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Dragonlance: The War of Souls #3
El nombre del Único
The flames of war devour Ansalon. The army of dead souls marches toward conquest, led by the mystical warrior Mina, who serves the powerful One God.
A small band of heroes, driven to desperate measures, leads the fight against overwhelming odds.
Two unlikely protagonists emerge. One is a dragon overlord who will not easily relinquish her rule. The other is an irrepressible kender who has been on a strange and remarkable journey that will end in startling and unforeseen fashion.
The stirring climax of the War of Souls.
A small band of heroes, driven to desperate measures, leads the fight against overwhelming odds.
Two unlikely protagonists emerge. One is a dragon overlord who will not easily relinquish her rule. The other is an irrepressible kender who has been on a strange and remarkable journey that will end in startling and unforeseen fashion.
The stirring climax of the War of Souls.
457 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
145 people are currently reading
3150 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Weis
636 books5,830 followersMargaret Edith Weis is an American fantasy and science fiction author of dozens of novels and short stories. At TSR, Inc., she teamed with Tracy Hickman to create the Dragonlance role-playing game (RPG) world. She is founding CEO and owner of Sovereign Press, Inc and Margaret Weis Productions, licensing several popular television and movie franchises to make RPG series in addition to their own.
In 1999, Pyramid magazine named Weis one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons, saying she and Hickman are "basically responsible for the entire gaming fiction genre". In 2002, she was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in part for Dragonlance.
In 1999, Pyramid magazine named Weis one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons, saying she and Hickman are "basically responsible for the entire gaming fiction genre". In 2002, she was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in part for Dragonlance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 1, 2022
This is the final book of a trilogy and it must be read in order. In this one, Takhisis is trying to gain physical form and rule the world. Meanwhile, Gilthas and his elves have been forced out of their homes and have nowhere to live. They look upon their fellow elves for help and support.
I liked this book but it wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed the first book of this trilogy but my enjoyment declined with each book afterwards. There were things that I did like in this book and things I did not care fore. That is why I went with the three star rating. The scope of the book is epic. The looming threat from Tahkisis is tangible and the reader can understand the call to arms. I love the minor plot about the elves. I find this fascinating and I wished that we spent more time with that particular plot. That leads into things I did not care for in this book. With little time spent on the elves we spent a lot of time on a plot that I thought was over done. To me, this read as a soft reboot to the realm of Krynn. It seemed like the original authors were trying to correct what other authors did to this world. It was needed but I don't think it belonged in this book. Throughout this book I thought it was too long in some parts and too short in others as some plots seemed to wrap up rather quickly.
This isn't my favorite trilogy in this realm as I thought the same when I read it years ago. It is likeable. Maybe I am comparing it to other trilogies in this realm and that is just not fair. The characters in this trilogy just don't hold a candle to other characters in this book. It does set up for interesting stories to come especially with the Elves. I have read those books and they are really good. Even beloved characters from previous books did not evoke the same feelings I have had for them. It is worth a read but nowhere close to my favorite in this realm.
I liked this book but it wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed the first book of this trilogy but my enjoyment declined with each book afterwards. There were things that I did like in this book and things I did not care fore. That is why I went with the three star rating. The scope of the book is epic. The looming threat from Tahkisis is tangible and the reader can understand the call to arms. I love the minor plot about the elves. I find this fascinating and I wished that we spent more time with that particular plot. That leads into things I did not care for in this book. With little time spent on the elves we spent a lot of time on a plot that I thought was over done. To me, this read as a soft reboot to the realm of Krynn. It seemed like the original authors were trying to correct what other authors did to this world. It was needed but I don't think it belonged in this book. Throughout this book I thought it was too long in some parts and too short in others as some plots seemed to wrap up rather quickly.
This isn't my favorite trilogy in this realm as I thought the same when I read it years ago. It is likeable. Maybe I am comparing it to other trilogies in this realm and that is just not fair. The characters in this trilogy just don't hold a candle to other characters in this book. It does set up for interesting stories to come especially with the Elves. I have read those books and they are really good. Even beloved characters from previous books did not evoke the same feelings I have had for them. It is worth a read but nowhere close to my favorite in this realm.
January 28, 2020
This was a very strong finish to the entire series for me. At first, I was upset with how Weis and Hickman explained Jean Rabe's plot. But, I got over it and actually grew to appreciate it because it made sense, and they redeemed some of the finer points for me, like the heart magic really not being from Takhisis, after all. I enjoyed the progression of this book specifically, and I really like the endings for each of the characters. I feel like they're all appropriate and fair, unlike Tanis' ending, which I'm still mad about, but whatever. Overall, this book has some great scenes, some great battles, and touching moments. I highly recommend it to DL fans. You can't really NOT read this and be a DL fan!
**I'm so tempted to read Weis' series on Mina to continue the story because Mina gets a backdoor spinoff ending, to use a TV phrase, and I do want to know where that leads. But I really don't like Mina, and I found almost every scene with her in it painful to read. It was all overly sentimental and far fetched and just annoying. So, I'm not sure I want to torture myself. But I didn't care for Dhamon Grimwulf at first either, yet now I'm REALLY looking forward to reading Lake of Death (Dhamon's conclusion), so maybe I'll end up reading Dark Disciple one of these days...
**I'm so tempted to read Weis' series on Mina to continue the story because Mina gets a backdoor spinoff ending, to use a TV phrase, and I do want to know where that leads. But I really don't like Mina, and I found almost every scene with her in it painful to read. It was all overly sentimental and far fetched and just annoying. So, I'm not sure I want to torture myself. But I didn't care for Dhamon Grimwulf at first either, yet now I'm REALLY looking forward to reading Lake of Death (Dhamon's conclusion), so maybe I'll end up reading Dark Disciple one of these days...
