Book Description
An adventure set in the Midnight campaign setting for the d20 System, a world where evil rules and darkness has fallen across the land, where heroes are condemned and the elder races are hunted to the brink of extinction. In this scenario, the heroes must face off against the creatures of shadow, striving to bring light to a world dominated by the forces of evil.
Customer Reviews:
SUPERB CAMPAIGN FOR GROUND-BREAKING WORLD.......2006-11-04
CROWN OF SHADOW is a campaign for low-level characters that is set in the world of MIDNIGHT. MIDNIGHT is a dark world where the forces of evil have won and the heroes are the hunted. Both the use of magic and reading are capital crimes, as is the possession of weapons or armor. Even food is scarce. Orcs are the elite fighting forces of this world and the only clerics left pray to a dark god enthroned in his dark tower. Humanity is being ground into the dust, halflings are universally enslaved, the dwarves are losing a war of attrition and even the elves are being driven back. In short, it is a world in need of heroes.
The world of MIDNIGHT differs from standard high fantasy sufficiently that players would benefit from a campaign that would take them across the entire world, to see how each group under the Shadow is resisting and what price they pay for doing so. They should meet all of the surprises that MIDNIGHT has in store and get a sense for the corruption of their world, the better to motivate their struggle against it. CROWN OF SHADOW is that campaign, a story arc that takes the PCs through the lands of the dying dwarves, crushed humans, subversive river gnomes, and the vanguard of the elves. The PCs will experience almost all of the twists of MIDNIGHT and see all the major locations; in that sense, it serves almost as a gazetteer for the players. I'll admit that the "crown of shadow" is quite the macguffin, but the campaign is about the journey not the destination.
CROWN OF SHADOW is designed for 1st level characters and can run them as high as 5th level. This campaign is designed for the 1st edition of MIDNIGHT and uses 3.0 rules, but I didn't find any problems using this with MIDNIGHT 2nd edition or 3.5 rules. There are 7 chapters of action, plus an epilogue which follows the conclusion fo the story. The booklet itself is very readable - I particularly appreciated the synopsis at the beginning of each chapter to keep track of what should be happening. Each chapter also has subsections to keep all the information organized.
I thought CROWN OF SHADOW was a well presented campaign. In fact, it should be indispensable as a resource for any MIDNIGHT campaign even if the material isn't directly used. The challenges seem well designed, with some good combats, some puzzles, and social interaction. I would highly recommend it.
Book Description
Some have lived in the world for millennia. Some have conquered continents. Some have gained great fame in magic, sacrifice or heroism of ages past. Some have lived in obscurity throughout the ages. Some wait in hatred amongst dark caverns for their time to ravage and rule the lands. Some dwell in peace deep in hidden valleys and on forgotten plateaus. Some walk openly among the known people, and some walk hidden. They are races of myth and lore. They are tribes, civilizations, outcasts, and abberants. Their time is now.
FFG is proud to present the second core book in the Legends & Lairs line of d20 System material. Mythic Races provides payers with 30 new detailed cultures for character creation. Each race is beautifully illustrated and details their history, gods, special skills, feats, equipment, and new prestige classes. These races range from the familiar to the alien, and all can be easily introduced into any campaign, making use of level modifiers to maintain game balance.
Customer Reviews:
Just what I was looking for!.......2007-08-24
I've searched everywhere in bookstores throughout my city trying to find this book but no one had it! I got the best price around and the book was in excellent condition!
A nice addition to any campaign setting........2003-05-21
Let me start off by saying that this book was a pleasant surprise. I decided to purchase it based off of the previous review of the book, and I can say I was not disappointed. Here are the highlights:
Fairies: If you're looking for a good race of fae without all the hassle involved in using Savage Species, this is the one. +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -4 Str, -2 Con. Key racial abilities: Natural Invisibility, Faerie Fire, and Spell Abilities (8 total). ECL +3
This race also includes dark fairies: the unseelie!
Luminous: A race of Positive Energy emitting humanoids. These beings make awesome clerics and paladins. +2 Wis, -2 Cha. Key racial abilities: Poison Immunity, +4 saves v.s. Necromancy magic, produces own body light equal to a torch at will, and enhanced turning. No ECL modifier!
Mhuinntirs: Shapechanging humaniod jaguar people (think Aztecs). In jaguar form: +4 Str, +6 Dex, +4 Con and +1 AC bonus! Speed 40 feet, climb 20 feet. +2 bonus to Spot and Track checks, bite and claw attacks, plus new feats just for this race. ECL +2
Niomus: My personal favorite. Bat-winged human-like race. Wings fold down and can be covered by a cloak or robe to fool on-lookers! +2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Str (due to hollow bones). Key racial abilities: fly 50 feet, cold resistance 5, +2 bonus on Jump, Search, and Spot checks. ECL +2
Quissen: think desert reptile men. Warrior race created by wizard with artifact. +2 Con, -2 Cha. Key racial abilities: Darkvision, +4 bonus on Hide in desert terrains, +2 on Climb checks (clawed hands and feet), and thick scale natural armor bonus +2. ECL +1
Uthuk Y'llan: 6 to 7 feet tall, 200 to 300 pd humanoids with tatoos, ritual scars, and bone spurs. Eyes glow when enraged! +2 Con, +2 Str, -2 Int. Key racial abilities: +2 on Intimidate checks, they have an herbal root that when chewed causes them to go berserk! I using this race for my next character, an all-out brawling streetfighter type.
