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Dragons of Light/Darkness
Dragons of Light
The dragons are coming! Here are thirteen original tales about that most popular of fabulous beasts--the dragon! Edited by Orson Scott Card, this book features works by authors such as Roger Zelazny, Michael Bishop, Craig Shaw Gardner, Steve Rasnic Tem and more.
The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin Ill. Alicia Austin
The George Business by Roger Zelazny Ill. Geofrey Darrow
One Winter in Eden by Michael Bishop Ill. Val & John Lakey
A Drama of Dragons by Craig Show Gardner Ill. Gini Shurtleff
Silken Dragon by Steven Edward McDonald Ill. Ron Miller
Dragon Lore by Steve Rasnic Tem Ill. Victoria Poyser
Eagle Worm By Jessica Amanda Salmonson Ill. Glen Edwards
The Dragon of Dunloon by Arthur Dembling Ill. Dileen Marsh
If I die Before I Wake by Greg Bear Ill. Greg Bear
As Above, so Below by John M. Ford Ill. Judy King Rieniets
Cock Fight by Jane Yolen Ill. T. Windling
From Bach to Broccoli By Richard Kearns Ill. Geofrey Darrow
Dragon Touched by Dave Smeds Ill. Michael Hague
The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin Ill. Alicia Austin
The George Business by Roger Zelazny Ill. Geofrey Darrow
One Winter in Eden by Michael Bishop Ill. Val & John Lakey
A Drama of Dragons by Craig Show Gardner Ill. Gini Shurtleff
Silken Dragon by Steven Edward McDonald Ill. Ron Miller
Dragon Lore by Steve Rasnic Tem Ill. Victoria Poyser
Eagle Worm By Jessica Amanda Salmonson Ill. Glen Edwards
The Dragon of Dunloon by Arthur Dembling Ill. Dileen Marsh
If I die Before I Wake by Greg Bear Ill. Greg Bear
As Above, so Below by John M. Ford Ill. Judy King Rieniets
Cock Fight by Jane Yolen Ill. T. Windling
From Bach to Broccoli By Richard Kearns Ill. Geofrey Darrow
Dragon Touched by Dave Smeds Ill. Michael Hague
317 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1980
About the author
Orson Scott Card
849 books21k followersOrson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 17, 2025
Dragons of Light was a very handsome original anthology of fantasy stories concerning (surprise!) dragons commissioned and edited by Orson Scott Card. Each story was accompanied by an original illustration (reduced to fit this size and printed in black and white instead of the color originals) by some of the best contemporary artists in the field at the time. I thought the quality of the stories themselves was a little on the hit-or-miss side, though I remember especially liking those by George R.R. Martin, Michael Bishop, and Roger Zelazny. And the Craig Shaw Gardner was especially amusing. It was assembled simultaneously with a companion volume, Dragons of Darkness, which appeared a year later. An interesting bit of trivia is that the Michael Whelan cover of this book was intended to be the Darkness cover and the Don Maitz cover that was on that book was intended for this one... but somebody screwed up. I remember waiting for the mass-market edition to come out because the $7.95 price tag on the trade edition was too steep, even with the color illustrations. Those were the days...
February 11, 2023
This book was a new experience for me. I’m not really one for little short stories, but this was a fun adventure to try.
Dragons of Light was a novel filled with immersive (maybe more than some) short stories with a dragon in each.
It made my mind think I was opening a new book every time one story ended and a new began. But then reality hit and I was just reading the same book 😂
I only really liked four of the 13 stories portrayed: “the ice dragon”, “the dragon of dunloon,” “dragon touched,” and “as above, so below.” Funny, all these stories—now that I’m looking them over, are all written by males. I say that because I was just saying to my neighbour how—I don’t know why—but I seem to like stories written from male authors. They just sound better to me.
About 1/3 into the book I was beginning to realize short stories are okay but not for me. I need a good, hearty, full length, storyline. And I desire to keep being submerged in the same story until it ends.
But if you’re not like me, then take a trip into 13 different lives where each one meets a dragon.