January 3, 2019
At a certain age, it's easy to look for allegory where none might exist. Are the Dragonlance elves surrogates for the Jewish people? Is the celestial clockwork of Krynn's metaphysics a lesson in Tracy Hickman's Mormon faith?
Who cares.
Dragons of a Vanished Moon brings Weis & Hickman's last Dragonlance trilogy, the "War of Souls", to an end. I'm almost sad to again leave the world these two have created, knowing that this time, it's really over. Margaret Weis wrote an additional trilogy of Dragonlance books that follow on from these without Tracy Hickman, and there exists a back catalog universe of 170+ shovelware paperbacks with the Dragonlance logo, but this ending is truly the ending of the characters conceived and made Heroes of the Lance some 30-plus years ago.
I have no idea what the distribution of duties is when Weis & Hickman co-author a book. Is one of them in charge of plot and the other writes the prose? Does one write dialogue and the other exposition? Do they trade off chapter-by-chapter? I have read at least two dozen novels by these collaborators between Dragonlance and their other fantasy series, and to me they may as well be a single creative force.
The writing is fast, since the story has all the hallmarks of having been tightly plotted and intricately outlined. They have a tendency to repeat character descriptions and bits of exposition frequently, which comes off not as redundant but as reinforcement. They frequently inject humor (sometimes outright comedy) into their work through one ridiculous character or another, but that is paused to a large extent here and everyone plays it straight.
That the "War of Souls" brings a fantasy world of magic, elves, and noble knights to the brink of apocalypse is almost beside the point. Dragons of a Vanished Moon is fantasy adventure written by masters of that craft, and it is a hell of a fun thing to read.
Compared to other current fantasy, it lacks "grim and gritty" and stays solidly PG (maybe PG-13 for violence); the narrative is tight (the authors don't need to engage in extensive world building though a short appendix describes some fantasy metaphysics) and is epic within its footprint; it happily plays on the tropes with which it was built (elves and gnomes and ogres; dragons, of course, and Gods that Walk Among Man). It is not edgy, or deconstructive, it is what it says on the cover.
For fans of the authors and the Dragonlance world, it's as good as it could be, and I'm glad I read it.
Who cares.
Dragons of a Vanished Moon brings Weis & Hickman's last Dragonlance trilogy, the "War of Souls", to an end. I'm almost sad to again leave the world these two have created, knowing that this time, it's really over. Margaret Weis wrote an additional trilogy of Dragonlance books that follow on from these without Tracy Hickman, and there exists a back catalog universe of 170+ shovelware paperbacks with the Dragonlance logo, but this ending is truly the ending of the characters conceived and made Heroes of the Lance some 30-plus years ago.
I have no idea what the distribution of duties is when Weis & Hickman co-author a book. Is one of them in charge of plot and the other writes the prose? Does one write dialogue and the other exposition? Do they trade off chapter-by-chapter? I have read at least two dozen novels by these collaborators between Dragonlance and their other fantasy series, and to me they may as well be a single creative force.
The writing is fast, since the story has all the hallmarks of having been tightly plotted and intricately outlined. They have a tendency to repeat character descriptions and bits of exposition frequently, which comes off not as redundant but as reinforcement. They frequently inject humor (sometimes outright comedy) into their work through one ridiculous character or another, but that is paused to a large extent here and everyone plays it straight.
That the "War of Souls" brings a fantasy world of magic, elves, and noble knights to the brink of apocalypse is almost beside the point. Dragons of a Vanished Moon is fantasy adventure written by masters of that craft, and it is a hell of a fun thing to read.
Compared to other current fantasy, it lacks "grim and gritty" and stays solidly PG (maybe PG-13 for violence); the narrative is tight (the authors don't need to engage in extensive world building though a short appendix describes some fantasy metaphysics) and is epic within its footprint; it happily plays on the tropes with which it was built (elves and gnomes and ogres; dragons, of course, and Gods that Walk Among Man). It is not edgy, or deconstructive, it is what it says on the cover.
For fans of the authors and the Dragonlance world, it's as good as it could be, and I'm glad I read it.
January 3, 2021
Derde deel in de serie van De oorlog der zielen, onderdeel van Dragonlance. Veel personages, veel volken, zoals minotaurussen, elfen, kabouters en reuzen en natuurlijk de Kender, met Tasslehoff Burrfoot als uitzonderlijk exemplaar. Hoewel het af en toe moeilijk te volgen was heb ik er wel erg van genoten. Veel intriges en veldslagen. Mijn favoriete personen waren Gerard (mens), Galdar (minotaurus) en Gilthas (elf).
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March 9, 2015I did not like very much the first two book of this series, but the final and third book is really great.
I ve been curious about where will the story goes, what will happen next and how will it finish. Nearly all of this book is interesting and i liked the end part.
Even you can see Huma, Magius and Raistlin in this book.
As I said before, it is always enjoyable to read Dragonlance novels.
I ve been curious about where will the story goes, what will happen next and how will it finish. Nearly all of this book is interesting and i liked the end part.
Even you can see Huma, Magius and Raistlin in this book.
As I said before, it is always enjoyable to read Dragonlance novels.
March 17, 2023
I loved this story - it wrapped up the trilogy perfectly. Additionally, it wrapped long open story lines from some of The Companions. I did actually get goosebumps and stifled a few tears as the story lines of some of my favorite characters from my childhood ended in the most satisfying way I could imagine.
The story followed the end of Mina's story and gave Galdar new purpose as well as giving an end to Tas' story - which could not have been more fitting. It was also nice seeing Palin find his purpose as the story draws to a close.
