Join me as I review The Dragons at War edited by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, live! Share your thoughts on this second ‘Dragons’ anthology, released by TSR Inc. on May 1, 1996. You can buy a copy here:
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About The Dragons at War
Dragsons, the true children of Krynn, are power incarnate, and they know it. They come in all guises and forms. Their personalities are as varied as thier colors. Their magical abilities are virtually unlimited. And nothing is so terrifying as dragons on the wing. In this collection, a follow-up to the popular The Dragonss of Krynn anthology, Dragonlance creators, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman serve up a fantastical array of dragon tales featuring the motley races of Krynn and the deadliest creatres of the Dragonlance saga.
Review
1. Dream of the Namer by Michael Williams
This was an interesting poem about the author, waking in dreams to see the coming of the Queen of Darkness in her assault against Huma and his ‘impossible’ lance. I am not sure if the poem is meant to be from any one individual, or a generic retelling of the event as attributed to the Namer, which could be the authors or gods, who are truly one in the same. In any case, it was nice returning to Michael Williams’ poetry after such a long absence, as overly descriptive as it may be, it is familiar and comfortable.
2. People of the Dragon by Mark Anthony
This was a great story about a white wizard who fled the Tower of Daltifoth before its fall. This is set five years later where he is living like a hermit, as the Kingpriest declared all wizards evil. He is called by the townsfolk to look at bones to see if they are an ill omen. He studies them and casts a spell to see the past. He sees two people meeting and falling in love. One from the mountain Dragonmere, and the other from the valley. He is not meant to fall in love, but has and gives her a bracelet. They fall in love and have a child. Ultimately the mother dies in the child's youth and the man is blamed for it. THe hermit decides to return to his home to continue studying this and then travels up to the mountain finding more bones. He uses his magic and learns the man was a silver dragon who brought the girl, presumably also a dragon to the clan in hiding, 500 years after the Third Dragon War. He battles the leader to ensure she can go with them as they leave the mountain, but both die in the fight. The daughter is seen flying away. The hermit returns to his hut to find it on fire and he is thrown to the fire by the townsfolk for being a wizard. He dons the bracelet and turns into a silver dragon, fleeing his death, and headed to a new life. Again, it was a great story about love and secrets, something I genuinely enjoyed.
3. Quarry by Adam Lesh
This was a great story with a wonderful twist that was clearly coming, but wonderful when revealed. A dragon wakes as a thief is stealing a sword from his hoard. He then goes on a chase through his lair, the mountain and other caves and forest trying to find and kill the thief. He is guided by his ability to read the thief's mind, and ultimately is led into an ambush and trapped by the thief. He is revealed to be a Dragonsbane, a dragon hunter in the Third Dragon War. They were a secret group who hunted and killed dragons making them look like accidents. Again, you knew that a twist was coming as this half-elf thief continued to evade this awesome red dragon, but it was great to be in the dragon's head, feel his certainty, then have the rug pulled out from under him and have the half-elf explain who and what he was.
