Customer Reviews

Dalamar the Dark (Dragonlance Classics, Vol. 2)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This Dragonlance Classics book tells the story of Dalamar's youth in Silvanesti and his eventual calling to the dark arts. He is cast out of his Elven home and left on his own to pursue his fate. He goes to the Tower to be tested, and is willingly used by the leadership of the Tower to complete a task that would allow more than one person the revenge they seek. Berberick's telling is good although her characterization of Dalamar falls slightly short of his personality from what we know of him from other stories. Her perspective of the fall of Silvanost and Lorac's Nightmare is insightful and well written, and ties well into the Chronicles storyline. This is a good book for someone who has already read the core books of the Dragonlance series.

While this wasnt a book that I couldnt put down. It was still a very good story. It revealed a lot about where exactly Dalamar came from and what I liked most was we saw the war of the lance through his eyes. Considering he wasn't in the storylines until the legends trilogy. Anyway, good tie-ins to the main dragonlance story and the book also gives us another good view of how the conclave works, and what the test is like (i've only seen what it was like for Raistlin).

Don't pick up this book expecting a lot, that's the first thing I can warn you. The more you expect, the more of a let down it is. Luckily a friend of mine told me this and it wasn't too bad of a book. That doesn't mean that this was entertaining and a really good DL book though. The only good qualities in the book were getting to see some of the elven caste system and getting to see some key moments in Dalamar's life. However, I found Dalamar's testing to be weak and not that great of a scene.

A few of the major problems with this book where; the prologue. It's set after the main part of the novel so it tells you which characters will make it out of the book and which will die. Also, a powerful dwarf mage, I don't know about you but to me dwarf and mage shouldn't really go together in the same title and that really doesn't make a good villain. And last, and the biggest problem, the description. It's not that it was bad, it's that it was too good for a DL book. It seemed like ever time I would get into a flow reading the book some flowery description would pop up (even in the fight scenes) and ruin the flow of the scene.

I wouldn't say this is the worst DL book I have read, but it's not that great. You should read some other DL book (try Downfall or Clandestine Circle) if you are looking for a true DL fix.

This story is intriquing and an interesting read if you enjoyt he character Dalamar however there are several flaws that I found to be distracting and disappointing. First of all, the portrayal of te Silvanesti elves was harsh to the point where you could hardly call them "good" at all. The author seems to make the assumption that if you fight the "bad" guys, in this case a number of evil wizards and a dragon Highlord that makes you "good," which is not true at all. The Chronicles series sets you up to realize that the Silvanesti are incredibly snooty and uptight, but not cold and unconcerned about themselves. Yes, they have avoided the outside world and show disinterest there but former authors of the series never through out the belief they walk over each other on a daily basis. It is an assumption i believe this author got wrong. Also, it describes Dalamar's path into darkness in a fairly unbelievable way. Dalamar is potrayed as in intelligent individual who suddenly turns to darkness for reasons that just come with living. Also, at times when Dalamar is portrayed at his darkest, you get the feeling you are reading about Raistlin and not him. In Legends and the Summer Flame, Dalamar has feelings, good ones. He is a dark elf mage not some power hungry warlord.

In short, this portrayal of Dalamar is only believable if you change the character we know as Dalamar from the other books and since you probably pick up this book because you liked the character in the other books, then it is probably not all that worthwhile. However it is not a bad read, just don't expect too much insight into the character in the title. As mentioned in other reviews, this has a lot more to do with events than the character Dalamar and when it does talk about Dalamar, it does so poorly.

I found this book to be very well written. It does a good job of explaining why Dalamar chose the path he did. There are a few errors, but most are just minor like the Majere, Uth Matar error mentioned above, this happened even in Dragons of Summer Flame where Usha is called Jenna, typos nothing more. The majority is set in War of the Lance as it must, and does an extremely good job of describing Lorac's choice as well the forces that pushed Dalamar to the Dark. Overall a very good book.

Nancy did a bang-up job with this novel! Yes, there are a few editing errors, but overall the book captured both the feel of Ansalon in the years before the period portrayed in 'Chronicles,' and got all the *important* details right!

I think this is a fine addition to the Dragonlance line and a fine fantasy novel in its own right.

This was an excellent addition to the Dragonlance canon. Nancy has been writing Dragonlance material for a long time - her short stories are some of the best in the anthologies. This novel traces the development of Dalamar's magical career. Silvanesti, its elves and caste system, are described well. My favorite thing about the novel is the fact that for me it captured the feeling of the early Dragonlance novels. Nancy did a great job in handling the world of Krynn as it was during the War of the Lance, as well as the character of Dalamar himself.

I don't remeber much of this book because it's been awhile since I read it, and because I dind'tenjoyed it. I bought it and was happy to have a book about Dalamar, who I liked so much in "Legends", but the book was a huge disappointment. Boring and repetitive, and when it began to be addictive is when Dalamar goes to Raistlin's Tower... where the book ends.

Don't waste your money on it unless you're a really HUUUUGELY ADDICTED fan of the Dragonlance series.

I have loved Dalamar (almost as much as his Shalafi) ever since he first walked onto the pages of the Legends trilogy. I've walked the dark shadows and lived in the obsidian glory of his black magick, and I've lived to tell the tale. I've used him in many of my own campaigns, and I can never cease to adore this wonderous Dark Elf. To say that his tale was badly written is by far an injustice of our over-expectant society. While they spent far too much time telling us about what was going on in elven society, it was much needed and very helpful. Since reading this wonderous novel my own campaigns have become much more colorful and very spicy. I was given insight on the wonders of the mage-hood, as well as the ways of the elves, beliefs, the caste-system. Not to mention insight on this glorious man, his thoughts, feelings, emotions; things I never would have considered before. I'm more in love with him now then ever I was when first our eyes met......

Dalamars saga is well written in this book, from his days of a servitor to the destruction of Silvanost to Palanthas. Dalamars conversion to dark magic (outlawed by the elves) starts when he finds the magical books of a previous dark elf. Soon his studies are interupted by the invasion of the dragon armies, and unleashing of a green dragons magic upon silvanost. Silvanost is transformed from its once beautiful self unto a dark a dangerous, unwelcoming place. I thought that Dalamars adventures after being cast out could have been explained in more detail, and I certainly hope another book about Dalamars experiences with Raistlin is published.