My thoughts overall: not bad, would recommend to even my Christian bookworms. But not going to lie, some stories had mild swearing and one used God’s name in vain.
Dragons of Light was a novel filled with immersive (maybe more than some) short stories with a dragon in each.
It made my mind think I was opening a new book every time one story ended and a new began. But then reality hit and I was just reading the same book 😂
I only really liked four of the 13 stories portrayed: “the ice dragon”, “the dragon of dunloon,” “dragon touched,” and “as above, so below.” Funny, all these stories—now that I’m looking them over, are all written by males. I say that because I was just saying to my neighbour how—I don’t know why—but I seem to like stories written from male authors. They just sound better to me.
About 1/3 into the book I was beginning to realize short stories are okay but not for me. I need a good, hearty, full length, storyline. And I desire to keep being submerged in the same story until it ends.
But if you’re not like me, then take a trip into 13 different lives where each one meets a dragon.
My thoughts overall: not bad, would recommend to even my Christian bookworms. But not going to lie, some stories had mild swearing and one used God’s name in vain.
July 24, 2023
Of the 13 stories in this short story collection, most were bland and forgettable. The ones that tried to be funny were groan-inducing. Overall, I only really enjoyed 2.
The first was Cockfight by Jane Yolen, a sort of underdog sports story involving dueling dragons. The story ended a bit too conveniently, and definitely felt like the prologue to a larger story, so it's no surprise that Yolen went on to write a full trilogy based on this story, the Pit Dragon trilogy, which I'll have to keep an eye out for (because my 1,000+ to read list needs more books).
The second was the last story, Dragon Touched by Dave Smeds, an engaging action story where powerful telepathic dragons can get into your head and turn your minds to pudding. Author also does a great job of writing action, though the frequent head-hopping was a bit annoying. Still, it was a really fun story.
The first was Cockfight by Jane Yolen, a sort of underdog sports story involving dueling dragons. The story ended a bit too conveniently, and definitely felt like the prologue to a larger story, so it's no surprise that Yolen went on to write a full trilogy based on this story, the Pit Dragon trilogy, which I'll have to keep an eye out for (because my 1,000+ to read list needs more books).
The second was the last story, Dragon Touched by Dave Smeds, an engaging action story where powerful telepathic dragons can get into your head and turn your minds to pudding. Author also does a great job of writing action, though the frequent head-hopping was a bit annoying. Still, it was a really fun story.
May 25, 2025
If you like dragons and well written fantasy short stories, pick up this book. If you like are looking for light hearted stories that will make you laugh, YA writing that's simple, or don't like dragons, don't pick up this book.
Like most compilations, the stories here are hit and miss, making it difficult to rate. I read through all but one (near the end; it feels like the stories were arranged from best selling to least, starting with GRR Martin and Zealany and ending with some authors that I'm sure have wonderful series but I haven't heard of). A few of the stories were just entertaining; some were poignant; most were satisfying. I'd recommend not reading too many reviews to not spoil the individual stories. This isn't good enough to be a book that I will keep on my shelf and re-read, but this also isn't a book I'm sad to have read.
Like most compilations, the stories here are hit and miss, making it difficult to rate. I read through all but one (near the end; it feels like the stories were arranged from best selling to least, starting with GRR Martin and Zealany and ending with some authors that I'm sure have wonderful series but I haven't heard of). A few of the stories were just entertaining; some were poignant; most were satisfying. I'd recommend not reading too many reviews to not spoil the individual stories. This isn't good enough to be a book that I will keep on my shelf and re-read, but this also isn't a book I'm sad to have read.
November 25, 2011
Dragons of Light by Orson Scott Card (ed) is a collection of short stories with (surprise) a theme running to dragons. Thirteen authors bring us stories, legends, folk tales and rumors of dragons and their doings from Ireland to a Native American settlement; from somewhere very like ancient Asia to the deep South. Thirteen illustrators are also on hand to give the authors' visions visual life.
"The Ice Dragon" by George R. R. Martin is a story about a young girl who was born during one of the coldest winters in her land. The bitter weather was said to have killed her mother and to have made her a winter child. The cold did not affect her and it even seemed that coldness had become her nature. Because of her unusual gifts, she is able to make friends with a rare ice dragon. Her family is unaware of her friend and, when their king's enemies come to pillage their land--using traditional fire-breathing dragons--it is Adara and her ice dragon who save her family...at a great loss. A lovely story about friendship and sacrifice.
"The George Business" by Roger Zelazny: Just in the last year I have started reading Zelazny again. I'm wondering why I ever quit. He writes so well and with great humor. This little gem tells the story of how a knight named George and a dragon strike a little business deal....The first two attempts don't quite work out as planned. And then they have an idea that should make both of them happy.
"One Winter in Eden" by Michael Bishop. This one doesn't do a darn thing for me. Basic story line: there's this teacher in the deep south who has a dragon hidden inside him. Well, okay. Isn't that nifty? Do we know why? Nope. Does it matter one iota for the story, really? Not that I can see. The teacher has recently arrived at the school. He's taken the place of one of the few black teachers who have worked there. He's an outsider. There's another black teacher who is now considered an outsider too. Did the hidden dragon have anything to do with any of this? Can't say that it did. When the dragon popped out at the end (sorry if that spoils it for you), did that seem to be important? No, not so much. I mean the dragon could have burned the evil school board members to a crisp or eaten them up or something....but nope. Nothing. Nada. The end.
"A Drama of Dragons" by Craig Shaw Gardner. This is another humorous story. It's about a wizard who can't really practice his magic anymore because he's under a curse that causes him to sneeze uncontrollably every time something magical is in the area. Dragons are magical. A dragon shows up and threatens a local duke and the wizard needs to ward off the dragon. In a nifty twist, the dragon helps the wizard....or does he? Nicely done.
"Silken Dragon" by Steven Edward McDonald. A well-told tale that has the feel of a folk tale or fable. There is skulduggery afoot as a thief plans to steal the kingdom's treasure. He doesn't much believe in the rumors that the treasures are guarded by the curse of the silken dragon. Nor in the ability of a woman warrior to help stop him. By the end of the story both the dragon and the warrior show him that a little faith in what he didn't understand just might have been a good thing....
"Eagle-Worm" by Jessica Amanda Salmonson. A Native American tale in which the eagle-worm (dragon, thunderbird, lizard of fire) serves as a totem animal for a young Native American woman. She is sent on a quest to confront the dragon and to test and see if she is worthy to be the next Tribal Mother. The dragon has more to reveal than she knows. Well-told.
"The Dragon of Dunloon" by Arthur Dembling. A young man comes to Dunloon to record local music and gets more than he bargained for. The citizens begin telling him tales of dragons and soon a sea dragon is spotted off the coast. But when the young man looks, all he sees is a boat. The citizens seem very sincere...are they all crazy? Are they all plotting an enormous leg pull? Or can they really see something he can't?
"If I Die Before I Wake" by Greg Bear. About a dragon that seems to represent growing up. I think. Or maybe not growing up. Not sure. This one didn't do much for me either.
"As Above, So Below" by John M. Ford. "Here there be dragons." Or least there were. A very short story about the day the dragons disappeared.
"Cockfight" by Jane Yolen. A young bondsman steals a dragon and trains it for the cockfights....in an effort to gain his freedom. Another good shorter short story.
"From Bach to Broccoli" by Richard Kearns. A cautionary tale about building and expansion taking over all the places where dragons may roam.
"Dragon Touched" by Dave Smeds. A great magician sets off on a journey to kill two powerful dragons. But will happen if one of the dragons joins minds with him?
