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  • Well of Darkness

Well of Darkness

The Sovereign Stone Trilogy #1 / 3
by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
Well of Darkness (The Sovereign Stone Trilogy #1) by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
★ 5.60 / 20
1123645862738910

Out of the rich material of the popular roleplaying game The Sovereign Stone, New York Times bestselling fantasists Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have fashioned something miraculous: a masterful epic of magic and adventure, filled with unforgettable, Tolkienesque characters and plot twists as harrowing and unpredictable as a roll of the dice.

When still a child, Gareth was chosen to serve as whipping boy for the willful, yet devilishly charismatic young Prince Dagnarus, second in line for succession to the throne. It was Gareth's innocent body that bore the brutal blows that could not lawfully be inflicted on the royal person that earned them. And as Dagnarus grew to manhood, ruthlessly determined to rule at any cost, loyal Gareth remained at his side, suffering as always for the prince's sake and in his stead-even now, when misguided devotion is leading the much-bruised servant down a path of outlawed sorcery... and into the terrible darkness.

Yet cruel, stubborn, and prideful as Prince Dagnarus has become, he still possesses a heart like any man - one that he has hopelessly lost to the married elfin beauty, Lady Valura Mabreton. She is a prize he is determined to win, despite her longlived, honor-obsessed race's legendary vendettas, some of which have endured for thousands of years, growing ever-stronger beneath an icy surface of impenetrable artifice.

But let the elves plot their plots! Let the dwarves and orken rise up against him! Let the Dominion Lords, led by his hated half-brother, Prince Helmos, dare to oppose him! Dagnarus will have his crown... and his queen! For one of the elves' own, Silwyth - a wily traitor playing a dangerous double game - is the prince's creature. And dutiful lackey Gareths blood-chilling excursions into the Void are about to bear dark, rich fruit. For the Dagger of the Vrykyl - the malevolent counterpart to the Sovereign Stone itself and the most potent talisman in the realm will soon be in Dagnarus's hand. And then no power will be able to deter his Destiny.

The first book in the exhilarating new Sovereign Stone trilogy, Well of Darkness is Weis and Hickman's most dazzling work to date - a classic-in-the-making that will quicken the pulse of every true fantasy fan; a chilling, boldly imaginative, utterly addictive tale of the bloody rebirth of a much feared and denied ancient evil... and the unspeakable consequences of an unholy passion that is stronger than death.

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FantasyEpic FantasyHigh Fantasy
Release date: 2000

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Margaret Weis

Margaret Weis

In the sprawling worlds of epic fantasy, few names echo with the same resonance as Margaret Weis. Her stories aren't merely told—they are lived, breathed, and carried in the imaginations of readers who first wandered through the war-torn lands of Dragonlance and never truly left. Weis didn’t just write fantasy—she helped shape it during a time when the genre itself was still defining its voice.

Born in Missouri in 1948, Margaret Weis was a quiet but voracious reader, drawn not to fairy tales or whimsical fables, but to myths that roared with dragons, gods, and fate-bound heroes. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 1970 with a degree in creative writing and literature—training that sharpened her instinct for compelling narratives long before her stories found a stage.

Read more ...

It was at TSR, the company behind Dungeons & Dragons, where her path shifted from editor to architect of worlds. Paired with fellow writer Tracy Hickman, Weis co-created Dragonlance, a series that broke new ground by infusing role-playing lore with literary depth. With characters like Raistlin Majere and Tanis Half-Elven, Dragonlance Chronicles became more than a tie-in—it became canon for a generation of fantasy readers and gamers alike.

What sets Weis apart is not just her gift for building vast, believable worlds, but her ability to explore moral complexity within them. Her characters often wrestle with loyalty, ambition, sacrifice, and destiny—timeless themes made intimate. Whether charting the rise and fall of nations or the inner battle of a mage tempted by power, she brings a balance of mythic scale and human fragility to her prose.

Beyond Dragonlance, Weis has written across subgenres—from science fiction in The Star of the Guardians to dark fantasy in The Death Gate Cycle. Her voice adapts, but her core remains: a commitment to stories that challenge, inspire, and endure.

Despite decades of success and millions of books sold, Weis remains grounded in the love of storytelling. In interviews, she’s spoken of writing as “a form of escape—but also a way to understand the world.” It's this duality—escapism laced with introspection—that gives her novels their staying power.

Today, Margaret Weis continues to write, create, and inspire, not just as a bestselling author, but as a quiet revolutionary who helped prove that fantasy could be as rich, nuanced, and emotionally resonant as any other literary tradition. And for readers still journeying through Krynn or discovering it for the first time, her legacy grows with every page turned.

The Sovereign Stone Trilogy

The Sovereign Stone Trilogy consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

Well of Darkness (The Sovereign Stone Trilogy #1)
★ 5.60 / 20
Guardians of the Lost (The Sovereign Stone Trilogy #2)
★ 5.44 / 18
Journey into the Void (The Sovereign Stone Trilogy #3)
★ 6.00 / 12


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