Friday, February 18, 2011

Book Review: Stormblade by Nancy Varian Berberick

Stormblade (Dragonlance: Heroes)Stormblade (Dragonlance: Heroes) by Nancy Varian Berberick

10. Stormblade by Nancy Varian Berberick
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 347
Acquired: 1999-ish
Book of Your Shelf? Yes
Why I have/read it: Part of DragonLance world (re-reading all)
Series: DragonLance, Heroes (2)

A king sword, named Stormblade, has been forged in the mountain kingdom of Thorbardin, home of the dwarves. The sword seems to come at a much needed time. War is quickly approaching the dwarves will not be able to hide behind their stone walls much longer. But in the midst of the excitement, betrayal brews, and Stormblade is stolen and removed from the dwarven kingdom.

Years later rumor emerge of a sword that fits the description of Stormblade trickle into the mountains. Two rival clans quickly send search teams to retrieve the blade for whoever hold Stormblade will rule in Thorbardin.

In the truest sense of an adventure, we find an unlikely group of "companions" that struggle to protect the blade and return it its rightful owner and keep it out of the hands of evil. We find a young dwarf blacksmith, a human warrior, an elven ranger, and of course, the barmaid turned warrior woman (of a sort).

While much of this sounds typical of a fantasy novel, the story is put together in an amazing way that makes what could have been very stereotypical characters to life. We have love, hate, friends turned rivals, and rivals turned friends. There is of course magic and dragons and battle galore. My only real complaint was the ending. It opens the story up for so much more, but no more is ever written (at least not that I have been able to find).

4/5

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