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Dragonlance: Raistlin Chronicles #1
The Soulforge
A mage's soul is forged in the crucible of magic.
Raistlin Majere is six years old when he is introduced to an archmage who enrolls him in a school for the study of magic. There the gifted - but tormented boy comes to secretly, for they see shadows darkening over Raistlin even as the same shadows lengthen over all of Ansalon.
As Raistlin draws near his goal of becoming a wizard, he must first take the Dread Test in the Tower of High Sorcery. It will change his life forever.
Raistlin Majere is six years old when he is introduced to an archmage who enrolls him in a school for the study of magic. There the gifted - but tormented boy comes to secretly, for they see shadows darkening over Raistlin even as the same shadows lengthen over all of Ansalon.
As Raistlin draws near his goal of becoming a wizard, he must first take the Dread Test in the Tower of High Sorcery. It will change his life forever.
408 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
About the author
Margaret Weis
682 books5,659 followersMargaret Edith Weis is an American fantasy and science fiction author of dozens of novels and short stories. At TSR, Inc., she teamed with Tracy Hickman to create the Dragonlance role-playing game (RPG) world. She is founding CEO and owner of Sovereign Press, Inc and Margaret Weis Productions, licensing several popular television and movie franchises to make RPG series in addition to their own.
In 1999, Pyramid magazine named Weis one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons, saying she and Hickman are "basically responsible for the entire gaming fiction genre". In 2002, she was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in part for Dragonlance.
In 1999, Pyramid magazine named Weis one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons, saying she and Hickman are "basically responsible for the entire gaming fiction genre". In 2002, she was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in part for Dragonlance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
June 19, 2022
Before I ever read Harry Potter (though apparently it was published one year after the first book) I read about a different young boy going to a wizard school… that said, Raistlin's schooling felt more like a traditional school, though his adventures were a lot more disturbing.
Acting as a prequel to the original Dragonlance trilogy, The Soulforge tells the tale of Raistlin's youth. How he became who he was when we first met him sitting in a dark side of a tavern, rasping out harsh words and coughing up blood. One of the inherent downsides of prequels is that we know what's going to happen and where it's going to end. Here though the journey is so fascinating to see him change.
Raistlin is honestly, to my mind, the most interesting character Dragonlance ever produced. In so many ways he's the goddamn edgelord of this DND group. If it was a real table game, he's the guy you'd want to tell he's trying too hard… but you don't because he's so committed to the role, and somehow manages to make it work by giving him just enough quirks and personality flaws that you somehow find yourself instead wanting to interact with him more just to see what he comes up with. It was clear from the start of the series that he was one of the creators' favorite character (we all by this point know it was Weis), but here she gets to really sit down with him and focus on him for the entire page count, and damn if it isn't wonderful.
I've always placed the Dragonlance series as something of a guilty pleasure series for me. I loved it when I was a teenager and always snatched up the new books whenever they came out. Soulforge though is really in a realm of its own. It's the best novel in the series, and though there is a sequel, it operates as a wonderful standalone. Even if one hadn't read the original trilogy, it operates as a wonderful book. As said, the series may be a guilty pleasure, but this specific one isn't. It's somehow, despite all odds, a perfect 5/5 stars
Acting as a prequel to the original Dragonlance trilogy, The Soulforge tells the tale of Raistlin's youth. How he became who he was when we first met him sitting in a dark side of a tavern, rasping out harsh words and coughing up blood. One of the inherent downsides of prequels is that we know what's going to happen and where it's going to end. Here though the journey is so fascinating to see him change.
Raistlin is honestly, to my mind, the most interesting character Dragonlance ever produced. In so many ways he's the goddamn edgelord of this DND group. If it was a real table game, he's the guy you'd want to tell he's trying too hard… but you don't because he's so committed to the role, and somehow manages to make it work by giving him just enough quirks and personality flaws that you somehow find yourself instead wanting to interact with him more just to see what he comes up with. It was clear from the start of the series that he was one of the creators' favorite character (we all by this point know it was Weis), but here she gets to really sit down with him and focus on him for the entire page count, and damn if it isn't wonderful.
I've always placed the Dragonlance series as something of a guilty pleasure series for me. I loved it when I was a teenager and always snatched up the new books whenever they came out. Soulforge though is really in a realm of its own. It's the best novel in the series, and though there is a sequel, it operates as a wonderful standalone. Even if one hadn't read the original trilogy, it operates as a wonderful book. As said, the series may be a guilty pleasure, but this specific one isn't. It's somehow, despite all odds, a perfect 5/5 stars
December 12, 2007
I've never been interested in reading or read a book of the fantasy genre before, but I was pleasantly surprised. All characters were fleshed out extremely well; for example, I nearly cried when Raistlin and Caramon lost both their parents, I could understand Raistlin's jealously at Caramon stealing his dream girl. Raistlin's competitiveness with Caramon is the classic nerdy brother vs. attractive/jock brother conflict. Eccentric characters such as Flint the dwarf and Tas the kender made me laugh out loud. Beneath the surface of tracing Raistlin's path from a precocious young child to a wizard, the book illustrates the hardships of adolescence that all of us go through. Also, the larger societal conflicts in the book (humans vs. elves, hill dwarves vs. mountain dwarves, kender as outcasts, violence & propoganda enacted by followers of Belzor) are allegories of social, racial, and religious warfare seen throughout history. A very moving book and I would be glad to read the others in the series if they promise to be just as good or better.
August 5, 2014
Anything with Raistlin Majere in it is going to get 5 stars from me. :)
November 21, 2018
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it's always a breathe of fresh air when you finally get to read a really good book ^_^
This book reminded me of my fav book of all time The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, just not as good :) And sorta like Harry Potter of when he goes to Wizardry school.
I enjoyed the mage's journey and about the magic - what is magic, how to cast a spell, what it takes to use it?
It had lots of character development and interesting plots but not a strong overall plot, I wanted more to it.
Added it to my re-reads-fantasy shelf
This book reminded me of my fav book of all time The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, just not as good :) And sorta like Harry Potter of when he goes to Wizardry school.
I enjoyed the mage's journey and about the magic - what is magic, how to cast a spell, what it takes to use it?
It had lots of character development and interesting plots but not a strong overall plot, I wanted more to it.
Added it to my re-reads-fantasy shelf
June 12, 2018
As far as fantasy goes, I became a real fan with Dragonlance, specifically those authored by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Those books are forever and ever and evermore - this is my inner teenage speak! - the benchmark for all my fantasy reading. Which is not saying very much, or setting very high expectations when the minimum standard is pulp. I am certainly a slightly more discerning reader now, having read better works, but when it comes to feelings of nostalgia, no other fantasy series * have a better claim on mine.
More succinctly, Raistlin Chronicles #1 - The Soulforge is recommended for fans. For everyone else, this is probably a 2-star rating for mediocre writing, too much tell, and very little sentimental significance. Those who have enjoyed Chronicles* and Legends* will appreciate the beginnings of young Raistlin Majere in The Soulforge, and the precursors for his life’s dark path. Fundamental to the salvation of Raistlin’s soul is his lifelong friendships and how they come to be forged. The Companions, all of whom are featured here with the Majere twins - squabbles, comedy, adventures and all - to the pleasure of my memory.
Honestly, I was a tad disappointed to glean very little new information that was not already choice morsels in other Dragonlance books. Sure, there are biographical tidbits to be had like Raistlin's aversion to a certain herb and his adolescent crush but his internal development is static. Raistlin just becomes a more concentrated version of himself later. Already familiar to fans are his bouts of self-doubts and ambition, bitterness and cunning but by and large, older Raistlin in the future is rather like young Raistlin in the past… ooh, maybe? Never mind. The story is just not that clever, but there is a twisty bit at the end that was unexpected.
I had fun, and fun can forgive much. On to Raistlin Chronicles #2 - Brothers in Arms.
[* Dragonlance: Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight #1, Dragons of Winter Night #2, Dragons of Spring Dawning #3 & Dragonlance: Legends: Time of the Twins #1, War of the Twins #2, Test of the Twins #3.]
More succinctly, Raistlin Chronicles #1 - The Soulforge is recommended for fans. For everyone else, this is probably a 2-star rating for mediocre writing, too much tell, and very little sentimental significance. Those who have enjoyed Chronicles* and Legends* will appreciate the beginnings of young Raistlin Majere in The Soulforge, and the precursors for his life’s dark path. Fundamental to the salvation of Raistlin’s soul is his lifelong friendships and how they come to be forged. The Companions, all of whom are featured here with the Majere twins - squabbles, comedy, adventures and all - to the pleasure of my memory.
