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Dragonworld
Somewhere beyond the northern mists lies a land where dreams live and dragons are real. This is the tale of the twilight of the dragons, of two nations plunged into war by a tragic misunderstanding, of a shy dreamer's incredible voyage of peace to a long-forgotten land where nightmares are born. A magnificient creation, a sweeping epic of high fantasy set in a richly imagined world, vividly brought to life with over eighty pages of stunning illustrations by Joseph Zucker.
560 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1979
62 people are currently reading
1211 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
July 23, 2016
I really hate the feeling when I can hardly wait to read a book and turns out to be a big disappointment. It was the same with The Hobbit and LOTR.
The story starts promising, despite the tragic event: 2 children are killed by a dragon and town’s folks believe it was the sorcerers from next land, Simbala, who did it, so they plan to go to war. Pretty interesting setup, but the writing killed all the excitement: got to 15% and nothing happened besides the squabbling between the locals. Then the story shifts to Simbala and there we got the same squabbling but not because of the war (they have no idea about it yet) but because of their next ruler. I guess I was expecting something else, something like Eragon maybe, and I got none of it. And the writing style sucks. Not even the drawings could bring a spark to make me continue with it, because I did not find them appealing either. But I do believe that it will make a nice script and if it ever will be made a movie based on it, sure thing I will watch it.
The conclusion is: don’t judge the book based on my opinion; I’m not into Tolkien writing either – although my favorite movie of all times is LOTR – so I guess my rating is very subjective and therefore not a good reference to take it into consideration.
The story starts promising, despite the tragic event: 2 children are killed by a dragon and town’s folks believe it was the sorcerers from next land, Simbala, who did it, so they plan to go to war. Pretty interesting setup, but the writing killed all the excitement: got to 15% and nothing happened besides the squabbling between the locals. Then the story shifts to Simbala and there we got the same squabbling but not because of the war (they have no idea about it yet) but because of their next ruler. I guess I was expecting something else, something like Eragon maybe, and I got none of it. And the writing style sucks. Not even the drawings could bring a spark to make me continue with it, because I did not find them appealing either. But I do believe that it will make a nice script and if it ever will be made a movie based on it, sure thing I will watch it.
The conclusion is: don’t judge the book based on my opinion; I’m not into Tolkien writing either – although my favorite movie of all times is LOTR – so I guess my rating is very subjective and therefore not a good reference to take it into consideration.
April 8, 2009
I will try to give this long book the long book review it deserves. Last year, I was desperately searching the shelvs of my local library's spring book sale. My brother claimed he saw a bearded man walk out with ALL the fantasy books in the entire place. My brother and I were deeply disappointed and angry. We loved and still love fantasy. How could that man have taken all of the fantasy books? Surely not.
At last I found one that looked promising.
DRAGONWORLD.
I was filled with curiosity. Would this book be any good? I hoped so. The name also drew forth my love for dragons. I think dragons are awsome. I try to read lots of books with dragons in them.
The cover looked promising. But I've learned many times: never judge a book by it's cover.No, sir!
The back cover looked promising. But I've learned many times than I'd care to admit: don't buy a book JUST becasue it sounds cool.
The title sounded awsome.
But, I'm happy to report, I did find a book that was indeed promising.
DRAGONWORLD.
Amsel is a hermit that lives inside a giant tree. He loves to study nature, and makes new discoveries frequently. His house is a labyrinth of tunnels, secret doors and massive rooms, all dedicated to studying and storing and building.
One day, Amsel builds The Wing; a large glider made of wood and leather. He has a curious young student called Johan, and must be careful as to where he hides The Wing: Johan is a sneaky, curious, funny student; and is cabale, it seems, of anything. Yet, Johan is a wonderful student, always willing to help.
So it surprises Amsel even more when Johan steals The Wing.
Johan is young, foolsih. He does not know what he is getting himself into when he steals The Wing.
Climbing up to the highest point in Fandora, he grasps The Wing tightly. Then...he jumps!
A current of air lifts him upward. For a moment, he can almost see beyond the mist the hides the strange land of Simbala, on the other side of the Strait of Balmor. Simbala is a strange and magical place, no one knows much about it. It will probably remian a mystery to the people of Fandora forever.
Another current of air lifts Johan upwards...
..and right into the jaws of a dragon.
Johan's father, Jondalrun, finds Johan's body broken on the beach a few days later. Heartbroken, he rushes throughout Tamberly Town shouting, "Justice for my loss! My son has been murdered!"
