Krynn calls us back.
The first work of high fantasy that I read wasn’t Bilbo and Frodo’s sojourns through Middle Earth, I had not traveled to Narnia though Rings, Wardrobes, or Ships, and it wasn’t into Pyrdain (still haven’t gotten to that, it’s on my list). I was alongside Tannis half-Elven, Flint Fireforge, and the wizard Fizban. My a good friend and I would exclaim “Solaris oth mithas” in the halls at school, and I tried to wrap my head around the idea of currency and weapons being made from the same thing. Like for real, “Thack, you’re paid!” Why this devotion to this property? It was my first experience to a world outside of my own, a place where magic could be wielded, but only at a price and with great devotion. Even though all of these characters had great skills and talents, they all came at the cost of devotion to the ideal and practice of making themselves (and the world) better.
So, this is where I come from when it comes to the adaptation of Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman’s first novel into graphic form by Andrew Dabb, Steve Kurth, Stefano Raffaele, and their whole team. This is a work worth its salt, capturing the essence of the novel in a wonderful and enchanting way. There are moments in the novel that chilled my blood the first time I read it (gazing upon the stars, for those who’ve read) and having it lovingly brought to life on the page brought that old feeling back, a connection to a thing that shakes many in the world to their core, rippling out of the page and into me as a reader. There’s no denying the compact nature of the structure, and there’s no way to avoid it, but for me it was a refreshing way to remember the whole of the book, though this version did not carry all of the tiny details I can recall enjoying so much. Weiss and Hickman based their adventures off of D&D sessions, and my intro into that world did not follow far behind finishing this series. I still don’t think I’ve ever felt more kindly towards a gully dwarf of laughed more loudly at the word “two.”
If you’re a fan of D&D, or of any of the works I mentioned above, this is a great intro for the series that bred a world (the Dragonlance Campaign is a fairly large world, not as large as the Forgotten Realms, but significant in its impact on the game) that brought some fantastic friendships and journeys into the forefront. Everyone in the party has an agenda, and that gives the group a wonderful dynamic that keeps things as character driven as can be accomplished in high fantasy. I will say that there is more to be seen in the novels, but if you want a great peek into the world (or would love to be able to travel it again), then this volume is for you. Tribesmen bringing an item of salvation and the return of the gods who never really left, all joining with a group of friends with secrets trying to heal themselves and their world, it’s a story that anyone can fall into. It’s really got everything, and if you wanna argue about who’s more fun between Tasslehoff and Fizban, I’ll be glad to jump in on both sides of that in the comments section.
I know I haven’t spoken much about the content of book. I felt it was more telling to share my passion for the project and let you be the judge. You won’t be disappointed.
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