Honestly, I was a tad disappointed to glean very little new information that was not already choice morsels in other Dragonlance books. Sure, there are biographical tidbits to be had like Raistlin's aversion to a certain herb and his adolescent crush but his internal development is static. Raistlin just becomes a more concentrated version of himself later. Already familiar to fans are his bouts of self-doubts and ambition, bitterness and cunning but by and large, older Raistlin in the future is rather like young Raistlin in the past… ooh, maybe? Never mind. The story is just not that clever, but there is a twisty bit at the end that was unexpected.
I had fun, and fun can forgive much. On to Raistlin Chronicles #2 - Brothers in Arms.
[* Dragonlance: Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight #1, Dragons of Winter Night #2, Dragons of Spring Dawning #3 & Dragonlance: Legends: Time of the Twins #1, War of the Twins #2, Test of the Twins #3.]
May 10, 2020
An entire book about Raistlin?
Anything with this much Raistlin was bound to get 5 ⭐ from me.
This was only the second time I've read this book and it was even better than I remember!
I am really looking forward to the re-read on Brothers in Arms.
Anything with this much Raistlin was bound to get 5 ⭐ from me.
This was only the second time I've read this book and it was even better than I remember!
I am really looking forward to the re-read on Brothers in Arms.
August 5, 2020
This book doesn't quite reach the heights of the Legends trilogy but definitely shows a more mature sense of character and plotting than the seminal, though flawed, Chronicles that started us off on our journeys through the world of Krynn.
Want to really know how sickly, sneaky Raistlin became the golden-skinned freakazoid we meet during the Wars of the Lance? Well, this is the book for you:
As much as I enjoyed all the Raistlin stuff, my enjoyment from the re-read came more from getting to know, even indirectly, the younger incarnations of familiar characters like his twin brother Caramon, mercurial older half-sister Kitiara, their friend Sturm, and so on.
On the whole I felt this book was perhaps 50 pages too long, maybe some of the dreary details of the young Raistlin's schooling at Krynn's shittiest version of Hogwarts could have been skipped, but I'm glad to have revisited it and am now keen to read the sequel about the brothers Majeres' early adventures, whose existence I only just learned about, for the first time.
Want to really know how sickly, sneaky Raistlin became the golden-skinned freakazoid we meet during the Wars of the Lance? Well, this is the book for you:
As much as I enjoyed all the Raistlin stuff, my enjoyment from the re-read came more from getting to know, even indirectly, the younger incarnations of familiar characters like his twin brother Caramon, mercurial older half-sister Kitiara, their friend Sturm, and so on.
On the whole I felt this book was perhaps 50 pages too long, maybe some of the dreary details of the young Raistlin's schooling at Krynn's shittiest version of Hogwarts could have been skipped, but I'm glad to have revisited it and am now keen to read the sequel about the brothers Majeres' early adventures, whose existence I only just learned about, for the first time.
June 25, 2020
Raistlin Majere remains one of my favorite characters in fiction, though I've since come to also associate him with many qualities I loathed about my teenage self. You know, the entitled know-it-all who probably had a lot more issues with women than I would have if I just treated them as people.
THE SOULFORGE is one of the best of the Dragonlance novels other than the original six and details the origins of the one of Nineties' fantasies best antiheroes. Magic was always the great love of Raistlin, even when he was too young for such things, because it is the one he could always control completely.
My only regret about this book is we're still some years away from Raistlin's darkest actions and thus when he's at his most interesting. Oh and that I kind of prefer Kitiara Uth Matar to Raistlin. I would have loved to have read Margaret Weis' take on her rise to power. That's just me as a fan nitpicking, though.
THE SOULFORGE is one of the best of the Dragonlance novels other than the original six and details the origins of the one of Nineties' fantasies best antiheroes. Magic was always the great love of Raistlin, even when he was too young for such things, because it is the one he could always control completely.
My only regret about this book is we're still some years away from Raistlin's darkest actions and thus when he's at his most interesting. Oh and that I kind of prefer Kitiara Uth Matar to Raistlin. I would have loved to have read Margaret Weis' take on her rise to power. That's just me as a fan nitpicking, though.
October 5, 2007
Here is a good example of what would have happened if Harry Potter turned evil. This is a great book to read if you are sick of mamby pamsy wizards and want to read a good book about a sickly kid who turns into someone who is “not a very nice person” (as said by one of the Hobbit-like characters in a different book from this series). The only flaw is that while it is quite informative about the character of Raistlin Majere (the golden guy on the cover), we do not get to see him use much magic. I personally would have liked to have seen him go crazy at some point like Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but instead, seeing that he is only a novice in this book, though a very adept one, we get to see him use his mind and skills at casting illusions. All the same, this is a very well written book where you really get to know a lot of the characters.
August 20, 2012
This is the story of Raistlin as a child and how he found magic. It is also the story of how the Heroes of the Lance came to be and their first adventure. This book had it all and it is a must read if you are into Dragonlance. It made me laugh( how could you not with any scene involving Tas). I was sad at one scene and it also provided me with a detailed account how Raistlin came to be in the original series. Raistlin is a one the most interesting characters and this book helped me understand him more. I highly recommend this book even if you are not into fantasy. I believe everyone would enjoy this.
May 29, 2023
After having some context now that I've read the original Dragonlance Chronicles, this slaps hard. Loved it.
June 17, 2015
Having not read any dragonlance books prior to reading this one, I approached this with the unique perspective of having no pre-formed bias for the characters. For those that don't know, this book serves as an origin story for some of the main characters in the dragonlance books, specifically for the physically weak but intellectual Raistlin.
Overall I found the book to be an enjoyable read. The main cast are an entertaining bunch, each personality greatly contrasting the others. Though co-authored, the story maintains a consistent voice. The reader gets a small taste of the vast world that is Krynn through references to distant lands with several races. Each race comes with its own stereotypes and rivalries with other races. Weis does a great job in establishing the interpersonal relationships between the characters and the characters remain consistent in their personalities.
Every so often there is an unexpected twist: a scenario that Raistlin is thrust into where the reader is allowed a glimpse into the true nature of the young mage. Raistlin's inner journey into wizarding manhood is evident in his constant search for more knowledge and power. Though quite talented, the hardships of his life is not lost. He is generally frail and sickly. He is also cold and untrusting. His twin brother Caramon serves as a mirror of that which Raistlin wishes to be/have and therefore further increases his lust for power. Though I am unfamiliar with the general dragonlance tale, I thoroughly enjoyed its origin story.
Overall I found the book to be an enjoyable read. The main cast are an entertaining bunch, each personality greatly contrasting the others. Though co-authored, the story maintains a consistent voice. The reader gets a small taste of the vast world that is Krynn through references to distant lands with several races. Each race comes with its own stereotypes and rivalries with other races. Weis does a great job in establishing the interpersonal relationships between the characters and the characters remain consistent in their personalities.
Every so often there is an unexpected twist: a scenario that Raistlin is thrust into where the reader is allowed a glimpse into the true nature of the young mage. Raistlin's inner journey into wizarding manhood is evident in his constant search for more knowledge and power. Though quite talented, the hardships of his life is not lost. He is generally frail and sickly. He is also cold and untrusting. His twin brother Caramon serves as a mirror of that which Raistlin wishes to be/have and therefore further increases his lust for power. Though I am unfamiliar with the general dragonlance tale, I thoroughly enjoyed its origin story.
November 18, 2017
It took 6 books but I finally really got into the story. I had a hard time putting the book down however, it got awfully creepy and uncomfortable when a grown man was sexualizing a 13 year old girl. Not only that but he was played off as a "good" character. As if it was okay because he was "old fashioned". At that point I wanted to rip the stupid thing in half. So 3 stars.
January 15, 2019
Raistlin, such a deep and complex character. Reading how it all began brings me back to the first time I read Dragonlance Chronicles all those years ago.
February 14, 2013
The origin story of Raistlin Majere, of Chronicles and Legends fame. This book covers Raistlin's early life, from childhood through his test at the tower of high sorcery. Fans of this fascinating character will enjoy this look at his rise from obscurity. 3 stars.