Anyway, there are many other very good races to choose from: Risen Demons, Stonegrunts, Pevishan, Tremen, etc... My only complaint is that there are a few lame races that are just core race rip-offs, or just bad choices for adventurers, but these make up only a moderate portion of the book.
Overall, this book has some really good, refreshing choices that can add a lot to your enjoyment of the game.
Well Done Mystic Flight Games.......2003-02-09
A well put together book of races, with each race having at least one racial prestige class. I have found the book useful and informative.
Not as helpful as I hoped.......2002-12-04
This book does have lots of new races. But when you start to really take a look at them, they start to seem very similar to one another. I run a 3rd Edition D&D game and play in both d20 StarWars and D&D. I thought I would use this as a resource to create interesting new PCs and NPCs. But I have found that I barely open the book since I purchased it. Very disappointing.
Now for something COMPLETELY Different.......2001-10-05
I had a high level of expectation for this product after seeing their fine Blue Planet system. I was not disappointed.
Contained in this 170 (reasonably priced) hardcover is:
* 30 New Races
* 31 Race Specific Presitge Classes
* 13 New Feats (mostly Race Specific, but easily adaptable)
* New Spells
* A Wealth of Background information to make each race unique.
Some examples of the fine work found in Mythic Races:
* Animen - A race of Humanoids with Animal heads (and a hidden animal nature)
* Athathi - A race of (VERY) well designed Humanoid Felines.
* Eleti - For the Necromancer in the Party... a Race of Undead... with a twist.
* Faeries - Finally a well designed Faery race (for those of you who like your fantasy with wings).
* Luminous - A race of beings composed of pure energy... great alternative for Paladins.
* Mhuinntirs - A race of Shapeshifters. The focus here is felines, but could easily be adapted for other animal types.
* Rhonians and the Rhoode - An Avian race and an Anphibian race that live in a strange symbiotic society
* Risen Demons - EASILY the best thing in the book, the opposite of Fallen Angels... two presitige classes are presented.
* Tremen - That's TREE-MEN... VERY COOL
And obviously there is a LOT more. All of the races are easily adaptable and a lot of the races I didn't mention are Warm and fuzzy in a halfing kind of way... but others are savage, brutish or horrible in some way... What thy ALL have in common is excellence of execution...
Bravo Fantasy Flight... Now I'm just waiting on the Sea-Farers guide...
Product Description
FFG is proud to present a major event in the bestselling and award-winning Midnight campaign setting product line. This limited edition boxed set will be a must-have for every fan of the Midnight world. The endless hordes of the Shadow in the North are marshaling for one final thrust into the heart of Erethor, the vast forest homeland of the elves. If this epic military campaign is successful, it could mean the end of organized resistance to Izrador in Eredane.
Customer Reviews:
Take the Fury.......2007-07-08
I bought this box set when it was firs published. Read it and loved it; and over the next several years flipped through it from time to time. Recently, I have re-read the book and have fallen in love with it again.
The box contains the following: a big map of Eredane, character sheets, DM screen, map booklet, and 160 pages soft cover campaign book (the meat of the box).
I must confess that the while the big map is nice, it is really just a blown up image of the map from the Midnight campaign setting book, with no additional information; the character sheet did no impress me much (and I do not even know where they are now), and the DM screen serves its purpose as long as it hides my notes and dice rolls (I don't really care what is written on the inside of it).
The most important part of the box is of course the campaign book. This book is a must for any DM who plans to run a campaign in Erethor, or who just wants to expand his/her knowledge of the elves and what they are facing.
I'll break down the chapters for you:
Chapters 1 to 3 describe the various regions of the elven forest Erethor that are directly affected by the war with the Shadow (Izrador): the Caraheen (central), Veradeen (north) and the Arrun jungle and Druid's Swamp (south). The Caraheen receive the most attention with a page count that almost equals both the south and northern area, which is a shame. The relatively quite coastal area of western Erethor, the Miraleen, does not receives it's own chapter, and while it get several other mentions in other areas of the books, I think that some more information on this area of Erendane would have been welcomed. Even though, all three chapters a choke full of great locations and interesting personalities with enough quirks and twists that a cunning DM could have his players constantly on edge and asking themselves whether they should truly trust\hate\love\etc. that particular person (and in my opinion, one of the most important parts of a Midnight campaign)
Chapter 4 goes into a little more detail about the various elven societies (all four), their strength and how they fight the Shadow, what could happen should the Shadow succeed in corrupting or defeating some of them, as well as some adventure hooks. The chapter also provides on some other groups that help/hinder the elves in their fight such as the Cult of the Witch, Roland's Raiders, and the Pirate Princes.
Chapter 5 provides an excellent recounting of the war on Erethor for the past 99 years, an Arc by Arc (months in Midnight) description of the Shadows "final" and greatest offensive against the elves, and some of the Witch Queen plans to counter such an offensive. It is important to know, and the authors keep reminding us, that this chapter is a possibility of things to happen to provide adventure seed and\or a backdrop to the party's adventure in the elven forest.
Chapter 6 describes the Shadow's forces besieging Erethor, the location and difficulties these forces have, their plans of conquest, the personalities and ambitions of the various captains (with all the conflicts between them), giving us a better understanding of how they might react; and as well as the elven forces and how they try to counter the Shadow's minions. This is another excellent part of the book with plenty of ideas.
Chapter 7 provides general adventure ideas in Erethor for both good or evil parties, and three short encounters taking advantage of the various areas described in the book. Chapter 8 gives us the new monsters and several important NPCs complete with their personalities and quirks. Chapter 9 is the shortest and gives us a handful of feats and one Prestige Class, the Erunsil Blood.
The book on the whole is very well written. Short stories (several paragraphs at most) dot the chapters and give readers a more in-depth look at what the elves and orcs fighting in this warfront feel. You cannot read a page of this book without an adventures idea, if not a whole campaign, jumping out at you (in fact, I recommend reading this book with a notebook and pen on the side. Just in case).
There are no meta-plots in this book. The authors keep reminding the reader that everything written down are suggestions and ideas, a possibility of things to come, nothing more. They leave enough gray area for the DM to run around in and fit and mold into his/her own campaign.
The book in black and white (as all Midnight books are) and I like this because I believe it very fitting for this dark setting. While I do not like the cover art of the book, I do like the interior art. The map booklet is also black and white, and I have no problem with that either; I do not think it detracts from them, and still believe they are very good.
The original box set cost $50, and I do think it was a little too much for what the box offered. But, at the current price here on Amazon ($33), this box set is good value for your money.
THE WAR AGAINST THE ELVES.......2005-09-12
If you've seen my previous reviews for the Midnight Campaign setting or some of its supplements you know I've had nothing but great things to say about this dark, foreboding, and enthralling fantasy campaign. The Fury of Shadow box set continues to keep the bar set very high as this supplement moves the battle for the world of Aryth into Erethor, the homeland of the elves. The first three chapters of the guidebook details the various Elven lands and how the evil of the Dark Lord Izrador has already affected the lands. Major points of interest are including in the descriptions of each land and also serve as adventure hooks for the GM. Areas such as the Spider Haunted Thorn Webs of Tanglehorn, The Darkening Wood, and the massive, steel tree known as Silverthorn all make wonderful jumping off points for the GM to begin an adventure. And then there is the ominous Obsidian Spire that churns with foul magic and evil creatures.
Succeeding chapters detail the free Elven peoples and their struggles against the dark forces as well as documenting the history of the war within Erethor and the forces that the Dark Lord has brought to bear against the Elves. This is where the Midnight products really shine. There is a depth and richness to the history and people of the Midnight setting is lacking in many campaigns. You can tell that the designers spent a great deal of time developing the milieu rather than just cookie cutter places and names. Rather than do all the work for you, Fury of the Shadow outlines several adventures that the GM can then flesh out and develop further. These outlines also include encounters to help the GM out.
The final chapters provide a wealth of resource material including the new monsters you'll encounter such as Bog Hags, as well as major NPCs, new feats, and new prestige classes. The boxed set comes with a beautifully illustrated poster sized map, a regional map book, a GM screen, and character record sheets. I would concur with some of the other reviewers that at $50, it may be a bit on the pricey side but you can get it for about 33% off at Amazon which definitely makes it worth the money. As with all their Midnight products, Fantasy Flight Games spares no expense in the production. The cover art to the box and books are first rate as is the interior art. It's perhaps a small thing, but one that sets them apart from other companies producing RPGs. These really catch your eye when you see them. It's for this reason that Midnight has moved to the top of my list of favorite campaign worlds.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Sticker Shock!.......2005-02-08
First of all...I agree with the person who said this was overpriced. It's one of the reasons I don't like boxed sets. And I see no reason for this to be a boxed set, to be honest. The maps aren't very detailed, and not created by a professional cartographer, which I would expect for a product in this price range. The writing is choppy, and the plot lines are overly complicated.
The screen, from what I saw, wasn't very helpful, and the character sheets don't seem any different than what I can get online. This product in no way lives up to the hype.
If it is true, and this is being produced by the official fan site...then I can certainly see why the quality has gone downhill. That particular site is cliqueish, and the members are rude. It's sad, to see this line marginalized this way, not to mention that FFG seems to have been hit with the whacky stick of profit.
Plenty of good ideas.......2005-02-08
Fury of Shadow has many good points, but it has a couple annoyances that could have been cleared up to make a better product.
First, the good. It is filled with details for a large swath of the continent of Eredane. By combining the stories and ambitions of several key characters (both friend and foe), an overriding campaign is instantly created. Plots within plots, character scheming, and political intrigue are all readily available for the DM to place the characters into truly epic setting-altering events. Details of the geographical regions and locations can be used as miniature settings- i've already got many ideas for the Plains of Blood and Ash.
There are a few minor scars on this product though. The localized maps in the book are in black and white, but contain such detail it becomes difficult to read. The giant poster map of Eredane is very nice, but because Fury focuses on the war upon Erethor, the new details are limited to the center of the map. The result is a map with plenty of detail in the center, but with no new information on the edges. The writing is good, though with so much detail a reader might get confused- i often found myself asking, `now who was that character again?', and then flipping back through the book to keep things straight.
But overall, an impressive product. Even if you're not running a Midnight campaign, I don't see how you could not find good ideas for your own campaign from this set.
Overpriced.......2005-02-05
While in physical quality, this is a very attractive set, it is overpriced, and the writing is flat. The quality of this line seems to be going downhill with each publication.
The booklet of character sheets are the same sheets that are available online, and seem to have been put in as filler. The GM screen is of the odd, horizontal design, and seems to be rather random in it's placement of information. On some occaisions, the information on the screen contradicts what's in the main book. The maps in the map booklet are too tiny, and the poster map included lacks the one inch squares so it can be used with miniatures (which is a personal preference, but I also found the map lacking in detail as well).
The book itself is attractive, as is most of the artwork, but the writing is flat. The authors seem to be trying to turn the setting into more of a Tolkien clone, and the elves end up feeling very distant from the players. I believe this setting has been turned over to some sort of fan site to be produced, and the quality has suffered for it.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting treatise on a fantastic creature.......2006-05-23
Did dragons exist? Well, they're mentioned in the Bible, so that's good enough for moi. Anyway, Dickinson gives an interesting treatise on both the mythology of dragons and evidence of their existence. The beautiful illustrations add to the charm of this book.
What if fire breathing dragons were real..........2004-11-13
How would they fly, why would they hoard gold, and how did they breed? Author Peter Dickinson attempts to answer these question from the standpoint that Dragons were very much real and, step-by-step, he explains how these meat-eating Hindenburgs would have lived. His viewpoint is that they were animals, and not 'intelligent beings', but, real or not, fire breathing dragons have left a mark in our minds and memories that remains to this modern day. Another plus are the nice dragon illustrations peppering the slim, 132 page coffee table styled book, so fantasy fans will find something to enjoy in it.
Interesting but disappointing........2004-03-13
Peter Dicikinson starts out saying he beleived thousands of years ago Dragons once existed. This starts us off at the first disappointment. The fact is Dragons DO exist today (and I am not talking about Komodo dragons or bearded dragons). I beleive anyone who reads this book shouldn't EVER take it into consideration as a close representation of dragons (Remember it is a book of theory!). Dickinson's theories I admit are rather unique and certainly worth looking at as to how he connected it together it may even hold some insight into true dragons today...but not very much.
Dickinson gives the image from his book that dragons are primative,idiotic,savage,slow,clumsy, and even admits this to certain degrees. This is where the disappointment comes in again. Dragons today are none of the latter listed above. In fact they are completely opposite. As absurd as it sounds it seems those dragons in D&D are more realistic then what Dickinson defines.If I could I would suggest he pick up a recent copy of the Draconomicon...while yet still these dragons fall CONSIDERABLY short of the mark it is a closer step to knowing the species. If anyone wishes to argue my statement above feel free to contact me at jinsokuwolf@aol.com and i'll be happy to converse.
Overall as I said it's a interesting read but don't take it to heart, compared to true dragons today it's more or less a insult.Just to add I saw Dickinson's movie and with all the arrogance that comes with making a animated movie about himself and journeying with dragons, it is pretty good,despite a rushed plot.
The Problem of the Flying Brick.......2002-11-21
Peter Dickinson's classic book on such imponderables as how (and why) dragons fly is one of my favorite books on the care and feeding of our scaled neighbors. He goes into great detail about what it takes to get a 20,000-pound appetite up into the air and speeding to its next meal. Sometimes slightly tongue-in-cheek, Dickinson draws on legend and story to create a delightful theory that takes the imaginary and makes it real.
