Why is this book in such miserable shape? Because near the very end of the book, my favorite character to that point was killed. I couldn’t bear to read anymore for a long while, even though we’re talking like maybe 30 more pages. I kept the book in my bag for months, waiting for the moment I would eventually finish the book. It suffered for it.

Released in 1985, Dragons of Winter Night is the Empire Strikes Back of the series. The soap opera elements ramps up a bit, but I recall the book overall feeling much more cohesive than Dragons of Autumn Twilight. Hickman and Weis wrote this and Spring Dawning before the modules, so that makes sense, whereas Autumn Twilight was worked around the already written modules.

I love how the blue Dragon Highlord’s pose makes her look like a sulking kid. All these years later, though, I am a little annoyed that the only reason Highlord armor is gender neutral is to hide her identity. Meanwhile, Laurana is stuck wearing that stupid all-to-literal breastplate. I guess I should be happy that everyone is at least wearing pants (too cold for cheesecake?).

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