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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780786950010
ISBN number: 0786950013
Label: Wizards of the Coast
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 384
Printing Date: May 06, 2008
Publishing house: Wizards of the Coast
Release Date: May 06, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 35915
Studio: Wizards of the Coast
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Product Description:
The Dark Disciple's fate will alter the future of Krynn.
In the concluding volume of this post-War of Souls trilogy, Mina learns the truth about herself and the terrible knowledge drives her insane. Rhys, the monk of Majere, accompanied by his dog Atta and the kender Nightshade, is given the dangerous assignment of guarding the crazed god, escorting her on a long, strange journey to the mysterious place known as Godshome, where Mina hopes to find the answer to the riddle of her existence. Their path is fraught with peril, for the undead Beloved want to make Mina their leader, even as the death knight Krell wants to seize her and Galdar tries to deliver Mina to her most hated enemy.
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Rated by buyers 
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So after the cliff-hanger ending of the last book, I was really looking forward to learning Mina's history and what would happen with the pantheon of gods in Krynn. I've read several reviews that were disappointed with how this book was handled. We don't spend time with the Mina we've seen in the rest of the series, or even the Mina of the War of Souls. Instead, she reverts to a child. And the gods who had been so active in the other books take a step back here and pledge to leave Mina to make her own decision without influence. Of course, if you've read any of the other DL books, you know that it's pretty much impossible for them NOT to meddle. But still, the majority of this book is Mina's time with the wandering monk of Majere, Rhys, his dog Atta, and the nightstalker kender, Nightshade.
Yes, this book is a means to an end... it's the third book in a trilogy. I enjoyed reading it, but once I got to the end and thought back on what had happened, there wasn't a lot of action. The majority of it is travel from one city to the next, with Rhys and Nightshade trying to help Mina as she struggles with memories that she's blotted out. I would've liked to see more of Mina's different aspects as they tried to grapple with her past, but this book was about resolution, and that's what happens. I wasn't expecting the ending, but I found it all very fitting. Mina reminds me very much of Neil Gaiman's character Delirium... it's hard to not feel sad when you read about it, though I think that Mina exercises a greater sort of control over herself. I also liked learning more about Valthonis.
In the War of Souls trilogy, and again in this series, I liked the interaction between mortals and immortals. The gods are not as all-knowing as they'd like their followers to think. They're petty and emotional and go beyond their stereotypes. I never thought I'd like Zeboim, but if this series did anything, it made me love her... she's such a bitch! I also enjoyed seeing Gerard and Galdar (*sigh*) again, particularly with their continued disdain for all things holy. It's an interesting time on Krynn, and I'm looking forward to more.
Oh, my one gripe is the ridiculous amount of typos. It made me weep... there were spelling errors and missing words galore. To make matters worse, paragraphs were repeated, lines of action were missing (Valthonis goes from standing and staring at Mina to suddenly knocked unconcious without any mention of her hitting him?), and fights scenes with random weapon changes. I know it sounds nit-picky... but it's been a long time since I've read a book where the typos ruined the mood so much. Since this was coming from an author I enjoy and she's not new to writing/publishing, I was a bit surprised. Now here's hoping I don't have awful typos in my review. :)
Rated by buyers 
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So much better then that Crak smoking writer S, Meyers in Breaking Dawn, No pedophila, or screams of kill her unborn child, this is good reading
Rated by buyers -
i was shocked to find out who mina realy was and if your a fan of dragonlance then this is one book to own margaret weis out did herself with this book
Rated by buyers -
I grow tired of people who live in the past
The original Drangonlance books awesome...hell yeah!
But time goes on and life moves right along with it.
She couldn't continue to write about Tanis and company forever
Sure I miss Rastlin as much as the subsequent guy, but things change.
This book summed up the previous five books in the series, I think reading this book
Gave US a better understanding of the world of Kyrnn from the WOS forward.
Go back after reading this one and see for yourself .
Rated by buyers 
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Like several other reviewers of this book, I have been reading and enjoying DragonLance books, especially those written all or in part by Margaret Weis, for many years. And like those other reviewers, I was disappointed with "Amber and Blood."
It has been been pointed out by other reviewers that the editing of this book is atrocious. For example, there is a scene in which the character Valthonis is holding out his hands to the character Mina. Immediately following that, Valthonis is described as "fallen," and soon it is revealed he is unconscious. Just what happened to him is not stated, and the scene as it stands makes no sense. This is either incredibly bad writing, or, more likely, bad or nonexistent editing of an orginally-sensible text that got mangled in a word processor.
But the problems with the book go beyond bad editing and fully into the writing itself. Certainly, the book seems to be very hurried. For example, the heroes have to make a long journey, a journey filled with danger; this journey was magically completed in a single day, with all the dangers left behind. This hurrying of the story is rationalized by the author, but the reader feels very "let down" when problems set up as such great obstacles are so quickly and easily overcome.
But the greatest weakness of this book is the point of view taken by the author. Weis takes a very omniscient point of view and shows us scenes involving all manner of characters, human and divine. But the one thing we are never allowed to see is what goes on inside of Mina's head. Unfortunately for the reader, that is where the real action of the book takes place. Mina is revealed to be a god, and this is news to Mina herself. As a god she must choose to be a god of good, or a god of evil. In the dualistic Dungeons-and-Dragons universe, this is centrally important, because there are equal numbers of good and evil gods, and Mina choosing one side or the other will knock the universe out of balance and ruin everything. Thus, Mina's choice is the central action of the book, and indeed, of Weis's entire Dark Disciple trilogy.
But the reader is never allowed to see inside of Mina's head. Weis never narrates Mina's thoughts. A good author could get around this by having Mina discuss her issues with the other characters, but for a great part of the book Mina is a child who has no clue what is going on in the story. In the very end the reader is given some insight into Mina's thought, but the final decision, like much of the rest of the book, is very hurried. Mina's choice just rather happens. The story ends, and the reader is left very dissatisfied.
A story in which the main action is invisible to the reader isn't much of a story. I reserve one-star ratings for books so bad I don't finish them; I finished this book, so it gets two stars.
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