Rating: 
Summary: Seemed a little short and rushed, but thoroughly enjoyable
Review: Although it's not mentioned on the cover, this book is considered to be volume 4 of the DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES. It follows the adventures of the "second generation of heroes", the sons and daughters of the Heroes of the Lance. If you read SECOND GENERATION by Weis & Hickman first, you'll get a lot more out of this book.Weis & Hickman live up to their normal levels of excellence. This book is chock full of vivid characters, brilliant storytelling, and plenty of action and suspense. The dialogue and character interaction are still top notch and believable. The characters from the original trilogy that are seen act consistently with how they've been written before. Weis & Hickman do an excellent job of immersing the reader in the land of Krynn. The one shortcoming, I felt, was that it seemed to be rushed, especially after the halfway point. Battles seemed to be over too quickly or simply referred to as something that already happened (there was one particular scene I would have loved to have read directly) and the resolutions to the numerous confrontations seemed to be too simple. I think it would have taken a minimum of two, and preferably three, books to do justice to this story. My only other minor gripe is that, between this book and SECOND GENERATION, we never even meet some of the offspring that are referred to (I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read these books). We also don't get to see Riverwind and Goldmoon. A character that was introduced in SECOND GENERATION (which made me think they would play a pivotal role in this book) is never directly showed to the reader, but rather referred to by other characters. Finally, there are a couple of characters whose destiny we never find out at the end of the book (and I'm assuming they won't be around in the WAR OF SOULS trilogy). Other than these two things (which were actually minor, despite the amount of time I spent writing about them), this was a thoroughly enjoyable book for Dragonlance fans. While obviously a setup for THE WAR OF SOULS, it was still a satisfactory read. I enjoyed revisiting the characters I've come to know so well from the other books and Weis & Hickman do not disappoint in their return to the world of Krynn. Definitely a must read for any fan of the Heroes of the Lance.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read but not for a lover of the Dragonlance saga.
Review: I have read most of the Dragonlance books but have lately lost track of the amount of 'spin off' novels written by authors seeming to jump on the bandwagon. It seemed at a first glance that Dragons of Summer Flame would be a welcome return to the quality and style of the original three books. Wrong!I wish to congratulate Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman on their inventive way of killing off what must have been one of the best fantasy settings yet. Bringing back some of the main characters worked for me until they started dropping like flies! I think that the original characters should have been left alone with only references to them used in the book. The information passed on about the father of the gods, Chaos, was interesting, but I felt that I didn't 'know' the 2nd generation characters well enough. It seemed that the old characters were used to bolster the new that had less depth. I would have to say that the actual quality of writing was excellent as would be expected and the story line was original and rather unexpected but more could have gone into the characters. I'm not only attacking, I did enjoy the book, it just didn't seem to live up to it's predecessors.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book is mostly wonderful. My one small complaint is that W&H did the same thing they kinda did at the end of the Death Gate Cycle -- that is they tried to turn the world into Earth (Remember Alfred babbling over "God"?, same sorta thing). I think they were trying to kill the series. Then Jean Rabe comes along and messes it all up and then had to come and fix it again with the War of the Souls. Jean Rabe == Worst Fantasy Author Ever. But for the characters... I read every single DL book published before this one. The end of this one made me cry, and I still cry thinking about it. There is no way I cannot fully recommend this book to any Dragonlance reader.
Rating:
Summary: The best Dragonlance book ever, here's why.....
Review: Alright... almost every other review I have read about this book is that it doesn't stack up to the other 3 chronicle books. Most of those reviews seem to be written by people who don't want anything on the wonderful world of Krynn to change. I'm not saying it was time for the Companions to step aside, because they are the essence of Dragonlance. But, in this book, Tanis, Flint, and Sturm die, and although this was hard to read (especially Tanis), they had all surved their purposes. Also, this book encompasses the biggest fight of all... against Chaos. This book was the setting and stage for the greatest battle of all time. The father of All and Nothing and his armies. Also, tie in the Knights of Takhisis (who were larger than the armies of the Dragon Highlords), and you have the 2 largest forces ever assembled on Krynn. But, what I think people disliked most about this book, and what I liked the most, where the "inspirational" messages it conveyed. Sure, some of our dearest in the book died, but they performed their duties, and got their deserved rests. Steel, Usha and Palin, along with Tas make an even more unlikely combo of heros, and heros they were. Steel making like his father by sacrificing his life for his faith, Usha doing her part (for the fight, and for Palin), and Palin become, in the words of Raistlin "the greatest war mage ever". And then there was Tasselhoff Burrfoot, probably the most influential of the Companions in terms of actions directly done to influence events. Toss in the return of the greatest dragonlance character of all time, Raistlin, who sacrifices his magic to re-enter Krynn for Palin, and you have one hell of a book. Finally, the ending.Somehow the writers ultimately tied Krynn into the Earth that we live in. No magic, in the sense that there was before, but other kinds. It all fit well, and it was very reassuring to see the gods would sacrifice everything for the greatest of their creations, that love conquers all, and when it really comes down to it, people will forget their differences, and join together. For me, it was the best ending to the greatest 4 books I have ever read in my life.
Rating: 
Summary: A rush into the 5th age...
