Rating: Summary: This book really should have been a trilogy Review: I really wanted to like this book, but I found it hard to, for a number of reasons. First of all, it seems to me that too much happens too fast. Second of all, I didn't think some of the characters were well-developed -- mostly Palin and Usha. Their love affair pretty much amounted to "love at first sight --oops! she's my cousin!" I think a fine job was done with Steel Brightblade's character, however. Third, I found the whole "Raistlin comes back from the dead" thing a little overdone and weird...though I am one of the legions who counts Raistlin as my favorite DL character, I think that, aside from the scene where he fools the Gray Knights into thinking he's a zombie, he was portrayed as really...flat. Then again, I guess 30 years in the Abyss will do that to a person. Finally, I found the battle against Chaos to be really anticlimatic.Weis and Hickman are good writers, IMO the best who've written in the DL series. I think Weis' _The Soulforge_ was excellent, for instance. However, all of the things I mentioned above were really not so much because I think they did a lousy job but because it seemed like they were trying to cram too much story and too many complicated interactions into one book. The reunion between Caramon and Raistlin seemed abrupt; it would have been more dramatic and probably more touching if it had been longer, instead of just a few paragraphs. I get the feeling that this book would've been better as a trilogy, so that there would've been more time to explore the development of Palin and Usha's love affair (and the torment of trying not to love your own "cousin"), an extended death/farewell scene for Tanis' exit, and how Raistlin's return from the Abyss affected those who knew him (it's as if he just went out for pizza and came back; no shock, no one asking why or where the heck he's been, just...flat). I also thought that Raistlin wanting to see Crysania again was kind of...I don't know, out of place? All in all (I'm sure I'm in the minority here) I was disappointed. Still, I guess if you're a die-hard DL fan, it has a lot to offer.
Rating: Summary: Garbage of the highest form Review: Killing off Tanis was horrid. This book was trash, rot, not even worth the fire to burn it.
Rating: Summary: Be-Aware of other reviews Review: Other reviews below mine could reveal too much for your liking. I read the first 6 books about 10 years ago. Bought them recently for my 10 year old and he is a little young for them so I read them again. I hardly remembered a thing except "Look, Raist....Bunnies...;-)" I discovered a new 4th chronicle and got it right away and quickly realized it wasn't gonna be the same book I was used to. Took me 3 days to read it. Man I was glad I was sick so I could stay home in bed and read it! Considering that the book takes place 20 years after the last and I have aged about 10 it was very much like seeing old great friends. There were even a few places that brought a tear to my eye. If you want to go see some good old friends I suggest by all mean that you do so. If you want to critique a book and pick it apart well..... ok you can do that too...hehe I really loved it. My only regret was that I read a few reviews about it that told me more about the story than I really wanted to know. Weis and Hickman gotta tell ya, I still love ya.. [note one hint]: that picture on the cover of this book never happens in the story.
Rating: Summary: The best so far...... Review: I have to admit, this is one of the best books I've ever read. The introduction of the new characters and the new age makes it interesting to the last page. I never much cared for Raistlin, but my opinion of him was changed when I read this. True, some of the characters like Tas seemed to have more dulled personalities, but he is older, and it makes room for the other, new characters to shine. I highly suggest you read this book.
Rating: Summary: An ultimate conclusion to a wonderful series Review: My first impression of this book was that it would be a disjointed add-on to a popular series for the purpose of making some money. However, I was very wrong. This book truly concludes the saga of the Heros of the Lance in an epic way. This book breaks all the typical fantasy romanticism rules. Good does not always win in this book; loved characters die, but not just to evoke a feeling of sadness in the reader, but for a real purpose in the story. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have truly created a masterpiece with this novel, even transcending the previous Chronicles and Legends series. This is an absolutely wonderful book that everyone should read.
Rating: Summary: Full of Adventure and Action Packed Review: Being one of the best books I've ever read, I am now hooked on the Dragon Lance series. This is definitely Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman at their best. I couldn't really find a problem with it, so it deserves five stars! On top of a great story with lots of action, Weis and Hickman can really get you attached to the characters. To anyone who wants/likes a good read, I recomend this book!
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: Absolutely Required Reading for Dragonlance Fans Review: First, let me say that I don't give five stars to all Dragonlance books. However, if you have read the previous books in the saga, not reading this one would almost be like not reading the third book in the original trilogy. Note that this book is _not_ the "fourth" book in the "Chronicles" sequence. It happens chronologically after the "Legends" saga, and should be read after one has already read the entire 6 book saga ("Chronicles" + "Legends"). Thus, in some ways, it is like a bigger version of _Dragon's of Spring Dawning_, as it ties up everything, or most everything. Yes, many things happen in this book that some will not like. I would have liked Raistlin to have come back in a more powerful capacity. I would have liked more use of the original characters. The ending might make you unhappy, but don't worry: Tracy and Marg has something else up their sleeve. You see, this book is _Technically_ the first book of the "Fifth Generation" series. The "War of Souls" saga is 1/3 of the way done and carries the story on, so don't worry that it is all over in the end :>.
Rating: Summary: Not as good as the rest of the Chronicles Review: For the amount of material covered, this book should have been its own trilogy. It seemed like Weis and Hickman rushed through the story to make it fit in one book. Case in point, the death of Tanis Half-Elven, perhaps the most influential character in all of Dragonlance. This story doesn't belong in the Chronicles anyway. It has almost no relation to the first three. There simply seems to be too much missing to merit anything more than three stars. By the way, why don't we ever meet Gilthas?
Rating: Summary: Changing the entire Dragonlance universe? Review: To me, this book seemed to negate the entire structure of the Dragonlance realm. Without giving too much away, they kill off most of the remaining Heroes of the Lance, dispel the gods, and dispose of entire class - the magic user. Lord Soth makes an appearance as well (but he was trapped in the Ravenloft world forever a few years ago - he must have found a way out). The do delve into the next generation of Heroes (Palin and Steel) but at what price - the total restructuring of the entire Dragonlance world? Too bad that books aren't like cars, this one needs a recall. I beleive that this book suffered the same fate as many succesful series. Did anyone see Jaws 4, where the shark went to the Bahamas and was killing people because it was "personal"? This book is sort of like that. Crank out too many sequels and you are going to have a dud. This one is it.
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