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Dragonlord #0.5
The Ultimate Dragon
In this mythic and wondrous collection, some of the best-known authors of the fantastic explore the legends and lore of the fire-breathing creatures that have captured the imagination of adventure lovers everywhere – dragons. From S.P. Somtow’s dramatic tale of an ancient dragon owned by a family in modern Thailand to Ursula K. Le Guins’s classic story of the power of a dragon’s naming, from Tanith Lee’s portrait of a dying dragon to Harlan Ellison and Robert Silverberg’s look at a dragon whose love for a human woman could spell doom for the whole Earth—here are spectacular dragon stories transcending time and place.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1995
10 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Byron Preiss
108 books39 followersByron Preiss was the president of Byron Preiss Visual Publications and Ibooks, and was recognized as a pioneer in digital publishing. He was among the first publishers to release CD-ROM's and electronic books.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Preiss graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1972 and earned a master's degree in communications from Stanford University. He produced The Words of Gandhi, an audio book that won a Grammy Award in 1985. He was also the co-author of Dragonworld, a novel he co-wrote with J. Michael Reaves that was published by Bantam Books in 1979.
A proponent of illustrated books, as well as comics and graphic novels, Preiss also published works by celebrity authors including Jane Goodall, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, LeAnn Rimes and Jay Leno.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Preiss graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1972 and earned a master's degree in communications from Stanford University. He produced The Words of Gandhi, an audio book that won a Grammy Award in 1985. He was also the co-author of Dragonworld, a novel he co-wrote with J. Michael Reaves that was published by Bantam Books in 1979.
A proponent of illustrated books, as well as comics and graphic novels, Preiss also published works by celebrity authors including Jane Goodall, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, LeAnn Rimes and Jay Leno.
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January 7, 2019
A collection of nineteen short stories all with one common thread: dragons.
It is a veritable feast of all the different dragon mythologies around the world, from Oriental Asian to Mayan, passing through England and Europe to the reddened deserts of Native America. We delve in to Arthurian Legend and rise out of Norse Mythology without the clank of a gear change and it feels a smooth process.
It is a nice, decent collection of differing lengths and vastly differing storytelling prowess.
Below are short reviews for each story, the standout being the one by a certain Ms. Le Guin. Having never read any before, this was an excellent and exciting find and one that has whetted my appetite for more-and more soon and now.
Whilst that was the best, the rest were fairly poor to middling, but each had its own little gem tucked away between the words. Some had plot lines that spark the imagination whilst others had new ways of looking at old tales.
A decent collection if you find this type of thing of interest.
'Age' by Tanith Lee, 2 Stars: The weird comma sentences don't flow too well but the imagery is delightful. Unfortunately, the personification of the dragon is not something I can get behind and can't believe that it is the dragon's thoughts prevailing.
'Tin Lizzies' by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, 3 Stars: A (relatively) contemporary story of dragons, which is something I have never come across. Written really well and the pace of the story was solid, with good suspense throughout.
The characters were uninteresting to me in the main, however, and the setting could have been explored more, especially the Native Indian people, site and lore. Fairly standard American, then.
'Ulf the Wyrm' by Lois Tilton, 3 Stars: A nice intro with Norse Mythology being the protagonist, dragging little Ulf the servant along with it. A pretty standard tale with quick pace and a nice story. Just long enough to pique my interest for more Norse Mythology.
'Short Straws' by Kevin J. Anderson, 1 Star: A first-person narrative following a band of mercenaries sent to tackle a dragon in exchange for the hand of a princess. I found the narrators voice rather boring and slightly annoying, but the twist in the "do this for my daughter's hand in marriage" was wholly welcome.
Or that is what I thought at first. The annoying narrator continued and with jerky self-flattery stumbled to the end of his story. Not one I enjoyed.
'Pleasantly Pink' by Mike Resnick and Nicholas A. DiChario, 1 Star: A man uses the mystical pink mist of a dragon to make a killing in the restaurant trade, but one should never trust a dragon, awake or asleep...
I... Eh. The imagination and originality was nice at first, but it turned in to some really weird contemporary crap that I can't quite wrap my head around. Pretty awful in truth.
