This page is dedicated to one of the best series I have ever read.  The original characters in the series were great, and I often base my character names from Dragonlance names. The original authors of the Dragonlance series are Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

    This series was the first one that I'd read.  It is from the Chronicles trilogy, and it helps tie all the characters together.  A must read in my opinion.

    The original main characters are as follows: Tanis Half-Elven, Sturm Brightblade, Goldmoon, Riverwind, Raistlin Majere, Caramon Majere, Kitiara Uth Mater, Flint Fireforge, Tasselhoff Burrfoot, Tika Waylan, Laurana, and Gilthanas.

    Tanis Half-Elven, whose real name is Tanthalas, is a bastard son of an elven mother and a human warrior who had raped his mother.  Outcasted from his homeland, he is the leader of the companions.  A skilled fighter who detests fighting, he is torn by the love of two women - Kitiara, a tempestuous human swordswoman, and Laurana, an elfmaiden and his original love.

    Sturm Brightblade is a Knight of Solamnia.  Once revered in the days before the Cataclysm, the knights fell into disgrace.  Sturm's goal is to restore the honor of the knighthood, even if it means his death.  he falls in love with the princess of the Silavanesti, Alhana Starbreeze.

    Raistlin Majere is Caramon's twin brother and Kitiara's sister.  Learned in the arts of red-robed magic, he posesses great powers beyond his age.  Being the youngest to pledge for magedom, his health was shattered, leaving him fragile and crippled.  but there are dark mysteries concealed within his hourglass eyes.

    Caramon Majere is Raistlin's twin brother and Kitiara's sister.  Trained as a warrior, he is a giant with a soft heart for his brother.  There is one person he boths loves and fears: Raistlin.

    Kitiara Uth Mater are the twin's sister and took care of them when they were young.  Abandoned as children, she was forced to work as a mercenary to support them.  She was Tanis' second love, and uses him for her own fortune.  She is one of the Dragon Highlords on the Dark Queen Takhisis' side, and rides with the dragonarmies.

    Flint Foreforge is a skilled dwarven fighter and Tanis' oldest friend.  He is hot-tempered and has very little patience for his friend, Tasselhoff.

    Tasselhoff Burrfoot is a kender, "handler."  Kender -- the nuisance race of Krynn -- are immune to fear and have a habit of stealing.  Consequently, touble just seems to follow him home.

    Tika Waylan was just an ordinary barmaid at the Inn of the Last Home in Solace until a band of adventurers changed her life.....when the dragonarmies came, she was swept into battle.  With little knowledge and no armor, she rose into the ranks of a swordswoman.  She is also Caramon's wife.

    Laurana, who's elven name is Lauranathalasa, is Tanis' first love.  They were childhood friends, but when Tanis left, she toughened up and helped the adventurers.  Called the Golden General, she is the famed elfmaiden who helped defend Solace against the dragonriders.

    Gilthanas is Laurana's elven brother who has a vengeful hate against Tanis.  He learns a lesson about humans and falls in love with Silvara, a dragon in human form.  He also helps bring the return of the good dragons from their troubled state.

    Goldmoon is the Plainsman's Cheiftain's daughter.  A cleric of Mishakal and bearer of the blue crystal staff, her love for a tribal outcast, Riverwind, leads them both on a dangerous quest in search of the truth.

    Riverwind is the grandson of Wanderer.  Given the blue crystal staff in the city of Xak Tsaroth, where death flew on the black wings of a dragon, he barely escaped with his life.  And that was only the beginning.........

   some of the previous background information is paraphrased from Dragons of Autumn Twilight written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
 

These are some of the other Dragonlance novels; I have yet to read a lot of them.

Tales Trilogy                                                                Heroes Trilogy                                                                        Preludes Trilogy
The Magic of Krynn                                                   The Legend of Huma                                                             Darkness and Light
Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes                      Stormblade                                                                               Kendermore
Love and War                                                              Weasel's Luck                                                                         Brothers Majere

Tales II Trilogy                                                             Heroes II Trilogy                                                                   Preludes II Trilogy
The Reign of Istar                                                         Kaz, the Minotaur                                                                 Riverwind, the Plainsman
The Cataclysm                                                               The Gates of Thorbardin                                                     Flint, the King
The War of the Lance                                                  Galen Beknighted                                                                  Tanis, the Shadow Years

Meetings Sextet                                                            Legends Trilogy                                                                    Elven Nations Trilogy
Kindred Spirits                                                              Time of the Twins                                                                 Firstborn
Wanderlust                                                                   War of the Twins                                                                  The Kinslayer Wars
Dark Heart                                                                      Test of the Twins                                                                 The Qualinesti
The Oath and the Measure
Steel and Stone
The Companions