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Atlanton Earth
Dragon Winter
Rumors abound that a terrible dragon winter approaches and Bramble Otter decides to consult with Old Bark, a feared silver bear, who may be the only one to remember the last such winter
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
5 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Niel Hancock
21 books26 followersNiel Hancock started out from the Panhandle of Texas in 1941, and was on the ground when the Sky Riders went down outside Roswell, New Mexico. Even as a lad, that tweaked his curiosity, and then they touched off the Atom Bomb at Trinity Site, which put him on the trail of the Road to the Sacred Mountain, young as he was.
He grew up in that wilderness, always looking for clues to the Mystery, then drifted on to the University, then Europe... He was then welcomed into the ranks of the U.S. Army... in 1965. Niel was drafted, and after his basic and advanced training, was assigned to the 716th MP BN, Viet Nam in July of 1967. He served through July of 1968, and was a survivor of the Tet Offensive of that year. In the aftermath of the war, he spent time in the Virgin Islands, then California, running with the wild musicians that fueled those later years of the '60's, and finally ended up in the desert of Chihuahua.
He came off the outlaw trail there, through a small miracle of friendship and having bottomed out on alcohol and drugs, and began to do the one thing he had always wanted, which was to write yarns and tales of the things he'd seen and done.
He grew up in that wilderness, always looking for clues to the Mystery, then drifted on to the University, then Europe... He was then welcomed into the ranks of the U.S. Army... in 1965. Niel was drafted, and after his basic and advanced training, was assigned to the 716th MP BN, Viet Nam in July of 1967. He served through July of 1968, and was a survivor of the Tet Offensive of that year. In the aftermath of the war, he spent time in the Virgin Islands, then California, running with the wild musicians that fueled those later years of the '60's, and finally ended up in the desert of Chihuahua.
He came off the outlaw trail there, through a small miracle of friendship and having bottomed out on alcohol and drugs, and began to do the one thing he had always wanted, which was to write yarns and tales of the things he'd seen and done.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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February 18, 2013This is a book more suited for a parent to read to their children at night in bed, or for a lonely middle school nerd girl to read during her lonely lunch breaks. It's a funny book for a grown man to read to himself, but it is the winter, and there is a lot of snow, and it was the coziest thing to read.
Which is not to say it is a well-written book: there are too many characters, all with similar names, and plot holes amid a meandering plot which seems quite obviously made up as it went along.
More annoying is how repetitive and talky it is. It has the most repetitive do-nothing dialogue I have ever seen! Repetitive, planning and expositional dialogue has a certain cozy-making quality to it, but a whole book filled with it is another matter.
I'm not going to bother finding an example of repetitive dialogue in the book because they make up the whole book and that would be boring. Instead, I am going to make up a little snippet of dialogue that COULD have appeared in the book, and this then will also serve to be the first and last piece of Dragon Winter fan fiction.
"I don't think this is the right way at all," Morley said timidly. "My whiskers are bristling terribly, and I don't see how we can ever find our way in this darkness."
"Morley is right," said Basil. "It is awfully dark in here, and I can't see my paws in front of me."
"What we need now is a plan to get through this darkness," Bramble said with conviction. "Granny, what do you think we should do?"
"I think we should go on ahead, and plan what we should do after that when we come to it," the old she-badger responded. "I'm sure if Gruff was here he would know what to do."
"What I'd like to do right now is eat a scone and have a nice cup of tea," grumbled Stump. "Then I would sit and take out a nice book to read by the fire."
"We'd better keep going on, if we want to avoid those killer wolves, and the fire," added Acorn.
"Don't forget mankind," chirped in Basil. "I wouldn't want to be around when they're around, either."
"Oh, I don't think all mankind is so bad," Granny said. "I've heard Gruff talk of some mankind that were decent sort, even though they weren't animals."
"Mankind! Bah!" Stump snorted. "If you've met one man, you've met them all."
"What do you think we should do, Bramble?" Branch asked her mate.
"I think we should get through this darkness, and plan what we should do next."
"Maybe there's treasure at the end of this tunnel!" Bumble exclaimed.
"Yeah! And dragons!" Added Cabbage.
And so on....
Ah, it flows so easily from me, like a trance of automatic writing! Try it yourself: dog-peddling in prose form, an author adding pages to stay afloat while his mind racks over what will happen next. Now imagine a book chock full of this!
But INCREDIBLY repetitive dialogue aside, the trance-like state one needs to read through Dragon Winter was a pleasant and warm one, and one I mostly enjoyed. I was however disappointed that (spoiler!) no actual Dragon Winter develops, no winter at all to speak of. But I was relieved that this book was secretly not Part I of some massive fantasy series I would find no joy in completing, as the meandering plot made it seem there would be no possible way for it to tie up all its lose ends by the end, though it thankfully did.
Which is not to say it is a well-written book: there are too many characters, all with similar names, and plot holes amid a meandering plot which seems quite obviously made up as it went along.
More annoying is how repetitive and talky it is. It has the most repetitive do-nothing dialogue I have ever seen! Repetitive, planning and expositional dialogue has a certain cozy-making quality to it, but a whole book filled with it is another matter.
I'm not going to bother finding an example of repetitive dialogue in the book because they make up the whole book and that would be boring. Instead, I am going to make up a little snippet of dialogue that COULD have appeared in the book, and this then will also serve to be the first and last piece of Dragon Winter fan fiction.
"I don't think this is the right way at all," Morley said timidly. "My whiskers are bristling terribly, and I don't see how we can ever find our way in this darkness."
"Morley is right," said Basil. "It is awfully dark in here, and I can't see my paws in front of me."
"What we need now is a plan to get through this darkness," Bramble said with conviction. "Granny, what do you think we should do?"
"I think we should go on ahead, and plan what we should do after that when we come to it," the old she-badger responded. "I'm sure if Gruff was here he would know what to do."
"What I'd like to do right now is eat a scone and have a nice cup of tea," grumbled Stump. "Then I would sit and take out a nice book to read by the fire."
"We'd better keep going on, if we want to avoid those killer wolves, and the fire," added Acorn.
"Don't forget mankind," chirped in Basil. "I wouldn't want to be around when they're around, either."
"Oh, I don't think all mankind is so bad," Granny said. "I've heard Gruff talk of some mankind that were decent sort, even though they weren't animals."
"Mankind! Bah!" Stump snorted. "If you've met one man, you've met them all."
"What do you think we should do, Bramble?" Branch asked her mate.
"I think we should get through this darkness, and plan what we should do next."
"Maybe there's treasure at the end of this tunnel!" Bumble exclaimed.
"Yeah! And dragons!" Added Cabbage.
And so on....
Ah, it flows so easily from me, like a trance of automatic writing! Try it yourself: dog-peddling in prose form, an author adding pages to stay afloat while his mind racks over what will happen next. Now imagine a book chock full of this!
But INCREDIBLY repetitive dialogue aside, the trance-like state one needs to read through Dragon Winter was a pleasant and warm one, and one I mostly enjoyed. I was however disappointed that (spoiler!) no actual Dragon Winter develops, no winter at all to speak of. But I was relieved that this book was secretly not Part I of some massive fantasy series I would find no joy in completing, as the meandering plot made it seem there would be no possible way for it to tie up all its lose ends by the end, though it thankfully did.
May 27, 2011
Dragon winter is in some ways not your average fairy tale. There are no talking door knobs, smiling moons, mystical wardrobes that take you to a mystic land, and there certainly isn't any pixie dust(thank god). Instead you have talking woodland creatures, evil witches/ wizards that eat their young,a grandma that all the creatures look to for advice, and a power hungry manimals all with different personalities. sadly thats where the fun ends. The story is quite flat pretty much its just a power struggle between two brother's who both want to be king Of the woodland animals. The brothers then make the woodland animals take sides and war brakes out. sounds a little bit like the "Chronicles Of Narnia' if anyone has read it. To make a long story short Dragon winter is a good fantasy book but its not the best. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes woodland animals, granys that every one goes to for advice, and fuding brother. If you dont then this book probably isnt for you.
February 22, 2021
Dragon Winter contains elements of charm. But it is also plodding, brimming with page after page of repetitious dialogue. There are elements of magic and wonder, but they flash by very briefly and are explored practically not at all. There is peril, but it is bland, because the characters stand around talking so much, even with danger nipping at their heels. The resolution is very abrupt and is utterly ungratifying. There's a coziness to the book, and a warmth, but these elements are overshadowed by the tediousness of so much of the rest of it. Dragon Winter could've been half, or even a third, as long as it is and not lose much. I wanted to like this so much more, a pleasant fantasy about talking animals, but ultimately I rushed to finish because, in the words of Stump the Mole, "I'm beginning to tire of this journey."
July 9, 2025
a favorite of mine from younger years, it holds up so well... highly recommend
February 18, 2016
Charming, easy to read, single book fantasy. Instead of elves and trolls there are sword wielding, tea drinking badgers and otters.
Yes, it has talking animals, but no, its not Watership Down. You'll be disappointed if you go in expecting that.
This is a fun story appropriate for all ages. Recommended for fantasy fans.
Yes, it has talking animals, but no, its not Watership Down. You'll be disappointed if you go in expecting that.
This is a fun story appropriate for all ages. Recommended for fantasy fans.
November 10, 2019
A childhood favorite that I enjoy rereading every now and then. Kind and clever forest animals have a great adventure.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews