Dragon Forge by James Wyatt is the second novel in the Draconic Prophecies trilogy set in Eberron. The first novel is titled Storm Dragon and the third book is slated to be titled Dragon War. Though there is no official release date for the third book I assume it will be released in the summer of 2009. Mr. Wyatt has also published another Eberron novel titled, In the Claws of the Tiger.

The plot of this novel carries over from the first book. The prophecy is still a large part of the novel, however, it is written in such a way that while prominent it does not take away from the characters. The structure of this novel differs from that of the previous in that there are more perspectives for the reader to follow. There are two simultaneous schemes occurring. Haldren is still seeking to further his plans and Gaven is still focused on learning just what the prophecy is and what it has to do with him. I am finding this plot section rather difficult to deal with, because while I want to expand on it, it is rather difficult because of the amount of spoilers present. Let me end by saying, the plot is well written, feeds off the first book very well, and it is quite evident that Mr. Wyatt put a great deal of thought into it.

The characters in this novel are largely from the previous novel. Characters such as Gaven, Haldren, Cart, Ashara, Rienne, and Kelas (to name a few). I think the characters in this novel are better than they were in the first novel, and they were very good in the first novel. To me, this novel allowed me to ‘see’ more inside the characters and further understand them. They each had a unique voice that lends itself well for explanation of actions and motivations. They just seemed much more real to me. And character development, simply wow. If you are a fan of deep engaging characters that change throughout the story, this is a book you will surely enjoy. After reading the first book I liked the characters, but for the most part, they really didn’t stand out to me. After finishing this book, I love the characters. I don’t know if I can list exactly what the change was, but there is something more substantial to them in this novel.

A few criticisms I have about this novel.

1 – This may be a personal bias, but the ending of the book seemed to neat and tidy to me. I would have preferred, since this is a second book, a more open cliffhanger ending. There are parts of tat here certainly, but I would have liked more of it.

2 – The are places in this book where the dialogue between characters seems forced and contrived. Not all the time, just enough that it’s noticed and just left me with a feeling of ugh. Almost like some of the dialogue was sit-com stylish where most of the dialogue is written well. I think that’s why it stands out to me.

Some things I really liked.

1 – The prose, pacing, and flow of this novel. Mr. Wyatt’s prose is solid and not overly flowery. He gives just enough description so the reader sees his vision, but not enough to where he stunts the reader’s imagination either.

2 – The introduction of ‘new’ things. No spoilers her, but there are a couple things in this novel that have previously been unwritten that Mr. Wyatt describes these things perfectly and adds depth to them.

3 – The little things. It’s easy to focus on big events and character development, but Mr. Wyatt gives the little things that same attention to detail. Those little details, snippets, and what have you are not lost on me and it pulls the book into another level.

4 – I like how Mr. Wyatt handles the prophecy as well. He doesn’t beat the reader over the head with it. Rather he lets it slither into the book and out again. It’s like looking at something through the corner of your eye and when you look at it suddenly disappears.

Overall, this novel is a fine addition to the Eberron setting, more importantly it is a fine addition to the fantasy genre. Mr. Wyatt does a good job and being consistent between the two books and furthering the story. I enjoyed this novel quite a bit and I have no doubt I will enjoy the third novel as well. Fans of the Eberron setting should make sure to read this book. I also think fantasy fans should give this series a chance as well; there is a little something for everyone here. I will most certainly be recommending this book to the appropriate people in the future.