Amber and Iron

This is in my opinion one of the better books and stories out there. The author strings you along in mystery and suppense the whole way ! But the ending is to die for ! If you like dragonlance or forgotten realms this is a must have series.

I read the other reviews and it seems pretty equal when it comes to whether the reader liked it or not. I would just like to say that after reading many Margaret Weis/Tracy Hickman books and then going on with her own series, I am able to pick up some typical plots. The end was not surprising to me, however the abrupt end was. A cliff hanger that sharp is not typically her style. I did enjoy it and cannot wait until she releases the next book. One of the bests books she has written. I am an ardent Raistlin fan but this is truly turning my head.

I seem to be in contrary beliefs to some of the previous reviews, I loved this book, and I thought the first one was great. I thought the advancement was great, and it was easy to pick up and read without a recap of the first book (although it was so awesome I remembered what happened by the time I was finished skimming the cover flap). The plot twists in the story came as a surprise for me, because I do not look for things to happen, I prefer to be surprised by them rather than think about what I'm reading while I read it. I particularly love how the book ends, with a mild climax, but finishes the book, so you aren't having a fit to see what happens next, but enough mystery to make you want the next book...just not enough to freak out about it or be angry that "it ended that way" as some books do. I would definitely recommend the Amber set to anyone who likes dragonlance, especially as a follow up to the War of Souls!

This sigh is for those of us who read the book and are frustrated. Not because the book wasn't excellent, it most certainly was, but because it's going to be another year or more for the next one. This series has so far exceeded all my expectations, now that the Gods have returned to Krynn. It's interesting seeing the various Gods interacting with one another in the forms of their avatars. They have an almost mortal quality that they ask for from their worshippers. The frustration is evident because Weis is a master of the cliffhanger. And it isn't simply that our intrepid heroes are in the middle of the battle for their lives and a "tune in next week..." occurrs. It's usually that something truly incredible, awe-inspiring, or downright eerie has just happened, the characters (and the readers) have all taken a collective gasp to process it and then the book ends. Margaret, if you're reading this, keep it up, but GRRR!!! Rhys is a character who just keeps getting better. A man who tossed aside his comfortable and safe living and background to chase down his Beloved brother Lleu. He has turned his back on Majere, collaborated with Zeboim, befriended a kender and even played khas with a death knight. But throughout, he manages to strip through his layers of self-doubt to find his true self beneath it all. I eagerly await the next book!

Amber & Iron, the sequel to Margaret Weis's Amber & Ashes and volume 2 of the Dark Disciple trilogy, is a marvelous tale in its own right. The same themes of faith, love, secrets and betrayal can be seen in this book. Rhys, Nightshade, Atta, Zeboim, Nuitari, Caele, Basalt, Lleu and of course Mina return for your enjoyment. The Beloved walk the face of Krynn as well without any way to stop them... There are other faces you may know: Jenna, Coryn, and Dalamar to name a few. Certainly a large cast of characters each portrayed beautifully by Margaret. Amber & Iron is seperated into four books. While the story jumps from one group to another, the plot is straight and relatively fluid. A few "issues" seem to be resolved too quickly but sometimes it truly is just a matter of revelation. How the story develops beyond Amber & AShes is what is really amazing; Weis does not dissapoint! We the reader learn many secrets, some obvious and others mere hints of things to come. The largest revelation is finally put out for all the gods to know near the end of the book. Information regarding the Beloved for D & D purposes is given in an Appendix. Perhaps more interesting is the preview of Dragons of the Dwarven Depths, the first of the Lost (formerly Dark) Chronicles. On a personal note I could not put the book down except for the demands of work. I will reread it again so as to be drawn into the amazing world of Krynn once again. Weis paints a world of vibrant color and true, multidimensional (and personal) characters. The book itself has wonderful color art, a very nice binding, great paper and an easy to read font just as the last. Pick it up now.