Books › The Dragon and the George

The Dragon and the George
First published 1976 · 424 pages
A delightfully wry portal fantasy where modern logic collides head-on with medieval magic and dragon-sized problems.
What it feels like
Reading this classic portal fantasy feels like stepping into a warm, nostalgic time machine where the rules of chivalry are turned entirely upside down. The narrative moves at a brisk, entertaining clip, carrying you through a whimsical world that balances genuine peril with wry, fish-out-of-water comedy. The prose is straightforward and witty, grounding the absurdity of talking beasts and erratic magic in a highly relatable, slightly cynical modern perspective. It is a cheerful, cozy-yet-perilous romp that delights in poking gentle fun at medieval tropes while still delivering a satisfying heroic adventure. Fans of old-school, lighthearted fantasy who enjoy watching a bewildered protagonist stumble their way into unexpected courage will find this an absolute joy to devour.
- Mood
- whimsical
- nostalgic
- cheerful
- cozy-yet-perilous
- Tone
- wry
- humorous
- lighthearted
- satirical
- adventurous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- fish out of water · absurdity of chivalry · clash of logic and magic · finding unexpected courage
- The writing
- Straightforward and witty, blending classic pulp-fantasy charm with a conversational, slightly cynical modern voice.
- The arc
- The journey moves from bewildered, comedic frustration to a triumphant, confident embrace of a bizarre new reality.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love classic, lighthearted portal fantasy and gentle parodies of medieval tropes.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- mild peril
- kidnapping
About the book
Jim Eckert was a dragon. He hadn't planned it that way, but that's what happened when he set out to rescue his betrothed. Following her through an erratic astral-projection machine, Jim suddenly found himself in a cockeyed world - locked in the body of a talking dragon named Gorbash. That wouldn't have been so bad if his beloved Angie were also a dragon. But in this magical land, that was not the case. Angie had somehow remained a very female human - or a george, as the dragons called any human. And Jim, no matter what anyone called him, was a dragon. To make matters worse, Angie had been taken prisoner by an evil dragon and was held captive in the impenetrable Loathly Tower. So in this land where georges were edible and beasts were magical - where spells worked and logic didn't - Jim Eckert had a problem. And he needed help, by george!
Description from Open Library.
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