THE SECOND VOLUME OF THIS MUCH ADORED FANTASY SERIES doesnt continue directly on from the end of book one. I must admit to finding this fact more than a little disconcerting, but then the story gets out of first gear, the characters are re-united, and the fun begins.
Krynn is still at war. The draconian army is back, causing more death, destruction and havoc than ever before and we get to see and learn more of their military bureaucracy. We obviously also learn more of the geography of Krynn but its the characters from the opening volume that dominate our hearts, our minds and our souls in this tale, and probably will do so forever.
New characters are introduced to the legend (pun intended) here and initially we dont know what to make of them, but by book’s end we surely do. Character development is an important part of any novel, in particular fantasy stories, and some of our beloved characters grow and evolve whilst some dont. Some characters disappear entirely from the book’s storyline (don’t worry, they are still alive) and whilst you think you might miss them, you dont. That is because the action gets up to full speed with the story’s war time action and you are so invested into the drama that you forget all about the missing characters taking a rest off stage that it doesnt matter.
Whole new species are introduced as well, and they damn near steal the show. Yes, folks, I amtalking about those adorably gorgeous gnomes, who live and worship the geographic miracle they refer to as Mount Nevermind. No thats not the full and proper name for it, but there’s no room for me to include it here in my review so i will let you discover that literary jewel for yourself. And quality humour makes a surprisingly welcome entry into the Dragonlane Legend with some laugh out loud moments, including of course the reference to Mount Nevermind itself. Take a look at Kindle Location (KL) 5574 for an example, as well as KL3389. LOL to the power of all things LOL-able.
There are some traditional fantasy, epic, goosebump generating moments, too, such as the discovery of Huma’s tomb, the secret of the creation of the fabled Dragonlance weapon, who makes it, and how. Plus of course Alhana’s starjewel, its emotional connection to the party and its magical powers, also revealed right at the story’s end. And speaking of which, I have literally just finished the book and i find my heart bereft at the loss of a major character. Obviously I cant say who or what in my review but the event in question contributes to form a stunning end to one of the most enjoyable fantasy stories I have ever read. I always thought Dragonlance novels were for the younger generation, written to encourage readers to see how their minds and imaginations fare in a fantasy environment. And whilst that is no doubt true, the stories are also written for the more mature audience who is able to appreciate and integrate their own life times of adventure, love, friendship and death into the world of Krynn into a much more tangible experience. And of course the more you put onto the table of life, the more you risk losing.
So in closing, i hereby award DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT an obvious and easy five stars. Its far superior to book one on many levels, but it’s mainly the emotional attachment you have to the characters that we have grown to love and the risks they face as they stand up to evil in the act of protecting what they hold dear that makes it all so unforgettably compelling.
Now onto book three.
Dragons of Winter Night: Dragonlance: Chronicles, Book 2
Audible Audiobook
– Unabridged
| Amazon Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
Library Binding
"Please retry" | $30.83 | — |
|
Mass Market Paperback
"Please retry" | $14.09 | — |
|
MP3 CD, MP3 Audio, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $25.11 | — |
Read & Listen
Switch between reading the Kindle book & listening to the Audible narration with Whispersync for Voice.
Get the Audible audiobook for the reduced price of $3.49 after you buy the Kindle book.
Get the Audible audiobook for the reduced price of $3.49 after you buy the Kindle book.
People who bought this also bought
Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
Customer reviews
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Good Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 July 2017Verified Purchase
Average Joe
Original D&D
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 January 2020Verified Purchase
BlueSkinBlake
Great if you aren't expecting Raymond Carver!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 September 2017Verified Purchase
Mr Gary W Rothwell
fabulous return to my childhood
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 April 2022Verified Purchase
Simon R
Fun to read, not too deep
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 January 2015Verified Purchase