Review: Since I read the sneak preview in "The Second Generation" I have been waiting for this book. But I got really disappointed when I finally read it, the sole purpose of the book seems to be making room for the 5th age by killing the old characters as well ending the world of Krynn as we know it. Killing the old characters may have been unavoidable but the drastic changes to whole Dragonlance universe destroys the whole balance in the previous books. If TSR wanted a new world why couldn't they have made a new one instead of destroying a old one? The whole book have a "rushed" feeling about it and the character development is very weak. The old characters seems to be missing some of their charisma, especially Raistlin which return but without his magic which was very much a part of him and without it he's only half the man he used to be. Even the villian, Chaos seems very flat and boring so if you liked the other books in the DL series DON'T buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: best of the series
Review: It seems a lot of people hate Dragons of Summer Flame... because of what happened to Dragonlance afterward. When I read the book, I wasn't aware there was going to be anything afterward. When I finished, I was amazed, and I read it again right away because I enjoyed it so much. To this day, Dragons of Summer Flame remains my favorite novel, and I've read quite a few since 1995. This is how Dragonlance should have ended; this was Weis and Hickman wrapping up the storylines of all the characters from their previous books and leaving us on the note of an ending that is really a new beginning. This book took me on a ride that I was sad to get off of, but very satisfied nonetheless. What could be better? ... Of course, Wizards of the Coast simply couldn't let a good thing rest in peace, and promptly hired Jean Rabe to continue the story from where Weis and Hickman left off. (I read those three Fifth Age books simply because they were Dragonlance and I was in high school with nothing better to do... by far the worst three books I've ever read in my life.) Then they got Weis and Hickman back to salvage that debacle, and we got the War of Souls... I still haven't made it to the last one, I lost interest after the "big revelation" at the end of book 2. Summer Flame, though, was Weis and Hickman in their element. Read the first 7 books of the series (Chronicles trilogy, Legends trilogy, Second Generation), then read this and enjoy the awesome, "real" conclusion to one of the greatest fantasy series ever =9.
Rating:
Summary: An End or Just the Beginning
Review: This book is a fiting part of the Dragonlance world. However, it is a little inconsistent with some of the latter books. Outside of that, the book was great. It raises some interesting questions about good and evil and whether evil can be honorable. It is an easy read even at over 500 pages. The characters were great and the use of both old and new characters allow a casually fan it enjoy as much as a Dragonlance veteran. Hickmen and Weis are a great one-two punch in the fanasty genera. They both are creative and work well together. I really don't have any negatives to say about this book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: It has been many years since the Dragonlance Wars. Raistlin is still missing. Krynn is at peace, but it is strained at best. On the fringes of the world, Queen Tarkisis has created a new army out of fallen soldiers, called them the Knights of Tarkisis. Elsewhere, the Irda (a hidden race of Dwarves on a distant island) plan to use the Grey Gem, but unwittingly unleash Chaos, father of the gods. Then Queen Tarkisis uses this event to her advantage, and establishes martial law with her Knights as the authority. Meanwhile, the older Heros of the Lance and their children go about the world trying to right the great wrongs in Krynn. Now all of them face the greatest disaster since the Cataclysm. I liked this book quite a bit. It has action, romance, magic, dragons, war, and a not so happy ending. The characters are really the only flaw (but that's a pretty big problem, isn't it). Palin the red mage is alright; but he never really interested me anywhere near as much as his uncle, dark mage Raistlin. He is here too, and as usual cold, distant, and always ploting something. Usha is all right as well, though she seemed to be missing something, like a real personality. Steel Brightblade is by far the weakest character, just a new version of his father Sturm. On the positive side, Tassolhoff Burrfoot is back, and he is my favorite character in the Dragonlance books. Some people think he is the worst thing to hit sci-fi before Jar-Jar Binks, but I liked his child like curiosity. I felt his death deeply (at least he's in a better place with his old friend Flint Fireforge). I was a little alarmed at the deaths of Tanis, Caramon, and other Heros of the Lance; but I guess it is nessesary to continue the series as a world, and not a personal story. Dragon Lord Kitiara is back, but she's not as visible as usual. And the vengeful god Chaos was a just the Ansalon version of the Greek Titian Chronos (Zues's father). I am once again happy to see that the story didn't end happily. At the end, while the current threat (Chaos) is quashed, the world is still under the control of the evil Knights of Tarkisis, and they say that magic has left the world, so I guess we'll see what happens in the Fifth Age, the Age of Mortals. All in all, good effort, though a little long (over 600) and some of the characters were a little too thin. Also if you haven't read any of the other Dragonlance books first, you will be horribly lost, like I was the first time I read it.
Rating:
Summary: Personal Fav. Dragonlance Novel
Review: This is undoubtedly my favorite Dragonlance novel. I can see why some people may think that because the ending completley throws how you once knew Krynn upside down doesnt mean you should hate it. Anyways the basic plot is that Chaos, father of the gods has escaped and plans to destroy Krynn. Charachters such as Palin Majere and Steel Brightblade must stop him. The story ends very climatically in a huge final battle. Oh to one of the reviews on here that I read I have some things to say. Number 1 they DO explain who Usha's parents ARE she is NOT an Irda girl but is infact Human. And the Raistlin's Daughter short story is told as a Myth(at least where I read it in The Next Generation). Also Raistlin wasnt the OLD Raistlin because he had no magic, wouldnt have made sense otherwise.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: As a longtime fan and follower of the Dragonlance Saga, I can only call this 4th and heavily belated installment of Chronicles to be a major disappointment. Gone is the sense of purpose and adventure that made the original Chronicles and Legends trilogies so gripping. In its place is this, which almost reads like a comic book, with characters coming back to life and being taken away just as quickly. Most of the "offspring" characters developed in the Tales stories are killed off rather quickly, and other characters like Palin and Steele are not dealt with well either. Add to that the almost total destruction of the Krynn we all know from prior novels, and this is one fantasy disaster. For my part, I've tried to forget this was ever written, and until better comes along am sticking with the Legends trilogy as the final major chapter involving the heroes of the lance.
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