poor performance, good story

I can't stand someone who describes a laugh and then makes a pathetic attempt to perform it...guess I should just be thankful there was no singing.

So sub-par reader for a fantastic story.

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8 people found this helpful

Great story.

Where does The Legend of Huma rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Loved the book when I read it in my teens and loved it in audio format 20 plus years later.

What did you like best about this story?

Classic dragonlance background story.

What three words best describe Richard Topol’s voice?

Good voice work but I prefer something more like Kate Reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

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6 people found this helpful

Like a fine wine, this book keeps getting better!

Having read and enjoyed this book multiple times throughout several stages of my life ( early adolescence through adulthood), I've always thought it would transition well as an audiobook. Not only did it transfer well, but completely shattered my expectations.

The story itself is timeless. The narration by Richard Topol was amazing. Reminiscent of story tellers of old, Topol breathed life into an already fantastic epic. Topol lent vivd expression to each character. His tone cemented the mood and seamlessly transitioned the story.

If you enjoy fantasy and a classic epic or incredible verbal acting, then do yourself a favor and give this a listen...you won't be disappointed!

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4 people found this helpful

Poor narration

I am a big fan of the Dragonlance setting and was very excited to finally hear this story. Unfortunately the pace and delivery of the narration make this nearly unlistenable. I’m only a chapter or two in and I already want to stop listening. The text is read so rapidly that the sentences almost run together, but at times stumble to an awkward and sudden stop. I slowed down the playback speed which made it slightly more listenable, but the performance is still very poor. Not recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

loved it

I ,loved to hear the story. very well read. it was the first audio book that I listened too

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3 people found this helpful

Not as legendary as I had hoped

What would have made The Legend of Huma better?

More adventuring with Magius & Gweneth. To me, they were just side characters that didn't really help create any impression of any relationship. In another book, Tasselhoff Burfoot popped into a scene where Huma & Magius were running from something and they were startled to see the kender. That, along with other references from other books, gave me the impression that the two had traveled & battled together for a long time, perhaps years and not a few days/weeks, and were dear friends. In this story, Magius was a character that used Huma for his own ends. Yes, he redeemed himself, but his demise was rushed. I had the impression, from other books, that Magius had died in battle because he did not have a weapon after his spells are used up, which is why the mages after that were allowed a weapon. Yes, he ran out of spells, but he was captured and then tortured instead of dying in battle. I had expected the love story with Gweneth to be an epic kind of love where the two are strengthened by their love to fight for Krynn. Huma was rather confused and didn't admit loving her until she was dying. She came off as a confused high school girl instead of a confident dragon.

What could Richard A. Knaak have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

In the beginning, I think he was a little dull about the characters. He just seemed to be reading, not acting. Either, I grew used to that or he changed his performance later because I didn't notice it any longer.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Legend of Huma?

The ending of Magius, the ending of Gweneth, and the defeat of Takhesis. They seemed rushed & were disappointing. I think the Legend of Huma might have been better if it had been longer and had developed the characters and their relationships better.

Any additional comments?

I'm a fan of Dragonlance, but some of the books are disappointing. Those stories are rushed. Almost as if they wanted to make money and didn't care about story or plot as long as they thought it would sell a book. I think they would sell more books if the stories were developed in depth, like in The Chronicles.

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2 people found this helpful

Dull

Would you ever listen to anything by Richard A. Knaak again?

I very much like Richard Knaak's Dragonrealm series and look forward to listening them if/when they come out.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Richard Topol?

Someone who is able to provide more dynamism to the characters to make them memorable. This may be a problem with the text rather than the narrator.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

None - I did not feel a connection to any of the characters.

Any additional comments?

There was very little of the Code and the Measure and how Huma embodies it. Things just happen to Huma, he shows no particular skill at being a warrior or a leader - He's basically just a nice guy. If someone or something didn't lead him directly to the next plot point he would have been lost. The background on why most Knights don't particularly like him is unclear. Gwyneth says why she loves him, but it isn't emotionally compelling. Magius, the greatest (2nd greatest?) wizard, he was friends with Huma as boy, but why later? No real background on why that relationship exists.

Lastly - I liked the Chronicles of the Lance (which really didn't have a lot to do with the Dragonlance), but now hearing this story and how the lances were used I can only conclude the Dragons of Krynn are dumb. For the lance to work, the two dragons must come at each other directly like a joust. Once they see the glowing silver lance why would the evil dragon attack like this? I would pair up and attack from the flanks. Heck, how could two dragons fight in the air in the first place without falling to the ground? It makes for a great mental image, but I found myself unwilling to embrace a suspension of disbelief.

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2 people found this helpful

The Heroes Series is a must read for any Adventure

Six of the most classic Dragon Lance tales to spark the imagination and inspire your next pen and paper game starts here. They are less violent and vivid than the Sheepfarmer's Daughter series and more appropriate to younger audiences.

Specific to this book, it is entertaining and explores a couple of themes including the role of honor and duty during war, living the spirit of the law as opposed to the letter of the law, living with politics in established organizations, judging people based on their deeds and not their appearance, and serving a cause greater than one's self. A great read with the kids without unwanted surprises.

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1 person found this helpful

decent

I dunno guess I was expecting more. There was a few times I lost interest in the book. But It got better towards the end.

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1 person found this helpful

Great story. I enjoyed the author voice and depic

Great story. I enjoyed the author voice and how his depiction of the characters brought them to life.

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1 person found this helpful