Fantasy Feedback: Dragons of Deceit

Recently I returned from vacation, and when I am on vacation, there are two things I love to do: take the dog on long hikes and relax with a good book.

I got the opportunity to do quite a bit of the former, and I spent almost all that time reading “Dragons of Deceit” by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman.

I’ve already gone on record with my absolute adoration for the Dragonlance world, and that is entirely due to the original Dragonlance Chronicles by Weis & Hickman. I have devoured every Dragonlance book that has come out, and so I was excited to do the same with this latest addition to the canon.

A Note About How I “Review” Things

Let me begin by saying I am not here to review this book, or any book, by anything more than two factors:

1.       Was I entertained?

2.       Did it capture my imagination?

When it comes to consuming fiction – be it books, movies, or TV – I am looking for something that turns my brain off. I don’t want to think too hard when enjoying these forms of media.

So, if you are looking for a deep dive on prose, story structure, language, flow, characterization, et al, this probably isn’t the review for you.

My Thoughts…At a High Level

With that out of the way, let’s proceed to the review.

I liked it!

I could stop there because that’s literally enough for me, but for greater context, I’ll go a little deeper.

Reading a new novel by Weis & Hickman set in this world was as comforting as slipping into your favorite flannel button-down on a chilly fall day. I was immediately nestled back into this wonderful world.

For the most part, I enjoy the new character of Destina Rosethorn (more on that later). Getting to know her and her family and watching how she handles the adversity that comes into her life was interesting and emotional. I was immediately drawn to her as the lead character.

Overall, “Dragons of Deceit” is a great story that earns its place in the Dragonlance world. Having her life crisscross with the lives of the Heroes of the Lance is interesting in that it gives us another third-person perspective on these timeless characters.

Speaking of the Heroes of the Lance, the authors did a wonderful job of keeping these characters authentic to who they are while also creating more mature, older, and understandably changed versions of themselves following the events of the War of the Lance that are perfectly believable.

This book also continues to do one of the things that amaze me about the works of Weis & Hickman, and that is how they can continually mix and match the Heroes cast and still find compelling stories to tell. I am excited to see how an adventure consisting of three never before grouped Heroes plays out in future books.

And that last comment is perhaps the best compliment I can pay “Dragons of Deceit”. It ends with my wanting more.

Now, not everything is perfect with this book, and this is where I will get into some of the things that bounced off me wrong or weirdly.

For starters, the first few chapters of the book are incredibly expository. That said, I understand why. There’s a lot of history in this world that the book needs to get new readers caught up on in the smallest digestible bites in order to appreciate the gravity of the overall tale. Even if you are new to these books, however, I still feel like it would read a little exposition-heavy. Once you get past that though, the story cruises and is a highly consumable page-turner.

Also, as much as I liked the new and central character of Destina Rosethorn, I found her actions and personality to be inconsistent at times. She presents as this educated and measured person who has handled the considerable adversity she has seen in her life with admirable stoicism and remarkable leadership. So, at times, particularly in her interactions with Tasslehoff Burrfoot, when her behavior is erratic and completely overtaken by emotion to the point it creates a complete disaster of events, it’s a bit discombobulating. I get that she is upset and desperate, but it’s almost like two completely different characters, the latter of whom I do not care for.

Overall, I am thrilled to be back in the World of Dragonlance. This is an entertaining, breezy addition to the canon, and it leaves the reader wanting more. If you love this world and these characters, this is a must-read.