Dragonshadow

Winterlands #2

by Barbara Hambly, Donato Giancola (Illustrator)

Lord John Aversin—with the help of his mageborn wife, Jenny Waynest—has fought and defeated two dragons, earning the title of Dragonsbane. But there are creatures more terrifying than dragons. Demonspawn from a dark dimension have learned to drink the magic—and the souls—of mages and dragons alike, turning their victims into empty vessels. And now they've stolen John and Jenny's mageborn son, twelve-year-old Ian.

In desperation, John seeks the help of the eldest and strongest Morkeleb the Black. But the demons have allies, a vast army poised to plunge the Realm into civil war. In the coming struggle, Morkeleb will sacrifice what he values most. Jenny will question everything she trusts and believes in. And John will embark on a perilous quest for the only things capable of defeating such powerful demons—even more powerful demons . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks

310 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 2, 1999

About the author

aka Barbara Hamilton

Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.


"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly

Reviews

[Bookwraiths · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.

Whenever an author revisits a beloved story from the past, especially with the idea of transforming it into something very different from the original, they should do so with utmost caution. I know, change is a part of life. Evolution to people’s personality is natural. But just because a story doesn’t end when “The End” is written, doesn’t necessarily mean a writer should chronicle those further adventures, because sometimes they are not exploits a reader wants to read about. And, unfortunately, Dragonshadow begins a trilogy which proves exactly that point. At least, in my opinion, it does, which is a hard thing for me to say since I adore most everything Barbara Hambly has ever written.

Like a lot of people, I read Dragonsbane years ago and loved it. As naive and light as the novel was, the characters were compelling, John Aversin and Jenny Waynest’s relationship was realistic portrayed, and the ending tied up all the loose ends, sending our heroes off into the sunset to have as nice a life as they possible could. So I was excited when I discovered Dragonshadow and the Winterlands trilogy it begins.

Damn, was I wrong.

Dragonshadow starts off by establishing the dark and gloomy tone which will infuse the rest of the series; a reader inundated with proof of the downward spiral of John Aversin and Jenny Waynest’ relationship. Not that their petty quarrels, lack of empathy for each another, and general disillusionment with one another was unrealistic given their long term relationship and kids underfoot, but it was downright depressing how far our former committed and loving duo had fallen. Then things got really bleak and depressing.

You see, there is something foul taking place in the land. An evil force having reawakened, determined to destroy the entire world after having suitably tormented every living thing it can find. And soon John and Jenny are embroiled in trying to stop it, because their twelve-year-old son is its captive!

Okay, that setup might sound interesting. I thought it was when I first picked the novel up, but quickly it became tedious for several reasons.

One, the first half of the book had little if anything to do with the actual plot, but, rather, they read like filler material. Sure, they revealed John and Jenny’s life since the close of Dragonsbane, introduced a few new characters, and even sent John on a lengthy quest to reunite with a scaly creature from book one, but none of it really amounted to anything. Even the huge “quest” was nothing but an easy plot device to get John out of the way while the villains were revealed.

Two, the villains. This was a huge letdown for me. One of the villains was so easy to spot I saw it coming from the very beginning. Honestly, I got angry when it seemed I had guessed right chapters before. Even when the big reveal occurred, I still held out hope it was all some slight of hand by Ms. Hambly. Alas, no luck.

Three, the torture, rape, pedophilia, and other deplorable acts became overwhelming and repetitive. I mean, bad guys do bad stuff; it didn’t shock me the villains here were not saints. The graphic nature of the murder, torture and rape did surprise me a little however, but soon even the orgies and death didn’t really faze me anymore, because it became mind numbing, leading me to skim whole sections of the narrative.

Four, the ending. Even though I had reservations with the novel, I persevered to the end, determined to find some silver lining to make this experience worthwhile. My reward was Dragonshadow ending without any meaningful resolution to anything.

I hate writing negative reviews of books (especially books written by my favorite authors), but sometimes it is unavoidable. This is one of those times. As light and naive as Dragonsbane was, it was a fantastic, classic fantasy with a near perfect ending; why Barbara Hambly decided to revisit this world and these characters only to deconstruct them in the most horrible of ways is anyone’s guess. Yes, their lives continued after Dragonsbane ended, but I believe this new chapter in their story might have been better left untold.

[Rachel Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you loved Dragonsbane, run away from the unnecessary, excruciatingly depressing, and out of character sequels.

Dragonsbane had a beautiful ending and did not need any sequels. It especially did not need sequels in which the characters were physically, psychologically, and morally destroyed by... demons. Why demons? I have no idea. Maybe because it was the most grim and miserable thing Hambly could think of.

I honestly wish I had never read this book.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hm. Well, that was disorienting, disappointing, and . . . kind of uncomfortable. Not nearly as good as Dragonsbane, and it ends on a cliffhanger. I suppose I would need to read the next one to see if the story redeems itself. But right at the moment, I'm not inclined to do so.

[Elsie Ouellet · Rating 4 out of 5]

All i want to say is, “C’mon Jenny, give in and become a dragon already! You know you want to!” 😄

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

????????

respectfully, what the fuck happened to my whimsical yet profound dragon-killing-quest fantasy. why have i been left with ‘oh no!!! demons!!! evil wizards!!! ahhhhh’

this begins incredibly slowly, and undoes 95% of the character work from book 1 that made it so good, while also giving up very little by way of plot other than demons = evil.

i’m gonna need a few days to recover, but for very different reasons than after the first one.

[Aidan Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good or quite as enjoyable as the first book, but that’s mostly due to the first 50 pages or so. Once the story gets going, it gets REALLY good! Looking forward to seeing how the story wraps up in the final book.

[Chels · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was loving this book just like I had loved the first one, though there was a decidedly darker tone to it. However, about 3/4 of the way in the author totally disappointed me with how graphic and explicit her writing became as she delved into what it might be like to be taken over by demons. I was SO impressed with the first book because she had been one of a few authors who had a gift for alluding to deeper issues without needing to be explicit, then she ruined it. I had a very difficult time getting disturbing images and phrases out of my head after reading this book, because it was so offensive and unnecessary. I ended up finishing the book only to get some sort of closure for my scarred senses. It takes a certain level of maturity to recognize when an author has taken their message beyond the realm of decency. And I imagine an author would have to get into a very unhealthy frame of mind to conjure up some of these scenarios. That being the case, I will never recommend this book to another person.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is lacking a lot of the poetic beauty of the first one, and it's significantly grimmer. While the shift in tone was a little startling, I gradually grew to appreciate this book in its own right.

First of all, Jenny and John's relationship is nicely done. It's enjoyable to see a fantasy romance that provides support and encouragement to the characters instead of just being a source of tension.

I also felt like the inclusion of the demons, while a bit random, created an engaging story. They're suitably evil and scary while not being so overpowered that defeating them is impossible. Overall, the demons are a far more satisfying antagonist than Zyerne ever was.

Overall, I wouldn't call it the most logical or seamless continuation of the original story. However, it's still a very appealing and nicely done book.

[Rebecca Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one turned out to be a very good, very chilling fantasy novel that takes and twists everything you think you know about dragons and demons. Occurs four years after the events in Dragonsbane, and while it's not necessary to have read the previous novel, it does help. I should also warn that there is some very adult content in this one, and that if you are sensitive to violent scenes, including rape, you may want to avoid this one. For all that, it's still an excellent book, and probably one of Hambly's best.

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Barbar...

[Korynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Returning late to her characters, Hambly starts on a new tale using her characters from Dragonsbane. In this much darker story demons seize control of wizards and dragons alike for their pleasure. High costs are paid for success and the characters stand fractured by the end.

[Louiz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have been putting off reading this as the second book in this trilogy ends on a horrible cliff hanger (both in that it's a cliff hanger and it's horrible) but I now have the last one so... on with the re-reading

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly 3 stars is too high for a book that has the trope I hate the most. All these negative reviews on here don't mention it! If they had, I wouldn't have wasted my time. It's woman loses her powers, womp womp. She should have stayed a dragon and fucked off in the first book

[Jeffrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dragonsbane was a great fantasy novel. This one is not quite as good.

[Spider the Doof Warrior · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction of demons bugged me. I hate demons. They are all evil. How is that interesting? Dragons, on the other hand are cool and fantastic, but demons just suck.

[Kari · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope, nope, nope. Took the uplifting characters of the previous book & broke them.

[Johnny Bennett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dragonshadow is the much darker, more introspective sequel to Barbara Hambly’s Dragonsbane, and while it expands the world and deepens the characters, it also departs significantly in tone and audience suitability. Where Dragonsbane felt like a classic fantasy adventure—complete with dragons, magic, and a dash of whimsy—Dragonshadow delves into the psychological and spiritual costs of power, fear, and love, presenting a more complex, and at times unsettling, narrative.

The story follows Lord John Aversin and his mageborn wife Jenny Waynest as they confront a new and insidious threat: demons that drain magic and consume souls. When their twelve-year-old son Ian is taken, the stakes become deeply personal. The first act of the novel is strong, continuing the tone and pace of Dragonsbane with thrilling confrontations and well-paced character development. John’s pursuit of another dragon and Jenny’s clash with a rogue wizard bring familiar energy and excitement.

However, the novel takes a notable shift in its second and third acts. As the narrative pivots to airship chases, demonic possession, and psychological torment, the pacing becomes more erratic. Jenny’s internal struggles dominate, and the prose occasionally becomes disjointed, with abrupt transitions that may leave readers disoriented. The darker themes—loss of control, identity, and sanity—are explored with weight, but not always with clarity.

While Dragonshadow avoids graphic detail, it touches on mature content including torture, madness, and emotional trauma. Readers expecting the tone of Dragonsbane should be forewarned: this is not a light-hearted continuation. It’s a story of emotional unraveling, moral ambiguity, and survival in the face of despair.

Recommended with caution—especially for readers who enjoyed the first book’s warmth and wonder. Dragonshadow is not without merit, but its tonal shift and structural unevenness may not satisfy those expecting a traditional fantasy sequel.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have quit with Dragonsbane. I will definitely quit here. Dragonsbane was a well-wrought and nuanced view on the fantasy genre, with wonderfully flawed heroes. Dragonshadow was...well, what was it?

The first half of the book read like a factory built, trope-laden fantasy story. The plot was both obvious and mundane. Little details started to annoy. Like for example, John Aversin deciding he was going to speak in a Scottish burr for 20 pages and then not again for the rest of the book. Or unstoppable demons being called to defeat unstoppable demons, but no explanation of how the second group of unstoppable demons were stopped.

As we get into the last half of the book though, Mrs. Hambly brings Morkeleb back and the interactions between his alien mind and the witch Jenny Waynest are as well done as in the first book. Her exploration of shame, addiction and self-pity by some of the characters in the aftermath of exorcism was also very well done. It saved this book from a dismal 1 or 2 star rating, although how the battle/exorcism was won, was as silly as the plot in the first half of the book.

So overall, this was nowhere near as good as the first book in the series. The horrible Hollywood ending of the one bad guy got away so there will be a sequel to follow, was the icing on the cake to make me put this series aside. Too bad. I'm still glad I "found" Mrs. Hambly and I bought another series of hers on sale, so I'm not done with her...just this series.

[Stuart Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really grows on you, getting better and better as it reached a very fitting end to this portion of the story. Kind of reminds me of how “Empire Strikes Back” is resolved, with nothing but more questions, poor results, and only a few issues resolved after almost everything is lost. I love the world Hambly creates, her conception of how things work between worlds, even the stars themselves. Well thought out, particularly considering the nature of dragons. Why do they love gold so much? Why are they so fundamentally different than the human concept of being, etc. All of those “general knowledge” concepts concerning legendary/fantastical information about dragons we have learned from reading we are given the “why” explanations in this trilogy, and in a logical framework that works for me. Lets see if she can maintain that standard in the last installment of this story.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe 5 stars is too high, but I liked it more than #1. Still some fun Jen and John moments, and while those moments are fewer than I'd like, their relationship is still the backbone of the book. Morkeleb, and his relationships, grow nicely. Darker than #1 (felt like the second book of a trilogy, though there are at least 4 novels). One of the biggest problems with #1 is how paper thin and over the top the villain was. Here, the villains are still over the top bad, but the motivations make more sense and there is in depth discussion of the emotional fallout from the trauma. The build to the climax suffered a little from a lot of 'this character goes to this location, and next this other character goes here', but I was much more emotionally invested in this climax than in #1.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first book - I cruised through it and really enjoyed it so I was pretty excited to pick up the second. I didn't dislike this one, but it wasn't as fun as the first one. Not sure if it was just laden with more stuff that made it a little slow, or just because it wasn't as much fun as the first one, but I wound up not liking the characters as much by the end and sort of losing the story in the middle as it was pretty easy to want to wander off into other things. Even when I got down to the last chapter I had a hard time staying engaged. I'll still pick up the third one, but I hope it is a return to the fun of the first book.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2021/0...

Ooof. This starts out like it’s going to be another fun adventure, there’s bandits and dragons etc, but then demons come into the mix and things take a turn for the dark and grim and gross. Like there are not enough content warnings in the world for this book. I’m torn because based on the descriptions, the third book looks like it might also be grim and gross, but the fourth seems like it might be awesome? But I can’t read another like this. This gets a B bc the dragons-witch friendship remains a standout.

[Liasanya Leseratte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dieses Buch war ein Preisreduziertes mängelexemplar, was ich mir als Jugendliche gekauft habe. Es hat mich nicht so sehr begeistert, vielleicht weil es eher für Erwachsene geschrieben ist oder ich die anderen Bände nicht kenne. Es geht um den drachentöter John und seine magische Frau Jenny, die plötzlich von Dämonen bedroht werden und deren Sohn ian entführt wird. Die Geschichte ist eigentlich nicht schlecht, aber man kommt schlecht rein und irgendwie ist sehr düster; Sodas man sich nicht wirklich mit den Protagonisten identifiziert.

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some of the other reviews and wasn't sure I'd like this, however I didn't find it anywhere near as bad as I expected. Admittedly it's not as good as the first book and the ending is a cliff hanger, however the descriptions of what those who were possessed by demons did was not that specific to my mind. You needed some information on what they did and I think Ms Hambly balanced what we needed to know well with what would have been too much information; demons after all are not nice.

[Kes · Rating 2 out of 5]

You start with characters you love and... this book just tears them down. Ian is possessed by a demon; Jenny as well; John makes a deal with another demon to get them back. The demonic taint makes John a next to exile, and he flees at the end of the book. Jenny is left without magic.

It's ok, and we see the difficulty of being parents - but it feels like a sequel without the joy and contentment of the first book.

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part about this series is its characters. Jenny Waynest, John Aversin and Morkeleb, the dragon, have an interesting a deep chemistry, that makes this story really special, heartbreaking and bitterweet.
I will definitely will read what comes next for this weird and amazing trio (finally, a romance I really enjoy). I don't know if I will be able to handle a sad ending.

[Treladon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark, pretty depressing. I think the author went a little too far with some of the demon possession imagery. The first half of the book was a little slow, but the second half was more engaging. I'm torn on whether I'll read the next one. I would like to see the characters redeemed, but considering how grim this book was, I'm not sure that will happen.

[Anastasiaadamov · Rating 4 out of 5]

The motives with main characters that are not the blooming youth in fantasy genre are quite different than not.
Some of it caught me off guard.
I'm not sure that I liked how this book ended.
Now I feel I need to read the next book in the series just to get out of this depressive ending feeling...

[Maggie Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not As Good As The First

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did the first. This one felt bulky and slow. But the characters are like able, and I’ll likely continue to see what happens next.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. The first book was great high fantasy, and then this sequel took a major turn. I’m loving it, but I can see why some reviewers aren’t so happy about it. And according to my husband, it gets darker from here ...

[Lee Wilbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and exciting, but grim

Well written and imagined book. Handling of characters as well as the premises is masterful, as I have come to expect from Barbara Hambly. Recommend