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Dragonlance: Chronicles #5
Dragons of Summer Flame
The War of the Lance is long over. The seasons come and go. The pendulum of the world swings. Now it is summer. A hot parched summer, such as no one on Krynn has ever known before. The uneasy balance starts to shift.
Distraught by a grievous loss, the young mage Palin Majere seeks to enter the Abyss in search of his lost uncle, the infamous archamge Raistlin.
The Dark Queen has found new champions. Devoted followers, loyal to the death, the Knights of Takhisis follow the Vision to victory. A dark paladin, Steel Brightblade, rides to attack the High Clerist’s Tower, the fortress his father died defending.
On a small island, the myeterious Irda capture an ancient artifact and use it to ensure their own safety. Usha, child of the Irda, arrives in Palathaas claiming that she is Raistlin’s daughter. The summer will be deadly. Perhaps it will be the last summer Ansalon will ever know.
Distraught by a grievous loss, the young mage Palin Majere seeks to enter the Abyss in search of his lost uncle, the infamous archamge Raistlin.
The Dark Queen has found new champions. Devoted followers, loyal to the death, the Knights of Takhisis follow the Vision to victory. A dark paladin, Steel Brightblade, rides to attack the High Clerist’s Tower, the fortress his father died defending.
On a small island, the myeterious Irda capture an ancient artifact and use it to ensure their own safety. Usha, child of the Irda, arrives in Palathaas claiming that she is Raistlin’s daughter. The summer will be deadly. Perhaps it will be the last summer Ansalon will ever know.
552 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
820 people are currently reading
4841 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Weis
677 books5,833 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 292 reviews
July 21, 2021
This is part of the Dragonlance universe and tells the story of the children of our heroes from the original trilogy. Basically, this is the next generation's turn to become heroes. In this one, Steel Brightblade is a knight that follows Takhisis. His path crosses Palin who is his cousin and is on the path of good. Meanwhile, there is a new threat to the world of Krynn that even the gods fear and if people do not learn how to fight together they are screwed.
I know this is a divisive book for this universe but I absolutely love it. This is a reread for me and I have a personal history with this book so I might be a little bias. As for the story it is epic. We follow new characters as well as the ones from the original trilogy. Tas is an integral part of the story. I like the message about coming together to fight a larger threat as the world feels like it is in peril. We also get a message about the younger generation stepping out of their relative's shadows and finding themselves in the world. I also like how this feels like the next step in this universe and it is not static. Old characters die (I know readers do not like how this was handled) and new heroes step in as the world keeps moving on. With all this there is plenty of action while giving me "the feels" in certain scenes and making me laugh out loud at others.
I love this book for the story and for what it means to me. I read the "holy six" when I was teenager and it helped form my love for reading at the time. I turned twenty one and I stopped reading as I was busy with other pursuits. I was walking by a bookstore and I saw this book in a window. I had no idea the story was continued and I picked it up. This book brought back my passion for reading which has not wavered since. I owe this book a lot and part of the reason I hold it in high regard. That is why I am bias towards it and it might not be worthy of five stars but it is in my eyes. I look forward to my next reread of this book.
I know this is a divisive book for this universe but I absolutely love it. This is a reread for me and I have a personal history with this book so I might be a little bias. As for the story it is epic. We follow new characters as well as the ones from the original trilogy. Tas is an integral part of the story. I like the message about coming together to fight a larger threat as the world feels like it is in peril. We also get a message about the younger generation stepping out of their relative's shadows and finding themselves in the world. I also like how this feels like the next step in this universe and it is not static. Old characters die (I know readers do not like how this was handled) and new heroes step in as the world keeps moving on. With all this there is plenty of action while giving me "the feels" in certain scenes and making me laugh out loud at others.
I love this book for the story and for what it means to me. I read the "holy six" when I was teenager and it helped form my love for reading at the time. I turned twenty one and I stopped reading as I was busy with other pursuits. I was walking by a bookstore and I saw this book in a window. I had no idea the story was continued and I picked it up. This book brought back my passion for reading which has not wavered since. I owe this book a lot and part of the reason I hold it in high regard. That is why I am bias towards it and it might not be worthy of five stars but it is in my eyes. I look forward to my next reread of this book.
August 13, 2007
I was so upset by what happened to my beloved Dragonlance characters that I shaved my head and attacked someone's car with an umbrella.
