Dragonesque

by S.C. Butler (Editor), Joshua Palmatier (Editor), Esther M. Friesner

Is anything more terrifying than a dragon? Bat-winged nightmares swooping down from the sky to breathe fire and ice on the wretched humans below; kidnapping princesses, hoarding treasure, swallowing cows.

Or not.

In DRAGONESQUE, the latest fantastic anthology from Zombies Need Brains, you finally get to experience all that awfulness from the dragon’s point of view. And what if it isn’t necessarily that awful? What if the princess wants to be kidnapped, or the dragon is tired of being made fun of week after week at the Renaissance Faire? Or maybe a dragonet just really, really wants to be a unicorn? Perhaps they’re happiest collecting art, or enjoy being tattooed? Or maybe some dragons like putting out fires more than starting them…unless they absolutely have to? DRAGONESQUE features sixteen original stories from such fiery authors as Esther M. Friesner, Madeline Dau, Niall Spain, Russell Hugh McConnell, Grace Eliza, Mike Jack Stoumbos, Paul D. Smith, Jean Marie Ward, Gerald Brandt, Gini Koch & Bebe Bayliss, Larry Ivkovich, Barbara Campbell, Journey Sloane, Em McDermott, Auston Habershaw, and David B. Coe.

See the world as the dragons see it, from the delightfully delicious to the tastefully transactional. Welcome to DRAGONESQUE.


1 • Slay • short fiction by Esther M. Friesner
16 • Avarice and Vengeance • short fiction by Madeline Dau
32 • The Princess Network • short fiction by Niall Spain
43 • Cold Fire of Manhattan • short fiction by Russell Hugh McConnell
59 • Duck, Duck, Dragon • short fiction by Grace Eliza
76 • Sheep Rarely Wear Gold • short fiction by Mike Jack Stoumbos
93 • The Exposé • short fiction by Paul D. Smith
108 • Lord Bai and the Magic Pirate • short fiction by Jean Marie Ward
126 • Tatsu: Cryo Five • short fiction by Gerald Brandt
130 • A King Arthur Dragon in Space Station 23's Court • short fiction by Bebe Bayliss and Gini Koch
148 • Migration Season • short fiction by Larry Ivkovich
164 • Bone and Blood • short fiction by Barbara Campbell
172 • The Breeding Habits of Dragons • short fiction by Journey Sloane
187 • Gods in Chains • short fiction by Em McDermott
201 • The Left Hand of Giordano • short fiction by Auston Habershaw
218 • Reenactment • short fiction by David B. Coe

252 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2023

About the author

S. C. Butler was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the middle of the last century, which really isn’t so very long ago. He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, with no dogs, no cats, and certainly no shape-shifting bears.

Reviews

[Brenda Rezk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The annual ZNB anthologies never disappoint. I frequently like to read a short story or two before going to sleep. I have a difficult time putting down a novel, so if I'm between books, I pick an anthology to read from. This one is full of stories written from a dragon's point of view. Some are hatchlings; others are old. Some can shift into human form, others cannot. Some hoard gold, others books or art. Two stories take place in the future and on different planets! Another explores dragon reproduction. One connects with a group of drag queens. There's a nice variety here.

[Christopher D. Ochs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The theme, "from the dragon's point of view," sparked my imagination. I rate the stories contained as:
Best: Avarice and Vengenace - Madeline Dau, Cold Fire of Manhattan - Russell Hugh McConnell, Left Hand of Giordano (though it wasn't quite true to the theme...) - Auston Habershaw, and Breeding Habits of Dragons - Journey Sloane.
Good: Sheep Rarely Wear Gold - Mike Jack Stoumbos, The Expose' - Paul D. Smith, Migration Season - Larry Ivkovich, God in Chains - Em McDermott, and Reenactment - David B. Coe.
Which leaves seven others...

[Mark Slauter · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great collection of Dragon short stories! Very difficult to choose a favorite.