A new trilogy set in the Dragonlance world has been announced. Authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have agreed to a multi-year licensing agreement with Wizards of the Coast, the current owners of the Dragonlance brand. The new books will feature classic characters as well an exciting new protagonist.

Dragonlance is a popular fantasy novel series that began with  Dragons of Autumn Twilight in 1984. It was produced as part of a multi-media project to add further depth to the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game system. The original series details the struggles of a party of adventurers as they attempt to stop seemingly unstoppable evil from destroying their world. The series has been regularly cited as inspiration for shows such as Critical Role, especially Joe Manganiello’s character, Arkhan the Cruel.

“We couldn’t be happier to be returning to the world we love,” says Margaret Weis. “Dragonlance is what brought Tracy and I together so many years ago. We’re thrilled to be able to do this for existing lovers of Krynn while bringing our beloved characters to a new generation of readers.”

The new series almost didn’t happen due to legal wrangles between the authors and Wizards of The Coast. These have since been resolved. The first book in the new series is expected sometime in late 2021. Though no official tie-in RPG books have been announced, it is reasonable to expect a supplement for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition to be released at the same time as the first novel.

With a new Dungeons and Dragons TV show in development, it is tempting to speculate that an adaptation of the Dragonlance books may be seen as a way to fill the gap the left by A Game of Thrones. Certainly they have the advantage that the Weis and Hickman have many completed fantasy series under their belt, something that was sorely lacking with A Game of Thrones.