From Publishers Weekly
In Watt-Evans’s stirring conclusion to his high fantasy Obsidian Chronicles (after Dragon Weather and The Dragon Society), the series’ rather remote and self-righteous protagonist, Arlian, returns to the walled city of Manfort after 14 years of slaying evil dragons to find the duke of Manfort contending with unruly subjects and disruptions caused by wild magic. Since the duke blames these problems on dragon slaying, Arlian suffers near disgrace and has to defend his work from criticism, not that the duke’s displeasure bothers our thick-skinned hero much. No longer allowed to kill dragons, Arlian decides to nose out why the wild magic has spilled into the Lands of Man and stumbles on a more intriguing line of study-dragon venom. Why, and how, does dragon venom turn humans into dragonhearts, and what connection is there between humans, dragons and the long-lost Gods of Man? Watt-Evans tends to overexplain and his dragons lack any redeeming graces, but the swashbuckling story line builds to a twist ending sure to leave the author’s fans smiling. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Watt-Evans concludes his formidably complex and intelligent trilogy about Arlian the dragon-slayer (Dragon Weather [2000], The Dragon Society [2001], and this book) with Arlian wreaking the last of his vengeance on dragonkind. Having discovered the secrets of the Dragon Society and of obsidian as a lethal weapon against dragons, Arlian is prepared to eradicate the entire despised breed. As he pursues that consummation, however, wild magic is unleashed on the world, and the question arises of whether his actions have something to do with the crisis. Is he doing more harm than good? Does dragon venom hold the key to the balance between men and magic? This book is as rich in incident and idea as its predecessors, but if you are looking for easy reading or sauntering into Watt-Evans' three-volume roadshow for the bang-up ending, it won't be obliging. Instead, it is challenging enough to raise some questions about the ethics of some classic devices of high fantasy within the context of a very good high fantasy: this one. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
"This novel showcases the understated excellence readers have come to expect from this durable and (too often) underrated author." --Publishers Weekly on Dragon Weather



Book Description
After many years of peace in the Lands of Men, there came Dragon Weather: a wave of incredible heat, oppressive humidity, dark angry clouds . . . and dragons. Dragons with no remorse, no sympathy, no use for humans; dragons who destroyed an entire village and everyone in it. Everyone, that is, except the young boy Arlian. Orphaned and alone, Arlian was captured by looters and sold as a mining slave. He finally escaped, fueled by years of hatred and a personal vow to bring justice to all who had wronged him.

After killing those who enslaved him, Arlian sought out The Dragon Society, whose sworn purpose was to stand against the dragon menace. It was there, among his peers, that Arlian discovered he is humanity's best hope for defeating the dragons . . . permanently.

Now, Arlian seeks his final vengeance: death to all of dragonkind. But as he begins to destroy the evil beasts, wild magic seeps into the Lands of Men, sowing chaos and destruction in its wake. Will Arlian's all-consuming quest for justice consume humanity as well? The answer may lie within his ancient foe's most lethal weapon: Dragon Venom



From the Inside Flap
"In Watt-Evans's stirring conclusion to his high fantasy Obsidian Chronicles (after Dragon Weather and The Dragon Society), the swashbuckling story line builds to a twist ending sure to leave the author's fans smiling."-- Publishers Weekly on Dragon Venom

"Watt-Evans concludes his formidably complex and intelligent trilogy about Arlian the dragon-slayer (Dragon Weather, The Dragon Society, and this book) with Arlian wreaking the last of his vengeance on dragonkind. This book is as rich in incident and idea as its predecessors, but if you are looking for easy reading or sauntering into Watt-Evans' three-volume roadshow for the bang-up ending, it won't be obliging. Instead, it is challenging enough to raise some questions about the ethics of some classic devices of high fantasy within the context of a very good high fantasy: this one."--Booklist on Dragon Venom



About the Author
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Lawrence Watt-Evans has been a full-time writer and editor for more than twenty years. The author of more than thirty novels, over one hundred short stories, and more than one hundred and fifty published articles, Watt-Evans writes primarily in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comic books. His short fiction has won the Hugo Award as well as twice winning the Asimov's Readers Award. His fiction has been published in England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Poland, France, Hungary, and Russia.

