Novels: Dragonlance

The Dragonlance Chronicles were the first series of fantasy books I read, or rather, completed reading. And what a series it was. To me, the Chronicles are the ultimate fantasy novels. Some say LOTR, some prefer Eddings, while a smattering swear by Shannara. To each his/ her own, I reckon. No doubt, almost all fantasy books borrowed from LOTR, some sparingly, others generously. Yes, I would say LOTR is akin the Bible of Fantasy. But if a medal were to be offered for second place, I reckon Dragonlance would take it shields down.

What attracts me to DL is the development of the characters and background. Every character, and not just the main ones, has a story to tell, a dark secret to hide, a gift to offer. Tanis, half elven leader of the Companions, seems to be in a perpetual crisis, whether it be his love triangle or his identity. The twins Majere display an unhealthy and dark symbiosis, yet function almost in unison during battle. Sturm is a knight in almost every conceivable manner, but rank. Riverwind, for all his stoic bravery, is filled with a sense of inferiority when around Goldmoon, while the barbarian princess is often plagued by self-doubt. The rock Flint knows age is one nemesis he can’t overcome. And then there is Tas, dear old Tas. Everyone’s favourite, the light when the group is in darkness, the irritant when they’re in good spirits.

Even the villains of the piece are more than the usual two-dimensional characters often portrayed in numerous fantasy books and movies. From the scheming Kitiara to the omnipotent Ariakas, from the succintly cruel Verminaard to the incompetent Toede, these villains add colour (darkness?) and menace to the land that is Krynn.

Reading the chronicles in order (Autumn Twilight, Winter Night and Spring Dawning) is part of the magic, I say. From a slightly dysfunctional and squabbling group in AT to well-oiled fighting machines in SD, I’ve watched the characters grow and take up more than a figment of my imagination. And yet, never do they descend into soulless automata, slashing and hacking and knowing they can’t be defeated. The issues and self-doubts still linger, manifesting into the very evil they’re up against. Enter Raistlin.

All this, and I’ve yet to mention the dragons. One word…majestic. What sets DL apart from the rest of the fantasy books are the majestic dragons. They’re not just depicted as treasure-hoarding winged lizards who terrorise a town every now and then. They’re the true emperors of the land, the actual lords of the living creatures on Ansalon and beyond. One can almost feel the dragonfear when Onyx, Skie and Ember are brought to life in the pages. Takhisis and Paladine, though the supreme gods, do not create awe as much as the wyrms do. MIshakal even less.

But above all, the dark settings of the books really forced my fingers to turn the pages. War and destruction in the background give a sense of utter despair, yet the Companions penetrate the evil fog, finding themselves as much as bringing light. I’d say DL is one of the few stories where I rooted for the good guys.

After all, would anyone really want to see harm come to Tas…?

Saddle your dragon and soar to the heavens at:
http://www.dlnexus.com/