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The Dragon Quintet
Brand-new contributions to the hoard of dragon lore by five top fantasy authors.
Orson Scott Card's "In the Dragon's House" is a gothic yarn about the mysterious dragon that lives in the wiring of an old house, noticed by a young boy who shares its body in dreams and feels its true size and power.
Mercedes Lackey's "Joust" tells the story of a slave boy who is chosen to care for a warrior's dragon--a dragon whose secrets may be the key to his freedom.
Tanith Lee's "Love in a Time of Dragons" is a fable is imbued with her signature atmosphere--Old World, moody, erotic--as a kitchen maid goes a-questing with a handsome champion to slay the local drakkor.
Elizabeth Moon's "Judgment" tells the tale of a young man forced by lies to flee his village . . . into an adventure of dwarfs and dragonspawn.
Michael Swanwick's "King Dragon" invokes a truly sinister and repellent creature--a being with the soul of a beast and the body of a machine--part metal, part devil . . . all merciless.
Orson Scott Card's "In the Dragon's House" is a gothic yarn about the mysterious dragon that lives in the wiring of an old house, noticed by a young boy who shares its body in dreams and feels its true size and power.
Mercedes Lackey's "Joust" tells the story of a slave boy who is chosen to care for a warrior's dragon--a dragon whose secrets may be the key to his freedom.
Tanith Lee's "Love in a Time of Dragons" is a fable is imbued with her signature atmosphere--Old World, moody, erotic--as a kitchen maid goes a-questing with a handsome champion to slay the local drakkor.
Elizabeth Moon's "Judgment" tells the tale of a young man forced by lies to flee his village . . . into an adventure of dwarfs and dragonspawn.
Michael Swanwick's "King Dragon" invokes a truly sinister and repellent creature--a being with the soul of a beast and the body of a machine--part metal, part devil . . . all merciless.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
880 people want to read
About the author
Marvin Kaye
144 books83 followersMarvin Nathan Kaye was an American mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror author, anthologist, and editor. He was also a magician and theater actor. Kaye was a World Fantasy Award winner and served as co-publisher and editor of Weird Tales Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 30, 2022
Well now. I know I have owned this 2003 book for at least 10 or 12 years, because it is from the Science Fiction Book Club that I was a member of for many years.
But when I started what I thought would be one of those After Many Years Re-reads, I could not remember a single thing about any of the stories. Nothing about any of them ever became familiar or jogged my memory at all. So I wonder how I managed to miss reading this?!
But it doesn't really matter, other than for curiosity's sake. Point is, I have read it now and it was GREAT!! Well, four out of five of the stories were great, the fifth I didn't finish, it was too weird for me.
But I digress.
Five stories about dragons written especially for this book by authors such as Orson Scott Card,In The Dragon's House; Elizabeth Moon, Judgment; Tanith Lee, Love In A Time Of Dragons; Mercedes Lackey, Joust; and Michael Swanwick, King Dragon.
There is an interesting introduction by editor Marvin Kay, and he also adds a short bit about each author before each story, and even a few comments afterwards about where to find more books about dragons. Not sure if those websites are still up and running all these years later, but the list is there anyway.
I really enjoyed the first four stories and if I had liked the final one by Swanwich I would have gone to five stars. But i never could get into that tale about a part mechanical part flesh and blood dragon. He was up to no good, I could tell, but other than that I was not as captivated by it and chose not to finish that one.
Card's story about the dragon house was so sweet and innocent until the end. Tanith Lee's offering was a steamy sort of dragon and maiden tale, and Mercedes Lackey liked her own story so much that she later created an entire novel around the character Vetch. And then there was my favorite, Elizabeth Moon's Judgment. Plenty of magic here: shape-shifting dragons, gnomes, and a young man learning to be who he is meant to be. Not to mention this thought, spoken by the dragon himself:
"Wisdom without power is wind without air. . . it can do nothing of itself. And power without wisdom is fatal. Power without wisdom is a mad bull running through the house. . . A fool should have no power, lest he bring ruin with him."
But when I started what I thought would be one of those After Many Years Re-reads, I could not remember a single thing about any of the stories. Nothing about any of them ever became familiar or jogged my memory at all. So I wonder how I managed to miss reading this?!
But it doesn't really matter, other than for curiosity's sake. Point is, I have read it now and it was GREAT!! Well, four out of five of the stories were great, the fifth I didn't finish, it was too weird for me.
But I digress.
Five stories about dragons written especially for this book by authors such as Orson Scott Card,In The Dragon's House; Elizabeth Moon, Judgment; Tanith Lee, Love In A Time Of Dragons; Mercedes Lackey, Joust; and Michael Swanwick, King Dragon.
There is an interesting introduction by editor Marvin Kay, and he also adds a short bit about each author before each story, and even a few comments afterwards about where to find more books about dragons. Not sure if those websites are still up and running all these years later, but the list is there anyway.