He served as president of the Horror Writers Association from 1994 to 1996 and after leaving that office was the recipient of HWA's first service award ever. He is also a member of Novelists Inc., and the Science Fiction Writers of America. Married with two children, he and his wife Julie live in Maryland.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

After many years of peace in the lands of Man, there came Dragon Weather: a wave of incredible heat, oppressive humidity, dark angry clouds...and dragons. Dragons with no remorse, no sympathy, no use for humans; dragons who destroyed an entire village and everyone in it. Everyone, that is, except the young boy Arlian. Orphaned and alone, Arlian was captured by looters and sold as a mining slave. He finally escaped, fueled by years of hatred and a personal vow to bring justice to all who had wronged him.

After killing those who enslaved him, Arlian sought out The Dragon Society, whose sworn purpose was to stand against the dragon menace. It was there, among his peers, that Arlian discovered that he is humanity's best hope for defeating the dragons...permanently.

Now Arlian seeks his final vengeance: death to all of dragonkind. But as he begins to destroy the evil beasts, wild magic seeps into the Lands of Man, leaving chaos and destruction in its wake. Will Arlian's all-consuming quest for justice consume humanity as well? The answer may lie within his ancient foe's most lethal weapon: Dragon Venom.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In Watt-Evans's stirring conclusion to his high fantasy Obsidian Chronicles (after Dragon Weather and The Dragon Society), the series' rather remote and self-righteous protagonist, Arlian, returns to the walled city of Manfort after 14 years of slaying evil dragons to find the duke of Manfort contending with unruly subjects and disruptions caused by wild magic. Since the duke blames these problems on dragon slaying, Arlian suffers near disgrace and has to defend his work from criticism, not that the duke's displeasure bothers our thick-skinned hero much. No longer allowed to kill dragons, Arlian decides to nose out why the wild magic has spilled into the Lands of Man and stumbles on a more intriguing line of study-dragon venom. Why, and how, does dragon venom turn humans into dragonhearts, and what connection is there between humans, dragons and the long-lost Gods of Man? Watt-Evans tends to overexplain and his dragons lack any redeeming graces, but the swashbuckling story line builds to a twist ending sure to leave the author's fans smiling.

Publishers Weekly

In Watt-Evans s stirring conclusion to his high fantasy Obsidian Chronicles (after Dragon Weather and The Dragon Society), the series rather remote and self-righteous protagonist, Arlian, returns to the walled city of Manfort after 14 years of slaying evil dragons to find the duke of Manfort contending with unruly subjects and disruptions caused by wild magic. Since the duke blames these problems on dragon slaying, Arlian suffers near disgrace and has to defend his work from criticism, not that the duke s displeasure bothers our thick-skinned hero much. No longer allowed to kill dragons, Arlian decides to nose out why the wild magic has spilled into the Lands of Man and stumbles on a more intriguing line of study-dragon venom. Why, and how, does dragon venom turn humans into dragonhearts, and what connection is there between humans, dragons and the long-lost Gods of Man? Watt-Evans tends to overexplain and his dragons lack any redeeming graces, but the swashbuckling story line builds to a twist ending sure to leave the author s fans smiling. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

During the time of Dragon Weather, the fearsome creatures destroyed an entire village except for a single child. As an adult, Arlian has vowed to spend his life waging war against dragonkind, slaying them wherever and whenever he can find them. Yet his private war is not without cost as wild magic spreads throughout the land. The conclusion to Watt-Evans's "Obsidian Chronicles" features a driven hero, a group of loyal companions, and an intriguing and vividly realized fantasy setting. A strong addition to fantasy collections. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews