Customer Reviews

Divine Hammer: Kingpriest Trilogy, Volume Two

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book continues the story nicely. By now the Kingpriest has been in power for 20 years, and is bent on eradicating all evil from Krynn. The Kingpriest makes the wizards of Krynn his next target, and means to destroy or capture all the towers of sorcery. Again, the Kingpriest and Cathan grow as characters, although in different directions, as the plot unfolds.

There's a lot of foreshadowing, and since I've forgotten much of the other DL books my suspense is building to see how things will play out!

One thing I really like about this trilogy so far is watching how good, if taken too far, can lead to evil. The story also shows how undying loyalty can lead to dishonor.

Finally, I wish all DL novels were written like this trilogy. This series seems like it is meant for a slightly older/ smarter audience, which is a welcome change from other fantasy. The author pulls this off nicely without being wordy or overly descriptive.

The ending was very cool and I'm ready to read the next one.

I have read about 95% of all the DL books as well, and nothing upsets me more than finding information in a book that is contadicting to the others that I read.

Well this one blew me away, being that it ties in information from a number of other DL novels I was really inpressed with how it was all layed out and kind of blended in.

I cant wait to read the last one!
A well deserved 5 stars!!

I am not sure how many dragonlance books have been published to date but whatever the number I am sure to have read 95% or more of them. Some of them are good, some great, some not so good. The first two books of Chris Peirson's Kingpriest Trilogy are by far the best written set that has been published since the Legends Series. In fact these books are better than the recent War of Souls Trilogy by the creators Weis and Hickman. I know that might seem like blasphemy, but, the Divine Hammer and its predecessor make you really care for, root,like and hate each and every charater in the novels. A terrific read I highly recommend.

WARNING: If you haven't read the book, do not read the review by Peggy J. Gillum "Andy Gillum". It contains a pretty big spoiler without any warning.

This is not a review, as I haven't read the book. The rating I've given is a reflection of the current average rating.

This book takes place 20 years after Beldinas' rise to power as Kingpriest. He, the clergy, and his Knights of the Divine Hammer are striving to root aut evil every where on Krynn. Cathan the Kingpriest most loyal friend and Knight is faced w/ the decision of going against the KP's wishes or slaughtering the mages. The KP, meanwhile is growing more fearful of evil to the point of fanaticism. The climax is the destruction of two of the towres opf high sorcery.

In few books does the reader get to see how the magic and orders of high sorcery work. And never in the history of any Dragonlance book has ... Fistandantilus has never been delved into so deeply. He is truly frightening...

All of the characters are written beutifully and the mages are great! The book moves much faster than Chosen of the Gods. With lots of action and a tad bit of romance.The ending is great and it will have you be saying "Oh that's how that came to be in Legends!"

This trilogy is turning out to be one of the better in the Dragonlance line ... of course not as good as Weis & Hickman, but close enough. A good read, I recommend it!

Based on other reviews I found on this site and others, I decided it would be worth it to pick this up used.

After reading, I was 100% satisfied with my decision to pick this up, even though it runs a bit more than newer Dragonlance books.

Great trilogy to read, especially if you want more information on the rise and fall of the King Priest.

The Kingpriest Trilogy is amazing, that's the simplest way for me to put it. If you love Dragonlance and haven't read it then do so at once. It is well written and provides backstory for the famous Legends Trilogy. Explaining why exactly the people of Istar were mad with religious fever, why did they despise magic, and why did the gods smite them. "Divine Hammer" focuses specifically on the events surrounding the war between the Kingpriest and the Hall of Mages.

There is plenty in this novel to please any kind of dragonlance fan: sword fights, pitched battles of magic, a working church language, questions of morality, a bit of love, and a good chuck of evil. Perhaps one of the key factors is that it has such a strong villain in the Archmage Fistandantilus.

Really this trilogy has everything, it's the best dragonlance I've read in a long time and truly earns the five stars I'm giving it. I haven't seen DL done this well since "Soulforge" came out, it even eclipses the War of Souls Trilogy.

The only problem I have is that it is kept to the common 300 pages of all second tier dragonlance novels. I'm aware some DL authors have trouble with it, but Chris Pierson (no relation) does not. It's too late to do so in this trilogy but if he is given the rights to another let him write it as he can, EPIC. I don't just give out five stars for no reason, this one truly earned it.

Final Thought: Sifat Pilofiro (so be it, Lightbringer).

After and excellent beginning - the Divine Hammer is a superb sequel to the first book in the Kingpriest trilogy, the Chosen of the Gods. The book takes place approximately twenty years following the coming of the Lightbringer Kingpreist to the thrown. For twenty years the Lightbringer has sought to root out all evil in the mist of the empire, but new evil lurks around the corner in the guise of a magic user that all Dragon Lance fans should be familiar with.

Without spoiling the tale - let me just say this that it is, in my opinion, an excellent tale of the conflict between church and magic. Dragon Lance fans will be enthralled by the description of the epic struggle between the magic users and the Lightbringer. If you are looking for a place to begin this is not it - start with Dragons of an Autumn Twilight.

I did not give this five star rating because it is not as good, in my humble opinion, as some of the other Weis & Hickman or Jeff Grubb novels. If you like a lot of action in your novels this is a good one to read but - try Magic: The Gathering novels before reading these.

After the excellent first part of the Kingpriest Trilogy here's the story of the dramatic conflict between the clergy of good and the three orders of magic, its climax the terrible destruction of two Towers of High Sorcery. A gripping tale, it confronts the reader with both sides of the conflict, presenting very lively and likable characters (even the evil ones). To me, most dramatic of all was the development of Cathan and Beldinas - the loyal knight (calling himself friend of the man who once gave him back his life) being forced to realize what is wrought in the name of good, and the Lightbringer who begins to doubt himself and the world around him. There are wonderful scenes: Beldinas in his chamber praying to Paladine for guidance or, even more so, the "mirror scenes" in the Hall of Audience, one opening the story and one ending it, echoing one another and creating a terrific stage for the final(?) meeting of Cathan and Beldinas. However, there are also a few inconsistencies to other DL novels such as the Legends and Defenders of Magic Trilogy but I guess that was to be expected. All in all, a great read; I would recommend it.

This is one of the best things ever, and not just in books.