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Dark Desires #6.5 (A Diversion in Time)
The Dragon Chronicles
Dragons. They are more than a memory from an age of wizards and heroes. These winged, fire-breathing beasts soar through the traditions of many lands, and through our dreams. In their many guises – Western or Eastern, reptile or lizard or serpent, wyvern, hydra, basilisk – dragons embody everything that we humans call magic.
In this volume of the acclaimed ‘Future Chronicles’ anthology series, twelve authors invite you to journey to very different worlds – lands of fire and fury, of legend and lore – but all worlds where dragons roam unshackled from myth, freed from the imagination, and real.
“The Dragon Chronicles” features stories by bestselling authors Elle Casey (War of the Fae), David Adams (Ren of Atikala), K.J. Colt (Klawdia), Terah Edun (Courtlight), and Daniel Arenson (Dragonlore) plus seven more of today's most visionary authors in fantasy and speculative fiction.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (Elle Casey)
If you’re going to train to be a Dragon Rider, you need to know the basics, and Ishmail Windwalker is the guy to teach them to you. In fact, he’s the only one left to teach anything to anyone about Dragons, being the last of a dying breed. Join him as he gives a seminar about Dragons and their partners and keepers, the Dragon Riders.
Of Sand and Starlight (Daniel Arenson)
Erry is a dock rat, an orphan, living on the boardwalk of a crumbling town, rummaging through trash for food. She's hurt, haunted, and the sea keeps calling her to sleep forever in its depths. Erry can also turn into a dragon. Her magic is ancient, the magic that lets her people grow scales, breathe fire, and rise as dragons. Yet her power is outlawed. A cruel emperor rules her land, and only his soldiers may use the magic. Erry must choose: her freedom on the boardwalk, hungry and hurt…or servitude with a tyrant, as a dragon.
Tasty Dragon Meat (K.J. Colt)
Dragon meat. It's for dinner. In the town of Bolopsy lives a humble butcher, Nogdo, who's quietly making a fortune selling dragon meat. But when the town’s children start growing black dragon scales, Nogdo is horrified. The source of his new fortune is cursed. He wipes dragon meat off the menu and hopes the problem goes away on its own. It doesn't. Now his youngest son is growing scales. Poor Nogdo seeks guidance from the Dark Magician. But the quest involves retrieving two dragon eggs...from a very angry dragon mother, and father, and a horde of barbarians.
Transparency (Alex Albrinck)
Damir, a fire dragon, must protect the underworld from invasion by the ice dragons. He’s worked to dismantle a growing complacency among his kind, and counter growing movements claiming that the ice dragon threat and the surface are both outdated myths. Damir’s dream: to lead his people to the surface and reclaim the land that’s rightfully theirs. But when a personal scandal erupts, Damir must confront the unthinkable: that the greatest threat to his invasion plans comes not from the mortal enemies flying above, but from those he trusts above all others.
Sacrifice (David Adams)
Before the Godsdeath we had power. Dragons commanded the arcane and the divine equally. We could have raised our stillborn eggs to life. Such things were not unusual for our kind, especially not those who had magic or motivation. I had both.
It’s Time to Change (Terah Edun)
Since he was little, Vedaris knew that to be a dragon he needed to be able to shape shift. But what happens when you’re born a freak? Without the ability to turn and the natural magic of his dragon race, Vedaris is more than just a desperate outcast…he’s in mortal danger.
Dragon Play (Ted Cross)
All their lives the group of young Vikings had heard of their clan’s past glories, but all they have known is the terror of being relegated to living within the shadow of a dragon’s mountain. When the chieftain’s daughter finds an ancient scroll showing a hidden back entrance to the dragon’s lair, she and her three friends decide to sneak in and retrieve the lost talisman that held the luck of their clan.
A Diversion in Time (Nina Croft)
At last there is peace in the Universe. But some people just aren’t interested in peace, so once the dust has settled, the crew of the Blood Hunter set off in search of a little excitement. They are heading back to Earth and going back in time. Along for the ride are a couple of stowaways: Angel, a young werewolf in search of adventure, and Kronus, an ancient dragon, seeking to regain the power his people once wielded. But when things don’t go entirely as planned, can the two overcome their differences and help each other find what they are looking for?
The Book of Safkhet (Kim Wells)
The nature of history, of the origins of civilization, and our own human story, may be changed forever by the discovery of an ancient scroll that tells the story of a doomsday device that threatens civilization as we know it. The Dragons, empathic interstellar navigators of uncertai...
In this volume of the acclaimed ‘Future Chronicles’ anthology series, twelve authors invite you to journey to very different worlds – lands of fire and fury, of legend and lore – but all worlds where dragons roam unshackled from myth, freed from the imagination, and real.
“The Dragon Chronicles” features stories by bestselling authors Elle Casey (War of the Fae), David Adams (Ren of Atikala), K.J. Colt (Klawdia), Terah Edun (Courtlight), and Daniel Arenson (Dragonlore) plus seven more of today's most visionary authors in fantasy and speculative fiction.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (Elle Casey)
If you’re going to train to be a Dragon Rider, you need to know the basics, and Ishmail Windwalker is the guy to teach them to you. In fact, he’s the only one left to teach anything to anyone about Dragons, being the last of a dying breed. Join him as he gives a seminar about Dragons and their partners and keepers, the Dragon Riders.
Of Sand and Starlight (Daniel Arenson)
Erry is a dock rat, an orphan, living on the boardwalk of a crumbling town, rummaging through trash for food. She's hurt, haunted, and the sea keeps calling her to sleep forever in its depths. Erry can also turn into a dragon. Her magic is ancient, the magic that lets her people grow scales, breathe fire, and rise as dragons. Yet her power is outlawed. A cruel emperor rules her land, and only his soldiers may use the magic. Erry must choose: her freedom on the boardwalk, hungry and hurt…or servitude with a tyrant, as a dragon.
Tasty Dragon Meat (K.J. Colt)
Dragon meat. It's for dinner. In the town of Bolopsy lives a humble butcher, Nogdo, who's quietly making a fortune selling dragon meat. But when the town’s children start growing black dragon scales, Nogdo is horrified. The source of his new fortune is cursed. He wipes dragon meat off the menu and hopes the problem goes away on its own. It doesn't. Now his youngest son is growing scales. Poor Nogdo seeks guidance from the Dark Magician. But the quest involves retrieving two dragon eggs...from a very angry dragon mother, and father, and a horde of barbarians.
Transparency (Alex Albrinck)
Damir, a fire dragon, must protect the underworld from invasion by the ice dragons. He’s worked to dismantle a growing complacency among his kind, and counter growing movements claiming that the ice dragon threat and the surface are both outdated myths. Damir’s dream: to lead his people to the surface and reclaim the land that’s rightfully theirs. But when a personal scandal erupts, Damir must confront the unthinkable: that the greatest threat to his invasion plans comes not from the mortal enemies flying above, but from those he trusts above all others.
Sacrifice (David Adams)
Before the Godsdeath we had power. Dragons commanded the arcane and the divine equally. We could have raised our stillborn eggs to life. Such things were not unusual for our kind, especially not those who had magic or motivation. I had both.
It’s Time to Change (Terah Edun)
Since he was little, Vedaris knew that to be a dragon he needed to be able to shape shift. But what happens when you’re born a freak? Without the ability to turn and the natural magic of his dragon race, Vedaris is more than just a desperate outcast…he’s in mortal danger.
Dragon Play (Ted Cross)
All their lives the group of young Vikings had heard of their clan’s past glories, but all they have known is the terror of being relegated to living within the shadow of a dragon’s mountain. When the chieftain’s daughter finds an ancient scroll showing a hidden back entrance to the dragon’s lair, she and her three friends decide to sneak in and retrieve the lost talisman that held the luck of their clan.
A Diversion in Time (Nina Croft)
At last there is peace in the Universe. But some people just aren’t interested in peace, so once the dust has settled, the crew of the Blood Hunter set off in search of a little excitement. They are heading back to Earth and going back in time. Along for the ride are a couple of stowaways: Angel, a young werewolf in search of adventure, and Kronus, an ancient dragon, seeking to regain the power his people once wielded. But when things don’t go entirely as planned, can the two overcome their differences and help each other find what they are looking for?
The Book of Safkhet (Kim Wells)
The nature of history, of the origins of civilization, and our own human story, may be changed forever by the discovery of an ancient scroll that tells the story of a doomsday device that threatens civilization as we know it. The Dragons, empathic interstellar navigators of uncertai...
404 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 28, 2015
[Note: I received an advanced review copy of this book from a contributing author.]
The Dragon Chronicles is the latest in Samuel Peralta’s “The Future Chronicles” anthology series. As with the prior entries, he has assembled a strong collection of diverse voices in the fields of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Each anthology presents an overarching theme to unify the various short stories, and we’ve seen collections centered around robots, artificial intelligence, aliens, and telepaths. Now, we get dragons!
Although the Chinese zodiac calendar says 2015 is the year of the sheep, pop culture seems to think otherwise. And it’s a good thing, because I doubt as many intriguing stories could be told about sheep. This year seems to very much be the year of the dragon – Game of Thrones seems to have hit critical mass with the debut of season 5 and rampant speculation on when the sixth novel in George R.R. Martin’s beloved series will be released. Author Matthew Reilly put his own stamp on dragon lore with his theme park-centric story, The Great Zoo of China, earlier this year. Even the latest Apocalypse Weird novel, Genesis, by Stefan Bolz, hits on the element of dragons. While it may not be directly relevant, we’re even getting another ‘Dragon Tattoo’ novel later in the year, with Lisbeth Salander making a return under the helm of a new author.
Seems like dragons are everywhere these days. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Peralta collects here a group of authors who seem to love, respect, and admire these great mythical creatures, and who have some fun figuring out intriguing ways of presenting stories putting these winged fire-breathers front and center.
As with any anthology, not every story hit the mark for me, but the majority of the entries here work quite well. I’m also not a huge fantasy buff and have a hard time losing myself within this particular genre, so my hat is truly off to these writers for making it somewhat easy for me to find escapist entertainment within these covers. I’m not going to discuss all twelve stories in this collection, but what follows are some brief thoughts about those works that really stood out for me.
The Dragon Chronicles gets off to a very strong start with Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey, who presents a story about a dragon-rider trainer named Ish. She captures his voice very well and pulls off the direct communication between narrator and reader very well, with some splashes of humor, particularly in relation to the name Ish. This is a very effective short story and a solid beginning to what follows. It’s also rather funny-ish!
Daniel Arenson’s Of Sand and Starlight takes a turn for a dark with an embittered protagonist who has turned to prostitution to make ends meet. She has the ability to transform into a dragon, but her powers are outlawed by the tyrannical empire ruling the land. Good characters, good ideas, and good world building, all wrapped up into a small story.
More whimsical is KJ Colt’s Tasty Dragon Meat, about a butcher who discovers the profits of selling dragon flesh for consumption, and who learns about the horrible aftereffects of such dining when his child begins growing scales. This one was a lot of fun, with much of the story driven by the butcher’s increasingly bad choices, all made in an effort to fix his many mistakes, while also being emotionally resonant.
Ted Cross does a beautiful a job with his tale of a treasure hunt gone horribly awry for a group of young Vikings trespassing upon a dragon’s lair. The youthful characters of Dragon Play are well done, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bit of The Goonies vibe in their doomed sojourn. Kim Wells gives an interesting spin on dragon mythos, and the history of life on Earth itself, with The Book of Safkhet, an ancient scroll that tells the tales of a doomed civilization. Grey, by Chris Pourteau, presents a stirring tale of friendship between a female human child and an ancient dragon who is the last of its kind. The emotion and turbulence on display between these two very different species is wonderfully authentic and may be my favorite of the bunch.
As I said before, not every anthology can please every reader. For my own tastes, this collection felt a little too long, and I was a bit surprised at the number of stories that relied on shape-shifting for its central conceit. It was an interesting approach at first, but one that became a bit dulled through repetition.
Still, those small caveats aside, I found The Dragon Chronicles to be a pretty solid collection overall, and a sturdy addition to Samuel Peralta’s ongoing Future Chronicles series. Dragon lovers should find a number of stories to enjoy here (in nicely digestible sizes at that).
The Dragon Chronicles is the latest in Samuel Peralta’s “The Future Chronicles” anthology series. As with the prior entries, he has assembled a strong collection of diverse voices in the fields of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Each anthology presents an overarching theme to unify the various short stories, and we’ve seen collections centered around robots, artificial intelligence, aliens, and telepaths. Now, we get dragons!
Although the Chinese zodiac calendar says 2015 is the year of the sheep, pop culture seems to think otherwise. And it’s a good thing, because I doubt as many intriguing stories could be told about sheep. This year seems to very much be the year of the dragon – Game of Thrones seems to have hit critical mass with the debut of season 5 and rampant speculation on when the sixth novel in George R.R. Martin’s beloved series will be released. Author Matthew Reilly put his own stamp on dragon lore with his theme park-centric story, The Great Zoo of China, earlier this year. Even the latest Apocalypse Weird novel, Genesis, by Stefan Bolz, hits on the element of dragons. While it may not be directly relevant, we’re even getting another ‘Dragon Tattoo’ novel later in the year, with Lisbeth Salander making a return under the helm of a new author.
Seems like dragons are everywhere these days. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Peralta collects here a group of authors who seem to love, respect, and admire these great mythical creatures, and who have some fun figuring out intriguing ways of presenting stories putting these winged fire-breathers front and center.
As with any anthology, not every story hit the mark for me, but the majority of the entries here work quite well. I’m also not a huge fantasy buff and have a hard time losing myself within this particular genre, so my hat is truly off to these writers for making it somewhat easy for me to find escapist entertainment within these covers. I’m not going to discuss all twelve stories in this collection, but what follows are some brief thoughts about those works that really stood out for me.
The Dragon Chronicles gets off to a very strong start with Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey, who presents a story about a dragon-rider trainer named Ish. She captures his voice very well and pulls off the direct communication between narrator and reader very well, with some splashes of humor, particularly in relation to the name Ish. This is a very effective short story and a solid beginning to what follows. It’s also rather funny-ish!
Daniel Arenson’s Of Sand and Starlight takes a turn for a dark with an embittered protagonist who has turned to prostitution to make ends meet. She has the ability to transform into a dragon, but her powers are outlawed by the tyrannical empire ruling the land. Good characters, good ideas, and good world building, all wrapped up into a small story.
More whimsical is KJ Colt’s Tasty Dragon Meat, about a butcher who discovers the profits of selling dragon flesh for consumption, and who learns about the horrible aftereffects of such dining when his child begins growing scales. This one was a lot of fun, with much of the story driven by the butcher’s increasingly bad choices, all made in an effort to fix his many mistakes, while also being emotionally resonant.
