Dark Heart

Dragon's Disciple #1

by Margaret Weis, David Baldwin

Justin Sterling is a loner. Formerly Justinian, Lord Sterling, he has lived for centuries in, but not of, our world, serving an ancient entity known only as the Dragon. Justin's reward is immortality, but to keep it he must keep killing. He has grown to hate his interminable life, soaked in blood, almost as much as he fears the hideous death that will be his if he refuses to do the Dragon's bidding. Sandra McCormick is also a loner. A dedicated Chicago cop, fleeing a twisted past as a victim of abuse, McCormick devotes her scant free time to studying the martial arts--and occasionally cruising the grunge and punk nightclubs for anonymous one-night stands. These two loners are about to meet. Lieutenant McCormick has been assigned a high-profile case. Two men are dead. One a lawyer, one a cop. Both murdered in a mysterious and particularly gruesome manner--their still-beating hearts literally torn from their chests. It was Justin who killed the cop, after another disciple bungled the lawyer's death. Now Justin must eliminate the second cop assigned to the case. It little matters that she's a woman. He has done the Dragon's bidding for so long that the slaughter has become routine. But there is something different about this assignment--for both the cop and the disciple. It is a difference they both reject, and then embrace more and more passionately as the closing circle of Destiny draws them together. For these two dedicated killers, these two confirmed loners, each assigned to stalk the other . . . are falling in love. And love is the one vice the Dragon does not allow.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Margaret 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.

Reviews

[Becky Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was surprisingly a good book, sadly David Baldwin passed away so there won't be a sequal to the books. It's really too bad because the book had a great ending.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. I was heartbroken when I found out there wouldn't be a sequel.

[Natalie K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just... bizarre. I didn't really connect with any of the characters (Sandra could have been cool, but she just came across as one-dimensional, and Justin, aka Dragon Man, as I called him, was just ridiculous). Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the connection between being immortal and being able to turn into a dragon?! I mean, like why are those two concepts even connected?!

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Weis is one of my favorite authors and she has not disappointed me with this book. It is dark and you feel the streets of Chicago with all the wet and back alley grim. I anticipate the next book.

[Beth Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty slow moving and a slog for me to finish. Sandra solving the mystery of the Dragons was interesting but a small part of the story. The parts of the story that should have been longer were short and the parts that shouldn't have been fleshed out were much too long. The history of the sword would have been interesting. Instead, we get a bunch of dragons continually bickering.

People falling in love with each other after only two encounters rubs me the wrong way. At least Sandra did not go against her beliefs for Justin.

The entire book is just a set-up for a book 2. Which I would have no interest in if it had been written. If the story were to be about Benny it should have focused more on him. He was much more interesting than Justin.

[Chet · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first couple of chapters were overwritten with way too many metaphors and fanciful prose but the writing settled down later in the book. Overall, this was a really interesting take with a modern-day setting that intermixed some fantasy elements. It was also structured as a crime noir which is a genre I like. David is Weis’ son and unfortunately it looks like he may have died before other books in the series could be written so the series did not conclude. This is unfortunate because the setting/plot was intriguing and worthy of exploring further.

[Raul Santiago Almunia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Siento decir que es la unica obra de mi querida Margaret Weis que me ha defraudado. El resto me parecen joyas, pero esta obra no me gustó nada, sorry.... algún día le daré una segunda oportunidad, y a lo mejor cambie de opinión xq la lei muy joven, ya veremos...

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Dark Heart by Margaret Weis and David Baldwin, Lord Justin Sterling is an immortal who serves a mysterious being he calls master and, for whom, he kills repeatedly. Sandra McCormack is a Chicago cop who has survived the abuse of her ex-husband and is investigating a string of violent and unexplainable murders. Eventually, their paths cross and their lives are changed completely.

It took me a long time to get into this book. It often felt like the two authors had different styles which didn't always mesh. As well, the fantasy and thriller elements often seemed to be competing for precedence - I found myself wishing the book would decide whether it wanted to be one thing or the other.

However, I am not one to give up easily on a book and, about half way through, I started enjoying it. The story was interesting and the idea of dragons in the modern age was intriguing. There's lots of action and, although there is some romance, it didn't bog down the story. According to the cover, Dark Heart was the first in a series titled Dragon's Disciple and I looked forward to the sequels, especially as the book ends on something of a cliffhanger.

However, I soon discovered that David Baldwin was Margaret Weis' son and he has, sadly died. Weis has since said that the story was mostly David's and she will not continue it. This is understandable but it does leave the story unfinished, something you might want to consider before reading it.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed with this book. I am a big fan of her Star of the Guardians series, but I don't think I'll finish this series.

[Alía · Rating 1 out of 5]

Americanada total. Sólo le falta un terminator y acabar con "sayonara baby"

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't what I expected. Has a lot of swearing but it has a different take on dragons and fantasy which is nice once in a while.

[R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the first book in this series but didn't bother with the others. It wasn't horrible but definitely not a stand out.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Interstingly sets up the next book in the series. Still some items left up in the air, so not the best for a stand alone book. But none the less an enjoyable read.

[Dustin Metzger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is excellent as the opening salvo of a series but, on its own, it's not quite up to 4-star material. There are too many hanging plot threads for one book.

[Nicole Baratta]

Dark Heart: Book I of Dragon's Disciple by Margaret Weis (1999)

[Lizzi Huskey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It never had a conclusion... That's the only thing about this book.