The Siege of Mt. Nevermind
Overview
The Siege of Mt. Nevermind is one of the most unconventional and humorous entries in the Chaos War series. While most books in the series deal with gods, armies, and doom, this one focuses on gnomes, their endlessly complicated inventions, and the absurd chaos that ensues when their mountain stronghold becomes a target during the war.
Set in Mount Nevermind, the famed and ridiculous fortress-laboratory of Krynn’s gnome population, the story is filled with over-the-top inventions, bureaucratic insanity, and unexpected heroism.
It’s part Monty Python, part Hitchhiker’s Guide, part War Room, all wrapped in the distinct flavor of Dragonlance.
Main Character: Davin
- A gnome “Hero of the Seventeen Modestly Important Battles”, who wants nothing more than to lead a simple life working on projects that explode slightly less often than others’.
- Davin is witty, practical (for a gnome), and highly skeptical of the endless Gnomish Invention Complex—but when Mt. Nevermind is threatened, he becomes the accidental leader of the gnomes’ defense.
- His arc is one of reluctant leadership and discovering that sometimes the most absurd ideas work best.
Supporting Characters
- Kluge – A classic gnome engineer, obsessed with detail and completely oblivious to practicality, responsible for at least a dozen mechanical mishaps daily.
- Fen – A gnome with a knack for “innovation” (usually involving danger), she becomes Davin’s most valuable and unpredictable ally.
- Doom Brigade–adjacent enemies – While the story isn’t focused on traditional villains, various creatures of Chaos, agents of destruction, and misguided adventurers threaten the mountain.
- Bureaucratic Councils – Made up of committees with names that are pages long, constantly debating safety protocols and efficiency in the middle of a siege.
Setting
- Mount Nevermind—a sprawling, vertical labyrinth of laboratories, steam tunnels, clockwork elevators, explosion chambers, cheese-division test facilities, and failed experiments.
- The setting is a character in its own right—chaotic, alive with motion, and filled with both brilliant and disastrous inventions.
As the Chaos War rages across Krynn, Mount Nevermind is one of the last places holding out, and becomes a target—not because of its strength, but because of its potential (and danger) if overtaken.
Plot Summary
The Calm Before the Weird
Davin has just settled into a peaceful post-failure retirement when strange forces begin moving in on Mount Nevermind. Rumors fly that agents of Chaos seek to commandeer or destroy the gnomes’ inventions, fearing (rightly) that they might accidentally obliterate the world through incompetence.
But the gnomes, being gnomes, can’t agree on whether it’s worth evacuating—not until forms are filed in quintuplicate.
Gnome-Fueled Madness
Davin is reluctantly pulled into the effort to organize a defense, which turns into an endless stream of:
- Committee meetings
- Exploding prototypes
- Strategic maps that are 90% duct tape
- Weapons like “The Incinerating Treadwheel Flail Launcher Mk III” (which malfunctions in amusing ways)
What begins as farce becomes surprisingly effective, as Davin realizes that the gnomes’ unorthodox thinking might actually be the only thing that can stand up to Chaos.
The Siege Begins
Forces of Chaos descend, and Mount Nevermind is besieged. The gnomes deploy an army of semi-intentional weapons, some of which:
- Work too well
- Work on the wrong targets
- Defy basic physics
In the midst of the madness, Davin rallies the gnomes, forming a defense based not on strength or magic—but on sheer ingenuity, resilience, and a willingness to risk catastrophic combustion at every turn.
Victory by Misfire
Through a series of absurd misfires, unexpected successes, and one giant mechanical hamster wheel, the gnomes repel the siege. Chaos is turned back—not by heroes with swords, but by tinkerers who believe everything can be improved with more gears.
Themes
- Innovation Through Failure – Gnomes fail constantly, but their failures eventually lead to genius—or at least survival.
- Unlikely Heroism – Davin shows that leadership doesn’t come from greatness—it comes from caring enough to keep going.
- Satire of Bureaucracy – Gnomish committees and procedures are a sharp and hilarious send-up of real-world red tape.
- Chaos and Order – Both literal and metaphorical, the book plays with the idea that sometimes chaos is best countered not with discipline, but with creativity.
Tone & Style
- Comedic, fast-paced, and tongue-in-cheek, but surprisingly heartfelt.
- Strong narrative voice, full of dry humor and internal monologue.
- Very little traditional high fantasy—no epic battles or divine interventions, just inventions and inventors in over their heads.
- Fans of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams will find much to enjoy here.
Reception
The Siege of Mt. Nevermind is:
- Often regarded as the funniest Dragonlance novel
- A breath of fresh air for readers who want humor, creativity, and world-building depth without grimdark tone
- A love letter to gnomes, showing they’re more than comic relief—they’re the heart of ingenuity in Krynn
Some readers may find:
- The pacing erratic (by design)
- The plot more episodic than linear
- Humor subjective—some love it, others find it too slapstick
But overall, it’s a beloved outlier in the series, proving Dragonlance has room for fun as well as drama.
Final Thoughts
The Siege of Mt. Nevermind is a joyfully chaotic, clever, and heartfelt tribute to invention, perseverance, and teamwork—even when your team is made up of combustible devices and bureaucratic nitwits.
It shows that not all heroes carry swords—some carry blueprints, soldering irons, and emergency fire suppression systems.
Recommended for:
- Fans of Dragonlance who want something light, weird, and clever
- Readers who enjoy comic fantasy, steampunk vibes, or stories about misfits who save the day
- Anyone who secretly believes the engineers are the real heroes
“In the end, it wasn’t might or magic that saved Mount Nevermind. It was paperwork. Explosive, glorious paperwork.”