I brought this on holiday in Canada, it's bright yellow cover is difficult to miss! Not your average holiday read I must admit, yet the book was neatly divided into separate 'cases' which could be read as short stories. The mixture of comedy and heart breaking stories reminded me greatly of the James Herriot series, except this book is set in the 1970's rather than the 1950's. Despite the long hours, the dirt and the blood, Dave Perrin's love for the animals and people he meets on his daily adventures is obvious. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love of animals or an interest in veterinary medicine.

I have read many books by Margaret Weis, but I was skeptical about the idea behind this book. I heard it was about a bunch of draconians, and I thought it sounded boring. Well, I finally got around to reading it, and am I ever glad I did! The draconians came across as interesting and believable, and I actually found myself rooting for them from time to time, a thing I never thought I would find myself doing. These ARE draconians, after all!

As an added bonus, this book was hilarious! Very few books actually make me laugh aloud, but I was practically rolling around on the floor. If you are a Dragonlance fan who is used to reading dark, serious, dramatic novels, there is not a lot of that here. But there is enough action and humor to keep you turning the pages. I mean, what other book has the commander of an army telling his men, "As you know, we're on the verge of a crisis situation. Our supply of dwarf spirits is running low." (p. 33, paperback edition) If you want a good laugh, and/or you are interested in the draconians during the Chaos war, read this book!

Have to give the authors credit, this is DEFINATELY a great book. At first i thought draconians were kind of boring to make a book about, but i was wrong.. this book centers on a community of draconians, sustaining themselves on brew and Dwarf Bashing, until they learn of a secret treasure(one that could mean the life or death of the draconian race). Unfortuantely, a group of wayward hill dwarves(who are also main characters) also know of this treasure, leading up to a thrilling race to the bowels of Thorbardin(where draconians and hill dwarves aren't exactly welcome). along the way, the dark queen sets the commander of the draconinans on a mission to help save the world from chaos, which happens to go hand in hand with his treasure plans.. Though the dwarves presented interesting characters, I was really cheering for the draconians through this one, they were portrayed in a humorous and intelligent manner, and I have the sudden urge to get my hands on some Dwarf Spirits.. at any rate, a wonderful book for any reader of fantasy novels!

"The Doom Brigade" by the husband and wife team of Margaret Weis and Don Perrin features the life and times of an eccentric group of Draconians during the same time period as "Dragons of Summer Flame". These draconians have made a small little settlement, and have managed to live a reletively peaceful life in the mountains. They only have to deal with a dwarf raid every once in a while.

The authors of this book do an amazing job portraying Draconians as more than just the killers they were portrayed like in the first Dragonlance books. It is nice to read a book from their point of view, seeing exactly what they feel and think about the other races on Krynn.

This books has an amazing storyline, and is full of enuogh action and adventure to keep any fantasy reader hooked. There is tons of humor in this book. All of the characters have their own personality which is nice to see. The main characters in this book, including Kang (the lead Draconian), and his right hand man..err..Draconian, Slith, are all nicely developed and portrayed well.

The story and characters keep this book a fun read all the way though. It is one of the better books in the Dragonlance world. Not only are the characters fun to read about, but it is also fun to read from the other side for once. Seeing the story through the eyes of Draconians and not through the eyes of the "Good Guys".

Draconian Measures (by Don Perrin with Margaret Weis) picks up where Doom Brigade left off. Kang's regiment have successfully hatched the female draconians and are now trying to protect them until they are mature enough to breed. The survival of the draconian race depends on it.

This story is full of mystery as the goblins and hobgoblins, once allied with the draconians begin to attack in an orchestrated fashion, much more disciplined than goblins are apt to be.

The discovery of another band of draconians gives Kang and his troops hope that there are many more of their kind in the world.

Kang encounters a setback when he is forbidden to contact a group of Knights of Takhisis for help against the eminent goblin horde. Something strange is going on in the new camp of Draconians. Can Kang and his men find out what it is before it's too late?

One of the most interesting aspects of this book is the introduction of the female draconian. Don and Margaret cover their special powers (slightly different from their male counterparts) and abilities. You can feel the draconians becoming a true race rather than a created species. They seem less evil because of it. They, like all other species, are just out to survive.