July 12, 2024
It’s such a treat to be able to experience the beginning of the Companions through the eyes of arguably the most interesting character in the Dragonlance story, whilst getting a comprehensive insight into what really makes Raistlin tick. This book does so much to flesh out his motivations and character for the journeys he undergoes later in the series, with even something as simple as seeing his early attempts at young love influencing his mentality on relationships later in life. It’s such a shame that there are major spoilers for reveals as I’m more than half convinced that this book is a better introduction to the world of Dragonlance than even the Chronicles trilogy.
Weis knocks it out of the park in the magic department - this is the type of detail that I love, how she goes so in-depth on what some would call the mundane aspects. I could have read pages upon pages of the different types of feathers the mages use for writing scrolls and each of their strengths. Margaret, teach me how to pronounce every vowel and syllable the mages use in their spells. I WANT TO KNOW EACH AND EVERY SPELL COMPONENT AND THEIR USES.
While majority of the book is a fantastic character study, surprisingly, the biggest letdown is the Test of High Sorcery that only comprises about 5-10% of the book - it has had so much buildup over the course of the series, and being the main selling point of The Soulforge, I was so pumped to read about the insanity that went down, and it ended up being… just kinda bland, underwhelming. I feel that an extra week or so could’ve been spend on polishing the Test (or even just rewriting it entirely) to have a much better impact not only for this story but for the story of Raistlin as a character.
Alas, what Astinus has written, a lowly commoner such as I cannot alter.
Weis knocks it out of the park in the magic department - this is the type of detail that I love, how she goes so in-depth on what some would call the mundane aspects. I could have read pages upon pages of the different types of feathers the mages use for writing scrolls and each of their strengths. Margaret, teach me how to pronounce every vowel and syllable the mages use in their spells. I WANT TO KNOW EACH AND EVERY SPELL COMPONENT AND THEIR USES.
While majority of the book is a fantastic character study, surprisingly, the biggest letdown is the Test of High Sorcery that only comprises about 5-10% of the book - it has had so much buildup over the course of the series, and being the main selling point of The Soulforge, I was so pumped to read about the insanity that went down, and it ended up being… just kinda bland, underwhelming. I feel that an extra week or so could’ve been spend on polishing the Test (or even just rewriting it entirely) to have a much better impact not only for this story but for the story of Raistlin as a character.
Alas, what Astinus has written, a lowly commoner such as I cannot alter.
April 14, 2024
Lu pour la première fois il y a 20 ans. Et vous savez quoi ? C'est TOUJOURS AUSSI BIEN BORDEL. Raistlin est et restera pour toujours mon premier crush, c'est un personnage si ambivalent, complexe et torturé qu'on ne peux que l'aimer pour son cynisme et son charisme (sauf quand il crachote du sang). Bref, lisez ses aventures et celles de son frère jumeau, c'est une des plus belles histoires ! Et après il faut lire la trilogie de base puis la trilogie des jumeaux.
April 26, 2021
Fun look at the early years of Raistlin and Caramon, as well as many of the other companions of the Chronicles trilogy.
March 10, 2023
One of my favorite books in the Dragonlance series . . . the "choose-your-own-adventure-style" book of the same name by Terry Phillips, borrowed from the Woonsocket Public Library, was a big part of my original introduction to D&D. So in a way, an incomplete version of this story truly set my life on the path I have followed ever since, and this book is a more complete version of that story . . . . The story of how Raistlin Majere, arguably one of the most compelling characters in Dragonlance, was set upon the path of learning magic, and took the Test of High Sorcery at a younger age than most . . . because Par-Salian, the head of the Conclave of wizards, foresees the coming troubles of the War of the Lance and puts Raistlin "through the forge" to make a "sword" to fight the coming troubles. Had Raistlin not been pushed so hard, would he have turned to his eventual dark path? Had he not been pushed, would the world of Krynn have survived at all? Almost an "anti-Savior" figure, the sacrifice of Raistlin and Raistlin's own sacrifices both nearly doom Krynn and arguably save it . . .
May 6, 2014
The Dragonlance series was the second set of fiction that I read on my own for enjoyment as a child. I fell utterly in love with them, and read them many times. Discovering that they're now available in audio, I decided to revisit them. I discovered that many more books were written in the world after I outgrew my interest, and decided to read them in the order of the story's chronology.
