Song of the Dragon

The Song of the Dragon, by Tracy Hickman, opens up with the final battle between a mighty elven empire and the last dwarven king.  Drakis and his companions, all of them slave warriors of the elven empire, fight their way to the Ninth Throne and kill the last dwarven king. It is a great victory for them and it will bring honor to their elven master, Lord Timuran. Unfortunately things begin to go downhill for Drakis and his companions.

After the dwarves are defeated the elven warriors turn on one other, each trying to claim the dwarven crown for their master. The crown is lost in the chaos and Drakis’ cohort is left with nothing to bring back to their master except a rather annoying dwarven fool.

Things get worse when the warriors arrive home; House Timuron’s Aether Well gets destroyed during the Devotion ceremony. The Aether Well is the source of elven magic and it is what allows the elves to control their slaves. Each slave’s memories are manipulated and controlled by the Devotion spell in a way that makes the slaves want to serve their master. With the Aether Well destroyed, all of the slaves remember everything they had been forced to forget.

Drakis and a group of slaves flee north lead by the song he hears in his head. Along the way each former slave grapples with their newly remembered memories. Most of them are shocked when they remember the things they have done in the past. Adding to the tension is the fact that Drakis and his companions are strangers to each other. Also one of them is marking their trail, allowing the elves to follow them.

Normally a few escaped slaves wouldn’t be such a big deal for the elves. However many people think that Drakis will fulfill an ancient prophecy and destroy the elven empire. Various power groups attempt to capitalize on this idea. Drakis himself disbelieves the prophecy but that doesn’t stop others from using it to their advantage.

Drakis is a classic reluctant hero. He is also a static character. In fact, most of the characters are static. By the end I was tired of Drakis’ repetitive reluctance. Regardless, my favorite character is the dwarven fool. By the end of the book I still wasn’t sure if he believed in the prophecy or if he was manipulating Drakis in order to get revenge on the elves.

The Song of the Dragon is a fast-paced, epic fantasy adventure. I recommend it to any fantasy reader; seasoned readers or those new to the genre.

Stop by the library or place it on hold today. (It's also availible as an audio book!)

Thanks for reading. Questions and comments are encouraged below.

-Adam Delaura

Thorn of Breland Trilogy by Keith Baker

I like books with strong female protagonists. I enjoy those books even more when the protagonist has warrior skills, espionage training, and a talking dagger for a companion.  This series takes the reader through a mix of practical, mystical, and political alliances as Nyrielle Tam, aka Thorn, navigates her assignments within the world of Eberron. 

With only a fleeting frame of reference for the world of Dungeons and Dragons, I was afraid I’d be lost as I read this series.  My assumption was that books set within this world are elusive and elite; carefully guarded by those versed in the genre of science fiction.

This proved completely false.

The books in this series are structured like any other: they lead you to a world where, once immersed, things start to make sense. Imagination takes hold, and it doesn’t matter if the characters are dragons or elves; what matters is the motivations behind the choices they make, and where those actions will lead them. The creativity in these worlds compliments the complexity of the ideas presented within them, keeping readers engaged on multiple levels simultaneously.

Full confession?  I’m hooked.

Supporting my addiction is Baker’s focused writing, which maintains a taut pace throughout the series. Descriptions appear only when they precede action; character analysis appears only as unlikely alliances are defined.  If it’s not necessary, it’s not in here, making these books a delight to read. Even the romance is perfectly punctuated with elusive efficiency.

As I finished the third novel, I was disappointed that the story was ending. How soon can Keith Baker supply me with another installment?

What do I do in the meantime?

Apparently, the answer to that question is to join a game of Dungeons and Dragons…

-Tina Panik


Stop by the library and check them out.

The Queen of Stone,        Son of Khyber,               The Fading Dream

   

City Under the Sand

City Under the Sand takes place in the post-apocalyptic fantasy world of Athas. It’s a world were arcane magic has reduced the once lush and vibrant landscape to lifeless sand dunes and windswept rocks. The main character, Aric, is a half-elf blacksmith with an unusual mental ability to “hear” metal. Aric’s heritage makes him a social outcast in his home city, Nibenay. Despite being shunned by both humans and elves, Aric has become a master weaponsmith. Additionally, Aric suspects that some hidden force has been looking after him throughout his life.

Aric’s relative safety and comfort, as a craftsman, is disturbed when he is conscripted by the Sorcerer-King of Nibenay to accompany an expedition to explore ancient ruined city. Rumors hint at the existence of a large stockpile of iron or steel hidden within the ruins; metal that Aric is expected to locate using his special ability. Aric fears he will be disposed of after his job is done.

           The members of the Sorcerer-King’s court begin maneuvering to take credit for recovering the stockpile of metal, hoping to garner his favor. It is quickly revealed that things are not as they seem. Something is buried beneath the ruined city that is better left undisturbed. 

Throughout the novel, Aric and his companions struggle with questions of identity and morality as they try to make sense of the harsh, uncaring world in which they live. In addition, Aric’s unseen guardian reveals itself to be something far from what he ever imagined it to be.

City Under the Sand will definitely appeal to fans and players of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game as this novel’s release coincides with the release of D&D game materials that allow game play in the world of Athas. Regardless of City Under the Sand’s RPG connection, it is an exciting read. This is a great pick if you’re looking for a well-paced fantasy novel that breaks many of the fantasy genre’s norms.



Stop by the library today to check this one out or visit our website and place it on hold.

If you like this book you should check out The Prism Pentad series of books by Troy Denning.  These were the first books to be set in the world of Athas. In order the titleas are: The Verdant Passage, The Crimson Legion, The Amber Enchantress, The Obsidian Oracle, and The Cerulean Storm.

If you have read any of these novels and are interested in writing a short review send us an email or tweet us!

-Adam Delaura