Dragons of Winter Night

Rating:
Summary: Profound and full of surprises
Review: The middle child of a trilogy has the most tenuous position. After all, the novelty may have worn off after the first installment, and the big ending doesn't come until the next. Many are relegated to serve as simply a bridge between the first and third installment. Dragons of Winter Night defies stereotypes with its gripping storyline filled with many tense sequences and surprising revelations. True to the title, the mood is considerably darker than in the first book, ending with the heroic sacrifice of one of the main characters. Sadness is a powerful emotion, and the ending features one of the most emotionally moving scenes I can recall since Tolkien. Yet there is beauty in tragedy, and having known the ending, I wouldn't have it any other way.

As DoWN begins, the refugees from Pax Tharkas have found a temporary home, albeit one ill-suited for them, in the kingdom of the mountain dwarves. The companions prepare to embark on their next quest, to the ancient great city Tarsis the Beautiful, in search of a better refuge. Little do they know that evil forces are already following their tracks and laying a trap for them. Events in Tarsis would force the companions to split into two groups, each searching for an ancient artifact that allows the wielder to exert control over dragons. Their adventures would take them to distant lands, fraught with dark mystery and danger. Some of the companions will have grown in power, some in knowledge, some in maturity, and some would find love along the way. In a sense, the wide-eyed innocence of the first volume has worn off. As the characters gain experience, their worries and sorrows also increase. Laurana is a case in point. She has changed greatly since leaving Qualinost. No longer the happy elfmaiden innocent to the ways of the world, she has become more and more like Tanis, wiser yet weighed down with care and sadness.

Tanis would encounter a figure from the past that would prove to be his greatest temptation thus far and force him to reconsider his beliefs and loyalty in a whole new light.

Despite the prevailing depressive mood, there are many light moments. My favorite character, Tas, is as funny as ever and is given more screen time than before. While the focus has been taken off some characters such as Goldmoon and Riverwind, Tas would shoulder more responsiblities and even makes a few crucial discoveries, unwittingly of course.

In light of its gripping storyline and powerful emotional undercurrents, it would not be unfair to characterize DoWN as a fantasy masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Dragons of Winter Night - An oustanding fantasy classic!
Review: Dragons of Winter Night is another resounding success by these two brilliant authors, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman! They have, with this second novel, once again written a Fantasy genre classic, possessed of a fluid writing style and characters with such depth as to leave you breathless. The overall grand plan comes more to light, yet leaves you yearning for more while leaving you in awe of their writing. Simply put this novel, as with the first is highly difficult to put down for anything as trivial as eating, sleeping or going to work.

The premise: MINOR SPOILERS

Picking up right where they left off in "Dragons of Autumn Twilight," the authors casually tell of how the companions recovered the Hammer of Kharas and have given it to the mountain dwarves of Thorbardin in return for their allowing the refugees from Pax Tharkas to stay there.

The companions set out for Tarsis in hopes of securing passage on a ship to move the Pax Tharkas refugees to safety, only to find that the Cataclysm has left Tarsis land locked for the past three hundred years. Shortly before the companions are separated in Tarsis, Raistlin ominously forewarns that "some of us are not destined to meet again in this world." Forced by circumstances beyond their control, the companions break into two groups heading in different directions. Both groups possess disparate immediate goals yet are leading towards the ultimate goal of defeating the Dark Queen. Along the way we're introduced to some wonderful new characters and reintroduced to characters thought to have been left behind.

What follows from this point as stated earlier, is another fine addition to the Chronicles trilogy, which is so well written as to leave the reader breathless on occasion. As with the first of this series, I highly recommend this second book of this outstanding trilogy! {ssintrepid}

Rating:
Summary: The companions are continue
Review: Before reading this, you should read Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
The companions continue their journey in search of fabled dragonorbs and dragonlances, the only two things that may defeat their mortal enemy, the queen commanding the dragon armies.
This book takes you on a roller coaster ride that will leave you wanting more of dragonlance stories.
The twists and turns, ups and downs, friendships and betrayals spin a tale of horror and compassion untold by any other author before.
The book ends a little abruptly but continues wonderfully in the next part(Dragons of Spring Dawning).
If you liked Lord of the Rings, you'll love Dragonlance.
CONCLUSION : BUY IT!!!

Rating:
Summary: Weis and Hickman never fail
Review: Usually after reading the first book in a series most of the time the second book doesn't have the punch the first book does. I was wrong. In this book the story line never fails to lose you and the characters are very well developed. I read this book a day which I never do. The search for the Dragon Orbs was an exciting one.

Rating:
Summary: Things just get better and better.
Review: Wow, what a great follow up to Dragons of Autumn Twilight. If you like the first book and I am sure you do if you are reading this review then you will not be disappointed. This book is a page turner that will keep you hooked and totally involved in the adventures of the companions. This book reads as well as Dragons of Autuwn Twilight and is just as exciting, if not more so than the first. Do your self a favor and pick up this book. You won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Dragons of Winter Night
Review: I really enjoyed this book. This book had all the makings of Dragons of Autumn Twilight (the book before this one in the chronicles) and more. The reason this book was even better was the characters were not constricted to just one group, they were spread throught the world of Krynn. The group has even greater and more perilous adventures in this book because they are split up and out numbered. In their adventures they meet up in the end and join for the next sequal.You shoud really read this book and enjoy all the wonder of Krynn just a was privaliged to.

Rating:
Summary: my favorite of chronicles!
Review: this book was excellent. there is no other way to describe it. the character development (my favorite part of any book) was raging to be noticed in this one. first there is tanis, finally buckiling under the pressure of always being stuck in the 'leader' role. then there was strum. this good knight realizes how corrpt his beloved perrfession has become. he starts to see past the lies and deceptions his order throughs out at ppl. he finds that no longer is the knight-hood out to protect the weak, but rather it self, and where is the honnor in that? there is also larana, the biggest change in this book. at the end of the first of chronicles, i was furious that weis and hickman found this spoiled un-mature brat fit to be among the heros i had grown strongly attached to. well, i was given a pleasent suprize in this book, the little girl grows up, fast. her past paradice of ignorance is slowly leaving and in its place she is given the harsh reality of the world. but she doesnt crumble to pices as i expected. she rises to the chalenges presented to her, and prevails. well, ill leave the rest for u to read. a great book, get it now!

Rating:
Summary: Im in the middle of this book now and its great tanis =#1
Review: I feel this book is one of the best dragon lance books in the first set! But im not sure if its the best in the whole series because im only in the first set. Alot of my friends like this book too, i useualy dont read but when i read the first book i fel in love with the lance! I plan on reading as many dragon lance books as i can. My mothers boyfriend intoduced me to the lance and he has like almosyt all the books out so far! If this dosnt make you want this book well then i dont blame you. But I really like this book.

Rating:
Summary: The enjoyment continues
Review: First, let me say that this review is predicated on my [positive] review of the first book, where I address the series as a whole. This one addresses this [the second] book only.

Assuming that you permitted yourself to, you most likely enjoyed the prior book "Dragons of Autumn Twilight". It is essential that you read that book first, as the second will make little sense if you don't. I personally enjoyed this book even more. It explored more of the world, challenged the characters more, and really sets up the story of the War of the Lance to a more thrilling conclusion. This book is a little darker than the previous, as you may expect from the standard sci-fi/fantasy epic arc, but it is very satisfying and if you felt compelled to read this one then picking up the third will be a no-brainer.

As far as developments, I don't think plot summaries have any place in reviews, but you will find some new supporting characters as well as a continued development and exploration of the main ones from the first book. I cruised through this one faster than the first, partly because there is more action and introspection than introductions. The pace this one has leads you to desire to start reading the third immediately, so if you are buying this one, pick up the third as well.

Rating:
Summary: War Of The Lance Continues
Review: Dragons of Winter Night continues the Adventures of Tanis and the companions and them trying to save Krynn from The Queen of Darkness. The Groups splits up and goes on different quests some personal some to help fight in the up comeing war. A good book where u learn more of the companions and more on there lives. A very good book highly recommended.