April 15, 2025
*** 4.44 ***
I absolutely loved this book! The story was great and by the end it had me all emotional... I really hope we get to see some of our favorite characters again! It's tough to say goodbye...
I absolutely loved this book! The story was great and by the end it had me all emotional... I really hope we get to see some of our favorite characters again! It's tough to say goodbye...
July 18, 2017
A disappointing and unmemorable add-on to the original trilogy, moving on to the next generation.
August 9, 2010
Ever hear the phrase quit while you're ahead?
Hickman and Weis were well ahead. They should have quit.
Leaving the Companions to wander off into the sunset was the ending those characters deserved.
Finishing up with the whole 'The Gods didn't leave us, we left them.' idea was just fine.
They had written six really well done, beautifully characterized, interestingly plotted books, which dealt with religious and moral issues in a manner more subtle than most books aimed at younger adults tend to.
And then they wrote Dragons of Summer Flame. I saw another reviewer suggest that this book was written "to nuke" the world they had created. If that's true, they succeeded beyond what could have been their wildest hopes and dreams. They spent 300+ pages abusing their characters, even ones who really should have been well past abuse, and ripping what made their world unique to pieces.
If you loved the Chronicles or Legends, just don't read this. If your favorite character was a certain hour glassed eyed mage, then please, by the love of all that is good and holy, put the book back on the shelf and pick up your old copy of Time of the Twins and re-read that. You'll be much, much happier.
Hickman and Weis were well ahead. They should have quit.
Leaving the Companions to wander off into the sunset was the ending those characters deserved.
Finishing up with the whole 'The Gods didn't leave us, we left them.' idea was just fine.
They had written six really well done, beautifully characterized, interestingly plotted books, which dealt with religious and moral issues in a manner more subtle than most books aimed at younger adults tend to.
And then they wrote Dragons of Summer Flame. I saw another reviewer suggest that this book was written "to nuke" the world they had created. If that's true, they succeeded beyond what could have been their wildest hopes and dreams. They spent 300+ pages abusing their characters, even ones who really should have been well past abuse, and ripping what made their world unique to pieces.
If you loved the Chronicles or Legends, just don't read this. If your favorite character was a certain hour glassed eyed mage, then please, by the love of all that is good and holy, put the book back on the shelf and pick up your old copy of Time of the Twins and re-read that. You'll be much, much happier.
August 13, 2017
This is a good ending to the main characters' stories. We have the conclusion to the events that truly began in Dragons of Autumn Twilight and to the activities of the characters from the original trilogy. In this novel, we have Caramon, Tanis, Raistlin, Tas, and even Flint and Sturm. There are new characters too, but they are characters brought in through stories in other collections and still connected to the main company. There are Steel, Sturm and Kitiara's son; Palin, Caramon and Tika's son, Steel's cousin; and Usha, Raistlin's daughter (?). Tas, as usual, plays a major role even though nobody ever expects him to.
The one part of this book that really bothered me is .
Other than that, the book is good, but because most of the major characters are new, I didn't feel as invested in them. I still wanted to know what would happen in the plot, and I'm glad I read the book because it's a good bridge story to The Age of Mortals. But it doesn't have the same urgency as the Chronicles, Legends, or Lost Chronicles have.
I still recommend this book. The characters aren't the best, but it's essential to the DL cannon, and it's interesting with some major backstory included along with a concept that I find intriguing to lead into the next book. I also really like the last line: "And in the night sky over Ansalon there burns a new star--a red star--which will remain forever fixed and unchanging, a sign that, even in the Age of Mortals, mankind is not alone."
The one part of this book that really bothered me is .
Other than that, the book is good, but because most of the major characters are new, I didn't feel as invested in them. I still wanted to know what would happen in the plot, and I'm glad I read the book because it's a good bridge story to The Age of Mortals. But it doesn't have the same urgency as the Chronicles, Legends, or Lost Chronicles have.
I still recommend this book. The characters aren't the best, but it's essential to the DL cannon, and it's interesting with some major backstory included along with a concept that I find intriguing to lead into the next book. I also really like the last line: "And in the night sky over Ansalon there burns a new star--a red star--which will remain forever fixed and unchanging, a sign that, even in the Age of Mortals, mankind is not alone."
February 25, 2025
Reread on 2/25/25
I originally gave this book 3 stars but I'm bumping my rating up to 4 this time. In some ways I like this book better then the others in the series. I think the writing improved and the characters felt like they had more depth to them. Tasslehoff is definitely the best character. I love him in this! There were some very poignant moments in this book that had me crying all over again. There are also some things that frustrated me about the story.
