Customer Reviews

The Dragons of Krynn (Dragonlance: Dragons, Book 1)

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

 

 

Here's a collection of Dragon stories. Some very good, some just so-so. Interesting pieces include "The Final Touch", "The Best", "Kaz and the Dragon's Children", "Dragon Breath", "The Middle of Nowhere." "The First Dragonarmy Bridge..." introduces us to the pitiful draconian brigade whom one will meet in greater detail in "The Doom Brigade". Some of the stories end abruptly ("Into the Light" is one) while I find "Honor..." a bit tiresome to read. The rest of the stories are worth reading. All in all, this is a good book to get acquainted with the most popular and most awesome creatures in Krynn - dragons.

This book offers a diverse look at both the good and the bad of the most ancient and mythical creatures: Dragons. From the most honorable to the most cunningly evil, they are here, and you will love it. Great for new fans and those searching for more of Krynn's history!

Bobby MacGregor (macgregor@earthlink.com) This book is a must for anyone reading the Dragonlance series. Not only does it relate most of the dragon history of Krynn it also talks about other histories. I would have to say that I learned more from this book than any other book in the series.

This is a excellent example of a Dragonlance book. The storys all involve dragons to some degree, and if you know the world of Dragonlance, you know that Dragons are one of the most interesting players in this dynamic world.

Another fine example of Dragonlance before the new and revised world of the Fifth Age of Dlance (Which I don't like).

Though you may want to read the Chronicles and Test series first. Excellent books, all of them.

This is the first book from the Dragonlance series I read. I really enjoyed it, and I recommend it to anyone.

Bottom-Line: "The Dragons of Krynn" is a well written series of shorts, that contains (some) great stories about dragons and that along is worth a look.

For as long as I have been reading the DragonLance series of books I have longed to read a volume wherein the dragons of Krynn are discussed in-depth; e.g. their origin, the source of their intellect; why they server human so willingly; the basis of their breath weapons, etc. I thought I had found that definitive book in "The Dragons of Krynn." I was wrong. What I got instead was an anthology containing short-stories revolving around the most mysterious denizens of Krynn, the multi-colored dragons.

Edited (not written) by Tracy Hickman and Margret Weis "The Dragons of Krynn" (the first book in the Dragons series) brings together many of the writers who have made the DragonLance series of book so popular, including Michael Williams, Amy Stout, Douglas Niles Richard A Knaak, and Nancy Varian Berberick. While the book is not what I expected when I ordered if from Amazon.com, it is nonetheless a well written eclectic series of stories about dragons.

Some of the stories such as The Final Touch about the birth and stewardship of a bronze dragon, by a druid, do go a long way towards telling some of the history of dragonkind of the planet of Krynn. Still others like A Dragon to The Core about a Gnome and a mechanical dragon, lent nothing to my understanding of the fascinating and mysterious wyrms, who could very well dominate the planet but do not.

Each of the stories is well written and spans the centuries in which the DragonLance series has taken place on Krynn. Overall I found the 390-page "The Dragons of Krynn" enjoyable, not exactly a page-turner, but still enjoyable. There are two other books in this series, both of which I own, so stay tuned. Is "The Dragons of Krynn" an essential book in the furtherance of ones understanding of the mythical world of Krynn and its inhabitants? No, but the book is a well written series of shorts, that contains (some) great stories about dragons and that along is worth a look.

I'll keep my review short and sweet...

This is a great Anthology and is a nice addition to a Dragonlance book collection.

Its 16 short stories and 300 pages, by some very well known Dragonlance writers, including Richard A. Knaak, Don Perrin, Douglas Niles, Michael Williams, and one by Margaret Weis herself, which was "The Best".

The majority of the short-stories were excellent and leave you wanting more, with a few great surprise endings. Most notable to myself are:

"The Final Touch" by Micheal & Terri Williams (Micheal Williams is the poet in Chronicles)
"Easy Pickings" by Douglas Niles
"The First Dragonarmy Bridging Company" by Don Perrin (awesome! 5/5; becomes a full-length co-written novel by Perrin & Weis)


And finally, without bias, it was the best....

"The Best" by Margaret Weis. Great story and great ending.

Full details:

The Dragons of Krynn (March 1994), edited by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, (ISBN 1-5607-6830-4)
featuring short stories by Michael Williams & Teri Williams, Nancy Varian Berberick, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Douglas Niles, Robert E. Moore, Nick O'Donohoe, Jeff Grubb, Janet Pack, Amy Stout, Don Perrin, Dan Harnden, Richard A. Knaak, Linda P. Baker, Margaret Weis, and Kevin Stein

[...]

This is my first Dragonlance book. Having read it, I'm happy to say that I will be buying other Dragonlance novels.

Most of the stories here are good, and a few (Night of the Falling Stars, Honor is All, The Final Touch, and especially The First Dragonarmy Bridging Company) are extremely enjoyable. In fact, I liked Kang & Slith so much, that I can't wait to get my hands on other books that feature them.

I found this collection of short stories and poems to be an enjoyable read. Just make sure you know that this is just edited by the Weis and Hickman, not written by them. If you want something to read during short breaks and not woryy about keeping up the with the continuity of a story. PPick up this book. Some of the stories are just great.

The Dragons of Krynn is a fantastic collection of short stories that focus on the many hued dragons of the world of Krynn. Most of the stories are entertaining short reads. This review will focus on two of the stories that stand out as the best of the collection.
Night of Falling Stars by Nancy Varian Berberick is an excellent story about a young man, Ryle, that is haunted by the death of his father. He blames himself for being afraid. In this tale, he has sworn an oath to himself to never allow fear to rule his heart again. His true enemy seems to be the fear he has of allowing his terror to cause the death of another. When a burly dwarf, Tarran, shows up to enlist the young swordsman to help him in a quest of vengeance against a dragon, Ryle's resolve is tested.
This story is excellent and full of uncommon character development. Ryle is a complex person that has powerful issues to deal with. Tarran is also a great character with his own past. A reader will gain a sense of these two while they are treated to a rip-roaring, spine-tingling adventure. The end leaves one begging for more of Berberick's work.
Another story deals with Richard A. Knaak's famous minotaur, Kaz. Kaz and the Dragon's Children is a tale written in Knaak's normal, excellent style. Kaz is portrayed consistently with his sense of minotaur honor and bravery intact.
This tale deals with the ancient past and quiet possibly the first attempt by a mage to dabble in draconian making. Kaz must pretend to be a servant of the Dark Queen while he tries to figure out a way to free a large silver dragon and liberate her eggs from a powerful dark mage.
The story reminds one of Robert E. Howard's works and the barbarian exploits of Conan. Kaz is the warrior fearful of magic, to proud to show it, and forced by his own nobility to make an impossible situation right again. The story resolves in a very unique way and is full of great fight scenes. Of course, it is always nice to see Kaz in action again. Knaak does a superb job.
All in all, this collection of short stories makes for many hours of excellent reading. The authors cover many topics from a draconian bridge building team to a Kender that is magically transformed into a dragon. It is a fun book that deals with both lighthearted and serious issues. As editors, Weis and Hickman have assembled delightful collection of short stories that will keep any fan of Dragonlance turning pages until the end.