Rating: 
Summary: OUTSTANDING! (So real! Is it historical fiction? Prophecy?)
Review: This is probably the best series of books I have ever read (I haven't read Tolkien yet. I KNOW, I'm sorry!). I just cannot say enough good things about this book series. I literally read it 3 times through, and each time I can relate to a different character and come to see it from their perspective.The way that Tracy and Margaret bring the characters to life significantly contributes to the reason this series of books is so great. By the end of the 1st book, Hugh the Hand (Best Assassin in the world), Alfred(Sartan Mage), Haplo(Patryn Mage), Bane(son of most powerful human mage alive), and the rest of the characters have almost come to life in your mind. If you're going to read Fantasy(Or SciFi) start with this! The sense of depth these books have to them makes you wonder if it's actually historical fiction that Margaret and Tracy are writing about and the index each book has is absolutely amazing. Whenever you're confused about something the characters are making reference to (or if you 'missed' [skipped, lol] the part when the character's were discussing it) you can simply look it up in the back index and you'll understand it better than you would have just reading straight through. (THEY EVEN HAVE DIAGRAMS OF EVERYTHING!) Margaret and Tracy together are unparalleled writers equal to only a few such as Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Knaak, Louis Lamour(SP?) and the like. I won't be suprised when this series becomes the next movie series. Except for the fact that since the book's environs are so diverse (they 'literally' create whole worlds with flora and fauna and a whole system of language [actually I think it might be latin]) the movie industry right now might not be up to it. Finally, if you're worried about it being too advanced or too intellectual, don't. The characters are incredably deep, but like real people, are revealed to you slowly through the actions they take and throughout the series, so you're not overwhelmed all at once. All the books are great, and I will read the series a 4th, 5th, and maybe a 6th time. Although one of the middle books does drag a little because it's mostly about the humans, dwarves, and elves (Mensch: Patryn/Sartan(Magus) word for humans, dwarves, and elves or anyone else who doesn't live thousands of years).
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING! (So real! Is it historical fiction? Prophecy?)
Review: This is probably the best series of books I have ever read (I haven't read Tolkien yet. I KNOW, I'm sorry!). I just cannot say enough good things about this book series. I literally read it 3 times through, and each time I can relate to a different character and come to see it from their perspective. The way that Tracy and Margaret bring the characters to life significantly contributes to the reason this series of books is so great. By the end of the 1st book, Hugh the Hand (Best Assassin in the world), Alfred(Sartan Mage), Haplo(Patryn Mage), Bane(son of most powerful human mage alive), and the rest of the characters have almost come to life in your mind. If you're going to read Fantasy(Or SciFi) start with this! The sense of depth these books have to them makes you wonder if it's actually historical fiction that Margaret and Tracy are writing about and the index each book has is absolutely amazing. Whenever you're confused about something the characters are making reference to (or if you 'missed' [skipped, lol] the part when the character's were discussing it) you can simply look it up in the back index and you'll understand it better than you would have just reading straight through. (THEY EVEN HAVE DIAGRAMS OF EVERYTHING!) Margaret and Tracy together are unparalleled writers equal to only a few such as Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Knaak, Louis Lamour(SP?) and the like. I won't be suprised when this series becomes the next movie series. Except for the fact that since the book's environs are so diverse (they 'literally' create whole worlds with flora and fauna and a whole system of language [actually I think it might be latin]) the movie industry right now might not be up to it. Finally, if you're worried about it being too advanced or too intellectual, don't. The characters are incredably deep, but like real people, are revealed to you slowly through the actions they take and throughout the series, so you're not overwhelmed all at once. All the books are great, and I will read the series a 4th, 5th, and maybe a 6th time. Although one of the middle books does drag a little because it's mostly about the humans, dwarves, and elves (Mensch: Patryn/Sartan(Magus) word for humans, dwarves, and elves or anyone else who doesn't live thousands of years).
Rating:
Summary: Slow Beginings; Faster Ending
Review: This is the 2nd book of the Death Gate Cycle and has only one returning character from the first book "Dragon Wing" : the Patryn Haplo. The book starts out slow as we are introduced to the Realm of Fire, Pryan. This world stays lit constantly which has made the surface a massive jungle so high that only dwarves have ever seen the ground. The story starts with our introduction to an elf family who are in the weapons business. As the best in the trade, they are the richest in the land. They are selling a new shipment of magic weapons to a pair of human traders/smugglers who in turn are smuggling them to the dwarves. The dwarves are worried due to rumors that mythical Tytans are on the move and destroying everything in their path. It is into this scene that Zifnab (Fizban for those who've read the Dragonlance series) makes a grand entrance fighting to control a huge dragon. After gaining control of the dragon, he predicts Haplo's coming and that the Patryn will be their savior. So when Haplo does show up, he is surprised to see he has been expected and his arrival is none to soon. The mythical Tytans have proved to be all to real and are destroying everything in their path. Much to Haplo's surprise, these Tytans know crude Sartan magic which they use with the force of a mountain and nearly kill Haplo. Haplo and a few survivors barely escape with there lives and make for one of the "stars" in the sky. It is here that Haplo learns about the creation of the Tytans but is no closer to learning what happened to his enemies, the Sartans. Learning about the political situation of Pryan is a tad slow in the begining but Zifnab makes great comic relief and the Tytans make for an interesting creature that (IMO) helps speed the book along. This book continues to slowly show us that Haplo is not pure evil just because he's a Patryn. All-in-all an excellent read!
Rating: 
Summary: The poorest of the series
Review: This is the least of the Death Gate novels. Its story really has little to do with the grand plot. I almost hurled the book across the room when Zifnab (really the wizard Fizban from their flawed Dragonlance books) appeared and started spouting silly references to our own time. This silly comic relief truly spoils whatever tension was building up.
Rating: 
Summary: Marvelous, but...
Review: This is the second greatest fantasy-series I've ever read. This book, like the previous, holds a very high class. The only remark I want to do is about this magician Zifnab. Although his comments can be witty and sometimes even a bit funny he tends to drag the concept of the series down by referring to present time and Tolkien.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite book from the series...
Review: What this book had that the others lacked was a wonderful world to immerse yourself in, and a romantic plotline to help you immerse yourself in the characters. As for Fizban, he's a wonderful character, but I can see how much of the humor is lost on those who haven't met his character in the Dragonlance novels. But, of course, the coolest character in the series is Haplo's dog. Never before has an animal had such a personality.
Rating:
Summary: M, Weis and T. Hickman Have done it again!
Review: Yep yet another wonderful book. The Elven Royalty and respect along with the Characterization are amazingly brought out in this story. I love Fiz--Zifnab he is so adorable who could have imagined Pal--Zifnab to be so originally thought up! All I can say is THANK YOU MARGARET WEIS AND TRACY HICKMAN! Majere9
Rating:
Summary: Best of the DG Cycle
Review: Zifnab adds great comic relief to the relativley dark tale of destruction
Rating:
Summary: The funniest book of the Cycle
Review: Zifnab is the worlds greatest looney. Armed with a lack of better sence and a Pyran Dragon it's no wonder why he can afford to be that way, although Zifnab sorta reminds me of Fizban from Dragonlance...*wanders down a tangent
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