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Dragonlance: Kingpriest #1
Chosen of the Gods
In the ancient and mystical land of Krynn, the death of the ruling Kingpriest ignites a fierce and bloody rivalry between pretenders and true believers, good and evil, struggling for power and control of the throne. Original.
344 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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751 people want to read
About the author
Chris Pierson
39 books23 followersAuthor of GREENSWORD, a dark comedy about global warming. Author of Forced Conversion, a military science fiction novel set in the near future. Also author of a variety of short fiction in the fantasy, science fiction, horror, and comedy genres, and gaming material, including stories in the Dragonlance and Transformers universes and in a variety of DAW themed anthologies. World's top-ranked player of RPGA Classic roleplaying game tournaments from 1985-2000. See more at www.donaldjbingle.com."
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 18, 2012
This is the first book in a trilogy. If you have read dragonlance, you know about the incident of the Kingpriest and the cataclsym. This trilogy is that story. The first book is about how the Kingpriest comes into power. If you are a fan of dragonlance, this is a must read. The author did a fantastic job of detailing the setting and this was a great story. The story contains a well known dragonlance character and also a cameo by another one. This book contains your fantasy battle scenes and your heroes and villians. Everything you expect in well written fantasy book. This is one of the better dragonlace books that I have read.
August 24, 2020
I'm pretty sure this is my first time reading Chris Pierson's Dragonlance novels, but I was pleasantly surprised. It took a while for me to sink my teeth into it, and it had some pretty bad sentences sometimes - but they were relatively rare, and the occasional kitschy scene, but that's to he expected (honestly, in other Dragonlance novels I wouldn't even mention it, but they felt almost out of place in this novel, which is fairly serious compared to the majority of the Dragonlance canon). Overall, I was very happy with this book.
There was the issue with the use of the Istarian language; there was a lot of it, and all translated immediately after. It had one decent payoff about mid-way through the novel, but that was it. I dig Conlang stuff as much as the next nerd, but it felt distracting - like Pierson was stoked that he either made up this language or had learned it from somewhere else and just wanted to use it - to the detriment of the overall story.
The characterization is strong - Cathan and Beldyn's relationship was especially good - and the plot and the storyline are solid. Most of the things I thought I didn't particularly like ended up really paying off by the end of the novel.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
There was the issue with the use of the Istarian language; there was a lot of it, and all translated immediately after. It had one decent payoff about mid-way through the novel, but that was it. I dig Conlang stuff as much as the next nerd, but it felt distracting - like Pierson was stoked that he either made up this language or had learned it from somewhere else and just wanted to use it - to the detriment of the overall story.
The characterization is strong - Cathan and Beldyn's relationship was especially good - and the plot and the storyline are solid. Most of the things I thought I didn't particularly like ended up really paying off by the end of the novel.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
April 28, 2020
This is the Silmarillion of Dragonlance. It provides the backstory for the better known Chronicles and Legends, but also provides a new perspective on the familiar tales. The style of writing is completely different from anything else on Krynn, and the choice may be intentional. The refined tone and leisurely descriptions of pre-cataclysm Istar give a sense of a lost world. There is none of the slapstick humor of the other series. No kender, gnomes or gully dwarfs are to be found in Istar, to the extent that elves are apparently considered exotic in the insular lordcity. With the possible except of Cathan, the characters are more difficult to relate to than the heroes of the lance.
That said, the language is really only complex compared to the rest of the Dragonlance books, which makes the vocabulary about par for the course for an epic fantasy novel. The pacing was also a pleasant surprise. The descriptive passages at the beginning made me think this was going to be a slog, but it was actually fast-paced and tightly plotted. Instead of the random encounters of a typical dungeon crawl, each obstacle faced by Beldyn and his companions follows logically from the machinations of the other characters and fits into the greater history of Krynn. If the next two books are anything like this, the Kingpriest Trilogy might contain some of the best-written tales of Ansalon.
