Rating: Summary: Great Story, but not so hot ending Review: The story is fascinating, but it really lacks in the battles that the dragonlance chronicles are used to be filled with. The part about Raistlin's nephew, Palin and his 'daughter'having a feelings for each other. The battle at the High Clerist Tower, when Tanis Half-elven died, was a little short, and the details of the battle was lacking. The best part was when Palin, Caramon's son and Steel Brightblade battled Chaos, the Father of everything and of nothing. It was very vivid and exciting. It could have been better. It doesn't do justice to the Dragonlance Chronicles and the Legends series.
Rating: Summary: It was OK Review: I think that the other chronicles were better than this one but it still had its good points.It was nice to see everyone back again. I especially liked it when Tas proved that small people can't only do small things.
Rating: Summary: Krynn is not what it used to be... Review: I will admit I was a fantasy geek, and as of late I have been reading less and less. I recently to try to recapture the magic of this type of fiction so I reread some of the Dragon Lance books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.This book is great; I like the ideas behind it and of the honorable enemy. It makes you wonder if they are evil, and what is evil. After reading this I almost forced myself to read Aristotle's Ethics once again; not a good idea. The book has a great writing style and by far I think it's the best by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman but its almost as if the authors ran out of steam before the end. It's a shame that their best work is overshadowed by one big flaw; the ending. The ending seems forced and a shortcut to let the 5th age begin, and the 5th age is what made my friends and I stop reading dragon lance. A great book that brought upon 5th age, or as we like to call it the end of Dragon Lance. The ending of the book is so bad it loses a star and the ending of the series caused by this book makes yet one more star vanish.
Rating: Summary: At least Raistlin came back.... Review: This book was an enjoyable diversion, but certainly not the best the series (and the authors) have to offer. This book is definitely for readers who are desperate for more Dragonlance to inhale, and in the regard, it suceeds. However, and I know I'm going to be critized for this, the character Tasslehoff makes another annoying, unfunny, tired, overblown and unrealistic appearance in this book AS WELL, which makes him a major character in every Chronicles and Legends book. I'm sick of this character, always saying the same things, stealing, and yet somehow surviving huge battles and coming out the hero. The very same thing irked me about TLOR, tiny characters like the hobbits somehow defeating powerful wizards and such. I know that maybe Tolkien and Hickman and Weis intend that these characters represent the triumph of spirit over body, but I'm frankly sick of Tasslehoff's tired gags. Thankfully, in this book he finally dies, but of course, after defeating the destroyer of worlds and saving all of existence basically by himself. On the plus side, Raistlin comes back, and is still an interesting character, though I can't really respect him because he never killed Tasslehoff even when he had all those lovely chances. I'm amazed people actually like Tasslehoff! Anyway, it's a good book and you'll probably like it.
Rating: Summary: Dragonlance's last hurrah... Review: This book concludes the fourth age of Krynn and rushes it into the fifth age and to a ridulous [level]. But that is a different review. This book is good, the plot was intriguing and the characters deep and agreeable (though Palin kind of ticks you off at times with his insatiable whining). Somethings I did find disconcerting about this book was that it seemed rushed, and I too believe that the authors were forced into changing Krynn in order for TSR to use a new game to base the books on (and in my opinion souring the book a bit and ruining Dragonlance evermore). But this is an excellent read and maybe the last of the Dragonlance line. Wies and Hickman end Dragonlance 4th age with a flare few can...hopefully Dragon's of a Fallen Sun with revive once mighty story line.
Rating: Summary: Action Packed! Review: Yes, I know it was the end of an AWESOME series, but think about it. This had the most action, spells, swords flying, and for all you fast readers out there, more PAGES! Personally, I LOVED it! Im a big magic fan, and there was a lot of magic in it, so I was totally satisfied with the book. I recomend it to ALL DL readers!
Rating: Summary: And the Flame goes out... Review: Alright, all in all the book was excellent. There are some things though that should be cautioned though... But if this is gonna ruin the book for you DON'T READ IT! Last chance... Alright, first of all. Like most of the readers I felt as if the whole of DragonLance was pulled out from beneath me when Tanis died. He was one of the original characters and (though all of us have to die sometime)I feel he should have had a more heroic death or they could have at least described his funeral afterward. COME ON! He's one of the main people! Anyway, I did like how Tasselhoff was in it and I found that the way he died (sniff) was very noble. That part I think was played up really well, exspecially with the epilogue. The first time I read the book I felt a little confused about the new characters and had to read it again to acually feel any compassion for them. You just didn't have the kind of kinship with them that you feel you have with the other characters (exspecially if you've read the preludes)and it kinda takes away from the story. The part about the 'hidden race' (Irqa) did answer any questions about the (Love and War- one of the Tales trilogy) Raistlin's daughter story and taught you about them. I didn't really like how all the Irqa (minus Usha) died because well, it's kinda sad.All in all the book did have a stirring plot and showed the 'companions' lives later whihc is interesting as well. There is a satisfaction of the story since it does seem to be the boundary between Fifth age and before it. It kind of wraps up the 'companions' lives and brings a whole new 'world' to be unleashed. (too bad Tas didn't have any children!)
Rating: Summary: disappointing end to a great series Review: (spoiler review) The overall sense I got about this book is that the authors were pressured to put out another volume in the series. Their response? To virtually kill off the world of Ansalon as their readers know it. Sure, it survived, but it's not the same world it was -- all the gods are gone. Killing Tanis and Tas might have seemed like the final nail in the coffin, but I could have dealt with that had they provided better characters to take their places. However, the only truly complex character (Steel) dies in the final battle, leaving us with Palin (who somehow isn't terribly believable) and the fairly one-dimensional Usha. Very disappointing. All good things must come to an end; I just wish this had been a better one.
Rating: Summary: Farewell to a close friend Review: I had great anticipation of this book, primarily because the original trilogy influenced me when I was a bit younger. This book fell far short of my expectations. I suppose that some letdown was inevetible, based on magic of the previous books, but I had a hard time accepting the premise of the storyline and the characters. The book started out with great promise, but as it progressed, it got more rushed. As others have mentioned, the plot and especially the character development was weak. The great thing about the other DL books was the characters that every reader could identify with. I also agree that the story should have been made a trilogy, because of the above mentioed points. I am unsure of the political problems behind the TSR and authors, as others have alluded to, but this book just had no "magic" or spark to hold your attention. I guess I expected the authors to grab me with a spellbinding story like they have in the past. The true problem with this story is that we, as readers of DL, expect that all will be well in the end, that the heroes will triumph, and that the sun willl rise tomorrow. Isn't that is what fantasy is all about, that our heroes live, or at least die heroic deaths, so that the world goes on? I am very dissapointed in this book, and while it is an end to the original DL series, it is also an end to my DL world, to which I probably, and sadly, will not return.
Rating: Summary: ...this book should never have been born. Review: I am a huge fan of the series, but this book was terriblebeyond words. Like some old retired [xxx] actor, Weis and Hickman comeout to perform a final filthy act strictly for the money. Outside this book, the series was great.
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