The Trek to Kraggen-Cor and The Brega Path have been unavailable since the mid 90s. Now, they are back in print as The Silver Call omnibus edition. This book chronicles the war fought by the Dwarves to reclaim the mines of Kraggen-Cor from the dark Spawn.The first half of this book concerns the preparations and journey to the Dwarven realm. Mr. Peregrin Underhill, a humble Warrow, has knowledge of the secret passages through the underground city of Kraggen-Cor. The Dwarves recruit him as their guide. Perry and his servant Cotton accompany the Dwarven army on its trek across the world of Mithgar to Kraggen-Cor. The Dwarves defend themselves against hostile natives, become trapped in a blizzard, battle evil Spawn raiding parties, and suffer the profound indignity of being rescued by Elves.
The second part of the book chronicles the war waged within Kraggen-Cor. Battle by bloody battle, the Dwarven host gains ground in their ancestral home. Chakka shok! Chakka cor! Dwarven axes! Dwarven might!
I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. McKiernan at Bubonicon 28 (1996) about the original duology. He wrote it while he was in a body cast, to pass the time. As a fan of Tolkien, he decided to envision how the Dwarves would reclaim the Mines of Moria. Due to copyright problems, he changed the races, names, and locations; so it’s no surprise this book has the flavor of a tribute to Middle Earth.
I enjoyed this journey into the realm of Mithgar. If you enjoyed Peter Jackson’s "LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring," you should read this book to amuse and sustain yourself until "LOTR: The Two Towers" is released.