That said, the language is really only complex compared to the rest of the Dragonlance books, which makes the vocabulary about par for the course for an epic fantasy novel. The pacing was also a pleasant surprise. The descriptive passages at the beginning made me think this was going to be a slog, but it was actually fast-paced and tightly plotted. Instead of the random encounters of a typical dungeon crawl, each obstacle faced by Beldyn and his companions follows logically from the machinations of the other characters and fits into the greater history of Krynn. If the next two books are anything like this, the Kingpriest Trilogy might contain some of the best-written tales of Ansalon.
March 8, 2019
Chosen of the Gods is one of the best Dragonlance books I have read in a while, and my first by Chris Pierson. If his other books are as good, he will easily become my favorite of the secondary Dragonlance authors. Many of the other books from the earlier ages of Krynn are just to heavy on action, light on substance, and quite predictable. This book is none of those things, aside from predictable in some overarching ways, since some general knowledge of events from this time period is referenced in some of the books that take place in later times.
This book is about the rise of the Kingpriest, Beldyn, who is (presumably) the person who is referenced in many of the Dragonlance books (at least I assume so, not yet having completed the Kingpriest trilogy, of which Chosen of the Gods is the first volume). Even moreso, perhaps, the book is about Cathan, who also plays a part in Beldyn's story. Or is it the other way around? Either way, Cathan is certainly one of the better developed characters in the Dragonlance world, particularly given that he appears in only a single book (so far). Pierson's writing here makes me eager to carry on with the other books in the Kingpriest trilogy.
This book is about the rise of the Kingpriest, Beldyn, who is (presumably) the person who is referenced in many of the Dragonlance books (at least I assume so, not yet having completed the Kingpriest trilogy, of which Chosen of the Gods is the first volume). Even moreso, perhaps, the book is about Cathan, who also plays a part in Beldyn's story. Or is it the other way around? Either way, Cathan is certainly one of the better developed characters in the Dragonlance world, particularly given that he appears in only a single book (so far). Pierson's writing here makes me eager to carry on with the other books in the Kingpriest trilogy.
October 3, 2023
Great start to a trilogy! Cannot wait to read the others. With great parallels to Ancient Rome and things we can even see in the modern day. Cathan MarSevrin is a great character going from faithful, to faithless, and then faithful again. Beldyn personally came off as subtly arrogant to me, but he was meant to be likable and an amazing servant of Paladine, which was well done. I guess I may just be a little skeptical. Kurnos and Fistandantilus make a great twisted evil pair as antagonists in this story, the only thing I wish is that Kurnos was not murdered in the end, it just broke canon and that is never something that’s happy :(
All in all, the story was still amazing and very well written. Give it a read!
All in all, the story was still amazing and very well written. Give it a read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2024
An enjoyable read, though admittedly it was slow at the start. The plot picked up before the 100 page mark and then I understood why this series is one of the favorites outside the Chronicles and Legends. Unfortunately this book isn’t available on Kindle, even though books 2 & 3 of the trilogy are, so you either have to find a second hand copy and risk paying more than typical for a mass market paperback or you have to listen on Audible. I look forward to reading the rest of the series on my Kindle!
May 2, 2023
Kinda bored with this one tbh. But i can see that its alot of set up.
October 9, 2023
Eh, at least I finished it. Quick read.
May 24, 2016
An Excellent Introduction to the World of Krynn
Chris Pierson is a masterful writer. I have no issues or complaints with his writing. It’s smooth and easily apprehended by anyone who loves books and enjoys learning. That said, the novel is not without its flaws. Although they aren’t numerous, the are quite conspicuous and end up making the experience less epic than it otherwise could have been.
I’ll start by pointing out its status as the first tome in a 3-part trilogy. As such, there will be a considerable amount of foreshadowing and scene-setting to be explored and delved into late in the series. I don’t count this against the book or the author, as I started reading this book knowing what I was getting into in this regard. The plot of the first book is complete though simple at its core (a corrupt usurper acquires the mantle of Kingpriest, gaining unquestioning control over a sprawling empire. The more he struggles to keep things balanced, the more plates he has to keep spinning, and the outcome isn’t surprising). The characters aren’t very well developed, but that’s understandable in a novel meant to be viewed and enjoyed from a historical perspective. In a very real sense, the different factions and provinces are characters in their own right, and it is easier to differentiate people and places based on the events that surround them than to attempt a rote-memorisation struggle.