Ted Cross does a beautiful a job with his tale of a treasure hunt gone horribly awry for a group of young Vikings trespassing upon a dragon’s lair. The youthful characters of Dragon Play are well done, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bit of The Goonies vibe in their doomed sojourn. Kim Wells gives an interesting spin on dragon mythos, and the history of life on Earth itself, with The Book of Safkhet, an ancient scroll that tells the tales of a doomed civilization. Grey, by Chris Pourteau, presents a stirring tale of friendship between a female human child and an ancient dragon who is the last of its kind. The emotion and turbulence on display between these two very different species is wonderfully authentic and may be my favorite of the bunch.
As I said before, not every anthology can please every reader. For my own tastes, this collection felt a little too long, and I was a bit surprised at the number of stories that relied on shape-shifting for its central conceit. It was an interesting approach at first, but one that became a bit dulled through repetition.
Still, those small caveats aside, I found The Dragon Chronicles to be a pretty solid collection overall, and a sturdy addition to Samuel Peralta’s ongoing Future Chronicles series. Dragon lovers should find a number of stories to enjoy here (in nicely digestible sizes at that).
April 25, 2015
Having read other anthologies in the Future Chronicles, I knew that I would open up The Dragon Chronicles and find amazing stories. It did not disappoint. These anthologies are a fantastic way to introduce yourself to a ton of authors you might miss otherwise, and you would be kicking yourself if you did so. This anthology in particular is about dragons, obviously. But it's more than that. Each author has their own take on how dragons are to be represented, whether that is in the Reign of Fire sense or How to Train Your Dragon. From selling and eating dragon meat as a delicacy, only to turn into the creature you digest, to transforming into the winged creatures in order to bring chaos or escape your problems, every story brings you something new and different.
Definitely make it a priority to pick this book up and, while you're at it, grab the other anthologies in this series. You won't regret it.
Definitely make it a priority to pick this book up and, while you're at it, grab the other anthologies in this series. You won't regret it.
July 4, 2015
*****4.5 stars****
Foreword by Samuel Peralta, got me in the mood and shifted myself to ancient world of myths where Dragons walk the earth and made me believe in them.
I liked the guide about what I should know about dragons in Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey.
Of Sand and Starlight by Daniel Arenson, the main character is strong headed and independent and don't want to get abandoned like her parents did. Going through so much hardships and not trusting anybody in fear to get heartbroken and being weary of others, am so going to read the main story and know what happens later in her life.
My fav Tasty Dragon Meat by K.J. Colt. From the title I wasn't sure whether I want to read but damn the story became my fav! How the main character is flawed and is selfish but for his child and love what he does is really nice(ugh can't find the appropriate word.
Transparency by Alex Albrinck, I got little confused in the middle but I liked the story.
Another fav is Sacrifice by David Adams it was heart breaking, the whole story was vivid and am looking forward to know about main story of it is prequel of.
It's Time to Change by Terah Edun, when I finished I didn't knew I finished the story lol. I'm intrigued to know what happens with Vedaris, will he be able to harness the magic and what will happen?Interesting story.
Dragon Play by Ted Cross, okay this is my another fav story. Freako I love it!! It was scary and releaving in the end. Felt realistic and was horrifying. Had me hold my breath the moment the door closed.
A Diversion in Time by Nina Croft, I liked this story, it was cool. Dragon tale with a mix of sci-fi, awesome!
The Book of Safkhet by Kim Wells. This is an unique story which made me wonder if something like that would may have happened. People or sorta coming from different planet or Venus to ours before any evolution on Earth was taken place and being a part it, really cool!! I liked it!!
Grey by Chris Pourteau, loved it. Story of friendship between a dragon and a girl, beautiful! And how dragons came into the world!
The Storymaster by Vincent Trigili, loved it. After finishing the story I felt peaceful. It was like my grandpa was narrating the story and I was listening and was swept into the story. And def on my tbr list silverleaf chronicles.
Judgement by Monica Enderle Pierce, I liked it and how all wrapped up. Sad about sheriff. Totally cool story of Dragons and Cowboys, a different mix but enjoyed it!
Wow all stories were enjoyable and transported me to world of Dragons which I didn't wanted to escape. To be in the book and live among them. I love dragons but haven't read many stories but this chronicles was cool with all the awesome Dragon stories wrapped together. It was fun to go through all this adventures. And this is the first time I'm reading an Anthology and it was a great read! Definitely a must read.
I got the book in exchange of an honest review.
Foreword by Samuel Peralta, got me in the mood and shifted myself to ancient world of myths where Dragons walk the earth and made me believe in them.
I liked the guide about what I should know about dragons in Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey.
Of Sand and Starlight by Daniel Arenson, the main character is strong headed and independent and don't want to get abandoned like her parents did. Going through so much hardships and not trusting anybody in fear to get heartbroken and being weary of others, am so going to read the main story and know what happens later in her life.
My fav Tasty Dragon Meat by K.J. Colt. From the title I wasn't sure whether I want to read but damn the story became my fav! How the main character is flawed and is selfish but for his child and love what he does is really nice(ugh can't find the appropriate word.
Transparency by Alex Albrinck, I got little confused in the middle but I liked the story.
Another fav is Sacrifice by David Adams it was heart breaking, the whole story was vivid and am looking forward to know about main story of it is prequel of.
It's Time to Change by Terah Edun, when I finished I didn't knew I finished the story lol. I'm intrigued to know what happens with Vedaris, will he be able to harness the magic and what will happen?Interesting story.
Dragon Play by Ted Cross, okay this is my another fav story. Freako I love it!! It was scary and releaving in the end. Felt realistic and was horrifying. Had me hold my breath the moment the door closed.
A Diversion in Time by Nina Croft, I liked this story, it was cool. Dragon tale with a mix of sci-fi, awesome!
The Book of Safkhet by Kim Wells. This is an unique story which made me wonder if something like that would may have happened. People or sorta coming from different planet or Venus to ours before any evolution on Earth was taken place and being a part it, really cool!! I liked it!!
Grey by Chris Pourteau, loved it. Story of friendship between a dragon and a girl, beautiful! And how dragons came into the world!
The Storymaster by Vincent Trigili, loved it. After finishing the story I felt peaceful. It was like my grandpa was narrating the story and I was listening and was swept into the story. And def on my tbr list silverleaf chronicles.
Judgement by Monica Enderle Pierce, I liked it and how all wrapped up. Sad about sheriff. Totally cool story of Dragons and Cowboys, a different mix but enjoyed it!
Wow all stories were enjoyable and transported me to world of Dragons which I didn't wanted to escape. To be in the book and live among them. I love dragons but haven't read many stories but this chronicles was cool with all the awesome Dragon stories wrapped together. It was fun to go through all this adventures. And this is the first time I'm reading an Anthology and it was a great read! Definitely a must read.
I got the book in exchange of an honest review.
June 3, 2015
i LOVED this book! this collection of short stories about dragons had my attention from the get go. i admit, as i get older, i don't read as fast as i used to. life gets busy. but had i had it my way, i would have finished this book a week after receiving it. i loved the worlds the authors created and i want to explore each one further! granted, some of the stories was a first for some of the authors (about dragons) but if they chose to expand their work, then i would gladly jump on board to read more. when i read a collection like this, it has been my experience that at least one of the stories i usually find less to my liking or even somewhat offensive. not so with this book. these stories were definitely worth the read and i give kudos to every author in this collection for a job well done and for making the magic of each of stories worlds come alive for this humble reader!
February 1, 2019
This review is for A Divergence In Time by Nina Croft
If like me you were enthralled by the Dark Desires series with its hodgepodge of characters flying through time and space aboard the Blood Hunter you will be keen to read this novella but I have to point out it will leave you wanting more.
Angel , a werewolf and Kronus a dragon stowed away aboard the Blood Hunter and find themselves back on Earth in 2015 having travelled through a wormhole. Angel quickly discovers that Kronus has plans of his own that just might see Angel changing the course of history !
Oh I'm so disappointed as this just gets going and all too soon it's over. Yet it's still full of everything I loved about this series and I so wish there was more but wait ! Yes I do believe the author and her publisher are keen to return to these amazing characters so I will be keenly watching to see if it's true !
If like me you were enthralled by the Dark Desires series with its hodgepodge of characters flying through time and space aboard the Blood Hunter you will be keen to read this novella but I have to point out it will leave you wanting more.
Angel , a werewolf and Kronus a dragon stowed away aboard the Blood Hunter and find themselves back on Earth in 2015 having travelled through a wormhole. Angel quickly discovers that Kronus has plans of his own that just might see Angel changing the course of history !
Oh I'm so disappointed as this just gets going and all too soon it's over. Yet it's still full of everything I loved about this series and I so wish there was more but wait ! Yes I do believe the author and her publisher are keen to return to these amazing characters so I will be keenly watching to see if it's true !
April 26, 2015
I was given an advanced reading copy of this book.
here's my review:
Review of The Dragon Chronicles
Like a dragon — the enigmatic magical creature that exists in a rift between the real, the legendary and the imagined, this anthology is a diverse force of supernatural delights.
I am once again impressed by Samuel Peralta’s ability to gather together authors that can lend credible and incredible facets of view on the given topic. I have read previous chronicles, this impresses me no less.
I will try not to spoil, so I will give my feelings and impressions about some of these magnificent and intriguing tales.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons - Elle Casey
— A very wry and sometimes hilarious speech delivered by an instructor in dragon-riding. In my mind I thought of it as “the care and feeding of your dragon… be careful not to the object of its feeding”.
The fun way it explains the cantankerous and unpredictable nature of the beasts is bound to make you smile.
Of Sand and Starlight - Daniel Arenson
— I’m allowed to have favorites in the collection, and this is definitely one that touched me deeply. Brilliantly crafted, this tale of forlorn regret and injury and betrayal and hope, all sticking to our bare and bruised feet like blackened sand, is one that you’ll not soon shake from you. Potential magnificence, fettered by jealous and irrational greed and and cruel judgement, is the thread that runs throughout. Do you dare to hope for better? Can you, in a world that makes you deny who you are?
Tasty Dragon Meat - K. J. Colt
— Kudos to Colt here for creating an entirely new and interesting mythos of dragon lore. Almost on the edge of being comedy, but always interesting and captivating. I hung on the events as they happened, picked my hero and my hated beings, and then had them brutally switched around on me with no notice. This tale kept me on the edge, not knowing ethically whom to root for, but wanting to know who the author wanted me to, and deciding if I agreed. This is all about ignorance, greed, stupidity and vengeance, in almost equal measure, cooked into a delicious dragon steak.
Transparency - Alex Albrinck
—Dragons spun of beautiful water and ice and looking like glass sculptures pitted against powerful dragons of the earth, marked by strength and cunning. A yin and yang of dragons that fear and hate each other over a species defining struggle. Who would win? who would be betrayed? who would learn of the mysteries and the secrets and the hoarded sins of the realm? A very heartening read.
Sacrifice - David Adams
— What forges the metal of honor between dragons and men? Whose spirit, unbending and stalwart, adheres to the oath of the uneasy truce? Who is betrayed, and how much of that betrayal is made by our own hearts, yearning to trust when reliance on worthiness is without proof? Read this story and remember that ethics which are only convenient are not really standards of the good.
It's Time to Change - Terah Edun
— This is a wonderful novel, shrunk down to a short story length. It makes me wish to have read it as a novelette, but still that doesn’t diminish the epic proportions of the story, the point of decision, the journey and the path to understanding of who Vendaris really is fated to be.
Dragon Play - Ted Cross
— ok, this is another of my favorites in the group. Not only because the characters feel real, and their relationship believable, but the adventure in the cave is heart-stopping, and glues your lungs together when the characters hold their own breath. You are pulled into these characters, not a yanking of terror sort of way, but you find yourself inhabiting them as naturally as if you are there in the cave with them. This is masterfully written, and the feel and tone of Iceland or Scandanavia or wherever its set is so integral it becomes the backbone of the tale. Not like some stories that make you feel the location is just a choice from a spun wheel of possibilities, no, this feels rooted and born from the land where it is written. Beautiful.
A Diversion in Time - Nina Croft
— A convoluted, but wonderful tale of travel through time, the capricious personalty of dragons who have their own agendas, in spite of efforts to control them. There is love and chance meetings and danger and narrow escapes, and finally a learned lesson about the nature of what messing with time can throw at you. I connect with the character of Angel, and his complex relationship with his powerful sister. But the errant and headstrong dragon is the real interesting character of the piece.
The Book of Safkhet, Chronicler of the Journey, Mistress of the House of Books - Kim Wells
— a story that is inextricably linked with interstellar history, cautions about weapons of mass destruction, the bible, and stellar-hopping dragons is what adds to the flavor of this tale.
Grey - Chris Pourteau
— Amanda and Grey are the friends of this story, one who mourns the loss of a species, harboring grudges and blood feuds, looking past them with great stretches of will, and the other who carries guilt and regret inside of her. Their truce is a brittle one, like the aged and brittle grey scales of the dragon. Can one trust the other, even as their friendship hangs in the balance of a desired boon, a requested favor of great cost? This is charmingly written, and comfortably played by the emissaries of the two species at the negotiation of desperation.
The Storymaster - Vincent Trigili
— This is so real, and heartwarming in its own way, but then out comes the story and you realize there is treachery and danger and the precipice of extinction being laid out in a story for children, were the storyteller holds back things that would make the story different indeed. nicely written and the feeling of originality cement my regard for it as one of my favorites.
Judgement - Monica Enderle Pierce
— This is so fun! I love the mixing of old west and dragon lore. Pierce does a great job of putting us in the head of Peregrine Long (one of the best names ever found in a story) and in his heart and the predicament he is thrown into due to treachery and mayhem and maybe a little bit of coming afoul of two sisters. He might have been better off dealing with the dragon.
here's my review:
Review of The Dragon Chronicles
Like a dragon — the enigmatic magical creature that exists in a rift between the real, the legendary and the imagined, this anthology is a diverse force of supernatural delights.
I am once again impressed by Samuel Peralta’s ability to gather together authors that can lend credible and incredible facets of view on the given topic. I have read previous chronicles, this impresses me no less.
I will try not to spoil, so I will give my feelings and impressions about some of these magnificent and intriguing tales.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons - Elle Casey
— A very wry and sometimes hilarious speech delivered by an instructor in dragon-riding. In my mind I thought of it as “the care and feeding of your dragon… be careful not to the object of its feeding”.
The fun way it explains the cantankerous and unpredictable nature of the beasts is bound to make you smile.
Of Sand and Starlight - Daniel Arenson
— I’m allowed to have favorites in the collection, and this is definitely one that touched me deeply. Brilliantly crafted, this tale of forlorn regret and injury and betrayal and hope, all sticking to our bare and bruised feet like blackened sand, is one that you’ll not soon shake from you. Potential magnificence, fettered by jealous and irrational greed and and cruel judgement, is the thread that runs throughout. Do you dare to hope for better? Can you, in a world that makes you deny who you are?
Tasty Dragon Meat - K. J. Colt
— Kudos to Colt here for creating an entirely new and interesting mythos of dragon lore. Almost on the edge of being comedy, but always interesting and captivating. I hung on the events as they happened, picked my hero and my hated beings, and then had them brutally switched around on me with no notice. This tale kept me on the edge, not knowing ethically whom to root for, but wanting to know who the author wanted me to, and deciding if I agreed. This is all about ignorance, greed, stupidity and vengeance, in almost equal measure, cooked into a delicious dragon steak.
Transparency - Alex Albrinck
—Dragons spun of beautiful water and ice and looking like glass sculptures pitted against powerful dragons of the earth, marked by strength and cunning. A yin and yang of dragons that fear and hate each other over a species defining struggle. Who would win? who would be betrayed? who would learn of the mysteries and the secrets and the hoarded sins of the realm? A very heartening read.
Sacrifice - David Adams
— What forges the metal of honor between dragons and men? Whose spirit, unbending and stalwart, adheres to the oath of the uneasy truce? Who is betrayed, and how much of that betrayal is made by our own hearts, yearning to trust when reliance on worthiness is without proof? Read this story and remember that ethics which are only convenient are not really standards of the good.
It's Time to Change - Terah Edun
— This is a wonderful novel, shrunk down to a short story length. It makes me wish to have read it as a novelette, but still that doesn’t diminish the epic proportions of the story, the point of decision, the journey and the path to understanding of who Vendaris really is fated to be.
Dragon Play - Ted Cross
— ok, this is another of my favorites in the group. Not only because the characters feel real, and their relationship believable, but the adventure in the cave is heart-stopping, and glues your lungs together when the characters hold their own breath. You are pulled into these characters, not a yanking of terror sort of way, but you find yourself inhabiting them as naturally as if you are there in the cave with them. This is masterfully written, and the feel and tone of Iceland or Scandanavia or wherever its set is so integral it becomes the backbone of the tale. Not like some stories that make you feel the location is just a choice from a spun wheel of possibilities, no, this feels rooted and born from the land where it is written. Beautiful.
A Diversion in Time - Nina Croft
— A convoluted, but wonderful tale of travel through time, the capricious personalty of dragons who have their own agendas, in spite of efforts to control them. There is love and chance meetings and danger and narrow escapes, and finally a learned lesson about the nature of what messing with time can throw at you. I connect with the character of Angel, and his complex relationship with his powerful sister. But the errant and headstrong dragon is the real interesting character of the piece.
The Book of Safkhet, Chronicler of the Journey, Mistress of the House of Books - Kim Wells
— a story that is inextricably linked with interstellar history, cautions about weapons of mass destruction, the bible, and stellar-hopping dragons is what adds to the flavor of this tale.
Grey - Chris Pourteau
— Amanda and Grey are the friends of this story, one who mourns the loss of a species, harboring grudges and blood feuds, looking past them with great stretches of will, and the other who carries guilt and regret inside of her. Their truce is a brittle one, like the aged and brittle grey scales of the dragon. Can one trust the other, even as their friendship hangs in the balance of a desired boon, a requested favor of great cost? This is charmingly written, and comfortably played by the emissaries of the two species at the negotiation of desperation.
The Storymaster - Vincent Trigili
— This is so real, and heartwarming in its own way, but then out comes the story and you realize there is treachery and danger and the precipice of extinction being laid out in a story for children, were the storyteller holds back things that would make the story different indeed. nicely written and the feeling of originality cement my regard for it as one of my favorites.
Judgement - Monica Enderle Pierce
— This is so fun! I love the mixing of old west and dragon lore. Pierce does a great job of putting us in the head of Peregrine Long (one of the best names ever found in a story) and in his heart and the predicament he is thrown into due to treachery and mayhem and maybe a little bit of coming afoul of two sisters. He might have been better off dealing with the dragon.
April 24, 2015
12 short stories about dragons from the silly to the serious. In some of the stories the dragons are friends in others enemies. Each story is different and distinctive. There are different types of dragons and humans that turn into dragons. An enjoyable read and a good introduction of some new to me authors. 4 stars.
April 30, 2015
The Dragon Chronicles contains 12 short stories or novellas featuring dragons. Since no two dragons are alike no two of the stories are alike either. My Favorites so far are:
Ten Thing You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey – After reading I don’t know why anyone would want to be a dragon rider.
Tasty Dragon Meat – What happens when you try to undo something bad and how the dragon can help.
A Diversion in Time by Nina Croft – What happens after the Dark Desires series ends. It was great to see the crew of the Blood Hunter again. This was a great set up for future stories in a new series.
Pick this up for some fun stories about dragons.
Ten Thing You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey – After reading I don’t know why anyone would want to be a dragon rider.
Tasty Dragon Meat – What happens when you try to undo something bad and how the dragon can help.
A Diversion in Time by Nina Croft – What happens after the Dark Desires series ends. It was great to see the crew of the Blood Hunter again. This was a great set up for future stories in a new series.
Pick this up for some fun stories about dragons.
April 29, 2015
Dragons Live!
According to the authors of this anthology, dragons can be funny, mean, wise, greedy, storytellers and loyal friends. Each of the writers portrayed dragons in a unique and interesting manner. Before reading this collection, my idea of a dragon was fairly narrow. After reading this diverse set of stories, I can now imagine a dragon to be much more than a fire breathing flying lizard.
Rather than give you a synopsis of each of the stories, I wanted to quote some of my favorite passages, in no particular order. I leave it to you to discover which stories I’m quoting from:
“It reminded her of Grey’s description of the first dragons, when they climbed from their holes in the earth and became drunk on sunlight.”
“Dragons have two and sometimes three rows of razor-sharp teeth that need to be brushed weekly.”
“Ice dragons argued among themselves as to whether theirs were bodies of air held together by water, or bodies of water held together by air.”
“The Dragons had always been experts on traveling the other worlds, the solar system and beyond.”
According to the authors of this anthology, dragons can be funny, mean, wise, greedy, storytellers and loyal friends. Each of the writers portrayed dragons in a unique and interesting manner. Before reading this collection, my idea of a dragon was fairly narrow. After reading this diverse set of stories, I can now imagine a dragon to be much more than a fire breathing flying lizard.
Rather than give you a synopsis of each of the stories, I wanted to quote some of my favorite passages, in no particular order. I leave it to you to discover which stories I’m quoting from:
“It reminded her of Grey’s description of the first dragons, when they climbed from their holes in the earth and became drunk on sunlight.”
“Dragons have two and sometimes three rows of razor-sharp teeth that need to be brushed weekly.”
“Ice dragons argued among themselves as to whether theirs were bodies of air held together by water, or bodies of water held together by air.”
“The Dragons had always been experts on traveling the other worlds, the solar system and beyond.”
June 12, 2015
This is the most awesome and complete book about dragons you will ever find. Each of the twelve Authors of the short stories has their own aspect and ideas of dragons and the way they should be, look and act. This is great for all dragon lovers and a incredible way to try out some new authors that you might otherwise normally miss. And after reading this and some of the other Chronicles (there are several) under Mr. Peralta I have found several new authors that I now love and follow and don't want to miss their full length books. If I actually wrote about each short this review would be super long, but they were each different, fun and totally cool in their own way, I loved each and every one one (although I am still not sure about eating dragon). I hope the author and maybe even some new ones will come on board, to keep writting these wonderful Chronicles!.
August 27, 2015
4.5*
An absolute delight of a book. 12 wonderful, beautifully written stories united by a common theme but with individually unique interpretation of the dragon lore. But even in this excellent collection, for me, there were several standouts: Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey; Of Sand and Starlight by Daniel Arenson; Tasty Dragon Meat by K.J.Colt ; Grey by Chris Pourteau and , beside good writing, for a sheer chutzpah of creative genre –crossing – Judgement by Monica Enderle Peirce. Don’t get me wrong – I loved all the stories, I just loved these a bit more. The Dragon Chronicles is absolutely a must for anyone who ever been fascinated by those magnificent, magical, mystical creatures.
An absolute delight of a book. 12 wonderful, beautifully written stories united by a common theme but with individually unique interpretation of the dragon lore. But even in this excellent collection, for me, there were several standouts: Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons by Elle Casey; Of Sand and Starlight by Daniel Arenson; Tasty Dragon Meat by K.J.Colt ; Grey by Chris Pourteau and , beside good writing, for a sheer chutzpah of creative genre –crossing – Judgement by Monica Enderle Peirce. Don’t get me wrong – I loved all the stories, I just loved these a bit more. The Dragon Chronicles is absolutely a must for anyone who ever been fascinated by those magnificent, magical, mystical creatures.
April 29, 2015
I received an ARC of this book.
This anthology contains twelve stories about dragons, but it also contains much more than that; in here you will find the serious and the fun, the brave and the cowardly, the modern and the traditional.
Here you will find twelve authors to discover, some you may have heard of, some you may not, but all have something unique to add to the mix. They say the whole is greater than a sum of its parts, and I tend to agree. Each of the twelve provide their own style and their individual point of view, but together they create a powerful whole - A collection of tale and lore with the passion and power to make you wish, just a little, that dragons were real.
This anthology contains twelve stories about dragons, but it also contains much more than that; in here you will find the serious and the fun, the brave and the cowardly, the modern and the traditional.
Here you will find twelve authors to discover, some you may have heard of, some you may not, but all have something unique to add to the mix. They say the whole is greater than a sum of its parts, and I tend to agree. Each of the twelve provide their own style and their individual point of view, but together they create a powerful whole - A collection of tale and lore with the passion and power to make you wish, just a little, that dragons were real.
January 13, 2017
Strong writing, incredible creativity, great read!
Well written collection of short stories, so impressive in fact, that I subscribed to majority, if not all, of contributors websites, have also purchased their books. An incredible, diverse collection of creative, thoughtful, sincere authors with immense stores of imagination, pools of creativity and crisp storytelling skills. One of few, very few, short story collections, I have read each story, found myself immersed in the story and wanted to read more. Well done authors! Well done SP! Thanks.
Well written collection of short stories, so impressive in fact, that I subscribed to majority, if not all, of contributors websites, have also purchased their books. An incredible, diverse collection of creative, thoughtful, sincere authors with immense stores of imagination, pools of creativity and crisp storytelling skills. One of few, very few, short story collections, I have read each story, found myself immersed in the story and wanted to read more. Well done authors! Well done SP! Thanks.
May 1, 2015
Full Disclosure:
I know one of the authors - and was given the book (after begging and Begging!)
I was not disappointed. Overall the book is an interesting cornucopia of differences and view points on dragon lore. As with any compilation of short stories - there are some that grabbed me, and some that I could have skipped - but the variety does give "something for everyone.
As for M.E.P.'s piece : JUDGEMENT:
I should have known better. I've read both of her books - and loved each of them. This is no different. I didn't even notice myself becoming enthralled until....
There was no more to read!
Monica Pierce weaves a tale of imagery and personalities that bring you inside the story. Escapism at its best. The Spaghetti Dragon/Western was unique and fun, a wronged hero, and a force of nature out to for JUDGEMENT. :)
I would strongly recommend this book to any dragon lover - or story lover with an interest in dragons - especially if you're looking for some lovely twists on the standard "Tail" (Sorry - couldn't resist...)
I know one of the authors - and was given the book (after begging and Begging!)
I was not disappointed. Overall the book is an interesting cornucopia of differences and view points on dragon lore. As with any compilation of short stories - there are some that grabbed me, and some that I could have skipped - but the variety does give "something for everyone.
As for M.E.P.'s piece : JUDGEMENT:
I should have known better. I've read both of her books - and loved each of them. This is no different. I didn't even notice myself becoming enthralled until....
There was no more to read!
Monica Pierce weaves a tale of imagery and personalities that bring you inside the story. Escapism at its best. The Spaghetti Dragon/Western was unique and fun, a wronged hero, and a force of nature out to for JUDGEMENT. :)
I would strongly recommend this book to any dragon lover - or story lover with an interest in dragons - especially if you're looking for some lovely twists on the standard "Tail" (Sorry - couldn't resist...)
April 30, 2015
This is the first Chronicles book I have read and now I plan to read the rest. I am not normally a fan of short stories - I always want more - but this was such a wonderful experience. What a great way to be introduced to authors I didn't know before. Even though these were short stories, the authors made me care about the characters. I was drawn in and completely engrossed. I have also developed a new appreciation for a short story. And dragons! Everything you could want from a dragon story is in this book - adventure, fights, love, fear, myths and folk tales. The stories are laid out in an order that makes sense though there is no sequence to them. A real joy to read.
January 6, 2016
This was a great collections of short stories featuring dragons.
Some stories feature humans, some do not. Some worlds feature magic while in others it's more swords and knights in shining armor. Sometimes dragons are allies and other times they are enemies. Sometimes friends and other times something to be feared and avoided whenever possible.
The diversity in ideas and worlds was fascinating and each author did a great job with imagining their short story.
Some stories stand alone while others are a part of a larger universe, book, or series that readers can check out of they want to know more.
This is a wonderful anthology to check out if you love dragons.
Some stories feature humans, some do not. Some worlds feature magic while in others it's more swords and knights in shining armor. Sometimes dragons are allies and other times they are enemies. Sometimes friends and other times something to be feared and avoided whenever possible.
The diversity in ideas and worlds was fascinating and each author did a great job with imagining their short story.
Some stories stand alone while others are a part of a larger universe, book, or series that readers can check out of they want to know more.
This is a wonderful anthology to check out if you love dragons.
June 18, 2015
Fire and fun
Short stories about dragons. If you really need more convincing, buy the book for not only some great stories, but some fun ones too! The mix between dragon centered and human centered stories is fantastic, and there are definitely stories for everyone in here. Yet another hit for the Future Chronicles
Short stories about dragons. If you really need more convincing, buy the book for not only some great stories, but some fun ones too! The mix between dragon centered and human centered stories is fantastic, and there are definitely stories for everyone in here. Yet another hit for the Future Chronicles
January 24, 2017
I felt the majority of these stories read like exerts or summaries rather than well realised short stories.
And that combined with the about the author segments between stories, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself at all, made it feel a bit too much like a marketing exercise and not enough like entertainment for my taste.
And that combined with the about the author segments between stories, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself at all, made it feel a bit too much like a marketing exercise and not enough like entertainment for my taste.
