Galen Beknighted Review

Join me as I review Galen Beknighted by Michael Williams, live! Share your thoughts on this third novel in the Dragonlance Heroes II series, released on December 19, 199 by TSR Inc. You can buy a copy here: https://amzn.to/460RkOW 

https://youtube.com/live/JjX3txnAm2M

About Galen Beknighted

The world’s most reluctant knight, Galen Pathwarden, returns for another misadventure in this exciting sequel to Weasel’s Luck

Becoming a knight has changed the Weasel very little. Galen Pathwarden is still wary of seeking adventure—and still out to save his own skin at virtually any cost. But when his brother Brithelm vanishes mysteriously, Galen sets aside his better judgment and embarks on a quest that leads him under the earth, deep into a conspiracy of darkness, and to the very end of his courage.

Once more, this reluctant knight returns to the imperiled nation of Solamnia, where he will learn if he has what it takes to be a true hero.

Review

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga review episode. It is Bakukal, Darkember the 17th. My name is Adam and today I am going to give you my review of Galen Beknighted by Michael Williams. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this YouTube channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.

I have to say, now that I am a hundred pages in, this is not as good a beginning as Weasel’s Luck was. As that novel began with the ridiculousness of the Pathwarden family, this begins with the mundane activities of Castle di Caela. It is not a welcome change. Even the humor in this novel isn’t landing as well as the first one. I don’t know if it’s because I am not in the right mind frame, or if it’s worn off, or simply not there. There are moments when the characters are laughing or suppressing laughter and I am sitting here reading it wondering what I missed. We open with Galen Pathwarden-Brightblade at the end of his Night of Reflexions and the beginning of the ceremony that will honor him as a Knight of Solamnia. 

While the night of reflexions are supposed to be just that, Galen found himself staring into one of the opals turned Brooch from the Scorpion. He sees plainsmen in the brooch and they in turn see him and tell him, or rather, show and tell him that they have his brother Brithelm and that if he wants him back, Galen needs to bring the opals. They allude to a return of the opals, so perhaps the Scorpion took them from the plainsmen and now that he’s dead, they’ve come for them. In either case it’s odd that they are able to communicate through them, and even more odd that they would know who Galen is, or that he has them at all, so as to abduct Brithelm, and then ransom him off.

With the convenient contrivances in place, the setting is amid an unusual massive storm that is drowning the countryside. Sir Bayard Brightblade is embarrassed when Galen doesn’t show up for his knighting, and he finds Galen passed out in his room. He berates him, as Galen tells Bayard about the vision and his brother. Bayard laughs hysterically about the story. It wasn't even remotely funny, so why is he laughing? Then he berates him for not putting his armor on fast enough. It’s like Bayard is so frustrated over castle management and married life that he’s taking it out on Galen. Galen is seen as a weasel still by all other Solamnic Knights and no one respects him at all.