It was an interesting experience starting with The Soulforge. Though it was new to me, it was very nostalgic. Not only are all of the characters extremely well-known to me, but most of the events of this novel are referred to "later" and the experience is one of filling in the details of something you already "know."
I enjoyed this visit to Krynn. I'm looking forward to staying a while.
It was an interesting experience starting with The Soulforge. Though it was new to me, it was very nostalgic. Not only are all of the characters extremely well-known to me, but most of the events of this novel are referred to "later" and the experience is one of filling in the details of something you already "know."
I enjoyed this visit to Krynn. I'm looking forward to staying a while.
August 8, 2011
Fantastic! Raislin is my favorite character, and any series centered on him is hard to beat.
October 5, 2015
Raistlin effin Majere.
July 2, 2022
Seems like a collection of short stories Not bad.
Read
March 29, 2021PERSONAL RESPONSE:
I like Soulforge by Margaret Weis because of the plot progression and how they show the passage of time. It really keeps the story moving but also shows good characterization. It gives a good overview of how Raistlin became who he will be. It’s a really good starting point in the many books in the Dragonlance series.
PLOT:
Raistlin starts his journey to become a mage as a young boy when his sister drags him to meet a mage. The mage talked with the boy and got him signed up for a nearby magic school. He is frail and often sickly. Raistlin is often compared to his brother Caramon a more robust and healthy boy. The friends his brothers make include Raistlin but he is always an outsider. Raistlin heavily plagued by jealousy of his brother and peers leads him to be alone more often than not. Even in his magic school, he is not well-liked.
CHARACTERIZATION:
Caramon as shown from Raistlin’s point of view is shown to be oafish and overbearing. However, if you watch his actions. Not taking into account how Raistlin describes them, you find Caramon is a nice kid who really loves his brother. He is slow to anger and he is always fast to make friends. He gives his brother too many second chances. He is just a really good guy.
Raistlin is snide and insecure. He hides his insecurities with pride and a strong facade. He does have a very rarely seen soft side. He has sympathy and empathy for the sick and dying. However, he also treats people like garbage if they aren’t afraid or worshipping him. He treats his brother the worst. He is also very jealous of his brother’s strength and good health.
SETTING:
Raistlin and his brother living in Solace set him up on the perfect crossroads to meet travelers and have a strange ragtag group necessary for their later quests. Solace is a place where travelers cross paths and sometimes even settle down. The story takes place in just the right time before a new war starts but far enough away from the last disaster that things have settled down.
THEMATIC CONNECTION:
Soulforge develops how fate is inevitable and inescapable. Raistlin has set himself on a path that will lead to his death and overly long life. He will try to change fate only to further cement himself in his. He doesn’t know what he is setting up but he’ll regret it later.
RECOMMENDATION:
I would recommend this book to people in high school or older. This is definitely an older classic fantasy style. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who dislike fantasy or books that show moments in time and lack a solid plot for a good part of the book.
I like Soulforge by Margaret Weis because of the plot progression and how they show the passage of time. It really keeps the story moving but also shows good characterization. It gives a good overview of how Raistlin became who he will be. It’s a really good starting point in the many books in the Dragonlance series.
PLOT:
Raistlin starts his journey to become a mage as a young boy when his sister drags him to meet a mage. The mage talked with the boy and got him signed up for a nearby magic school. He is frail and often sickly. Raistlin is often compared to his brother Caramon a more robust and healthy boy. The friends his brothers make include Raistlin but he is always an outsider. Raistlin heavily plagued by jealousy of his brother and peers leads him to be alone more often than not. Even in his magic school, he is not well-liked.
CHARACTERIZATION:
Caramon as shown from Raistlin’s point of view is shown to be oafish and overbearing. However, if you watch his actions. Not taking into account how Raistlin describes them, you find Caramon is a nice kid who really loves his brother. He is slow to anger and he is always fast to make friends. He gives his brother too many second chances. He is just a really good guy.
Raistlin is snide and insecure. He hides his insecurities with pride and a strong facade. He does have a very rarely seen soft side. He has sympathy and empathy for the sick and dying. However, he also treats people like garbage if they aren’t afraid or worshipping him. He treats his brother the worst. He is also very jealous of his brother’s strength and good health.
SETTING:
Raistlin and his brother living in Solace set him up on the perfect crossroads to meet travelers and have a strange ragtag group necessary for their later quests. Solace is a place where travelers cross paths and sometimes even settle down. The story takes place in just the right time before a new war starts but far enough away from the last disaster that things have settled down.
THEMATIC CONNECTION:
Soulforge develops how fate is inevitable and inescapable. Raistlin has set himself on a path that will lead to his death and overly long life. He will try to change fate only to further cement himself in his. He doesn’t know what he is setting up but he’ll regret it later.
RECOMMENDATION:
I would recommend this book to people in high school or older. This is definitely an older classic fantasy style. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who dislike fantasy or books that show moments in time and lack a solid plot for a good part of the book.
September 20, 2020
Second time reading this after years in between, and I still really like this one. I don't even know why I'm giving this four stars only! Maybe because there could have been more Raistlin's learning magic or life in school. Yeah, that's probably it. But I really liked how character-driven this was and how a fantasy novel doesn't always have to be about a quest. There are one or two in a way, but I loved to read about these characters in their everyday setting. I wholeheartedly recommend this!
May 3, 2020
A nice light read. Weis takes us back before Raistlin Majere was a powerful wizard and tells the tale of how he became a mage from his early childhood. There is a little revisionist history here that might irk some of the Dragonlance faithful but it’s good storytelling so it really doesn’t bother me.
June 23, 2023
Hugely enjoyable re-read, and a fresh breath of 80's innocence in the age of grimdark.
May 28, 2020
This book is still one of my favorite stories related to a mage's early and formative years. It has a lot of depth for a plot that involves teenagers or younger.
I think it really also gives A LOT of insight and understanding of the iconic character, Raistlin Majere. I recommend this book frequently to people who like to play wizards in D&D.
I think it really also gives A LOT of insight and understanding of the iconic character, Raistlin Majere. I recommend this book frequently to people who like to play wizards in D&D.
September 16, 2016
Il primo amore non si scorda mai. Questo vale sia per Dragonlance che per Raistlin (la mia prima e unica cotta letteraria).
Trama. La storia inizia quando Raistlin, a 6 anni, incontra il mago Antimodes e viene inquadrato come il figlio di una famiglia disastrata. La sorellastra medita di partire, la madre è mentalmente instabile e il padre non c'è mai perché lavora a lungo e lontano. Lui e il suo gemello crescono trascurati. Quando, in adolescenza, finalmente tutti i tasselli vanno al proprio posto, Raistlin si riscopre estraneo in casa propria: l'intimità con la madre viene meno; il padre non lo capisce (né ci tiene a farlo); Kitiara è partita; Caramon rincorre le ragazze e lavora stagionalmente. Raistlin in ogni momento studia sodo per sottoporsi alla Prova che lo abiliterà come mago o lo ucciderà, ricevendo in anteprima il supporto di Lunitari.
La trama in realtà funge da contorno per la definizione del carattere di Raistlin. Molte caratteristiche erano già nell'aria (per esempio, essere taciturno lo porta a pensare cose più negative che positive; a fissarsi sulle ansie; a non capire o ignorare le emozioni altrui).
Io capisco che questo è un fantasy e che la trama sembra riciclata, però un'analisi sociale e psicologica come quella qui contenuta è ormai cosa rara. Mi sono goduta ogni capitolo. "The Soulforge" ha, al contempo, il difetto di non avere troppe pretese e il pregio di avermi comunque rapita laddove nessun'altra saga lo ha fatto. Raistlin è uno dei personaggi più genuini che io abbia mai incontrato. Raistlin è un antieroe col quale è difficile non sentire affinità. I mille difetti - canonicamente parlando - della sua personalità lo rendono, paradossalmente, flawless. Impeccabile.
Il libro termina in maniera sbrigativa ma d'altronde Le Cronache di Raistlin prevedono un seguito, quindi per ora me lo faccio andar bene finché non leggo anche "Brothers in Arms".
The Test itself shattered his health, left him with weakness in his heart and lungs that will plague him the remainder of his life. He attributes that to the battle with the dark elf...
He has to confront and admit the darkness within and I have given him the eyes to see with, if he will: the hourglass eyes of the sorceress Raelana. Thus he will view time's passing in all he looks upon. Youth withers before those eyes, beauty fades, mountains crumble to dust.
I hope to pierce his arrogance, to teach him patience and to give him the ability to see inside himself, should he turn his gaze inward. There will be little joy in his life.
Trama. La storia inizia quando Raistlin, a 6 anni, incontra il mago Antimodes e viene inquadrato come il figlio di una famiglia disastrata. La sorellastra medita di partire, la madre è mentalmente instabile e il padre non c'è mai perché lavora a lungo e lontano. Lui e il suo gemello crescono trascurati. Quando, in adolescenza, finalmente tutti i tasselli vanno al proprio posto, Raistlin si riscopre estraneo in casa propria: l'intimità con la madre viene meno; il padre non lo capisce (né ci tiene a farlo); Kitiara è partita; Caramon rincorre le ragazze e lavora stagionalmente. Raistlin in ogni momento studia sodo per sottoporsi alla Prova che lo abiliterà come mago o lo ucciderà, ricevendo in anteprima il supporto di Lunitari.
La trama in realtà funge da contorno per la definizione del carattere di Raistlin. Molte caratteristiche erano già nell'aria (per esempio, essere taciturno lo porta a pensare cose più negative che positive; a fissarsi sulle ansie; a non capire o ignorare le emozioni altrui).
Io capisco che questo è un fantasy e che la trama sembra riciclata, però un'analisi sociale e psicologica come quella qui contenuta è ormai cosa rara. Mi sono goduta ogni capitolo. "The Soulforge" ha, al contempo, il difetto di non avere troppe pretese e il pregio di avermi comunque rapita laddove nessun'altra saga lo ha fatto. Raistlin è uno dei personaggi più genuini che io abbia mai incontrato. Raistlin è un antieroe col quale è difficile non sentire affinità. I mille difetti - canonicamente parlando - della sua personalità lo rendono, paradossalmente, flawless. Impeccabile.
Il libro termina in maniera sbrigativa ma d'altronde Le Cronache di Raistlin prevedono un seguito, quindi per ora me lo faccio andar bene finché non leggo anche "Brothers in Arms".
The Test itself shattered his health, left him with weakness in his heart and lungs that will plague him the remainder of his life. He attributes that to the battle with the dark elf...
He has to confront and admit the darkness within and I have given him the eyes to see with, if he will: the hourglass eyes of the sorceress Raelana. Thus he will view time's passing in all he looks upon. Youth withers before those eyes, beauty fades, mountains crumble to dust.
I hope to pierce his arrogance, to teach him patience and to give him the ability to see inside himself, should he turn his gaze inward. There will be little joy in his life.
February 24, 2013
I'm something of a fan of the Dragonlance mythos in general; the Chronicles intrigued me and seemed quite well done, and now from one of the authors of those books comes this first in a new series, the Raistlin Chronicles. When I saw that there was indeed going to be a "Raistlin Chronicles" I was highly interested. After all, Raistlin is in my opinion and in the opinions of many other Dragonlance readers the most well thought out of the protagonist characters, the most complicated in terms of personality, and one of the most important characters throughout. The Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins focused further on Raistlin and Caramon -- and I'm glad to say that this series, likewise, isn't focusing purely on Raistlin, but it's also focusing on the relationship between him and his brother. Although he often acts caustically toward him, being quick to scold, there is some real affection there and that comes out in this book.
The Soulforge tells the story of Raistlin's early life, his apprenticeship in the school of Master Theobald (A hilariously inept mage himself, at least as this book portrays him, but certainly capable enough to help some small children take their first steps on the path of magical learning), and then his Test of High Sorcery. The writing is suspenseful and kept me reading, and it was the first book I've read in some time that has kept me this interested throughout. I'm not going to spoil any more of the plot than I already have; I recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy and I'm going to try to find the second and third books in the series when I get the opportunity.
The Soulforge tells the story of Raistlin's early life, his apprenticeship in the school of Master Theobald (A hilariously inept mage himself, at least as this book portrays him, but certainly capable enough to help some small children take their first steps on the path of magical learning), and then his Test of High Sorcery. The writing is suspenseful and kept me reading, and it was the first book I've read in some time that has kept me this interested throughout. I'm not going to spoil any more of the plot than I already have; I recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy and I'm going to try to find the second and third books in the series when I get the opportunity.
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