April 27, 2015
Twelve great stories about dragons. I enjoyed previous volumes of the Future Chronicles collection so I had no doubt this one would be as good. I am particularly happy to have discovered some authors I did not knew. That's what anthologies are for.
October 27, 2021
Dragon Chronicles
This is a great collection of stories and I enjoyed the forward as well. Some stories are told from the human point of view, others from the dragons', and some stories involve changes or shape-shifting.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (Elle Casey)
The "Ten Things you should know" set-up up of the story didn't appeal to me. It does apparently connect to the later books in Casey's War of the Fae series, of which I've only read the first four.
Of Sand and Starlight (Daniel Arenson)
Erry is not a very appealing character, but the world is definitely intriguing and is part of a quite extensive series (7 trilogies!).
Tasty Dragon Meat (K.J. Colt)
Great story! Makes interesting parallels to addiction, but its an added complexity rather than making it a morality tale.
Transparency (Alex Albrinck)
This world features bitter enmity between the ice dragons and the fire dragons. The story focus on a pair of fire dragons. Damir is a warrior dedicated to fighting the ice dragons, but his mate Eirene is fascinated and drawn to them. I'll stop there so as not to spoil the story. Its a great set-up for a series and hopefully we'll get to see it some day.
Sacrifice (David Adams)
Like the previous one, this story also features a dragon pair struggling to procreate. In this world, dragons have lost magic they once had. It connects to the author's Ren of Atikala series. This may be a villain's backstory, but I'm not sure since I do not know the series.
It’s Time to Change (Terah Edun)
Vedaris is a dragon who cannot actually shapeshift into a dragon and must somehow find his own way in a world he can't fit into. It's a great story and connects to the author's Birthright series. I want to read more about Vedaris and this world, but the series seems quite different. I'm not sure if this just a random, one-off loosely connected story or if its more integral.
Dragon Play (Ted Cross)
Four Norse kids explore a dragon's cave and get more than they bargained for. A good story.
A Diversion in Time (Nina Croft)
I enjoyed this story, but I don't think I'll like the series as it's more romance. The series title is even Dark Desires. Still, I did really like this story and especially the supernatural in outer space so I think I'll give it a chance.
The Book of Safkhet (Kim Wells)
An interesting story proposing a new tale of humanity's origins. Very different from the previous story, but also features dragons in outer space. It's meant to be a prequel or prologue, but the rest of the story has not yet come out.
Grey (Chris Pourteau)
A moving story of a girl who befriends the last dragon remaining. Grey has lost everything to humans, but this girl is his only friend left in the world. Will he come to her aid?
The Storymaster (Vincent Trigili)
I'm not a big fan of the story within a story, but given the ending, it certainly made sense that it was the best way to do it. It's a prequel to the Silverleaf series. I might check it out.
Judgment (Monica Enderle Pierce)
Awesome story! I definitely was not expecting a Western in this anthology. I hope she'll consider writing more in this world. I plan on checking out her space opera series.
This is a great collection of stories and I enjoyed the forward as well. Some stories are told from the human point of view, others from the dragons', and some stories involve changes or shape-shifting.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (Elle Casey)
The "Ten Things you should know" set-up up of the story didn't appeal to me. It does apparently connect to the later books in Casey's War of the Fae series, of which I've only read the first four.
Of Sand and Starlight (Daniel Arenson)
Erry is not a very appealing character, but the world is definitely intriguing and is part of a quite extensive series (7 trilogies!).
Tasty Dragon Meat (K.J. Colt)
Great story! Makes interesting parallels to addiction, but its an added complexity rather than making it a morality tale.
Transparency (Alex Albrinck)
This world features bitter enmity between the ice dragons and the fire dragons. The story focus on a pair of fire dragons. Damir is a warrior dedicated to fighting the ice dragons, but his mate Eirene is fascinated and drawn to them. I'll stop there so as not to spoil the story. Its a great set-up for a series and hopefully we'll get to see it some day.
Sacrifice (David Adams)
Like the previous one, this story also features a dragon pair struggling to procreate. In this world, dragons have lost magic they once had. It connects to the author's Ren of Atikala series. This may be a villain's backstory, but I'm not sure since I do not know the series.
It’s Time to Change (Terah Edun)
Vedaris is a dragon who cannot actually shapeshift into a dragon and must somehow find his own way in a world he can't fit into. It's a great story and connects to the author's Birthright series. I want to read more about Vedaris and this world, but the series seems quite different. I'm not sure if this just a random, one-off loosely connected story or if its more integral.
Dragon Play (Ted Cross)
Four Norse kids explore a dragon's cave and get more than they bargained for. A good story.
A Diversion in Time (Nina Croft)
I enjoyed this story, but I don't think I'll like the series as it's more romance. The series title is even Dark Desires. Still, I did really like this story and especially the supernatural in outer space so I think I'll give it a chance.
The Book of Safkhet (Kim Wells)
An interesting story proposing a new tale of humanity's origins. Very different from the previous story, but also features dragons in outer space. It's meant to be a prequel or prologue, but the rest of the story has not yet come out.
Grey (Chris Pourteau)
A moving story of a girl who befriends the last dragon remaining. Grey has lost everything to humans, but this girl is his only friend left in the world. Will he come to her aid?
The Storymaster (Vincent Trigili)
I'm not a big fan of the story within a story, but given the ending, it certainly made sense that it was the best way to do it. It's a prequel to the Silverleaf series. I might check it out.
Judgment (Monica Enderle Pierce)
Awesome story! I definitely was not expecting a Western in this anthology. I hope she'll consider writing more in this world. I plan on checking out her space opera series.
April 8, 2018
4.79 stars
This anthology is the best I have read. Most are assembled with a kind of theme but the quality of the writing is all over A couple of stories were not what I would recommend but I think they were at least understandable and thought out. Some of th stuff dropped on the market is garbage. At least these tried hard enough to be chosen.
This anthology is the best I have read. Most are assembled with a kind of theme but the quality of the writing is all over A couple of stories were not what I would recommend but I think they were at least understandable and thought out. Some of th stuff dropped on the market is garbage. At least these tried hard enough to be chosen.
December 18, 2017
Outstanding
Peralta's selections for Dragon Chronicles are impeccable. A truly satisfying collection of top notch work by talented imaginative authors. Glad I added it to my sci-fi library!
Peralta's selections for Dragon Chronicles are impeccable. A truly satisfying collection of top notch work by talented imaginative authors. Glad I added it to my sci-fi library!
November 20, 2025
Pretty nice anthology. I do like the author's notes after each short story, in some cases more than I like the stories themselves. Indie authors can be such a delight to read.
April 25, 2016
Original Review Here
I’m having to do this review in a different way to usual because it was a collection of short stories by various authors, so my usual structure won’t work. Overall, it was an interesting read and some of the stories and their imagination impressed me. I think there were a few too many murdered dragons in it for my liking though – I like them being the good guys! It also created a heavy atmosphere for a lot of the stories because there was so much death. That being said, it was definitely intriguing to see different takes on the legends.
The opening story was very gripping, with the right amount of humour and characterisation of both dragon and man that I look for in fantasy books. It certainly got my hopes up about what the book would bring and I hoped it set the tone. Other than that, Transparency by Alex Albrinck was my favourite. When examining my reasons why, I think it was because of the lack of humans. There were more intricacies to dragon culture than found in the previous stories, plus there was a definite feel of optimism for the future, an element that was lacking in the rest of the book.
