World Famous Comics: Dragon Wing (The Death Gate Cycle, Book 1)
Dragon Wing (The Death Gate Cycle, Book 1)
By: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman Publisher: Spectra Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Spectra Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 480 Publication Date: October 01, 1990 Release Date: October 01, 1990
Product Description: Preeminent storytellers Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have redefined epic fantasy. Since the publication of their Dragonlance series, millions of readers have enjoyed their imaginative world-building, rich characterization, and intricate storylines. Now these bestsellingauthors bring their talents to one of the most innovative fantasy creations ever in Dragon Wing, the first volume in The Death Gate Cycle.
Horrible I don't mind stereotype characters, as long as they're interesting and make for an interesting plot. Dragon Wing's characters, and the book itself, did neither.
We have Hugh. Oh my God, Hugh is a tough assassin who cares only for money. Yawn. Unfortunately for Hugh, he never gets any more than that. That is his entire character. The only changes he ever sees is because of some sort of magical mind-control from this one kid he's hired to kill named Prince Bane (I'm not kidding, that's seriously what he's named) and yada yada yada... Hugh is the most one dimensional character I've ever seen. Plus, what kind of fantasy-novel name is Hugh anyway? These authors badly need to take a page from Ursula LeGuin. Or an entire book. Preferably an entire book.
Then there was the whole segment with the dwarves and their "Kicksey Whinsey". I'd say that was a borderline racist stereotype but I'm not sure what race it was even supposed to represent. A bunch of dwarves go around and live their lives based on the whims of some badly-named machine, performing their badly-named daily activities. There's a badly-named revolutionary leading a badly-named group to try to throw off the oppressive blanket of society and the machine...only it's all supposed to be comical, because they all act like little children. It's like some dwarven version of 1984, only it has the writing quality you'd expect from monkeys. The dwarf segment is the sort of thing you'd expect to see in a D&D game where the DM thinks he's being really funny and clever, but everyone at the table just wants to punch him in the face.
I had to stop after that (halfway through the book). The low quality of writing made me so disgusted that I couldn't go any further. That's the first time a book has done that. Dragonlance (by the same authors) may be the lowest common denominator of fantasy, but at least it's finishable. This is just disgusting.
Or maybe it was made for the 11 year olds out there who find the dwarf thing 'funny' and would overlook boring one dimensional stereotype characters.
Dragon Wing takes flight The Death Gate Cycle is without a doubt the best series Hickman and Weis have written since their original Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends. The story presents an orginal theme of a fantasy world split into four elemental worlds bound my magic and a darker past that comes to the surface as the reader goes through the books in this series. Dragon Wing as a stand alone novel holds its own in presenting some new characters and without giving away any spoilers it introduces us to some old favorites in a creative and surprising way. The book is well written and the characters are interesting enough to keep you reading as you discover along with the main character what has happened to a world left to its own devices and the warring nations that fight to control it, oblivious as they are to the forces at work behind the scenes.
It Gave Me My User Name I love this book. The entire series climbs into the top ten of my ultimate favorite books. (Which is really hard to do by the way. I read a ton!) I read this in the eighth grade (I was always a really good reader) and I love it to peices still. Whenever I want something to re-read, this is the one I delve for. I love it! I love it! I love it! What more is there to say?
Warning - Addicting What an awesome start to a great series of books! I read the Cycle when I was a teen and loved it and now in my....Early 20's ;) I wonder how I waited so long before picking it up again. From this first book, 'Dragon Wing' through the seventh I was hooked and still am!
The epitome of fantasy ilk I told myself I wouldn't go back and read this kind of ilk after reading other much better books, but I couldn't help myself since I've pretty much exhausted the fantasy genre. Anyway, it was a mistake. The genre isn't even completely fantasy - it's some kind of weird mixture of science fiction, fantasy and psuedo - philosophy/parody.
The premise is that the world is divided into realms one on top of one another. All ready a tad eye rolling. Not a good setting to say the least. The authors had to invent some new floating rock called coralite. Anyway, this book is basically two viewpoints: Hugh the Hand and Limbeck Bolttightner (stupid name). The first fifty pages weren't bad. Not great, but highly readable.
Then everything goes to hell when the view shifts over to the dwarf. First of all, what's the point of calling dwarves gegs? The author even refers to them as dwarves first. Maybe to make them seem more juvenile then they all ready are. But, anyway, Limbeck's story is basically some kind of weird dwarven version of 1984. Basically, he's an enlightened dwarf among a race of childlike dwarves and he's determined to make remove their ignorance. Basically, all the dwarves worship the elves or the people who live on top them. Meanwhile, they all do work for this like super machine called "the kicksey winsey" How suitable is that? Kicksey winsey. All the dwarves have their roles and do their work unquestioningly. Then quite suitably, you have this revolutionary organization called WUPP (shudder) who is going about writing pamphlets and making speeches run by Limbeck's bossy wife named Jarre.
Hugh the Hand's story arc is a tad better with him escorting some simple boy prince who isn't really so simple. Unfortunately, he had to be named "Bane." Prince Bane!
Then there's the Sartan missionary named Haplo who is supposed to be sent back for vengeance for being shunned. But then he's accompanied by a loyal dog who licks his face and barks at strangers. Am I the only one sensing some kind of contradiction in tones here?
I'm not looking for any great masterpiece here but all the characters are cardboard cutouts and two dimensional at best. You got the mercenary Hugh who'll do anything for money. The clumsy chamberlain named Alfred who falls down every other page.
Essentially, the names are bordering on ridiculous: Hugh the Hand, Boltightner, Magicka, Sinistrad, and Prince Bane. All ready not good signs. Seriously, if you 've read better books, please skip this ilk. If you're determined to read Hickman and Weiss, read Chronicles which is a tad better.
Seriously, if you think this is the 'best fantasy' you've ever read, you really need to be trying OTHER books by OTHER authors. This book is fluff at best. The tones are so mixed up sometimes you're not sure if it's a comedy or what not. I'm not sure if the dwarven part is supposed to be comedy relief or if it's a serious rendition of 1984. But the tone is so silly you can hardly take it seriously at all. Kicksey winsey!
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
