This is the 18th of the DragonLance books in the order I have been reading them. Honestly, this one was probably the least favorite so far. It could have or maybe should have been a short story.
The book wraps around and meanders for 160 pages easily in bizarre directions that just don’t feel all that well thought out.
The plot is simple, the book takes place during the 5 years between the Companions making the pledge and returning to the Inn of the Last Home to kick off the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy.
In this book Tanis meets another dwarf, who claims he can introduce him to someone who knew his human father. It turns out a mage who was 1/4 elf, and 3/4 human had met him, and could give Tanis a chance to do the same if he allows Tanis to magically insert him into his memories. The deal is Tanis has to bring forward the memory love of his (the mage’s) life.
The book started out pretty good but then it was like they ran out of story and through in 150 or more pages of just filler “killer hobo” stuff if I can steal that phrase from the playing style some use while playing Dungeons and Dragons.
I finished the book, but I had to push myself to do so in places, and I will finish just about anything.
I would do a video about this one, but I think I have said it all. Out of the books I have read in the DragonLance series (now with more than 200 books) I have liked this one the least, but it won’t cause me to give up on the series.
Yes, I will read and review more DragonLance books, as I do enjoy many of them, but not this one.
In Flint the King by Mary Kirchoff and Douglas Niles we follow the story of Flint as he visits his home before the Chronicles trilogy kicks off.
They have to flee again. This time they have to get out quickly but all of the roads are blocked by guards searching for whomever is hiding with the blue crystal staff.
For the first time in the book we meet Sturm Brightblade, seen in the painting traveling with Flint, who walks in the Inn, and everyone instantly recognizes him as a Knight of Solamnia. Strum is oddly proud of being a Knight. The knights themselves have fallen out of popularity as they have corruption issues in the rank and file.
people that Sturm found tired and hungry on the side of the road. He brought them into town so they could find food and rest.
It opens with Flint Fireforge, who we learn is a Dwarf, as he decides to take a break from his travels and sits down on a nice warm boulder. Flint, despite being alone, likes to talk to himself. As a dwarf, he lives much longer than humans and keeps to himself, and who better to keep him company as everyone else seems to annoy him.
As Flint rests along the path leading into town he is met by Tanis, who we learn because it is important to the story, is half elf, half human. The authors are some of the best I have come across at keeping the story moving, so to get us to understand that these two are old friends, they start behaving like old guy friends would, just right away.
The two are so in-tune, and always alert that anything out of the ordinary will get their attention, which is when we meet Tasslehoff Burrfoot.
The trio is about to head into Solace for a reunion when they run into a group of Hobgoblins led by Fewmaster Toede, who are acting under orders from someone that the group doesn’t recognize as an authority figure and is searching everyone for a blue crystal staff. Well, the trio doesn’t like that and battle the hobgoblins, and fight together like they had just practiced working as a team the day before. They are obviously old, and very well acquainted friends and adventuring companions.