Join me as I review Dragons of a Fallen Sun by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, live! Share your thoughts on this first novel in the War of Souls trilogy. This trilogy was intended to merge the fans of the fourth and fifth ages of Dragonlance. You can pick up Dragons of a Fallen Sun here: https://amzn.to/2ZI4ap0
About Dragons of a Fallen Sun
A new age dawns—and a war for the heart and soul of Krynn begins—in this first book in the War of Souls trilogy, from the creators of the Dragonlance universe
Forty years have passed since the devastating Chaos War, when the gods departed Krynn and the Fourth Age came to an end. Cruel and powerful dragons have seized control of Ansalon, dividing the continent among them and demanding tribute from the people they have enslaved.
Heroes of the past have gone to their well-deserved rest, forever revered for their bravery during the Chaos War and the War of the Lance. Now, new heroes rise to take their place, prepared to continue the battle against evil. War awaits them—a war more terrible than any on Krynn have known.
Change—for good or for ill—comes to the world. A violent magical storm sweeps over Ansalon, bringing blood and fire, death and destruction. Out of the tumult rises a strange, mystic young woman, whose destiny is bound up with that of Krynn. She alone knows the truth about the future and its strange, inextricable ties to a terrifying mystery in Krynn’s past.
Review
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. It is Misham, Darkember 11th, my name is Adam and today I am going to give you my Spoiler review of Dragons of a Fallen Sun. I will be spoiling the story, so if you don’t want to know it, stop watching now! I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this YouTube channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.
Chapters 1-11 begin with Galdar, a scout for the Knights of Neraka, formerly Knights of Takhisis. After the gods left Krunn, with no vision to guide them, the knights changed their name and took to mysticism in order to share a vision. More importantly they turned from being honor based to money hungry. They were tasked by Khellendros to collect taxes from Palanthas and their strength and influence has risen tremendously. Galdar lost his sword arm in battle and has been left as a scout with no other options. They were traveling the valley of Gamoshinoch which is believed to be haunted. A great storm swept over all of Ansalon and with it came a young girl named Mina. She healed Galadar’s arm, restoring it to existence, and this was a miracle because even the magic of Krynn itself was failing at this time. Galdar Swore allegiance to Mina and her One God, and they all rode to Sanction. The Knights of Solamnia and Nerake battled for the city, and in a battle the Knights of Solamnia nearly won, but for Mina reserving archers to force the Knights of Neraka to fight and ran into battle, routing the Solamnic’s plan. All knights followed Mina after the battle as she healed wounds, and prayed for the dead. She is clearly based on Jean of Arc, and her One True God is the only consistent miracle worker of Krynn.
Alhana is still trying to raise Silvanoshei, her and Porthios’ son, the true air of Silvanesti, and breach the magical shield surrounding Silvanesti. It was raised by Glaucous, a wizard, on behalf of General Konnal who usurped Porthios and Alhana’s rule, casting them out as Dark Elves. The Shield is actually draining the life force and the Kirath believe somehow Cyan Bloodbane is within the shield as well, though with no proof. Alhana was attacked by Ogres and sent Silvan to get the aid of the Knights of Steele but the storm disoriented Silvan and he was thrown off the road by a lightning bolt and lost consciousness, waking on the other side of the silvan veil. He is discovered by the Kirath and is being taken to Silvanost to be named Speaker of the Stars. Kiran is told to allow him to be the puppet and he will rule in truth.
Gerard, a Knight of Solamnia who guards the Heroes Tomb in Solace hears someone inside the tomb, who is revealed to be Tasslehoff Burrfoot. Fizban allowed him to travel forward in time to speak at Caramon Majeres funeral, but the first time traveled too far and missed it. When he arrived in this time, it is a different Krynn timeline and the world is in the current state of terror under the rule of the Dragon Overlords. Tasslehoff tells Caramon about the previous funeral and its attendants which made no sense in this timeline, and Caramon goes to think and falls down the steps of the Inn of the Last Home. Lying on the ground, dying, he makes Gerard promise to take Tas to Dalamar the Dark, as he sees the spirit of his late wife Tika, but not Raistlin and dies. Gerard tells his superiors who agree to take Tas and the device of time traveling to seek out Palin Majere in Qualinesti for answers, and travels disguised as a Knight of Neraka due to the roads being closed under Beryl’s orders.
Chapters 11-22 have Gerard and Tas entering Qualinesti after being flown over by Beryl, which terrifies Tas forcing him to question his own identity. They are ambushed by rebel elves and Palin Majere and taken to Laurana who sets up a griffon flight for Palin, Gerard and Tas to Solace, confirming Tas’ identity. They go to the location of the pickup, only to be ambushed. There is an elf in Lauranas aid that is a traitor. Marshal Medan is impressed with Gerard as a true Knight and watches him fight single handedly defeating two of his company while Palin and Tas escape to meet Jenna in Solace. Medan captures and cares for Gerard.
Mina is traveling to Silvanesti and runs across Mirror, a silver dragon in human form who was blinded by the storm that ravaged Krynn. It is revealed that she washed up on the shores of the Citadel of Light and was taken in and cared for but she left after being called by the One God. The dragon confirms he hears its voice but has turned away from it, and now Mina.
Silvan is placed on the throne with pop and circumstance and is welcomed by all, but he is warned by his cousin about trusting Glaucous. Gilthas sneaks out to meet his secret wife, the Lioness, a rebel leader, and meets with the Thane of Thorbardin. They are digging tunnels to sneak out elves from the suspected Bryl assault of Qualinost. In Solace, Palin uses the Device of Time Journeying to travel back, but time stops at Chaos’ feet, and darkness is beyond. When Palin returns terrified, he blames Tas and Tas escapes with the device to either The Citadel of Light for Goldmoon or Qualinost for Laurana. Jenna says she may in fact know where Dalamar is, and Palin leaves after Tas, telling her they need him desperately!
Chapters 23-33 concludes the novel with Beryl sending word to Marshal Medan to take Lauranas head and send it to him, and to order Gilthas to collect the Device from Palin and Tas and deliver that. Secretly Beryl already sent his massive army to Qualinesti and is flying to Shalllsea to claim the Device from Palin and Tas himself. Gerald discovered the truth from Beryl’s messenger and told Medan, who had collected Laurana and brought her to Gilthas for council and protection. They all sit stunned, preparing to react to the army.
Palin and Tas meet Goldmoon who is magically young again, and distressed by it. She sees the dead draining the magic from her healers and Palin and sees them flowing like a great river north. She absconds Conundrum’s submarine as he finally catches up to her as she follows the streams of the dead. Palin and Tas see Beryl and her minions flying to the Citadel of Light for the Device and Palin, trying to activate it, feeds the souls around him and the device breaks into pieces.
Mina marches on Silvanesti after the shield surrounds her army as they were nearly attacked by raiding ogres. She leads her army knowing they will be defeated. She makes her army swear to do her bidding and she allows Silvanoshea to capture her. He immediately falls in love with her and she reveals the truth of Glaucous, being Cyan Bloodbane and the tree he planted is sapping the life from the elves, feeding their own destruction. Cyan is killed by the elves under Mina’s order on the day of her execution, and Silvan rips the tree from the ground, lifting the shield as General Dogah orders his army of Knights of Neraka to march on Silvanesti, on his way to meet Mina.
This is a fantastic beginning to the trilogy and the unification of the Fifth age with the Fourth age fans and themes. There is terror and destruction on the horizon, literally for both elven nations and the Citadel of Light, including Tas and Palin, but there are elements of hope in the leadership of Gilthas and Laurana, Marshal Medan and Gerard and Jenna and Dalamar. We see the end of Cyan Bloodbane after hundreds of years of torturing the Silvanesti. We see Mina as Joan of Arc, acting on behalf of her One God but her followers worship her not her god. This is a great setup for discord to come. Now that Goldmoon and Palin know the dead are not passing on to the afterlife but staying and draining the magic from Krynn, which explains how magic is failing, if not why.
I highly recommend this to all fans of Weis and Hickman and Dragonlance. It is a triumphant return to form of Dragonlance Novels, which I believe were failing in their absence. And It made us wonder and question and theorise over Dragonlance for the first time in years on release! This is a great beginning to a great trilogy and you should do yourselves a favor and check it out!
Outro
And that’s it for my review of Dragons of a Fallen Sun by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Do you believe the authors successfully united the disparate fanbases? What do you think of Mina? Do you enjoy the reviews I am putting out there? Feel free to email me at info@dragonlance-saga.com or comment below.
I would like to once again invite you to consider becoming a member of this channel, and remind you that you can pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link, all of which are in the description below.
This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time Slàinte mhath (slan-ge-var).
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