There was one interesting thing that I discovered on this reread. At one point in the book Tasslehoff finds something with the name Haplo written on it. Haplo is a character in the Deathgate Cycle. This got me thinking...
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I originally gave this book 3 stars but I'm bumping my rating up to 4 this time. In some ways I like this book better then the others in the series. I think the writing improved and the characters felt like they had more depth to them. Tasslehoff is definitely the best character. I love him in this! There were some very poignant moments in this book that had me crying all over again. There are also some things that frustrated me about the story.
There was one interesting thing that I discovered on this reread. At one point in the book Tasslehoff finds something with the name Haplo written on it. Haplo is a character in the Deathgate Cycle. This got me thinking...
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January 21, 2011
In short simple phraseology, this book was awful. Our beloved characters were stripped of their dignity and, in many cases, their lives in the most demoting ways imaginable. I agree with Wyrmia Bradley when she says ‘I was so upset by what happened to my beloved Dragonlance characters that I shaved my head and attacked someone's car with an umbrella.’
The authors really messed up on this one. A writer should never explain the end before the middle, which they did this time by killing our beloved characters and now going backward to tell stories of the in-between times of their lives even before Kitiara gets deservedly knocked off.
Overall: I felt disgusted with this story in comparison to the earlier (excellent) books.
The authors really messed up on this one. A writer should never explain the end before the middle, which they did this time by killing our beloved characters and now going backward to tell stories of the in-between times of their lives even before Kitiara gets deservedly knocked off.
Overall: I felt disgusted with this story in comparison to the earlier (excellent) books.
May 1, 2014
This book has everything that you would need to make it an exciting and interesting read. All the races on the brink of war either with each other or amongst themselves. All needing to settle their differences and band together, or face total destruction at the hands of an enraged god Chaos.
This is a next generation story with just a few of the original heroes managing to help out here and there. I absolutely enjoyed reading this one and particularly enjoyed the involvement of the Kendar, Tass who saves the day more than one with The Kendar Spoon Of Turning. Frankly. If I had the choice to have a Knight or a Kendar in my party, I would choose Tass.
Read and enjoy.
This is a next generation story with just a few of the original heroes managing to help out here and there. I absolutely enjoyed reading this one and particularly enjoyed the involvement of the Kendar, Tass who saves the day more than one with The Kendar Spoon Of Turning. Frankly. If I had the choice to have a Knight or a Kendar in my party, I would choose Tass.
Read and enjoy.
December 31, 2021
I read this years and years ago, and when I think about it? I still get mad.
So many characters are killed (including two characters off page before the book even begins), some fascinating entries of the various Dragonlance stories get ret-conned, a character who at one point puts forth an impassioned anti-suicide plea in the earlier books throws his life away needlessly, and then everything the original trilogy characters fought so very hard for is more or less tossed aside.
Huh. I thought I was over this book, but I saw it scroll by on the feed as someone had read it, and nope. Not over it.
So many characters are killed (including two characters off page before the book even begins), some fascinating entries of the various Dragonlance stories get ret-conned, a character who at one point puts forth an impassioned anti-suicide plea in the earlier books throws his life away needlessly, and then everything the original trilogy characters fought so very hard for is more or less tossed aside.
Huh. I thought I was over this book, but I saw it scroll by on the feed as someone had read it, and nope. Not over it.
May 30, 2020
I kept meticulous notes while re-reading this in 2020 and was surprised by how much this book annoyed me:
First off, it is shocking to the point of annoying that so many “surprise children” are characters. As written in the original trilogy, these characters would NEVER have had sex:
Sturm with Kitiara
Raistlin with anyone
ESPECIALLY when Kitiara kills Sturm in the original trilogy! In that scene, at that time (according to THIS book) the two of them had a child. But in that scene, NO reference is made, no thoughts or emotions of either character flit back to their liaison or the child they have. Complete and utter bullshit writing.
Second, there are frequent references back to events with these children that didn’t happen in the original two trilogies. If they are codified elsewhere, then this puts an undo burden on the reader. There’s like 800 Dragonlance novels out there. Sure the original two trilogies are a fun read but the world wasn’t engaging enough to make me want to read every other money-grubbing book in the world of Krynn. So, such references fall flat and confusing to the reader of ONLY the original two trilogies. Considering that the NAME of this book ties it to the original trilogy, it’s poor writing to not explain these events when first referenced (example- Caramon saves Steel’s life. When? Where? How? All of that is completely left unanswered)
Then there are the rules of opening the portal, suddenly changed. No longer is it a black robed mage and cleric of good. It’s ANY mage and ANY cleric, provided they are powerful enough. Revisionist history at its worst!
