If you're a fan of fantasy, then somewhere along the line you will have come across Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. To me they are most well-known for the ‘Dragonlance’ series but also they have co-authored/co-created ‘Darksword’ and ‘Death Gate’ sagas.

Although Margaret Weis has written books under different names, this is her first solo fantasy book. Now this begs the question can Margaret Weis create a fantasy world without the assistance of Tracy Hickman and I have to say...oh yes!

So I hear you cry, ‘What's the book about then?’ Simply put: Dragons and Humans. Not enough? The kingdom of Seth has been isolated for centuries. Although it has a token King, the Mistress of the Dragons and her female followers rule the kingdom. They follow a strict doctrine laid down by the First Mistress and her subsequent heirs. The Mistress and the high priestess protect Seth from Dragon attacks with powerful Defensive magic.

Outside Seth, things are a little different. The Parliament of Dragons has laid down strict laws for the interaction of Dragons with humans. Dragons are not allowed to interfere with humans or kill them but the Kingdom of Seth has been a thorn in the side of the Dragon Parliament for hundreds of years as all it not what it seems to the people of Seth.

It is left up to the Walker Draconas, a dragon who takes on the form of a human, to find out what is really going on in the Kingdom of Seth. Dragons, though, cannot pass through the defensive barrier that surrounds Seth so he recruits a human, King Edward, to help him in his quest. A dragon is attacking King Edward's land and Draconas tells Edward he has the solution. To find the Mistress of the Dragons who has the magic and power to get rid of the dragon that plagues his Kingdom. They set off together but it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems and there is a spy in the Dragon Parliament.

This is at heart, vanilla-flavoured fantasy but there is one major difference to the host of other fantasy books out there, it is done extremely well. If you've read any books by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman then you'll have a fair idea of the writing style. Fast-paced but with sufficient detail to get some really good characters, locations and scenes across.

The one thing above all though is it's really good fun to read. It’s one of the most enjoyable books I've read recently. I loved ‘Dragonlance’ and this to me is just carrying on the tradition. Good wholesome bread and butter storytelling. It's also very easy to read.

Some of the characters like Draconas and even Edward seems a little one-dimensional at first but given time as the book progresses they mature like a fine wine or cheese to show new and surprising depths. There are also a few nice turns in the road to bewilder you and throw you off until more of the story is revealed.

The story though doesn't lack depth. There is a complex layer of politics between the humans and Dragons. If the dragons interfere then many humans could be killed but if they don't both the dragons and the humans could face a terrible onslaught. On an emotional level, the book really works along with a cliff-hanger ending that all good series of books should have.

It's not without its flaws. There are several loopholes in the story that can be generally overlooked because of the overall pace. Although the book has depth, it may lack the grittiness or complexity that some fans of fantasy like. It also has a relatively small cast of characters which may not please some.

So fantasy-lite but very enjoyable. Some of the veteran fantasy readers may be disappointed but I think there are enough dangling carrots to keep you interested in the book and lead you to reading the next. New fantasy readers will find it a good place to start (as is ‘Dragonlance’). I found it a very gratifying read.

Phil Jones