SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: FANTASY DUO WEIS AND HICKMAN TO FORGE NEW TRILOGY
Authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, co-creators of the DRAGONLANCE® world, will pen new adventures
May 19, 2005 (RENTON, Wash.) — Two of the premiere voices in American fantasy fiction have just agreed to write a new hardcover fantasy trilogy titled The Dark Chronicles for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. In this new venture, longtime masters of the fantasy genre Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman will return to Dragonlance, the sprawling magical world they first wrote together over two decades ago. This marks the first time Weis and Hickman have collaborated on a project since the 2002 release of Dragons of a Vanished Moon, the final book in The New York Times best-selling War of Souls trilogy.
The Dark Chronicles trilogy will return to the period of the original Dragonlance Chronicles and will feature some of the more popular heroes and villains from that era. The first book in The Dark Chronicles is currently planned for release in summer 2006.
"The Dark Chronicles tells the tales that took place between the chapters of the original Dragonlance Chronicles," said Hickman. "It is intended to mesh smoothly with the established story millions have come to know and love."
Added Weis, "Many of the characters whom fans have come to know intimately over the last twenty years will again come to life in the new series. You can expect to see all the original Heroes of the Lance—especially Flint, Tanis, Kitiara, Lord Soth, Tasslehoff, and, of course, the brothers Caramon and Raistlin Majere."
"We're very excited about Margaret and Tracy's newest collaboration. They're a dynamic writing team, and their energy and imagination has earned them a tremendously popular following, both collectively and independently. You don't have to be a Dragonlance fan to like their books, since they know how to deliver a great adventure story," said Peter Archer, Associate Publisher at Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
In addition to the new series, Margaret and Tracy will collaborate on a Dragonlance novella, which will feature several characters from their new trilogy. The novella will appear in Here Be Dragons, an oversize trade book scheduled to release in June 2006. That book will also include stories set in different fantasy-themed universes by New York Times best-selling novelist R.A. Salvatore, and by authors Keith Baker and Scott McGough.
About Weis and Hickman
Since their co-publication of The Dragonlance Chronicles in 1985, Weis and Hickman have jointly authored eleven Dragonlance books, four of which have appeared on The New York Times best-seller list. Both authors also publish independently while remaining committed to the Dragonlance world and fans of their collective efforts.
Margaret Weis's high profile career as one of fantasy's most prominent authors spans two decades. She has written numerous novels and short stories set in the fantasy world of Krynn. Most recently she has completed the third novel in the Dragonvarld trilogy for TOR, Master of Dragons. She is now working on the second novel in the Dark Disciple Trilogy, Iron and Amber, set to release in February 2006 from Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Tracy Hickman, co-creator of the Dragonlance world, has been publishing fantasy novels for over twenty years. His first two solo novels, Requiem of Stars and The Immortals released in the spring of 1996 from Bantam press. Tracy and his wife Laura released Mystic Warrior (2004) and Mystic Quest (2005), their first joint novels in The Bronze Canticles, a trilogy from Warner Books. Their third novel in that series, Mystic Empire is expected in 2006.
About Wizards of the Coast
Since its founding two decades ago, Wizards of the Coast's Book Publishing division has produced hundreds of titles that have sold millions of copies in over 16 languages.
For more information about books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, scheduled author appearances, or other novels published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., please visit wizards.com/books.
Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is a publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times bestsellers. For more information, visit Wizards of the Coast's website at wizards.com.
Wizards of the Coast and Dragonlance are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the U.S.A. and other countries. Copyright 2005 Wizards.
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THE REST OF THE STORY
As those who follow the history of Dragonlance are aware, the original Chronicles series was drastically cut for editorial and production purposes when it was originally written. 'Dragons of Autumn Twilight' was originally to have ended where 'Dragons of Winter Night' began – at the southern gates of the dwarven kingdom. Nearly half of the original story was, therefore, missing ... until now.
Rather than rewrite what, for many fans, has become a classic of fantasy literature, Margaret and I decided to produce a new trilogy – the Dark Chronicles – that told those parts of the original Chronicles that were lost 'between the pages' of that wonderful published work.
This is the announcement which I have been anxious to bring to you – and you are probably hearing it here first though it was announced to the trade publications earlier. While we quickly came to agreement on this project some months ago, working out all the details took longer than any of us expected. I must admit that I have been holding off on releasing the newsletter in anticipation that the announcement would be made any day now – which means that the newsletters have been held back for a few months. Now that the announcement can be made, we are all back on track. Both Margaret and I are delighted to be working together once more. Most exciting for Laura and I is the fact that the writing schedule for The Dark Chronicles will not impact either the writing or the release schedule for Laura and my 'Bronze Canticles' series.
For those of you who guessed that we were about to announce other projects such as a Dragonlance film or the final completion of the Starshield series, know that we are still pursuing those possibilities as well. For now, however, join with us in celebrating our return to the story we have so long loved and which we look forward now to sharing, at last, with all of you.
I used to be huge DL fan, for about the first 30-40 novels, and while I haven't lost interest in the world, I haven't been as rabid a DL reader as I used to be for a while now. This news comes when after I've gotten interested in the world again, so I'll definately give it a try. I'm actually really excited. 
