Dragonlance 30th Anniversary!

[Hussar]

The Chronicles really read like someone's Actual Play notes. It's kinda like what you read in a gaming book under the "how to play" section.

The later books are much better written.

 

[pemerton]

I haven't experienced Dragonlance except by watching the animated movie. It was pretty terrible.

<snip>

I said to my girlfriend at the time, "This is the kind of thing where the book could be better, but probably not by much."

My question for all you Dragonlance fans is... Are the books better?

I've not seen the movie, but - given your criticisms of it - the books may not be much better.

Sticking with the "comparisons to Tolkien" approach, I don't think Tolkien is particular good at characterisation. But he really has the whole mediaeval-romance-storytelling thing well and truly under control. His use of tropes and evocation of theme is, in my view at least, very strong.

It's many many years since I read the Dragonlance books (and I didn't go beyond Chronicles and Legends and I think one or two short stories), but I doubt that they are in the same league.

(Though as this thread shows, there are people with different opinions, both of Dragonlance and LotR).

Aragorn is not half-elven (he has elven blood in his line a few thousand years and umpteen generations back), he is not at all conflicted about his parentage

I would say he is highly conflicted - between his love for Arwen and his life among the elves and in the wilds, and his duty and destiny to be king. These are the two strands of his inheritance.

 

[Gadget]

I would say he is highly conflicted - between his love for Arwen and his life among the elves and in the wilds, and his duty and destiny to be king. These are the two strands of his inheritance.

These things are not in conflict. One could argue that he is under pressure to live up to his heritage and become great; indeed that is the bride price of Arwen. But I would not say they are in conflict. He is proud of his heritage and assumes the mantle willingly. I would say that any conflict he endures has to do with how he is ever going to accomplish what Elrond has set him to achieve for the hand of his daughter, not any conflict between his heritage and his wants or desires.

I would add that I did overlook one similarity with Tanis: they both end up with an elf 'princess'.