The second flaw that stands out is the use of the church tongue. Like Tolkien’s Elvish, it gets in the way of the story, and forces the reader to either slow down or skim ahead (I did the latter). Although this does not ruin things overall, it does slow down the journey, especially when the characters are talking in two languages at the same time. It's superfluous in most cases and does end up to be an irritant overall.
The descriptions of the cities and characters I found particularly well-done. The reader does not encounter massive walls of text to describe a patch of grass or small hovel, as Tolkien fans are no doubt familiar with. Pierson reveals just enough to allow readers to get an adequate idea of the setting and location, while still allowing them to fill in the blanks and utilise their imagination. The likely events of the latter two books do appear to be foreshadowed, although the veil is quite opaque and you won't notice it unless you're looking for them (or you always parse through your novels as though you were aspiring to be Sherlock Holmes).
Chris Pierson is a masterful writer. I have no issues or complaints with his writing. It’s smooth and easily apprehended by anyone who loves books and enjoys learning. That said, the novel is not without its flaws. Although they aren’t numerous, the are quite conspicuous and end up making the experience less epic than it otherwise could have been.
I’ll start by pointing out its status as the first tome in a 3-part trilogy. As such, there will be a considerable amount of foreshadowing and scene-setting to be explored and delved into late in the series. I don’t count this against the book or the author, as I started reading this book knowing what I was getting into in this regard. The plot of the first book is complete though simple at its core (a corrupt usurper acquires the mantle of Kingpriest, gaining unquestioning control over a sprawling empire. The more he struggles to keep things balanced, the more plates he has to keep spinning, and the outcome isn’t surprising). The characters aren’t very well developed, but that’s understandable in a novel meant to be viewed and enjoyed from a historical perspective. In a very real sense, the different factions and provinces are characters in their own right, and it is easier to differentiate people and places based on the events that surround them than to attempt a rote-memorisation struggle.
The second flaw that stands out is the use of the church tongue. Like Tolkien’s Elvish, it gets in the way of the story, and forces the reader to either slow down or skim ahead (I did the latter). Although this does not ruin things overall, it does slow down the journey, especially when the characters are talking in two languages at the same time. It's superfluous in most cases and does end up to be an irritant overall.
The descriptions of the cities and characters I found particularly well-done. The reader does not encounter massive walls of text to describe a patch of grass or small hovel, as Tolkien fans are no doubt familiar with. Pierson reveals just enough to allow readers to get an adequate idea of the setting and location, while still allowing them to fill in the blanks and utilise their imagination. The likely events of the latter two books do appear to be foreshadowed, although the veil is quite opaque and you won't notice it unless you're looking for them (or you always parse through your novels as though you were aspiring to be Sherlock Holmes).
June 8, 2013
Prachtig geschreven, alsook dat je je kunt inleven in de personages, je je bepaalde gebeurtenissen goed kunt voorstellen. Van deze serie kan zeker een film gemaakt worden. Geen twijfel mogelijk.
Istar komt, voor zover ik mij herinner, ook voor in 'Chronicles' (met Tas en Flint?), en dan is de streek al verwoest. En in Kingpriest Trilogy krijg je meer info daaromtrent (Cataclysm? ).
Wel jammer dat lady Ilista al in het eerste boek uit het verhaal 'verdwijnt' (lees: gedood wordt). Ik dacht echt dat ze nog een belangrijke rol ging spelen in het verdere verloop. Maar ze (haar geest) komt even kort terug in Sacred Fire.
Wat ik niet snap, is waarom Cathan niet geloofde dat hij de 'Chosen Of The Gods' was, toen hij de miceram vond en daar ook de geest van een ex- of wannabe kingpriest ontmoette. Maar doorheen het verhaal heb ik wel altijd aangenomen dat Cathan de rechtmatige 'ruler' was.
