Legends of the Dragonrealm [Paperback]

Legends of the Dragonrealm is a fictional omnibus featuring the first 3 installments of the Dragonrealm series of books written by Richard A. Knaak. It features the novels Firedrake, Ice Dragon, and Wolfhelm. It centers primarily on the Dragonrealms, a fictional land governed by the Dragon Kings. It details the progression of 3 events across this land. It combines aspects of the warrior, the mage, and general fantasy to create something recognizable to fantasy fans, but completely unique and differentiated from other books in the genre.

Firedrake was an amazing story. It starts off running and does not stop until the very end. When the protagonist is targeted by powerful lords and kings, he must flee and thus begins the adventure. Non-stop action keeps you interested from beginning to end. A quick read for those who have the attention span needed. It combines a classic plot of a hero, villain, friends, and foes with solid character development and a bit of suspense, intrigue, and action. An opportunity for some is that not all characters were fully developed, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because it provides just one more reason to read the second book. A curse, because it is a bit frustrating putting together a puzzle of a story without all the pieces. This was one of the fastest flowing storylines that I've been able to read in a while.

Ice Dragon does not leave one disappointed. Although the story doesn't move as quickly as Firedrake, the plot contains significantly more depth and detail. Ancient feuds, archaic magic, and nifty characters combine to make this a must read for any fans of fantasy or dragons. The only opportunity seen in this story is that, at points, the story seems to dry up. It's not until the different subplots are connected that true appreciation for the main plot is realized. Richard also adds some lore to the background of the Dragonrealms, which makes the land more alive, vibrant, and colorful. It also sets up the next book perfectly.

Wolfhelm was possibly my favorite of the three. Although it does not focus as much on dragons as its predecessors, it tells the story of another, possibly even more enigmatic character. Facing ancient enemies for the greater good is a motif seen throughout this novel. Personally, I am a big fan of background information. This story delivers on that and then some. Casting already-known characters in a new light by providing background information, allows Mr. Knaak to add dimension to his already well-known characters. Creating a sense of futility to the struggle and mixing in solid perseverance allows the reader to "feel" for the characters and their plight. It's a fantastic conclusion to the first three books. It adds a bit of closure when you really don't want it.

Although I wouldn't recommend it, a reader who only reads the first three will not find their time wasted. So far, after reading 5 of the set, I find myself eagerly anticipating more and would never consider just reading 3.

While I would never claim to write anything comparable to this set, it is worth mentioning the detail created around the settings. These stories move astonishingly fast. Because the stories move so quickly, details are often left out which describe scenery and the like. While setting development improves as the stories progress, some may find themselves a bit lost. If it is a requisite that the settings be amazingly detailed, then you might be disappointed. If not, then this is definitely a book for you.

Legends of the Dragonrealm by Richard A. Knaak is an omnibus containing the first three books of his original series, the Dragonrealm; Firedrake, Icedrake & Wolfhelm. I was first introduced to Richard A. Knaak through his early work on the Dragonlance books, specifically The Legend of Huma. I enjoyed his Dragonlance work so I looked forward to his Dragonrealm's creation.

In general my reaction to Legends of the Dragonrealm is mixed. My primary issue deals with what exactly is the Dragonrealm series. Is it epic fantasy or sword and sorcery serial? The omnibus attempts to straddle the two and I feel that this weakens the whole. The first two books, Firedrake and Icedrake are a continuous story that starts out in a familiar epic fantasy feel. A young man, Cabe Bedlam, with a mysterious past suddenly thrust into the role of savior all. Along the way he collects a romantic interest, befriends people in high places and becomes the most powerful magic user in generations. Predictable but enjoyable none the less.

The third book is a shock as it completely shifts focus, choosing to thrust a supporting character from the first two books, the Gryphon, into the limelight. The Gryphon embarks on a quest to solve his mysterious and forgotten past and ends up saving the world. This book drops any epic fantasy pretense and moves firmly into the realm of sword and sorcery. The Gryphon is a jack of all trades with a mysterious past and first and foremost a master of survival against all odds.

Aesthetically, these three books should not have been sold as an omnibus. It is a disjointed collection and the three books do not really fit together. The first two books are an obvious pair and the third is just sort of tacked on. However, that is the fault of the publisher, not the author. But it does highlight the style confusion of whether or not the book is epic fantasy or sword and sorcery.

The narrative works much better as a sword and sorcery serial. The first two books, Firedrake and Icedrake make a pretense at epic fantasy but do a poor job at it. Character development is threadbare and the romance is laughable. Action, plot and setting more than make up for the lack of character development. As shallow as the characters may seem, the plot is convoluted and full of surprised. The action is non-stop. The settings are varied and if not original, interesting.

The omnibus really picks up steam with Wolfhealm. At this point most of the epic fantasy pretense is dropped completely. The character development is minimal and there is an emphasis on adventure and plot. The plot is wildly convoluted with red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. There is action and magic in spades. Its a very successful sword and sorcery novel.

Overall, I think the weakness in this omnibus is due to Richard A. Knaak discovering his own style. The three books contained in the omnibus were among the first books Knaak had published. I think the first two books, Firedrake and Icedrake, represent and effort by Knaak to write his own epic fantasy. By Wolfheam, I think he had a change of heart and instead embraced sword and sorcery. It is obviously something he is better at. The omnibus finished strong and I hope that trend continues as I would like to read more in the Dragonrealm series.

I read these stories when they were originally published and devoured each of the drangonrealm books as it was released. I re-read them when this volume was released and they remain an exciting fun read. Richard Knaak has never let me down when I needed something epic to read. I was sad to see the original cover art by Larry Elmore not included anywhere, which would have really made this collectible to me.

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