Not satisfied with explaining away the impossible, Dickinson goes on to explore the dragon life cycle, habitat and sociology. I took particular delight in the section that explains that most horrific of monsters, the george, otherwise known as 'the mean man in the tin can.' He is quite outspoken about the monstrous atrocities committed in the name of 'dragon-slaying.' And for doubters, there is even a section citing the evidences for the existence of dragons. Of course, those of us who drive from peak to peak dragon-watching in our ancient Volkswagen busses need no further evidence.
The other delight in this book is the rich illustration by Wayne Anderson. We find dragons cute and fearsome, old and new. The work is both beautiful and whimsical, and you will find yourself returning to the images countless times, whenever the dream starts to fade. The book is both beautiful and fun - a worthwhile addition to the mythophile's library.
Answering the key question.......1997-10-24
The book answers the right question - Not "How could something as big as a dragon fly?", but "Why did dragons need to be that big in order to fly?". The approach is a straight faced, imaginative explanation of dragon phsyiology, psychology, life cycle, and more. The author manages to engage in a ciritcal scientific examination of all the evidece without losing the sense of awful wonder for the dragons he is studying.
Book Description
The definitive d20 System resource for enhancing and modifying the monsters in your game.
• More than 60 new feats for monsters of all types.
• More than a dozen new prestige classes, including the thunder hammer giant and draconic tyrant.
• Dozens of new special attacks, special qualities, and traits conveniently broken down by creature type.
• New templates such as the chaos dragon and relentless undead that can be applied to a variety of creatures to create devastating and interesting new breeds of enemy.
• Detailed guidelines on adding abilities to monsters and adjusting their CRs to reflect the new challenge for PCs.
• A comprehensive discussion on using monsters effectively in your game, and suggestions on how to modify existing monsters to present exciting and mysterious new challenges to your players every session.
• In-depth suggestions for combining core feats, skills, classes, and magic items with different types of monsters.
• Sample creatures in each section showcase the new rules and make suggestions on how to effectively integrate them into your campaign.
Customer Reviews:
A great resource for creating new monsters.......2006-04-21
I agree with the previous reviewer on all points.
This is an excellent book that I wish I had purchased years ago. I have acquired eight monster books from various publishers, plus scoured the web in an effort to keep my players challenged with monsters they've never seen before. Invariably; however, someone in the group is already familiar with what I'm throwing at them.
Even though they try not to take advantage of their knowledge of the creature's strengths and weaknesses while at the game table, it's a little disappointing when you pull out something you think is new and someone already knows what it is and what it can do.
The Monster's Handbook solves this problem handily. Through Feats, Prestige Classes and other special abilities, this book let's you turn old standbys into new beasts that will surprise your players. As long as you don't go sharing your notes, your players will never know what hit them and won't be able to look it up.
The book's simple point-buy system makes calculating Challenge Ratings for your new creations a snap. The author's guidelines help you decide what special abilities make sense for the type of monster you're customizing. All in all, the monster customizing system in this book is much more user friendly than anything else I've read.
I highly recommend this book.
Very handy book for GM's.......2006-02-02
This has to be one of the best, if not the best Monster enhancing book available to GM's. Only 1 problem, it is 3.0 and not 3.5. Beacause of this, the book has some very obvious hinderances. However, these are easily overlooked and fixed by any GM new and experienced. It just takes a bit of time. I still use this book constantly in my current 3.5 campaign.
This is not a book full of new monsters, nor is it a book full of simple templates like most other monster enhancing books are. This is a detailed book that delves into the creation of monsters, giving the DM a 'point buy' type of system for creating monsters and assigning CR's. No longer will you have to sit and wonder what a god CR is for your latest creation. Put a simple formula in on your calculater, and there is your answer.
This book covers each monster type is a fully detailed chapter. The only exception is Magical Beasts, but this can be picked up from FF's website as an enhancement for free, and you should check it out before buying the book, as it will give you an excellent idea about the book.
The first chapter details all the various supernatural, extraordinary, spell like and other such abilities of monsters. It shows you how to give creatures the use of any spell in the PHB, and most any monster ability found in the MM. It then goes on to explain how to give the monsters more flavor and description, calculating the CR, and some other basic info on moster creation.
The remaining chapters, as said above, detail each monster type. This goes into EXCELLENT detail. It gives optimum class choices for each monster type, good spells and equipment to use, feats to choose, skills, and in some cases techniques in battle. It then has a series of feats designed to that creature type, several creature type specific templates and PrC's (for each creature type). There is probably 20+ templates, and 15+ PrC's.
The book then has some new and example special abilities for that creature type, which you can add in, or simply base an ability off of, along with how much 'difficulty' it ads to the creature for calculating the CR. The chapter then ends with an example creature of the type.
You definatly get your money's worth for this book, and as long as you don't mind convertng bits over to 3.5, or if you are in a 3.0 game, then definatly a great and very handy book for any GM.
Average customer rating:
- Flight of the Dragon Kyn
- Better than the First Book
- Excellent!
- What a good book
- The Gift
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Flight of the Dragon Kyn
Susan Fletcher
Manufacturer: Aladdin
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0689815158 |
Customer Reviews:
Flight of the Dragon Kyn.......2007-07-31
I read this book when I is was in 8th grade but I still like to go back and read things over it is a wonderful book if you like fantasy dragons and a girl hero.
Since I am not good at explaining things I will type what it says on the back of the book:
There is a story about Kara and dragons. When she was four, she came down with vermilion fever. Her parents, thinking there was no cure, left her in a cave to die. A month later she walked back into her parent's home as healthy as if she had never been sick. It is said that a mother dragon lived in that cave, and she nursed young Kara back to life. Now, eleven years later, the only reminder of Kara's illness is a small scar on her cheek. Of her contact with the dragon, there is more. Her eyes, which once were blue, are now green. And she can call down birds, which many believe is a sign that she can also call down dragons, for the two are distant cousins. Only Kara has her doubts. How can a beast as huge and terrifying as a dragon be related to a sweet, gentle bird? But could this explain why the king has sent for her? Does he think she has powers over dragons? For Kara, the answer to this question means life or death- not only for her, but for all the dragons, also.
Better than the First Book.......2007-01-30
I enjoyed this second book of the Dragon Chronicles more than the first for several reasons.
Susan Fletcher does very well with the first-person narrative of Kara, and the language used by the character makes the story all the move believable. Its a more intelligent read than the first book, with a more interesting range of vocabulary. Also, Kara as a charcter is much more interesting to read about than Kaeldra. Kara's pride and her fears, and even her hypocracy at times, make her a real human being. And what's more, she has a fire-cracker temper that I found refreshing after reading about the droll,ho-hum, stick-in-the-mud Kaeldra.
In this second book, there is a bigger cast of characters and Fletcher does well to make sure these people all have personalities of their own. (The first book, had more character 'types',and less characters with personalities.)
I agree, the book's main relationship is a little stale. It wouldn't have been if we had not seen a similar build up in "Dragon's Milk"'s major relationship. If they had not been mirror images of the same stormy and mistrusting courtship then I would have been much more entertained.
All and all, "Flight of the Dragon Kyn" was a better written book with a more interesting array of charcters. Well worth the read.
Excellent!.......2006-04-21
I loved this book. Susan Fletcher has done it again. However, I did prefer the first and third books to this one. But this book is very important to the series, and it's amazingly good, too. This is the best trilogy ever written!
:-)
What a good book.......2004-03-11
The story is about a young girl named Kara,who is sick as a small child and was brought to a cave to be buried. Instead of dying,dragons fed her milk,which nursed her back to heallth. This milk also gave her speial powers. Kara meets the royal family ofthe land of Krag because of her powers, which throws her into the middle of a of a blood war between dragons and this royal family. Kara has mant adventures as she
tries to do the right thing for the family and the dragons. The prince of this
famly,Rog,threatens to kill two childrenif Kara doesn't sumomon dragons for him to kill. She gets help from the kiing and his army,the birds that she summons,and her friends. They defeat Rog,and her falcon flies off with dragons. Kara goes back to the king dom of Krag with king Orrik as his summoner.
I like this book because there are plenty of suprises. It issuspenseful and exciting.
The Gift.......2003-11-03
A Review by Jessica
One day log ago a girl named Kara got Vermillion fever and almost died, but a dragon saved her. This book takes place many years after this incidence. The thing is that Kara remembers nothing that happened. The only things that remind her of the dragon is a name, Flagra, which she screamed in the middle of the night and the gift of being able to call birds down from the sky. A king named Orrick sends for her to come to him, and she dose. What Kara doesn't know is he wants her to call down dragons. The Problem is that Kara has never seen a dragon let alone call one down from the sky. Kara and a group of warriors go out to seek dragons. Kara calls for Flagra and she comes what she doesn't know it that the men are going to kill this dragon, the one that saved her life. As the dragon becomes visible the arrows rise to the deep blue sky and they shoot.
In this book I really enjoyed the suspense and adventure. The main character, Kara tells this story in first person. Susan Fletcher is a great author. One thing I like in her books is there is a little hidden love story within them. There is one in this book. It is between Kara and one of the king's men named Kazan. I also like the extreme detail that Susan Fletcher uses. An example of detail is when she describes a falcon she calls. Kara says, "I steeped back startled, the gray falcon screamed, tightened her grip on my hand. One wing clouted my head, and then she was flying." The vocabulary in this book is not too hard but not to easy. I also found the dialogue to be very easy to follow.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good adventure with suspense and action. It's a real great read! This book keeps you in the edge of your seat the whole time your reading it.
Average customer rating:
- Brilliant conception and some convincing theories, but incomplete and circular arguments. Faulted, but very highly recommended
- Awesome!
- What if Dragons really existed?
- Beautiful and Captivating
- The book and the movie are DIFFERENT.
|
The Flight of Dragons
Peter Dickinson
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Folklore | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Dickinson, Peter | ( D ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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Dragon and the George
ASIN: 0879518391 |
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant conception and some convincing theories, but incomplete and circular arguments. Faulted, but very highly recommended.......2007-09-22
With this highly-illustrated nonfiction text, Dickinson intends to prove the existence of dragons: gigantic, firebreathing, flying reptiles. Through popular and historical descriptions of the beasts, he theorizes everything from dragon lifecycles, to dragon slaying, to the necessary connection between a dragon's form, firebreathing, and flight. He often draws on quotes from his sources, and Anderson's illustrations provide visual interest and help depict the mechanics of the dragon body and flight. Although Dickinson's arguments are often circular and his evidence is self-serving, the straightforward writing and novel theory make this an interesting and thoughtful read. Although neither fiction nor fantasy, it is also entertaining. This book is faulted, but I still recommend it.
Along with the book's good and bad traits, it was also, personally, a piece of nostalgia. I read this book as a child, and it withstands the test of time: Dickinson's theories are logical, fairly presented, and well-evidenced, and sound reasonable even to an adult reader. Pulling from everything from ancient Chinese myth and the story of Beowulf to modern authors such as J.R. Tolkien and Ursula K. Le Guin, Dickinson pulls his description of vampire behavior and ability direct from historical myth and popular culture. He then uses these excerpts to build and to prove the mechanics of the dragon, everything from lifecycles to flight. His theories on dragonflight (the chemical reactions of dragons blood produced gas, which were stored in huge internal chambers, allowing for flight; dragons belched fire to expel excess gas) is of course the highlight of the book (and the only similarity between the text and the movie of the same name). It is also the most reasonable, scientific, and convincing argument in the book. Here, Dickinson shines: he is well-researched, scientifically-minded, and very convincing.
Unfortunately, these qualities are not universally present. Often, the evidence is selected to fit the facts, or else the arguments are sustained by other arguments, not by evidence. Dickinson discards descriptions that don't fit his theories, instead justifying only what he can reasonably justify, and arguing that the rest is impossible--but never justifying the fact that his sources seem to be both reliable and unreliable in a single breath. He relies heavily on limited, specific sources. In a book of this length, he does not have the space to go into detail assessing any one source, making his choices seem arbitrary. In all, there are various faults and in the research and the proof, and Dickinson's theories are by no means factual, or provable, or even solid.
But what matters in this book is not what Dickinson fails to do, but rather what he manages to achieve. He brings dragons alive: not my vivid descriptions, not by stunning visuals, but by thought, reason, and research. Even though he fails to prove the existence of dragons, he succeeds in proving the possibility. This makes for a fascinating and, in many ways, invigorating read. Dickinson appeals to both imagination and rational thought, and he does so through a text that is easily readable and convincingly argued. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this book, despite all of its faults.
Awesome!.......2007-01-04
I am nine years old and i think this book is COMPLETELY cool. Even though I suspect it was meant for older kids (or even adults) I would definitely reccomend getting it, even though it's expensive. This books has lots of interesting theories and puts a lot of imaginative ideas in your head. In addition, it has amazing pictures! My favorite part is when they use a diagram of dinner plates and bricks to discuss a theory of how dragons flew. I have more to say, but must restrain myself to only two words: "must buy". Ben Z.
What if Dragons really existed?.......2006-07-12
This phenomenal book from 1979 attempts to show how Dragons could really have existed, and sets about solving all the "fantastic" issues surrounding them through "scientific method": breathing fire, flight, caustic blood, why no remains have ever been found. It's a good companion volume for Faeries by Froud/Lee, Gnomes by Hugen/Portvleit, Dwarves by an author I cannot recall cause it's been out of print so long. The information in this book is the source for the excellent video, Dragon's World, by Discovery, as well as much of the content of the recent Dragonology series.
Beautiful and Captivating.......2002-01-16
This book breathes new life into the world of fantasy. It is a compelling read, but backed with scientific evidence and explanation to make it credible. Also, it is a beautiful book with lots of full-color pictures and illustrations. Whether you believe in dragons or not, The Flight of Dragons is interesting and a wonderful conversation-piece. The book deserves more recognition than it has gotten in the U.S., and I consider myself extremely lucky for having found it in a second-hand bookstore and picking it up there. I had never heard of it before, and have never seen another copy, but I haven't been disappointed. And, by the way, I am NOT interested in selling mine!