Toen Beldyn/Beldinas wat te fanatiek bezig was met het uitroeien van evil, was ik wel wat bezorgd. Veel wizards verdienden het ook niet, daar heb ik mij toch even kwaad gemaakt op Beldinas. Fistandantilus bezorgde mij meestal koude rillingen, hoewel ik in Sacred Fire enige sympathie voor hem voelde, ook omdat hij Cathan hielp te ontsnappen.
Ik had nooit gedacht dat Cathan daadwerkelijk die bloodblossom olie in Beldinas zou 'spuiten', gezien ze toch een goeie vriendschap hadden. Nuja, op het laatst toen Bron bijna vermoord werd door lokale inwoners, toen hij even tot Paladine bad, had ik zo'n gevoel van "tiens, toch wel een redelijk grote gelijkenis met de huidige wereld"
The Kingpriest Trilogy is niet zomaar een derderangsserietje, maar belangrijk om bepaalde dingen/gebeurtenissen te kennen als de streek ter sprake komt in latere boeken (Legends, Tales, ...).
Istar komt, voor zover ik mij herinner, ook voor in 'Chronicles' (met Tas en Flint?), en dan is de streek al verwoest. En in Kingpriest Trilogy krijg je meer info daaromtrent (Cataclysm? ).
Wel jammer dat lady Ilista al in het eerste boek uit het verhaal 'verdwijnt' (lees: gedood wordt). Ik dacht echt dat ze nog een belangrijke rol ging spelen in het verdere verloop. Maar ze (haar geest) komt even kort terug in Sacred Fire.
Wat ik niet snap, is waarom Cathan niet geloofde dat hij de 'Chosen Of The Gods' was, toen hij de miceram vond en daar ook de geest van een ex- of wannabe kingpriest ontmoette. Maar doorheen het verhaal heb ik wel altijd aangenomen dat Cathan de rechtmatige 'ruler' was.
Toen Beldyn/Beldinas wat te fanatiek bezig was met het uitroeien van evil, was ik wel wat bezorgd. Veel wizards verdienden het ook niet, daar heb ik mij toch even kwaad gemaakt op Beldinas. Fistandantilus bezorgde mij meestal koude rillingen, hoewel ik in Sacred Fire enige sympathie voor hem voelde, ook omdat hij Cathan hielp te ontsnappen.
Ik had nooit gedacht dat Cathan daadwerkelijk die bloodblossom olie in Beldinas zou 'spuiten', gezien ze toch een goeie vriendschap hadden. Nuja, op het laatst toen Bron bijna vermoord werd door lokale inwoners, toen hij even tot Paladine bad, had ik zo'n gevoel van "tiens, toch wel een redelijk grote gelijkenis met de huidige wereld"
The Kingpriest Trilogy is niet zomaar een derderangsserietje, maar belangrijk om bepaalde dingen/gebeurtenissen te kennen als de streek ter sprake komt in latere boeken (Legends, Tales, ...).
August 10, 2010
After reading the rest of the series, my opinion of this book has gone up quite a bit. It really sets the stage for the story of Cathan and Beldyn. If you've ever read any of the Dragonlance series, you've most likely heard about the Kingpriest and the fiery mountain that was dropped onto Istar as punishment for his demands upon the gods. Well, this is the series that fleshes that out and its probably one of the best crafted of the Dragonlance series.
Chris Pierson incorporates elements of gaming into his stories while also reconciling those elements with the DL folklore (which sometimes varies a great deal from traditional D&D). He also breathes life into characters that have become almost goofy caricatures... Fistandantilus and Beldinas, the Kingpriest. Here we see why Beldinas was so awe-inspiring - and you wonder how it all goes so wrong. We also see that Fistandantilus was cruel, powerful, and calculating wizard... Pierson doesn't shy away from gore that you normally don't find in DL books. But the best character, by far, is Cathan, a young man who throws away his faith when his family is almost completely wiped out by disease and he must resort to life as a bandit. Cathan's role in the story of Istar is much larger than you would ever suspect.
I really enjoyed this series and was actually a little surprised at it. The opening is definitely dry... maybe a little too much description of the opulence of Istar and the fabulous feasts for me. But as things get moving and we see how Beldyn came into power, the story will start to grab you. This was, for me, the weakest of the trilogy, but it was still a good book.
