Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles, Volume I)

I've never been a reader. Just a mere dreamer of being disciplined enough to read. One day I had an urge to book up this book my mother gave me and started reading it. The first couple of pages went by and I put it down for a few weeks. Recently I picked it up forcing myself to read. After the first real chapter I couldn't put it down. I went from not being a reader to finishing this book in two days. The story is compelling, the characters are amazing. You definitely should read this series. I promise you that if you like Fantasy, you'll love this book.

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!

I started reading this book right after The Lord Of The Rings. When I started I wasn't expecting much. It turned out to be one of my favorite books of all time. My favorite part was the characters. Tanis Half-Elven is the leader of the group. He is a good warrior, but dosen't like to fight. He is wise and trusted by all his friends but gets hung up on his love for two women and his mixed heiritage. Sturm Brightblade is a Knight Of Solamnia (Solamnia is a country in Krynn) which means he has to follow a strict code of honor. I have read alot of Dragonlance books and usually I don't like knights. They are usually stuck up and annoying. Sturm is the exception. Then there is the irrepressible kender. Kender are a race on Krynn that get along with everyone, but no one gets along with them. Tas is the comic relif in this book (his fights with Flint are very funny). He is innocent and at times annoying, but always fun to read about. Flint Fireforge is a old dwarf who loves complaining. He is the father figure in the group and another character who is fun to read about. Riverwind and Goldmoon are two barbarians that meet the rest of the group because of a staff. These two are my least favorite characters. Kitiara Uth Matar isn't a big part of Dragons Of Autumn Twilight. She is one of the women Tanis loves. For people who haven't read this book yet I won't give away anything, but all is reveled in Dragons Of Winter Night. Caramon Majere is the exact opposite of his twin. He is handsome, friendly, and a good warrior. Although Caramon isn't intellegent he is extremly useful to the group (esppecially in battle). Out of all these characters, Raistlin Majere is my personal favorite. He is a Red Robed mage (red robes means he is neutral in magic) who was cursed when he took his test (the Test is something all magic-users who want to use advanced magic take) to have golden tinted skin and golden eyes with hourglass shaped pupils (because of those hourglasses he sees everything as time will effect it). Raistlin is sick and usually coughs feels weak. He is cynical, sarcastic, unpleasant, and what has motivated me to spend almost all my free time reading these books. The books other less important characters ( Laurana, Fizban, and Tika) are just as interesting.The books plot pretty much revolves around the blue crystal staff. Then there are the disks of Mishakal and freeing the prisoners of Pax Tharkas. Trust me, it is impossile to put down."The dark crimes that stain my soul you cannot begin to imagine." Raistlin, War Of The Twins

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.

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.