The book and the movie are DIFFERENT........1999-08-23
Okay, let's set the record straight here. "The Flight Of Dragons" _has no plot_. Some of these reviews are referring to the wonderful characters, amazing plot line, etc. Obviously, these people haven't read the book. This book is a scientific view on how dragons could have actually existed. It gives theories on how they breathed fire, flew, lived, etc., drawing on evidence from story lore and legend. Now, for those of you who are thinking of the _movie_ "The Flight Of Dragons", yes, the movie was based on this book. But it was only based on it in terms of how the dragons were designed. The (very) basic plot and the wonderful characters were taken from Gordon R. Dickson's amazing book "The Dragon And The George". But the book "The Flight Of Dragons" is much different from the movie. For one thing, Peter Dickenson views dragons as lethargic beasts with a dull intelligence. He included a chapter on dragon-slaying, which, to me, was something of the last straw. Also, some of the pictures done by Wayne Anderson are horrific. I especially "enjoyed" the photos in the back of art from around the world----one had a picture of a troll-like "dragon" eating a man's head! . . . Now, don't get me wrong. This is a good book. Some of the pictures are fantastic. And most of Peter Dickenson's theories----especially the one about why there are no fossils of dragons------were really neat. And I love his saying: "Remember. The dragons live. Inside us." It's a decent book. But I spent nearly a year trying desperately to get my hands on a copy, and while it is interesting and a valuable addition to my collection of dragon lore, I was disappointed. But maybe I shouldn't judge something on my own expectations (obviously). But I did want all to understand . . . the book and movie are very different. If you want to re-meet the characters of "The Flight Of Dragons" from the movie, read "The Dragon And The George", an excellent book. And give the book "The Flight Of Dragons" a try. Just don't set your expectations too high!
Book Description
The definitive d20 System resource for dungeon design and survival.
- New rules for character adventuring in dungeons, including prestige classes, feats, equipment, and dungeon tactics and survival tips.
- Detailed guidelines on the role of magic in dungeon adventures, along with a host of new spells and magic items.
- Comprehensive rules for environmental hazards and random encounters.
- A complete, step-by-step dungeon design system.
- New rules for monster morale and the social geography of dungeons.
- Several unique encounter areas, such as the Chamber of Winds and the Machine.
Customer Reviews:
If you are in LOVE with dungeons..........2004-03-27
This book is okay, it certainly has alot of unique information one is not going to find anywhere else. There are some interesting prestige classes, as well as some new feats and equipment (skip-shot arrows: they bounce off walls and negate dex bonus to AC! fun for rangers). Also some wacky ideas for cool dungeons like the Great Machine and a huge carcass the party can walk around in. All the stuff is pretty cool, but if you're not in a dungeon, well then you'll probably have no use for this book. For a exclusive dungeon-based campaign, where the characters NEVER see the light of day, this is the perfect book.
Otherwise, I'd have to say that the few non-dungeon related things that can be cherry-picked from the text aren't really worth the price.
Book Description
Embrace the darkness of Midnight with this d20 supplement that gives players the power to become that which they have hated and feared for so long - minions of the dark god! Featuring new backgrounds, racial rules, prestige classes, feats, equipment and plot hooks, this book allows players to turn the usual Midnight campaign on its head and explore whether even the most evil of foes have a chance at redemption.
Book Description
In a busy harbor, in the faraway island of Hong Kong, there is a floating restaurant. This restaurant is home to Chopsticks, a tiny gray mouse. Chopsticks befriends a wooden dragon who wants to fly. On the night of the full moon, during Chinese New Year, they share a high-flying adventure with the help of Old Fu, the dragon’s creator.
Customer Reviews:
Friendship Gives Flight: Chopsticks.......2007-03-11
Brought to life by a gorgeous selection of colours, textures and settings, this simple story of friendship and dreams transports us to another world.
A delicacy served up with Chopsticks.......2007-02-25
A tiny mouse befriends a wooden dragon in this simple story that takes place on the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong Harbor. Anything is possible, and thanks to Berkeley's atmospheric description, it's easy for a child to suspend disbelief.
He paints whole scenes in a few lines of prose, so we're right down there with little Chopsticks, the mouse, as he scurries late at night in search of crumbs on the floor of a floating restaurant. It's an impressive place, with hundreds of windows and two enormous carved dragons guarding its mammoth entrance.
We might even tremble in empathy too when, one New Year's night, one of the dragons clears his throat and asks Chopsticks to draw near. Turns out he wants to confide his secret longing to Chopstick, and a friendship is born.
Berkeley's Hong Kong Harbor is a misty dreamscape, where an old carver in his sampam holds the secret to granting the dragon's wish. The dragon's a friendly sort, with big, cheerful eyes and a lopsided grin, and, like Chopstick, you instantly want to help him out.
His acrylics glow with filtered sunlight and streaks of gold radiate from gleaming surfaces. We're keenly aware of Chopstick's diminutive size amidst the bustle of the world's busiest harbor, but we never lose sight of the little fella' as he sets out to help his new buddy.
This is a perfect one for teaching about friendship, about good deeds, and about bringing your own sense of adventure to all you do.
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