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[Cajoes]

For countless millennia, the dwarves of the Fifthling Kingdom have defended the stone gateway into Girdlegard. Many and varied foes have hurled themselves against the portal and died attempting to breach it. No man or beast has ever succeeded. Until now...Abandoned as a child, Tungdil the blacksmith labours contentedly in the land of Ionandar, the only dwarf in a kingdom of men. 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. But all that is about to change. 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. Not only his own safety, but the life of every man, woman and child in Girdlegard depends upon his ability to embrace his heritage. Although he has many unanswered questions, Tungdil is certain of one thing: no matter where he was raised, he is a true dwarf. And no one has ever questioned the courage of the Dwarves.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A epic awesome tale of a dwarf who is lost in the jungle human lands and raised by monkeys wizards A wizard. When one fateful day a simple errand turns into a complete damn mess that takes him to the depths of the Terrifying territories and back. - Has anyone else read this and gotten strange DF vibes from it? At one point of the story the dwarf is, no joke, travelling with one jeweler, one mason, one metalsmith, a carpenter and a axedwarf, while heading towards a abandoned dwarfhome. Just need a fisherdwarf to complete the reclaimation party.

[Zrk2]

I actually have that book, but I never got around to reading it. Is it the cliche storm that it looks like?

[Cajoes]

Possibly:

Farmboy schmuck turned hero - check,

Big Prophecy Of Ultimate Destiny - Check

Elves live in glades, dwarves live in massive underground(and surface) fortress complexes. And humans seems to live in cities. All three races are nicely segregated in a unspoken but blatant fantasy apartheid nobody sees prudent to point out. The naming convention for the Dwarven Clans of Middlegard are just lazy though... Basicly, they're numbered. 1 to 5. Each specializing in some aspect of fortressing.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(Except for the Fifthlings who are stone dead.. And the thirdlings who kill other dwarves because their Divine Dwarf God forgot to give them a special talent or whatever, - so their big talent seems to be to kill other dwarves. I'm sure it'll be explained a little better in the next book (War of the Dwarves))

And generally, all the characters that isn't a dwarf seems a little bland and 2dimensional, but I assume it's because the story is about the stunted beardlings, is still a pretty nice book. Graphic violence. Dwarves. And constant munching on cheese. What the buggery hell is up with the constant cheese eating in Fantasy novels. There were other types of food in medivial times youknow!

[hermano]

I read it a year ago and it was surprisingly entertaining. At least once dwarves weren't the incompetent schmucks they are depicted as in other stories. Also there are dwarves in the story. I like dwarves.
I usually despise fantasy novels, they're just too cliché and one-dimensional. So, while 'The dwarves' is not great literature it is worth reading it imho.