Then there is the forests surrounding each Tower of Sorcery. The one around Palanthas sounds like it has ALWAYS been spooky but that ONLY happened when it was abandoned and the curse cast!
And then the Graygem...suddenly in the middle of the story we find out Palan was on a mission to acquire it some years before. Nice super coincidence...
Speaking of which, Usha meets Dougan Redhammer, the very person who got Palin and his brothers involved in the failed graygem quest just mentioned.
Then there are the dozen or more gods mentioned in this book. From a grand total of FOUR in the original trilogy, we now have a huge pantheon??
As in the original trilogy, gold dragons are mentioned as being in the army but when push comes to shove it is all about the silvers. Just like the blues on the evils side. Boring!!
The death of a beloved character...senseless
More revisionist history: “it’s a story people tell about you” to Raistlin, about him fathering a child. If this story were so well known, where was it in the first six books???
Without any explanation, Raistlin is suddenly devoid of his magic power. A pretty uninteresting character now because of that, though he’s still a dick.
Caramon remains an idiot for forgiving Raistlin
Tika is an idiot for letting Raistlin into her house and letting Caramon go with him
From a general D&D standpoint, spell casting is not the same. Palin can barely EVER get a spell just right and then is exhausted and depressed after casting a spell. Just a stupid way to describe a very common occurrence in any D&D game
Astinus explicitly states he doesn’t know the future in the previous books. Now suddenly he can. And now suddenly he is INFLUENCING people’s decisions, something he was completely against before.
More revisionist history - Huma suddenly had a wizard companion join him in battle! Never mentioned in the entire original trilogy! And who was this wizard? Why Magius, the very owner of the staff Raistlin carries and Palin now carries.
How is Kitiara running around, free of Lord Soth and apparently not dead?
The mechanics of wizard level and spells memorizable and cast able in these books is not D&D standard. How can Palin, at best a 5th level wizard, be given the spellbook of an archmage and be expected to use it?
Dragons come and go from the Abyss secretly? Since when? And why does Chaos’s rift in the world lead to the dragons secret tunnel to the Abyss? Pure luck?
All in all, this is some shoddy writing and not a very good addition to the original 2 trilogies.
First off, it is shocking to the point of annoying that so many “surprise children” are characters. As written in the original trilogy, these characters would NEVER have had sex:
Sturm with Kitiara
Raistlin with anyone
ESPECIALLY when Kitiara kills Sturm in the original trilogy! In that scene, at that time (according to THIS book) the two of them had a child. But in that scene, NO reference is made, no thoughts or emotions of either character flit back to their liaison or the child they have. Complete and utter bullshit writing.
Second, there are frequent references back to events with these children that didn’t happen in the original two trilogies. If they are codified elsewhere, then this puts an undo burden on the reader. There’s like 800 Dragonlance novels out there. Sure the original two trilogies are a fun read but the world wasn’t engaging enough to make me want to read every other money-grubbing book in the world of Krynn. So, such references fall flat and confusing to the reader of ONLY the original two trilogies. Considering that the NAME of this book ties it to the original trilogy, it’s poor writing to not explain these events when first referenced (example- Caramon saves Steel’s life. When? Where? How? All of that is completely left unanswered)
Then there are the rules of opening the portal, suddenly changed. No longer is it a black robed mage and cleric of good. It’s ANY mage and ANY cleric, provided they are powerful enough. Revisionist history at its worst!
Then there is the forests surrounding each Tower of Sorcery. The one around Palanthas sounds like it has ALWAYS been spooky but that ONLY happened when it was abandoned and the curse cast!
And then the Graygem...suddenly in the middle of the story we find out Palan was on a mission to acquire it some years before. Nice super coincidence...
Speaking of which, Usha meets Dougan Redhammer, the very person who got Palin and his brothers involved in the failed graygem quest just mentioned.
Then there are the dozen or more gods mentioned in this book. From a grand total of FOUR in the original trilogy, we now have a huge pantheon??
As in the original trilogy, gold dragons are mentioned as being in the army but when push comes to shove it is all about the silvers. Just like the blues on the evils side. Boring!!
