Product Description
The sequel to the New York Times bestselling Dragons of a Fallen Sun.
As the War of Souls continues, the shield over the elven kingdom of Silvanesti falls. Mina leads her forces triumphantly into that conquered nation, only to face danger from friends and foes alike. Meanwhile, Goldmoon follows the river of the dead, which threatens to engulf them all.
Dragons of a Lost Star expands on the War of Souls saga and forms the point around which subsequent novels will revolve.
Amazon.com Review
Dragonlance’s dynamic duo–the inimitable Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman–continues to do no wrong, reviving the once-ailing world of Krynn with yet another solid book, the second in their War of Souls series. Which is not to say, of course, that Krynn itself is doing well. Far from it: as you might remember from the trilogy’s debut, Dragons of a Fallen Sun, creepy Joan-of-Arc-type Mina is spreading the influence of her One God even further over the previously godless land. To top that off, the cursed magical shield protecting the Silvanesti crumbled with the death of the great green Cyan Bloodbane (who had been masquerading as an elf), and the hated Beryl has made a move on the Citadel of Light and the lands of the Qualinesti. And just in case you didn’t read Fallen Sun, Weis and Hickman take great pains to bring you up to speed in the first chapter.
What follows in Dragons of a Lost Star is the satisfying resolution to most of these threads, although–like it or not–that means a lot of interplay among the elves. But a literally earth-shattering finale with Beryl in Qualinost amply makes up for it, and that’s just the appetizer for the main dish: the true identity of Mina’s mysterious One God is revealed at last. Throw in some typical Tas antics for good measure (you’ve got to love that Device of Time Journeying), and you can count on being left antsy for this trilogy’s concluding installment. –Paul Hughes
Alexiel @ 5:07 pm
If you read my review of “Dragons of a Fallen Sun” you know what I thought was lacking in it: a bit sparse on plot and weak characters you couldn’t identify with.
I am pleased to admit that “Dragons of a Lost Star” has thoroughly exceeded my expectations. Not only are the old characters (Tas, Goldmoon) written better in this book (In Fallen Sun, they seemed strangely unlikeable) the new characters, like Mina and Silvanoshei become more fleshed out and appealing (though not Gilthas. I fear poor Gilthas is doomed to remain a static character for the rest of eternity).
Without giving away any spoilers (when people give away spoilers in Amazon.com reviews it just irritates me like all hell) I thought the scenes with Mina, her followers, and the One-God were done much better than in the first book. In the first book, the only event that provided any dynamic was her meeting with Mirror. In this book, the reader sees more than simpy “Ah Mina! I worship you and the One-God!” To cut it short, it’s less religious-fanaticism-by-the-numbers than the first book.
We get to see more about Tasslehoff and Goldmoon, and Goldmoon’s big secret and mystery, which I was expecting to be a letdown, was rather interesting, if not entirely original.
But for those of you who seek action, the wars with the elves are good… but not Hickman-Weis great in my opinion. Beryl and Qualinost does not measure up to, say, The Attack on Neraka in Spring Dawning, or the High Clerist Tower’s Final Stand in Summer Flame. But it does nicely change the pace of the book from early on. The real strength of this book lies with Mina, Tasslehoff, Goldmoon, Silvanoshei… and a few others who I may not name.
If you’re still doubting whether you should read this book, I have one more thing to remind you of:
What about Dalamar?
M. Ahmed @ 8:05 pm
I thought this book was actually very good, and for me that was a surprise, because after what they and Rabe did to Dragonlance, it just doesn’t look all that interesting anymore, y’know? Taking away magic?! I mean, what’s left? You gotta have that. And after reading reviews for some of the “filler” books that they were throwing out for the Dragonlance series, I gave up for a few years.
But with this book, and it’s predecessor, they’ve dug (or I should say, “are still digging”) their way out of the trenches. The first one set the tone, (a grimmer, darker book then they have written in the Legends or the Chronicles) and this one fit smoothly into place, continuing exactly where the other one stops, at a point of certain doom.
When I first read this book, I was literally shocked. I mean, yeah, they have death and destruction in all Dragonlance books, but in Lost Star, boy, they really wipe Krynn clean. You’ll see when you read it (FOOL, GO READ IT NOW!!
One of the bad things about this book, I saw in a previous review and I totally agree: it keeps you wanting a LOT more. After every chapter ends, you HAVE to keep reading or else you’re going to go insane; you’ll literally snap. You’ll also find yourself yelling at people to stop make noise so you can just finish your darn book. The ultimate evil of this book, however, is the end, where you’re left just cringing, NEEDING to know what happens next, because it’s such a dramatic point (dramatic but unfortunately not resolved). And that’s why this is different from the Chronicles. Those were the best, because if you bought one book and read it, it’s complete in itself. There’s insanely good writing, a climax, and then a good resolution of the events.
This book, unfortunately, doesn’t have that and that’s the reason for the 4 stars and not 5. It’s a good book, don’t get me wrong, but it, of course, can’t have the glory of the first set.
Some of the “secrets” of the book are pointedly obvious, and that’s a shame. They really could have done a lot better. But, still, it’s not finished and they have their reasons, I’m sure.
This book is very, very short. The type of suspense just forces you to keep reading. I read it and I wished I hadn’t, God, I wished I hadn’t, cause at that point, I would’ve had to wait more than a year for the next one. But, time is slowly creeping toward April….every so slowly……
You’ll find the book finished in just a couple of days. But, don’t worry, if you read , it’ll be a good couple of days.
Skippertan @ 9:33 pm
Not since the days of the Chronicles and Legends have i enjoyed reading so much. Dragons of a Lost Star is incredible! And while I had my doubts after reading the first War of Souls novel, Dragons of a Fallen Sun, rest assured fellow readers, all is right in the world of Krynn. Finally, the one God’s identity is revealed! And you will kick yourselves because the answer is so obvious with all the elven wars. Qualinost under attack by the great Beryl! Once the one god is unmasked the pieces of this great and wonderful puzzle begin to fall into place. take note of the man aboard the Gull Wing, he’s got alot of making up to do! do yourself a favor and run to buy this book. I promise, you wil not regret for one moment. the return of Dalamar! the secret behind the dead walking again! it’s going to be a long year awaiting dragons of a Vanished Moon…
Anonymous @ 12:00 am
After Dragons of Summer Flame, I said a sad farewell to Krynn. All the signs pointed to that book’s storyline being dictated to the authors by a desperate and sinking TSR. Then came WoTC and new series. Tracy Hickman promising to bring Krynn back to where it belonged. I read Dragons of a Fallen Sun skeptically, hoping the series would restore the quality of story and writing present in the earlier trilogies. While good, it was still chained by the dull and strange shackles of the Fifth Age.
With Dragons of a Lost Star the author’s are well on their way to fulfilling their promise. New characters like Mina, Medan, and Gerard become fleshed out and engaging. Old favorites like Goldmoon and Dalamar make more than cameo’s and take the reader with them on a immersive journey seeking answers about The One God and the future of Krynn. The story is well set up by subtle hints and building momentum that clues in the careful reader to the discoveries coming at the end.
Balancing the unfolding story, Dragons of a Lost Star provides plenty of action and dramatic moments. The gripping plight of the elves against the dragon Beryl ends in a truly climatic showdown. Laurana’s stand will bring old readers a foreboding Deja’vu moment. A confrontation between Skie and Mina ends surprisingly and proivdes startling insights.
Yet just when the forces of evil seem triumphant at every turn the heroes recieve their answers. In so doing, the saga’s grand circle draws ever closer together, all but assuring a masterpiece finish to the series.
If you are a fan of the Chronicles and Legends, get this book now! With each page the series grows better and better. By it’s conclusion it seems set to take it’s place alongside the first trilogies as some of the greatest works of fantasy you will ever read.
Jonathan Hsu @ 12:09 am
I�ve always been an avid fan of the Dragonlance series. Perhaps it was the structured world or magical setting that appealed to me. Nevertheless, such has resulted in years of immersion � downright addiction. Imagine my disappointment when I read Dragons of a Fallen Sun! With all the magic I was previously fascinated with supposedly gone, my interest in the series itself dwindled as well. All I could do was sit tight and hope the upcoming sequel would shed some light on the predicament inhabitants of Krynn were in, hopefully bringing magic back to life.
Then came the day I borrowed Dragons of a Lost Star from a classmate. Impressive! Once again, I was swept off into a dark world filled with evil. Mina continues to lead her army deep into the lands, seemingly unstoppable with the might of her �One God.� I was slightly disappointed when the heroes I had gotten know began dying, but overall, this book is certainly worth the read. I can�t wait for the last of the trilogy to be released, revealing whatever fate to come in this dynamic series.