'The Rule of Names' by Ursula K. Le Guin, 5 Stars: Actually my very first Le Guin piece of writing I've ever read. And it was spectacular.
I am no fan of short stories, despite reading them a lot recently. I don't have a lot of time to get in to a big, fat, juicy high fantasy trilogy as much these days, so short stories work really well when I want to complete a story but not take weeks about it.
This was just fantastic. Well written, nicely paced, good characters, great dialogue, decent plot and fun ending. I need to read more Le Guin very soon.
'Sirinita's Dragon' by Lawrence Watt-Evans, 2 Stars: A young girl hatches a dragon in the city from an egg her father brings home and ponders his fate: set him loose or let her parents kill him for the gold his blood will fetch.
Written reasonably well, but lacklustre in all other respects. Quite a nice twist, and would make a good further-developed story exploring the city and world (which possibly already exists?), but really nothing note-worthy.
'Dream Reader' by Jane Yolen, 2 Stars: A short take on the Arthurian Legend of the beginnings of the wizard Merlin.
Written well but I didn't enjoy it. I'm not well-versed enough in Arthurian Legend to comment on the "accuracy" but I found it a little too boring and lacking. I also wasn't a fan of the magic being lessened to parlour tricks and street magic.
'The Dragon on the Bookshelf' by Harlan Ellison and Robert Silverberg, 1 Stars: A contemporary story of a small dragon's love for a human that threatens to bring forth the destruction of the world...
It was written decently well but it did not hold me at all. Rather boring, some imagination but not of interest to me. Contemporary dragon stories are difficult to get right and the ideas in this short story weren't conveyed well.
'The Shedding and the Song' by Ian Hunter, 3 Stars: A decent yarn where the twist to the "kill the dragon, marry the Princess" tale is told by the dragon itself.
Written well with some good humour, but not quite riveting enough for anything higher. The dragon was a little annoying, as most dragons seem to be when given a voice. Much better to have them simply burning things alive.
'The Old, Old Story' by Andrew Lane, 4 Stars: Very well-written story of superstition and religion mixed with mythology in a fairly contemporary setting as a priest is asked to look in on a young boy thought to be possessed.
Enjoyable from the beginning and not at all predictable. The contemporary of these stories (or near as damn it) are generally poor and don't mix well with the fantasy elements that the authors attempt to weave in, but this one was done really well.
'The Mandelbrot Dragon' by Mary A. Turzillo, 1 Star: An attempt to really modernise the myth of the dragon by placing it within a computer, but unfortunately it was a poor attempt at something different. Mercifully short, however.
'Dragonlord's Justice' by Joanne Bertin, 2 Stars: Two stars given for how well-written it is, but really it is a 1 star, run-of-the-mill, clichéd, boring fantasy story full of standard tropes, boorish men, women being raped and gaudy lessons being learnt.
Once upon a time I would have loved this, but fantasy is fiction and I realise now that it need not reflect how our world was once upon a time, even if it is based on it for the most part.
'Grandfather's Briefcase' by Gerald Perkins, 1 Star: Boring contemporary story with an irritating narrator and everything else besides. Nothing else to say.
'Mordred and the Dragon' by Phyllis Ann Karr, 1 Star: A second Arthurian inspired tale, this time concerning Mordred and Lancelot and the ubiquitous dragon.
Again, I am not well-versed in Arthurian Legend to truly rate this, but I found it boring and lacklustre. Written fairly well but there was no characterisation or development and, though I know it is a short story, if you read a very good short story you get those things plus more.
'Falcon and Dragon' by Josepha Sherman, 1 Star: Just awful, unfortunately. A standard fantasy trope that was trying slightly too hard about a young shape-shifting Prince who must rescue someone from the clutches of a dragon.
Not written terribly, but the narrator was annoying and spoke unrealistically, with flat characters and an altogether too boring and simple plot.
Perhaps I am expecting too much from a short story, but I am constantly reminded of the few short stories that have been 5-star reads and this falls far short.
'When the Summons Came from Camelot' by Cynthia Ward, 3 Stars: Another Arthurian Legend tale, though this time we have lesser-known (or completely unknown?) characters with a nice twist to the tale.