Calling upon the the congintent of Concil Of Elders of Tamberly Town, they fight about the many ways eight-year-old Johan could have died. At first, Jondalrun thinks it must have been Amsel. The Concil burns his house down, and Amsel is fourced to wander.
But the Concil pounders some more...
Their final conclusion: The Simbalese.
The Simbalese are magical people who live on the Other Side of the Strait of Balmor. They have never met the Fandorians, and could care less what happens to them. They think that the only civilized race in the world is their own. They look down upon the Fandorians as barbarians and animals. Suddenly, one of their children is killed by an unknown fource. They argue who or what could have done it. Thier conclusion: The Fandorians.
Fandora+Simbala=war
War=death
Death=not good
Amsel wanders and wonders how he can stop this madness. He must convince his people that they should not fight Simbala...but the Fandorians; especially Jondalrun, cannot be stopped. They insist on WAR.
In Simbala, however, the people are more hesitant. They know they can esasly beat the Fandorains, but should they really waste thier lives on unessary war?
Read this scary, plesant, amazing, fall-down-dead-funny book to find out. I loved it; the language was so incredibly complex. The pencil illistartions by Jonh Zucker were unbeliveable! And I mean unbelievable. At first I thought a team of three or five people worked on one picutre. I would recommend this wonderful book to children 13 and up, for it contains some violence.
At last I found one that looked promising.
DRAGONWORLD.
I was filled with curiosity. Would this book be any good? I hoped so. The name also drew forth my love for dragons. I think dragons are awsome. I try to read lots of books with dragons in them.
The cover looked promising. But I've learned many times: never judge a book by it's cover.No, sir!
The back cover looked promising. But I've learned many times than I'd care to admit: don't buy a book JUST becasue it sounds cool.
The title sounded awsome.
But, I'm happy to report, I did find a book that was indeed promising.
DRAGONWORLD.
Amsel is a hermit that lives inside a giant tree. He loves to study nature, and makes new discoveries frequently. His house is a labyrinth of tunnels, secret doors and massive rooms, all dedicated to studying and storing and building.
One day, Amsel builds The Wing; a large glider made of wood and leather. He has a curious young student called Johan, and must be careful as to where he hides The Wing: Johan is a sneaky, curious, funny student; and is cabale, it seems, of anything. Yet, Johan is a wonderful student, always willing to help.
So it surprises Amsel even more when Johan steals The Wing.
Johan is young, foolsih. He does not know what he is getting himself into when he steals The Wing.
Climbing up to the highest point in Fandora, he grasps The Wing tightly. Then...he jumps!
A current of air lifts him upward. For a moment, he can almost see beyond the mist the hides the strange land of Simbala, on the other side of the Strait of Balmor. Simbala is a strange and magical place, no one knows much about it. It will probably remian a mystery to the people of Fandora forever.
Another current of air lifts Johan upwards...
..and right into the jaws of a dragon.
Johan's father, Jondalrun, finds Johan's body broken on the beach a few days later. Heartbroken, he rushes throughout Tamberly Town shouting, "Justice for my loss! My son has been murdered!"
Calling upon the the congintent of Concil Of Elders of Tamberly Town, they fight about the many ways eight-year-old Johan could have died. At first, Jondalrun thinks it must have been Amsel. The Concil burns his house down, and Amsel is fourced to wander.
But the Concil pounders some more...
Their final conclusion: The Simbalese.
The Simbalese are magical people who live on the Other Side of the Strait of Balmor. They have never met the Fandorians, and could care less what happens to them. They think that the only civilized race in the world is their own. They look down upon the Fandorians as barbarians and animals. Suddenly, one of their children is killed by an unknown fource. They argue who or what could have done it. Thier conclusion: The Fandorians.
Fandora+Simbala=war
War=death
Death=not good
Amsel wanders and wonders how he can stop this madness. He must convince his people that they should not fight Simbala...but the Fandorians; especially Jondalrun, cannot be stopped. They insist on WAR.
In Simbala, however, the people are more hesitant. They know they can esasly beat the Fandorains, but should they really waste thier lives on unessary war?
Read this scary, plesant, amazing, fall-down-dead-funny book to find out. I loved it; the language was so incredibly complex. The pencil illistartions by Jonh Zucker were unbeliveable! And I mean unbelievable. At first I thought a team of three or five people worked on one picutre. I would recommend this wonderful book to children 13 and up, for it contains some violence.
