Trying to Find a Book From Years Ago

ChristopherUno

Hey guys, the title is exactly how it sounds. Didn't see anything about this not being allowed, but if it's not my sincere apologies!

The book I'm looking for I got from a friend of my mam's when I was about twelve (eight years ago). And recently I've been thinking back on some of the books I was reading at the time, just as I was really starting to get into fantasy (which later led to my interest in sci-fi). I've now revisited LotR, the Wheel of Time and Riftwar series(es?) and the Deathgate Cycle, but the name of this series has totally eluded me! So I ask for your help.

My description is going to be patchy at best as this is the very fragmented memories of a child! The first book started off with the group of friends (what fantasy book doesn't have them?!) on their way to meet at a bar in a big giant oak tree, iirc it was to discuss something about the invasion of their land by non-human invaders (possibly insect-like, I seem to remember them flying about the place); none of them have seen each other for many years. There was possibly a dwarf in the mix! One of the group doesn't show (it was a girl I think and one of the leaders of the group) and while the others are waiting the new invaders' police/army comes looking for them and they have to scramble. After this there's a big patch in my memory, I think they were going in search of this girl cos she was the only hope they thought their land had. In some desolate place (it was either a castle on a mountaintop or some frozen rocky wasteland, I forget the exact setting) the group are caught up to by the evil general of the invading army, who they've heard terrible things about. The general was riding a giant flying beast, though I don't think it was a dragon. It is revealed that the invading general is in fact the girl who hadn't shown up before in the bar. The friends are devastated and about to become flying beast food when...

After this I can't remember anything else! I understand the chances of finding this book are quite (very!) slim, but I thought it was worth a shot, rereading the series(es) I mentioned above was like seeing long lost friends! So here's hoping someone can decipher all that nonsense into the plot of a book they may have read! Thanks in advance for any help at all!

ixoy

Sounds like 'Dragons of Autumn Twilight' by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. The pub in the tree is the Inn of the Last Home and in the story the girl Kitiara doesn't show up and, in the end, is riding the giant beast (which is a dragon).

I'm right aren't I?

ChristopherUno

Cheers ixoy that is indeed it, the Inn of the Last Home and Katiara rang bells immediately! Didn't realise it was also by Weiss & Hickman, nor that it was based on Dungeons & Dragons, though at that age I didn't know what D&D was. I'm about as clueless now too...

Thanks, totally picking this up and seeing if I like it as much as last time I read it!

Trojan

I liked that trilogy, but really found the Twins tough going. Raistlin's an annoying little sh!t.

Zapp Brannigan

I've read the twins books years ago! Wonder how they'd stand up to my current tastes?

Trojan

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

I've read the twins books years ago! Wonder how they'd stand up to my current tastes?

I recently (4 years ago!) re-read the "Dragons of ..." series - was more simplistic than I remembered. Still ok, but not really on the same level as most modern fantasy.