Dragonlance was birthed into the world at a time when I was entranced by all things Dungeons & Dragons. My friends and I were heavily invested in the game, and the introduction of the novels only fed our hunger. The Dragonlance Chronicles earned a special place in my heart, and the subsequent Dragonlance Legends trilogy was just as welcome in my personal library. Many books in the line would come and go, but I really only found myself interested in those from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. They never let me down.

With the long-awaited new release, DRAGONS OF DECEIT, Weis and Hickman return to the world of Krynn, and their record of never letting me down has continued.

"DRAGONS OF DECEIT is fun, adventurous and heartwarming in all the right spots. Those new to this land, welcome. Sit back, open up and enjoy the journey."

The novel opens in a time just prior to the War of the Lance, with the armies of Takhisis marching across the continent of Ansalon. Destina Rosethorn is the daughter of Gregory Rosethorn, a Knight of the Crown, and a true Solamnic knight. Gregory is trying to convince the knights that they need to prepare for war, but his concern is dismissed by his brothers. Gregory ultimately rides for the High Clerist’s Tower where he and other knights take up the defense, and it is there that he falls.

His death is the coming of doom for Destina. A play is made for control of Castle Rosethorn, which she loses, and her betrothed turns from her in favor of another. In a spiral and losing all she has ever known and believed in, Destina comes to one conclusion: the only way to make things right is to go back in time and save her father. And the only way she can accomplish this is to seek out Tasslehoff Burrfoot, the kender believed to be in possession of the Device of Time Journeying.

As you would expect, a mission through time can have some deleterious effects on the world, and Destina’s mission is not exempt from these issues. Because of how Weis and Hickman crafted the tale, DRAGONS OF DECEIT serves as a decent starting point for anyone new to the series, but it also is a very welcome opener for those of us who have traveled the roads of Krynn and long for the old days. Through the journeys Destina makes, readers will encounter familiar friends from the prior novels, and a few touching moments make their way into the threads of the tale (I’m looking at you, dwarven helm with griffin hair). It makes the journey all the more enchanting.

Destina isn’t an easy character to like. Her devotion to her father is beyond charming, but she has some serious issues in her treatment of her mother, and she flashes from calm and lovely to furious at the drop of a hat. And her drive to save her father by using magic tends to go against all of her talk about not trusting magic or mages in general. That said, she is a good character who will grow on you, and some of the frustration with her is buffered by Tasslehoff, who is just as hilarious, charming and childishly impish as ever. Together they make an interesting pair.

DRAGONS OF DECEIT has its share of twists and surprises, both in the manner of the people encountered from the past, as well as how events are in danger of alteration thanks to the tinkering of Destina and her quest to save her father. As you would expect, since this is the first installment of a trilogy, the ending is open for the continuation of events in the upcoming volume.

Fans of the Dragonlance Saga should be largely entertained by this entry. It is truly a very nice return to a well-loved world, and it is handled with care and great passion by the two authors who introduced us to Krynn all those years ago. DRAGONS OF DECEIT is fun, adventurous and heartwarming in all the right spots. Those new to this land, welcome. Sit back, open up and enjoy the journey.