July 30, 2011
My mother gave this book to me one Christmas many years ago while I was still in college. I remember that she was pretty proud of herself for indulging my appetite for fantasy literature. This book, along with several others made for one of my most memorable Christmas gifts.
I read much of the book on the plane back to Salt Lake City. I hate flying and it made the journey a lot less painful. 30+ years later I still remember much of the story and can see the images that played across my imagination. I lost the book in the Great Termite Incident (storing books in an outdoor shed in Florida is never a good idea), and for one reason or another, I never got another copy even though it was one of those books that I wanted to share with my future children. I wanted them to meet the dragon the way I had. I still would like for them to meet that dragon.
It is a sweet and simple story that is easy to read. And that dragon is just one of the best creatures you will ever meet. Two countries separated by great distances only know the things they have heard about one another. Judgments are made with nearly catastrophic results. Of course the dragon is key in helping to restore peace. Eventually everyone learns their lessons and all ends well as it should in any good fairy tale.
My children are all nearly grown now--one has gone and returned from a mission and has since journeyed off to college with another. But I would still like for us to read it together when I have all four of them home in a couple of weeks. It just might feel like we're all still at home with all the time in the world to read great books together--even if it's just for a little while.
I read much of the book on the plane back to Salt Lake City. I hate flying and it made the journey a lot less painful. 30+ years later I still remember much of the story and can see the images that played across my imagination. I lost the book in the Great Termite Incident (storing books in an outdoor shed in Florida is never a good idea), and for one reason or another, I never got another copy even though it was one of those books that I wanted to share with my future children. I wanted them to meet the dragon the way I had. I still would like for them to meet that dragon.
It is a sweet and simple story that is easy to read. And that dragon is just one of the best creatures you will ever meet. Two countries separated by great distances only know the things they have heard about one another. Judgments are made with nearly catastrophic results. Of course the dragon is key in helping to restore peace. Eventually everyone learns their lessons and all ends well as it should in any good fairy tale.
My children are all nearly grown now--one has gone and returned from a mission and has since journeyed off to college with another. But I would still like for us to read it together when I have all four of them home in a couple of weeks. It just might feel like we're all still at home with all the time in the world to read great books together--even if it's just for a little while.
May 16, 2012
I finally finished Dragonworld yesterday, and I took the remainder of the day to digest it.
This was a truly well-written fantasy novel with all the right pieces to the puzzle. The heroes (there are several) were flawed and real, the villians (there were also several) were sympathetic and entirely three-dimensional. The plot was large enough to fill the space without getting out of hand or too mired in itself to enjoy.
In the end, it was a perfect self-contained epic fantasy which left the door open for sequels, but neither needs nor demands them.
I've read in various places online that Dragonworld is a children's book. I can't find any indication by the authors that that was the intention, and I don't notice it to be immature in the least. But, then again, the very best literature is often able to transcend artificial age barriers, as is evidenced by some of the most enduring, classic titles in fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and so many others.
So, in closing, I'd definitely recommend reading Dragonworld, and I'd like to know what you think about it too!
____________________________________________
Reading Progress
05/08 page 300
54.0% "The book's just getting better and better. I definitely recommend Dragonworld for any pure fantasy aficionados. I especially like the fact that magic is an exceptionally understated factor in the story. While it's obviously going to be there (it is a Fantasy novel, after all) I think some authors rely so heavily on it, magic becomes a huge, ugly crutch on which everything leans."
05/01 page 168
30.0% "It's been slow going, but only because my writing work has been very busy lately. I'm very impressed with Dragonworld: subtle yet deep world-building with familiar but not cliched characters and situations. The political intrigue is interesting without being overbearing and the building drama of two nations at war for no reason keeps the plot plunging forward at a good pace.
I'm looking forward to finishing it!"
04/21 page 1
0.0% "So, since I couldn't make it through The Company, I decided on a completely different flavor for my next book to dive into. I'll let you know how it goes!"
This was a truly well-written fantasy novel with all the right pieces to the puzzle. The heroes (there are several) were flawed and real, the villians (there were also several) were sympathetic and entirely three-dimensional. The plot was large enough to fill the space without getting out of hand or too mired in itself to enjoy.
In the end, it was a perfect self-contained epic fantasy which left the door open for sequels, but neither needs nor demands them.
I've read in various places online that Dragonworld is a children's book. I can't find any indication by the authors that that was the intention, and I don't notice it to be immature in the least. But, then again, the very best literature is often able to transcend artificial age barriers, as is evidenced by some of the most enduring, classic titles in fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and so many others.
So, in closing, I'd definitely recommend reading Dragonworld, and I'd like to know what you think about it too!
____________________________________________
Reading Progress
05/08 page 300
54.0% "The book's just getting better and better. I definitely recommend Dragonworld for any pure fantasy aficionados. I especially like the fact that magic is an exceptionally understated factor in the story. While it's obviously going to be there (it is a Fantasy novel, after all) I think some authors rely so heavily on it, magic becomes a huge, ugly crutch on which everything leans."
05/01 page 168
30.0% "It's been slow going, but only because my writing work has been very busy lately. I'm very impressed with Dragonworld: subtle yet deep world-building with familiar but not cliched characters and situations. The political intrigue is interesting without being overbearing and the building drama of two nations at war for no reason keeps the plot plunging forward at a good pace.
I'm looking forward to finishing it!"
04/21 page 1
0.0% "So, since I couldn't make it through The Company, I decided on a completely different flavor for my next book to dive into. I'll let you know how it goes!"
May 29, 2007
Despite the oddly generic title, Dragonworld is a deep, unique fantasy story of a quality to rival the modern fantasy greats.
Dragonworld revolves around a largely meaningless war between two nations, magical Simbala and rural Fandora, sparked by a tragic misunderstanding and an ancient mystery. At the heart of this lie a lonely, brave hermit with a heart of gold; a grief-wracked, furious father; and an enigmatic, misunderstood danger.
On the eve of total defeat Fandora goes to aid of Simbala, whose quixotic monarch, Hawkwind, has discovered a danger to both nations more important than any mere war. A relic from ages past saves the day as the nations unite to fight for their mutual survival against a great evil from the North.
Dragonworld was probably meant for teenagers, but its charm will satisfy any lover of magic and swordplay. Good characterization, exciting action, and a well-developed story keep things interesting. This is a very good read.
Dragonworld revolves around a largely meaningless war between two nations, magical Simbala and rural Fandora, sparked by a tragic misunderstanding and an ancient mystery. At the heart of this lie a lonely, brave hermit with a heart of gold; a grief-wracked, furious father; and an enigmatic, misunderstood danger.
On the eve of total defeat Fandora goes to aid of Simbala, whose quixotic monarch, Hawkwind, has discovered a danger to both nations more important than any mere war. A relic from ages past saves the day as the nations unite to fight for their mutual survival against a great evil from the North.
Dragonworld was probably meant for teenagers, but its charm will satisfy any lover of magic and swordplay. Good characterization, exciting action, and a well-developed story keep things interesting. This is a very good read.
June 23, 2017
Recuerdo que compré este libro, nada más salir la edición en español en 1989, en una feria del libro de mi ciudad natal, Málaga. Tenía 11 años por entonces, y fue el primer libro de fantasía que leí. Recuerdo que me encantaron las ilustraciones, y me enamoré de los dragones y de Viento de Halcón, uno de los personajes principales. El libro ha vivido conmigo en cuatro ciudades de tres países, y ahora, casi 30 años después, estoy esperando a que mi hijo sea lo suficientemente mayor para poder leérselo. Ojalá le guste tanto como a mí.
January 13, 2020
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3321564.html
I got a third of the way through this and decided I didn't care any more. It's a fantasy novel about various human kingdoms under threat from dragons and from each other, but it failed to excite me.
I got a third of the way through this and decided I didn't care any more. It's a fantasy novel about various human kingdoms under threat from dragons and from each other, but it failed to excite me.
January 25, 2015
Johan is a young boy living in one of the farming villages of Fandora. One day he steals a glider designed by his friend, the reclusive inventor Amsel. He is killed mysteriously, but his father Jondalrun believes the culprit to be Simbala, the wealthy country across the water, ruled by the controversial Hawkwind. Jondalrun leads his country to declare war upon the Simbalese. Meanwhile, Amsel has decided that he must discover the truth of what happened to Johan and journeys further than he ever dreamed in order to discover the truth.
Byron Preiss was a publisher of many varied educational and genre-related books during his career. J. Michael Reeves is a bestselling author of more books than I can think of, while Joseph Zucker is an illustrator with a back catalogue of projects that would make many other artists insanely jealous.
First things first: I love this book to pieces. I’ve owned two copies of this: a mass-market paperback I first read when I was 14; and a first edition I found in a second-hand bookstore when I was 35. It is a gorgeous object to own, both in its intrinsic value as a book and as a story that has moved me for almost thirty years.
