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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Hickman", sorted by average review score:
The phoenix and the mirror
Published in Paperback by Ace Books (1978)
Authors: Avram Davidson and Stephen Hickman
Average review score:

Vergil and his adventures
In the middle ages a legend sprouted that Vergil (yes, the ld roman) was a great magician. Davidson wrote this novel within this old fantasy setting. Minotaurs and witches abound, but so does a frightfully accurate knowlege of the ancient world. Quite a good read for those who like their historical fiction to be both well grounded and full of fanciful flights.

Through the Looking Glass
This is one of those rare small volumes, which, over time, have become cult classics. Avram Davidson never enjoyed the great popularity of some of his peers, but it should be noted that he enjoys much popularity among his peers. In other words, he is very much a writer's writer. By which I mean that his writing creates even more possibilities than it fulfills.

This book develops the medieval myth that Vergil was not simply a great poet, but a master mage living in the time of Augustus Caesar. Davidson's Vergil has the kind of inquisitive mind that has a knack for leading him into trouble. So, it is no surprise that, when he is rescued from being hunted by manticores, his rescuer, Cornelia of Carsus, promptly traps him into agreeing to create a speculum majorum - a mirror made entirely of the purest materials that, on its first use, will reveal whatever the user wishes it to see. Unfortunately, such mirrors are almost impossible to make, requiring raw materials that will send Vergil on a magical quest through the Roman Empire. Eventually the task will lead the mage to Phoenixes, Cyclops, things horrible and beautiful, and finally, to love.

What makes this small novel more than just a quaint, entertaining story is the depth of understanding Davidson has of this imaginary world. Not the world of the Roman Empire itself, but the world of the Roman Empire as it was imagined by medieval Europeans. Odd but useful creatures, distant lands with strange names, alchemists and astrologers all abound between these covers. There is no page upon which something arcane and unique is not revealed. In addition, the description of the making of the mirror is precise and accurate for the imaginary world of Hermes Trismegistis and the great works of alchemy.

The book is as much a resource for anyone interested in setting a fantasy in this world of the imaginary empire, as it is a jewel-like entertainment in which knowledge is an important part of the action. It is sad to see it always wobbling on the edges of being gone forever as publishers try more and more to substitute adrenalin for writing skills. Hopefully, you will find a copy and love it, and then be led to investigate Davidson's other works. Of such are pleasant hours made.

Excellent: Puts the Magic Back In Fantasy
A mage (in a Rennaissance Earth quite similar to ours) is hired to make a magical item. The plot is OK, but the richness of detail in his many labors to construct the item is absolutely mesmerizing. Highly recommended, especially for fantasy role-players

Rebels & Tyrants (Dragonlance: Tales of the Fifth Age)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Wizards of the Coast (April, 2000)
Authors: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Average review score:

New anthology in Dragonlance world.
You'll know that going on in the world after folling of the Gods. As the land of Krynn groans beneath the rule of mighty dragon overlords, small bands of rebels spring up to battle the new oppressors. From the streets of Palanthas to the Plains of Dust, from the frozen reaches of Ergoth to the swirling waters of the Blood Sea, here are tales to stir the heart and the imagination.

Here is shot stories that I like more than long series about endless saving of the world.

Excellent
I bought this book at a barnes and noble book store (they don't have hardly any DL in their stores, btw), just because it was one of the few DL books on the shelf, and once I decided to read it (which was after a few weeks, cuz i thought the book would SUCK -- which it didn't) I was really suprised at what I read on the inside cover, that these tales are written by EXPERIENCED DL authors! Soooooooo I was like WHOA! damn, and I opened it and started reading, and I was like, really suprised man, at these awesome stories, dude.... No really, it's a really good tales book. MY fav. tale was, "The deep deep, dark dark place", which is about these gully draws and it was hilarious! Man u have to read this! Especially the one about the raid on the academy of High Sorcery, which is by Margaret Weis. It's really good =) And the other tales, of course, have some action in them! ~SO READ IT~

great collection of short stories
I liked this book of short stories in the 5th age of krynn. My favorite stories are Freedom's Pride,Sargas's night of revenge,Sharing the luck,Lost Causes,Blood Ties,Shard's Memory,Tactics, and Raid on the Academy of Sorcery. If you like Dragonlance and the world of Krynn then you will like this book.

The History of Dragonlance: Being the Notes, Journals, and Memorabilia of Krynn (Dragonlance Setting)
Published in Paperback by Wizards of the Coast (June, 1995)
Authors: Margaret Weis, Eric Severson, Tracy Hickman, and Maryls Heeszel
Average review score:

Not what I expected, but it was good nonetheless.
This book includes the Holidays of Krynn, lots of songs, very good recipes (The Kender Wild Rice Delight was rather interesting...), and lots of journals/short stories. It's a must for any DL fan, but is pretty much an expansion of "Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home", which was better than this. However, they are both good.

If you want to know ALL about Dragonlance... This is it...
The History of Dragonlance is an all-encompassing follow-up to the immensly popular "Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home" More songs, poems, histories, interviews (with Heroes Tasslehoff Burrfoot and Flint Fireforge), "Serfing the Net" with the Gnomes of Mount Nevermind, and the ever-popular "More Recipe's from Tika's Cookbook", make this an excellent companion book to the Dragonlance Series. As a stand-alone book it has valuable information for the old readers and new readers alike. If you are really into Dragonlance, and would like a excellent book for source marterials, this is THE book for you. Chris Martin

Such Good People
Published in Hardcover by Warner Books (May, 1996)
Author: Martha Whitmore Hickman
Average review score:

How We Grieve
Though, at first, the book felt ponderous & slow-moving, I remembered from my own experience that grieving is like depression--one feels heavy, slowed, fatigued, as though weighted down or underwater. The author captures that feeling well in her narrative of a family grieving. For those going through (or who have gone through) a grief experience, this novel will feel very familiar. The author is skillful at creating events & descriptions that evoke an "aha" response of familiarity & recognition in the reader. My favorite authors can provide for me a sense of seeing myself in a character or a situation, a sense of identification. Ms. Hickman does this well in this sensitive novel.

True life wrapped up in fiction
Even though it is fiction, I thought this book was very accuate.Annie seems to be your typical teenager,wrapped up in sex and rebellion.The parents are like most parents of today -refusing to put their foot down for fear they will lose her.Then like that in a freak accident she is gone.The rest of the book describing the familys grieving and adjustment to life after her death is really rich and truthful.

"Wild Bill" Hickman and the Mormon Frontier
Published in Paperback by Signature Books (February, 1989)
Author: Hope A. Hilton
Average review score:

Bill Hickman seen from a detached descendant's perspective
Wild Bill Hickman and the Mormon Fronter is an action-packed biography of the author's grandfather that puts together the life of one of Utah's living legends. Not much has been written about Bill Hickman in book-length form. Though a direct descendant of the subject of the book, Hope Hilton remains detached and avoids the glorification syndrome so often seen with family history writing. Bill Hickman led a colorful life, a life that many would consider to be the antithesis of the ideals which are espoused by the Mormon church. Hilton maintained that Hickman "killed more men than he saved." In this biography one learns that Brigham Young may have been responsible for ordering some of the killings allegedly perpetrated by Hickman. Hilton obtained much of her information from Hickman's autobiography Brigham's Destroying Angel, which Hickman wrote following his apostasy from the Mormon church. Therefore, much of his material might be questionable, as his autobiography was written during bitter times. The author takes the reader through every major phase of Hickman's life, from the east to the west coast, and finally ending with Hickman's death, couched in relative obscurity. I would recommend this book to all those who enjoy a touch of rebellion and excitement.

Accurately depicts a colorful western figure's life
"Wild Bill" Hickman And The Mormon Frontier is a fascinating biography of William Adams ("Wild Bill") Hickman, by his descendant, Hope A. Hilton. Wild Bill was one of the most notorious figures of the 19th century American frontier. A Mormon (who was eventually excommunicated) married ten wives under the Mormon doctrine of polygamy, and who fathered thirty-five children, served as a spy for church presidents Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and operated as a guerilla of the Utah war. All of this and much, much more, accurately depicts a colorful western figure's life is plainly presented, and makes for a fascinating look at the Old West within the context of the Mormon community in the western frontier that was to eventual form the states of Utah, Idaho, western Nevada, and northern Arizona.

Ravenloft (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons)
Published in Paperback by Wizards of the Coast (November, 1983)
Author: Tracy Hickman
Average review score:

Pretty Good but no INFORMATION that helps
This is a boring campaign w/stupid rules. Don't bother with it..

The original that started it all...
This module is the stand alone adventure that introduced Strahd Von Zarovich and the land of Barovia that eventually grew to be the entire Ravenloft campaign setting. Even if we disregard what came later, this adventure is astoundingly good. The maps are incredible, the emphasis on character interaction rather than hack-n-slash fighting is apreciated, and the use of cards to randomly determine key elements of the plot insures that the story will be different every time you run it. Even 2 decades after it was published this one has held up surprisingly well and compares favorably to the modules that are currently out today.

One of the best AD&D modules of all time.
Tracy and Laura Hickman of DragonLance fame authored this fantastic module. This module introduced gothic horror to the Dungeons and Dragons game and formed the basis for the entire Ravenloft campaign setting. The module itself is beautifully rendered. The artwork, maps, and accessories are all first rate. The Hickmans bring the villain Strahd to life and make him much more than just a blood-sucking vampire. His motivations are well thought out and quite plausible. Although, I do not play in the Ravenloft campaign setting very often, this module will always have a special place in my heart. And remember. The mists of Ravenloft know no bounds. You just might end up invited to the House of Strahd as a dinner guest!

Remote Depossession
Published in Paperback by Hickman Systems Pub (24 March, 1997)
Author: Irene, D.O. Hickman
Average review score:

Excellent content but needed some spellchecking
The content of this book is very valuable in that Dr. Hickman addresses a very unique approach to therapy. Dr. Hickman hypnotizes an assistant who then reads a remotely located patient/person, and then the assistant removes spirits or dark entities to the light.

I appreciate the fact that she mentions St Michael and his helpers. St Michael is critical to this work.

The only reason that I gave only 4 stars is that Dr. Hickman must have written this on a manual typewriter and failed to have a spell/grammar check done by an editor. There are glaring errors in every chapter.

I highly recommend that one also reads Dr. Edith Fiore's book, The Unquiet Dead.

Save someone you love!
After perusing a friend's copy of this work, a few months later I found myself in a meditation circle when a member began speaking in demonic tones. Needless to say, others in the room became fearful. As for myself I used what little I had garnered from an quick tour of this book to take control of the situation and later the person involved told a friend of mine that I had helped to "save" his life. I am extremely grateful for the straight forward, practical sensibility of the book and its examples of real life cases of depossession. It has shown me that there is much work to be done in the world, as far as drug and sexual abuse, violence, and mental illnesses that remain untreatable.

A MUST READ if you know an "addict" of any type!
My sister met the author, Irene Hickman, D.O., at an Edgar Cayce workshop & sent me her two books, REMOTE DEPOSSESSION and MIND PROBE-HYPNOSIS. Having been a D.O. since 1948 (she's in her 80's now), she learned to use hypnotherapy in her practice because it seemed to help people heal. When hearing Dr. Edith Fiore (THE UNQUIET DEAD) speak in Brazil about "discarnates/entities" (spirits of people who have died but remained earthbound) being responsible for many of people's illnesses, she began to use hypnotherapy to communicate with these "discarnates" who have "attached" themselves to people to "free" them, resulting in remarkable "cures" which are documented in REMOTE DEPOSSESSION and MIND PROBE-HYPNOSIS. She has found one or more entities in every addict she has worked with! A very valuable book for anyone interested in healing!

The Seventh Gate
Published in Hardcover by Bantam Books (September, 1994)
Authors: Margaret Weis and Hickman
Average review score:

A disappointing end to a great tale
Having read the first books of the Death Gate Cycle, I expected something truly grand and magnificent for conclusion. However, I was deeply disappointed to find that the book was, seemingly, written in a hurry and without any of the depth or conviction of the earlier books in the series.
Haplo, the main character, having gone through a convincing change from dark antihero to beginning self-awareness and struggle for truth, suddenly seems to loose all depth and become stereotype and almost boring. His actions, and those of the other important characters are obvious and predictable, as is the plot. Some things, such as Haplo's incarnation in Dog rather than letting him follow his destiny, is directly illogical and disturbing to the flow of the story. The ending itself is a disappointment - the tale of the sundered worlds deserves a more convincing and better described conclusion.
All in all, the book lacks the vivid visions and enthralling story and language of the rest of the Cycle. It feels as if the authors have lost their feeling and enthusiasm for the tale they have been telling - which is truly a shame.

not as good as I expected from this series
Having just finished reading the entire Death Gate Cycle, I can say I have to agree with the other reviewers who said this book was just not up to par. The most disappointing thing about it is not the actual events of the plot, but the inferior writing style it exhibits. This book lacks the immersive language and attention to detail that really made the series shine. The whole book just feels like a skeleton with no flesh. (Consider the fact that this book is about 150 pages shorter than all the others and uses embarassingly large, spaced-out print). It's like they whipped something up just to beat a deadline. It also lacked the subtlety of the earlier books: instead of planting seeds of wonder in the reader's mind, this one just beats you over the head with its main moral (i.e. can't we all just get along?). Not that it's bad enough to ruin the whole series. Death Gate is still a quality series and this book has its share of moments, like when Haplo confronts Xar before the entrance to Death's Gate. That image gave me chills. Some plot issues seem unresolved, like the dog (OK, I get it, it's Haplo's soul. But that doesn't explain why Alfred trips over it in Death's Gate, or how it gave Ramu an incurable wound.) Also somebody pointed out that Alfred's past is not completely resolved. So basically, a disappointing ending to a fabulous fantasy series.

One of my all time favorites
So. After getting through Tolkien's incredibly complex and epic Lord of the Rings, here I am, right back in the upper middle of the proverbial chain of fantasy novel quality. Not that this series is at all mediocre -- it is actually a very, very top notch piece of work. True, Tolkien's novels were better thought out and written with a deeper and more deliberate use of language, but it's just so nice to instead read something that's a little more comprehensible, a series that makes excellent use of simpler language and contains quite a bit of modern humor.

But I gotta stop here. Unlike many, I won't even attempt to compare The Death Gate Cycle with Tolkien's masterpiece; not because one is distinctly better than the other, but because the two are completely different entities from different time periods.

I absolutely loved the Death Gate Cycle. I loved it. The series was exciting, original, and completely satisfied my fantasy fix. It had the right balance of everything that makes a story truly epic and unforgettable -- action, suspence, love, tragedy, comic relief, great characters, equally great character development, and finally the ability to get into your mind and leave you dying to dish out some cash and get your hands on the next novel. ^__^

I'll admit, however, that the first and last books in the series were... iffy. The start -- Dragon Wing -- was much too slow for anyone with a short attention span. The ending -- The Seventh Gate -- was too forced. Not BAD, mind you, just hurried and at times confusing. Weis and Hickman could have easily added about 100 more pages to the last book and truly concluded the series.

Fortunately, the start and fin are the only major down points in the Death Gate Cycle. The five novels in between are more than worth your time and money (Serpent Mage and Into the Labyrinth are probably my favorites among them). Each character in the series is distinctive, well-developed, memorable, and overall enjoyable. The worlds are very well-conceived (How do Weis and Hickman do it? It boggles the mind...), and the plotline is almost always smooth and flowing.

My advice? Whether or not you like fantasy, get the first two novels of the Death Gate Cycle and give them a try. If you find you like them (and you probably will), you'll thank me. If you don't, then hey, you're only down a couple of bucks.

Well of Darkness (Sovereign Stone Trilogy, Vol 1)
Published in Hardcover by HarperCollins (September, 1900)
Authors: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Average review score:

Dark, Wonderous World with No Real Hero

I thought the Well of Darkness was a unique fantasy story with many new twists to some of the old races, like dwarves and elves, but there was no real *star* in the book that I liked. The characters were either annoyingly good, or evil enough that I felt like killing them myself.

All in all, I am glad I got the book from my local library, instead of buying it right away like I considered. I think the book is worth a read and even a re-read, but I would wait to buy it in the paperback form. Hopefully the second book will introduce some characters I can begin to care about, like the outstanding Death Gate series that Weis and Hickman wrote.

A fantastic introduction to an exciting new world!
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have been telling stories of fantastic worlds for over 15 years. WELL OF DARKNESS gives us another kind of world, where the Tolkienesque races and concepts are not quite what we'd expect. Elves are concerned with honor, face, and distrust magic. Orks are a sea-faring race whose superstitious predictions have an eerie habit of coming true. The gods, who take such an active role in the worlds of Dragonlance and Rose of the Prophet, are distant and uninterested in this new world.

This is a story of love, loyalty, and difficult choices. Gareth is brought to Vinnengael as the Whipping Boy for young Prince Dagnarus -- and fills his role both literally and figuratively, absorbing the emotional impact of Dagnarus' choices while the Prince grows more selfish and ambitious. Gareth is torn between his love for Dagnarus and his admiration for the king's oldest son, Helmos. The two princes become polar opposites--Helmos striving for ideals impossible in the real world, while Dagnarus becomes increasingly amoral in the pursuit of his own goals. This book is slightly darker and a bit more political than some of Weis and Hickman's other efforts--but this book stands out as one of the best fantasy novels in recent memory. The world is fully realized, from the gardens of the elves to the waterfalls of Vinnengael, with characters who are not black and white--but rather varying shades of grey. Readers will each put this book down with a different view of the characters and events described, and may find themselves drawn back to read it again to understand how chance, fate, and choice lead to the novel's unsettling conclusion.

One of their best yet...
Once in a great while, you find a book that turns conventionsal fantasy on its ear. Well of Darkness does just that, but to explain how would be a grave injustice to the reader. The World of Loerem is one that must be explored. What it borrows from the traditions of Tolkien and classic fantasy it quickly makes its own. Not since Death Gate, have Weis and Hickman produced such an ambitious tale, full of evocative imagery, strange and alluring races, and powerful characters.

As the title implies, there is a dark quality we do not often see in their work. Weis and Hickman have proven that they aren't afraid to take heroic fantasy out of its pristine, plastic packaging. They succeed in showing us the dark side of the human soul, without preaching and without the needless and overbearing sex and violence that so many fantasy authors fall prey to. What remains is a dynamic story of human nature, where no soul is purely good nor evil.

If you've ever been a Weis & Hickman fan, take the opportunity to read this book. If you've never read Weis & Hickman, this is a wonderful place to begin.

The Second Generation
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Wizards of the Coast (February, 2002)
Authors: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and Fizban the Fabulous
Average review score:

Ok, but dissapointing
I loved the original Dragonlance series. The characters were great and the plots were very well written. Those characters seemed like real people. They had problems, but were able to become heroes anyway. Their children, apparently, haven't inherited these characteristics. Only Kitiara and Sturm's son seems to have potential. Caramon's son, Palin, could, but the rest seemed shallow and just there to fill a role. If Raistlin's daughter exists, it seems that she would be interesting, but that's as far as anything goes.

The only really part of this book that got really interesting was the last part. And it was just getting interesting because it was focusing on the characters from other books (Tanis and Dalamar). I don't know how this compares to other books dealing with these characters. I hope they are better. The reason I gave this 3 stars was because Weiss and Hickman are able to write an interesting story (even though it seems like the only insult they can write is to call someone a 'doorknob'). If you are new to Dragonlance, read the original stories first and then the Twins trilogy.

Weis & Hickman revisit the Dragonlance universe!
For those of you who don't already know this (like me before I actually sat down and read it), this book is actually five short stories. They are loosely tied together and told in chronological order. They are basically designed to introduce the reader to the offspring of the Heroes of the Lance. These new characters play prominent roles in Weis and Hickman's DRAGONS OF SUMMER FLAME.

The first story is KITIARA'S SON. It tells the story of...umm...well...Kitiara's son. I won't tell you who the father is since that's one of the surprises of the story (I guarantee you will never guess this one!). In it, Weis and Hickman explore some of their favorite themes: love, honor, and duty. It is a very intriguing story and very well written.

LEGACY tells the story of Caramon and Tika's son Palin. We are also introduced to two of his other sons, Tanin and Sturm. Another classic tale from these two founders of the Dragonlance world. We again see the brilliant characterization and character interaction that made the CHRONICLES and LEGENDS trilogies so great to read.

We get a better look at the interaction between Caramon's three sons in WANNA BET? We get to see Weis and Hickman's classic humor once again in this story (albeit, without a glimpse of a kender's topknot). The situations these three men get themselves into despite their best efforts made me laugh out loud.

RAISTLIN'S DAUGHTER regales us with a legend circulating in the land of Krynn, the unbelievable story that Raistlin fathered a child. This story introduces new characters that play very important roles in DRAGONS OF SUMMER FLAME. I was kind of disappointed in this story. The characters just didn't seem as vivid as in the others. The story was interesting, but it just didn't seem to come alive for me.

The last story involves Tanis and his son Gilthas. It is an emotionally charged story of elven political intrigue. Weis and Hickman again nail their characterization with this story. The elven politician that played a pivotal role was excellently drawn, although I would have liked a bit more insight as to his motivations.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. It's not required reading if you're going to pick up DRAGONS OF SUMMER FLAME, but it will give you a better understanding of the characters. Weis and Hickman definitely still have what it takes to spin a good Dragonlance tale.

Expected something else, pleased nonetheless
When I ordered this book, I was expecting a novel perhaps split into three divisions. The book is five short stories, barely linked with each other. After understanding this is merely a setup book for Dragons of Summer Flame, I was slightly less displeased.

The first story is about Kitiara's son who is forging his own path. The love of a mother and two heroes are bent on helping him chose the right path. This novel was excellent. There was not a dull moment and was a very fast read, too fast in points where I wish it would stop and go into more detail. Next, the Legacy. If you've read Tales I, its the same novella. This is the greatest DL short story. It is non-stop suspense with twists and dark secrets around every corner, with impending doom the final outcome. If you do nothing else, READ THIS. You'll really enjoy it. Think I've given too much away? I haven't even see the iceburg of this story in my review.

"Wanna bet?" is another repeat from the Tales series. This is the bonding experience of Caramon and Tika's sons. They start out seeking knighthood (Palin simply going along because he is told, and wants to win approval). The journey has a great foreword which leads much to the imagination and stimulates you to read on. The climax was great, but the resolution of events was poorly done. This is the only reason I gave this book 4 instead of 5 (That and they just repeat the Tales series).

Raistlin's Daughter is the fourth novella. I don't remember reading this in any Tales trilogy, but I could be mistaken as it has been a while. All I can say about this is wow. The rising actions in the plot are slow and take some pushing at points. Take a few breaks and skim when necessary. The details you'll need will jump out at you. The climax and ending are INCREDIBLE. That's all I can say about that.

The Sacrafice is a story that will obviously setup Dragons of the Summer Flame (rather than merely introduce characters and backgrounds as the others). There are some excellent political actions chapters and a few physical/magical displays. You'll really enjoy this novella if you liked the 3rd chronicle, Dragons of Spring Dawning.

Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. Expect to see some repeats if you've read the Tales series. If you haven't though, don't bother with Tales series and just get this book. Its an enjoyable read and setup.

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