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The Dragon Book
450 pages
A fiery, multifaceted exploration of fantasy's most iconic creature across time and space.
What it feels like
Reading this anthology feels like wandering through a vast, mythical menagerie where every enclosure holds a different kind of magic. The pace is brisk and ever-shifting, carrying you from the scorched earth of post-apocalyptic landscapes to the quiet magic of modern suburbia. Because it draws on a multitude of legendary voices, the prose style is a rich tapestry, shifting from the elevated tones of high fantasy to the grounded, gritty reality of contemporary survival. The mood is wondrous and fiery, capturing both the terror of reptilian beasts at war and the profound, mystical bonds between riders and their noble mounts. It is a perfect read for fantasy enthusiasts who want to see the genre's most iconic creature reimagined in endless, imaginative ways.
- Mood
- epic
- wondrous
- fiery
- atmospheric
- Tone
- imaginative
- varied
- mythic
- adventurous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- mythology and folklore · human-animal bonds · the nature of beasts · magic in mundane places
- The writing
- A diverse tapestry of voices ranging from classic high fantasy to grounded, modern storytelling.
- The arc
- Shifts from awe-inspiring encounters with ancient beasts to intimate bonds between humans and mythical creatures.
- Who it's for
- Fantasy lovers and dragon enthusiasts who crave a wide variety of imaginative takes on their favorite mythical creature.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- post-apocalyptic settings
About the book
Never before published stories by authors Jonathan Stroud, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Diana Gabaldon, and others.Whether portrayed as fire-breathing reptilian beasts at war with humanity or as noble creatures capable of speech and mystically bonded to the warriors who ride them, dragons have been found in nearly every culture's mythology. In modern times, they can be found far from their medieval settings in locales as mundane as suburbia or as barren as post-apocalyptic landscapes—and in The Dragon Book, today's greatest fantasists reignite the fire with legendary tales that will consume readers' imaginations.With original stories by authors Jonathan Stroud, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Diana Gabaldon, Tamora Pierce, Harry Turtledove, Sean Williams, and Tad Williams as well as tales by Naomi Novik, Peter Beagle, Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, Cecelia Holland, Kage Baker, Samuel Sykes, Diana Wynne Jones, Mary Rosenblum, Tanith Lee, Andy Duncan, and Bruce Coville.
Description from Open Library.
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