As a story it moves slowly, almost stately: you are nearly halfway through the story before the action really kicks in. But the build-up is worth it. There are countless scenes of nations preparing for war, of events gaining momentum, of characters being shown pathways to choose. Then it just doesn’t stop until you reach the conclusion. As an epic it seems quite small compared to the multi-volume doorstops we are accustomed to today but the ‘70s were a quieter time in publishing and fantasy wasn’t quite the publishing juggernaut it would become in the next decade, so many stories were over and done with in the course of a single tome. Which, for this reader at least, can be a very good thing. Also, this book owes a considerable artistic debt to the works of J. R. R. Tolkien but it is not a slavish clone, more that you can still make out the serial numbers under the filing. If complete originality is what you desire, this might not be for you, but if you like a book that wears its heart on its sleeve, feel free to set aside a few hours or days for a top tale.
The authors use their pages wisely and give us a vivid portrait of two peace-loving countries going to war with one another. Plus it has DRAGONS! Or rather, a dragon and some lesser creatures known as coldrakes, led by the mysterious Darkling. Interestingly, despite being a story about two countries going to war, there is not a single character that you could identify as being a genuine villain: Princess Evirae could be classed as one but she is really only a schemer, plotting to keep Simbala in the hands of her Family. And she has a couple of moments where you are totally sympathetic to her and what she represents.
But I have barely mentioned the illustrations! Many times in books, I have found myself in violent disagreement with an illustration or cover picture, wondering the artist and I have read the same text, or wondering why an illustrator was chosen that seemed to completely disagree with everything the author was trying to achieve. However, Mr Zucker’s pictures are gorgeous, evoking memories of Tenniel and Sendak. They capture scenes and characters perfectly, supplementing the story in a way that is very rare in literature. My only complaint about them would be that some of them were reproduced far too faintly for the book, making them a little too hard to see. And there are others that you almost have to bend the spine of the book to see, which is an anathema for some of us!
Finally, just read it. There’s a lot to enjoy here and the absence of sequels, save for a computer game released a few years after the first publication, mean that this is a solitary gem waiting to be rediscovered.
Byron Preiss was a publisher of many varied educational and genre-related books during his career. J. Michael Reeves is a bestselling author of more books than I can think of, while Joseph Zucker is an illustrator with a back catalogue of projects that would make many other artists insanely jealous.
First things first: I love this book to pieces. I’ve owned two copies of this: a mass-market paperback I first read when I was 14; and a first edition I found in a second-hand bookstore when I was 35. It is a gorgeous object to own, both in its intrinsic value as a book and as a story that has moved me for almost thirty years.
As a story it moves slowly, almost stately: you are nearly halfway through the story before the action really kicks in. But the build-up is worth it. There are countless scenes of nations preparing for war, of events gaining momentum, of characters being shown pathways to choose. Then it just doesn’t stop until you reach the conclusion. As an epic it seems quite small compared to the multi-volume doorstops we are accustomed to today but the ‘70s were a quieter time in publishing and fantasy wasn’t quite the publishing juggernaut it would become in the next decade, so many stories were over and done with in the course of a single tome. Which, for this reader at least, can be a very good thing. Also, this book owes a considerable artistic debt to the works of J. R. R. Tolkien but it is not a slavish clone, more that you can still make out the serial numbers under the filing. If complete originality is what you desire, this might not be for you, but if you like a book that wears its heart on its sleeve, feel free to set aside a few hours or days for a top tale.
The authors use their pages wisely and give us a vivid portrait of two peace-loving countries going to war with one another. Plus it has DRAGONS! Or rather, a dragon and some lesser creatures known as coldrakes, led by the mysterious Darkling. Interestingly, despite being a story about two countries going to war, there is not a single character that you could identify as being a genuine villain: Princess Evirae could be classed as one but she is really only a schemer, plotting to keep Simbala in the hands of her Family. And she has a couple of moments where you are totally sympathetic to her and what she represents.
But I have barely mentioned the illustrations! Many times in books, I have found myself in violent disagreement with an illustration or cover picture, wondering the artist and I have read the same text, or wondering why an illustrator was chosen that seemed to completely disagree with everything the author was trying to achieve. However, Mr Zucker’s pictures are gorgeous, evoking memories of Tenniel and Sendak. They capture scenes and characters perfectly, supplementing the story in a way that is very rare in literature. My only complaint about them would be that some of them were reproduced far too faintly for the book, making them a little too hard to see. And there are others that you almost have to bend the spine of the book to see, which is an anathema for some of us!
Finally, just read it. There’s a lot to enjoy here and the absence of sequels, save for a computer game released a few years after the first publication, mean that this is a solitary gem waiting to be rediscovered.
March 18, 2019
Originally published in 1979.
Illustrations by Joseph Zucker.
Way back in 1985, I bought a paperback copy of this book at Viewpoint Books - a great store in Columbus, Indiana. I sold it to a used book store a few years later and I forgot all about it. A couple of years ago, I found a copy at a thrift store and I snatched it up, feeling like I had found a relic from my past. I remembered that I loved the beginning of the book and I loved the pictures (there are more than 80 pencil drawings throughout the book), but I couldn't remember anything else about it.
So, I finally got around to reading this book and I have determined that I did not finish the book 34 years ago. I remembered the first 30 pages or so but everything else was a surprise - and not a particularly good one (with the exception of the aforementioned drawings - they are quite excellent).
The book is set in a world with two continents separated by a narrow strait of very volatile water. The eastern continent, Simbala, is filled with people that are like Tolkien's rangers and people that are sort of like elves (but they are still people). They live in the woods and in the forests. They fly air ships, which are sort of like hot air balloons. They also dig deep mines (which is not like elves, I know, but this is barely touched on in the book). The western continent, Fandora, is full of people that are sort of like Tolkien's hobbits mixed with his dwarves. They are farmers, villagers and fishermen.
Fandora is horrified by the sudden violent death of two of its young people. It looks like both are attacked from above, so it is assumed that Simbalese air ships have crossed the strait and attacked them. The Fandoran villages unite and build a ragtag army to cross the sea.
*******Spoliers ahead**********
Meanwhile, ...
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2019...
Illustrations by Joseph Zucker.
Way back in 1985, I bought a paperback copy of this book at Viewpoint Books - a great store in Columbus, Indiana. I sold it to a used book store a few years later and I forgot all about it. A couple of years ago, I found a copy at a thrift store and I snatched it up, feeling like I had found a relic from my past. I remembered that I loved the beginning of the book and I loved the pictures (there are more than 80 pencil drawings throughout the book), but I couldn't remember anything else about it.
So, I finally got around to reading this book and I have determined that I did not finish the book 34 years ago. I remembered the first 30 pages or so but everything else was a surprise - and not a particularly good one (with the exception of the aforementioned drawings - they are quite excellent).
The book is set in a world with two continents separated by a narrow strait of very volatile water. The eastern continent, Simbala, is filled with people that are like Tolkien's rangers and people that are sort of like elves (but they are still people). They live in the woods and in the forests. They fly air ships, which are sort of like hot air balloons. They also dig deep mines (which is not like elves, I know, but this is barely touched on in the book). The western continent, Fandora, is full of people that are sort of like Tolkien's hobbits mixed with his dwarves. They are farmers, villagers and fishermen.
Fandora is horrified by the sudden violent death of two of its young people. It looks like both are attacked from above, so it is assumed that Simbalese air ships have crossed the strait and attacked them. The Fandoran villages unite and build a ragtag army to cross the sea.
*******Spoliers ahead**********
Meanwhile, ...
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2019...
July 7, 2017
What a load of crap.
I saw this in a thrift shop and thought the cover looked like a classic fantasy tale, a la Tolkien. I was intrigued so I looked for reviews, and when I saw so many positive ones with a 4 star average, I was excited to start.
How the hell did this get a 4 star average?! Why did you guys do this to me?!
I'll start with two positive points to be more, kind? gentle? optimistic?
1. There are drawings throughout this book, and they are really cool. They were drawn by Joe Zucker, the same guy that animated the Lord of the Rings cartoon movie we all have seen! Which explains why I was drawn to the cover. I went from chapter to chapter, in pain, waiting for these drawings.
2. The ambiance, the scenery, the wooded city, are pretty nice. I liked the setting. There were some interesting locations and I could visualize it.
That's literally it. The rest was crap.
The characters annoyed the crap out of me. There was literally no character that I liked. Maybe, maybe Amsel or Ceria, they were ok from time to time, but meh. The story was super weak. A war was started between two nations based on a weak reason. The characters get motivated for stupid unrealistic reasons. I don't think it's realistic in terms of the political or military aspects. Even in a fantasy, you need to have military strategies and logic. This really did feel like it was written by someone who has never written a novel before, and may not have read a lot of fantasy. Or, it was aimed at children or people who like simple concepts. This has no depth. The dialogue between characters was childish and often unnecessary. I really did struggle with this book. The language though is really what bothered me the most. This is not well written. I was constantly looking at sentences in confusion, thinking of how it could have been written differently. It bothered me inside to see stupid dialogue. I was like, "Why did he use that word?", "What??", "Sigh", "Wait, what?" That was me. All the time.
