Dragonlance: Dragons of Deceit: (Dungeons & Dragons) (Dragonlance Destinies, 1)

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Come look at the lovely colors, Destina. They are the colors of the kingfisher. Blue above and orange beneath.” Hornfel scowled, and Wolfstone feared he had angered him. But the king was reasonable, and he considered the argument. “No, I wouldn’t,” he admitted at last. “Not for all the treasure in a dragon’s horde. So what do we do? We can’t leave it there.” Gregory presented his daughter with his gift: a silver chalice decorated with a kingfisher motif. The kingfisher bird, with its bright blue-sky and orange-fire plumage, had been chosen as the mascot for the knights by Vinus Solamnus, their founder. The kingfisher symbolized courage and hope, for it was said that on the day of the creation of the world, the bold kingfisher was the first bird who dared to take flight. Much of the book’s humor derives from the fact that Destina’s plan is utterly insane and incredibly ill-considered from beginning to end. It is also hypocritical as she spends a lot of the book talking about her disdain for magic and wizards while depending on a device that is unquestionably magic. The fact she chooses to involve the Graygem in this, which many book fans will know from Dragons of Summer Flame, is another layer of stupidity on a stupid sandwich. Wolfstone rose, took off his hat, and bowed. Hornfel smiled at him and advanced to heartily embrace him.

Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman Review - Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Dragons of Deceit is the first of the new trilogy, Dragonlance Destinies. It’s been years since the last Dragonlance written by the masters was released, but they didn’t miss a beat. I wondered before reading it if this book would appeal more to new readers or to readers returning and hoping to see the characters they love. First, she has to secure the Device of Time Journeying, last known to be in the possession of the spirited kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot. But to change time, she needs another magical artifact—the most powerful and dangerous artifact ever created. Destina’s quest takes her from the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin to the town of Solace and beyond, setting in motion a chain of disastrous events that threaten to divert the course of the River of Time, alter the past, and forever change the future. We must find a way to get it to Himself,” said Wolfstone. “Reorx created the damn thing. He can deal with it. What are your plans for the tall, sire? Why did you bring her to the Life Tree?” Destina took refuge in the Measure. “Mama, remember what the Measure says: ‘Paladine forges the sword, but man chooses how to wield it.’ That means each person is responsible for what he or she does in this life. The Measure also warns: ‘Trust not the soothsayer, for his words are lies to snare the unwary.’”Second, there is a lot of repetition in this book. I am not even talking about the repetitive nature of this being a time travel story with Tas. Certain phrases and descriptions are repeated several times over throughout the story. I have a problem with those types of things when it feels like the author thinks the reader is dumb. That is not the case here. It just felt like the editors did not catch that these descriptions had been done prior and could be cut from the text. It brought down the overall quality of the writing.

Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis | Goodreads Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis | Goodreads

Having observed her, Wolfstone left the main part of the Great Hall by a staircase that led down several levels to the dungeons. He could hear the sound of drunken singing coming from the cells. Apparently one prisoner had imbibed too heavily in dwarf spirits. DRAGONS OF DECEIT is a non-starter that eventually gets to the beginning of the story that all fans of the series are going to want to readBut I get it. This story is not mine to tell. It’s theirs. I can only find solace (heh) in the fact that they finally made it to a point in the telling where I’m actually excited to read the thing. From what I understand, the contract with Wizards of the Coast is for three books. So, at least we’ll get two that might be fantastic. And that one is coming later this fall. There are two distinct stories being told here. The first half of the book takes its time to establish an all-new character, Destina, and show everyday (ish) life in Solamnia. The Heroes of the Lance are just names the average person doesn't know, and their acts are second or thirdhand news. It's a slow start, even by the standards of other DL books, but I liked the attempt to show the wider world outside of the Companions. Unfortunately, Destina will never join the ranks of these unforgettable characters. Indeed, she could well be the dumbest protagonist in the franchise's history. Having lost my mother last year, it's easy to understand her pain and feel for her. But then to see her blundering around in a clueless yet hypocritical way, as she quotes the Measure at every opportunity and claims to hate magic at every turn, and yet her crazy plan requires the aid of various magical artifacts, it just makes you want to throw the book across the room. Initially, I hoped that the appearance of Tasslehoff and other familiar faces would help the plot. Alas, though he has always been silly in a good-hearted fashion, the kender's silliness takes a turn that stretches credulity to its breaking point. Add to that the time-travel aspect and you end up with a recipe for disaster. Literally.

Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman

Anyway, Destina Rosethorn, my one complaint being her name sounds like it came from Harry Potter fanfic, is a young Solamnic Knight's daughter during the War of the Lance. Her father doesn't believe in the gods but her mother does. After a series of unfortunate events result in Destina losing her father, castle, fiance, and self-respect, she proceeds to hatch upon a plan to use the Device of Time Journeying to save her father from death at the High Clerist's Tower. Sometimes a long-running series finds itself in a bind. Do you continue with a storyline that new readers might be confused by, but rewards longtime readers? Or do you tell a story that has an entry point for new readers, risking alienating returning readers who want something new (I’m thinking of the multitude of Spiderman origin stories here)? Please, Papa, just a little for me in my new chalice?” Destina begged. “After all, Mama says that I am a woman today.” Plus, Wizards of the Coast has allowed the use of the classic Dragonlance logo with the word “classic” added at the top!And my people say: ‘The wolf is born to kill. The sheep is born to be killed,’” Atieno said, fixing her with shimmering dark eyes. This Solamnic woman has come here looking for that same Graygem, claiming it is in the kingdom of the Theiwar.” Lastly, the main character is so annoying and wishy washy. The way her personhood is described in the beginning seems to fly in the face of her actions at the end. It was frustrating. Not to mention Tas being a large part of the book. He always makes me anxious and frustrated. Per fortuna nella seconda parte si risolleva considerevolmente, si entra nel vivo della storia e inizia la parte legata all’avventura. The history is ok yes. But this is not as well written as the Chronicles or the Legends. The history is rushed. The main protagonist seems at times a little bipolar, changes her mood or opinion easily, making a not very believable character. I don't know, the whole history seems a little rushed sometimes. For example, the first third happen in Solamnia, before and along the War of the Lance, but there is no description of the lands or the people of that part of Solamnia. That's YA for you I suppose.