An added bonus to Dungeons & Dragons players is the new 3rd edition statistics for draconians in the back of the book.

If you enjoyed Doom Brigade or any of the other 5th Age Dragonlance books be sure to pick this one up.

This was an excellent sequel to the book Doom Brigade, also by Margaret Weis and Don Perrin. It explains the lives of the First Dragonarmy Engineers and the female draconians they rescued during the Chaos War from Thorbardin. It also gives more insight into the lives of draocnians, with the introductory of kapaks and auraks to the regiment's story. It also tells the story of the rise of the Free Draconian city of Teyr, and how Kang becomes governor. Sadly we lose an old friend, but this was a good book all the same, worthy sequel of Doom Brigade, which was my second Dragonlance book.

"Draconian Measures" was a great book full of action, humor, and almost any other emotion that you can think of. This book is amazing. Kang's dracos have successfully found the female eggs and are now among some of their own kind.

But just when they think things are going right, events start happening that Kang and company seem helpless to stop. Someone has hired a huge army of goblins and hobgoblins that are bent on the draconians destruction.

This story is amazing and full of action and adventure. Don Perrin does an amazing job with Draconians. His writing style puts him up as one of the top Dragonlance authors. "Draconian Measures" is a fun, exciting, and smooth read. It is nice to see draconians portrayed as the good guys. This book is a must for any Dragonlance fan.

Robot Blues is the sequel to The Knights of Black Earth and continues with the mercenary group called Mag Force 7. Mag Force 7 is led by the cyborg Xris, who once helped to get Dion Starfire to maintain his throne. In this novel, the group is hired to steal an ancient robot. All seems in order, until the group finds out it was a plot to get one of the most important robots in the history of the galaxy. While Xris is trying to complete his objective, Darlene has attempts at her life......and Xris can't help her.........

The second book in the Mag Force 7 trilogy (hopefully more will be made!) Great space adventure with likeable characters.

Trully Remarkable! The author knows how to write and does it good. If you are a reader that enjoys future tech and future timelines this is unmissable!

This game introduces an interesting new gaming system, but you should buy it for the background material. The game is based in a rich world dreamed up by legendary artist Larry Elmore. The gaming system is reminicent of the system used for the Dragonlance 5th age game. The difference is dice are used instead of cards (thank god). Was great to just read to learn about the world it takes place in but haven't had enough time to work with the system much.

I have read the novel "Well of Darkness" that is set in the Sovereign Stone world and it lead me to this game system. When role-playing in a fantasy setting my past experience is with the AD&D system by TSR. But between the interest that the novel sparked and the changes made to AD&D in the 3RD Edition I found myself very interested in this new system. I have only played a few times so far but I am really enjoying the Campaign we have started. The rules are easy to learn and the setting is interesting. With stories for the system being written by Weis and Hickman and art by Elmore this is a great system.

The Brothers in Arms was definately better than the Soulforge. I don't know how someone came up with unneccessary because Krynn isn't neccessary. But it was a book to read and not something "neccessary". There was the fact that Raistlin fought a large and powerful dragon without knowing it and he still won (a little far fetched. I'd personnally like to think the first dragon Raistlin fought was Onyx). Even though it wasn't direct this book created an interesting picture of Ariakas. It seems to portray that he doesn't care for magic and that he is an Archmagus because of natural ability using magic because he can. We know a different Ariakas from the Chronicles. He is a powerful mage who mixes it with intelligence and physical force (seeming to be unstoppable except that his overconfidence put him at the sword thrust when he faced Tanis & Raist). He obviously did pay attention to magic when he made the flying citadel. So, it appears your favorite characters were not the only ones who grew in this book.