So i don't know who rated this 4 or 5 stars, but it was terrible and it took me 4 months to finish because I dreaded sitting down to read it. I couldn't read more than a couple pages at a time, unless there were drawings lol. I think he tried to be like Tolkien, but failed on all fronts. Except maybe the drawings and the scenery.
So no, do not read this. No offense Byron if you ever read these.
Oh, also wanted to add that the title is SUPER misleading. This is not about a world of dragons. If that's what you want, you will be disappointed.
I saw this in a thrift shop and thought the cover looked like a classic fantasy tale, a la Tolkien. I was intrigued so I looked for reviews, and when I saw so many positive ones with a 4 star average, I was excited to start.
How the hell did this get a 4 star average?! Why did you guys do this to me?!
I'll start with two positive points to be more, kind? gentle? optimistic?
1. There are drawings throughout this book, and they are really cool. They were drawn by Joe Zucker, the same guy that animated the Lord of the Rings cartoon movie we all have seen! Which explains why I was drawn to the cover. I went from chapter to chapter, in pain, waiting for these drawings.
2. The ambiance, the scenery, the wooded city, are pretty nice. I liked the setting. There were some interesting locations and I could visualize it.
That's literally it. The rest was crap.
The characters annoyed the crap out of me. There was literally no character that I liked. Maybe, maybe Amsel or Ceria, they were ok from time to time, but meh. The story was super weak. A war was started between two nations based on a weak reason. The characters get motivated for stupid unrealistic reasons. I don't think it's realistic in terms of the political or military aspects. Even in a fantasy, you need to have military strategies and logic. This really did feel like it was written by someone who has never written a novel before, and may not have read a lot of fantasy. Or, it was aimed at children or people who like simple concepts. This has no depth. The dialogue between characters was childish and often unnecessary. I really did struggle with this book. The language though is really what bothered me the most. This is not well written. I was constantly looking at sentences in confusion, thinking of how it could have been written differently. It bothered me inside to see stupid dialogue. I was like, "Why did he use that word?", "What??", "Sigh", "Wait, what?" That was me. All the time.
So i don't know who rated this 4 or 5 stars, but it was terrible and it took me 4 months to finish because I dreaded sitting down to read it. I couldn't read more than a couple pages at a time, unless there were drawings lol. I think he tried to be like Tolkien, but failed on all fronts. Except maybe the drawings and the scenery.
So no, do not read this. No offense Byron if you ever read these.
Oh, also wanted to add that the title is SUPER misleading. This is not about a world of dragons. If that's what you want, you will be disappointed.
September 28, 2020
I hated, *hated* this book. It finally broke my determination to finish every novel I start. It was ubiquitous in used book stores everywhere for a while, I assume due to massive overprinting in an attempt to force its way onto the bestsellers chart. Painfully derivative, shamelessly cliched, turgidly paced, filled with weak ideas showing the author to be a particularly boorish combination of unimaginative and delighted in their own cleverness. The dragons here are vegetarians, and the book *really* wants you to be impressed by this trope inversion. The title has almost completely dropped from cultural awareness, deservedly so.
December 3, 2014
I first read this novel about 15 years ago and always wondered why it was never reprinted. It is a well-told tale, enjoyable to read, and in a style reminiscent of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. The characters interact well together and there is excellent depth to them. It is not predictable nor does it fit into the tight little cliched fantasy that is so prevalent today. If you want a solid fantasy read, this is a pretty good one.
April 23, 2020
The concept is good, but the character development is poor, far too many characters that have no back story or reason to be mentioned and the rhythm leaves a lot to be desired, it isn't bad, but not good either.
December 31, 2010
stilted. full of fanatics
March 17, 2016
Only an OK fantasy story. Didn't really hold my interest. Not recommended
August 7, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book but I got a good ways into it and realized there was a surprising lack of dragons in "Dragonworld".
