Sellsword, the: Anvil of Time Volume 1: (Dragonlance Novels: Anvil of Time) [Mass Market Paperback]

The Sellsword by Cam Banks is the first novel in the Anvil of Time series, set in the world of DragonLance. It is Mr. Banks first novel, however, he does have a short story that was included in the anthology Dragons of Time (Dragonlance Anthology) that story is called `Chain of Fools'. The second book in this series is scheduled for release in November, 2008 and is called, The Survivors - it is being written by Dan Willis, the third book is scheduled for release in March, 2009 and is titled Renegade Wizards and is being written by Lucien Soulban.

The plot of this book, at least to start with, is about a Sellsword who accepts an assignment from a local lord. Little does he know that this is anything but a simple assignment. There are an assortment of mishaps, near-misses, and run-ins with people from his past. There are also a couple subplots woven into this story as well. Such as, just what the relationship between the Sellsword (Vanderjack) and his sword, the designs of an evil mage and what his scheme really is about, lastly, there is the subplot of the Dragon Highlord Rivven and what her many plans are and how they affect Vanderjack and his companions. Plot wise, for a Dragonlance book, it is about average if not a little lacking. The entire plot, at least for me seemed rather shallow and only we I got to the end did it really pique my interest. Before the ending, I was apathetic to it. It is not a bad plot, but there is really nothing here that made me sit back and say wow either.

The characters are equally as average. Sure, they each have some uniqueness, but I found myself not really connecting with them throughout the novel. Characters such as Vanderjack, Theodenes, Gredchen, Rivven, Star, and Cazuvel are all decent characters but nothing about them really stood out for me. I don't mean that they are flat characters, but I think some of the feelings I have derive from the fact that even though there are many events, it seems that perceptive readers will be able to gather the outcome of the book fairly early. If you are looking for surprises from characters, they are few and far between in this novel. While there are hints of greatness with these characters, it seems that they fall just short of that extra level to be memorable.

A couple criticisms about this novel are;

1 - There is a great deal of humor in this novel. At times it fits perfectly, yet, at other times it seems really forced and doesn't mesh with the events that are occurring. Don't get me wrong, I love humor in fantasy novels, in fact I have often said I wish there were more of it, yet this may be the case of too much of a good things ruins it. After a while, I honestly because frustrated with some of the attempted humor.

2 - I wish there was more character development, or at least something to make these characters more memorable. As a long time fantasy reader, I felt a little cheated that these characters didn't seem to reach their full potential. They did just enough to get through the story, but that extra stuff wasn't really there.

Some of the brighter spots of this novel are:

1 - Mr. Bank's prose is fluid and easy to read. For the most part he allowed the story to speak for itself. He provided enough description, without over doing it allowing the reader to see both his vision, but also the reader's vision as well. It was a nice balance.

2 - The ending proves that Mr. Banks did have a solid vision for this novel and was able to tie everything together nicely. I think with some more practice and the honing of skills, Mr. Banks will weave start to weave stories that are both interesting and impactful. It's only a matter of time.

I realize this is Mr. Bank's first full length novel and as such, there are bound to be a few bumps in the road. However, based on this novel and Chain of Fools, I am willing to take a look at his next novel to see what, if anything, he has learned. Fans of the Dragonlance world will probably want to pick this up, but they should temper their expectations as well. Fans looking to start reading in the Dragonlance world would be best served by starting with the class Dragonlance Chronicles and working out from those. When all is said and done, this is an average Dragonlance novel, but the author does show some promise as a writer.

I have a long history as a Dragonlance fan. I began as a player in the late eighties, and became a DL reader shortly after. I've got quite a few under my belt.

The quality has always been very inconsistent, the range being from true fantasy classic to absolute trash--sometimes reaching both extremes in the same trilogy. In my reading experience, the reason for this has mainly been because a Dragonlance story has to both fit in with the details of the setting (difficult for a series with over a hundred novels, numerous game products, and a fan base that is religious in their attention to, "canon"), and it must adhere to a certain thesis.

All too often, Dragonlance novels either get details wrong, such as the color of draconians, or they ignore the thesis.

I'm sure some will disagree with me, but Dragonlance has always been about finding faith. Sometimes it's faith in the gods--In Dragonlance, gods take an active role in the lives of mortals. Other times, the quest is for faith in yourself, or in an ideal, or in your friends--whatever the individual quest, it is always about finding faith. The truly great DL novel has to fit into the world of Krynn, be well written, and on some level be a story about finding faith.

Cam Banks has a knowledge of the setting that is beyond comparison. His attention to detail in THE SELLSWORD is amazing. The novel is set in the years immediately after the War Of The Lance, and everything is just right. He knows the history of the world, he knows the obscure nationalities, he knows the monsters, and he knows the key players. I know the world very well myself, and I couldn't find anything that deviated from what is known and accepted about the world or the people on it.

Mr. Banks has also managed to expand certain elements, further enriching the world and opening new doors--the nation of Nordmaar has been brought to life, and fits with what is already known from past novels and game products. Monsters have also been expanded, and without giving anything away, Mr. Banks has found a place for a classic Dungeons & Dragons creature, giving it a unique identity for the world of Krynn.

As to the quality of the writing, I find it a wonderful read. It is his first published novel and great ability and potential are visible. My one criticism would be that I think Mr. Banks needs to work on his romantic threads. I did not become fully invested in the romantic subplot--it was very subtle, overly so in my opinion. When it resolved, I'm not certain that I believed in the resolution.

Aside from that... Conversations were both engaging and natural, while still being heroic and fantastical. Narration was clear and descriptive, allowing me to get a clear picture without shanghai-ing my imagination--it was a good balance.

Finally, Cam Banks proves he knows DL by keeping the faith. It appeared from the beginning that we had a very un-Dragonlance-like story. By the end, with just the right amount of predictability (enough to make the reader feel smart and still managing to surprise), we see the author's work revealed and see that as fun a shake up as this was, it is still Dragonlance.

I give THE SELLSWORD 4 stars, taking one off for a romance that needed some more attention. It is a wonderful read, and I hope that Cam Banks continues with writing, making frequent returns to The World of Krynn.

Wizards Of The Coast should certainly look to Mr. Banks should they choose to develop more novels or game products.

Having read 132 Dragonlance novels - I'm a collector - I was intrigued by The Sellsword by Cam Banks. I found his writing unique, something I think really adds to this book. Vanderjack, the main character, is well developed and purely human with many strengths, some frailities, and interesting personal and professional struggles. The sword, with it's other earthly attributes is a new twist, and one that I thought worked very well. The other characters were not the typical kender, dwarf, elf, dragon, gorgeous woman types - another big plus - Theodenes and his friend Star added some really interest - he's one of my new favorite characters. Certainly not your typical gnome. :-) A very entertaining read and an unexpected ending. Read it in a day while on vacation- couldn't put it down. Hope to see more Cam Banks in the near future. Well done!