This is a fairly good collection of stories most are good (save for those I have indicated) and some are terrific. My favorites: "The Ice Dragon," "The George Business," "A Drama of Dragons," and "Cockfight." This is another plant for the Victory Garden and my November entry for the Read Your Own Library Challenge. As I mentioned last month, this one has been hanging out on the TBR shelves since July 1999. My best friend gave it to me for my birthday. I tried to read it then, but I just wasn't as into science fiction as I once was. It's nice to finally sit down and read these stories that she loved so much. Three and a half stars for the entire collection
"The Ice Dragon" by George R. R. Martin is a story about a young girl who was born during one of the coldest winters in her land. The bitter weather was said to have killed her mother and to have made her a winter child. The cold did not affect her and it even seemed that coldness had become her nature. Because of her unusual gifts, she is able to make friends with a rare ice dragon. Her family is unaware of her friend and, when their king's enemies come to pillage their land--using traditional fire-breathing dragons--it is Adara and her ice dragon who save her family...at a great loss. A lovely story about friendship and sacrifice.
"The George Business" by Roger Zelazny: Just in the last year I have started reading Zelazny again. I'm wondering why I ever quit. He writes so well and with great humor. This little gem tells the story of how a knight named George and a dragon strike a little business deal....The first two attempts don't quite work out as planned. And then they have an idea that should make both of them happy.
"One Winter in Eden" by Michael Bishop. This one doesn't do a darn thing for me. Basic story line: there's this teacher in the deep south who has a dragon hidden inside him. Well, okay. Isn't that nifty? Do we know why? Nope. Does it matter one iota for the story, really? Not that I can see. The teacher has recently arrived at the school. He's taken the place of one of the few black teachers who have worked there. He's an outsider. There's another black teacher who is now considered an outsider too. Did the hidden dragon have anything to do with any of this? Can't say that it did. When the dragon popped out at the end (sorry if that spoils it for you), did that seem to be important? No, not so much. I mean the dragon could have burned the evil school board members to a crisp or eaten them up or something....but nope. Nothing. Nada. The end.
"A Drama of Dragons" by Craig Shaw Gardner. This is another humorous story. It's about a wizard who can't really practice his magic anymore because he's under a curse that causes him to sneeze uncontrollably every time something magical is in the area. Dragons are magical. A dragon shows up and threatens a local duke and the wizard needs to ward off the dragon. In a nifty twist, the dragon helps the wizard....or does he? Nicely done.
"Silken Dragon" by Steven Edward McDonald. A well-told tale that has the feel of a folk tale or fable. There is skulduggery afoot as a thief plans to steal the kingdom's treasure. He doesn't much believe in the rumors that the treasures are guarded by the curse of the silken dragon. Nor in the ability of a woman warrior to help stop him. By the end of the story both the dragon and the warrior show him that a little faith in what he didn't understand just might have been a good thing....
"Eagle-Worm" by Jessica Amanda Salmonson. A Native American tale in which the eagle-worm (dragon, thunderbird, lizard of fire) serves as a totem animal for a young Native American woman. She is sent on a quest to confront the dragon and to test and see if she is worthy to be the next Tribal Mother. The dragon has more to reveal than she knows. Well-told.
"The Dragon of Dunloon" by Arthur Dembling. A young man comes to Dunloon to record local music and gets more than he bargained for. The citizens begin telling him tales of dragons and soon a sea dragon is spotted off the coast. But when the young man looks, all he sees is a boat. The citizens seem very sincere...are they all crazy? Are they all plotting an enormous leg pull? Or can they really see something he can't?
"If I Die Before I Wake" by Greg Bear. About a dragon that seems to represent growing up. I think. Or maybe not growing up. Not sure. This one didn't do much for me either.
"As Above, So Below" by John M. Ford. "Here there be dragons." Or least there were. A very short story about the day the dragons disappeared.
"Cockfight" by Jane Yolen. A young bondsman steals a dragon and trains it for the cockfights....in an effort to gain his freedom. Another good shorter short story.
"From Bach to Broccoli" by Richard Kearns. A cautionary tale about building and expansion taking over all the places where dragons may roam.
"Dragon Touched" by Dave Smeds. A great magician sets off on a journey to kill two powerful dragons. But will happen if one of the dragons joins minds with him?
