Hickman, Tracy

Dragonlance Chronicles Special Edition (Dragonlance Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Tracy R. Hickman ruins this one...
A Great Choice!
Great book - poor construction
Lame

Dragonlance Chronicles Special Edition (Dragonlance Chronicles)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786942983
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

This beautiful new leatherbound edition of the Dragonlance Chronicles saga marks the first time this story has ever been available for purchase in a premium format. A leather, embossed cover and gilt-edged pages bring a new level of sophistication to the three titles collected inside: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, and Dragons of Spring Dawning. This annotated edition will display beautifully on any shelf and marks the Chronicles trilogy as one of the true classics in fantasy literature.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-05-19

This book was in awsome condition. IT was better than most book's i have bought in mint condition. This gets an A++++++

Tracy R. Hickman ruins this one..........2007-03-23

I cannot tell you enough *not* to purchase this book for the annotations that should add to its value. By the time you finish Dragons of Autumn Twilight, you'll be sick to death of the initials TRH next to comments in the margins. Margaret Weis is a fantastic author, and it is nice that she lets Hickman ride along on her coattails for the Dragonlance novels. Unfortunately, his huge (undeserved) ego gets in the way and overshadows what she has to say. Check out her latest trilogy here instead: Amber and Ashes (Dragonlance: The Dark Disciple, Vol. 1), or, if you're brand new to Dragonlance, go ahead and get the Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy Gift Set, which includes Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Winter Night, and Spring Dawning. You'll be glad you saved yourself the nausea-inducing blather of TRH's comments (and some $$$) by getting the paperbacks.

A Great Choice!.......2007-03-19

Well, I didn't read the whole thing yet, so I can only talk about my impressions and about the quality of the book.
The Hard Cover and the art are really well made, and the unique style of writing of the authors make this book a must have.
Almost every page they have comments about what the characters and the author were thinking when writing the book.
The only drawback I noticed so far is that the book is a bit hard to read... But it's probably because it's not in my mother language.

Great book - poor construction.......2007-03-16

Totally agree with the other review posted regarding this book. I love the story and own the paperbacks and hardcover with annotations. This edition looks good on the outside but is lacking on the inside. Buy the hardcover annotated instead.

Lame.......2007-02-13

This book is lame. Written for young children and dumbed down even then. It will insult your intellect. I couldn't make it passed the 3ed chapter and when I put it down I felt the need to bathe, answer trivia, and pound my love doll.

Dragons Of The Highlord Skies: The Lost Chronicles Volume Two (Dragonlance Novel: The Lost Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

Dragons Of The Highlord Skies: The Lost Chronicles Volume Two (Dragonlance Novel: The Lost Chronicles)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Dragonlance Chronicles Special Edition (Dragonlance Chronicles)

ASIN: 0786943335
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Book Description

The story starts in the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthus, which is under assault by the forces of the Kingpriest. The wizards, knowing they must surrender, remove as many valuable artifacts as they can. An elven wizard named Feal-Thas takes a dragon orb to the distant land of Ice Wall. That orb is sought by the Dragon Highlord Ariakas, who assigns the task of its recovery to Kitiara Uth-Matar, half-sister of the sickly mage Raistin and his good-natured twin Caramon. Kitiara, who is rising up the ranks of the dark forces, must undertake the journey to the Ice Castle of Feal-Thas, where she will have a dramatic confrontation with Laurana, a leader of the forces of good.

Dragons of the Dwarven Depths (Dragonlance: The Lost Chronicles, Vol. 1)

Average customer rating:

Good read, but definitely a little off
You can never go Home again...
Welcome Back!
A Great Story....with Terrible Editing
Unfortunate let down by favorite authors

Dragons of the Dwarven Depths (Dragonlance: The Lost Chronicles, Vol. 1)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786940999
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Book Description

The Companions are back!
In an untold story from the War of the Lance, the companions have saved the refugees of Pax Tharkas and led them to a hidden valley. For a time, they are safe, but the forces of the Dragon Army are in pursuit.
As Tanis and Flint seek out a haven in the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, the rest of the companions face their own challenges. Raistlin is strangely drawn to the haunted fortress known as Skullcap. Sturm seeks the legendary Hammer of Kharas, the forging tool of the fabled dragonlances, while Tika Waylan must make a perilous journey to rescue those she loves from certain death.

Customer Reviews:

Good read, but definitely a little off.......2007-06-07

Dragons of Dwarven Depths takes place in the period between Dragons of Autumn Twilight and Dragons of Winter Night.

Pros:
Like many have said, it's visiting with old friends
It is a well written book, as you would expect of Weis and Hickman
It's almost 600 pages, so you get your moneys worth!
Fills in some gaps in the original Chronicles trilogy

Cons:
For the first half of the book, the characters are written nearly exactly the same as they were in the original trilogy, however, in the second half, some, particularly Sturm and Caramon, seem different than the characters we know and love. While the characters do grow and change through the original trilogy in a fairly smooth manner, if you add this novel in, it would seem that they jump all over the place.

The story follows a similar path. While the first half seamlessly picks up right where it left off in Autumn Twilight, in the second half I found myself saying "That doesn't make sense" when I thought about the beginning of Winter Night. Without giving anything away (if you have read the original trilogy), the second half of the story deals with the companions acquiring the legendary Hammer of Kharas. In Winter Night, Sturm points out that they had recovered it, and the Dwarven essentially wouldn't agree to house the refugees without the companions turning it over. He's ticked, and Tanis isn't much happier about it. While that storyline is somewhat followed, the way it is written, it doesn't seem like any of the companions should be that upset that the Dwarves ended up with it. Also, it doesn't make sense why Elistan is then presenting it in the beginning of Winter Night.

By the end, I really felt like I was reading a novel written by one of the countless authors that have contributed to the series. Those authors tend to go off on their own tangents, or ignore various statements/facts presented in the original trilogies to make their stories work, which I find highly annoying.

That being said, it was still an enjoyable read, and far better than most of the non-Weis/Hickman novels in the series. I look forward to the second installment.

You can never go Home again..........2007-05-06

Or so the old saying goes...The dynamic writing duo of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, proclaim otherwise, however, in their 'new' trilogy chronicling the 'lost'adventures of the Heroes of the Lance. Dragons of the Dwarven Depths is a great corollary off the original Chronicles storyline. The plot revolves around Flint's recovery of the Hammer of Kharas and Riverwind's evacuation of the Pax Tharkas slaves. Despite including the beloved Heroes, this book is really carried by the villians. The brilliant Draconian mage is exceptional in his role as primary villian in the story and I found myself reading on to see his reaction to certain situations despite the fact that I knew what the overall outcome was of the tale.
Weis and Hickman have done it again, they have created a great story populated with memorable characters!

Welcome Back!.......2007-04-27

Another great story in the world of Dragonlance!

I was so sad at the end of the War of Souls trilogy, as I thought it meant the end of the world of Krynn for me... I was wrong, and I celebrated the day I found out that Margaret and Tracy were writing prequels. However, after the Star Wars debacle, I was slightly concerned that this was going to be a "Phantom Menace". I am glad to say it is not.

This book takes place between Autumn Twilight and Winters Night, and revolves around Riverwind's evacuation of the Slave of Pax Tharkas after the rebellion, and Tanis, Raistlin, Sturm Caramon, Flint, and Tas's search for the Hammer of Kharas - used to make the Dragonlances. This book focuses largely on Flint, which awesome considering that he played a much diminished role for the majority of the series. Flint leads the companions in the search and has to deal with the dwarven bureaucracy and xenophobia in Thorbardin. Compounding the difficulty is an especially clever and ambitious draconian who has fooled the world into thinking Lord Verminard still lives. I swear, fans of Tas will love this book - as always he has some of the best lines and gets himself into the strangest situations.

My only criticism, [which is not aimed at the authors] and one shared by many reviewers, is the abysmal editing. There were missing words, spelling errors, type-o's and so forth. While this does not detract from the well-conceived plot, it does slow the natural flow of the read. Hopefully the publishers will take an extra week for editing on the next instalment.

Anyhow, this was a great read for fans of the series!

Relic113

A Great Story....with Terrible Editing.......2007-01-20

After such a long time our favorite Dragonlance characters, Tanis, Flint, Caramon, Raistlin and Tas have returned in a new tale explaining how the Hammer of Kharas was found. I have always enjoyed the Dragonlance books that dealt more closely with Flint and the dwarves and their mountain home, and Dragons of the Dwarven Depths definitely delivers in that area. I thought the book was great and very much enjoyed reading it, although the editing was absolutely horrible. Like a few others have already mentioned there are quite a few misplaced words and others are just simply left out all together. I was very disappointed in this as it was not what I expected or remembered from previous Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman books. Regardless, if you can get past the editorial shortcomings, Dragons of the Dwarven Depths is a very entertaining book and the first volume in The Lost Chronicles trilogy. I am looking forward to reading the next two books (although having to wait a full year for the next book to come out is a real bummer) and I'm really hoping the editing is much better on the two following releases.

Unfortunate let down by favorite authors.......2007-01-05

I have been a fan of Dragonlance books for years now. From Dragons of Autumn twilight to Soulforgem, I've loved every minute of the series. Until now. Dragons of the Dwarven Depths has the feel of a book put out just in order to revisit old characters. The characters lacked any dept due to the fact that the authors wanted to stay as "true" to the characters as possible. The problem remains that if a character is denied the ability to grow then they become immediately stale. The story takes alot of energy to get into, and the middle is border-line impossible to read. While the characters lacked any progression the storyline was considerably worse. It was nice to see some old characters again but as Kevin Smith said, he would rather have his characters die out than to overstay his welcome. This book is worth reading as a gift or from a library. I definetley wouldnt recommend buying it though.

The Hand of Chaos: A Death Gate Novel, Volume 5 (Death Gate Cycle (Paperback))

Average customer rating:

The Hand of Chaos - clever title now that I think about it....
Totally not necessary
SO REAL! (Is it prophecy?Historical fiction?)
5th Book in a Very Good Series
Chelestra, the Water World

The Hand of Chaos: A Death Gate Novel, Volume 5 (Death Gate Cycle (Paperback))
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553563696
Release Date: 1993-11-01

Book Description

Chaos is everywhere as the Lord of the Nexus orders his servant Haplo and the human child known as Bane to further their master's work on Arianus, the realm of air. But their one time companion Alfred has been cast into the deadly Labyrinth. And somehow the assassin Hugh the Hand has been resurrected to complete his dark mission. More important, the evil force that Haplo and Alfred discovered on Arianus has escaped. As Haplo's doubts about his master grow deeper, he must decide whether to obey the Lord of the Nexus or betray the powerful Patryn...and endeavor to bring peace to the universe.

Customer Reviews:

The Hand of Chaos - clever title now that I think about it...........2006-03-19

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.......2005-07-30

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.

SO REAL! (Is it prophecy?Historical fiction?).......2004-06-23

This is probably the best series of books I have ever read (I haven't read Tolkien yet. I KNOW, I'm sorry!). I just cannot say enough good things about this book series. I literally read it 3 times through, and each time I can relate to a different character and come to see it from their perspective.

The way that Tracy and Margaret bring the characters to life significantly contributes to the reason this series of books is so great. By the end of the 1st book, Hugh the Hand (Best Assassin in the world), Alfred(Sartan Mage), Haplo(Patryn Mage), Bane(son of most powerful human mage alive), and the rest of the characters have almost come to life in your mind.

If you're going to read Fantasy(Or SciFi) start with this! The sense of depth these books have to them makes you wonder if it's actually historical fiction that Margaret and Tracy are writing about and the index each book has is absolutely amazing. Whenever you're confused about something the characters are making reference to (or if you 'missed' [skipped, lol] the part when the character's were discussing it) you can simply look it up in the back index and you'll understand it better than you would have just reading straight through. (THEY EVEN HAVE DIAGRAMS OF EVERYTHING!)

Margaret and Tracy together are unparalleled writers equal to only a few such as Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Knaak, Louis Lamour(SP?) and the like.

I won't be suprised when this series becomes the next movie series. Except for the fact that since the book's environs are so diverse (they 'literally' create whole worlds with flora and fauna and a whole system of language [actually I think it might be latin]) the movie industry right now might not be up to it.

Finally, if you're worried about it being too advanced or too intellectual, don't. The characters are incredably deep, but like real people, are revealed to you slowly through the actions they take and throughout the series, so you're not overwhelmed all at once.

All the books are great, and I will read the series a 4th, 5th, and maybe a 6th time. Although one of the middle books does drag a little because it's mostly about the humans, dwarves, and elves (Mensch: Patryn/Sartan(Magus) word for humans, dwarves, and elves or anyone else who doesn't live thousands of years).

5th Book in a Very Good Series.......2004-05-24

In all probability, people who read the first of the Death Gate Cycle books and like it, are going to want to read all of the books in the series (regardless of any flucutation in the individual books' ratings). Ditto for the reverse: if people don't like the first book, then they're probably not going to want to read any of the other books in the series. Thus, instead of individual book ratings, I've rated the whole series and given a short blurb on any specifics for each book.

Overall, this is a very good series. The authors were amazingly creative in coming up with this concept and the books are well-written, extremely interesting, and internally consistent (mostly -- see below for some exceptions). I highly recommend this series of books for everyone. My comments for the indidual books follow:

Vol. 1 -- Dragon Wing: This book covers the exploration of Arianus: the realm of Air. It introduces us to the two main characters (Haplo and Alfred) and many of the recurring characters throughout the series. It's a well-paced, well-written book that's an excellent reresentation of what to expect in most of the rest of the series. Essentially, if you like this book, you'll like the other six books. If you don't like this book, then there's no sense in reading any of the others.

Vol. 2 -- Elven Star: This book covers the exploration of Pryan: the realm of Fire. Alfred is entirely missing from this book, and Haplo isn't really the centerpiece. Instead, the book is mostly written from the perspective of the mensch and of the newly introduced (and recurring) Zifnab. The one possible weakness in the book is that Weis/Hickman wrote it such that the structure of Pryan itself is more of a mystery than Arianus was in the first book.

Vol. 3 -- Fire Sea: This book covers the exploration of Abarrach: the realm of Stone. Once again, both Haplo and Alfred are present. The characters and areas presented in this book are key elements for the entire series. An interesting book, but not a very happy one at all.

Vol. 4 -- Serpent Mage: This book covers the exploration of Chelestra: the realm of Water. Both Alfred and Haplo are on this world. But, for the most part, they follow separate plot lines. There's a lot of action taking place throughout the book and Weis/Hickman introduce some actual Sartan (besides Alfred). They also bring in an ancient evil to balance the ancient good introduced in the previous book. The most irritating thing about this book is that it ends in a cliff-hanger. The previous books tied up their worlds' activities fairly nicely. Not so in this book. It ends at a very inconvenient spot.

Vol. 5 -- Hand of Chaos: This book returns Haplo to Arianus and the people he met there earlier. Whereas the first four books of the series cover the exploration of the four realms, this book starts the synthesis of the various threads from those books into a movement towards closure. It's a good book, but, unfortunately, it doesn't do anything with Alfred. The previous book left Alfred heading towards a bad end. This book doesn't do anything with that. So, while reading the book, you constantly have this little voice in the back of your mind going "what's happening with Alfred?" Irritating.

Vol. 6 -- Into the Labyrinth: This book ranges across just about all of the worlds of the Death Gate. It brings all of the various threads from the other books to a head. Most importantly, it finally does something with Alfred. The unfortunate thing about this book is that it contains a lot of technical errors (or, more specifically, contradictions). For instance, in Dragon Wing, we're told that a person needs to be familiar with an area to use a transportation spell to get to that area. Yet, very close to the beginning of the book, one of the characters uses such a spell without ever having been to her target location. There are also several instances where the characters COULD have used such a spell, but don't. Likewise, there are problems with replication spells. In Fire Sea, Haplo and Alfred use such a spell to replicate enough food for a large group of people. Yet, in this book, no one seems to consider using a replication spell to produce more of some food. But, later on, those same people are using that same spell to replicate weapons. Plus, at one point, Xar uses a spell to just materialize both food and drink for a party. But, if such a thing is possible, why do the Patryns hunt and, apparently, farm in the Labyrinth? Also, the size of the Labyrinth seems wrong. From the previous books, it's taken hundreds (if not thousands) of years for various Patryns to traverse the hundreds of Gates in the Labryrinth. Yet, in this book, from the very beginning of the Labyrinth they can see the results of things happening at the Final Gate. There's also the problem of how people at the center of the Labyrinth would know anything about the Final Gate.

Vol. 7 -- Seventh Gate: This is the conclusion of the Death Gate series. Unforunately, I didn't much care for it. Basically, it comes across as being pretty sappy. All of a sudden, Haplo and Alfred are best buds and want to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Most of the various threads are tied up adequately (if not very satifyingly). But, the sudden push towards liberal "peace, love, and harmony" is trite. Of the seven books in this series, this one is the least good. Once again, I didn't much care for the tone of this book. But, since it adequatly ties up most everything that needed tying up, I'm not going to downgrade the whole series because of that.

Chelestra, the Water World.......2003-11-08

I liked this book because I got a close up look at the Sartans who had sundered the world and enjoyed the character development of the dwarven main characters, Grundle the tough female dwarf being my favorite.

The giant dragon-snakes were introduced here and it was in this world that Alfred showed some potential as the Serpent Mage.

Chelestra's realms are now being flooded by the dragon-snakes who wish to escape Chelestra through the Death Gate to reek havoc in the other realms as they have done in Chelestra. Haplo has been imprisoned by the Sartans but because of the flood can now escape and travel back through the Death Gate, hopefully to convince Xar that he is not a trader and to warn him about the dragon-snakes. He also has a desire to find and help Alfred some how.

Alfred and his lover had been at first imprisoned by Samah in Chelestra because Alfred had found out Samah had lied about being aware of the higher power that could have prevented the sundering of their world, and feeling threatened that Alfred had this knowledge, had thrown Alfred and Orla into the Labyrinth.

The strange properties of the water in Chelestra canceled out Patryn rune magic and Sartan mind magic which I found an interesting development.

We also look in on Bane, the nasty widdle kid Xar found potential in and who now calls Xar Grandfather and Hugh the Hand, an assisin hired to kill Bane. Hugh now only wants his own true death and is looking for the only one who can give it to him, Alfred, an exceptional necromancer who had raised him from the dead giving him a strange and intolerable kind of immortality; he could die in a sense, feeling all the pain and suffering of his death only to be ressurected and with an added, sneaky twist...he can no longer kill. "A hell of a note for an assisin" he said. Things get complicated when Bane's mother, Iridal, and the woman Hugh loves, shows up wanting to hire him to find Bane who is being held by the elves.

Book Description

A mage's soul is forged in the crucible of magic. Raistlin Majere is six years old when he is introduced to the archmage who enrolls him in a school for the study of magic. There the gifted and talented but tormented boy comes to see magic as his salvation. Mages in the magical Tower of High Sorcery watch him in secret, for they see shadows darkening over Raistlin even as the same shadows lengthen over all Ansalon.

Finally, Raistlin draws near his goal of becoming a wizard. But first he must take the drea Test in the Tower of High Sorcery. It will change his life forever -- if he survives.