Chris Pierson incorporates elements of gaming into his stories while also reconciling those elements with the DL folklore (which sometimes varies a great deal from traditional D&D). He also breathes life into characters that have become almost goofy caricatures... Fistandantilus and Beldinas, the Kingpriest. Here we see why Beldinas was so awe-inspiring - and you wonder how it all goes so wrong. We also see that Fistandantilus was cruel, powerful, and calculating wizard... Pierson doesn't shy away from gore that you normally don't find in DL books. But the best character, by far, is Cathan, a young man who throws away his faith when his family is almost completely wiped out by disease and he must resort to life as a bandit. Cathan's role in the story of Istar is much larger than you would ever suspect.
I really enjoyed this series and was actually a little surprised at it. The opening is definitely dry... maybe a little too much description of the opulence of Istar and the fabulous feasts for me. But as things get moving and we see how Beldyn came into power, the story will start to grab you. This was, for me, the weakest of the trilogy, but it was still a good book.
December 18, 2015
Three stars for this from me...to be honest I could have very easily given four if it hadn't dragged on and on. Pierson is probably the best secondary author (by that I mean any author other than Weis+Hickman) to grace the Dragonlance series. If the book would have been better edited, and by that I mean trimmed down, I would have given it four stars.
Being that my education is in sociology/religious studies I greatly admired the use of language and ritual throughout and these primarily kept me reading. All of the phrasing and Istarian verse was wonderful..bravo for giving a much needed depth to the DL setting Mr. Pierson.
Being that my education is in sociology/religious studies I greatly admired the use of language and ritual throughout and these primarily kept me reading. All of the phrasing and Istarian verse was wonderful..bravo for giving a much needed depth to the DL setting Mr. Pierson.
March 14, 2016
a great read even though there was too much religion for my liking. Seems that all religions everywhere and through all times are the same, breeding fanatics and corruption and so much evil!! the lightbringer seemed like he was going to be different at the start but in the end he vowed to go against all kinds of magic with a vengeance and this does not augur at all well!! why are religious leaders always threatened by anything different to their own beliefs? and cannot tolerate any form of competition? seems like nothing changes at all but it was still a great read, am enjoying the way Pierson writes for the dragonlance series!!
September 22, 2013
It could have been worse, "Chosen of the gods" is not so bad compared to other Dragolance novels (especially the ones not written by Weis and/or Hickman).
The background and the story are interesting (the mighty empire of Istar at the peak of its power and the deeds of the young Beldinas Pilofiro, the man who will be last Kingpriest of Istar), but the battles are unconvincing and the last siege of Giovinna is too simple, reminding of some fantasy B-movies.
Anyway a decent book, very classic. If you like the genre it can be entertaining.
The background and the story are interesting (the mighty empire of Istar at the peak of its power and the deeds of the young Beldinas Pilofiro, the man who will be last Kingpriest of Istar), but the battles are unconvincing and the last siege of Giovinna is too simple, reminding of some fantasy B-movies.
Anyway a decent book, very classic. If you like the genre it can be entertaining.
June 1, 2013
Like good old times :)
Chris Pierson almost reach Weis- Hickman's Level here. I really enjoyed reading the book.
4.25-4.5/5
Chris Pierson almost reach Weis- Hickman's Level here. I really enjoyed reading the book.
4.25-4.5/5
August 3, 2012
It was alright a bit slow and long in the tooth at times.
August 14, 2013
I know that this book was rated as meh, by a lot of people, I loved it. I read it in a day, I liked meeting old familiar faces, and new ones as well. Well done,
September 29, 2014
It was ok as a book of dargonlance. I didn't like any of the characters. Had a good moments and you endure the reading.
January 16, 2015
One of the best Dragonlance books I've read in a while. Nicely non demanding page turner for the dreary winter weather.
October 8, 2015
Took me a long time to get my hands on this novel (and the rest of the triology), but it was well worth the wait. In a dim sky of mediocre Dragonlance novels, this one is a shining beacon.
October 22, 2021
Great first story setting up the inevitable Cataclysm. I like that even though I know what’s going to happen, the story still felt fresh and engaging.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews