Relics and Omens

I've read very few Dragonlance stories in this last decade. The last ones were Dalamar the Dark (2018) and Lord Soth (2019). They were a trip back in time on the Dragonlance timeline. As I finished the series 'Chaos War' prior to that, I thought it good to continue and "finish" that period - or rather, start the new one - with at least the tales following that war, starting with 'Relics and Omens'. I don't know yet if I'll read the other 2 anthologies (Heroes and Fools, Rebels and Tyrants) first or start with the trilogy 'Dragons of a New Age' next.

Like all anthologies in the Dragonlance universe, each other is presented shortly, and anthologists Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman provided a short overview of the pitch of each story. Such show more stories aren't canon, just offer entertainment, sometimes have returning characters or cross-linked elements, like the sword in Richard A. Knaak's 'Sword of Tears', which apparently also appeared in 'The Legend of Huma' (still on my TBR-list).

But anyway, the gods and magic have left Krynn, people are now to govern themselves, rely on their own skills and believe in themselves. Or has all magic really disappeared?

As the original 'Tales' series contained good stories, but were overall not that outstanding, it's a bit the same for this anthology, though, as others wrote, it does contains some pretty good stories, here indicated by (*). The ones by Mr Stein and Mrs Rabe were the ones I liked the least.

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Table of contents
Introduction
Icefall - Douglas Niles (*)
Legacy - Nancy Varian Berberick (*)
Sword of Tears - Richard A. Knaak (*)
The Cost - Robyn McGrew
A Most Peculiar Artifact - Janet Pack (*)
Voices - Kevin T. Stein
The Notorious Booke of Starres - Nick O'Donohoe
Scavengers - Jean Rabe
Homecoming - William W. Connors and Sue Weinlein Cook
The Restoration - Jeff Crook (*)
Relics - Jeff Grubb (*)
The Summoners - Paul B. Thompson (*)
Island of Night - Roger E. Moore
Demons of the Mind - Margaret Weis and Don Perrin show less

This is a short story collection concerning the beginning of the fifth age of Krynn, including a story by Weis of the legendary hero Caramon Majere. The gods have again abandoned the world or so it is believed and vast changes come to the world. Gigantic evil dragons have appeared out of nowhere and begin to devour the souls of any weaker dragons that cross thier paths, dividing the planet among themselves making them overlords of vast territories. Magic and clerical powers have vanished from the world, in thier place wild and heart magic begin to emerge. Mages also search for articacts to drain thier energy to power spells Throw in there afflicted kender and chaos demons as well.. Each story takes on one of these change to give you the show more feel of a world in absolute chaos and the hope the gods will again return. show less

La Quinta Era es una época de cambios drásticos para los habitantes de Krynn. Al parecer, los dioses los han abandonado una vez más, y unos dragones monstruosos han surgido de la nada para devorar a sus congéneres más indefensos y dominar el mundo. Pero precisamente en la oscuridad es donde arde con más fuerza la llama de la esperanza.