The Death Gate Cycle Review

The authors The Death Gate Cycle Sequence are Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

There are seven books in The Death Gate Cycle Sequence.

Dragon Wing

Elven Star

Fire Sea

Serpent Mage

The Hand of Chaos

Into the Labyrinth

The Seventh Gate

The Death Gate Cycle revolves around two powerful magicians, Alfred and Haplo, who's backgrounds create great conflicts. These two main characters wield magics of opposite powers; Alfred's magic is invoked by dancing while Haplo's comes from the runes that are engraved in his skin. The two races of magicians are ancient foes, and in a war Alfred's kind locked Haplo's people in the Labyrinth, a place of death.

Haplo is an escaper of the labryinth, a feat that not many can boast. He has banded with a group of refugees from the labryinth, and he is sent out to explore the worlds. Haplo is a strong magician with the ability to endure and a weak sense of forgiveness.

Alfred, on the other hand is from a race of magicians that invoke their magic by singing and dancing special rites of magic. They are considered a graceful people while Haplo's kind are considered crude. Alfred is an outcast of his kind, so to say, because he is so clumsy.

These two wizards, Haplo and Alfred, ancient enemies, are suddenly in a dire life-threatening situation, and they are left with the choice of whether to work together or live in their past differences.

The Death Gate Cycle was an enjoyable series that was very captivating and often hilarious. I would say, though, that it deserves an 8 rating for a couple of reasons. The series seemed to be all plot, with sparse character development and hardly any history. The plot was very interesting and well written...and often VERY funny. Some of the characters in this book were the funniest I have ever read before. Here are the stats of the series that I think weigh it as an eight:

Character development: okay, rudimentary but not detailed

Plot/plot development: great, very interesting and captivating

Literature: fairly good

Fantasy theme: good, no fantasy races, though -- all humans

Overall enjoyment: A "fun" book...not the kind you will remember forever, though

Give this series a try. Once you have started, you won't want to stop. It's not the kind of book that is going to change your life or your outlook on the world, though. It's just going to be "one of those books you read..." But it's sure funny.

Not much here...just make sure that you give the credit to both of the authors: Margaret Weis AND Tracy Hickman. These two are great-fantasy writers, and they are on the Dragonlance staff. You might hear something about them in AD&D as well.