The death of a beloved character...senseless
More revisionist history: “it’s a story people tell about you” to Raistlin, about him fathering a child. If this story were so well known, where was it in the first six books???
Without any explanation, Raistlin is suddenly devoid of his magic power. A pretty uninteresting character now because of that, though he’s still a dick.
Caramon remains an idiot for forgiving Raistlin
Tika is an idiot for letting Raistlin into her house and letting Caramon go with him
From a general D&D standpoint, spell casting is not the same. Palin can barely EVER get a spell just right and then is exhausted and depressed after casting a spell. Just a stupid way to describe a very common occurrence in any D&D game
Astinus explicitly states he doesn’t know the future in the previous books. Now suddenly he can. And now suddenly he is INFLUENCING people’s decisions, something he was completely against before.
More revisionist history - Huma suddenly had a wizard companion join him in battle! Never mentioned in the entire original trilogy! And who was this wizard? Why Magius, the very owner of the staff Raistlin carries and Palin now carries.
How is Kitiara running around, free of Lord Soth and apparently not dead?
The mechanics of wizard level and spells memorizable and cast able in these books is not D&D standard. How can Palin, at best a 5th level wizard, be given the spellbook of an archmage and be expected to use it?
Dragons come and go from the Abyss secretly? Since when? And why does Chaos’s rift in the world lead to the dragons secret tunnel to the Abyss? Pure luck?
All in all, this is some shoddy writing and not a very good addition to the original 2 trilogies.
July 11, 2018
I've read this book so many times that I've lost count. This is one of those books that I've enjoyed so much, that I feel the need to return to it every few years are so.
While I was never a huge fan of Usha, all the other characters are extremely well done. Some of the Companions show up throughout the book, some minor characters have major roles which is nice to see, and Palin and Steel are just awesome.
I have seen several negative reviews, and I heavily disagree with them. I also noticed a recurring theme in those reviews. Characters from the chronicles growing old, or not shown the respect that should be granted to them. A few even said that Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman should have left them alone after the Chronicles and let the characters enjoy the ending that they deserved.
Not everyone enjoys realism in there books, but I do. Seeing the Companions growing older and the developments that each character has taken is just phenomenal. The choices they made may have angered me or killed me inside, but they made sense and matched the characters beliefs. Tanis Half-elven for an example, in the chronicles I connected with his character so much as I was growing up. I understood where he was coming from, and I could relate to many of his plights. But now as I'm older, I enjoy other characters in the Chronicles a bit more. But in Summer Flame, as a father, I again find myself again relating to Tanis and his struggles with fatherhood. I understand his growth as a character and it's just wonderful.
People tend to nitpick shared worlds, whether it be books or movies-- doesn't seem to matter. Just look at the reviews on the last few Starwars movies and you'll see what I mean. Some of those reviews even match the ones on this book.
I, however, am glad that I got to see these characters as their journey continued.
While I was never a huge fan of Usha, all the other characters are extremely well done. Some of the Companions show up throughout the book, some minor characters have major roles which is nice to see, and Palin and Steel are just awesome.
I have seen several negative reviews, and I heavily disagree with them. I also noticed a recurring theme in those reviews. Characters from the chronicles growing old, or not shown the respect that should be granted to them. A few even said that Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman should have left them alone after the Chronicles and let the characters enjoy the ending that they deserved.
Not everyone enjoys realism in there books, but I do. Seeing the Companions growing older and the developments that each character has taken is just phenomenal. The choices they made may have angered me or killed me inside, but they made sense and matched the characters beliefs. Tanis Half-elven for an example, in the chronicles I connected with his character so much as I was growing up. I understood where he was coming from, and I could relate to many of his plights. But now as I'm older, I enjoy other characters in the Chronicles a bit more. But in Summer Flame, as a father, I again find myself again relating to Tanis and his struggles with fatherhood. I understand his growth as a character and it's just wonderful.
People tend to nitpick shared worlds, whether it be books or movies-- doesn't seem to matter. Just look at the reviews on the last few Starwars movies and you'll see what I mean. Some of those reviews even match the ones on this book.
I, however, am glad that I got to see these characters as their journey continued.
May 16, 2011
best, most coherent story of all the books in this series that i've read (only four! including this one). it's appalling how engrossing these books are. you start out thinking, 'pssht, nerds are so gullible! who could read this tripe?' and a few hours later, you're chewing your nails off, hoping the annoying kender doesn't die. or maybe that's just me. hi goodreads, my name is trina and i am a huge nerd.
October 1, 2017
Not because it’s literary genius laden with complexities and twists, but because the characters are carved out with so much heart that you cannot misunderstand them. 4 stars just because it was such an enjoyable, light read, like the escape it should be for fantastical writings. It made me wish that someone would make a movie out of it.
December 14, 2014
I was not a big fan of this series. I think it was just Wizards of the Coast looking for money, but that's just me. Heck, maybe I even got the dates wrong and Wizards wasn't in charge yet, but gosh darn, you'll do better reading some of the 80s Dragonlance books...you know this.
December 11, 2019
I really love this book. I've read the reviews. "Why couldn't they have just left well enough alone?" They could have. And I'd have been happy. But I'm just as happy they didn't. The only negative for me, especially when we go as far as the War of Souls, is that over time, I really got tired of Tasselhoff.
I love the characters. I love the story told. I love learning a bit more about the gods. I laughed, and I even wiped a tear away a couple of times. This will always be one of my favorite Dragonlance novels. If you like the others, give it a shot. It seems to be very polarizing. Most either hate or love it. But I believe either way, it should be experienced.
I love the characters. I love the story told. I love learning a bit more about the gods. I laughed, and I even wiped a tear away a couple of times. This will always be one of my favorite Dragonlance novels. If you like the others, give it a shot. It seems to be very polarizing. Most either hate or love it. But I believe either way, it should be experienced.
March 3, 2023
A bittersweet end to the Chronicles . . .
The Dragonlance Chronicles were not the best written fantasy out there, but in the 1980s, they were almost unavoidable to those who played D&D. This last volume of the Chronicles, published much later and also set decades after the original Chronicles, makes for a bittersweet ending. There is some real fan service stuff here, but it certainly invoked some feelings in me, especially with Caramon, Raistlin, and Tas.
The Dragonlance Chronicles were not the best written fantasy out there, but in the 1980s, they were almost unavoidable to those who played D&D. This last volume of the Chronicles, published much later and also set decades after the original Chronicles, makes for a bittersweet ending. There is some real fan service stuff here, but it certainly invoked some feelings in me, especially with Caramon, Raistlin, and Tas.
August 8, 2024
7/18/19:
I believe 17-year-old Pierce was underwhelmed by this, and it's doubtful that curmudgeony, 40-year-old Pierce will grant it the same boon he plans to bestow upon the Chronicles and Legends trilogies, which is a reread (or listen since he's going the audiobook route this time).
Pierce, you're referring to yourself in the third person, and now talking to yourself in public again. Stop that!
...It must be placebo day...
Anyway, I recall only one thing from this book, but I thought it was really cool. .
Frockin' badass to the max!... I wonder if it actually happened in this book (or at all in any book), or if I just made it up? 17 was over half a lifetime ago, after all, and it's getting further away everyday. I think . Frankly, I really don't care. I plan to leave my reread on a high note by stopping after the books linked above since they provide an excellent stopping place if I recall... but I might change my mind one day.
Anyway, the nifty power in the spoiler bumps this from two to 2.5 stars rounded up to three.
I believe 17-year-old Pierce was underwhelmed by this, and it's doubtful that curmudgeony, 40-year-old Pierce will grant it the same boon he plans to bestow upon the Chronicles and Legends trilogies, which is a reread (or listen since he's going the audiobook route this time).
Pierce, you're referring to yourself in the third person, and now talking to yourself in public again. Stop that!
...It must be placebo day...
Anyway, I recall only one thing from this book, but I thought it was really cool. .
Frockin' badass to the max!... I wonder if it actually happened in this book (or at all in any book), or if I just made it up? 17 was over half a lifetime ago, after all, and it's getting further away everyday. I think . Frankly, I really don't care. I plan to leave my reread on a high note by stopping after the books linked above since they provide an excellent stopping place if I recall... but I might change my mind one day.
Anyway, the nifty power in the spoiler bumps this from two to 2.5 stars rounded up to three.
July 2, 2013
If its possible to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, this book represents the single most amazing turn about ever.
Dragonlance was special. It changed people. When it came out, it moved people to care for the characters and started a revolution in fantasy literature. Sadly, it has not aged well and by todays standards, Dragonlance is a curiosity to be viewed as important once, but surpassed many times over since.
and then this appeared. like some steaming pile of dung, this final insult to anyone who cared about Dragonlance in the first place has finally murdered any and all possibility of salvation.
In this book, they take that aforementioned Dung heap and roll it in glitter to hide its origins. This book parades itself as a culmination to the story that had millions of fans enthralled as they first learned of the Dark Queen and her armies of draconians and the ever present threat of failure challenging their morals and to remain true to their principals as the enemy turned on itself in a spectacular clusterfuck of assassination and arrogance. In this however, forget it... didnt work... lets just give up and leave the entire world to the evils that we defeated because, hell, its easier than fighting for something.
Yes, when Gods turn around and say "ahh fuck it, i cant be bothered" you know theres a problem. Hickman and Weis should be smacked around the face with the pile of glittery dung. If this is the ending that took so long, id rather you didnt bother thanks very much. Stick to whatever it is you think youre good at, cos this aint it.
Dragonlance was special. It changed people. When it came out, it moved people to care for the characters and started a revolution in fantasy literature. Sadly, it has not aged well and by todays standards, Dragonlance is a curiosity to be viewed as important once, but surpassed many times over since.
and then this appeared. like some steaming pile of dung, this final insult to anyone who cared about Dragonlance in the first place has finally murdered any and all possibility of salvation.
In this book, they take that aforementioned Dung heap and roll it in glitter to hide its origins. This book parades itself as a culmination to the story that had millions of fans enthralled as they first learned of the Dark Queen and her armies of draconians and the ever present threat of failure challenging their morals and to remain true to their principals as the enemy turned on itself in a spectacular clusterfuck of assassination and arrogance. In this however, forget it... didnt work... lets just give up and leave the entire world to the evils that we defeated because, hell, its easier than fighting for something.
Yes, when Gods turn around and say "ahh fuck it, i cant be bothered" you know theres a problem. Hickman and Weis should be smacked around the face with the pile of glittery dung. If this is the ending that took so long, id rather you didnt bother thanks very much. Stick to whatever it is you think youre good at, cos this aint it.
August 29, 2016
When I was a kid, I read the original trilogy multiple times and loved them. In fact, those three original "Dragons of -" books were some of my all time favorite fantasy reads. To this day, they are still in my favorites, even over more modern fantasy. I loved them. Then I found out there was a third installment. I believe it was publishes in '95. I was so surprised that I immediately listened to the audio-book because I couldn't believe I missed it when I was younger. I was excited by this discovery. Well... I listed to the book and did not like it. This can be attributed to many aspects: a plot I didn't care for, getting rid of beloved characters, jumping so far into the future (20- something years), the gods playground, etc. All of these issues combined just did not do it for me, and I was ultimately let down. I fully plan on purchasing the paperbacks of the original 3, but I don't think I will purchase this one.
On a "slightly" positive note, there were things that I did like about the story. These are: the author's writing is still very good, the word choice works and the flow is lovely; some of the characters kept their original personalities, the good moral choices of the son of the knight was a good outcome, and the white mage was a nice twist to being a relative to the black mage. Not many positives go beyond that thought.
There's my five minute review. 2/5 stars.
On a "slightly" positive note, there were things that I did like about the story. These are: the author's writing is still very good, the word choice works and the flow is lovely; some of the characters kept their original personalities, the good moral choices of the son of the knight was a good outcome, and the white mage was a nice twist to being a relative to the black mage. Not many positives go beyond that thought.
There's my five minute review. 2/5 stars.
July 16, 2017
Most annoyingly I read this book out of sequence [assuming it came next after 'Dragons of Spring Dawning' - it doesn't there's another book in between :(]. However I was already familiar with the characters - and the world of Krynn is always enticing, so I was totally engrossed by the time I'd turned the first few pages. Margaret Weis has the ability to make me feel as if the place actually exists and that magic and dragons are quite normal :)
I would recommend reading the 'dragonlance' novels in sequence as previous events are often referred to in later books and often form the basis for the ongoing adventures of the protagonists. I am now going to read the book I missed out - 'The Second Generation' and will follow the recommended reading order from now on!
I highly recommend this series to lovers of the 'high fantasy' or 'swords and sorcery' genre.
I would recommend reading the 'dragonlance' novels in sequence as previous events are often referred to in later books and often form the basis for the ongoing adventures of the protagonists. I am now going to read the book I missed out - 'The Second Generation' and will follow the recommended reading order from now on!
I highly recommend this series to lovers of the 'high fantasy' or 'swords and sorcery' genre.
