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4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable, Sep 3 2003
While I didn't think this was quite a four star book, I felt it was closer to four than three stars. Crook gives us a very interesting look at the Solamnic Knights and the poor condition they find themselves in after the departure of the gods and the subsequent arrival of the great dragons. It seems both the Solamnic Knighthood, as well as the Knights of Takhisis, have fallen on hard times with the arrivial of these dragon overlords. They are grasping at straws and, in desperation, decide to do something that would otherwise be unthinkable for both sides (don't want to spoil it). The story is told from the point of view of the Solamnics and we get to see their struggle between doing what they commander feels is the right thing and what they feel in their hearts they should be doing. Mixed in among this is the courageous adventure of an unusual gully dwarf and his companions.The characters populating this story were fairly well developed, including a dark elf that fascinated me. I was disappointed to find that he plays no role in Weis & Hickman's subsequent WAR OF SOULS trilogy. The two or three Solamnics that we get to meet are all different and are loyal to the Knighthood and their commander in their own way. The gully dwarf character has traits that make him more than just a regular gully dwarf: honor and loyalty drive him to attempt a task that no other gully dwarf would ever undertake. The plot is interesting and action packed, with the aforementioned plan between the Solamnics and the Knights of Takhisis being the main plot device to propel the story. I would be very happy if Crook at some point wrote a sequel series to this book using the same characters so that we can see how they have progressed. Not a great book, mind you, but definitely worth a read if your a Dragonlance fan.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Roses for Crook, Oct 30 2000
I'm new to the entire fantasy Dragonlance series but after accidentally stumbling across Jeff Crook's, The Rose and the Skull, it appears I have some reading to do. Of course, I didn't get all the past references and probably missed half of the inside jokes but hey, you gotta start somewhere.Crook captured me with his sly humor and tongue-in-cheek descriptions but then was quite the craftsman with the plot and character developments. Lady Jessica was a worthy heroine and I would like to see a book with her and Liam. Not much romance but still, a brooding tension that bordered on romance. Sometimes, less is better anyway. I loved the Gully Dwarves, especially Uhoh, but, what do I know? It seems other reviewers hated that plot line but it appeals to the underdog in me, always a chance. At any rate, I'm looking forward to reading more in the Dragonlance series, both past and future. Especially ones by Mr.Crook.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
It was missing something, Jul 4 2000
Don't get me wrong, this book was worth reading but there were a few things that bugged me in it. First of all the Gully Dwarves were in a full half of this book and after awhile the jokes about the number two got old and annoying. And then there were the fight scenes; they really weren't there. When I picked up this book I expected to have some really big battles play out in front of me, but that's not how it worked out. Crook used past tense on the battles so you really didn't get to read about any huge action scenes, just a small fight here or there.There are pluses to this book however. The Dark Elf Knight of Takhisis Valian Escu was an interesting character and I personally would like to see a Dragonlance book that focuses only on him and his life after the Rose and the Skull. And also it was nice to see some of Pyrothraxus the Great Red Dragon of Mt. Nevermind.
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