Bones of the Dragon

November 24, 2008
In this barely disguised Viking pastiche, the dragonships have real dragons and the gods fight side by side with their heroes. Named Chief of Chiefs of the sea-raiding Vindrasi, Skylan Ivorson discovers that his victory over the last chief came through another's treachery, his betrothed is in love with his best friend and his gods may be dead. Impetuously, he plunges ahead on a quest to recover the sacred Vektan Torque, but betrayal leaves the voyagers in chains. Despite some clumsy alterations to Norse myth and history, Weis and Hickman (Dragons of the Highlord Skies
) have created a believably human story out of their mix of saga and sorcery, and the problems of ruling after the glee of seizing the crown make Skylan a more honest and sympathetic hero than the typical, overly successful fantasy protagonist.

December 15, 2008
For ages, the tribes of the Vindras raided nearby lands in their dragonships, seeking gems and other plunder to honor their gods. Now, new gods, worshipped by the ogres and other enemies of the Vindras, threaten to overthrow the old godsand to save their deities and their people from destruction, the champions of the Vindras must discover and reunite the Five Bones of the Vektan Dragons. A young chieftain's son and his gentle best friend, as well as the young Bone Priestess who loves them both, must find a way to become the heroes they were meant to be. Longtime coauthors Weis and Hickman, known for their Dragonlance role-playing game and novels, the "Darksword" series, and the Death Gate cycle, again demonstrate their talent for world building and for creating likable yet flawed heroes. This Norse-flavored series opener should have a large following; expect demand.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 2, 2009
Authors Weis and Hickman embark on a dragon series very different from their most famous series, DragonLance, and marked by deeper mythological underpinnings, a more realized world and tighter rendition. New gods have come into existence, beating down the gods of the Vindras. As their rising leader, Skylan Ivorson must reclaim the sacred dragon bones and bring his people together, but only if he can overcome his worst enemy: himself. Stefan Rudnicki has a great baritone voice that, while masculine, is effective with voicing female characters. At times, some character voices are not consistent throughout the reading, which causes confusion, but overall, Rudnicki’s command is remarkable. His tone ably creates the atmosphere for raging battles or intimate encounters. A Tor hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 24).