Bertrem's Guide to the Age of Mortals: Everyday Life in Krynn of the Fifth Age (A Dragonlance(r) Novel) by Nancy Varian Berberick

Dragonlance: Bertrem's Guides #1

by Nancy Varian Berberick

Come wander the highways and byways of Krynn in the Fifth Age. If you've ever wondered what kender children learn in school, what the dwarves of Thorbardin eat for breakfast, how the people of Solace elect their mayor, this guide is for you. Bertrem of the Order of Aesthetics, keeper (since the disappearance of Astinus) of the Great Library of Palanthas, gathers fact and rumor, tales and gossip from across Krynn to answer your questions. Learn more of the world of Dragonlance, the largest shared-world saga ever created.

Genres: Dragonlance, Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons, Fiction

Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Nancy Varian Berberick is an American fantasy author well known for her work in the Dragonlance series. She has written 12 fantasy novels, eight of which have been in the Dragonlance saga, and numerous short stories. Her Wizards of the Coast biography mentions that she is fond of going through a thesaurus. She enjoys Beowulf, Norse mythology, and Orlando Innamorato.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is part of the Dragonlance world. This book is written by the character Bertrem. He has decided to write the aspects of the common man's life instead of the books that are written for the heroes and villains.

Let me first say my rating is not a reflection of how the book was written. It was a well written book and the reader can tell the author put a lot of thought into it. The book was just a complete miss for me. The book is written by the character thru observations and is very dry. The observations of mundane events like a farmer tilling does not make an exciting read. I was expecting something totally different. I thought this book was going to tell us about the ordinary man thru anecdotes. It did not and it suffered from it. There was no character bonding as I was basically reading a journal of facts. There were many times when I was reading the words and I did not care what they were saying.

This book is not aimed for me. It is aimed for the person who wants to know every detail about a story's setting. I need to be entertained or if I am reading non-fiction, I need to be interested in the subject. This book did not fit either criteria.

[StevevetS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Individual story ratings:

The Foods of Ansalon: 1.5
Regional Dietary Regimens: 1.5
Clothing: 1.5
The Light of Learning: 2
Arms and Armor: 1.5
The Everyday Politics of Ansalon: 2
Trade and Commerce: 1.5
Celebrations and Festivals: 3
Popular Games of the Fifth Age: 2

[Jenny Hoards Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book of world building material. The writing is fun and definitely reads like an aesthetic wrote it, but not a necessary read since it doesn't have much of a story. Still a fun side quest on my dragonlance universe adventure.

[Leslie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Normally I read a book this length every 3-5 days. This book was so boarding it took me close to a month to finish. Unless you are reading the whole saga, skip this one.

[Jeff Powers · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting guide to the world of Krynn. I picked this up at a library sale for a dollar. Mostly I purchased it to help with my own world building. It is not the most excited read, but it is a pretty decent exercise in world building especially in regards to the often overlooked common folk of fantasy worlds.