Rating: 
Summary: Death of the Dragon - Birth of Great Literature
Review: This is one of the best, if not the best, fantasy epic adventures that I have ever read. The story is gripping; the characters are real; the plot lines are original; the magic is original; there is even an original monster or two; and there is a dragon -- a very big dragon. I read 'Cormyr: A Novel' quite a while ago and was very impressed with the magnitude of the history of the world it described. It stood out as a book-among-books because of its scope and credibility. It weaved two story lines, one of now, a strand of sky blue, and one of then, a strand of gold, to tell a fantastic tale. 'Beyond the High Road' continues the tale of now with lots of references to the tale of then to lay the foundation for 'Death of the Dragon'. Normally, I don't like books that merely set up the next book but I gladly accepted it in this case because of the wonderful story and originality that went into it. 'Cormyr' is not necessary reading but it is strongly recommended and will make 'Dragon' much more enjoyable. Reading 'Beyond the High Road' is an absolute must otherwise the reader will be quite lost and confused. Without giving too much away, let's just say that this book turns the typical stereotype of never-a-doubt that Good will prevail and stretches it to the extreme. Normally few, if any, good guys actually die. If they do it is only after the momentous battle that is the conclusion of the book. Not here. Greenwood & Denning show much more reality in the battles. They must have taken cues from WWII film footage. You will see where death keeps her sting. This book will draw you into the story and make you read it because what happends next is never predictable. The story is one long perilous journey; there is no safe place to rest and no safe place to close the book. This trilogy is a must read for any fan of the genre and a great first for someone just beginning it.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost a masterpiece
Review: Though it's presumably the third book in the Cormyr Saga, Death of the Dragon is more the continuation of events that begin in Beyond the High Road. I didn't much like that story, but taken in whole the pair of novels is excellent. These two books should really be one, and probably would be if they weren't so long. A lot of things that didn't make much sense in High Road are cleared up, for example- what made the ghazneths and what exactly is their purpose other than wreaking wanton carnage and destruction. You also learn what exactly happened to Vangerdahast, which was a bit perplexing at the end of High Road. There's a lot of orc-killing in Death of the Dragon (hard to do Forgotten Realms without at least some of that!) and visceral battle. While the plot isn't precisely ingenious, it is exciting and generally fun to follow. As a matter of fact, Death of the Dragon is great reading- I couldn't put it down... at least for the first 375 pages. I seriously urge readers to STOP there! It is odd, really, since I've found that usually fantasy novels either stay strong all the way through or start weak and end strong. In Death of the Dragon, it starts strong, stays strong, and concludes with a whimper- the ending is probably the lamest conclusion I have EVER read in a novel. It's a real pity, because the rest of it is so great. I'm baffled as to why Greenwood and Denning chose to drag it on for 12 more pages of what amounts to useless drivel that breaks the breakneck pace of the plot and is sopping with ridiculous sentimentality. For a second it looked as if they were trying to end on a happier note, but they didn't succeed in that- and I don't think this would be a good idea anyway. If you've already read High Road, definitely read Death of the Dragon. It would be a shame to suffer through that novel and not get to this rewarding read. At this point, I see two ways the Cormyr Saga can be resolved- either another book with a well-written finale, or a truncation of the last 12 pages of this one. Since Death of the Dragon was so good for the better part, I would recommend the latter.
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