Written nicely, with good pacing and a decent plot. Not thoroughly developed characters but enough to show them as different people not just Things That Say Stuff. Sometimes a little too brash but on the whole and enjoyable addition to the Arthurian Mythology.
'Serpent Feather' by Gordon R. Menzies, 2 Stars: A longer tale concerning Mayan Mythology (History?) and the mighty Quetzalcoatl.
Written well, though sometimes a little boring. I find it fascinating that even in a short story an author can write something boring. But it was a nice change from the usual fantasy tropes and gave another side to the mythology of dragons, even if this one is mostly just a snake.
'Dragon's Fin Soup' by S.P. Somtow, 2 Stars: A final dip in to Oriental Mythology about another restaurant taking liberties over a dragon for money.
This one was written well, though I didn't like the voice of the narrator or the characters much. The dragon was quite a joy and it was enjoyable to learn a little more of Asian Dragon Mythology.
It is a veritable feast of all the different dragon mythologies around the world, from Oriental Asian to Mayan, passing through England and Europe to the reddened deserts of Native America. We delve in to Arthurian Legend and rise out of Norse Mythology without the clank of a gear change and it feels a smooth process.
It is a nice, decent collection of differing lengths and vastly differing storytelling prowess.
Below are short reviews for each story, the standout being the one by a certain Ms. Le Guin. Having never read any before, this was an excellent and exciting find and one that has whetted my appetite for more-and more soon and now.
Whilst that was the best, the rest were fairly poor to middling, but each had its own little gem tucked away between the words. Some had plot lines that spark the imagination whilst others had new ways of looking at old tales.
A decent collection if you find this type of thing of interest.
'Age' by Tanith Lee, 2 Stars: The weird comma sentences don't flow too well but the imagery is delightful. Unfortunately, the personification of the dragon is not something I can get behind and can't believe that it is the dragon's thoughts prevailing.
'Tin Lizzies' by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, 3 Stars: A (relatively) contemporary story of dragons, which is something I have never come across. Written really well and the pace of the story was solid, with good suspense throughout.
The characters were uninteresting to me in the main, however, and the setting could have been explored more, especially the Native Indian people, site and lore. Fairly standard American, then.
'Ulf the Wyrm' by Lois Tilton, 3 Stars: A nice intro with Norse Mythology being the protagonist, dragging little Ulf the servant along with it. A pretty standard tale with quick pace and a nice story. Just long enough to pique my interest for more Norse Mythology.
'Short Straws' by Kevin J. Anderson, 1 Star: A first-person narrative following a band of mercenaries sent to tackle a dragon in exchange for the hand of a princess. I found the narrators voice rather boring and slightly annoying, but the twist in the "do this for my daughter's hand in marriage" was wholly welcome.
Or that is what I thought at first. The annoying narrator continued and with jerky self-flattery stumbled to the end of his story. Not one I enjoyed.
'Pleasantly Pink' by Mike Resnick and Nicholas A. DiChario, 1 Star: A man uses the mystical pink mist of a dragon to make a killing in the restaurant trade, but one should never trust a dragon, awake or asleep...
I... Eh. The imagination and originality was nice at first, but it turned in to some really weird contemporary crap that I can't quite wrap my head around. Pretty awful in truth.
'The Rule of Names' by Ursula K. Le Guin, 5 Stars: Actually my very first Le Guin piece of writing I've ever read. And it was spectacular.
I am no fan of short stories, despite reading them a lot recently. I don't have a lot of time to get in to a big, fat, juicy high fantasy trilogy as much these days, so short stories work really well when I want to complete a story but not take weeks about it.
This was just fantastic. Well written, nicely paced, good characters, great dialogue, decent plot and fun ending. I need to read more Le Guin very soon.
'Sirinita's Dragon' by Lawrence Watt-Evans, 2 Stars: A young girl hatches a dragon in the city from an egg her father brings home and ponders his fate: set him loose or let her parents kill him for the gold his blood will fetch.
Written reasonably well, but lacklustre in all other respects. Quite a nice twist, and would make a good further-developed story exploring the city and world (which possibly already exists?), but really nothing note-worthy.
'Dream Reader' by Jane Yolen, 2 Stars: A short take on the Arthurian Legend of the beginnings of the wizard Merlin.
Written well but I didn't enjoy it. I'm not well-versed enough in Arthurian Legend to comment on the "accuracy" but I found it a little too boring and lacking. I also wasn't a fan of the magic being lessened to parlour tricks and street magic.
'The Dragon on the Bookshelf' by Harlan Ellison and Robert Silverberg, 1 Stars: A contemporary story of a small dragon's love for a human that threatens to bring forth the destruction of the world...
It was written decently well but it did not hold me at all. Rather boring, some imagination but not of interest to me. Contemporary dragon stories are difficult to get right and the ideas in this short story weren't conveyed well.
'The Shedding and the Song' by Ian Hunter, 3 Stars: A decent yarn where the twist to the "kill the dragon, marry the Princess" tale is told by the dragon itself.
Written well with some good humour, but not quite riveting enough for anything higher. The dragon was a little annoying, as most dragons seem to be when given a voice. Much better to have them simply burning things alive.
'The Old, Old Story' by Andrew Lane, 4 Stars: Very well-written story of superstition and religion mixed with mythology in a fairly contemporary setting as a priest is asked to look in on a young boy thought to be possessed.
Enjoyable from the beginning and not at all predictable. The contemporary of these stories (or near as damn it) are generally poor and don't mix well with the fantasy elements that the authors attempt to weave in, but this one was done really well.
'The Mandelbrot Dragon' by Mary A. Turzillo, 1 Star: An attempt to really modernise the myth of the dragon by placing it within a computer, but unfortunately it was a poor attempt at something different. Mercifully short, however.
'Dragonlord's Justice' by Joanne Bertin, 2 Stars: Two stars given for how well-written it is, but really it is a 1 star, run-of-the-mill, clichéd, boring fantasy story full of standard tropes, boorish men, women being raped and gaudy lessons being learnt.
Once upon a time I would have loved this, but fantasy is fiction and I realise now that it need not reflect how our world was once upon a time, even if it is based on it for the most part.
'Grandfather's Briefcase' by Gerald Perkins, 1 Star: Boring contemporary story with an irritating narrator and everything else besides. Nothing else to say.
'Mordred and the Dragon' by Phyllis Ann Karr, 1 Star: A second Arthurian inspired tale, this time concerning Mordred and Lancelot and the ubiquitous dragon.
Again, I am not well-versed in Arthurian Legend to truly rate this, but I found it boring and lacklustre. Written fairly well but there was no characterisation or development and, though I know it is a short story, if you read a very good short story you get those things plus more.
'Falcon and Dragon' by Josepha Sherman, 1 Star: Just awful, unfortunately. A standard fantasy trope that was trying slightly too hard about a young shape-shifting Prince who must rescue someone from the clutches of a dragon.
Not written terribly, but the narrator was annoying and spoke unrealistically, with flat characters and an altogether too boring and simple plot.
Perhaps I am expecting too much from a short story, but I am constantly reminded of the few short stories that have been 5-star reads and this falls far short.
'When the Summons Came from Camelot' by Cynthia Ward, 3 Stars: Another Arthurian Legend tale, though this time we have lesser-known (or completely unknown?) characters with a nice twist to the tale.
Written nicely, with good pacing and a decent plot. Not thoroughly developed characters but enough to show them as different people not just Things That Say Stuff. Sometimes a little too brash but on the whole and enjoyable addition to the Arthurian Mythology.
'Serpent Feather' by Gordon R. Menzies, 2 Stars: A longer tale concerning Mayan Mythology (History?) and the mighty Quetzalcoatl.
Written well, though sometimes a little boring. I find it fascinating that even in a short story an author can write something boring. But it was a nice change from the usual fantasy tropes and gave another side to the mythology of dragons, even if this one is mostly just a snake.
'Dragon's Fin Soup' by S.P. Somtow, 2 Stars: A final dip in to Oriental Mythology about another restaurant taking liberties over a dragon for money.
This one was written well, though I didn't like the voice of the narrator or the characters much. The dragon was quite a joy and it was enjoyable to learn a little more of Asian Dragon Mythology.
September 7, 2023
Anthologies are mixed bags. A creature like Dragon— that has been there in the mythology of almost every country at some stage— tends to give rise to very different kind of tales everywhere. But this collection was even more of a mixed bag than usual, in terms of quality. As a result we have lots of amateurish overlong and vague efforts, several utterly Meh tales, punctuated by a few strong pieces.
My favourites were~
1. 'The Rule of Names' by Ursula K. LeGuin;
2. 'Dream Reader' by Jane Yolen;
3. 'The Shedding and the Song' by Ian Hunter;
4. 'The Old, Old Story' by Andrew Lane;
5. 'Grandfather's Briefcase' by Gerald Perkins;
6. 'Mordred and the Dragon' by Phyllis Ann Karr;
7. 'When the Summons Came from Camelot' by Cynthia Ward;
8. 'Serpent Feather' by Gordon R. Menzies.
Because of the overall readability, bolstered by these piecces, the collection enters 'Good' zone, but nothing more.
My favourites were~
1. 'The Rule of Names' by Ursula K. LeGuin;
2. 'Dream Reader' by Jane Yolen;
3. 'The Shedding and the Song' by Ian Hunter;
4. 'The Old, Old Story' by Andrew Lane;
5. 'Grandfather's Briefcase' by Gerald Perkins;
6. 'Mordred and the Dragon' by Phyllis Ann Karr;
7. 'When the Summons Came from Camelot' by Cynthia Ward;
8. 'Serpent Feather' by Gordon R. Menzies.
Because of the overall readability, bolstered by these piecces, the collection enters 'Good' zone, but nothing more.
March 25, 2018
Nineteen stories about dragons; purchased to read the Ethshar story Sirinita's Dragon, which I liked. Stories by Ursula K LeGuin (The Rule of Names) and Tanith Lee (Age) were also enjoyable; some of the Arthurian stories were not as good. Ended on a high note from S.P. Somtow (Dragon's Fin Soup).
October 2, 2008
I bought the ebook version from Ereader.com. I figured that four dollars was a bit better then eighteen dollars when I was only looking to read one story from it, Dragon Lord's Justice by Joanne Bertin. A delightful story that led her to write her first novel, "The Last Dragon Lord". I have read that particular book to shreads. She had changed the names of her characters for her novel and I approve of the changes, but the story in "The Ultimate Dragon" is one that is mentioned in her novel and I found it a very good read.
As for the rest of the short stories in this book, well, I will read them soon enough and I am certain I will find at least one to delight me.
As for the rest of the short stories in this book, well, I will read them soon enough and I am certain I will find at least one to delight me.
July 8, 2022
Multiple author anthologies are always a mixed bag. This one runs the gamut from Arthurian stories to modern day tales to a few Asian dragons.
The two standout stories are (unsurprisingly) Ursula K. L Guin's contribution and (more surprisingly) Joanne Bertin's "Dragonlord's Justice" which serves as a prequel to her debut novel and I which frankly found fantastic and the best story of the volume.
Dishonorable mentions to Kevin J. Anderson, who is awful as usual - why people kept giving him money to write I will never understand - and, shockingly, the extemely poorly written Harlan Ellison/Robert Silverberg collaboration, which somehow flopped completely despite being written by two titans of fantasy and scifi.
A mixed bag like all anthologies, but worth it if yoy like dragons, want to see where Joanne Bertin got her start, or have an attachment to the other authors.
The two standout stories are (unsurprisingly) Ursula K. L Guin's contribution and (more surprisingly) Joanne Bertin's "Dragonlord's Justice" which serves as a prequel to her debut novel and I which frankly found fantastic and the best story of the volume.
Dishonorable mentions to Kevin J. Anderson, who is awful as usual - why people kept giving him money to write I will never understand - and, shockingly, the extemely poorly written Harlan Ellison/Robert Silverberg collaboration, which somehow flopped completely despite being written by two titans of fantasy and scifi.
A mixed bag like all anthologies, but worth it if yoy like dragons, want to see where Joanne Bertin got her start, or have an attachment to the other authors.
December 14, 2024
This morning I sat down with breakfast and this book. Breakfast was simple and light, and I found myself reading this collection cover to cover. I enjoyed it. I found that (as with most anthologies) the stories within varied in quality, though I wouldn't call any bad. The LeGuin story was a highlight, and an ardent reminder that I really need to read some of her novels- her name looms large in fantasy fiction but I haven't read any of her books yet.
The Ellison story was a bummer. I liked a lot of the stories set in a more modern/contemporary settings, though some of the stories really feel orientalist. All in all, I enjoyed the book, and might try to track down more anthologies in this series.
The Ellison story was a bummer. I liked a lot of the stories set in a more modern/contemporary settings, though some of the stories really feel orientalist. All in all, I enjoyed the book, and might try to track down more anthologies in this series.
July 30, 2024
I've been reading through the "Ultimate" short story collections from Byron Preiss, which are mostly horror collections, and I've enjoyed them. I'm more of a horror reader than a fantasy reader, but ironically, I enjoyed The Ultimate Dragon more than any of the other collections, and Ultimate Dragon is definitely more fantasy than horror.
This is just a really good collection of stories all based around dragons. Most are classic fantasy type dragons, but there are plenty of other types of well.
If you like dragons, or really just fantasy in general, this is well worth checking out.
This is just a really good collection of stories all based around dragons. Most are classic fantasy type dragons, but there are plenty of other types of well.
If you like dragons, or really just fantasy in general, this is well worth checking out.
July 12, 2017
It is an anthology full of enjoyable stories with a few that really stand out. The best of them - in my eyes - is the first one. Age by Tanith Lee. A lean, melancholy story that clocks it at just over 5 pages but uses those pages to greater effect than most writers do with 400. I did a full review of this story over on my blog.
https://lostinthewoods.blog/2017/07/1...
https://lostinthewoods.blog/2017/07/1...
August 9, 2017
Some stories are magnificent, some are good and some are forgettable, as in any collection. In general I liked it.
July 17, 2025
Decent short stories about dragons to pass the time, but nothing outstanding that'll really stick tight to your heart forever.
August 10, 2021
Edited by Byron Preiss, John Betancourt, Keith RA DeCandido. Each entry in this series of anthologies focuses on a standout fantasy/supernatural creature.
Introduction by Tanith Lee: Survey of the dragon's various roles in the literature.
Age by Tanith Lee: Short but effective, poignant in a way.
Tin Lizzies by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro: Promising discovery keeps one guessing.
Ulf the Wyrm by Lois Tilton: So-so brief mythy.
Short Straws by Kevin J Anderson: Builds suspense but falls short of its potential.
Pleasantly Pink by Mike Resnick and Nicholas A DiChario: Satisfyingly funny.
The Rule of Names by Ursula K Le Guin: I remember enjoying the writing, but can't for the life of me recall what happened (back to it later.)
Sirinita's Dragon by Lawrence Watt-Evans: Inevitable scenario for an "ultimate dragon" anthology.
Dream Reader by Jane Yolen: Appealing account of (The?) Merlin apprenticing in a traveling show.
The Dragon on the Bookshelf by Robert Siverberg and Harlan Ellison: Likeable account of an obsessed dragon's quest.
The Shedding and the Song by Ian Hunter: Brief amuser.
The Old Old Story by Andrew Lane: OK surpriser.
The Mandelbrot Dragon by Mary A Turzillo: A curious math+dragon tidbit.
Dragonlord's Justice by Joanne Bertin: A substantial nicely-paced adventure.
Grandfather's Briefcase by Gerald Perkins: Avenging dragon, enjoyable.
Mordred and the Dragon by Phyllis Ann Karr: Arthurian. Lost me, another one to go back and reread.
Falcon and Dragon by Josepha Sherman: Clever engaging rescue quest
When the Summons Came from Camelot by Cynthia Ward: I can only guess at the point from the title and the tone.
Serpent Feather by Gordon R Menzies: Straightforward, best of the bunch so far.
Dragon's Fin Soup by SP Somtow: Fast reading, humorous adventure, second-best here.