I reallt enjoyed this trilogy and loved visiting old friends.
The story followed the end of Mina's story and gave Galdar new purpose as well as giving an end to Tas' story - which could not have been more fitting. It was also nice seeing Palin find his purpose as the story draws to a close.
I reallt enjoyed this trilogy and loved visiting old friends.
January 31, 2020
This was the 11th Dragonlance series book that I read. The first three where my favourite by far and while some of the others were ok because Tasselhoff and Fizban made everything so much better, I was really disappointed by how this book ended. Still, I would love to check out the authors latest works some time.
December 14, 2024
Fantastic closing to the Fifth Age of Dragonlance. I was worried going into this that there would be left many questions unanswered, but the bit at the end did a great job to help close things altogether. All in all, the War of Souls was an awesome trilogy to lead us into the Age of Mortals!
October 1, 2022
The perfect ending to a story that started way back in Dragonlance Chronicles #1. I couldn't imagine a more poignant way to say goodbye to so many beloved characters. Just wonderful.
July 18, 2018
I love dragonlance stories, but i kind of hate time manipulation just for the new story line.
July 12, 2021
Review pending, though I doubt it'll come because I can't get my thoughts clear on this one, largely due to the terrible atrocity that was the audiobook version I listened to, which leads me to want to restart the trilogy on paperkindle.
Short thoughts though. Definitely didn't love this trilogy on the same level as pre 5th age Weis/Hickman books despite the fact that it's inarguably better written. These authors are now far more accomplished at drawing one into a consistent world and zeroing in the focus in order to tell a compelling story through, what is still a fairly broad bunch of characters. This approach would have worked much better for this trilogy if a) it wasn't a trilogy - 1800 pages-ish is just too long for the story it tells ultimately. I haven't checked the word count but it's probably on a par with War and Peace and, personally, a flagged reading this a few times because I couldn't always see where it was going, and often it didn't. Mina, in particular, suffered in terms of character development, but all of the characters could have used bigger arcs over this page count rather than many scenes of wheel spinning. The one=and-done appearances of Laurana and Goldmoon were probably more successful as they were contained and helped divide up the trilogy.
b) this wasn't a trilogy designed to have world-shattering consequences, to move forward the (unloved) status quo and usher Krynn into a new age ... and sadly a new age that never got a lot of backup and support in the gaming or the novel world. There's only a couple of other trilogies to read from this era which is a shame because there's real potential to flesh things out, but Dragonlance fans are nothing of not nostalgic and never were too accepting that they couldn't have the Chronicles and Raistlin overandoverandover. Nevertheless, the character based approach doesn't work so well with the wacky ideas Weis & Hickman still try to throw at us and ultimately I felt I could have used more of the army of the dead, space dragons and Takhisis hiding Krynn from the other Gods narrative and less of Mina's evangelism (you follow the one.true.God. We get it.)
Nevertheless, now that it's over I already feel sad it's gone and I'm constantly thinking about what did/didn't occur, and that's ultimately the mark of a good trilogy, when one feels one has been on a real journey with a bunch of characters in a world that you're still trying to figure out. I've a lingering regret that not everything was bigger, bolder and brasher in true Dragonlance fashion but then there's only so many times the same authors can pull this kind of thing off and, y'know, we've already had The Death Gate Cycle (damn I wish they'd return to that universe). I loved the way this thing ended, though and it's a shame that Jean Rabe's slightly wonky envisioning of the Fifth Age messed with the mojo and had to be rejigged/ignored in order to make it happen, or for it to need to happen; yet the rest buttons don't feel overly gratuitous and that's partly because the old Dragonlance standin of "Takhisis is coming to enter and take over the world" literally always works.
So bravo. I thought I was getting tired of my readthrough again, but now I'm keen to plough onwards to the next and last "core" trilogy in the series, which will be the point I can say that i've "done" Dragonlance if I wanted to. That is, the main saga.
oh, and:
Short thoughts though. Definitely didn't love this trilogy on the same level as pre 5th age Weis/Hickman books despite the fact that it's inarguably better written. These authors are now far more accomplished at drawing one into a consistent world and zeroing in the focus in order to tell a compelling story through, what is still a fairly broad bunch of characters. This approach would have worked much better for this trilogy if a) it wasn't a trilogy - 1800 pages-ish is just too long for the story it tells ultimately. I haven't checked the word count but it's probably on a par with War and Peace and, personally, a flagged reading this a few times because I couldn't always see where it was going, and often it didn't. Mina, in particular, suffered in terms of character development, but all of the characters could have used bigger arcs over this page count rather than many scenes of wheel spinning. The one=and-done appearances of Laurana and Goldmoon were probably more successful as they were contained and helped divide up the trilogy.
b) this wasn't a trilogy designed to have world-shattering consequences, to move forward the (unloved) status quo and usher Krynn into a new age ... and sadly a new age that never got a lot of backup and support in the gaming or the novel world. There's only a couple of other trilogies to read from this era which is a shame because there's real potential to flesh things out, but Dragonlance fans are nothing of not nostalgic and never were too accepting that they couldn't have the Chronicles and Raistlin overandoverandover. Nevertheless, the character based approach doesn't work so well with the wacky ideas Weis & Hickman still try to throw at us and ultimately I felt I could have used more of the army of the dead, space dragons and Takhisis hiding Krynn from the other Gods narrative and less of Mina's evangelism (you follow the one.true.God. We get it.)
Nevertheless, now that it's over I already feel sad it's gone and I'm constantly thinking about what did/didn't occur, and that's ultimately the mark of a good trilogy, when one feels one has been on a real journey with a bunch of characters in a world that you're still trying to figure out. I've a lingering regret that not everything was bigger, bolder and brasher in true Dragonlance fashion but then there's only so many times the same authors can pull this kind of thing off and, y'know, we've already had The Death Gate Cycle (damn I wish they'd return to that universe). I loved the way this thing ended, though and it's a shame that Jean Rabe's slightly wonky envisioning of the Fifth Age messed with the mojo and had to be rejigged/ignored in order to make it happen, or for it to need to happen; yet the rest buttons don't feel overly gratuitous and that's partly because the old Dragonlance standin of "Takhisis is coming to enter and take over the world" literally always works.
So bravo. I thought I was getting tired of my readthrough again, but now I'm keen to plough onwards to the next and last "core" trilogy in the series, which will be the point I can say that i've "done" Dragonlance if I wanted to. That is, the main saga.
oh, and:
June 11, 2019
My excitement in reading this series began to wane a little bit as I progressed through the books. The ending is not that powerful (though it does provide some nice closure for the original Dragonlance companions). Also, the large number of typos/errors, which were, at first, easy for me to ignore, became a little grating by the end. But still a strong trilogy and a must-read for Dragonlance fans.
Here is my recommended Dragonlance reading list to be read in the order listed. The books in parentheses being good, but not essential to understand the later books. There are at least a couple hundred Dragonlance books by various authors. They are not all good. The best are probably written by Weis and/or Hickman, the original authors.
1. Dragons of Autumn Twilight
2. Dragons of Winter Night
3. Dragons of Spring Dawning
4. Time of the Twins
5. War of the Twins
6. Test of the Twins
7. (The Soulforge)
8. (The Magic of Krynn)
9. (Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes)
10. (Love and War)
11. The Second Generation
12. Dragons of Summer Flame
13. The Dawning of a New Age
14. The Day of the Tempest
15. The Eve of the Maelstrom
16. Dragons of a Fallen Sun
17. Dragons of a Lost Star
18. Dragons of a Vanished Moon
19. (Dragons of the Dwarven Depths)
20. (Dragons of the Highlord Skies)
21. (Dragons of the Hourglass Mage)
Here is my recommended Dragonlance reading list to be read in the order listed. The books in parentheses being good, but not essential to understand the later books. There are at least a couple hundred Dragonlance books by various authors. They are not all good. The best are probably written by Weis and/or Hickman, the original authors.
1. Dragons of Autumn Twilight
2. Dragons of Winter Night
3. Dragons of Spring Dawning
4. Time of the Twins
5. War of the Twins
6. Test of the Twins
7. (The Soulforge)
8. (The Magic of Krynn)
9. (Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes)
10. (Love and War)
11. The Second Generation
12. Dragons of Summer Flame
13. The Dawning of a New Age
14. The Day of the Tempest
15. The Eve of the Maelstrom
16. Dragons of a Fallen Sun
17. Dragons of a Lost Star
18. Dragons of a Vanished Moon
19. (Dragons of the Dwarven Depths)
20. (Dragons of the Highlord Skies)
21. (Dragons of the Hourglass Mage)
January 13, 2023
This was amazing. Even though everything we started with in Chronicles has changed and even though everyone we knew in Chronicles has moved on, it still manages to end in such a way that makes us remember the beginning. I found it simply breath-taking. It's interesting because most of the reviews I've read on this book said that its a huge letdown, that it's not worth reading and that the new character suck. I strongly disagree with them. I found that the book exceed my expectations and straight after finishing it I felt like I could read it again. We actually can see some of the original characters in this book. Glithas actually becomes very much like his father Tanis, Gerard reminds me a lot of Sturm, Palin turns into what Raistlin should have been and Dalamar turns into what Raistlin was before he redeemed himself.
I came to care for this brave new world and care for the brave new characters as well, and I actually felt tears welling up in my eyes as I reached the conclusion. Don't listen to the people who tell you not to read this, just do it. You won't be disappointed.
I came to care for this brave new world and care for the brave new characters as well, and I actually felt tears welling up in my eyes as I reached the conclusion. Don't listen to the people who tell you not to read this, just do it. You won't be disappointed.
August 17, 2016
read most of this book during travels to finland and back. this was yet another great novel in the dragonlance world and i loved it. of course some of our beloved characters are not alive anymore, some strangely enough still, or again alive.. but i must say this is a much better solution than what salvatore did to revive some heroes. Weis introduced new heroes and they play a huge role and are surely here to stay for a while. once again great action, the awesome kender that always entertain me greatly, as well as a fierce and gripping end. we are left with a solution for the moment, but of course it's clear enough that the next books will continue where this left off. all these series of books have the risk of getting redundant or repeating itself. Weis does a good job though and the 600 pages flew by. i still have some more of her books and i'm excited to see where this is going and if she can keep it up.
October 22, 2007
This is a good book and a great climax to one of the best fantasy series I have ever read. The entire series which is about 16 books I believe isn't one of those regular fantasy good vs evil thing. The series is always more complex then that showing how the evil side of good and the good side of evil. Most of all it shows that if good would win the day then world will be destroyed because it always has to be kept in balance to make the world a good place to live. You truly have to read the series to actually understand what I'm talking about unfortunately I'm not the best explainer in the world. Anyways it is WAY better then the Harry Potter Books thats for sure.
October 9, 2014
This book is an amazing end to a series that started a lot of books (and years) before, if you have read some of the other books you will enjoy this one. You will revive old times and histories that you wouldn't want to forget never.
If you haven't read the other books, don't expect to understand this one, the history is full of references to the previous books. Don't doubt it, go fast and read the first trilogy you won't be disappointed.
Finally, I feel sad to have reached the end of the series. hopefully I will find another world full of magic where I can waste my free time traveling with mystical creatures and honorable heroes....
If you haven't read the other books, don't expect to understand this one, the history is full of references to the previous books. Don't doubt it, go fast and read the first trilogy you won't be disappointed.
Finally, I feel sad to have reached the end of the series. hopefully I will find another world full of magic where I can waste my free time traveling with mystical creatures and honorable heroes....
February 22, 2015
I finally made it through the trilogy. Whew. The second 2 books were better than the first, but this series needed an editor in a bad way. It should have been 1 book, not 3. I stuck it out, but I'll be giving Dragonlance a pass in the future. The writing is not the worst, but it wasn't great either and the characters were one dimensional. There were some interesting tidbits, but overall nothing special. There are much better fantasy authors out there.
October 5, 2015
It deserves a lot of credit! It wins on many accounts. I also have to give credit for the epilogue on the spiritual history of Krynn. A good book is adept at tying loose ends while leaving some questions to be answered in later books. It took me 12 years to complete the series set up by the original authors and while I probably will shy away from the other novelists, I would be willing to explore other novels by Wies and Hickman.
January 20, 2016
the third book of this trilogy made up for the other two, it was a very strong book but I lover the way the dragons came back into the fight also the way the blue dragon supported the silver blind one and how he paired with his great rider odila!! still hate mina, maybe even more so now, she is becoming so dark and wicked!! love also the comic bits from tasselhoff, always my favourite character and the ending of the book by fizban/paladine.
September 25, 2024
Tas is the Dr Sam Beckett of the Dragonlance world.
August 9, 2023
Dragons of a Vanished Moon is a fitting and breathless finale to the War of the Souls trilogy but also a very satisfying end to the story that began in Chronicles as Weis and Hickman finally say goodbye to that iconic cast. Strangely, after started Fallen Sun and realising, to my surprise, that I'd already read it once upon a time, I started Vanished Moon and realised I'd never read the final part of the trilogy. It was a pleasant surprise because it left the conclusion very unknown. I was suddenly very excited to find out if Mina eventually turns on the One God, if Malys is defeated or if Dalamar and Palin get out of their latest fix. After the magnificent ending of Lost Star, so much is primed for a dramatic finale. It begins grimly, with Dalamar and Palin sharing a grisly fate. I was disappointed in that as I'd enjoyed the tension between the two in the second book. It's a mark of Weis and Hickman's skill as creators of characters that I felt such a emotional response to their renewed antagonism and, especially, a true disappointment in Dalamar's dark choices. A lot of the book is much darker and bloodier before. The elven story is a moving tragedy of exile and Mina's relentless march and increasingly desperate violence leaves you hoping for one of those heroic moments that crown the other books.
It doesn't quite happen that way, although Tasslehof does get his moment. His storyline turns rather odd, flitting about through time, plotting with Raistlin to show the old gods where this One God has whisked the world off to, and eventually taking Gerard, Odila and Mirror on a dragon rescue mission that mirrors the journey of Silvara and Gilthanas in the first trilogy. Throughout this trilogy I was unconvinced by the use of Tasslehof and time-travelling. It's not perfect, and it leads to plenty of contrived reunions of characters and the feeling that "destiny" of a kind is ruling the story, not individual choices. However, I loved his heroic moment. It was described with such joy. Other characters really surprised me too. The minotaur, Galdar, and his doubts about the One God echo what the reader has been feeling the whole way through. He is a great, patient character and I was glad he was given plenty of screen time. Odila and Gerard's friendship, as well as Odila's relationship with religion, is also well done. Whereas in book one I was a bit uniterested when a Gerard chapter appear, in Vanished Moon I looked forward to them. Mirror and Razor, two opposing dragons whose friendship plays a big role in preventing the Old God from enterin the world, are another two sidelined characters who come into their own here.
I was disappointed that Gilthas wasn't given more to do, although I enjoyed his character and his conflicts. The elven exodus and meeting with the Plainsmen is an interesting, calming interlude in what is otherwise an action packed down. Initially, I was annoyed at the identity of the One God, but the end of Vanished Moon vindicated the decision. The final scene, however, was a little anticlimatic after Mina's confrontation with Malys. Weis and Hickman capture the grandeur of Malystrx much better than Jean Rabe managed when introducing the character and the aerial battle between them is another highlight in the Dragonlance series. In some ways I could have finished the series then. The battle of Sanction is a strange and desperate affair and the book has lost a little steam by this point. Mina, however, has also lost a little steam, so perhaps the last mad attempt to serve her God is a fitting ending. Of all the characters to play an important role, I didn't really want it to be Silvanoshei, one of the least interesting characters of the series, but again there is a fitting symmetry to the fact that his love which ruined so much actually ends up bringing some good. Mina's final revenge is brutal and reminds that, for all it's seemingly PG-fantasy rated, Weis and Hickman aren't afraid to throw in a moment of shocking violence.
Overall, I loved the War of the Souls trilogy and read the whole thing in little more than a week. It's overlong in parts but I can't imagine fans of her earlier work complaining. Finally, the pieces of the puzzle come together. Most of their characters, characters they obviously love immensely, find a level of peace or redemption for past deeds. I'm very glad that, nearly 30 years after picking up Chronicles, I read this very satisfying ending. And 40 years after writing the first Dragonlance books, Weis and Hickman remain masters of the game.
It doesn't quite happen that way, although Tasslehof does get his moment. His storyline turns rather odd, flitting about through time, plotting with Raistlin to show the old gods where this One God has whisked the world off to, and eventually taking Gerard, Odila and Mirror on a dragon rescue mission that mirrors the journey of Silvara and Gilthanas in the first trilogy. Throughout this trilogy I was unconvinced by the use of Tasslehof and time-travelling. It's not perfect, and it leads to plenty of contrived reunions of characters and the feeling that "destiny" of a kind is ruling the story, not individual choices. However, I loved his heroic moment. It was described with such joy. Other characters really surprised me too. The minotaur, Galdar, and his doubts about the One God echo what the reader has been feeling the whole way through. He is a great, patient character and I was glad he was given plenty of screen time. Odila and Gerard's friendship, as well as Odila's relationship with religion, is also well done. Whereas in book one I was a bit uniterested when a Gerard chapter appear, in Vanished Moon I looked forward to them. Mirror and Razor, two opposing dragons whose friendship plays a big role in preventing the Old God from enterin the world, are another two sidelined characters who come into their own here.
I was disappointed that Gilthas wasn't given more to do, although I enjoyed his character and his conflicts. The elven exodus and meeting with the Plainsmen is an interesting, calming interlude in what is otherwise an action packed down. Initially, I was annoyed at the identity of the One God, but the end of Vanished Moon vindicated the decision. The final scene, however, was a little anticlimatic after Mina's confrontation with Malys. Weis and Hickman capture the grandeur of Malystrx much better than Jean Rabe managed when introducing the character and the aerial battle between them is another highlight in the Dragonlance series. In some ways I could have finished the series then. The battle of Sanction is a strange and desperate affair and the book has lost a little steam by this point. Mina, however, has also lost a little steam, so perhaps the last mad attempt to serve her God is a fitting ending. Of all the characters to play an important role, I didn't really want it to be Silvanoshei, one of the least interesting characters of the series, but again there is a fitting symmetry to the fact that his love which ruined so much actually ends up bringing some good. Mina's final revenge is brutal and reminds that, for all it's seemingly PG-fantasy rated, Weis and Hickman aren't afraid to throw in a moment of shocking violence.
Overall, I loved the War of the Souls trilogy and read the whole thing in little more than a week. It's overlong in parts but I can't imagine fans of her earlier work complaining. Finally, the pieces of the puzzle come together. Most of their characters, characters they obviously love immensely, find a level of peace or redemption for past deeds. I'm very glad that, nearly 30 years after picking up Chronicles, I read this very satisfying ending. And 40 years after writing the first Dragonlance books, Weis and Hickman remain masters of the game.
September 30, 2025
Well, after fifteen books it's finally happened: a Dragonlance novel I didn't love. I still liked it, though.
What can I say? The War of Souls trilogy started out very strong, but in my opinion, it fizzled out towards the end. I think Weis & Hickman were going for an approach that has become the standard for modern epic fantasy: a sprawling patchwork of various plots, hopping from one group of characters to another with each chapter, all with the intent of drawing it all together in an epic conclusion at last. It's a difficult formula, and even the best authors in this particular style struggle to make it work (Robert Jordan comes to mind).
When it comes to Weis & Hickman, this more modern approach to epic fantasy simply doesn't suit their writing style or their world, and I think they should stick to what they do best: adventurous quests against a backdrop of world-changing events, focusing on a small group of heroic protagonists.
Quite simply, there were far too many plotlines, too many characters, too many shenanigans with time travel and other reality-bending stuff, just... too much stuff, and while everything does get wrapped up in what I would theoretically call a decent conclusion, the ending feels rushed and lacks any emotional impact.
Knowing that this volume is truly the end for the original cast was the only part that affected me, but while I liked the new characters, their storylines were resolved in a very unsatisfactory way.
I really liked the knight Gerard, and it really seemed like the trilogy was going to give him an arc, where he overcomes his issues with women and other problems, but the arc seems to just stop about 75% of the way, and his character doesn't actually do anything important in the finale.
Mina, who was set up as an amazingly intriguing character, ends up as an idiot who seems incapable of breaking out of her delusions. Perhaps the authors want to tell us "real life doesn't work that way. People don't always learn from their mistakes, sometimes they remain stuck", and I know they would be right, but in this genre of novel, that's not what I want. I want real, satisfying conclusions.
I know Mina's story continues in the Dark Disciple trilogy, and I'm still interested to see where Weis takes her next, especially since I'm curious to find out what a Dragonlance trilogy is like when it's just Weis writing on her own.
In the end, I don't regret reading the War of Souls at all, and I still enjoyed it quite a bit, but the amount of plot holes, contrivances, dead ends and lacklustre resolutions were just a bit too high this time around.
I've said it before that Dragonlance is a very strange series to me: I can see more objective flaws in it than in most other fantasy series I've read, but I still love these books more than any of those others (except for Tolkien, who will always have my heart). Even now, that still holds true.
What can I say? The War of Souls trilogy started out very strong, but in my opinion, it fizzled out towards the end. I think Weis & Hickman were going for an approach that has become the standard for modern epic fantasy: a sprawling patchwork of various plots, hopping from one group of characters to another with each chapter, all with the intent of drawing it all together in an epic conclusion at last. It's a difficult formula, and even the best authors in this particular style struggle to make it work (Robert Jordan comes to mind).
When it comes to Weis & Hickman, this more modern approach to epic fantasy simply doesn't suit their writing style or their world, and I think they should stick to what they do best: adventurous quests against a backdrop of world-changing events, focusing on a small group of heroic protagonists.
Quite simply, there were far too many plotlines, too many characters, too many shenanigans with time travel and other reality-bending stuff, just... too much stuff, and while everything does get wrapped up in what I would theoretically call a decent conclusion, the ending feels rushed and lacks any emotional impact.
Knowing that this volume is truly the end for the original cast was the only part that affected me, but while I liked the new characters, their storylines were resolved in a very unsatisfactory way.
I really liked the knight Gerard, and it really seemed like the trilogy was going to give him an arc, where he overcomes his issues with women and other problems, but the arc seems to just stop about 75% of the way, and his character doesn't actually do anything important in the finale.
Mina, who was set up as an amazingly intriguing character, ends up as an idiot who seems incapable of breaking out of her delusions. Perhaps the authors want to tell us "real life doesn't work that way. People don't always learn from their mistakes, sometimes they remain stuck", and I know they would be right, but in this genre of novel, that's not what I want. I want real, satisfying conclusions.
I know Mina's story continues in the Dark Disciple trilogy, and I'm still interested to see where Weis takes her next, especially since I'm curious to find out what a Dragonlance trilogy is like when it's just Weis writing on her own.
In the end, I don't regret reading the War of Souls at all, and I still enjoyed it quite a bit, but the amount of plot holes, contrivances, dead ends and lacklustre resolutions were just a bit too high this time around.
I've said it before that Dragonlance is a very strange series to me: I can see more objective flaws in it than in most other fantasy series I've read, but I still love these books more than any of those others (except for Tolkien, who will always have my heart). Even now, that still holds true.
August 20, 2017
Not only does this book wrap up the War of Souls trilogy for Dragonlance, it essentially closes the door for Weis's and Hickman's saga that started back in 1984. There was a lot of course correction in this series following the ill-received Dragons of Summer Flame (as noted in the History of Krynn afterword that explains in detail the creation and ages of Krynn).
This was a great trilogy, on par with the Legends trilogy with everyone's favorite twin duo, the Majere bros. I enjoyed the journey the main characters embarked upon. Gerard and Gilthas both were worthy of hero status and there was a lot of really emotional moments in the book that I felt were the best these two authors have written for Dragonlance. The world of Krynn has moved on into a new, more somber phase and this book captures that sadness perfectly. Not everything is wrapped up nicely and there's a lot of unknown going forward for characters, which is fitting. It's epic and sad and a great adventure. I will say this is a fitting conclusion to the Takhisis saga with the 10 main books in the world of Dragonlance.
Note: There were several (a lot, really) of spelling and grammar mistakes (I did read a first edition book), but for a NY Times bestseller, this could have been edited waaaaay better.
This was a great trilogy, on par with the Legends trilogy with everyone's favorite twin duo, the Majere bros. I enjoyed the journey the main characters embarked upon. Gerard and Gilthas both were worthy of hero status and there was a lot of really emotional moments in the book that I felt were the best these two authors have written for Dragonlance. The world of Krynn has moved on into a new, more somber phase and this book captures that sadness perfectly. Not everything is wrapped up nicely and there's a lot of unknown going forward for characters, which is fitting. It's epic and sad and a great adventure. I will say this is a fitting conclusion to the Takhisis saga with the 10 main books in the world of Dragonlance.
Note: There were several (a lot, really) of spelling and grammar mistakes (I did read a first edition book), but for a NY Times bestseller, this could have been edited waaaaay better.
July 3, 2025
My favorite part is when Raistlin goes toe to toe with Takhisis one more time, and when she's about to obliterate him; the souls of the dead companions [Caramon, Tanis, Tika, Goldmoon, Sturm, Flint, Riverwind & Tasslehoff] converge to protect, and fight alongside Raistlin in an epic moment of bombastic action wherein he realizes his friends had never abandoned him like he did them.
No, but seriously this book was great. The series is iconic, and needs to be read by more people. Dragonlance as a franchise needs to be read by more people.
With this my "re-read" of the main Dragonlance storyline is complete. I laughed, and I cried. It was an incredible journey, and I wish I could experience it all again for the first time. Maybe in 10-15 years I'll do another re-read, and enjoy it all over again.
We get a fitting ending to all of the plot lines that had been built up to this point while setting things in motion for other authors to build on. No surprise considering this universe is over 100+ books!
I won't say anything else. If you are at this point in the series/trilogy then you will love this book. If like me you have read the main storyline through from Dragons of Autumn Twilight; this book will definitely bring a tear to your eye. Enjoy.
No, but seriously this book was great. The series is iconic, and needs to be read by more people. Dragonlance as a franchise needs to be read by more people.
With this my "re-read" of the main Dragonlance storyline is complete. I laughed, and I cried. It was an incredible journey, and I wish I could experience it all again for the first time. Maybe in 10-15 years I'll do another re-read, and enjoy it all over again.
We get a fitting ending to all of the plot lines that had been built up to this point while setting things in motion for other authors to build on. No surprise considering this universe is over 100+ books!
I won't say anything else. If you are at this point in the series/trilogy then you will love this book. If like me you have read the main storyline through from Dragons of Autumn Twilight; this book will definitely bring a tear to your eye. Enjoy.
January 16, 2021
1/15/2021 - 2/10
The final book in this trilogy was a bit of a mess and probably a good place to end my Dragonlance adventures. It kept me reading to find out how things would actually end, but with the shift of Mina's character and the One God reveal it started on terrible ground. On the plus side, it was easy to read and kept me wondering where it would finish...and that's about it. The characters actually got worse...totally unlikable. Mina was much better as a mysterious (yet shallow) character rather than a whiny one-dimensional religious zealot who spends some time as a fawning out of control puppy for her mother-figure, Goldmoon. Silvan was another puppy dog and a total selfish twat, which was apparently inherited from his mother. Gerard was a complete ass especially with Tas (but he did his about face at the end to "honor" Tas...yay). Even some of the big battles just seemed forced and lazy with totally predictable saves. The ending tried to wrap up loose ends (other than Mina) but just felt empty to me.
A passage I liked:
Page: 173
The adage goes that while elves strive to be worthy of their gods, humans require that their gods be worthy of them.
The final book in this trilogy was a bit of a mess and probably a good place to end my Dragonlance adventures. It kept me reading to find out how things would actually end, but with the shift of Mina's character and the One God reveal it started on terrible ground. On the plus side, it was easy to read and kept me wondering where it would finish...and that's about it. The characters actually got worse...totally unlikable. Mina was much better as a mysterious (yet shallow) character rather than a whiny one-dimensional religious zealot who spends some time as a fawning out of control puppy for her mother-figure, Goldmoon. Silvan was another puppy dog and a total selfish twat, which was apparently inherited from his mother. Gerard was a complete ass especially with Tas (but he did his about face at the end to "honor" Tas...yay). Even some of the big battles just seemed forced and lazy with totally predictable saves. The ending tried to wrap up loose ends (other than Mina) but just felt empty to me.
A passage I liked:
Page: 173
The adage goes that while elves strive to be worthy of their gods, humans require that their gods be worthy of them.
August 24, 2018
This series provides an immensely engaging and satisfying read. The surprise of this was pleasant to the point of being unbelievable to one carrying the low expectations brought about by other Dragonlance books. The whole wide compendium of these books contains a good deal of stinkers, but War of Souls rises above, and then some.
Not only are the plot and characters well-conceived, but also the writing itself has a transparency that yields space for the imagination to thrive. The authors write well; the reader forgets he has a book in his hands. One feels a presence among the characters, and within this world of Krynn.
Book Three is as good as the others, and I admit to a bit of sadness that the series had to end. I'd like to find another one out there to replace it. It approaches (although does not nearly reach) Tolkein, Martin, and LeGuinn, at least in the way it engages the reader's imagination.
All in all I would heartily recommend this series to any reader of fantasy.
Not only are the plot and characters well-conceived, but also the writing itself has a transparency that yields space for the imagination to thrive. The authors write well; the reader forgets he has a book in his hands. One feels a presence among the characters, and within this world of Krynn.
Book Three is as good as the others, and I admit to a bit of sadness that the series had to end. I'd like to find another one out there to replace it. It approaches (although does not nearly reach) Tolkein, Martin, and LeGuinn, at least in the way it engages the reader's imagination.
All in all I would heartily recommend this series to any reader of fantasy.
May 4, 2021
And thus, the One God is come to Krynn, wreaking havoc all around, through the hands of Mina. Meanwhile, dragons fight one another and one Silver has to find answers... as Tasslehoff Burrfoot has to find the past! As for the elves, can Qualinesti and Silvanesti live together as one nation after facing such tragedies of the last book?
But one tragedy is not enough for Dragonlance books... as we see the fate (ominous at every chapter) of Silvanost being torn to shreds by all kinds of enemies.
A message from this book: Do not stare too long into the darkness.
A good amount of typos...
"Everyone I love is dead." (Tasslehoff, the kender)
"Tasslehoff Burrfoot must die..." (Lunitari the Goddess)
But one tragedy is not enough for Dragonlance books... as we see the fate (ominous at every chapter) of Silvanost being torn to shreds by all kinds of enemies.
A message from this book: Do not stare too long into the darkness.
A good amount of typos...
"Everyone I love is dead." (Tasslehoff, the kender)
"Tasslehoff Burrfoot must die..." (Lunitari the Goddess)
May 15, 2022
Surprisingly enjoyable. The prior two books were interesting, with some good ideas, and a rendition of Tas I really enjoyed. Oddly he takes a slight back seat in book 3, and I found myself quite engaged in the other characters: Gerard, Gilthas, and Palin.
Weis and Hickman bring it together nicely at the end with a solid finale. They left a few strands at the end, and I'm not sure what followed this. I kind of read it to see the Hickman Weis books through, partly in prep for the new release (which will probably be a time travel or set in past). It was easy reading, and played heavily on the nostalgia most readers would feel for the original characters.
All that considered, and despite their sometimes clunky tell not show style, the book was a solid read and a good end to the trilogy.
Weis and Hickman bring it together nicely at the end with a solid finale. They left a few strands at the end, and I'm not sure what followed this. I kind of read it to see the Hickman Weis books through, partly in prep for the new release (which will probably be a time travel or set in past). It was easy reading, and played heavily on the nostalgia most readers would feel for the original characters.
All that considered, and despite their sometimes clunky tell not show style, the book was a solid read and a good end to the trilogy.
July 5, 2017
Vanished Moon could almost be read standalone rather than a tumultuous end to a trilogy. New ideas blossom in to central themes with strands from the previous two entries becoming almost background story and plausibility is stretched somewhat with the time-travelling McGuffin, which removes any predictability at the cost of suspension of disbelief. Such weaknesses are absorbed by the strengths of the narrative, it's engaging characters and the epic scale of the trilogy. Entertaining from start to finish, the story of Mina and her One God is riveting stuff. It could have been great, however it is still good enough.
November 2, 2017
Quite difficult to rate; as it is good if you have read the preceding trilogies which would give you (the reader) the advantage of knowledge of character development. It is a good read because it remains consistent and in this particular novel most of the stories are completed. Apart from the slip toward Mormonism and Calvinistic theology it is well worth the effort to read the concluding novel of the war of souls trilogy, which is a good ending to the adventures of the main characters from the "Dragonlance Chronicles" through "Legends" concluding with "The War of Souls" but there is enough room left for more adventures on Krynn.
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