Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance: Dragonlance Chronicles) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Margaret Weis (Author), Tracy Hickman (Author) "Flint Fireforge collapsed on a moss-covered boulder..." (more)
Key Phrases: draconian camp, blue crystal staff, gully dwarves, Xak Tsaroth, Pax Tharkas, Lord Verminaard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Think of it as A New Hope for the world of Dragonlance: Sure, maybe it's a little rough around the edges, maybe it's got one cliché too many, but this baby is pure magic. The first volume in the Dragonlance Chronicles series, this classic from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman started it all for Krynn, eventually spawning a bestselling 90-plus book series. (And, frankly, you'd do well to stick to the Weis-Hickman titles.) All the heroes that you've likely heard of already--the creepy, hourglass-eyed Raistlin, the noble half-elf Tanis, the comic relief Tasselhoff Burrfoot, the curmudgeonly dwarf Flint Fireforge--they're all here, starting the good fight against the Dark Queen Takhisis as the War of the Lance begins. Pick up Dragons of Winter Night when you're done. --Paul Hughes

Product Description
Lifelong friends, they went their separate ways. Now they are together again, though each holds secrets from the others in his heart. They speak of a world shadowed with rumors of war. They speak of tales of strange monsters, creatures of myth, creatures of legend. They do not speak of their secrets. Not then. Not until a chance encounter with a beautiful, sorrowful woman, who bears a magical crystal staff, draws the companions deeper into the shadows, forever changing their lives and shaping the fate of the world.

No one expected them to be heroes.

Least of all, them.


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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786915749
• ISBN-13: 978-0786915743
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (356 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #85,425 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #4 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Gaming > Dungeons & Dragons > Dragonlance
  #29 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( H ) > Hickman, Tracy
  #31 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( W ) > Weis, Margaret

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I can Say I've had a Dragonlance experience! I want More, September 7, 2001

By	Rodney Powell "fairmont66" (Macon,Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have to admit I was a little reluctant to read this book.
I've had a little prejudice toward books based on gaming but now after reading this masterpiece, I'm hooked on dragonlance!Weis and Hickman have successfully transported me to the world of Krynn.When I first started the book, I thought this would be quick undemanding tolkenish fantasy read with your humans,dwarves and elves battling against evil.I was wrong! Weis and Hickman's novel, Dragons of Autumn Twilight is more complex than that.You have a diverse group of friends: Tanis-the noble half elf/half human who is a great leader and who is torn between two women: warrior maiden, Kitiara and elfwoman, Laurana.
Sturm Brightblade-the knight of Solamnia who seeks to bring back honor to knighthood.Flint Fireforge, the gruff but lovable dwarf.
Caramon-the giant warrior with the heart of gold.Tasslehoff Burrfoot-the comical kender and last but not least, Raistlin.
Caramon's dark twin brother who is powerful but secretive mage.These heroes come together in what they thought would be a peaceful homecoming but instead they meet up chieftain's daughter, Goldmoon and her lover Riverwind.Goldmoon carries a powerful blue crystal staff with awesome magical powers.These heroes soon find themselves battling sinister draconian soldiers and terrifying dragons to save their homeland from a invasion from evil minions of the queen of darkness! The authors have created a stirring saga of loyality of friendship.The passion of true love and passionate fight against evil.The world building skills are considerable as you get a history lesson of this beautiful but troubled world.A the complexity of characterizations are outstanding.Characters like Raistlin, the dark mage who quiet and who seeks power through spells even after his obession destroys his body and distances himself from his friends and Tanis a quiet but effective leader who can lead his friends into battle but cannot make decisions of the heart.This novel also has scenes of fierce battles, witty bantering between tass and Flint and touching romance between Goldmoon and Rivewind.A unforgettable saga of adventure awaits you in this book so turn the first page and be enthralled!

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet Another Review (Positive of Course), April 20, 2000

By	Nobi (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragons of Autumn Twilight (DragonLance Chronicles, Vol. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is _the_ book that spawned a saga of over 80 books to date. Being a New York Times Bestseller, the quality of the book should be self-explanatory.

The story is set in a world of Krynn, a somewhat peaceful world with magic. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that an evil force is stirring up in the northern lands. The people believe gods are gone, and now worship a new set of gods. Anyway, enough of the intro.. you'll enjoy much more when you read the book yourself.

The characters are very well developed. All the characters have a detailed past, which explain why they act that way towards the other characters. While they never seem to completely get along, they always work things out.

This fantasy novel is not just killing and fighting against evil. There is humor, sadness, and romance. The humor comes from the kender (an annoying race) named Tasslehoff Burrfoot, who always finds the fun part of an otherwise very frightening or dangerous scene. A magician you'll meet later on in the book also provides good comic relief.

The authors, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, have created a great world for more than enough room for the storyline to progress and expand. The history is rich, and evil is abundant.

This book is the first in a trilogy that started it all. If you are a fantasy reader, you can relate the quality of this book to the likes of Philip Pullman, Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien. If you aren't a fantasy reader, this can be an excellent book to start with. If you want more, go ahead - there's over 80 books in the saga, with at least seven of them from Weis & Hickman.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The whole is better than the sum of the parts. Far better., July 24, 2000

By	Shadowfire (College Park, MD) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Dragons of Autumn Twilight (DragonLance Chronicles, Vol. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

At first sight this book might seem loaded with cliches: its a part of a saga, it has goblins, dragons, and unicorns, and, quite naturally, the protagonists are a "band of unlikely heroes" (a despondent knight, an overprotective tribesman, a sorcerous princess, a wise but tortured leader, a grumpy dwarf, a sinister mage, and a naive, fearless hobbit-type character fill the extensive cast of heroes). So how does the first book in the Dragonlance Chronicles manage to hold its own, and, moreover, become a long-time bestseller? It has a believable, cohesive plot, it is communicated in a clear, precise language, it is filled with brilliant imagery, and it doesn't try to mimic the modern world (unlike the hundreds of "pagan fantasy" novels that are flooding the market today).

The first novel about the world of Dragonlance was created out of the AD&D game, which enjoys quite a number of interesting settings. Nevertheless, this is legitimate fantasy (I wrote this sentense for the people who sneer at the mention of role-playing) at its highest. Whether Tanis and friends are dealing with undead, ancient temples, dragons, or other obstacles, we, as the readers, are always treated to sophisticated ethical dilemmas and intelligent thinking.

However standard the plot might seem (an old evil rises once again) by fantasy standards, it seems fresh and interesting, because the novel doesn't focus on any one aspect of fantasy - there's mystery, suspence, thrill abound, open-mouthed awe, romance, drama, pretty much everything. The characters are living people, rather than sword-swinging smart-mouthed automatons.

Oh, a word of warning: there are over eighty books set in the world of Dragonlance. And not all of them are good. Try and be intelligent.