maybe it was the *original series* that didn't convey what the authors or editors wanted to include.Regardless, the difference between the personalities in the original series and in "Dwarven Depths" is unsettling at times.

I don't know if the relatively poor quality of this book's because of bad writing or bad editing, or for whatever reason, but I will definitely say "Dwarven Depths" is just not at all of the same quality as the iconic original Dragonlance Chronicles.If I were to consider this book on its own merits, I would not purchase it.As it is, the book fills in some blanks presented in the original Dragonlance Chronicles, so is of moderate entertainment value to those that have read the originals.

Glad I found it
I had missed that they started this new triology.I'm glad that I found it, I thought it was really well done.Good read. ... Read more

Product Description
This slip-covered gift set contains the three New York Times best-selling titles that make up the epic War of Souls trilogy: Dragons of a Fallen Sun, Dragons of a Lost Star, and Dragons of a Vanished Moon. Authored by Dragonlance saga co-creators Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, these titles each hit multiple best-seller lists upon initial release.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

The War of Souls Trilogy
Weis and Hickman have done it again.A beautiful piece of work that will keep you guessing.It was a shame it came to an end, but that's life in the world called Krynn.

War of Souls Trilogy Gift set
This was on my grandson's Amazon wish list for Christmas.He is an avid read and was thrilled to receive it.

War of Souls
Great trilogy, but teeters on the edge of science fiction rather than the general fantasy genre. A must for those that approve of the struggle for magic.

Bought these for a gift
I bought these books as a gift for my husband, who was chewing through the rest of this series so fast, I wasn't sure they would get here in time. I am sad to say, he was disgusted with the change of characters and the total "change" from the one previous. He set them aside and refuses to read them. I am sure they are wonderful books, and I love that they came in this trilogy box set. I will read them myself one of these days, when I am done with my supernatural kick I am on.

Great Product
Great product that was delivered in record time. I was totally amazed at how fast it got shipped to me. Dragon Lance books are great reads. If you're ready for an adventure that sucks you into the character then these books are for you. Dragon Lance books have a huge selection of books to choose from and most of them tie together in storyline at one point or another. You get the feeling of an ever-expanding storyline. I recommend these books to readers of all levels. ... Read more

Product Description
Eighty Years have passed since the Mystics founded Calsandria, and now their nation is mired in politics and bloodlines.A woman with no magic, Theona Conlan leads the desperate search for the missing Prince of House Arvad.In the faery realm, Dwynwyn learns that slave creatures are mastering a magic that threatens the fragile peace between the faeries and their enemies.And while the goblin Lunid builds a device to reach across worlds, her masters plot to use it for their own dark ends.But unknown to them all, the gates between realities are about to burst open and plunge humans, faeries, and goblins into a war that can be won only with an undiscovered magic...
One that will unite--or destroy--three worlds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Completely disappointed
Mystic Empire by Tracy and Laura Hickman is the third book in the Bronze Canticle trilogy. The first book is Mystic Warrior (The Bronze Canticles, Book 1) and the second book is Mystic Quest: Book Two of The Bronze Canticles. I believe this trilogy is the first collaboration between Mr. and Mrs. Hickman and I must say, after finishing the trilogy, I am overwhelmingly unimpressed. The magic that Mr. Hickman has captured in other novels and series is almost completely absent in this series.

I would like to say that the plot of this book, which is the third in the series, follows right where the previous two books left off - but that is not the case. In fact, this book launches the story line one hundred in the future effectively losing most of the cohesion from the previous book. The worlds that the new plot is placed in are a mere shadow of the worlds from the second book; this causes the reader to have to relearn the worlds that the second book established somewhat. There are hints about what occurred in the one hundred year gap, but very little is actually revealed. The plot, much like the time gap, jumps all over and is rather difficult to grab onto and care about. It left me with the feeling that the authors did not a) have a good grasp of what they wanted to accomplish and improvised as they wrote it or b) simply wanted to get a book done and rushed through the process hoping their name power would be enough. I was mildly interested after book one, less interested after book two, and now disappointed I wasted my time on this book. It was a slow progression of futility that culminated in this novel.

The characters in this book are not the same characters that were in the second book. For instance in book two, the character of Galen is simply gone from the novel because of the time jump. All the effort the authors spent in developing his character was wasted because he is simply not around in this book. The Faery world characters are equally missing in action because this world is explored very little in this novel. It was very hard to connect with any of the characters because they are mostly all new and uninteresting. In fact, the characters felt as though they were merely along for the ride of the plot and not creating anything new. Rarely have I been this uninterested in every character in a book.

Normally at this point in my reviews I list my criticisms and positives of the novel. However, I will not be doing that with this review. Instead, I will just offer a few final words on this novel.

Tracy Hickman has helped write some of my favorite books, the Dragonlance Chronicles, The Deathgate Cycle, and the Sovereign Stone Trilogy. On that alone I felt reasonably certain I would like these novels. Nothing could be further from the truth. This novel felt rushed, disjointed, and largely contrived. Nothing like his past works. The one hundred year time jump seemed so out of place it completely took me out of the story. Where a third book In a trilogy should be conclusion to the entire story this book was nothing like that. In fact, it seemed like a completely different series.

Rarely have I been this disappointed after reading a book, particularly from an author I have grown to really enjoy. I can not in good conscience recommend this book to anyone. If you have read the first two books in this series, you may want to read this one just to see how bad things get. If you have not started this series, then please really think about it before you embark on reading it. There are so many other good fantasy novels out there right now. This is just a disappointing book, I can't say it any other way.

Mystic Empire
This book is not worth the time or money.
Tracy should stick to writing with Weis.
I read over 100 books a year and by far this is the worst I've read.

Best of the Trilogy
This book is the Best of the trilogy.There is less setup to the beginning of the book, and still has that cliffhanger ending leaving room for the possibility of revisiting these three worlds.
Unfortunately it takes place several decades after the second book and has all new characters, but it still is the Best of the trilogy.

Miserable
I read the first three books before writing a review.

All three books make use of dream sequences. This one abuses dream sequences.

It left with many questions:

1) If the mystics were this powerful, then why didn't turn the Pir and the Dragons into grease spots long ago?
2) Why should I care about any of these characters?
3) Where are we going?

This book jumps another 100 years and drops you into worlds that are vaguely familiar to the ones in the previous novels.

I found the narrative disjointed (kind of like driving off a cliff).

I didn't know any of these characters and it appeared none of the characters knew much of the characters in the previous books.

There is an utter lack of continuity between these books. Internally, I didn't think this book held up at all.

I'm sorry I wasted $16.

Was this a conclusion?
I love fantasy novels. I especially love books that peer into the culture and religion of the characters of the novel the way the Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliot does, and this series showed promise in the first book and its exploration of the Pir Draconis.

Books two and three move forward in time a generatin and one hundred years respectively, and they do so very unconvincingly. The world, or worlds, created here are amazingly intriguing, and it would have been worth my time for this to have been a highly detailed exploration of the nature of these worlds.

We were given teasers about a possible cataclysm between the worlds, yet the events that actually do happen are amazingly shallow in their exploration of the characters and the nature of their universe. Even the possible romantic implications here are rushed and left me thinking that the authors were doing nothing but creating a new market for role playing games, and that tends to anger me a little.

Even with all this, the book, and the series as a whole, deserve a 3 star rating for several reasons.

1: If the authors choose to write more books in this universe, I am hoping they will do so with an eye toward more detail and character development, because the potential for great stories and amazing situations is vast and could provide for amazing reading (I want to know who the Titans were, not to mention the Rhamasian Empire and the Kyree Empire that ended in tragedy.)

2: In spite of the rushed writing, there are some characters here that could be looked at further. Galen Arvad in particular was a character that I really wanted to know more about in the second and third books, but we got very little as the authors chose to move forward in time. The Faery and Goblin worlds are, especially the Goblin world, left mostly unexplored. I am very intrigued by the Goblin world and how it became the desolate and degenerate place it is.

3: I'm a sucker for this kind of story.

4: The rushed writing does create one effect that can work in its favor, it creates a sense of urgency and the books are very readable. They are entertaining and all together worth the time, just not great.

I am not going to give any spoilers, as I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, but the ending was, in my opinion, very unsatisfying. I get that the whole "Happily Ever After" thing should not ever be the case, the world goes on, but this all seemed too rushed and too pat for me.

3: ... Read more

Product Description

From acclaimed New York Times bestselling fantasists Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman comes the spellbinding conclusion to the epic adventure of wonder, courage, magic, and ambition that is the breathtaking world of the Sovereign Stone.

Customer Reviews (21)

Can't wait...
OH I just finished reading the first 3 books in this series and can't wait to read the next one. I must say I read them translated into Russian. It was a very good translation! Now I get to read it in its native language and compare... OHOHoh i can't wait!

Great series, poor ending. Worth buying though.
Poor ending, though the series was excellent... I'd say that it would be normal to be disappointed by the ending. The entire story build up to that very point and it wasn't as earth shaking as the authors would have you guess. However I did think the adventure there was actually worth the price of getting the entire series!

A stunning conclusion to an epic tale
This book is the third and final instalment of the Sovereign Stone Trilogy capping another wonderfully created world by Weis and Hickman. Wies and Hickman have a knack for bringing home the story at the end of trilogies. I've read some authors where the third book is the worst in the series. Not the case here. This book finishes up the story in grand fashion and I can honestly say that I wouldn't have ended the story any other way.

This world is unlike their Dragonlance books in that they have complete control over what happens and it's noticably a little darker than their other works.

The story during the Sovereign Stone Trilogy moves along at a break neck pace. There are multiple twists along the way. I thinkt he thing I like best about this trilogy is that the 'villian' starts off as a good guy for the most part, but with misguided ideals. He doesn't really know he's being evil he thinks he's doing what's best.

Overall, if you are a fan of Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles of Death Gate cycle you should give these books a chance. The world if fresh and different from most that is out there today.

If you're ready for a new journey, jump aboard and get ready for a fun enjoyable ride.

Ashes To Ashes, Dust to Dust, Portal To Portal
The conclusion to the Sovereign Stone Trilogy, the predicatively-named Journey Into The Void, follows the path of the sundered stone through Loerem and back to the portal of the gods.
Book three focuses on the abominations called taan and their subservience to the lord of the void Dagnarus and that race's interaction with humans, elves, orken and dwarves. As the level of violence ratchets up, Dagnarus' ambition of ruling the world draws nearer. For 200 years he has plotted the moment when he would fulfill his ambition and walk in the footsteps of his long-departed father King Tamaros. His moment seems assured. Much like its two predecessors, however, Journey Into The Void relies too heavily on simplistic coincidences and twists of fate to be fully convincing. The ending, in particular, seems rudimentary and anti-climatic, although Dagnarus' musings about being a just ruler who will bring prosperity to his subjects are an intriguing contradiction to the linear fable of good versus evil. In the end, the irony is not enough to erase an inadequate ending. A partial redress is left to new and complex characters like Captain Of The Captains, Alise or Baron Shadamehr, but sadly they are stifled in these environs. That will have to do however.
Every rose has its thorns. In this case, the thorns manage to overwhelm the story.

Might as well finish it...
The most positive excuse I can give for reading this book, is if you've already read the first two, it's not too painful to just go ahead and finish this one too.

That being said, this book read like it was writting to fulfil a contract, with no particular insight or imagination going into the telling of the story.The actual climax was such a letdown as to be almost insulting.

The overall story seems to center around a great cruel joke that the gods play on the people of this world.Giving them a "gift" that they state up front will throw the races into war and chaos.Then three books go by trying to get the stone put back together so the gods will take the damn thing back.Gee, thanks gods.

There was also a very odd juxtaposition of the typical fantasy races.I know it's not written in stone or anything, but the deliberate trashing of traditional racial attributes was very distracting.i.e.Orcs, are an intelligent, if superstitious, seagoing race.Elves are a petty and warlike people.Dwarves are a fanatical horse riding culture.If you're going to mix things up that much, why even start with the same race names.Just make up new ones, it would work far better.

If you didn't start this trilogy, trust me...skip it.If you've already read the first book, stop there, it stands alone anyway.If you read the second, you might as well finish it. ... Read more

Product Description
Thrice upon a time, three worlds were in peril... New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman and DragonlanceTM cocreator Laura Hickman present the continuing story of their monumental, enthralling epic fantasy... Thrice upon a time, three champions will find one destiny... In the course of more than two decades, Galen Arvad's tiny band of outlaw Mystics has grown into a nation of secret clans, despite fierce persecution by the Pir theocracy and the dragons that have enslaved humanity. On another world, the faery Dwynwyn saved her people by raising an army of the dead, but now none of the corpses can rest...and the sheer number of their tormented legions threatens the faery kingdoms. While on the third world, the tyrannical King Mimic's domination is threatened by a warrior maiden whose thirst for conquest exceeds his own. Yet through the magic of the dreams that link their worlds, a new wind blows, beckoning each of them into unknown lands with the promise of salvation, sanctuary, and power. For Galen's war-weary son, Caelith, the slender hope takes the form of a stranger's vow to lead him and his people to the sanctuary of a lost empire-the legendary ancestral home of the Mystics. Dwynwyn seeks salvation of her people through a small fellowship of Fae who must journey to a distant land of unquenchable horror-where their truth can bring peace to the living and the dead. As for the wizard-goblin Thux, newly and unwillingly appointed Technomancer to King Mimic, his journey to the Ogre citadel may bring him to the height of power and danger-if his own allies do not kill him first. Now three bands of heroes embark on odysseys beset by outer tragedy and inner betrayal. For each to survive, all must succeed-for all three worlds face the same cunning evil... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A book that is just ok
I am a big fan of Tracy Hickman's writing. I have read many Dragon Lance Series books. Unfortunately this series has been hard for me to get into. Hopefully that will change after reading this book. SO far, the story is slow going, but we shall see.

Best of the bunch
I read the first three books before writing a review.

This book moves to the next generation. It sets in motion three different quests in the three worlds (man, faerie, goblin). Again the goblin world gets short work. The world of man is the most interesting. It is worth going through this book.

I really not sure what is happening in the faerie world. All sorts of things happen that really don't seem to have any set up.

Okay so I was dumb enough to wander into the third book.

Okay, but now what?
This book left me confused. Some points were really well made, but overall it was hard to follow. I expected better after reading the first one.

If you like books like this one, might I suggest another I've recently come across. The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another fantasy adventure sure to please. I highly recommend it. It's available in e-Book too and far better than this one!!

What Happened?
Usually I can follow a jump in time.This however was a bit much without some kind of prelude or a chapter interlude.I enjoy the authors writting style except for this point, which I found difficult to overcome and still enjoy the book.

Joe

Hours wasted..
Well, I was hoping against hope that this the second book of The Bronze Canticles would be better than the first, after all the world was now established, the characters were set and ready to go... yet, what is in this bookis more drivel and a stalled storyline that leaves the reader ready to abandon the book all together. Don't get me wrong, that's not to say that there aren't a couple good points to this book, but in this novel they are few and far between. Which, is rather disappointing considering the great things Hickman was able to do in the Dragonlance world.

I really wish I could say something positive about this book, but in the end I just can't do it. While it's not the worst book I have ever read, it is surely not the best either... far from the best actually... ... Read more

Product Description
/Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman In the enchanted realm of Merilon, magic is life. Born without magical abilities, Joram is left for dead but grows to manhood with the help of his constant vigilance and sleight-of-hand skills. When he meets the scholarly catalyst Saryon, the two join forces, attempting to forge the powerful magic-absorbing Darksword and ov. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Forging the Darksword
I wasn't going to write a review on this book since I had a negative experience with it, but after a look at the other negative reviews I felt the need to give an educated opinion on Forging the Darksword. The sequence of events in the beginning of the novel is a bit hard to get into, but I enjoyed the events being presented, so I continued reading. Though I usually don't like books that start when an ending and then go back in time, I continued with this one because it wasn't really the ending, but the middle that the novel started with. Even after the way the novel opened, the plot was interesting. The magic system was explained, and an interesting character was described. I lost a bit of interest when the book changed point of view to the child Joram. His upbringing was of little consequence and lasted far to long for me. My interest was lost completely when fairies were thrown into the equation. Strange babbling Simkin and the outlaw camp plot was extremely boring to me. The evil mage felt flat, he was certainly evil, but when the time came for him to do something bad I was so uninterested that it hardly phased me. I knew that a sword would be created, and that it would be evil. The war that was hinted at a few times did not seem important, and it didn't really seem to involve the characters of the story either, so I see no reason to continue this series. All of the events that occur in this novel are summarized on the jacket, and I feel that nothing special was added by reading it. Another disappointing Weis/Hickman read.

DragonLance this is NOT!
So, I finished my first book in the original DragonLance saga, and I had this one ready to go; and go it went - into a pile of books to trade for better books. What in the frig is going on in the first 50 pages? It was like reading a chapter in the life of someone, and then for no reason other than to jump ahead, find that person years later doing something else just as mundane just to find out what happened those past whatever years. I was interested in the beginning, I truly was. I tried, dear Lord did I try, but I could not make my way through the rubbish that this book had within its cover. I did everything that I could to get through this book. I re-read pages to make sure that I didn't miss something, I would stop and go back and make sure that I did not miss a connection. This seems like a life-less, sense-less, and point-less novel, that is anything but entertaining. The Weis/Hickman bug has not bitten me yet. I say Pass on this. Dragon's of Autumn Twilight, sure, but not this one.

The Unlikely Duo Of Fantasy Forge The Improbable Pairing Of Another
Believing the unbelievable and suspending disbelief are par for the course with the fantasy genre of books. That witches and goblins, dragons and unicorn or sky and netherworld all appear and disappear in books like The Darksword Trilogy is a given. We, the fans, expect it.

The same courtesy cannot be extended to poor character development and even poorer logical outcomes. That is Forging The Darksword's failure.

To be clear and upfront, the book is a great read and has all the elements one expects from the sub-genre of books and, more importantly from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, the authors of the unsurpassable Dragon Wing (The Death Gate Cycle, Book 1) series.

In a land where magic reigns and death is defined as a lack of these powers, the interplay of church and state, magic and technology and good and evil swirls into an unexpected set of events that quickly seem to spin out of control. The bishop connives, the young prince is sent away to die and the sorceress is not the mother many think she is. This is where one finds a catalyst acting beyond his belief or capability, a dark magus who hears and knows everything not only failing to do so, but also not heeding warnings and a good country boy following a bad, strange one. So, what gives? A still readable book that - despite all the action - is really setting the groundwork for its follow-up.

Another good read from Weis/Hickman

Read this book just for the antics of Simkin. What a wonderful character, and a very creative way of presenting him. The owner of the darksword seems rather sullen for most of the book, but that is purposeful, I believe. As he learns his lessons and discovers the true power of the darksword, his character emerges and his mood lightens considerably. I love the peculiar invasion of the "iron wars" machinery, I always love when someone ties society into a fantasy book. Well done!

Kevin Gerard
Conor and the Crossworlds: Breaking the Barrier
Conor and the Crossworlds, Book Two: Peril in the Corridors

Excellent Trilogy!!!
I had read Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends and loved them both and that's why when I saw this trilogy, I decided to buy it. And I liked it as much as the Dragonlance series. The story was excellent and I really liked Joram and Saryon. Definitely worth buying. ... Read more

Product Description
Lifelong friends, they went their separate ways. Now they are together again, though each holds secrets from the others in his heart. They speak of a world shadowed with rumors of war. They speak of tales of strange monsters, creatures of myth, creatures of legend. They do not speak of their secrets. Not then. Not until a chance encounter with a beautiful, sorrowful woman, who bears a magical crystal staff, draws the companions deeper into the shadows, forever changing their lives and shaping the fate of the world.

No one expected them to be heroes.

Least of all, them.
Amazon.com Review
Think of it as A New Hope for the world of Dragonlance: Sure, maybe it's a little rough around the edges, maybe it's got one cliché too many, but this baby is pure magic. The first volume in the Dragonlance Chronicles series, this classic from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman started it all for Krynn, eventually spawning a bestselling 90-plus book series. (And, frankly, you'd do well to stick to the Weis-Hickman titles.) All the heroes that you've likely heard of already--the creepy, hourglass-eyed Raistlin, the noble half-elf Tanis, the comic relief Tasselhoff Burrfoot, the curmudgeonly dwarf Flint Fireforge--they're all here, starting the good fight against the Dark Queen Takhisis as the War of the Lance begins. Pick up Dragons of Winter Night when you're done. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (366)

Enjoyable, heartwarming remembrance
In the 1980's I was a HUGE fan of ALL TSR artists. The likes of which are Elmore, Parkinson, Easley. The work of these artists motivated me to get ANYTHING with the images on it. Being VISUALLY based I purchased many books I never actually read. So in my 30's now, I have read more than in my WHOLE life!

Dragons of Autumn Twilight, is one of those lost treasures. My thoughts are in regards to the HARDCOVER edition.

DOAT is LOADED with characters that are memorable. Each having a unique talent to bring to the table. EACH likeable or at least memorable in their own way. Tanis, the Half Elf is the leader. Flint Fireforge, the capable handy man. Sturm Brightblade, the traditional noble knight. The twins, Raistlin and Caramon one reliant on the other for survival, Goldmoon, a plains native and her suitor Riverwind a huge barbarian. Tasslehoff Burfoot, a kender as they are known in the DragonLance books, is a lot like a Hobbit.

The adventure itself is not the greatest of adventures. I found on more than one occasion, the story reminded me, and kept reminding me, of the Hobbit and the LOTR saga. Its not in the adventure itself that DOAT wins you over. The characters are FAR MORE compelling. I like how Tanis is challenged to overcome his past, deny being at least part elf he is constantly challenged to over come who is, was, or even could be. I was captivated by this challenge with him as a character. Goldmoon, at first presented simply, finds she is the holder of clerical powers for healing. She becomes crucial to the survival of more than one of the companions.

Raistlin, one of the twins is a young mage (wizard) who you are never really sure if you should trust. The one exception, being about mid way through the story, when he befriends a gully dwarf female named Bupu. This part is well written showing Raistlin is more than the raspy voiced un trustworthy wretch he is portrayed as through out the rest of the book. Even showing a certain tenderness. Which I quite liked.

Sturm is a capable warrior, a Salamnic knight of the days gone by. He is very formal, and written just a bit two dimensionally for me. The exception being a crucial part at the end of the book, regrading the loss of one of his peoples treasured legends a knight known as Huma. The possessor of the legnedary Dragonlance that freed the world from darkness so many generations ago. It almost seems that the character is there as a marker or reference for the days that are gone.

Rounding out the characters that I was impressed with are Tasslehoff Burfoot, not just comedy relief, his constant mischief takes even the darker parts of the story and makes them light hearted. When Flint falls into a swamp after getting attacked (and becoming unconcious) Tasslehoff (or Tas as he's known in the text) never tells him thathe helped him out. This showed a hidden strength in Tas that is VERY smartly done, and makes him very likeable. Finally, I get to Fizban. A wizard that the companions encounter while under captivity of the stories antagonists. Fizban, and his forgotten spells, are simply wonderful, and prompted an outward laugh more than once. He is NOT Gandalf, he doesnt have ALL the answers, and when Fizban and Tas are grouped together towards the end of the book, you feel a certain comfort in knowing they will likely be ok.

I feel that Hickman and Weis may be outright working certain parts seemingly invidually. Since at points the story is more aggressive, and at other points, very beautuful and lyrical. I was most touched actually towards the end of the story when the companions encounter a sweet old dragon named Flamestrike. Her story and part to play show, there are indeed "good" and "bad" dragons.

I dont like to give away parts of the story that I think are critical to its enjoyment, so I don't. Keep in mind there are at least a half dozen characters I am not mentioning as they move the story forward in a way i like to leave for the reader to discover. Rather, I like to mention the key parts that make this book a 5 star read for me. Every character I've mentioned, make this book matter to me. If you are in say, my situation, and havent read fatasy in a while, or maybe used to be a D&D player back when....read the book if you havent already. Its story about accepting yourself, learning to accept others, and helping when you can, are universal messages that dont have expiration dates.

Please read this, and enjoy.

Fun and Action Packed
I thought this was a fun and action packed book. I like the fact that there are a lot of characters because I get sick of the follow one character routine. Not that it is bad but it does get boring after a while. The reason it is 4 and not 5 stars is because there are a couple of plot twists that are rushed and my 3 year old could predict. Even with that I would recommend this book.

So, so bad
I'm just going to give you a list of why I think this book is so incredibly horrible:
1. It is just one cliche after another! I love the 'classic' fantasy books with dragons, elves, etc.But this was too much even for me.
2. The writing style reminds me of something I would have read in middle school.
3. No plot AT ALL! They just see something and they follow it, then they see something else, and they follow it. It basically follows the characters from one place to another without having any story line.
4. No character development.

A FORGIVING REVIEW...
let's get the bad stuff outta the way right off the bat. this novel was written in the late seventies by rookies so it inevitably suffers in a few areas that i'll break down quickly.
1. the novel is tinged with cheesy humor or dialogue at times, however not often enough to become a nuisance and it cleans up nicely in the subsequent novels.
2. "camp-speak" - you'll know it when you see it. the companions attempt a sort of retard pig-latin to mask their dialogue. simply the worst idea ever thought of in the universe. the idea is god awful and just throws up on itself. even the author mentions it in the annotated chronicles. fortunately we never see it again after the first time.
3. the songs and poems are silly and embarrasing. you will not look cool reading these to anyone. please dont try. they are however relevant but not a must. i just skip em'.

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now the good stuff. this book is pure, portable, awesome, fun adventure. i love to see folks standing in a long ass line or waiting in a doctors office picking their nails w/out something to read. it's sad really, all that idle time, just....existing!? pick this bad boy up and you'll be looking for an exuse to wait around.
i read this when i was thirteen. absolutely blown away. i felt like bastion in the school attic. characters with dark complexities; some that are fun and free and funny as well, and some that are angry and burdened; we meet the evils of krynn too and these characters are either deliciously cliched or refreshingly original. and raistlin. yes, there's always raistlin, who will take us through the most fascinating journey of all.
this series has it all and it starts right here. through this doorway you will eventually meet dragons of many colors and intentions, you will witness the mighty dragon orbs at work and the quest for the dragonlance themselves, and the dragon highlords who do the will of the queen of darkness herself. let us not forget the undead who have a part to play, and the evil master from the past...or is it the present? elves and dwarves are represented well and no one can take their eyes off the irrascible kender, this world's answer to the halfling, lest they find themselves bereft of all they hold dear. and one can never discount the actions of the gods themselves; meddling and plentiful and they love to walk the realms of mortal beings, stirring up trouble wherever they please. spellbooks and staffs, dragonfear and dragonbreath, incantations and missing constellations, heretics, true healing, dirty dwarves on skid row, and did i mention raistlin?
this first offering has it's hiccups, but the series hits it's stride in dragons of winter night and never looks back until the end of the legends trilogy. if you take this first one with a grain of salt you will be richly rewarded, as i once was.

no, it isn't as heavy as G.R.R.M. or Tolkien, but it's somehow just as fun and enchanting. there is an incredibly well fleshed out world here and i highly recommend taking your copy wherever you go. don't be surprised if you catch yourself reading the last page of the last book in just a few short weeks! i envy anyone that gets to read this for the first time.

a forgiving & well earned 4 out of 5 stars.

Boring, Bad, and Predictable Adventure Awaits
This book was something that I was looking forward to reading. I was always a fan of D&D and other role playing games, and was under the impression that this book would appeal to me. So, I purchased the book and started on my path of discovery. Before my path could proceed I discovered three things. First, I learned that it would be much better to spend my time reading the instructions for my stereo or my wardrobe. This was just a writing thing, It was not well-paced or interesting. I mean someone who dreams of dressing his wife or girlfriend as an elf might find it interesting, but I did not. Second, it very predictable. A teenager could have written some that had more twists and turns than this. I mean, seriously, other than houses in trees, it was not at all imaginative. It was simply what you would expect from someone who had some awareness of D&D. Third, it was simply boring, it did not grip you through the writing. It just drug on and on, about as long as the dwarf was on his voyage. Anyway, my guess is if you like this stuff you will love it. I just did not. ... Read more