by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
This Dungeons & Dragons-inspired fantasy adventure is the first installment in the beloved Dragonlance Chronicles
Once merely creatures of legend, the dragons have returned to Krynn. But with their arrival comes the departure of the old gods—and all healing magic. As war threatens to engulf the land, lifelong friends reunite for an adventure that will change their lives and shape their world forever . . .
When Tanis, Sturm, Caramon, Raistlin, Flint, and Tasslehoff see a woman use a blue crystal staff to heal a villager, they wonder if it’s a sign the gods have not abandoned them after all. Fueled by this glimmer of hope, the Companions band together to uncover the truth behind the gods’ absence—though they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the staff. The Seekers want the artifact for their own ends, believing it will help them replace the gods and overtake the continent of Ansalon. Now, the Companions must assume the unlikely roles of heroes if they hope to prevent the staff from falling into the hands of darkness.
My Take
Oh yawn. I almost gave up on this book. It’s all about the plot and yet the plot just feels like running from one hopeless challenge to another with little rhyme or reason. The characters are the flattest, most stereotypical I’ve seen in a long time. I got no real sense they were people, so I couldn’t care what happened to them. And annoying? Constant bickering and distrust yes still oddly flat dialog. The group of misfits and series of quests kind of reminds me of the Rogues of the Republic series, but I liked those characters and stories.
Maybe if I had some interest in dungeons and dragons games I would like this more, but I don’t and I didn’t. The shallowest book I’ve read in a long time.