I have to admit that I haven't quite finished the book (only about 100 more pages to go), but I already am enjoying this book just as much, if not more than Soulforge. Margaret Weis once again stakes her claim as one of the best authors around (my personal fave). Also, in reference to the reader from Sydney, who claimed that "Raistlin don't seem to be 'The Master of Past and of Prensence' that I like so much," the point was missed. This book takes place well before he ever became the mega-archmagus that tried to become a god. He isn't quite the "Master of Past and Present." Not yet. While this book isn't quite up to par with the Chronicles Trilogy (but then again, what is?) it is still a must-read for any Weis/DragonLance/Raistlin fan.

A while ago I bought the hard-back version of "The Soulforge" and I was really excited that there a BOOK about Raistlin's early years. Then, when the soft-back version came out I was even more excited. There was only 1 differecce between the 2 that I could see. In the sb version, the words "The Raistlin Chronicles" were added to the cover, meaning that there will be more books in the Raistlin Chronicles. After a long wait, I finially got Brothers in Arms. I just got done reading it about an hour ago and this is what I think. It was a very good book about the mercinary days of Carmon and Raistlin. All of the characters were very well done, the plot was great, and there was plenty of action. I love the addition of the half-kender(I was just about to give up on kenders,don't get me wrong, I love Tasselhoff,besides for him,they all seemed dull, boring, annoying, and sterotypical.) Raistlin's Master was a great character, also. Kiteria 's story along with the red dragon took this book from good to great(also from short to very long.) In conclusion, This is a must buy for fantasy readers, GO MARGRET WEIS!!!!!! P.S. I hope my language teacher doesn't read this, because she would fail me immediately.

Sovereign Stone was conceievd and created by some of the greatest minds in Fantasy--it shows. The world idea is brilliant and totally unique. As to how the game works, it is roles over rules--much easier than, say, AD&D or Warhammer and perhaps more logical. Now for the problems. This book is filled with errors and typos. Also, you would have expected more Elmore art and would expect it in color. Furthermore, the campaign setting (pantheon, history) is underdeveloped. All and all, however, the game itself is brilliant, and further products and the Weis/Hickman series should fix the errors and expand upon the setting. That is why I am very disappointed to see that amazon does not carry the new revised, expanded hardcover Sovereign Sotne book--which I stongly suggest you purchase ... . To find out more about Sovereign Stone's brilliant world, games, and fantastic looking novels, [their site] is a must. Sovereign Stone has so much promise!

The format of the book is obviously targeting new/beginning players, but you will need moderately experienced game master to smooth over some of its rought spots, confusing editing mistakes, and occasional omissions (Make sure to visit sovstone to get sample characters and character sheets). Sovereign Stone is an excellent idea for a game, but the book itself scatters essential information throughout the book, making it a bit confusing at first and --later on-- difficult to find essential info quickly (We made some cheat-sheets which collected the essential info for character generation onto a couple of pages, and a couple of pages for the GM). The game rules are fairly abstract, but that allows you to focus on the Role-Playing aspects of the game. So far in our mixed gaming group of beginning and advanced players, the system seems quite playable (combat goes quick, not too many rules to remember, and based on sound statistical properties) and enjoyable as a RPG. However, if you really like nitty-gritty details, lots of tables (a la RoleMaster(tm)), or hex-maps you should choose a different game. Overall, I think that Elmore and Weis are creating an interesting world with lots of Fantasy role-playing possibilities. Now, if the game designers can just get their thoughts a bit better organized, they will have a truely great combination.

I've played lots of role-playing games, including AD&D and I never really understood why I was rolling the dice or which dice I was supposed to role. This game uses the various die in a logical manner that is extremely easy to remember, yet provides for complicated and in-depth play. An excellent RPG for beginning GMs and players. Experienced players will find that it allows for more game play and less rules mongering.

Xris and Mag Force 7 have been hired by someone unknown for a mission. However, right when the mission is to start, Xris is arrestd.......for murdering Dalin Rowan. Everyone knows this charge is fake....but he gets sent to jail for another mission....to break the Hung leaders out of Jango. But Xris must do this by himself, while the rest of the group completes the mission. There is a rat in FISA, but who is it, and why do they want Xris dead?

The Knights of the Black Earth (Margaret Weis is a fantastic book, which I could not drop for three days. It includes Sci-fi, drama, action and much more.

