Stronghold (Pan Fantasy) [Paperback]

Melanie Rawn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 1993 | Series: Pan Fantasy

A generation of peace is about to be shattered as a seemingly unstoppable invasion force lays siege to High Prince Rohan's realm. For Andry, the Sunrunner Lord, the invasion is a fulfilment of his long-ago visions of disaster to come. This is the first book in the "Dragon Star" trilogy.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Prince Rohan's dream of peace through law rather than might undergoes a difficult test as foreign invaders bring war to a land already strained by the tension be tween Rohan's heir and the ambitious Lord of Goddess Keep. Vivid descriptions and compelling characters lend depth to this large-scale story of adventure and intrigue, romance and magic. Set in the world of the author's "Dragon Prince" trilogy, this is highly recommended.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Pan Books (April 8, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330326333
• ISBN-13: 978-0330326339
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,134,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, May 31, 2003

By 

Crystarra (Crazyville) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stronghold (Dragon Star, Book 1) (Paperback)

I'm a huge fan of Melanie Rawn. I think that she is able to create a fascinating world, complex and realistic characters, interesting stories.

There are a few warnings that I have though for others who are debating her books.

1. Yes, this book is the first book of the SECOND series concering the same realm and people. I have read a lot of criticism that this should really be the fourth book, and I disagree. There are many authors who break their series up. It's not uncommon. It is confusing to pick it up in the middle, but I think that the series itself should be two trilogies, not one never ending series. (ahem, jordan and goodkind, would you mind ENDING your stories already?) There are a number of series that I started on and realized that it was the second or third series concering different people. Many of the Valdemar series, the Deryni novels, the Fey, to name a few. The first series was about the internal struggles of the people and the desert's quest for enough power to provide stability. The second is about an invading force.

2. Melanie Rawn focuses a lot on her characters and descriptions of "sunrunning" and other things of that nature. Many may find this to be boring or simply too much. I obviously don't, but to each their own. Just a warning. In this novel, there is a description of two people, their love and romance and stuff like that. Then they are killed. Some found that to be pointless and meaningless. It didn't advance the plot a great deal and it does slow things down. I found it to make the story more tragic. It conveys that there are so many people who will be lost, that we will never "know" and also how pointless and tragic war is. I think it adds depth to the story. Still waters run deep. So, if you don't like extra info that isn't necessarily critical to the plot, you might become irritated with any of these novels.

Those are my warnings.

Here is what I loved about the book. Many have criticize Rohan as being "too perfect." Like Rhapsody, in Haydon's series, I sort of think that his greatest strength is his greatest weakness. This book sort of showcases that in the situations of this book, he is far from perfect. His strengths in the pervios books, become weaknesses in these books because in his own way, he deals with things too narrowly. He likes to internalize all conflicts, but it just doesn't work here. He has had a lot of years of success with his way of dealing with things, and perhaps just can't change at his age. He also becomes somewhat bitter and tempermental. Understandable of course.

Pol--definitely the "flawed" hero. His development is well done.

Meiglan. What a surprise. She really developed and realistically. Did she become a roaring lion like Sioned? She stayed iwthin character, yet grew. I loved it. You start Nope. see it a little in this book, and it just gets better.

Andry. One of my favorites. His development into a fanatic is pretty complete by now, but there are still a few surprises left in him.

I'll shut up now, but overall, I loved this book. Overall, if you want to watch a lifetime of character development, then read Rawn. She is probably one of hte best I've ever written in creating people that you "grow" with.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Sequel....., March 23, 2001

By 

"jenn2" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stronghold (Dragon Star, Book 1) (Paperback)

I almost regretted picking up this book by the time I reached the last pages. It was totally emotionally wrenching, especially if you had followed the series since Dragon Prince, book one of the first series. Rawn has brought the plot to a deeper dimension, that makes the "crises" of the first series seem minor. She had brought us from the micro level of that world, with succession disputes and politics, to the macro level, where war could mean complete destruction of what the characters had known for all their lives... their heritage, the dragons, their species.

The plot developments were extremely engaging, and as destruction looms over the land, you find yourself cheering or despairing with each character in the face of such insurmountable challenges. Rohan's and Sioned's strength, passion and loyalty is admirable, but they have their weaknesses too, that you have grown to know so well (if you followed the first series) that your heart goes out to them when they are defeated at each turn, by obstacles big or small.

The new characters introduced here were engaging on their own, but what struck me most is the reality that Melanie Rawn injects into her stories. Mortality is very real, and it tears at your heartstrings to see the characters fall in battle, or in sickness. It is not just the bad guys who die, but the good guys and the innocent ones too.

I cried at the last few pages of the book, and it felt as if I was crying for a friend whom I had known for a long time. And amidst these losses, you will come to admire and love Sioned for her strength of character, and cheer for her as if she's the last champion who can change the fate of the world.

This book is truly unforgettable. An Excellent Epic!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read., March 13, 2008

By 

Tony "Ynot" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stronghold (Dragon Star, Book 1) (Paperback)

I've read the complete series. Rawn draws you into each scene, crafting the pages in the book as some would sculpt. I laughed, I cried and I will always be a Rawn fan.