Rating: Summary: Good story, but it had a few flaws and a bad climax. Review: ... This book is a real pageturner. I couldn't wait to finally get to a book with some of the Heroes of the Lance. Flint and Tanis have a great relationship. I love reading their interactions. My favorite scenes are of Tanis and Laurana. I know I am a guy, but I do like romance in books! Good story throughout, even though you know who the killer is early on, unless you were a Basketball player from the University of Arkansas. The big problems I did have were that the relationship of Tanis and Laurana is left hanging. I wanted one more scene at the end. The worst part of this book which made me drop it one star is the fact that the ending is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to Scooby Doo. It's really bad. I had all this expectation and it was ruined. Too bad because this could have been a good book.
Rating: Summary: Well Written, But Flawed Review: Anyone familiare with the original Heroes of the Lance will want to pick up a copy of Kindered Spirits. This first installment of the "Meetings" series tells the story of the early years shared by Flint and Tanis. The authors spend most of their time with Tanis as a youth and Flint as a veteran dwarf. Fans expecting to see lots of interaction between Tanis and Laurana will be disappointed, however. I had hoped to see a little bit more of their early life as a young lovers, but that's not the case here. Largely the events of this book detail Flint and Tanis's relationship, and their fight to prove Tanis innocent of murder. For the most part, the plot and story are sound. The events in this book fall nicely into place with Weiss and Hickman's original outlines of these characters pasts. However, I feel the book ended too abruptly, failing to explain a good deal of the character's motivations. Furthermore, There was no aftermath following the climax of the story. The story just ended, then transplanted the characters out of the setting months later. While the guts of this book are fairly thorough, the ending was rushed, and left me unsatisfied.
Rating: Summary: Heart-Wrenching Review: As an avid Dragonlance fan, I am aware of several mistakes that have been made in later books that apply to this story. However, I'm sure they were made unwittingly. This book was excellent as far as plotwise. However, I can not accept the fact that Tanis just killed Miral/Arelas, Tyresian died saving Laurana, and Tanis and Flint left with no apparent reason. I mean, I know they had always wanted to leave, but were they celebrated as heroes? As much as he was hated in this story, and no matter how mean he was to poor Tanis, the authors shouldn't have just killed him off. I mean, the last thing he did in his life was something realy nice, and he died for it. How did Laurana feel about this? A writer myself, I feel that a more appropriate end to Tyresian's and Laurana's brief relationship would have been in favor of his deeds the speaker freed Laurana from her bond. The ending as it is is just extremely CHEESY. However, I loved it. The book makes me go emotional. Its hard for me to pick it up and open it, because someimtes it hurts. Great book! A definite read!
Rating: Summary: a nice beginning Review: Beautifully written!!! My thanks 2 Mark Anthony and Ellen Porath for a well crafted story. The only minus factor is the fate of the antagonist who is uhmm shall we say disposed of at a fashion 2 commonly displayed in fantasy movies (shing!!! deflect) corny!! And not 2 much of Laurana :( . But all in all it's a good telling of the Tanis and Flint tandem
Rating: Summary: Excellent. Review: But not very exciting. What I enjoyed about this book, ESPECIALLY after reading I, II, III Chronicles; I, II, III Legends; Dragons of Summer Flame, and The Legend of Huma, was that it was not all blood and gore. That can just get way too depressing and ridiculous after a while. This book, however, has a setting in the pleasant Qualinesti, where Flint pleasantly works for the Speaker of the Sun, and meets Tanis and Laurana (full name Lauralanthalasa hehe...) when they're really super young, like when Tanis is (in appearance) 14, and Laurana is 10, although Tanis is at the time 30, if I'm right. Then, Flint leaves Qualinost, being the bestest of friends w/ the Speaker of the Sun (!), and then comes back occasionally to visit, but the second part of the book doesn't start until 20 years later, when Flint is 40 and Tanis is around 20. Anyway, the setting is not all icky and everything is just a really nice read. It is a good book because it establishes the friendship of Flint and Tanis and gives the reader an idea of how close they are. I tell you, read this book first if you've never read a dragonlance book, because if you do, I promise that by the time you get to Chronicles, when Flint does, you will cry your eyes out! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as I have... I loved this book... And I'm not surprised at how excellent it was considering the background of the authors.
Rating: Summary: A must have! Review: First off, let me say that the synopsis mentioned above isn't exactly correct. Second off, keep in mind that this *is* a mystery-type novel. Very well done, too might I add, lol. The story of how Tanis and Flint (he's as grumpy as ever!)came together is told here, alas evil is afoot. Someone is killing off elves, and circumstances are just right for Tanis to be accused. Flint has to find evidence of Tanis' innocence or he (Tanis) will be banished... a fate worse than death for elves...This story also follows many childhood years of Gilthanis, Porthios, and Laurana... touches on the love exsisting (or not) between Tanis and Laurana. Many well written clues are given in the novel, and yet (for DL fans) it's easy enough to get so engrossed in the tale that you miss them until the killer is revealed! Once I read who it was, I slapped my forehead and grumbled to myself that I should've known ;) The suspects that are created through the writing are plenty... nearly everyone... Only one complaint though... the final battle was too short, too conveniant, too 'of all the luck'... but this setback doesn't really cut into the enjoyabilty of the novel.
Rating: Summary: A must have! Review: First off, let me say that the synopsis mentioned above isn't exactly correct. Second off, keep in mind that this *is* a mystery-type novel. Very well done, too might I add, lol. The story of how Tanis and Flint (he's as grumpy as ever!)came together is told here, alas evil is afoot. Someone is killing off elves, and circumstances are just right for Tanis to be accused. Flint has to find evidence of Tanis' innocence or he (Tanis) will be banished... a fate worse than death for elves... This story also follows many childhood years of Gilthanis, Porthios, and Laurana... touches on the love exsisting (or not) between Tanis and Laurana. Many well written clues are given in the novel, and yet (for DL fans) it's easy enough to get so engrossed in the tale that you miss them until the killer is revealed! Once I read who it was, I slapped my forehead and grumbled to myself that I should've known ;) The suspects that are created through the writing are plenty... nearly everyone... Only one complaint though... the final battle was too short, too conveniant, too 'of all the luck'... but this setback doesn't really cut into the enjoyabilty of the novel.
Rating: Summary: Fantastic Dragonlance background Review: For all fans of the Heros of the Lance, this book is a must read. It delves into the birth and childhood of Tanis Half-Elven. Accentuating on the intrigue and politics of the Qualinesti Elves. It goes into great detail on how and why Flint Fireforge and Tanis became friends, and also gives details as to the events that lead to Tanis' mixed emotions about his homeland that was brought up in the Other dragonlance books. Even to the non-DL reader, this book is a real page turner, with action and magic and politics and murder. I highly reccommend.
Rating: Summary: BLECH!!! Review: I absolutely CANNOT STAND IT when lesser authors screw around with Weis & Hickman's original characters! It's such an obviously cynical, money-motivated ploy, it makes me sick. Why I read this is beyond me. Don't you make the same mistake.
Rating: Summary: Loyal to the DragonLance World, but unique Review: I cannot compare this to any of the other Sextet novels (as I haven't read them), but this was definitely a worth-while read. An interesting plot on its own and well placed within the DragonLance world, it gives definition and strength to Tanis' and Flint's characters. For some reason, it felt laid back to me, not the usual tension found within DL, but at the time that was welcome.
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