It features wonderful characters, with a huge variety and even introduces old favourites from the Star of the Gaurdians series (also Margaret Weis). It is a must read.

Instead of writing a detailed review, I will will just defer to my one-line summary. OUTSTANDING! You really must read the other novels in the Mag Force 7 series. And the Star of Guardians series too.

This book is really boring. I think it is to hard to understand

The Knights of Black Earth, takes you back to the Universe of the "Star of the Guardians" series also by Hickman. This novel focuses on Xris, the part man, part robot mercenary. Xris has formed a new mercenary group called Mag Force 7. Also found in this group are the Loti Raoul, and the engimatic Little One.

Xris has found his long lost partner back in the days when he was a federal agent. Xris has a few questions for his partner regarding his last failed mission as a federal agent. However, to get to this partner will be deadly, and cause total chaos to the universe!

This book is another great one in the Mag Force 7! Mixing science fiction and magic and plot twists and humor and mystery, Margaret Weis comes up with a fun to read book! The characters are detailed and have their own troubles and triumphs which make them seem like real people. The fights between good and evil are balanced by both sides winning and losing sometimes. This book got me hooked on her other series'. Overall this book is A1, numero uno, first, cream of the crop and if you think this book was great, wait till you read her other books!

I was very dissapointed with this book, the reason i thought it would be so exciting is how they would tell how theros got his silver arm, and how he got around the making the legendary dragonlances. The book never got around to this large detail in theros's life, the author wrote too much about the low parts of theros's life instead of getting to the meat of his life. I was looking for a sequel to show me what happened to the rest of his life. i think that margeret weiss and tracy hickman should get around to writing a proper biography of Theros Ironfeld.

To those familiar with the classic Dragonlance, Theros Ironfeld would be no stranger - the weaponsmith with the silverarm, the second in Krynn's history to forge the legendary dragonlances.

As his story was not well-detailed in the Chronicles series, DL fans would rightly expect the tale of how he got his silver arm and skills to forge the weapons that turned the tide against the Dark Queen's dragon armies. These fans would be disappointed.

The book Theros Ironfeld dealt with the protagonist as a boy volunteering to join the minotaurs when the latter raided his coastal village home. It depicted a lonely boy whose mother died and was unloved by his father, yearning to find a place for himself in the world.

There was a lot of promise in the beginning for the boy who won personal recognition from the god of the minotaur Sargas for his sense of honor. From the minotaurs, Theros learned the skills of a weapons and arms maker, equipping him for his destiny.

However, the story went downhill from there. Freed from slavery by the minotaurs for his personal honor and loyalty, Theros went knocking around Ansalon, from Sanction all the way to Solace over many many years. A few things of interest happened, I would leave the readers to discover those for themselves, which are supposed to shape the mind and character of Theros.

However, while the events were exciting, they were not lived to the potential and frankly, quite anti-climatic. Encounters which began with promising sparks simply fizzled out as Theros turned his back on the road less travelled and seemed bent on shutting himself personally from the world, concerning himself with nothing else but setting up a forge and dooming himself to a mundane life.

Readers would have thought that Theros' personal contacts with the minotaurs, Solamnic Knights and Baron Dargon Moorgoth would play significant roles later in his life but nothing doing, Don Perrin seemed to be intent on just planting the seeds which readers would never see to bloom.

The ending was rather abrupt, Sargas behaved in a rather uncharacteristic manner which would leave DL fans disappointed at the quickness the author chose to end the book.

BTW, Theros was never a gladiator under the minotaurs, nor was he ever a soldier nor chose to follow Paladine. Then again, his story in this book seemed different from those in DL gamebooks too.

What were the other people thinking when they wrote they're reviews for this book? It isn't worthy of a 5 star review, thats for sure. This biography on Theros just goes to show how much of a scumbag he really was, helping the bad guys the whole time. And just a few pages after he turns good, he gets his arm cut off (from the Chronicles) and the story ends shortly thereafter. When i bought this book, I expected a story about how the idiot got his silver arm and forged those nice lances, but Perrin chose to stop in midtrack. A very sad depiction of a figure in the DL world who's supposed to be noble.