Murder in Tarsis

Murder in Tarsis is a fantasy novel by John Maddox Roberts, set in the world of the Dragonlance, and based on the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is the first novel published in the "Mysteries" series in 1996 which was tied to the Forgotten Realms series as it was a first time by TSR of publishing as a theme across multiple game-worlds. In 1999 it was re-published in the Dragonlance The Classics Series.

Murder in Tarsis
Cover
AuthorJohn Maddox Roberts
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreFantasy novel
Published1996
Media typePrint

Plot summary

This novel is about Tarsis, a once proud city by the sea, now landlocked and decaying because of a great catastrophe, with a huge nomad army laying siege to its crumbling walls; and the main character is Ironwood – a mercenary bearing the curse of the dragon he once slew.[1]

Reception

Gordon Kibblewhite reviewed Murder in Tarsis for Arcane magazine, rating it a 3 out of 10 overall.[1] He commented that "This uninspired and ultimately dismissible Forgotten Realms mystery is all the more disappointing because, given better handling and writing, it could have been a memorable fantasy. It certainly possesses enough ingredients for a classic tale".[1] He adds that "As one of the characters points out, Ironwood's story is worthy of an epic poem. Sadly, though, Murder in Tarsis is just a weak murder story that goes the way of many Forgotten Realms efforts, into the arena of cut-out characters, unconvincing scheming and cheesy endings. There may not be anything wrong with that, though - it's a formula that seems to sell well, and there is more than enough information here to create a place around which you can weave your own, hopefully better, webs."[1] Kibblewhite concludes his review by saying, "One of the strongest images of the book is that of the city's decrepit old harbour, where hundreds of ships lie in perpetual dry-dock. Rotting and falling apart, they form a labyrinthine warren that is the home of many a strange creature. This should make a good location for an adventure, so it's a shame that this potentially wondrous place, in the end, fails to live up to its promise and doesn't seem wondrous at all."[1]

References
  1. Kibblewhite, Gordon (August 1996). "The Great Library". Arcane. Future Publishing (9): 81.
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