What sets the novel apart is the compelling characters and the intricate society Heitz has created for the dwarves. The plot of The Dwarves is a pretty straightforward battle between good and evil and feels very derivative of the Lord of the Rings, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Together with a band of companions Tungdil must set out to forge a magical weapon that can kill Nod’onn, the embodiment of the evil that plagues the land. As Tungdil struggles to reconnect with his roots, evil suddenly overwhelms Girdlegard after one of the mages betrays the rest and brings down the magical barrier that has kept the Perished land at bay.

His only knowledge about his race comes from books, which leads to some awkward and funny situations when he finally gets reunited with his kin.Īfter being sent on a seemingly easy errand by Lot-Ionan, Tungdil finds himself thrust into the middle of dwarven politics when he is unwittingly put forward as candidate for High King. Tungdil hasn’t seen another dwarf in his life and he is completely disconnected from his dwarven heritage. The main protagonist is Tungdil, a foundling dwarf who was raised by a human magus called Lot-Ionan. In The Dwarves, the first book in the Dwarves saga, German author Markus Heitz elevates the dwarven race from their humble role as one-dimensional supporting characters and turns them into the vibrant, compelling heroes they deserve to be. He embodies all the qualities I would associate with the quintessential dwarf – limited height, long beard, brave and fierce in battle and of course that ingrained enmity towards elves. So which dwarf immediately sprung to mind? For me it was Gimli from the movie version of The Lord of the Rings. And no one has ever questioned the courage of the Dwarves.Quick, think of a dwarf! Any dwarf will do. Although he has many unanswered questions, Tungdil is certain of one thing: no matter where he was raised, he is a true dwarf. Not only his own safety, but the life of every man, woman and child in Girdlegard depends upon his ability to embrace his heritage. Sent out into the world to deliver a message and reacquaint himself with his people, the young foundling finds himself thrust into a battle for which he has not been trained.

Although he does not want for friends, Tungdil is very much aware that he is alone - indeed, he has not so much as set eyes on another dwarf. Until now.Ībandoned as a child, Tungdil the blacksmith labors contentedly in the land of Ionandar, the only dwarf in a kingdom of men. Many and varied foes have hurled themselves against the portal and died attempting to breach it. For countless millennia, the dwarves of the Fifthling Kingdom have defended the stone gateway into Girdlegard.

The dwarves by markus heitz