July 4, 2010
If you haven't had a chance to read any of the DragonLance Saga books I highly suggest picking up a few. They are marvelous reading and this one Dragons of Summer Flame by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman is one of the best because it ties so many of the others together for me. I truly enjoy this series and rank it along with Tolkiens greats for Fantasy.
Though some may find it strange for adults to invest time in this type of reading I see no reason to avoid a little adventure involving dragons, knights, wizards and magic. A bit of Fantasy never hurt anyone. And this series is delightful!
Though some may find it strange for adults to invest time in this type of reading I see no reason to avoid a little adventure involving dragons, knights, wizards and magic. A bit of Fantasy never hurt anyone. And this series is delightful!
February 11, 2013
This was kind of a weird one. I thoroughly enjoyed the Chronicles trilogy as a kid, but remember being surprised to see that TSR had published a fourth installment to the series (this was a decade after book #3 first came out). Taking place many years after the Chronicles books, Dragons of Summer Flame brings back the beloved characters from the trilogy and...well, no spoilers, but it gets a little grim at times. Weis & Hickman are still able to tell a fun tale, but this wasn't quite up to the caliber of the first three books. 3 stars.
November 1, 2014
I probably should not have read/listened this book right after original trilogy, but as some sources named this as a sequel then I did not mind. Lot of time has passed and many new characters with very little background information to deal from beginning, but amazingly it did not matter in this book as tempo is passable and adventures constant. What I still cannot comprehend is writing style in which author just skips over some scenes and does little explanation afterwards what happened.
February 21, 2016
I forgot how much I had missed reading fantasy book and this series. I enjoyed reading about the new characters and learning about the old characters and what had happened to them. I did find one of the new characters, Usha to be rather annoying but I liked the two other new characters Palin and Steel. I was hard to see some of my favorite old characters pass away.
June 18, 2022
EW EW EW why is this book? Honestly, what is the point of its existence? We have the fantastic Dragonlance Legends trilogy, followed by the even more fantastic Twin Trilogy... and then this? My disappointment is truly hard to capture atm :(
September 27, 2007
Ah memories. My first fantasy series (other than Tolkien), and man did it suck me in to the fantasy genre. An easy read- I would almost call it mansmut. Classic, reccomended.
March 1, 2016
+1 for the Kender Spoon of Turning
July 30, 2019
4,5
Güzeldi ya<3 Palin Usha ikilisi ve Steel güzel bir ekipti. Tabii Tas'ı unutmamak lazım sonra ceplerimiz boşalır filan :D
Güzeldi ya<3 Palin Usha ikilisi ve Steel güzel bir ekipti. Tabii Tas'ı unutmamak lazım sonra ceplerimiz boşalır filan :D
April 7, 2024
This might be my favourite Dragonlance book!
Dragons of Summer Flame picks up two decades after the original series with the kids of some of the old cast tasked with uniting the forces of darkness and light against their common foe in Chaos.
The book has tons of great moments. A bunch of classic characters getting to go out with a bang. The bits with the thieves guild The big battle at the end where the power of friendship conquers all all! It might have been because they had to cram three books into one but the pacing is really fantastic, with non stop action and fairly inoffensive lore-dumping.
I love the characters. Steel and Palin's duelling darkness/light turmoils. Usha's whole hapless Disney princess vibe. Palin and Usha's reverse Luke and Leia thing. Raistlin at his most normal. Dalamar desperately trying to do his own stuff while getting pulled back into Raistlins shadow.
It might move a bit fast, and it heavily references the fairly mid Second Generation compilation that precedes it. But honestly, I couldn't put it down.
Dragons of Summer Flame picks up two decades after the original series with the kids of some of the old cast tasked with uniting the forces of darkness and light against their common foe in Chaos.
The book has tons of great moments. A bunch of classic characters getting to go out with a bang. The bits with the thieves guild The big battle at the end where the power of friendship conquers all all! It might have been because they had to cram three books into one but the pacing is really fantastic, with non stop action and fairly inoffensive lore-dumping.
I love the characters. Steel and Palin's duelling darkness/light turmoils. Usha's whole hapless Disney princess vibe. Palin and Usha's reverse Luke and Leia thing. Raistlin at his most normal. Dalamar desperately trying to do his own stuff while getting pulled back into Raistlins shadow.
It might move a bit fast, and it heavily references the fairly mid Second Generation compilation that precedes it. But honestly, I couldn't put it down.
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