Before the Mask (Dragonlance Saga, Villains Series, Volume 1)
Before the Mask (Dragonlance Saga, Villains Series, Volume 1)
Chronicles the life of the evil Verminaard, from his humble beginnings to his career as a despised ruler. By the authors of The Oath and the Measure. Original. 150,000 first printing.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Before the Mask
An Excellent series to begin for Dragon Lance. This is Book 1. I enjoyed it alot. There is action, corrruption and so much going on. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have.
2 Stars Just Not Interesting
This is the story of Verminaard, unloved [...] son of Solamnic Knights, and his road to evil. Though far from being a bad book, it just didn’t draw me in. Verminaard’s evilness seems to be inborne rather than reactionary, to the point that the supposed contributing factors - the unloving father, the loss of the beloved brother - seem more like asides and much less sympathetic. Likewise with his half-brother Aglaca, who is unfailingly upbeat and loyal for no apparent reason. I understand the story the Williamses were trying to tell, and it took a while to put my finger on what was wrong. Then I realized it was missing a vital element of all great drama: levity. The human experience is not serious all the time. Even in the grimmest tales there is laughter. The unrelenting depression of this book left me frankly unmoved.
3 Stars Mike Williams Best Dragonlance Book
What can I say?? I read Mr. Williams 2 heroes books The Weasels Luck and Galen Beknighted and thought they were the worst books in Dragonlance history. Honestly, I bought this book just for my collection actually being on the fence if I wanted to read it or not just because of who wrote it. But I did give it a shot and in a way I’m happy. Basically it goes without stating that Verminaard is the Darth Vader of the Dragonlance Saga.
He had a father that for selfish reasons hated and loathed him. He finds a Magical Mace and hears strange seductive voices that tell him what he wants to hear. He listens and becomes evil. It’s cool and annoying at the same time. The story is very predictable and yet done just good enough to keep you interested. It has it’s slow parts where you have to push yourself to read it but at least in this book it’s fairly counterbalanced(Unlike the heroes books where you had to go through so much crap to get to the good ending) Overall Mike Williams delivers a solid book here. Nothing great, Not must read material but good all the same. (P.S. The two hero books he wrote gets 1 star for the first a poor book and 2 stars for Galen Beknighted an average at best book.)
2 Stars What a disappointment!
I’m not the kind of person who watches a movie or reads a book based on the actors in it or who wrote it. A good actor can make a horrible movie just as easily as a bad actor can & vice verca.
Same goes for writers - although I haven’t read a bad Weis & Hickman book yet. However, Micheal Williams has butchered every DL book he has ever written. He absolutely bores me to death.
I couldn’t wait to read this book because I loved Emperor Of Ansalon & Black Wing. I thought this was going to be another good villian based book. Even though I hadn’t liked any of the other Williams books, I thought this was a can’t miss. Unfortunately, I was bored by page 130.
I have to add this one to Weasel’s Luck,Galen Beknighted,The Companions,Darkness & Light and Kendermore as DL books to skip.
4 Stars It is a wonderful book, but sad.
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. It was sad for me though because it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it too but it turned out the way it had to. If you can get this book, get it ASAP!
Filed under: Dragonlance Reviews
