Dragon Wing (1990) is a fantasy novel by American authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, the first book in their Death Gate Cycle series.

Following the Rose of the Prophet trilogy, Weis and Hickman embarked on an ambitious seven-volume series that began with Dragon Wing.

Since the publication of their Dragonlance series, millions of readers have enjoyed their imaginative world-building, rich characterization, and intricate storylines.

Now these bestselling authors bring their talents to one of the most innovative fantasy creations ever in Dragon Wing, the first volume in The Death Gate Cycle."

In the Low Realm, the dwarves (called "Gegs", an elven word for "insects") live on the continent Drevlin and cheerfully serve the giant Kicksey-winsey, a city-sized machine that is the source of all water in Arianus.

They were some of the most powerful wizards of their kind, leaving fellow humans behind in their disgust for the constant warfare, but they never equalled the likes of the missing Sartan and Patryn races.

In the Realm of sky, humans, elves, and dwarves battle for control of precious water—traversing a world of airborne islands on currents of elven magic and the backs of mammoth dragons.

The assassin Hugh the Hand is about to be executed when he is rescued by Trian, the wizard who serves the human King Stephen.

Hugh departs with Bane, who's a creepy but beautiful and endearing child, and soon after they leave a man called Alfred catches up with them.

Alfred is a courtier and serves Prince Bane, but he appears very weak and easily threatened, and keeps fainting whenever he is afraid.

Another elven ship arrives to claim the regular tribute of water, to take back to their lands in the Mid Realm.

Bane persuades the elven lieutenant to take him, Hugh, Alfred, Haplo and Limbeck to the High Realm to visit his father Sinistrad.

When the elven ship arrives, Sinistrad puts on the illusion that there is a large population of happy mysteriarchs to welcome them and lead them through an apparently beautiful city.

Bane knows his father's plan is to drive the "Gegs" (the dwarves of Drevlin) to war, and to take over all the lower realms.

Haplo drives it off for long enough to escape in the elven ship with the elf lieutenant (now captain), and Bane, and the dog.

He is enchanting, in every sense of the word, using his supernaturally enhanced charisma to convince even the man hired to kill him to let him live.

Hugh took revenge on his father after leaving the Kir Monks, sending himself down a path that would eventually lead to him becoming the most feared assassin in Arianus.

[1] Dragon Wing has been licensed and translated into many languages, including Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.