The Legend of Huma

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The Legend of Huma

DragonLance - Heroes - Volume 1 - Legend of Huma, The - Mass Market - USA.jpg

Mass market - USA - 1st edition.

Author Richard A. Knaak
Published 1987-08-??
Type Fiction
Genre Fantasy
Themes Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship
Age Group Teen

The Legend of Huma is a fantasy novel by Richard A. Knaak published in March 1988. The book is part of the DragonLance franchise and serves as a prequel to the main series, so it doesn't feature any of the original companions. It is the first novel in the Heroes series.

In the story, Takhisis, goddess of evil, has joined her denizens with renegade wizards and now outnumber the forces of Paladine, god of good, so she begins a a massive war to try and conquer the world of Krynn for her own. The book follows Huma, a knight of Solamnia and follower of Paladine, as he fights for the dwindling forces of good. Along the way, he befriends three unlikely companions: a minotaur named Kaz, an enigmatic silver dragon, and Magius, his childhood friend turned rogue wizard. Along his journey, Huma frequently struggles with his oath to the knighthood and his love for his misfit friends.

Personal

Own?Mass market - USA - later edition with a $5.99 price.
Read?Audiobook read by Richard Topol.
Finished2023-05-17.

I bought this book when I was around 20-years-old, either from a B. Dalton or Waldenbooks, and made it about a quarter through before giving up on it, though I'm not sure why as I remember enjoying it. Each time I saw it on my shelf, I reminded myself that I wanted to read it, but it wasn't until I found an audio book that I decided to give it another chance. I did find it enjoyable, and it has become my favorite book in the franchise, but, now in my 40s, it felt a bit too juvenile.

Review

Overall:

Rating-6.svg

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • Richard A. Knaak's writing style adds desperately needed sophistication to DragonLance. None of the slapstick silliness or blatant Dungeons & Dragons rules from Chronicles are present here, and the story addresses more mature concepts like honor, conflicting loyalties, and self-doubt, all of which are well-suited for teens. I still wouldn't call the writing style "adult," but it's a huge improvement.
  • Knaak's descriptions of the Dread Wolves are quite palpable.
  • The book has several enjoyable characters like Huma, Kaz, Magius, Rennard, and several others. They are well-written and have depth and flaws. Huma is fearful and doubting, but courageous and loyal making him a reluctant hero; Kaz is hot tempered, but true to his word; and so on.

Bad

  • The prologue, a historian describing updates in the in-universe historical record, is quite dull, and nothing comes from it later.
  • The "monster in the woods" is obviously going to be Kaz, so all the build up is unnecessary.
  • Initially, Huma's self-doubt, especially in how he compares himself to other knights, is an effective way at showing his uncertainty, but, it gets repeated too many times in the same manner throughout the book.
  • Also, too many times Huma is willing to sacrifice his life for his friends or ideals. While this initially makes him seem noble, you start to wonder how he ever made it to adulthood with such little value for his own skin.
  • The followers who most reflect Paladine speak about the importance of a balance between good and evil. In fact, Huma, who is said to be the mortal who most embodies the ideals of Paladine, refuses to vanquish Takhisis when given the chance, but this is far more befitting a god of neutrality. While I find this a more interpretation of morality, it doesn't fit with the simple system of good, neutral, and evil laid out in the setting.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Media

Covers

Representation

Strong female character?FailGwyneth is powerful, but she really only exists for Huma. Takhisis is also powerful, but isn't present enough to count.
Bechdel test?FailThe few named women only ever talk about Huma.
Strong person of color character?FailAs far as I can tell, all of the human characters are white.
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Links

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