All in all an unexceptional occasionally entertaining collection.
Introduction by Tanith Lee: Survey of the dragon's various roles in the literature.
Age by Tanith Lee: Short but effective, poignant in a way.
Tin Lizzies by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro: Promising discovery keeps one guessing.
Ulf the Wyrm by Lois Tilton: So-so brief mythy.
Short Straws by Kevin J Anderson: Builds suspense but falls short of its potential.
Pleasantly Pink by Mike Resnick and Nicholas A DiChario: Satisfyingly funny.
The Rule of Names by Ursula K Le Guin: I remember enjoying the writing, but can't for the life of me recall what happened (back to it later.)
Sirinita's Dragon by Lawrence Watt-Evans: Inevitable scenario for an "ultimate dragon" anthology.
Dream Reader by Jane Yolen: Appealing account of (The?) Merlin apprenticing in a traveling show.
The Dragon on the Bookshelf by Robert Siverberg and Harlan Ellison: Likeable account of an obsessed dragon's quest.
The Shedding and the Song by Ian Hunter: Brief amuser.
The Old Old Story by Andrew Lane: OK surpriser.
The Mandelbrot Dragon by Mary A Turzillo: A curious math+dragon tidbit.
Dragonlord's Justice by Joanne Bertin: A substantial nicely-paced adventure.
Grandfather's Briefcase by Gerald Perkins: Avenging dragon, enjoyable.
Mordred and the Dragon by Phyllis Ann Karr: Arthurian. Lost me, another one to go back and reread.
Falcon and Dragon by Josepha Sherman: Clever engaging rescue quest
When the Summons Came from Camelot by Cynthia Ward: I can only guess at the point from the title and the tone.
Serpent Feather by Gordon R Menzies: Straightforward, best of the bunch so far.
Dragon's Fin Soup by SP Somtow: Fast reading, humorous adventure, second-best here.
All in all an unexceptional occasionally entertaining collection.
April 3, 2019
I loved this book! I love dragons and this short story collection was brilliant and so much fun. It was interesting to read about different stories and myths about dragons in all sorts of formats. These stories were mostly written in the 1990's with a few exceptions but none of them felt especially dated.
My favourites were:
- Ulf the Wyrm
- The Rule of Names
- Sirinita's Dragon
- Serpent Feather
- Dragon's Fin Soup
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves dragons although it might be hard to get your hands on as it was published so long ago. I found my copy second hand!
My favourites were:
- Ulf the Wyrm
- The Rule of Names
- Sirinita's Dragon
- Serpent Feather
- Dragon's Fin Soup
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves dragons although it might be hard to get your hands on as it was published so long ago. I found my copy second hand!
February 14, 2016
An alternative title to this should be: "How to make a cool mythological creature boring and lame, by 20 Authors."
While many of the writers within this tome are good writers in their own right, this is not a good collection of stories in the least. I am very disappointed and none of these is worth remembering once you finish the last word of the tale.
A very lack-luster attempt at Dragon Tales.
While many of the writers within this tome are good writers in their own right, this is not a good collection of stories in the least. I am very disappointed and none of these is worth remembering once you finish the last word of the tale.
A very lack-luster attempt at Dragon Tales.
November 15, 2012
This book has been in the bookcase for ages, in fact I don't really know who brought it..... Kelly read it and liked it and I needed a quick read so she suggested it as is short stories and I could just read one when I wanted. However I ended up reading it cover to cover, some of the stories I found slow but over I enjoyed.....
December 29, 2025
You would think a book about fire-breathing lizards would be more exciting. Even the work of Harlan Ellison and Robert Silverberg, titans of fantasy, did nothing to elevate this collection. As anthologies go, this one went, passing me with barely a breeze. Although the stories are … competent, I suggest you look elsewhere.
October 25, 2011
A collection of 19 dragon stories - all easy to read but not earth shattering!
August 10, 2012
A lovely collection of dragon stories by Tanith Lee, Ursula K Leguin, and a slew of excellent sci-fi, myth writers.
April 10, 2017
I bought this solely for the story by Joann Bertin, which I enjoyed. I read the other stories, but sadly, nothing stands out.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews