Re: SJ Reviews: The Novels

>Paul Westermeyer said: The Radiant Dragon [1992]
by Elaine Cunningham
Rating: ****

I'm surprised that you gave "The Radiant Dragon" such a high rating, 
personally, I didn't like that one at all.  She pretty much axed Estriss 
and Gomja out of the story right away, which, incidently, may be one of 
the reasons that Hectate Kir was written out right away in the next book.

I found it odd that the Imprial Fleet would only send a Swan Ship on such 
an important mission instead of a Man-O-War.  I also didn't understand 
what would have compelled anyone in the Imperial Fleet to make Teldin a 
captain over obviously more experienced officers.  

OK, start thinking like a Fleet Officer.  Why in the world would you even 
let Rozloom on board?  Let alone not make him a prime suspect in all of 
the goings-on?  

In the beginning, when they encountered the first MOW in RealmSpace that 
was illithid controlled, why didn't they try to rescue the Imperial Fleet 
officers?  Instead they just mowed them down like so many orcs.  And when 
they encountered the MOW in WinterSpace filled with witchlight mauauders, 
why didn't they torch that ship, instead of letting it drift away?

I thought that Estriss would have been a little more grief stricken over 
learning the fate of Alfred Silverhorn, perhaps his only friend, yet he 
seemed to just shrug it off.  After all, Estriss was fond enough of him to 
give him "the Probe."

And then there was the whole "do I trust him or not?" thing that Teldin 
experienced that just got old after a while.  He certainly didn't trust 
Estriss, who may have been his only friend throughout the whole ordeal.

Why did Teldin mourn the orcs of Armistice, and Pearl too, but he didn't 
mourn the elves on the 3rd MOW that came in to try to save the crew of the 
Trumpeter?  Those elves didn't do anything except try to rescue the 
Trumpeter, and Pearl just destroyed the ship and killed it's crew like it 
was nothing?  And Teldin didn't care about them?  But oh, those poor, poor 
orcs that are trying to kill me?  Too bad for them, huh?

I would have gave the book 2 stars, mainly for the insight on bionoid 
society and some of the descriptiveness and feel she brought.  I liked 
Hectate Kir and the general story line itself was ok.  I just thought that 
everyone treated the elves pretty callously and seemed to care more about 
practically everyone and everything else out there BUT the elves.

--Blackmaer