dragonlance series: where to start?

Question

I want to start reading the dragonlance series.but there are many books in this series, and I can't decide which ones I should read first, next, in what order, etc.
Please help me out

Answer 1

Chronicles (Dragons of...Autumn Twilight, Winter Night and Spring Dawning) the Legends series, (Time of the Twins Test of the Twins and War of the Twins), is the "traditional" start. Those were written first.

I think it would have been interesting to read in a more chronological order though. Lots of these books are out of print now but if you can find them I think the "Meetings Sextet" is a good place to start. It introduces you to the main characters and how they all met.

Kindred Spirits by Mark Anthony
Wanderlust by Steve Winter
Dark Heart by Tina Daniell
The Oath and the Measure by Michael Williams
Steel and Stone by Ellen Porath
The Companions by Tina Daniell

Then move into Preludes. This moves into the main group splitting up and adventuring.

Flint the King by Mary Kirchoff
Riverwind the Plainsman by Paul B. Thompson
Brothers Majere by Kevin Stein
Kendermore by Mary Kirchoff
Darkness and Light by Paul B. Thompson
Tanis, The Shadow Years by Barbara Siegel, Scott Siegel

Then go to Chronicles when they get back together and adventure together. Legends follows Chronicles pretty immediatly if I recall correctly.

Weis and Hickman also just published a new book, Dragons of Dwarven Depths which takes place in between Autumn Twilight and Winters Night. If you're new to the series I'd say read that one in between those.

After all this, the world of Krynn is open to you. All these will give you enough history to go into sets like Villans (almost all of which are out of print though) and Heros, or Lost Histories about some of the more exotic races, or to go into Second Generation which is after the time period of Chronicles.

Have fun, it's a great series of books.

Answer 2

I agree with the above respondent; read:

Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Dragons of Winter Night
Dragons of Spring Dawning

then

Time of the Twins
War of the Twins
Test of the Twins

I also agree with the first respondent who said the others are not so good, even though I've only tried a couple.

Here's a chronological list:
http://www.amazon.com/Dragonlance-Base-Chronological-Order-Part/lm/1KY27BN9IRQSZ
http://www.dl3e.com/products/reading.aspx (this might be helpful too)

Answer 3

Read the original Chronicles and Legends series by Weiss and Hickman. They were the first books published, and everything else revolves around them. (Also, I think they are the only ones worth reading. But I haven't read to many of the next generation stuff.)

Answer 4

Great series.

I think you should start with Dragons of Autumn Twilight, and read that series of three books. They introduce you to all the characters. Then there are more spinoffs with the two brothers (Raistlin and Caramon) that are pretty cool.