Dragons of a Vanished Moon (Dragonlance: War of Souls, Book 3)

The legendary team of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman take to the sky on dragonback again with the final dispatch from their latest voyage to the land of Krynn in the War of Souls trilogy. In volume two, Dragons of a Lost Star, the mysterious "One God" behind the irrepressible Mina's miraculous rise to power is revealed. Yes, Dark Queen Takhisis is up to her old tricks. This time, however, she has stolen the entire planet of Krynn and hidden it away from her fellow deities. Now, she is seeking to bring the entire populace (both the living and the dead) under her fickle sway through Mina's zealous proselytizing. Who will stop her dark quest? Who else? The troublemaking and time-traveling kender--Tasslehoff Burrfoot.

Unfortunately, with the mystery of the "One God" revealed, much of the narrative impetus that made the first two books page-turners is lost. However, while there isn't much left to write about in Dragons of a Vanished Moon, the scenery is beautiful. There is an Elven exodus across the "plains of dust," stubborn Solamnic knights, cunning dragons, plotting wizards, and a full helping of Kender antics as Tasselhoff assumes the role of fly in the dark queen's ointment. The conclusion is a textbook deus ex machina but fans should enjoy this book for what it is--another chance to return to the wonderful world of Krynn with its two most competent guides at the helm. --Jeremy Pugh