Customer Reviews:

The Test is in this one! Have a seat........2007-01-10

Wow! Raistlin fan or not this is a great book. I, of course like most of the people who read Dragonlance, like Raistlin but I am not a huge fan per say but I do find him interesting to read. A lot of my question were resolved here not all but many.
Perhaps the best part about this book is that you get to witness the Test that Raistlin endured! You've heard about out it for a long time now and finally your in the midst of it all! WOOT!
Three highlights ** Slight Spoilers ** (but not really) :)
1) Meeting all the old friends Cameron, Raistlin, Tanis, Tas, Tika, Otik, Flint, Sturm, etc. and learning about them as they met. Watching them make a covenant to return to Solace to meet again...which, if I remember, brings you to the first book you read...the Dragons of Autumn Twilight. (I liked that part)
2) Raistlin's Test
3) Raistlin's Letter at the end which gives you the reason for the book you just finished,

The Soulforge, was well written and thrill. I think this book, of all the Dragonlance books I've read to date, has answered more questions than any other novel yet.

*This review is being updated and brough over from an older account.

A resounding eh.......2006-07-17

I am not quite sure why people are giving this 5 stars and a perfect rating. This is nowhere near classic literature, nor is is a wonderous example of english prose.

All that aside, I simply found this book slow. If you are a huge Raistlin fan, then this might have something for you. Really all you do is follow his life day by day from childhood to adulthood. Really boring and drab with about 3 pages total of action.

The second book in this set was much better, and I would pick up a third if it gets written. By itself, this book doesn't really stand for itself at all. I have liked many of Weis' books, but this one is down there at the bottom of the stack.

Excellent.......2006-01-02

Really good to read after you've read Chronicles because you just HAVE to know more about Raistlin!

A GREAT ADDITION TO THE DRAGONLANCE SERIES.......2005-12-05

Soulforge is an extremely exciting book that takes you across a wide range of characters and adventures. The book takes you through the life of young Raistlin Majere who becomes the greatest and most powerful mage that has ever lived. As a child, Raistlin grew up in the shadow of his twin brother Caramon Majere, who was strong and good-looking. But Raistlin had something his brother could never have, a smart, quick mind. With that intelligent mind, Raistlin Majere guides himself through the hardships of his childhood and for later on in his life. This book sets up the stage for the later chapters of Raistlin's life, in which Raistlin faces the dark goddess Talkhis in his quest to become a god. In Soulforge, Raistlin meets his friends who soon all become Heroes of the Lance. There is Tanis, the Half-Elven, Flint, the stubborn dwarf, Caramon, his brother, Sturm, the stouthearted knight, and Tasslehoff, the mischievous kender. With his friends, Raistlin fights against a false religious group, saves a town, and soon all learn to share a bond that is something far more than normal friendship. But through it all, while being taught magic at the local magic school, Raistlin has a yearning for something greater. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman do a fantastic job in helping us see how Raistlin turned out to become the person he later becomes. Through the tragedies that Rastlin faces, he uses them to strengthen his resolve for something greater. I would recommend this book for all fantasy lovers and people who love Raistlin's character. I had trouble going to sleep because reading this book kept me so awake. All fantasy lovers MUST read this book.

Excellent Back Story.......2005-11-27

Raistlin is one of my favorite literary characters ever, and this is a good prequel into his young life.

I suggest reading this after you have read the Chronicles, as not to spoil some character development, but before the Legends series. If you enjoy learning about Wizards and thier trials, you will definately enjoy this book!

Dragons of a Vanished Moon (Dragonlance: War of Souls, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Awesome conclusion to the series
In the land of twists...
Rest In Peace, War Of Souls.
I offer my applause, but I am finished with this tale now.
And the One God is none other than...

Dragons of a Vanished Moon (Dragonlance: War of Souls, Book 3)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Dragons of a Lost Star (The War of Souls, Volume II)
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The Second Generation
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ASIN: 0786929502
Release Date: 2003-03-01

Amazon.com

The legendary team of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman take to the sky on dragonback again with the final dispatch from their latest voyage to the land of Krynn in the War of Souls trilogy. In volume two, Dragons of a Lost Star, the mysterious "One God" behind the irrepressible Mina's miraculous rise to power is revealed. Yes, Dark Queen Takhisis is up to her old tricks. This time, however, she has stolen the entire planet of Krynn and hidden it away from her fellow deities. Now, she is seeking to bring the entire populace (both the living and the dead) under her fickle sway through Mina's zealous proselytizing. Who will stop her dark quest? Who else? The troublemaking and time-traveling kender--Tasslehoff Burrfoot.

Unfortunately, with the mystery of the "One God" revealed, much of the narrative impetus that made the first two books page-turners is lost. However, while there isn't much left to write about in Dragons of a Vanished Moon, the scenery is beautiful. There is an Elven exodus across the "plains of dust," stubborn Solamnic knights, cunning dragons, plotting wizards, and a full helping of Kender antics as Tasselhoff assumes the role of fly in the dark queen's ointment. The conclusion is a textbook deus ex machina but fans should enjoy this book for what it is--another chance to return to the wonderful world of Krynn with its two most competent guides at the helm. --Jeremy Pugh

Book Description

The flames of war devour Ansalon. The army of dead souls marches toward conquest, led by the mystical warrior Mina, who serves the powerful One God.

A small band of heroes, driven to desperate measures, leads the fight against overwhelming odds.

Two unlikely protagonists emerge. One is a dragon overlord who will not easily relinquish her rule. The other is an irrepressible kender who has been on a strange and remarkable journey that will end in startling and unforeseen fashion.

The stirring climax of the War of Souls.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome conclusion to the series.......2007-04-16

Well, this is the last in the War of Souls Trilogy. Interestingly, some could say this is the last book of a 11 book series (although Margaret Weis continues further with Amber and Ashes whick I'm reading now).

The character development is excellent. For example, I found that I did not like Gerald's character in the earlier books, but this book changed my mind about him. GAlder also is a very interesting character who seems to be in a tough situation with the one god.

Questions that often linger reading this book are, can the people overcome the one god? Will the other gods find the world in time to help? Where are the dragons? Does Tas really have to go back and be stepped on by Chaos or is there a better way? What is the ultamate fate of Palin and Dalamar?

BEsides Tas...another hero of the lance mysteriously appears, but I'm not telling who. You must read and find out.

It seems like any book my Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickmen is good. They are just plain good writers. Althought I don't believe this trilogy as a whole tops the almighty Dragonlance chronicles, it comes quite close. I would recommend reading these Dragonlance books in this order before reading this one:

Dragons of the Autumn Twilight
Dragons of the Winter Night
Dragons of the Spring Dawning
Time of the Twins
War of the Twins
Test of the Twins
Second Generation
Dragons of the Summer Flame
Dragons of the Fallen Sun
Dragons of the Lost Star
Dragons of the Vanished Moon

In the land of twists..........2007-03-02

I am thrilled with this series, and certainly, with this book. I love the different twists and the loose ends that get tied up. I had been missing Lord Soth and it was excellent to sit in his commanding presence again. The appearance of the minotaurs in this book has to be among my favorite scenes in the book. Any of you who have read this story know the scene I mean!

And I was especially intrigued by the treatise written by Valthonis at the end, describing what had actually happened to the world, what Takhisis actually did and how Tasslehoff actually fits into all of it. I'd always enjoyed the afterwords that Weis and Hickman had put into the Death Gate novels and I was glad to see one here.

So, as always, I eagerly await their next book (Dragons of the Highlord Skies) and I say, keep on writing!

Rest In Peace, War Of Souls........2006-08-21

The first time I read this book was before I read the other two (Dragons of a Fallen Sun, Dragons of a Lost Star) so i'll admit I didn't really understand it. However after the other two books arrived, I read it again and all I could do was gape at the beauty and genius of the book. So, to start with the real review: this book is flawlessly built with no problems that I could see. The characters were perfect! they behaved like they should after what happened in the first two books. Tasslehoff is shown to be truly mature at the end with a full understanding of what a hero must do after behaving like an irresponsible kender for the pther two books. Dalamar behaves once again like the power hungry wizard who'll do anything do get the magic, Palin acts like a hero once again, fighting the One God to save Ansalon though it may cost him his life. Odila's not that much better but thts okay with me, as all she needed to do was stop laughing about everything and she does that in the book. I especially liked the change that came over Gerard. He learns to stop being so cynical and mean to people and becomes a true knight. I liked how an older character returned and had a major role in the book. I loved Lord Soth's return and repent, which shows he is human. The gods doing stuff in the book was also nice and contributed a lot to the plot. I liked the change that came over Gilthas in the end and how he also became a sort of a hero. The suprise ending was a great part. I loved it.
To conclude: this book is great, a must read for any Dragonlance fan.

I offer my applause, but I am finished with this tale now........2006-06-20

I have to give it to Weis and Hickman: they are willing to develop their world in ways that the average fan mightn't like. I know I basically started giving up on the DragonLance saga after the War of the Twins because slowly, all the heroes I knew and enjoyed began to die. At this, generations later, I find it difficult to care about this new pantheon of heroes and enemies.

However, I have to admit that that's purely selfish, and also that these heroes and enemies are a whole heck of a lot more varied than the Heroes of the War of the Lance. Straight-up good and evil is starting slowly to disappear in this plane, and worst of all the goodguys we feel attached to most are making terrible mistakes. It certainly keeps one reading the seven hundred or so pages to make sure everything turns out all right in the end.

Now all of that might change with the denouement of this volume, which took me several years to get around to because the previous book depressed me so much. However, I must say that this world is now removed enough from the world I invested in during a completely different time of my life that I'm not really interested in it anymore. For those first getting into DragonLance, it's probably quite a magnificent work, and to them I eagerly suggest they go in backward order, ending with the War of the Lance. I did something somewhat to that effect myself and ended up enjoying how the tales changed within the setting as subsequent generations slowly forgot intricacies and exaggerated others.

--PolarisDiB

And the One God is none other than..........2005-12-04

Ah the conclusion to the long awaited main story line of dragonlance is here and I finally conquered it!
The best part of this book is that some of the foggy loose ends are made clear and brought to conclusions including the revealing of the identity of the One God and her destruction? I somehow doubt it =) And the return of Raistlin...what has he been up to this entire time...hum...find out in this volume.

Bottom line: No brainer - must read to finish out the end of a great saga. Very satisfying, though could have been a lot shorter; thus the four. Nevertheless, it stays true to the Weis and Hickman formula through and through and will leave you wanting more Dragonlance! Um...as always!

A final note about the saga. There are over 100 books in the total saga, filled in by various authors. If you are looking for a story to suck you in you need not go any further. The most addicting part of these books is the many side roads you can travel down. As you read through the main story line there will be times when you may want to depart from the main books and read about various wars, peoples, places, and things! Want to know more about the Chaos wars that ripped Krynn apart...feel free to explore five books on that or just one its up to you...then come back to the main story line...Want to know more about the dragons, elves, dwarves, Ice wall, Cataclysm, etc feel free to depart and enrich the story only to come back and wet your appetite for more in the main story line.
What I do all the time is buy friends, who have never read Dragonlance, the first three box set trilogies and one side story. Yeah it can get costly but when they hold in their hands the beginnings of what becomes an enormous saga they are hooked just by the idea.
I loved every minute of these adventures.

Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance: Dragonlance Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

Out of the Darkness of Dragons
The First Adventure
High on Character, low on depth and plot...
A Gathering Of Races - A Clash Of Uneven Forces
A Must Have Fantasy Masterpiece !

Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance: Dragonlance Chronicles)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Dragons of Summer Flame

ASIN: 0786915749
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Amazon.com

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

Book 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.

Customer Reviews:

Out of the Darkness of Dragons.......2007-06-21

They never expected to become heroes, never desired the war that brought them together, only to shape their lives forevermore, destroying some, elevating others, but nevertheless, mercilessly changing all. It is autumn in the city of Solace. A time when old friends seek to reunite, a time for love and joy, tenderness and care, a time to celebrate the future and ignore the regrets of the past. Only, these typical pleasantries are remiss from the formerly cheerful town of Solace for war is in the air. There is talk of strong and dangerous armies amassing in the north, talk of monsters and ancient beasts arising from their centuries long sleep ready for destruction and vengeance. And, trapped within these turbulent times, are our confused heroes striving to the very last moment to save their beleaguered realm from the evil that is to come; the evil that will usher in the legendary War of the Lance. Strum, a noble Solamnic Knight; Tanis, a dejected half-elf; Tasslehoff, a happy go lucky kender; Flint, a grumpy old dwarf; Caramon, a strong and valiant warrior; Raistlin, a frail yet powerful mage with hidden depths that will one day erupt; Goldmoon, bearer of a healing staff, daughter of Chieftain; Riverwind, Goldmoon's devoted paramour: this is our band of unlikely heroes. Together, these valiant warriors must struggle in a world gone awry, must fight not only the ensuing mayhem but their all too human frailties as well. This then is there story.

Easily acclaimed as one of the greatest modern fantasy epics, Dragon's of Autumn Twilight is well worth the title. Few books there are that can rival it in style, eloquence, depth of characters, and good old fashioned story telling. This is the kind of tale to share with friends and family around the cozy glow of a camp fire, the kind of drama suitable to pass on to one's children and one's children's children. Indeed, the realm of Krynn itself seems to truly exist as if for no other reason than the reader's devoted belief. Whether you, the avid bibliophile, are drawn to fantasy literature or not, Dragon's of Autumn Twilight cannot but captivate and enthrall leading the reader on an adventure that not only spans the narrow gulf of reality, but that of time and space as well taking the reader on delightful adventures filled with lovable characters that soon initiate themselves as one of the family.

Complimented with an imaginative setting filled with myriad fantasy creatures both expected and original, the tale starts as it means to go on allowing the action to take place almost immediately. The reader is never once bored or distracted rather the story works like one of Raistlin's elusive spells, enthralling and captivating the reader to the exclusion of all else. So addictive is the tale, so unique is the drama, and so effecting are the characters that the reader soon forgets all other aspects of life and fully enters into the realm of Krynn battling beside the valiant warriors, suffering when they suffer, rejoicing when they rejoice, and never once forgetting the stakes of the battle for all Krynn hangs in the balance. Will evil triumph or will good conquer?

Provided with a likable cast, the reader soon finds it amazing that half elves, kender, and dwarves, are equally sympathetic as the human characters. Also, the "good" protagonists are never burdened with that sickeningly perfect aura usually subscribed to fantasy warriors. Rather, each character is fleshed out as it they were real allowing that with their strengths weakness also follow making a cast of un-human characters bear the burdens of human emotions. Likewise, the villains are also fulfilled with realistic personalities effectively imbuing them with a more chilling aura. Classic characterization at its finest.

As with all truly good tales, the writing style employed also boasts of perfection. Each sentence is erudite yet easy to understand neither speaking down to the reader nor becoming burdened with unnecessary simplicity but instead choosing to fall in the middle where perfection lies.

The conclusion was shocking, dramatic and intriguing instantly leading the addicted reader onto the second Dragonlance drama, Dragons of Winter Night where the Chronicles series continues to build in suspense and complexity leading the reader on a wondrous journey into the fantastic realm of Krynn where anything is possible.

Final Thoughts: Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a novel not to be missed. Filled with fantastic wonders, epic battles, shattering sorrow and insurmountable joy, it contains everything that makes a novel truly perfect. And, when finished, the joy is further enhanced by even more epic dramas from the realm of Krynn. Highly recommended!

- Crysania

The Dragonlance Chronicles Series:

(1.) Dragons of Autumn Twilight
(2.) Dragons of Winter Night
(3.) Dragons of Spring Dawning
(4.) Dragons of Summer Flame

The Raistlin Chronicles:

(1.) The Soulforge
(2.) Brothers in Arms

The Legends Series:

(1.) Time of the Twins
(2.) War of the Twins
(3.) Test of the Twins

The Lost Chronicles:

(1.) Dragons of Dwarven Depths
(2.) Dragons of a Highlord Sky

The Preludes:

(1.) Darkness and Light
(2.) Kendermore
(3.) Brothers Majere
(4.) Riverwind the Plainsman
(5.) Flint the King
(6.) Tanis the Shadow Years

The First Adventure.......2007-05-28

I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy. It keeps you reading, because you need to find out if the Companions get out of Xak Tsaroth alive or if they defeat Lord Verminaard. I have read many other books by these authors, and they are all as exciting as this.

High on Character, low on depth and plot..........2007-04-27

This is the first dragonlance book I have read though I do read a fair amount of fantasy. Having finished the book last night I have to say that while the book was entertaining, I don't really anticipate that I'll continue this series to its subsequent novels. I did want to give it a fair chance though so I finished book one. Here are my pros and cons:

Pro: Good characterization - The personality traits of each of the main characters were well-developed and consistent throughout the book, making at least the characters believable as individuals. I tend to favor character-centric stories so this resonated with me. Tas the kender and Fizban the mage were particularly amusing and added to the book's entertainment value.

Simple prose - This one is a two-edged sword. On the one hand I wasn't having to go back and re-read sentences that threw me or included details that were difficult to understand on a first pass, but on the other hand it was often too simplistic, having the feeling of a children's story or at best, young adult.

Cons: Not a lot of plot - It did just seem as though the companions travelled from place to place and encountered different people and things, both good and bad. There wasn't really a sense of growing action and the climax, while there was one was, well, fairly anti-climactic.

Lack of Tension - I never got the feeling that any of the companions were in any real danger. You always knew that whatever it was, they'd get out of it somehow, even if quite ubelievably. The lack of tension made the book play out softly.

Lack of Grit/realism - The book was entertaining but on a different level from those that I generally consider really good reads. This book was to books like GRRM's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series what Teenage mutant ninja turtles cartoons are to the Sopranos. It's entertaining, but you won't get lost in it. You'll never feel like you "know" the characters or take part in their lives and you certainly never vest yourself into "feeling" what they feel. It just doesn't engage on that level. It just wasn't believable.

In conclusion, the book is more of a fairy tale than a fantasy and almost seems geared to a younger audience than one may be led to believe. On the other hand, it's rated very highly and has been a bestselling series for a long time now, so take from this what you will. It's entertaining, but I've certainly read much much better.

A Gathering Of Races - A Clash Of Uneven Forces.......2007-04-24

When friends, companions and warriors return to the predetermined meeting point after several years all is not well in the land. Half-elf Tanis, Tas the jolly Kender, Sturm the chivalrous knight, Flint the dwarf and the twins Caramon and Raistlin are back home, yet they have come by neither answers nor been met with peace.

The land of Krynn is overrun by mysterious creatures called Draconians who serve dark masters and worship darker gods. Where this malevolence comes from is not yet clear. Armed with magic and abetted by the appearance of dragons no race is safe from the menace.

Dragons Of Autumn Twilight is fast-paced, colourful and seeks to establish the characters involved. The early work of frequent co-authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman is rough around the edges and endures several coincidences too cosy with the story such as imprisonment behind bars of bamboo, dragons who fail to kill or wicker dragons which fool the troops, but not our heroes. The story also bears the occasional close resemblance to the famed Lord Of The Rings saga given its races, quest, travels and even a fortress full of evil troops surging out in the reverse direction of our protagonists. There is even a nod to the authors' future books, The Death Gate Cycle Of Reincarnation series, when an absent-minded yet powerful aging mage becomes the companions' road-fellow.

The Chronicles, Volume 1 is fun, swift and packed with the fundamentals of the genre, yet could also be considered imperfect and obvious.

A Must Have Fantasy Masterpiece !.......2007-01-11

I read this book at age 14 and now at my 30's i had to buy
this hardcover for my fantasy collection books.
Starting reading from the beginning, I'm excited again.
This trilogy will be definitely remembered for ages !

Dragons of Spring Dawning (Dragonlance Chronicles, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

The end...
No Suprises
Conclusion of Dragonlance Chronicles !!!
Great ending for this trilogy
The best conclusion!!!!

Dragons of Spring Dawning (Dragonlance Chronicles, Book 3)

Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Dragons of Winter Night (Dragonlance: Dragonlance Chronicles)
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Dragons of Summer Flame

ASIN: 0786915897
Release Date: 1999-11-01

Amazon.com

The final installment in Weis and Hickman's Chronicles series--Dragonlance's undisputed must-read trilogy--brings on the main event: the Companions vs. the dragons in a knock-down drag-out at the iron works of Pax Tharkas, as the fate of Krynn hangs in the balance. They've mastered the Orbs and picked up the Dragonlance (see Dragons of Winter Night), and things are looking pretty good with the return of the good metallic dragons. But the band soon learns they must do battle with their own inner conflicts if they ever hope to defeat the Dark Queen Takhisis. A bang-up conclusion to Dragonlance's best-loved trilogy. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

The war against the dragon minions of Queen Takhisis rages on. Armed with the mysterious, magical dragon orbs and the shining, silver dragonlance, the companions bring hope to the world. But now, in the dawn of a new day, the dark secrets that have long shadowed the hearts of the friends come to the light. Betrayal, treachery, frailty, and weakness will nearly destroy all that they have accomplished.

The greatest battle they have left to fight is within each of them.

Yet, in the end, they will be heroes.

Customer Reviews:

The end..........2006-05-10

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Dragons of Spring Dawning is the final volume in the Chronicles Trilogy. At the beginning of the book the forces of good are in disarray and headed for defeat at the hands of the evil Dragonarmies. However, since this is the last book in the trilogy you just know that things are going to turn around. First Laurana is named commander of the Knights around Palanthas and then her brother, Gilthanas, returns with the good dragons. After the good dragons are equipped with the dragonlances they drive the dragonarmies south in disorder. However, the blue Dragon highlord Kitiara has a trick up her sleeve. She preys upon Laurana's love for Tanis Half-Elven to capture the elven general; Kit plans to sacrifice Laurana to the evil goddess, Takahsis, and then give her soul to her death knight Lord Soth. When Tanis learns of this dastardly plot he leads the other companions to Nereka to free Laurana. Tanis also has an ace in the hole as he has managed to find Berem the Everman, who has a strange jewel in his chest that is preventing the evil goddess from returning. In the end, Tanis manages to rescue Laurana, Berem returns his jewel and prevents the return of the evil goddess and Raistlin turns to the dark robes.

For the most part this book is a very satisfying conclusion to the series. We reach a measure of resolution with all of the major characters (some sadder then others) and we get a glimpse of what their future will be like. However, in some ways the ending is a bit too...neat. Why does Berem's jewel hold such power over a Goddess? How does his sister's death effect anything? Is it because of his sister's love that the entrance to the world is blocked? I don't get it and it is never completely explained. Also the fact that Fizban, the bumbling wizard who has been following them around for almost a year, turns out to be the god Paladine. That's a little too good to be true. And if he was a god, why not have some more powerful magic or something? Other then that this was a good book.

In conclusion, I am giving this book four stars. The one star that it lost is for the ending. A better ending would have put a better cap on a magnificent trilogy.

No Suprises.......2006-03-17

Once again Hickman and Weis come through with flying colors!
Each volume seems to flow seemlessly into the next. I can hardly wait to read the next adventure.

Conclusion of Dragonlance Chronicles !!!.......2006-03-15

Well the DragonLance series are one of the best Dragon lore fantasy books! I mean the use of the literary devices is uncanny ! Once I start reading one of these books, I just can't stop! It's that interesting ! This Book(3), will inlighten anyone wondering about what happened next in the love relations of the companions ! And some interesting surprises !!

Great ending for this trilogy.......2006-03-03

I recently re-read the entire Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy. Even though I hadn't read them for more than ten years, ever since high school ended, I really fell back into these books and enjoyed them as much if not more than when I was a teen.

Dragons of Spring Dawning is a great conclusion to the trilogy and leads nicely into the next trilogy, Legends, which focuses on Caramon and Raistlin.

The highlight of this book for me was the characterizations, not so much the action. There isn't too much action on the grand scale involving armies of metallic and colored dragons fighting against each other, and to be honest the Dragonlances are not really even used at all in this book. Some characters, like Goldmoon and Riverwind, bow out early. I tend to think this was done because they didn't really have much more to do in these books. Their story was really told in book one, and halfway through book two it seems the story had left them behind.

The lack of major battles and the withdrawal of some major characters was fine with me, because they may not have advanced the story. There is still a lot of more intimate action sequences, including the climax that takes place inside the Dark Queen's temple at Neraka. The characters, like Tanis and Laurana, become even more textured and you can really see the good and bad in them. They are not shallow but come across as very genuine. Caramon, Tika and Tas also are written very well, and Raistlin's short storyline and the "Homecoming" at the end of the book are intriguing and lead perfectly into the next trilogy. The death of a major character was handled well, and did spark genuine emotion.

Fizban was better in this book. His true identity, while obvious to readers since book one, becomes known to the other characters and the ending was intersting. The overall theme of these books, that good and evil need to coexist in balance, was pulled off pretty well.

There are some inconsistencies that really didn't bother me, but I think that they should have been picked up on. Some of the characters are rescued during the course of the book and find themselves washed ashore near the city Kalaman. At first they act as if they can't remember how they were rescued or who rescued them. But later, they seem to remember just fine. I was a little confused by that but it is nitpicking and did not take away from the book at all.

All in all, I enjoyed it as much if not more than when I was younger. It is a great conclusion to a really well-written series.

The best conclusion!!!!.......2006-01-08

This is the best conclusion to the Dragonlance Chronicles and a great bridge to the Dragonlance Legends!!!! This is a totally better ending than "Test of the Twins" is for the Dragonlance Legends. It brings everything to a close but leaves you wanting to know what happens to the characters. As usual, the cover is awsome!

Average customer rating:

Another great book in the Dragonlance set!
Why do Authors do this? '-50 on the puke meter
A Dynamic Duo for many Years!
More Chronicles
I Love This Book!

Dragons of Summer Flame
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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The War of Souls Trilogy Gift Set: Dragons of a Fallen Sun, Dragons of a Lost Star, Dragons of a Vanished Moon (Dragonlance Series)
The Soulforge (Dragonlance: The Raistlin Chronicles, Book 1)
Legends Gift Set: Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins (Dragonlance: Legends Trilogy)
Brothers in Arms (Dragonlance: Raistlin Chronicles, Book 2)

ASIN: 0786927089
Release Date: 2002-02-01

Book Description

Summer has come to Krynn, a summer unlike any before. The sun bears down on land and sea, searing the world with relentless light and heat. Clouds and rain are nowhere to be found, and even the darkness of night brings little relief from the strange and oppressive day.

Meanwhile, those who commune regularly with their gods are uneasy. Every day, their deities become more distant, more difficult to reach. Clerics' prayers go unanswered, and magic goes awry. As the tension on Ansalon builds, estranged cousins Palin Majere and Steel Brightblade search for an explanation. It soon becomes evident that more than just magic is at stake.

The fate of all Krynn hangs in the balance.

This is a new paperback edition of Dragonlance cocreators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's first hardcover New York Times bestseller. It is the direct prequel to the current War of Souls trilogy. This edition features a new cover design that ties into the recent rereleases

Customer Reviews:

Another great book in the Dragonlance set!.......2007-02-19

Without going into detail, if you've read the books up to this one, you know about the authors and you're already hooked on the series. It started off a little slow, but I'm just now entering book 4 and its hard to put this book down!

Why do Authors do this? '-50 on the puke meter.......2006-10-18

First, I don't get the nice rating this book gets; I guess I never understood why people enjoyed Back to the Future II and III, and Indiana's TEmple of Doom (see my reviews later)...anyway;
My REAL PET PEEVE on why authors seem to enjoy creating mindless sequels like this.
The plot doesn't make any sense, "honorable knights?" Kitiara and Sturm having a son--my question is, who raised him?--why? It's so cliche and boring. Why was this character created? The idea of having Kit's and Sturm's "ghosts" appear is so laughable and horribly written, I am not sure what the point of it was. I couldn't begin to tell you HOW annoying it was for these two spirits to keep appearing. My question is, if Sturm was really an honorable knight, and as honorable as these authors claimed him to be: would he leave his son or Kit if he KNEW he impregnated Kit? What the HECK? I mean, talk about inconsitency in the 'plot' and chacaracters.

Palin--the worst hero ever created. Boring as ever, and as indecisive as ever. Is Raistlin really his uncle? sheesh. In the short adventures they build him up to be something potentially awesome....then in this "sequel" what they do to him?

Usha: she has golden eyes--they tried NOT to make her Raistlin's kid. Were they avoiding the incest issue? I mean, come on, a lot of "great" fantasy authors do it today--Martin, Goodkind, what's the difference with another bunch?

I had a lot of respect for Weis and Hickman up to this book. It seemed to me they tried so hard to "wrap" up their previous excellent books, when they didn't need to. Why did they have to 'disavow' the daughter of Raistlin? I loved the mystery of it whether she was is or not.

Why did they have to bring Raistlin back? This ruined the legend of this character.
Or kill off Tanis? Or Tas?
I think they must have heard their fans clamoring for more of the old favorite characters; and decided to unleash an awful book like this.

I also dislike how every world when the Fourth Age comes, there's no gods, no magic...boring, and cliche.

Ugh. Or did Weis and Hickman want to continue to reap the benefits of readers who are too eager for my 'Lance books?
not even worth two cents, in my book.

The battle scenes were horribly done, the "plot" is pyrite at best,
the "NEW GENERATION" as someone pointed out is overdone like a over grilled steak.
I threw this book down so many times, I actually did what I never thought I'd do to a book once I finished--I tossed it into the trash compactor.

-50 on the puke meter. DON't waste time, energy or money on this trash. TRUST ME. I only bought this because I was incredibly bored of fantasy authors and the genre itself.

A Dynamic Duo for many Years!.......2006-06-11

This fantastic writing duo has continously given readers awesome fantasy epics for awhile now. Even though I personally believe their first 2 trilogys are the best, they have still come out and given solid fantasy epics with each teaming up they do.

If you like rich fantasy-based worlds, full of fun and interesting characters, then these two writers deliever the goods.

More Chronicles.......2005-09-11

This book is the 4th in the chronicles series. For those wanting to read the Weis/Hickman in chron. order it would be the first chronicle trilogy, legends trilogy, the second generation book, this book, which then leads into the War of Souls. I enjoyed the story and the Weis/Hickman writing always makes me want to read into the night. The books does have its flaws, and doesn't rate as high as the original chronicles and legends, but it is a good read and a worthy addition to the Dragonlance saga.

I Love This Book!.......2005-09-05

I truly loved this book, it is my favorite of all the Dragonlance series (I am not sure why), although I wished that this book would be a bit longer, I'd say it's the best book I have read so far. The storyline and plot is excellent, and it is like a gate from the Dragonlance Chronicles, to the War of Souls, yet in order to get an understanding of this book, you should read "The Second Generation" either before or after you read this book.

Out in the Black (Serenity Role Playing Game)

Average customer rating:

Every Firefly/Serenity Fan Needs One!!!!!
Great first addition to the Serenity RPG
Serenity the RPG
THIS IS NOT A BOOK

Out in the Black (Serenity Role Playing Game)
Laura Hickman , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Margaret Weis Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Serenity Role Playing Game (Serenity)
Firefly: The Official Companion: Volume One
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Game Master's Screen (Serenity Role Playing Game)
Firefly: The Official Companion: Volume Two

ASIN: 1931567522

Book Description

Out in the Black all-new adventure for the Serenity Role Playing Game, ready to either launch an all-new campaign or continue adventures already in progress. The adventure is written to work both with the Serenity crew or new characters created by the players. It introduces the mining town of Frisco, a detailed setting the crew may misbehave in for many adventures to come!

Customer Reviews:

Every Firefly/Serenity Fan Needs One!!!!!.......2007-01-10

This is a good adventure for Browncoats who RPG. Love the verse and love the game.

Great first addition to the Serenity RPG.......2006-09-26

This is a fantastic addition to the Serenity RPG. It is half adventure and half sourcebook. If you are a browncoat but not an RPG player, I still believe there is a lot you can get out of this work. One of the favorite recurring characters from Firefly is central to this adventure and it is great to see what sorts of complications she can work up in a different setting. I particularly enjoy the appendix on the authentic old-west card game Faro.

Serenity the RPG.......2006-09-21

I love this book the serenity RPG is the closest thing at this time to a new movie or series and is full of adventure. RPGs are not infantile as much as the other review says search After Serenity and The Signal in iTunes Podcasts and you will see that I am right

THIS IS NOT A BOOK.......2006-09-14

Amazon and the authors should appologize to everyone for their false advertising.
Prior to its release (now) the only information on this item was that it was a paperback book. The implication was that it was a story/novel set in the Firefly universe - it is not.
This 'book' is a rule book for some infantile role-playing game. As a fan of the Firefly/Serenity series, I pre-ordered this 'book' nearly one year ago, and checked the info page periodically to see if there was any new information. I was pleased when I learned it was shipped, and furious when it arrived.
Shame on you Amazon and shame on you Hickmans.
There's $25 I'll never see again

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