This is a fairly good collection of stories most are good (save for those I have indicated) and some are terrific. My favorites: "The Ice Dragon," "The George Business," "A Drama of Dragons," and "Cockfight." This is another plant for the Victory Garden and my November entry for the Read Your Own Library Challenge. As I mentioned last month, this one has been hanging out on the TBR shelves since July 1999. My best friend gave it to me for my birthday. I tried to read it then, but I just wasn't as into science fiction as I once was. It's nice to finally sit down and read these stories that she loved so much. Three and a half stars for the entire collection
June 8, 2017
A great mix of stories about dragons...I assume thet story is about Dragons of Light, because in none of the stories, we the main dragons evil, or bad guys. Really again liked George R.R.Martin's story, I should really try one of his novels. I also like the fact that art (drawings) were added to each story. It's a book with pictures....LOL..worth the read.
March 18, 2021
13 beautifully written short stories of dragons. Locus Award Nominee for Best Anthology (1981), World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Anthology/Collection (1981), Balrog Award Nominee for Best Collection/Anthology (1981).
January 17, 2019
A collection of short stories revolving around dragons, the hunting of, the winning of princesses from, and such.
November 2, 2013
Picked this up in a charity shop for $1. My eye was drawn to the 'Orson Scott Card' on the cover, and the discovery that one of the short stories was authored by George R. R. Martin sealed the deal. I haven't read anything by him and was intrigued. I was also surprised to find he was known in 1980, way before Game of Thrones... That Roger Zelazny also had a story was the cream.
It turns out this is actually Volume One of a two volume collection of stories, each with specifically commissioned art, solicited by Card. The cover blurb is somewhat alarming, running something like, 'Never before has art and literature been so joined...' Big call, that.
Diverse in style and genre--from poignant high fantasy to surreal modern-day pastiche--the collected stories are united by the presence in each of a 'dragon,' albeit dragons as you've never conceived them. Good reading to stretch and spark the imagination.
I'm not rushing out to find Volume Two, but if I saw it, I'd grab it. I enjoyed every story, I think in part because of their unpredictability. Keep an eye out for the little nugget, 'As above so below' by John M. Ford, which manages to play nice with a dragon *and* Schrödinger's cat.
It turns out this is actually Volume One of a two volume collection of stories, each with specifically commissioned art, solicited by Card. The cover blurb is somewhat alarming, running something like, 'Never before has art and literature been so joined...' Big call, that.
Diverse in style and genre--from poignant high fantasy to surreal modern-day pastiche--the collected stories are united by the presence in each of a 'dragon,' albeit dragons as you've never conceived them. Good reading to stretch and spark the imagination.
I'm not rushing out to find Volume Two, but if I saw it, I'd grab it. I enjoyed every story, I think in part because of their unpredictability. Keep an eye out for the little nugget, 'As above so below' by John M. Ford, which manages to play nice with a dragon *and* Schrödinger's cat.
August 16, 2017
Dragon Mania! A terrific tome of thirteen tales featuring the most mythic, mysterious, & terrifying of fantastic beasties; great and small!! There are many magnificent stories authored by fantasy's most awesome; like the dragon dude himself, George R. R. Martin, and followed by equally fantastic fellows such as Roger Zelazny, Greg Bear, Michael Bishop & Jane Yolen. I loved it, it was timeless despite its age. Give it a read!
September 21, 2012
This was a collection of stories about dragons, and many of them were quite good and interesting, though there were a few that were mediocre. I especially liked the one about a dragon and a knight going into business, and one about an ancient dragon hiding out in a rural town as a human teacher. I found each of the stories unique, and overall i enjoyed this book.
May 3, 2014
This is an anthology of stories about dragons mostly notable for a George RR Martin story about an ice dragon and the girl who loved it, a Roger Zelazny story about a knight cutting a deal with a dragon, and a Jane Yolen story about a boy who raises a dragon for the pit fights. Each story is illustrated and Greg Bear illustrates his own.
March 19, 2018
Mostly good short stories about...dragons.
September 1, 2010
I enjoyed all of the stories in this book, which doesn't happen often with short story collections! Happily surprised :)
July 31, 2011
An interesting collection of different interpretations of dragons.
August 20, 2011
I struggled to get through this one.
February 20, 2016
If you like dragons then this very good collection of short stories is for you. Many top name writers contributing. Recommended
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews