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.

Average Customer Review: ( 391 customer reviews )
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To start, the three Dragonlance Chronicles (I'm reviewing them together) are a strongly recommended read. I've read many of the other reviews here and there is commonly reference to how this book is clichéd, how it "stole" from Tolkien, and most popularly, how the characters are either amazing or flat. Permit me to address these concerns...

This is a standard fantasy epic. A group of heroes, diverse in skill and personality, meet and decide to face the growing evil in the world. They eventually find out they are among the chosen and meet the most powerful beings in the land, and inevitably face the evil and defeat it. To say this is cliché is in itself cliché. If you are a fantasy reader you are obviously not averse to authors adopting conventions, any more than fans of other "formula" genres are (Crime, Law, Romance, etc). It's like giving a poor review to a car because the engineers had the lack of creativity to give it four wheels and to put the steering wheel on the same side as all the other cars.

As far as stealing from Tolkien, I have this for you: whatever. Tolkien defined a genre and others have followed in his footsteps (hence the reason it is a genre). Keep in mind that Tolkien didn't exactly invent elves and goblins either, but adapted and shaped them to his own purposes. While this trilogy isn't as much of a milieu piece as Lord of the Rings, it has other strengths. As far as exploring the environment itself, you can see the visible hooks throughout the series for the other (future) books to latch onto. There are now over 100 if you really want to explore the world of Krynn.

And finally we come to the characters. I strive to be objective of others opinions, but to say these characters are flat is ludicrous. The depth these authors have achieved is that of long books with one or two characters, not the 6+ this one utilizes. Are the characters themselves cliché? Yes. Keep in mind this world is defined by and for a role-playing game, where you are given finite choices of roles to play. To step outside those roles would cause dissention among both readers and players. However, instead of begrudging these boundaries, the authors revel within them. We find the conflict of the characters themselves with these roles, something rarely seen in this genre. Sturm, the knight, is bound by a code and not only do we see the conflict of a rigid code with a changing world as we would expect, but we see the struggle of the character himself with his beliefs. I won't go through each character but suffice it to say that several are explored in depth, especially Weis' "signature" (or for those more cynical, "franchise") character Raistlin. For most, we find their strengths, weaknesses, fears, loves and hatreds. To ask more is a little much I would say.

The above points are valid discussions, but most people seem to miss the real strength of this series, perhaps because they were too concerned about evaluating its "quality". To put it plainly, its fun! I read these books soon after they came out in the mid-80's, and have just re-read them, finding myself surprised to find they were as enjoyable now as they were then. On top of the character development, we have lots of action in various environments; we have an appropriate amount of comic relief that is well spaced and spread among a few characters. We follow the characters through times of happiness and times of horror. I'll make no claims at this point of how good or bad Weis and Hickman are as writers, but I can say they know how to tell a story.

So the short and sweet of it is: read the books and enjoy them. If you aren't so overly concerned with ranking them and evaluating them (as you should never be on a first reading), just follow the tale as the authors spin it for you. I can say that you will definitely have fun if you let yourself. I would give it 4.5 stars, but that isn't an option, so I'll round it up to 5.

31 of 34 found the following review helpful:

Yet Another Review (Positive of Course)Apr 20, 2000
By Nobi
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.

41 of 47 found the following review helpful:

Now I can Say I've had a Dragonlance experience! I want MoreSep 07, 2001
By Rodney Powell "fairmont66"
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!

13 of 13 found the following review helpful:

The whole is better than the sum of the parts. Far better.Jul 24, 2000
By Alex
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.

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:

Out of the Darkness of DragonsJun 21, 2007
By Ravenova
They never expected to become heroes, never desired the war that brought them together, only to shape their lives forevermore, destroying some, elevating others, but nevertheless, mercilessly changing all. It is autumn in the city of Solace. A time when old friends seek to reunite, a time for love and joy, tenderness and care, a time to celebrate the future and ignore the regrets of the past. Only, these typical pleasantries are remiss from the formerly cheerful town of Solace for war is in the air. There is talk of strong and dangerous armies amassing in the north, talk of monsters and ancient beasts arising from their centuries long sleep ready for destruction and vengeance. And, trapped within these turbulent times, are our confused heroes striving to the very last moment to save their beleaguered realm from the evil that is to come; the evil that will usher in the legendary War of the Lance. Strum, a noble Solamnic Knight; Tanis, a dejected half-elf; Tasslehoff, a happy go lucky kender; Flint, a grumpy old dwarf; Caramon, a strong and valiant warrior; Raistlin, a frail yet powerful mage with hidden depths that will one day erupt; Goldmoon, bearer of a healing staff, daughter of Chieftain; Riverwind, Goldmoon's devoted paramour: this is our band of unlikely heroes. Together, these valiant warriors must struggle in a world gone awry, must fight not only the ensuing mayhem but their all too human frailties as well. This then is there story.

Easily acclaimed as one of the greatest modern fantasy epics, Dragon's of Autumn Twilight is well worth the title. Few books there are that can rival it in style, eloquence, depth of characters, and good old fashioned story telling. This is the kind of tale to share with friends and family around the cozy glow of a camp fire, the kind of drama suitable to pass on to one's children and one's children's children. Indeed, the realm of Krynn itself seems to truly exist as if for no other reason than the reader's devoted belief. Whether you, the avid bibliophile, are drawn to fantasy literature or not, Dragon's of Autumn Twilight cannot but captivate and enthrall leading the reader on an adventure that not only spans the narrow gulf of reality, but that of time and space as well taking the reader on delightful adventures filled with lovable characters that soon initiate themselves as one of the family.

Complimented with an imaginative setting filled with myriad fantasy creatures both expected and original, the tale starts as it means to go on allowing the action to take place almost immediately. The reader is never once bored or distracted rather the story works like one of Raistlin's elusive spells, enthralling and captivating the reader to the exclusion of all else. So addictive is the tale, so unique is the drama, and so effecting are the characters that the reader soon forgets all other aspects of life and fully enters into the realm of Krynn battling beside the valiant warriors, suffering when they suffer, rejoicing when they rejoice, and never once forgetting the stakes of the battle for all Krynn hangs in the balance. Will evil triumph or will good conquer?

Provided with a likable cast, the reader soon finds it amazing that half elves, kender, and dwarves, are equally sympathetic as the human characters. Also, the "good" protagonists are never burdened with that sickeningly perfect aura usually subscribed to fantasy warriors. Rather, each character is fleshed out as it they were real allowing that with their strengths weakness also follow making a cast of un-human characters bear the burdens of human emotions. Likewise, the villains are also fulfilled with realistic personalities effectively imbuing them with a more chilling aura. Classic characterization at its finest.

As with all truly good tales, the writing style employed also boasts of perfection. Each sentence is erudite yet easy to understand neither speaking down to the reader nor becoming burdened with unnecessary simplicity but instead choosing to fall in the middle where perfection lies.

The conclusion was shocking, dramatic and intriguing instantly leading the addicted reader onto the second Dragonlance drama, Dragons of Winter Night where the Chronicles series continues to build in suspense and complexity leading the reader on a wondrous journey into the fantastic realm of Krynn where anything is possible.

Final Thoughts: Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a novel not to be missed. Filled with fantastic wonders, epic battles, shattering sorrow and insurmountable joy, it contains everything that makes a novel truly perfect. And, when finished, the joy is further enhanced by even more epic dramas from the realm of Krynn. Highly recommended!

- Crysania

The Dragonlance Chronicles Series:

(1.) Dragons of Autumn Twilight
(2.) Dragons of Winter Night
(3.) Dragons of Spring Dawning
(4.) Dragons of Summer Flame

The Raistlin Chronicles:

(1.) The Soulforge
(2.) Brothers in Arms

The Legends Series:

(1.) Time of the Twins
(2.) War of the Twins
(3.) Test of the Twins

The Lost Chronicles:

(1.) Dragons of Dwarven Depths
(2.) Dragons of a Highlord Sky

The Preludes:

(1.) Darkness and Light
(2.) Kendermore
(3.) Brothers Majere
(4.) Riverwind the Plainsman
(5.) Flint the King
(6.) Tanis the Shadow Years

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