Although it feels rude and wrong saying this, my least favourite was probably The Book of Safkhet, Chronicler of the Journey, Mistress of the House of Books. To start with, the title doesn’t make much sense with the rest of the book. But although this story had potential and imagination and even dragons and humans working together, it felt like too much was happening, especially with the time jumps. The random passages from the Bible were also distracting – it didn’t feel there was space for them considering this is only a short story. This one has the potential to be something much longer and it didn’t work shrinking it to something shorter.
I am still new to reading short stories, so there is a strong possibility that I missed the point to some of these stories. Ones such as The Storymaster by Vincent Trigili worked; it was the passing of an era with a dragon story to illustrate it. Everything was concluded by the end and there were no details left out. Quite a few of the others felt like ideas that were too big for the short story form had been condensed and squashed down to a smaller word count rather than the idea working to fit the form.
The amount of negativity in the stories surprised me. Concluding with a death is an effective way of closing a story (even if it felt like a cheat’s way in more than one instance), but there was an extreme amount of death and destruction in a collection of stories about magical creatures. It felt like there should be a more varied collection, with a little positivity introduced.
Overall though, I enjoyed the concept and it opened my eyes to new ways of writing about dragons.
I’m having to do this review in a different way to usual because it was a collection of short stories by various authors, so my usual structure won’t work. Overall, it was an interesting read and some of the stories and their imagination impressed me. I think there were a few too many murdered dragons in it for my liking though – I like them being the good guys! It also created a heavy atmosphere for a lot of the stories because there was so much death. That being said, it was definitely intriguing to see different takes on the legends.
The opening story was very gripping, with the right amount of humour and characterisation of both dragon and man that I look for in fantasy books. It certainly got my hopes up about what the book would bring and I hoped it set the tone. Other than that, Transparency by Alex Albrinck was my favourite. When examining my reasons why, I think it was because of the lack of humans. There were more intricacies to dragon culture than found in the previous stories, plus there was a definite feel of optimism for the future, an element that was lacking in the rest of the book.
Although it feels rude and wrong saying this, my least favourite was probably The Book of Safkhet, Chronicler of the Journey, Mistress of the House of Books. To start with, the title doesn’t make much sense with the rest of the book. But although this story had potential and imagination and even dragons and humans working together, it felt like too much was happening, especially with the time jumps. The random passages from the Bible were also distracting – it didn’t feel there was space for them considering this is only a short story. This one has the potential to be something much longer and it didn’t work shrinking it to something shorter.
I am still new to reading short stories, so there is a strong possibility that I missed the point to some of these stories. Ones such as The Storymaster by Vincent Trigili worked; it was the passing of an era with a dragon story to illustrate it. Everything was concluded by the end and there were no details left out. Quite a few of the others felt like ideas that were too big for the short story form had been condensed and squashed down to a smaller word count rather than the idea working to fit the form.
The amount of negativity in the stories surprised me. Concluding with a death is an effective way of closing a story (even if it felt like a cheat’s way in more than one instance), but there was an extreme amount of death and destruction in a collection of stories about magical creatures. It felt like there should be a more varied collection, with a little positivity introduced.
Overall though, I enjoyed the concept and it opened my eyes to new ways of writing about dragons.
April 22, 2016
I dunno. I expected to be more excited about this anthology. I think it started off pretty well,became pretty much "meh" in the middle and then picked up again at the end.
Some of the more notable stories that I liked, in no particular order, are:
Grey (Chris Pourteau): Grey tells the story of the friendship between Amanda, a young girl, and Grey, the last dragon in the world. It's sweet - and somewhat predictable, but incredibly heartwarming.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (Elle Casey): This was funny, whimsical, and the perfect way to start the anthology. Very tongue-in-cheek humour, but also very serious at the same time. After all, Dragons can kill you, even if you're their Dragon Rider.
Tasty Dragon Meat (K.J. Colt): This was somewhat folksy - and a complete story arch (as compared to some of the others that felt a little unfinished).
Transparency (Alex Albrinck): Transparency is a tale of forbidden love between ice dragons and fire dragons. I liked it, despite the fact that it was never entirely clear how the half-breeds came about.
The Storymaster (Vincent Trigili): A little more lore-like, this is the tale of the last dragon and dragonmaster in the world.
Judgment (Monica Enderle Pierce): I have a love/hate relationship with Westerns. Some I love, some I hate... it's rarely anywhere in between. Luckily, Judgment ended up in the love side of it, because it would be really sad to end this book with a story I hated.
Note: I received a review copy of this ebook via NetGalley.
Some of the more notable stories that I liked, in no particular order, are:
Grey (Chris Pourteau): Grey tells the story of the friendship between Amanda, a young girl, and Grey, the last dragon in the world. It's sweet - and somewhat predictable, but incredibly heartwarming.
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (Elle Casey): This was funny, whimsical, and the perfect way to start the anthology. Very tongue-in-cheek humour, but also very serious at the same time. After all, Dragons can kill you, even if you're their Dragon Rider.
Tasty Dragon Meat (K.J. Colt): This was somewhat folksy - and a complete story arch (as compared to some of the others that felt a little unfinished).
Transparency (Alex Albrinck): Transparency is a tale of forbidden love between ice dragons and fire dragons. I liked it, despite the fact that it was never entirely clear how the half-breeds came about.
The Storymaster (Vincent Trigili): A little more lore-like, this is the tale of the last dragon and dragonmaster in the world.
Judgment (Monica Enderle Pierce): I have a love/hate relationship with Westerns. Some I love, some I hate... it's rarely anywhere in between. Luckily, Judgment ended up in the love side of it, because it would be really sad to end this book with a story I hated.
Note: I received a review copy of this ebook via NetGalley.
January 5, 2016
A Blend of Great Intelligence
By giving this book a5 star rating I hope to inspire others to read it. In here your some tales that griped my mind so as not letting me stop reading them, an others that just keep me curious. You read it and which ones to that to you. Because it will be different for each reader. This is why I am not going into depth about each story. All I will say I'd that each of these authors has their own way of pulling you into their story. Try it I believe it will be very enjoyable.
By giving this book a5 star rating I hope to inspire others to read it. In here your some tales that griped my mind so as not letting me stop reading them, an others that just keep me curious. You read it and which ones to that to you. Because it will be different for each reader. This is why I am not going into depth about each story. All I will say I'd that each of these authors has their own way of pulling you into their story. Try it I believe it will be very enjoyable.
April 18, 2016
I found this collection patchy - some very good stories, some that really were more like excerpts, and a couple of stories that were not well written. Worth buying and worth reading, but the editor needed to be a bit more ruthless. I went on to buy The Dragon War trilogy on the strength of one story, so I'm hoping it will have been useful in introducing me to a new writer.
Three stars because of the patchy nature of the collection.
Three stars because of the patchy nature of the collection.
April 28, 2015
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited for Elle Casey's story, but disappointed we didn't get to see Jayne and the gang.
I didn't read the rest of the stories.
I was excited for Elle Casey's story, but disappointed we didn't get to see Jayne and the gang.
I didn't read the rest of the stories.
August 5, 2021
This is a collection of short stories--many of which are rooted in series written about dragons. As with any collection some are great and some not so great. Overall I have truly enjoyed this collection of stories and recommend it to anyone who likes dragon stories!
July 8, 2015
The Dragon Chronicles
I enjoyed this compilation of short stories. All were well written and enjoyed by me. Please people read this collection, you will not regret it.
I enjoyed this compilation of short stories. All were well written and enjoyed by me. Please people read this collection, you will not regret it.
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