Love and War

Taking a step back from the main story arcs of Dragonlance will reveal quite an interesting collection of tales. Readers will encounter new adventures from the companions, as well as side stories from various time periods and lands. Each story focuses on either love or war. And it is all wrapped up under the pretense of a folklorist collecting stories on their journey.

While I always enjoy learning more about the companions, I also treasure the smaller tales in Dragonlance. Sure there is plenty of action and adventure to be had while war breaks out and our trusty companions battle the dark forces, but what happens to the regular folk who are swept up in these times as well? What about the tales of legends readers may encounter on their journeys but never fully come to realize the history behind them? This is the heart of these anthologies and all the extra lore bits I eagerly consume.

It is easy enough for me to say my favorite tale was Hide and Go Seek. Centered around Tasslehoff wandering away and being kidnapped, the kender hilariously tries to wriggle his way out of the situation. But there’s a young boy’s life at stake as well, and Tas with his quick thinking does all he can to free them both. But Tas being Tas doesn't always think things through and places them in precarious situations. This is one tale that will have readers laughing as well as biting their nails waiting for one wrong move to foil any hope the two have of freedom.

My second favorite was Hunting Destiny which focused on the White Stag. Not much is told to the readers when they first encounter this mythical creature in the Dragonlance Chronicles. Sturm reflects on the Stag being part of Huma’s legend, but what is the Stag? Is it merely another beast of the forest, or is much more? Through this short story, readers will learn how the stag came to reside in Darken Wood. The extra lore tidbits thrown in hooked me, and I enjoyed learning about curses and the Forest Master. But this is also a tale to pull at your heart, for it centers around a love that can never be fully realized. And listening to the audiobook each time a verse was sung, the melody was haunting.

If you are new to the Dragonlance world, make sure to read Dragons of Autumn Twilight first. There will be some light spoilers if you read Love and War before starting The Chronicles. I also believe you’ll appreciate the companions' tales much more. A few center on a time before the companions met, giving the reader background information that will show why the characters act as they do in Dragons of Autumn Twilight. I enjoyed each story in this anthology and if you are a fan of the series already, you will be sure to enjoy the side tales and extra lore granted from Love and War.

Taken as a just a collection of short stories set in the Dragonlance setting, they are all good reads, ranging from ok to very well-written. The last story targeting Raistlin's past yet again was somewhat strange. Yes, it was well-written but didn't seem to jive well with what's in Chronicles and Legends. It felt more like plain-old marketing to make the book sell better by using Raistlin's name.