Great Background!! Rating:
5 / 5
I really enjoyed this book, as I enjoyed all the Dragonlance books I've read to date. There's something special about Soulforge(and its sequel Brothers in Arms) and I think it's because of Margaret Weis' devotion to the character of Raistlin and the effort she puts into making him believable, frightening, but at the same time, heart rendingly sympathetic. Soulforge is the story of Raistlin's childhood in Solace and follows him on his adventures with his friends until the test in the Tower of Sorcery at Wayreth. It portrays him as a gifted, yet tortured young man, quick to learn yet hemmed in by his physical frailties. Yet, in spite of his tendency to say and do hurtful things, he still tries to do what he considers right, though things are confounded by his own ambitions, his own jealousies and the cruelty of the world around him. Despite this, his growing magical power does not go unnoticed by those who have an inkling of the war that is to come... The narrative is great, detailed and often very funny. It goes into a lot of detail and a lot of really great emotional perspectives. After the Chronicles and the Legends, in which Raistlin tends to be slightly horrifying and really mean (though still just so...awesome), it's great to have an account from his pov where you can understand and feel bad for him as a child. It's also great to see what he thinks of certain characters before his, shall we say, cynical and ambitious adulthood, especially Caramon and Kitiara. In short, this is a must for all Dragonlance fans and hopefully all the rave reviews I've read on this site will provide motivation for those who have not yet experienced the singularly engrossing scope of the Drangonlance series, especially the books by Weis and Hickman. Really, Raistlin is quite a cool character...and so are all the rest. They're all great reads, but the Soulforge stood out as one of the best, in terms of quality of writing, plot, and intricacy of character development. Read it!!!
The Soulforge-Great Story Rating:
5 / 5
I just started reading the Dragonlance novels earlier this month and I've already finished Chronicles and Legends. Neadless to say I've liked the books thus far and Soulforge is no exception. It is a great story of how Raistlin came to be who he is. How he was powerful and ambitious as a kid. And how his jealousy of his brother's looks, popularity, and strength led to his callous nature. And also gives an interesting view into the way Raistlin and Caramon met the rest of the Heroes of the Lance. Also the reader gets to experience the oath made by the companions and the horrid Test at the Tower of High Sorcery at Wayreth. All in all the book details the different events which led to Raistlin's and his Ultimate goal and ambition. Very well written and Weis' compassion for her characters really comes out in the writing. I suggest reading this after Chronicles and Legends though because some of the events in this book could spoil the suprises of those series.
Great!! Rating:
5 / 5
When I first saw The Soulforge on the shelf at the bookstore..I was a bit skeptical.I read the Chronicles,Legends,The Second Generation,Dragons of Summer Flame,and the War of Souls trilogy,with a few other side books,and I was fascinated with the character Raistlin.I was extremely curious at the hints in the other books referring to his past...but then again I didn`t want him to be messed up.So I waited a little while to read it.I finally caved,and bought the book..read it...and wow!I was amazed.The book is a great book,and because of it,I`m an even bigger fan of Raistlin than I was before.It`s a great book,as well as it`s sequel Brothers in Arms.I personally recommend these books to any Dragonlance fan.They are just great books.I am not going to say anything about what goes on in the book...I don`t want to spoil anything! Good luck to you fellow Dragonlance fans! (great books!)
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