Rating: 
Summary: I actually enjoyed this
Review: I was dubious when various Mithgar fans told me that this was the best book of the series. Well, astonishingly, I really did enjoy this tale. It's head-and-shoulders over the rest of the series, in pacing, content, characterization, and description. Why couldn't the other books have been like this?The book handles two enemies from warring civilizations: the Vanadurin and the Chakka (Dwarves). These two are Thork, the brother of the DelfLord and Elyn, the Princess of Jord. Flashback sequences handle why they are enemies: Elyn's twin brother Elgo destroyed the dragon Sleeth, and took the massive hoard of Dwarf gold for his kingdom. When the Dwarves demanded that it be returned, Elgo responded scornfully. There was a bloody battle, during which Thork's father and Elyn's brother were both killed. In the present, an evil wizard named Andrak conspires with the powerful dragon Kalgalath to get the gold away from the Vanadurin, with the demand that Kalgalath find him a tiny silver horn among the treasure. Kalgalath can't be defeated -- or can he? Elyn and Thork, initially distrusting and disliking each other, must depend on each other in the effort to find a silveron warhammer that could destroy Kalgalath... I wish that each of Dennis McKiernan's books took six years to write; maybe then they would be as pleasant to read as this one. I enjoyed such scenes as Elgo's hunting for Sleeth, the scenes with Dalavar (who seems a little spacey compared to his other appearances), Elyn's training as a Warrior Maid, and the appearance of the Utruni (who are talking more normally than in the Hel's Crucible duology). There are also visible links to future adventures (chronologically) especially the Silver Call duology. Modru annoyed me in the other books where he appeared, but he was unusually smart, devious, and cunning. Elyn and Thork have more care taken with their characterizations and their gradual movement from disgust to respect to love. Elyn's training against the odds set against her (including her whiny spinster aunt) made me respect the character, and the fact that she didn't turn into a blubbering idiot when she fell in love. Thork is tough, gruff, stubborn, with a hidden soft streak. The writing style and dialogue are still "ye olde" but more polished and professional. It didn't annoy me much at all. I just wish Modru and Andrak would quit hissing or sissing (yes, they keep doing it). I get it, they're bad. They don't need to hiss to emphasize it. Why three stars? Well, one thing is the Tolkienian elements. These are nowhere near as numerous as they are in his other books, aside from the Vanadurin, but: A dragon attacks and conquers a Dwarf citadel inside a mountain. He slaughters the inhabitants and takes their treasure for himself. He then takes a prolonged nap on top of the giant pile of treasure. Oh WHERE have I read this before? Normally that would result in only four stars. But the book is so awkwardly arranged that I found parts of it near-impossible to read. I don't mind flashbacks, but literally half of this book is made up of them. And it isn't simply flashing back to one time, but up to three alongside the present storyline. We skip back in time eleven years, then one year, then to the present, then seven years -- it gets very confusing and hard to read. I had to keep flipping back in the book to figure out what had happened in that part of the story. Overall, the best of McKiernan's books that I have currently read. Pretty nice fantasy adventure for the sword-and-sorcery crowd.
Rating: 
Summary: Back in Print Soon!
Review: Okay. This is by far one of the best books I have every read. I re-read this book at least once a year. It never gets old, even when I know what's next. Especially for you women readers of fantasy. If you liked Eowyn in LoTR, then you will love Elyn in Dragondoom. It also has great morals for everyone. We can all learn a little from the characters in this book. Denis' new publisher is going to re-release this wonderful book. I highly recommend it. So keep your eye here on Amazon for it's next release. It must be soon!
Rating:
Summary: great reading a must for everyone to read who likes fantasy
Review: some would compare mr mckiernan to tolkien but I say he is better than tolkien.Tolkien was too one sided black hats and white hats I see more reality and compassion for both sides with the exception of the foul folk who are truly evil although I'm sure Alamar would have me define the term.I still like denniss books better than tolkien.the only one to come close was Robert Fiest.
