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Band of Four #4
Dragon's Doom: Library Edition
The Barnes & Noble Review
In the realm of Aglirta, the Serpent has been vanquished and a new king rules the Kingless Land. But even though the legendary Band of Four travel the land as overdukes, ferreting out rogue wizards and remnants of the Serpent cult, peace and prosperity are still distant dreams.
Ingryl Ambelter, the undead former Spellmaster of Silvertree, is doing everything in his power to dethrone the Boy King, Raulin Castlecloaks, and finally do away with the king's overdukes. Ambelter's plan is to found a new Aglirta, a kingdom ruled by a council of wizards. The revolutionary plotting isn't limited to rogue wizards; priests of the Serpent cult have released a pathogen into the drinking water throughout Aglirta that either drives people into a homicidal rage or turns them into nightmarish beasts. They plan to blame the plague on the Boy King's inability to rule.
As the Band of Four -- the giant Hawkril, the war captain Baron Blackgult, the master thief Craer, and the beautiful sorceress Embra Silvertree -- travel the Vale, smoldering tensions ignite a firestorm of treachery and magic.
Fans of epic fantasy who haven't yet read Greenwood's Band of Four series (The Kingless Land, The Vacant Throne, and A Dragon's Ascension) should definitely give this saga a try. Paul Goat Allen
In the realm of Aglirta, the Serpent has been vanquished and a new king rules the Kingless Land. But even though the legendary Band of Four travel the land as overdukes, ferreting out rogue wizards and remnants of the Serpent cult, peace and prosperity are still distant dreams.
Ingryl Ambelter, the undead former Spellmaster of Silvertree, is doing everything in his power to dethrone the Boy King, Raulin Castlecloaks, and finally do away with the king's overdukes. Ambelter's plan is to found a new Aglirta, a kingdom ruled by a council of wizards. The revolutionary plotting isn't limited to rogue wizards; priests of the Serpent cult have released a pathogen into the drinking water throughout Aglirta that either drives people into a homicidal rage or turns them into nightmarish beasts. They plan to blame the plague on the Boy King's inability to rule.
As the Band of Four -- the giant Hawkril, the war captain Baron Blackgult, the master thief Craer, and the beautiful sorceress Embra Silvertree -- travel the Vale, smoldering tensions ignite a firestorm of treachery and magic.
Fans of epic fantasy who haven't yet read Greenwood's Band of Four series (The Kingless Land, The Vacant Throne, and A Dragon's Ascension) should definitely give this saga a try. Paul Goat Allen
11 pages, Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 2003
2 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Ed Greenwood
364 books880 followersEd Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms fantasy world, which became the setting for his home D&D game in 1975. Play still continues in this long-running campaign, and Ed also keeps busy producing Realmslore for various TSR publications.
Ed has published over two hundred articles in Dragon magazine and Polyhedron newszine, is a lifetime charter member of the Role Playing Game Associaton (RPGA) network, has written over thirty books and modules for TSR, and been Gen Con Game Fair guest of honor several times.
In addition to all these activities, Ed works as a library clerk and has edited over a dozen small press magazines.
Invented the character Elminster from the popular Forgotten Realms RPG series. Currently resides in an old farmhouse in the countryside of Ontario, Canada.
Ed has published over two hundred articles in Dragon magazine and Polyhedron newszine, is a lifetime charter member of the Role Playing Game Associaton (RPGA) network, has written over thirty books and modules for TSR, and been Gen Con Game Fair guest of honor several times.
In addition to all these activities, Ed works as a library clerk and has edited over a dozen small press magazines.
Invented the character Elminster from the popular Forgotten Realms RPG series. Currently resides in an old farmhouse in the countryside of Ontario, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 8, 2025
This series is like popcorn with uneven seasoning: you take a bite once and it's flavorless, then you take another and the salt is almost overpowering.
Truly, what an enjoyable mess.
P.S. I would not recommend this series, I don't think.
Truly, what an enjoyable mess.
P.S. I would not recommend this series, I don't think.
December 29, 2016
Well, I've finally finished the completely pointless series starring the Band of Four. That is a month that I'll never get back, and time that would have been much better spent doing almost anything. The hack-and-slash fantasy by Greenwood may be attractive and fun to some, but I think most will agree that these books represent nothing more than a distraction. No meaning, no purpose, no point, and by no means memorable, I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone, and now wish that I hadn't stumbled across them in my browsing of Amazon.
This final book, THE DRAGON'S DOOM, is actually better than the first three in the series, as Greenwood's writing seems to have smoothed out a bit, becoming somewhat more refined and coherent. The insanity of the first three books, where far too many characters and plots interweave in a mind-boggling confusion, is restricted here, as Greenwood makes a decent attempt to get the story focused enough to reach an almost-satisfying conclusion. That's not to say that the action slowed here, as this one is just as full of bloody fights and unexplainable sorcery as the others, but that this book was just tighter, keeping with only the most important characters. And even though this book did improve over its predecessors, it is still impossible to take seriously. The Band of Four still go from banter and jokes, to brutal savagery and total anguish, and then back to jovialness, at the blink of an eye. Its meant to be funny, the continual wittiness and light-heartedness of the characters, but it really leads to an eye-rolling, unsatisfying read.
I think Greenwood has potential as a writer, but until he takes his job a little more seriously, and stops trying to show how ironic and funny he can be, his books aren't going to be winning any awards. I don't see myself reading any more of his work, not after this disappointing experience. Definitely not recommended. Stay away from this series!
This final book, THE DRAGON'S DOOM, is actually better than the first three in the series, as Greenwood's writing seems to have smoothed out a bit, becoming somewhat more refined and coherent. The insanity of the first three books, where far too many characters and plots interweave in a mind-boggling confusion, is restricted here, as Greenwood makes a decent attempt to get the story focused enough to reach an almost-satisfying conclusion. That's not to say that the action slowed here, as this one is just as full of bloody fights and unexplainable sorcery as the others, but that this book was just tighter, keeping with only the most important characters. And even though this book did improve over its predecessors, it is still impossible to take seriously. The Band of Four still go from banter and jokes, to brutal savagery and total anguish, and then back to jovialness, at the blink of an eye. Its meant to be funny, the continual wittiness and light-heartedness of the characters, but it really leads to an eye-rolling, unsatisfying read.
I think Greenwood has potential as a writer, but until he takes his job a little more seriously, and stops trying to show how ironic and funny he can be, his books aren't going to be winning any awards. I don't see myself reading any more of his work, not after this disappointing experience. Definitely not recommended. Stay away from this series!
April 24, 2008
High Action constantly through these books.
February 17, 2016
Great ending to a not so great series. Just glad the story got better as the author moved along.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews