Now that I’ve read the main sequence novels for the Dragonlance franchise, more or less catching me up with the story, I’ve decided to turn to some of the supplementary novels that inevitably fill the bookshelves. The nature of the Dragonlance is such that the main novels are the backbone, focusing on a handful of core characters and epic situations. Tons of side stories are mentioned but barely explored.
This leads to an intriguing example of stratified myth-making. The core novels by Weis and Hickman would be, in essence, how the annals of history might treat events. A second tier of novels delves more deeply into the localized cultural interpretations and histories. The third tier lies beneath, perhaps carving out a specific hero’s journey through the filter of regional interpretations. The fourth and final tier expands beyond the typical confines of Ansalon into other parts of the world, showing how the events in the first tier affect the entire world of Krynn.
In other words, as with the world we know, history changes from place to place, perspective to perspective, and it’s all through the filter of time. It’s the difference between the myths of Athens and Rome, despite the similarities and analogues, the tales diverge based on regional and cultural designs. The attempt to keep the franchise continuity as tight as possible, despite the clear differences in writing styles, only serves to enhance the depth of the mythological construct. All this, from a franchise of pulp fantasy novels!
This particular book is set during the “Chaos War” period, covered in the core novel “Dragons of Summer Flame”. It falls solidly in the second tier, expanding on the information given in the core novel. Despite the title, this is not simply a novel about Gilthas and his unfortunate situation in Qualinost. It covers the political and cultural issues in play with both Elvan nations, from the fate of Porthios to Gilthas’ rise as an actual leader of his people. All of which sounds arcane without the necessary background, of course, but knowing where events would proceed into the “War of Souls”, this sheds light on a difficult character.
Rating: 7/10
Add A Comment