Rating:
Summary: Where he broke out of JRRTolkiens shadow
Review: The first three books of Mithgar were based off of an out-line that was distilled from the Lord of the Rings. The next two, now published in one volume as the Silver Call, started away from that level of imitation, and dealt with a theme that Professor Tolkien never really touched upon: the liberation of Moria. Of course the races are different in description and name, and the characters (for the most part) have different names than in MiddleEarth, but that is what the Silver Call essentially is. While there was no real out-line for it, the Silver Call follows the same simple style of progression that the Iron Tower did originally.
Then we come to Dragon's Doom. It is completely different in style, and Mr. McKiernan devotes actual time to develope the characters, to a degree that the first books did not touch. It is as if the idea that had been in the back of his mind finally burst forth at precisely the right time, and joined his ability to write exactly at lift-off. We are introduced to the Mithgar world before the Winter War at the earliest days of Elgo who would become the bane of the Cold Drake Sleeth. Each chapter is a flashback or a flash forward until the middle of the book where we meet with Elgo's sister meeting up, unintentionally, with a dwarf prince from the kingdom that is now at war with hers. During this chapter flashing, we see the entire history of the story laid out before us, from the coming of Sleeth to his death, and the consequences of the first time ever that a dragon was killed by a mere human, and laid out in a captivating style. In this work Mr. McKiernan expands the universe he has created from one or two points to a true timeline, and he does it seamlessly, despite the unchronological publishing order. And he continues that in his other books, becoming in my experience the best author for filling out a universe/timeline from beginning of it to the end, even more so than Professor Tolkien. This is where that began. Would-be authors should emulate this quality, if any of us can.
Rating:
Summary: Dragondoom
Review: This book was excellent. I have added to my collection of memorable and collectable books at home. It was very sad and the tale had me wanting more right up to the end. This was the book that led me to be an avid Mckiernan fan.
Rating:
Summary: Dragondoom
Review: This is one of the best Fantasy books I have ever read. It has everything, it's a love story, with epic battles set in an awesome world!!! I have purchased it 3 times now and keep loaning it out and not getting it back, next time I will keep it under lock and key!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Dragon Doom
Review: This is one the best books i have read.
It has everything you could want in a book love hate war courage it has it all.
I read a review about this book and it said that a passage from it was on pg56 its on pg57
Would you fight to the death
For that which you love
In a cause surely hopeless
For that which you love.
Dennis L. Mckiernan
is the best.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasy's Best Kept Secret
Review: This is, quite simply, my favorite fantasy novel. I've read everything from Tolkien, Jordan, Goodkind, Brooks, and Tad Williams, and loved it all, but nothing they've written is as poignant as this novel. I won't say anything else (except don't read the author's note at the beginning of the book), because I don't want to spoil anything for you. Read it. PS, everything else I've read from McKiernan sucked. Go figure.
Rating:
Summary: An absolute MUST!
Review: This was the first book I ever read of this author and I was hooked on his books ever since. A tragic love story that is set in a fantastic backdrop of dragons, dwarven gold, heroic figures, and warring races. McKiernan creates a fabulous world with hints of other storylines to whet your appetites for more!! Should be made a Classic!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, Solid, Tolkien-style Fantasy
Review: This was the first book of McKiernan's I have read, and I enjoyed the old Dwarves and Dragons style fantasy that is presented here in superb fashion. I have a special place in my heart for this facet of fantasy writing, and in my opinion it is a step above most of the other Tolkien-inspired writings that are out there (But of course not better than Tolkien himself.) McKieran takes a different approach in presenting the chronology of his story, jumping back and forth between the past and present of his two main characters, the dwarf Thork and the Warrior Maiden Elyn. At first glance it seems that this strategy would make the book a unmanigeable mess, but McKiernan pulls it off flawlessly, and the story is stronger because of it. McKiernan handles his description and prose very well, but at times he seems to reiterate himself a bit too much. These instances, while annoying, are not especially frequent and the story flows very smoothly inspite of them. All in all I highly recommend this to those who want to take a break from contemporary fantasy and get back to the genre's roots for awhile.
| 
