Night of Blood

I've been a DragonLance fan for a decade or so. I read a LOT of its books(as well of its sister world Forgotten Realms), and I have to say this is one of the best! I read the past works of Knaak about his minotaurs, and though I enjoyed them all, this one is his masterpiece! The characters are well done, the flow of the story - though shifts from one character to another - keeps you totally interested, unlike some books where some character's plot is just boring. It is so well done that my mind is racing, thinking, wishing that this character and that will meet and go at it. You will really admire most characters in this book(Rahm, Bastion), though there are some you will dislike(Nephera and Ardnor), and some both (Hotak, Faros). Some of you may have a hard time deciding whos side you are on, since any side shows a part where you can agree on, and disagree as well... Well, maybe except the ogres. His storytelling and description of places and characters are so vivid, that you can really picture them out with ease, and no confusion at all. Speaking of confusion, some reviews said you get confused with too many names. Well, there is a glossary at the back of the book to help you, which isnt really a hassle as others would say. Also, if you use common sense, you will know this character will die at the end of the chapter anyway! So you will know who is worth remembering or not. And unlike other books, like Forgotten Realm's "the Rage"(which I still enjoyed), he actually kills off even some important characters, not give them millions of chances to live. The cons I found are just minor ones. Yes, the story isnt really 100% original, but then again, its one that is worth retelling and never gets old. The battle scenes arent as colorful as RA Salvatore's, but either cuz Mr. Knaak dont want to focus much there, or that they are afterall minotaurs, and not drow in terms of style-fighting. Too many "stab at the unprotected throat"! Get it! Its worth your money! And I for one cant wait to read 2 and 3. And as of my personal favorites in this book(book 1 of the Minotaur Wars)... Rahm>Bastion>Hotak>Ulthar=Faros>everyone else...

A minotaur general named Hotak-de-Deroka & his family assassinate all of the minotaur leaders loyal to the corrupt Chot-es-Kalin, as well as the emperor, and declares himself emperor. A general named Rahm-es-Hestos manages to evade capture and death, and starts a rebellion on an uncharted island. On one of the prison camp islands a nephew of Chot, named Faros (pretending to be his servant Bek) & two friends start a rebellion that nearly succeeded in escaping & killing Hotak's daughter. This is a basic summery of this book. I love this book so much and it has the right amount of everything to create a near perfect book just like the rest of these Chronicales. One part though I thought was really cheesy how he would have enough assassins to kill all the leaders, and have only one escape. My favorite Character would be Rahm-es-Hestos because he manages to escape, and outsmart the emperor and his family at every turn. I defiantly would recommend reading this book and it's rich but leaves you wanting more and I am definitely getting the rest of the Chronicles.

The old minotaur Emperor is old and the empire corrupt, yet Emperor Chot remains unbeatable in the arena. Rather than try his chances in the traditional method of minotaur succession, General Hotak launches a coup. Aided by his magician/priestess wife, Hotak ruthlessly destroys everyone loyal to the old regime, sending army units and ghosts against those who even consider resisting. Yet Hotak is unsatisfied with ruling the minotaur islands. Throwing aside Chot's tentative alliance with humans, Hotak decides to make common cause with the minotaurs' most ancient enemy--the ogres. Although Hotak has eliminated most of the resistance, a few minotaurs remain unbowed. General Rahm, somehow protected from the priestess's magic, gathers a small force committed to destroying the pretender-emperor. Captured and worked as a slave in the mines, Faros plots eventual revenge. Yet their efforts, weak though they may be, are constantly undermined by the priestess's control over ghosts themselves. Author Richard A. Knaak writes an exciting fantasy novel. The violent and headstrong minotaurs make intriguing protagonists. Hotak is surprisingly complex, wishing to serve his people and empire at the same time as he ruthlessly suppresses anyone who dares to oppose him. His wife and oldest son, in contrast, are purely self-interested, yet intelligent enough to know that supporting Hotak will serve their own interests as well--at least until Hotak finds family obligations at odds with his duty to his nation. Knaap's writing is approachable and his characters distinctive and interesting. Fans of the DragonLance universe will find a lot to enjoy in NIGHT OF BLOOD.

This is a great novel which is a follow up to the War of Souls trilogy. So it is a must for all Dragonlance fans to continue with the saga. Richard A. Knaak is definately one of the best Dragonlance writers, and to give him the reins of this series is a great choice. Unlike that little trilogy by a certain Jean Rabe which many fans would like to forget. The first novel, Night of Blood acts as a prequel to the events involving the minotaurs in the War of Souls trilogy. It really dives into the minotaur society filled with action and political intrique which makes this a novel you can't put down. There are a lot of characters and at times you feel a bit overwhelmed but you stick with it. Dragonlance readers would remember that the minotaurs were last invading Krynn, namely Silvanesti back in the War of Souls. Night of Blood deals with a bloody coup which puts minotaurs in power who feel that the time for expansion has come at last. The second book, Tides of Blood, is eagerly anticipated next year. It will probably involve war with the Elves of Silvanesti. Knaak has done it again, and the Dragonlance series is alive and well.

I started reading Dragonlance years ago, with one of Knaak's books. Because of his writing style I was hooked onto the series. I admit that my interest has been waning because of some of the latest 'side-story' novels have not been up to par, but this book, combined with Weis and Hickman's War of Souls Trilogy, has renewed my faith in the series.I don't wish to give too much of the story away, but the inside jacket does say most of what I'll type.From the insurrection within the Minotaur Empire, this new trilogy sets off a bang. Knaak has a talent for both portraying Knights and honour (from his previous novels dealing with the Knights of Solamnia) and with showcasing a Romanesque type of society, much like the Minotaur Empire. The scenes that take place within the Great Circus brought to mind certain scenes in the Roman Colosseum from the movie Gladiator, flush with trap doors and feral beasts. Of course, this being the first part of a new trilogy, it does end with a cliffhanger, but I don't mind too much. The main character definitely developed throughout the course of the story, from the drunk and revelling son of a distant Imperial relative to a young man (minotaur) who has turned dourly introspective on himself and his currect situation.All in all, I was quite impressed with this novel.