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Richard A. Knaak's
The Legend of Huma, Kaz the Minotaur, and The Land of the Minotaurs
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Richard A. Knaak’s books are always a pleasure to read but The Legend of Huma, Kaz the Minotaur, and The Land of the Minotaurs are among the author’s best works. In this review all three books will be examined because their content is tightly linked.
The Legend of Huma centers on the adventures of the renowned knight Huma. The time is long ages before the events of the original Dragonlance series. Huma is a simple knight that understands the Oath and the Measure better than some of his more prestigious peers. It is this knowledge of compassion that compels him to save a lone minotaur, Kaz, from a band of goblins. The friendship that the two form causes a major transformation of Kaz who eventually embraces the knightly ideals. The main story of this great novel involves the incursion of the Dark Queen, Takhisis, into the planes of the living. Huma must rise above his simple upbringing and make a huge difference in the lives of all who dwell on Krynn. He is aided by Kaz all along the way, and the relationship between the two becomes a life changing event for the minotaur, who once served the forces of evil. Although the outcome of the story is inevitable, the way Knaak takes us there is superbly done. The characters are people you care about, and the history is consistent with the original series. The story provides much background information that readers of the Dragonlance Chronicles have always wondered about. The novel is a fast paced ride to an exciting and moving ending.
Kaz the Minotaur picks up where The Legend of Huma ends with Kaz as the main character. The great minotaur has supposedly been betrayed by the knighthood he has grown to respect. There is a price on his head, and he doesn’t know why. In addition he is being pursued by a group of minotaur for a dishonorable crime that he supposedly committed during the war. Being chased by many and wondering why, Kaz does the honorable thing and goes to the knighthood and makes a horrifying discovery. The minotaur finds himself thrust into feelings of deja vu and discovers a sinister plot that threatens to unravel everything that Huma strove to build. The plot is rich with great characters that become important to the reader, and the story is exciting with a superbly twisting and changing plot. Kaz must rise above the persecution and once again embrace the ideals that Huma taught him, and in doing so he becomes more than he ever imagined he could. While not quite to the level of The Legend of Huma, this book a truly a great read and offers the reader a wonderful opportunity to experience a finely crafted fantasy tale.
The Land of the Minotaurs is a tightly crafted tale that picks up a few years after Kaz the Minotaur. In this book the reader gets to see the history and culture of the Minotaur people. Kaz, of course, is there to lead the way in this adventure. The Minotaur people find themselves in an amazing set of circumstances. The entire nation seems to be arming for war. The arena is as busy as it has ever been deciding matters of honor and justice. It is into this time and land of turmoil that Kaz finds himself pulled. Kaz merely wants to raise his family and live in peace, but circumstances draw him into action. There is something hidden and evil hiding among his people. Kaz makes a discovery that will shake his entire world forever. This is likely the best book of, what is now being called, “ The Minotuar Trilogy.” The plot twists and turns, and so captures the reader that it is hard to put down. These books are a lot of fun, and this one is a fantastic read. The unexpected ending is worth the entire novel series.