I really enjoyed the first four stories and if I had liked the final one by Swanwich I would have gone to five stars. But i never could get into that tale about a part mechanical part flesh and blood dragon. He was up to no good, I could tell, but other than that I was not as captivated by it and chose not to finish that one.
Card's story about the dragon house was so sweet and innocent until the end. Tanith Lee's offering was a steamy sort of dragon and maiden tale, and Mercedes Lackey liked her own story so much that she later created an entire novel around the character Vetch. And then there was my favorite, Elizabeth Moon's Judgment. Plenty of magic here: shape-shifting dragons, gnomes, and a young man learning to be who he is meant to be. Not to mention this thought, spoken by the dragon himself:
"Wisdom without power is wind without air. . . it can do nothing of itself. And power without wisdom is fatal. Power without wisdom is a mad bull running through the house. . . A fool should have no power, lest he bring ruin with him."
March 7, 2024
Dragons have been very useful to storytellers since time immemorial. They can be compared with a hardboiled PI or a vampire, whose simple presence calls for some heroic saga to be told.
Alas, that was NOT the case here.
This book has five novellas, some penned by very famous names indeed. Following the 'Introduction: Firedrakes Fierce and Friendly' we have~
1. 'In the Dragon's House' by Orson Scott Card: a mediocre tale with disturbing ending.
2. 'Judgement' by Elizabeth Moon: Meh.
3. 'Love in a Time of Dragons' by Tanith Lee: Beautiful!
4. 'Joust' by Mercedes Lackey: Coming of age kind of tale with the emphasis firmly away from dragons.
5. 'King Dragon' by Michael Swanwick: Wonderfully written, but without a point.
Overall, there are far better anthologies about dragons that you can get these days. So this one can be safely missed.
Alas, that was NOT the case here.
This book has five novellas, some penned by very famous names indeed. Following the 'Introduction: Firedrakes Fierce and Friendly' we have~
1. 'In the Dragon's House' by Orson Scott Card: a mediocre tale with disturbing ending.
2. 'Judgement' by Elizabeth Moon: Meh.
3. 'Love in a Time of Dragons' by Tanith Lee: Beautiful!
4. 'Joust' by Mercedes Lackey: Coming of age kind of tale with the emphasis firmly away from dragons.
5. 'King Dragon' by Michael Swanwick: Wonderfully written, but without a point.
Overall, there are far better anthologies about dragons that you can get these days. So this one can be safely missed.
August 8, 2011
I started each story wary of its manner of responding to the story-about-dragons prompt. But each story flouted my low expectations and left me pleasantly surprised.
I found Orson Scott Card's modern-day story to be atmospheric and full of endearing characters. The pace of "In the Dragon's House" was slow, and at first I was irritated by the seeming absence of any dragon. But the story rounded out nicely and left me kind of loving the people and the house and even the dragon that had initially irked me.
Coming after Orson Scott Card's story. Elizabeth Moon's "Judgement" felt almost too action-packed. But the medieval-esque fantasy world pretty much set the tone for the rest of the stories. And it didn't conform to the happily-ever-after conclusion I thought I saw coming.
"Love in a Time of Dragons" was the most polarizing of the stories for me, with all its twists and surprises. It kept writhing out of the judgments and definitions I tried to place on it. At first it seemed grossly un-feminist, then like a pandering bit of shock-for-shock's-sake convention defiance, but then it got kind of lovely and ultimately became something which--though I'm reluctant to say I liked--impressed me. As in, it left me with...impressions.
Mercedes Lackey's "Joust" just kept reminding me of Jane Yolen's pit dragon trilogy. I really have nothing else to say about it except that I read Yolen's trilogy first and therefore like it better.
Aaaand the last story. The "King Dragon" novella. It was...odd. Not a conventional oldie-timey-mythical-land setting. Not a contemporary tale either, really. But it still drew on modern-day machinery (steampunk? not quite...) as well as mythical/fey conventions (the power of names, truth-telling hags, scrying and magic and a "fey" world where magic is normal and normal mortals are aberrations...). The atmosphere of the story reminded me of The Stones Are Hatching, and I felt a similar sort of ambivalence about "King Dragon" upon first reading it.
Maybe I'll end up re-reading these stories? I definitely don't feel like I've ruminated on them enough to pass my final judgment. And I feel like lingering more on each story would solidify my opinions on them all one way or another. But at the moment I just--as they say in England--can't be assed.
I found Orson Scott Card's modern-day story to be atmospheric and full of endearing characters. The pace of "In the Dragon's House" was slow, and at first I was irritated by the seeming absence of any dragon. But the story rounded out nicely and left me kind of loving the people and the house and even the dragon that had initially irked me.
Coming after Orson Scott Card's story. Elizabeth Moon's "Judgement" felt almost too action-packed. But the medieval-esque fantasy world pretty much set the tone for the rest of the stories. And it didn't conform to the happily-ever-after conclusion I thought I saw coming.
"Love in a Time of Dragons" was the most polarizing of the stories for me, with all its twists and surprises. It kept writhing out of the judgments and definitions I tried to place on it. At first it seemed grossly un-feminist, then like a pandering bit of shock-for-shock's-sake convention defiance, but then it got kind of lovely and ultimately became something which--though I'm reluctant to say I liked--impressed me. As in, it left me with...impressions.
Mercedes Lackey's "Joust" just kept reminding me of Jane Yolen's pit dragon trilogy. I really have nothing else to say about it except that I read Yolen's trilogy first and therefore like it better.
Aaaand the last story. The "King Dragon" novella. It was...odd. Not a conventional oldie-timey-mythical-land setting. Not a contemporary tale either, really. But it still drew on modern-day machinery (steampunk? not quite...) as well as mythical/fey conventions (the power of names, truth-telling hags, scrying and magic and a "fey" world where magic is normal and normal mortals are aberrations...). The atmosphere of the story reminded me of The Stones Are Hatching, and I felt a similar sort of ambivalence about "King Dragon" upon first reading it.
Maybe I'll end up re-reading these stories? I definitely don't feel like I've ruminated on them enough to pass my final judgment. And I feel like lingering more on each story would solidify my opinions on them all one way or another. But at the moment I just--as they say in England--can't be assed.
September 4, 2010
"In the Dragon's House" by Orson Scott Card 4/5
Characteristic of Narnia style, "In the Dragon's House" merges the fantastic with the ordinary and, at the same time, is an excellent character analysis of growing up.
"Judgment" by Elizabeth Moon 2/5
A decent fantasy tale with good emotional representation. Overall, a very simplistic plot, but enjoyable enough.
"Love in a Time of Dragons" by Tanith Lee 1/5
First of all, I don't know why, but I feel more inclined to write reviews on books that I don't enjoy. As far as "Love in a Time of Dragons" goes, I was extremely confused until about half-way through the story because it was poorly written, not because I didn't understand. Many phrases and descriptions were repeated and for a moment I thought (excuse the comparison) I was reading Twilight. I also consider the story to be awkward, especially since it was very erotic in places the story didn't call for, and would have been better left out entirely. Some reviews have said that this story is very adult, but I felt it to be juvenile and not at all expressive of the passion I think Lee was trying to convey. I think. I don't know like having to assume what an author is trying to make me feel, but in this case, it's disgust.
"Joust" by Mercedes Lackey 4/5
I've always been an Anne McCaffrey fan, and "Joust" by Mercedes Lackey pays homage to the tales of dragons and their riders, but does so in a way all her own with captivating characters and a believable fantasy setting.
"King Dragon" by Michael Swanwick 3/5
A great story of overcoming evil. The science fiction twist is engaging and leaves the reader wanting to know more about the world Swanwick has created, as well as his characters.
Characteristic of Narnia style, "In the Dragon's House" merges the fantastic with the ordinary and, at the same time, is an excellent character analysis of growing up.
"Judgment" by Elizabeth Moon 2/5
A decent fantasy tale with good emotional representation. Overall, a very simplistic plot, but enjoyable enough.
"Love in a Time of Dragons" by Tanith Lee 1/5
First of all, I don't know why, but I feel more inclined to write reviews on books that I don't enjoy. As far as "Love in a Time of Dragons" goes, I was extremely confused until about half-way through the story because it was poorly written, not because I didn't understand. Many phrases and descriptions were repeated and for a moment I thought (excuse the comparison) I was reading Twilight. I also consider the story to be awkward, especially since it was very erotic in places the story didn't call for, and would have been better left out entirely. Some reviews have said that this story is very adult, but I felt it to be juvenile and not at all expressive of the passion I think Lee was trying to convey. I think. I don't know like having to assume what an author is trying to make me feel, but in this case, it's disgust.
"Joust" by Mercedes Lackey 4/5
I've always been an Anne McCaffrey fan, and "Joust" by Mercedes Lackey pays homage to the tales of dragons and their riders, but does so in a way all her own with captivating characters and a believable fantasy setting.
"King Dragon" by Michael Swanwick 3/5
A great story of overcoming evil. The science fiction twist is engaging and leaves the reader wanting to know more about the world Swanwick has created, as well as his characters.
January 5, 2008
This publication has five novellas from well-known fantasy writers, each around the theme of dragons.
Each story is very different: one is almost like “Amazing Stories,” a couple are more in the line of traditional fantasy and one is almost science fiction. All but one features younger protagonists, the fifth is a younger adult woman. Each book is very well-written; a lot of detail and development, a lot of “world setting” takes place in a relative few pages.
Excepting one problem, this would be an excellent “springboard book” for YA readers, who, after reading these novellas, may be encouraged to read the other authors’ works. All five stories are engaging tales, with imaginative worlds and well-rounded protagonists. One neat thing is each of the dragons in the story are very different; one is almost fairy-like, one is almost a machine, a couple are beasts to be feared, and the dragons in another story help men.
My big problem with this book is age-appropriateness. Four of the five I would have little hesitation recommending for 13 and up, or even mature sixth-graders. Three of them are pretty “clean” overall, and there’s only a brief moment of crude talk in a fourth (Michael Swanwick’s “King Dragon”). However, Tanith Lee’s “Love In A Time of Dragons,” while a great story, has sexual situations not appropriate for anyone under 16. Graynne’s “encounters” with a cruel innkeeper are described as “friendly rape,” an oxymoron if there ever was one. It was rather jolting to read the other stories, then read this.
Each story is very different: one is almost like “Amazing Stories,” a couple are more in the line of traditional fantasy and one is almost science fiction. All but one features younger protagonists, the fifth is a younger adult woman. Each book is very well-written; a lot of detail and development, a lot of “world setting” takes place in a relative few pages.
Excepting one problem, this would be an excellent “springboard book” for YA readers, who, after reading these novellas, may be encouraged to read the other authors’ works. All five stories are engaging tales, with imaginative worlds and well-rounded protagonists. One neat thing is each of the dragons in the story are very different; one is almost fairy-like, one is almost a machine, a couple are beasts to be feared, and the dragons in another story help men.
My big problem with this book is age-appropriateness. Four of the five I would have little hesitation recommending for 13 and up, or even mature sixth-graders. Three of them are pretty “clean” overall, and there’s only a brief moment of crude talk in a fourth (Michael Swanwick’s “King Dragon”). However, Tanith Lee’s “Love In A Time of Dragons,” while a great story, has sexual situations not appropriate for anyone under 16. Graynne’s “encounters” with a cruel innkeeper are described as “friendly rape,” an oxymoron if there ever was one. It was rather jolting to read the other stories, then read this.
July 3, 2013
First story - In the Dragon's House by Orson Scott Card - 4 stars - A very different premise, sort of gothic - dark and lurking, liked it.
Judgment by Elizabeth Moon - 5 stars - enjoyed it and even liked that it ended open with many places for the hero to continue on, would welcome reading more about Ker, and his mother.
Love in the Time of Dragons by Tanith Lee - 3 1/2 stars - Graynne is the heroine of this love story with a somewhat obvious twist.
Joust by Mercedes Lackey - 5 stars - a classic style story - feudal society with dragons, a slave and a kind master. Seems like a good premise to base a full book or series with.
King Dragon by Michael Swanwith - 5 stars - liked it that it is not a classic dragon tale, but high tech dragons still with witch craft and classic fantasy setting. Very interesting and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Judgment by Elizabeth Moon - 5 stars - enjoyed it and even liked that it ended open with many places for the hero to continue on, would welcome reading more about Ker, and his mother.
Love in the Time of Dragons by Tanith Lee - 3 1/2 stars - Graynne is the heroine of this love story with a somewhat obvious twist.
Joust by Mercedes Lackey - 5 stars - a classic style story - feudal society with dragons, a slave and a kind master. Seems like a good premise to base a full book or series with.
King Dragon by Michael Swanwith - 5 stars - liked it that it is not a classic dragon tale, but high tech dragons still with witch craft and classic fantasy setting. Very interesting and enjoyed it thoroughly.
March 29, 2020
I only read the first novella in this collection: “In the Dragon’s House” by Orson Scott Card.
The story was set in an old gothic-style house with gargoyles and many rooms and a basement theatre, and a mysterious “warm spot” on the attic stairs where a boy dreams the dreams of a dragon if he sits there, which all were winning thematic elements for me- but the mystery at the end of the story was disappointing rather. I had hoped for more with all the spying through keyholes and clambering through attic passages to get to secret rooms!
The story was set in an old gothic-style house with gargoyles and many rooms and a basement theatre, and a mysterious “warm spot” on the attic stairs where a boy dreams the dreams of a dragon if he sits there, which all were winning thematic elements for me- but the mystery at the end of the story was disappointing rather. I had hoped for more with all the spying through keyholes and clambering through attic passages to get to secret rooms!
October 20, 2007
This book has some good short stories in it, with very original premises, but I will be honest and admit that I wasn't very interested in it and didn't finish reading it before it was due back at the library. I would still recommend it though, because objectively I think it is a very good book for fantasy fans.
January 31, 2015
Five novellas by five respected authors, each very different from the others. My favorites were Tanith Lee's "Love in a Time of Drafons" (which surprised me because I did not care for the novels of hers that I've read), Elizabeth Moon's "Judgment", and Mercedes Lackey's "Joust" (which she later developed into a full-length novel of the same name).
December 13, 2017
Great selection of stories. If you like dragons & would like to get a feel for one or more of these authors I highly recommend it. Some of the stories were more on the violent & depressing side btw.
July 23, 2025
This was a mixed bag, but overall an interesting collection of stories I'd recommend if you're interested in dragon stories.
There were only two stories I really didn't like: In the Dragon's House (Orson Scott Card) was the most boring because it contained the least amount of dragons, and Love in a Time of Dragons (Tanith Lee) had an interesting premise but the writing style and language used was incomprehensible in places.
Judgement (Elizabeth Moon) took me a few pages to get into (a lot of real estate in short stories) but by the end I was really interested in the world it presented. I like Moon's writing style, and I think she balanced 'understandable' with 'archaic styling' much better than Tanith Lee.
Joust (Mercedes Lackey) I'd already read as a full book, and I'd only recommend it as a full book unless you're very interested in understanding the mechanical writing process. It could be interesting to see how it compares between the two, but I have no interest in it.
The really interesting story, though, was Dragon King (Michael Swanwick). The world was fascinating, and so much was told in the first few pages that it had me hooked. Swanwick does wonders showing and not telling how the world works, and every paragraph revealed something new and interesting. I'd recommend the collection just for this alone!
There were only two stories I really didn't like: In the Dragon's House (Orson Scott Card) was the most boring because it contained the least amount of dragons, and Love in a Time of Dragons (Tanith Lee) had an interesting premise but the writing style and language used was incomprehensible in places.
Judgement (Elizabeth Moon) took me a few pages to get into (a lot of real estate in short stories) but by the end I was really interested in the world it presented. I like Moon's writing style, and I think she balanced 'understandable' with 'archaic styling' much better than Tanith Lee.
Joust (Mercedes Lackey) I'd already read as a full book, and I'd only recommend it as a full book unless you're very interested in understanding the mechanical writing process. It could be interesting to see how it compares between the two, but I have no interest in it.
The really interesting story, though, was Dragon King (Michael Swanwick). The world was fascinating, and so much was told in the first few pages that it had me hooked. Swanwick does wonders showing and not telling how the world works, and every paragraph revealed something new and interesting. I'd recommend the collection just for this alone!
August 2, 2018
So the only story I remembered in this book was Joust by Mercedes Lackey and I knew that I loved it and the novel she released based on it afterwards. I found it again when organizing my books and have been in a dragon mood so I pulled it out. It has some pretty illustrations and I was very excited for no freaking reason apparently.
Aside from Joust which is a great short story about a slave and the dragon he cares for, these stories are horrible. Orson Scott Card's story barely had a dragon in it and the ending of the story made you go????REALLY. Elizabeth Moon's was annoying and so forgettable that I literally can't tell you what happened now and I read it yesterday but I remember being frustrated and annoyed the whole time I read it. Tanith Lee's was well written but just...disgusting. I'm beyond done reading about rape and abuse of women and I don't know if this was supposed to be erotic or appalling but it literally made me feel disgusting. Finally Micheal Swanwick's was a disappointing conclusion that I mostly skimmed at this point because I was so fed up with the whole collection. All I can say is I really must have loved the Joust short story and bought this before the novel came out because there's no way I'm keeping it any longer.
Aside from Joust which is a great short story about a slave and the dragon he cares for, these stories are horrible. Orson Scott Card's story barely had a dragon in it and the ending of the story made you go????REALLY. Elizabeth Moon's was annoying and so forgettable that I literally can't tell you what happened now and I read it yesterday but I remember being frustrated and annoyed the whole time I read it. Tanith Lee's was well written but just...disgusting. I'm beyond done reading about rape and abuse of women and I don't know if this was supposed to be erotic or appalling but it literally made me feel disgusting. Finally Micheal Swanwick's was a disappointing conclusion that I mostly skimmed at this point because I was so fed up with the whole collection. All I can say is I really must have loved the Joust short story and bought this before the novel came out because there's no way I'm keeping it any longer.
January 21, 2025
Each story in the dragon quintet takes the idea of what a dragon is, and puts an unexpected twist on it. The stories is this collection mainly explore themes of power and perseverance. There are a couple, however, that explore themes of the self and dabble in the species concept (since it relates to dragons).
This collection ended up being a very refreshing exploration of dragons in fiction; no story is quite what you expect it to be. The writing is good, and the dragons here tend to work differently than those in traditional fantasy. In one of the stories, the dragons are semi-autonomous constructs. Most of the other stories continue this tradition of reinventing what a dragon is.
Although I don't pursue fantasy as much as I used to, I still have to recommend this book for being such a welcome surprise.
4.5 stars
This collection ended up being a very refreshing exploration of dragons in fiction; no story is quite what you expect it to be. The writing is good, and the dragons here tend to work differently than those in traditional fantasy. In one of the stories, the dragons are semi-autonomous constructs. Most of the other stories continue this tradition of reinventing what a dragon is.
Although I don't pursue fantasy as much as I used to, I still have to recommend this book for being such a welcome surprise.
4.5 stars
June 15, 2021
Speaking as someone who's read a *lot* of dragon anthologies in her lifetime, this is a very solid entry! I particularly enjoyed "Judgment" by Elizabeth Moon and "Joust" by Mercedes Lackey. Also, I was surprised by how much I liked "King Dragon" by Michael Swanwick. I remember reading his "The Iron Dragon's Daughter" novel back in Junior High, and I couldn't quite get through it. It was a bit too dark and erotic for my tastes at the time. But the world that he created in that book always stuck with me, blending the real world with brutal old-world fairy-tale fantasy tropes in a strange, surreal way. "King Dragon," set in the same universe, was enjoyable to read, but didn't overstay its welcome.
March 6, 2025
I got this for a buck at a book sale. Five stories, five chances to get a star.
1. 'In the Dragon's House' by Orson Scott Card: It rambles too much at the start for a short story, but there’s some good parts in there. Half a star.
2. 'Judgement' by Elizabeth Moon: The dragons are interesting. The humans are not. Half a star.
3. 'Love in a Time of Dragons' by Tanith Lee: I’m not a prude, but why does this need to be in my brain? Zero stars.
4. 'Joust' by Mercedes Lackey: Feels more like the start of a novel than a short story, so I’ll forgive the lack of adventure on friendly pet dragon. One star.
5. 'King Dragon' by Michael Swanwick: mechadragon is a fun idea. Kind of weird overall shifting between traditional fantasy and mecha stuff but not bad. One star.
1. 'In the Dragon's House' by Orson Scott Card: It rambles too much at the start for a short story, but there’s some good parts in there. Half a star.
2. 'Judgement' by Elizabeth Moon: The dragons are interesting. The humans are not. Half a star.
3. 'Love in a Time of Dragons' by Tanith Lee: I’m not a prude, but why does this need to be in my brain? Zero stars.
4. 'Joust' by Mercedes Lackey: Feels more like the start of a novel than a short story, so I’ll forgive the lack of adventure on friendly pet dragon. One star.
5. 'King Dragon' by Michael Swanwick: mechadragon is a fun idea. Kind of weird overall shifting between traditional fantasy and mecha stuff but not bad. One star.
August 20, 2025
"In the Dragon's House" was such a favorite short story of mine that I searched everywhere for a continuation or spinoff of this story. So far, no such luck. I still vividly remember the story because of how detailed Orson's writing is.
"Joust" left a similar impression on me and I LOVED the idea of dragons in/near swamps or deserts instead of just in medieval times. Luckily, when I went searching for anything based off of this story- I found that Mercedes Lackey had written a short series based off of it!! Series name is Dragon Jousters and imo it rivals The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey.
"Joust" left a similar impression on me and I LOVED the idea of dragons in/near swamps or deserts instead of just in medieval times. Luckily, when I went searching for anything based off of this story- I found that Mercedes Lackey had written a short series based off of it!! Series name is Dragon Jousters and imo it rivals The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey.
March 16, 2022
Reading this book featuring some of my favorite authors, was a huge disappointment for me, and reinforces the reason I have never liked anthologies or short stories. There are exceptions, but few and far between. However, I strongly urge you to read the book anyway, especially IF you like short stories or anthologies. Never take someone else's opinion as gospel.
September 18, 2022
The Dragon Quintet is a solid compilation of Dragon-themed short stories. The diversity of direction in which each author took the theme is fascinating. The stories range from typical to adventure, romance, and science fiction. Admittedly, my favorites were those authors by whom I have read much and most familiar with their styles (Moon and Lackey), but they were all wonderful reads.
January 27, 2017
Amazing book, good lenth on the contributions so you got into the story and some strange twists on every story, a much much liked favorite!!
May 11, 2017
Five excellent short stories. If you like dragons then these short stories will tick all the boxes for you.
June 3, 2019
Great book!
March 26, 2023
This was a fabulous collection that really showcased the authors’ love of dragons.
February 14, 2024
5 novella-length stories by well known authors, all featuring dragons. Good but not great.
August 6, 2024
Some stories were better than others, but the one with the robot/airplane dragon was amazing.
February 3, 2025
I really enjoyed these stories and look forward to sharing them with my daughter and grand daughter.
September 26, 2011
A collection of some excellent authors and stories about dragons? How could I not pick up this book?
It didn't disappoint. This is the second novella collection put together by Marvin Kaye; the first, entitled The Vampire Sextette, boasts some of the same authors (which means, since Ms. Lee is also included in that collection, that I've got to find it). Mr. Kaye writes a little forward about the authors and their stories, as well as of the fascination society in general has with dragons. Included as a sort of postscript is a compendum of dragon websites, stories and movies that the reader may want to check out.
But the stars are definitely the stories themselves, from writers whose names could compose a "who's who" in the SF/F shelves. Orson Scott Card produces a story entitled, "In The Dragon's House" (which Mr. Kaye notes has inspired a novel from Mr. Card), in which we follow the young life of Michael, in the strange, Old Dragon's House. There is a mystery to be solved, of the heart of the house and the strange room in the attic, where an ancient relative played with his trains and talked of the dragon being 'lively'. And Michael comes to understand why as he explores the attic and the strange humming that comes from behind the locked door.
"Judgment" is offered by Elizabeth Moon, a story of what happens when a village elder and Ker, the young man who is to become his son-in-law, discover a pair of strange stones, lost by dwarves - and then what happens when the dwarves recruit Ker to return the stones to them.
"Love in a Time of Dragons" shares many of Tanith Lee's 'trademarks' - lush, strange descriptions, a young heroine with a mind of her own and fantastic beasts, not to mention a love that shouldn't be.
Mercedes Lackey's story, "Joust", tells of a character named Vetch and his life of servitude in the dragonpits. This story reminded me a great deal of both the Dragonriders of Pern as well as Jane Yolen's young adult series of a youth who serves in the dragonpits of his world, which made it difficult for me to enjoy the story as much as some of the others. There is a note from Mr. Kaye that Ms. Lackey is working on a novel based on the character or the world, I'm not sure which.
The final story of the quintent, "The Dragon King", is written by Michael Swanwick and takes place in a world where magic augments technology. The Dragon King is biomechanical, a cyborg, crippled in an air battle, and takes up residence in a small town, wherein it decides to take one of the town's own and make him the eyes and ears of the dragon. A cautionary, spooky tale, it definitely rounds out the series of stories.
It didn't disappoint. This is the second novella collection put together by Marvin Kaye; the first, entitled The Vampire Sextette, boasts some of the same authors (which means, since Ms. Lee is also included in that collection, that I've got to find it). Mr. Kaye writes a little forward about the authors and their stories, as well as of the fascination society in general has with dragons. Included as a sort of postscript is a compendum of dragon websites, stories and movies that the reader may want to check out.
But the stars are definitely the stories themselves, from writers whose names could compose a "who's who" in the SF/F shelves. Orson Scott Card produces a story entitled, "In The Dragon's House" (which Mr. Kaye notes has inspired a novel from Mr. Card), in which we follow the young life of Michael, in the strange, Old Dragon's House. There is a mystery to be solved, of the heart of the house and the strange room in the attic, where an ancient relative played with his trains and talked of the dragon being 'lively'. And Michael comes to understand why as he explores the attic and the strange humming that comes from behind the locked door.
"Judgment" is offered by Elizabeth Moon, a story of what happens when a village elder and Ker, the young man who is to become his son-in-law, discover a pair of strange stones, lost by dwarves - and then what happens when the dwarves recruit Ker to return the stones to them.
"Love in a Time of Dragons" shares many of Tanith Lee's 'trademarks' - lush, strange descriptions, a young heroine with a mind of her own and fantastic beasts, not to mention a love that shouldn't be.
Mercedes Lackey's story, "Joust", tells of a character named Vetch and his life of servitude in the dragonpits. This story reminded me a great deal of both the Dragonriders of Pern as well as Jane Yolen's young adult series of a youth who serves in the dragonpits of his world, which made it difficult for me to enjoy the story as much as some of the others. There is a note from Mr. Kaye that Ms. Lackey is working on a novel based on the character or the world, I'm not sure which.
The final story of the quintent, "The Dragon King", is written by Michael Swanwick and takes place in a world where magic augments technology. The Dragon King is biomechanical, a cyborg, crippled in an air battle, and takes up residence in a small town, wherein it decides to take one of the town's own and make him the eyes and ears of the dragon. A cautionary, spooky tale, it definitely rounds out the series of stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2012
All in all, this book was great. I loved each story for their own reasons, and each story was great. This collection really impressed me.
I'm going to talk about each story separately:
In The Dragon's House by Orson Scott Card: This story was quite intriguing. I love how great Orson Scott card is at creating characters I really care about. His characters are always deep and unique. In this story, the characters are not only unique but a little eccentric.
Judgement by Elizabeth Moon: Judgement was a great story. I enjoyed it from the first page. Moon created a good world with clear values and unique characters. I actually was suprised that I liked it as it was quite fantastical - with dwarves and things like that. I'm usually a strict sci-fi guy but this fantasy story impressed me.
Love in a Time of Dragons by Tanith Lee: Super weird. Interesting, but really really super weird.
Joust by Mercedes Lackey: Amazing. This was the best story of the collection. I loved the character of Vetch, I loved Ari and Kashet. Great characters and a very nice plot. I'm so glad to hear that Lackey has written a full novel based on this story. I will definitely pursue more of her work.
King Dragon by Michael Swanwick: I really didn't expect to like this one. From the first page I had rolled my eyes and kept reading just to finish. But in the end I was surprised by it! It still wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't the terrible ending I was expecting.
I'm going to talk about each story separately:
In The Dragon's House by Orson Scott Card: This story was quite intriguing. I love how great Orson Scott card is at creating characters I really care about. His characters are always deep and unique. In this story, the characters are not only unique but a little eccentric.
Judgement by Elizabeth Moon: Judgement was a great story. I enjoyed it from the first page. Moon created a good world with clear values and unique characters. I actually was suprised that I liked it as it was quite fantastical - with dwarves and things like that. I'm usually a strict sci-fi guy but this fantasy story impressed me.
Love in a Time of Dragons by Tanith Lee: Super weird. Interesting, but really really super weird.
Joust by Mercedes Lackey: Amazing. This was the best story of the collection. I loved the character of Vetch, I loved Ari and Kashet. Great characters and a very nice plot. I'm so glad to hear that Lackey has written a full novel based on this story. I will definitely pursue more of her work.
King Dragon by Michael Swanwick: I really didn't expect to like this one. From the first page I had rolled my eyes and kept reading just to finish. But in the end I was surprised by it! It still wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't the terrible ending I was expecting.
August 9, 2015
In the Dragon's House, Orson Scott Card - A bit of a rough start for this collection. This story took rather the long way around to get to a point, which isn't something I expect in a short story. I had a hard time getting into it, and by the time it got to the point, I didn't really care. 1/5
Judgment, Elizabeth Moon - An interesting world, easy to get into without requiring a lot of exposition. Real feeling characters, and one of the best definitions of wisdom I've come across. 4/5
Love in a Time of Dragons, Tanith Lee - I quite liked where this story went, but the writing style is... hard. I was not expecting so much swearing, and found it a bit jarring after "Judgment's" more gentle prose. Which is weird, because I swear a lot, so it's not like it offended me, just felt out of place, I guess? 3/5
Joust, Mercedes Lackey - A fun read, a main character who's easy to empathize with, and of course baby dragons, so how can this not be a win? 5/5
King Dragon, Michael Swanwick - I've read only one thing by Swanwick before, and my overall impression at the time was "that was odd", but I find bits of it drifting back into my thoughts randomly years later, so I guess it should be updated to "oddly haunting". This story is set in the same world, and has the same engaging but disturbing feeling. It makes me think I should go re-read Iron Dragon's Daughter, and then look up his other books. 4/5
Judgment, Elizabeth Moon - An interesting world, easy to get into without requiring a lot of exposition. Real feeling characters, and one of the best definitions of wisdom I've come across. 4/5
Love in a Time of Dragons, Tanith Lee - I quite liked where this story went, but the writing style is... hard. I was not expecting so much swearing, and found it a bit jarring after "Judgment's" more gentle prose. Which is weird, because I swear a lot, so it's not like it offended me, just felt out of place, I guess? 3/5
Joust, Mercedes Lackey - A fun read, a main character who's easy to empathize with, and of course baby dragons, so how can this not be a win? 5/5
King Dragon, Michael Swanwick - I've read only one thing by Swanwick before, and my overall impression at the time was "that was odd", but I find bits of it drifting back into my thoughts randomly years later, so I guess it should be updated to "oddly haunting". This story is set in the same world, and has the same engaging but disturbing feeling. It makes me think I should go re-read Iron Dragon's Daughter, and then look up his other books. 4/5
September 30, 2016
I've read two of Marvin Kaye's anthologies on Sherlock Holmes and so wasn't expecting much when I saw that he was the editor of this dragon novella anthology.
I was pleasantly surprised. I quite enjoyed this and was sorry to see the last page.
I can't pick a favorite of the five. So here are some general impressions:
* Read the Mercedes Lackey Dragon Jousters series? Or at least tried to? This book includes the short story to blame for the series, called "Joust."
* Tanith Lee has a more bizarre and gross imagination than even I do when I'm having erotically-tinged nightmares. I'm not sure to be awed or frightened by Lee.
* "The Dragon King" by Michael Swanwick seems to be set in the same universe as The Iron Dragon's Daughter. It's much better than The Iron Dragon's Daughter but still has that edge of gorgeously dream-like incomprehensibility to it that makes many of Swanwick's works so fascinating to read -- like putting a puzzle without a cover image to go by.
Some lovely pen and ink drawings accompany the beginning of each novella, too. Enjoy.
I was pleasantly surprised. I quite enjoyed this and was sorry to see the last page.
I can't pick a favorite of the five. So here are some general impressions:
* Read the Mercedes Lackey Dragon Jousters series? Or at least tried to? This book includes the short story to blame for the series, called "Joust."
* Tanith Lee has a more bizarre and gross imagination than even I do when I'm having erotically-tinged nightmares. I'm not sure to be awed or frightened by Lee.
* "The Dragon King" by Michael Swanwick seems to be set in the same universe as The Iron Dragon's Daughter. It's much better than The Iron Dragon's Daughter but still has that edge of gorgeously dream-like incomprehensibility to it that makes many of Swanwick's works so fascinating to read -- like putting a puzzle without a cover image to go by.
Some lovely pen and ink drawings accompany the beginning of each novella, too. Enjoy.
December 4, 2008
I think the best novella in the collection is Card's, which begins the book. It has bite. Moon's story is a close second because she offers a very good definition of wisdom. Lee's is good, but if you have read her work, the twist at the end is not entirely surprising. While all the stories feature young protagonists, Lackey's story is the only one that feels YA, which might be the reason why I didn't really like it. I liked the concept, but the story felt too predictable. Swanwick's story is dark and good, but not as good as Card's.
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