August 21, 2024
Hace poco que conseguí hacerme con este libro gracias a Ebay. Lo llevaba siguiendo años, se puede encontrar en alguna que otra librería especializada pero lo vi barato, puje por él y lo gané. Esta es un libro especial, hace ya muchos años empecé una colección de Folio de esta de fascículos que trataba de los mejores libros de fantasía, pues bien, este libro lo dieron en la segunda entrega de dicho coleccionable. Bueno, mejor dicho, daban la mitad del libro, sólo la primera parte. Nunca compré la segunda parte así que me quede con la primera. Fue uno de mis primeros contactos con los libros de fantasía y aunque nunca lo llegué a terminar, me daba miedo quedarme demasiado intrigado, si que me llegó a transmitir una grata sensación leer sus primeros capítulos. Cuando lo vi en Ebay los viejos recuerdos y eso que llaman nostalgia me asaltaron haciéndome imposible contener el deseo de tener y por tanto poder leer el libro completo. Casi 12 años después aquí están mis impresiones. Nos encontramos ante un libro de fantasía épica al más puro estilo Timun Más, un libro comparable a los archí conocidas aventuras de la Dragonlance pero con unos toques que la hacen única. Básicamente el argumento de la novela es que Johan, un joven de la región de Fandora muere en circunstancias extrañas, ante este suceso su padre culpa a la vecina, pero separada por mar, región de Simbala. A partir de aquí se irán sucediendo los acontecimientos, guerra, espadas, dragones, criaturas mitológicas, princesas, traiciones, amor, objetos legendarios, vamos los ingredientes básicos de una buena novela fantástica. Pero sin duda este libro puedo decir que me ha sorprendido sobremanera por diversas razones; la primera de ellas es que es un libro auto concluyente, vamos que no es una trilogía, ni pentalogía ni nada mas allá, empieza y acaba con un solo volumen, algo muy poco estilado en este genero en el que proliferan las grandes sagas de mínimo 3 libros. Otro detalle que me ha gustado mucho ha sido el estilo de escritura / narración un alarde de efectividad y claridad que no quita una pizca de calidad al relato y que nos hace sumergirnos en el mundo fantástico que nos describen los autores, si son dos habéis leído bien, Byron Preiss y Michael Reaves. A modo de conclusión tan sólo deciros que si os gustan las historias fantásticas merece mucho la pena este libro que sin duda a pasado desapercibido para el gran publico y que os esta esperando para que disfrutéis tanto como yo entre sus paginas (unas 500, cosa que también se agradece). Lo podéis comprar en edición de bolsillo a menos de 10 € y en cualquier librería por Internet lo podéis conseguir, sino siempre os queda pedírmelo a mi.
September 12, 2018
A lot of people in the reviews are saying that the title of Dragonworld is misleading. Well, it is on the immediate level - this isn't a world of dragons. But on another level, it's exactly as cheesy as the rest of the book is. True, we have humans and humans instead of humans and elves, or halflings and humans -- but the Fandorans are short farmers, and the Sim are tall, fair, slim tree-dwellers. Hmmmm. There's an "ancient" man of 70, "elderly" men in their 40s - and yet one man who, at 28, is apparently barely out of childhood. And then there's the "wrongthinker" who single-handedly invented alembics, eyeglasses, the sport of hang-gliding, and the scientific method (less cheesily, he murmurs, mutters, or whispers about 1/3 of his thoughts. I thought about turning it into a drinking game, but even limiting it to "Amsel murmured", I'd have blacked out less than a third of the way in).
The world's cool once you get into it, cheesiness aside, and the multiple plots going are all interesting once they get going. Though it's annoying how much of the war plotline depends on everyone making wild assumptions and then reacting to them in the most exaggerated way imaginable. Even the voices of reason suddenly become willfully deaf when they're confronted with someone who they'd otherwise agree with. It's maddening. But outside of the level of individual decisions, even that plot alone was enough to keep me reading.
The characters are mostly pretty two-dimensional, with the possible exceptions of Hawkwind, Ceria, and Amsel, but (wild assumptions aside) not in a bad way. They're all pretty cool; I'd enjoy a book about Tamark's adventures alone, especially. And The Wayman's - though it's weird that he's never named, to the point where we "cut" away from conversations at the point where he'd have to introduce himself by name rather than profession. He's a minor character, but a relatively important one; two incredibly minor characters who did not even need their POV scenes do get names, even though they say maybe two sentences each. It's a little odd.
All in all Dragonworld is enjoyable, but it's pretty far from the best fantasy I've ever read and I don't think I'll read it again. Lots of people in the reviews here seem to be calling it epic. Perhaps I'm working from a different definition, but I don't think that fits, really. If it wasn't for the long discussions about the Simbalese crown, I'd go with "rollicking".
The world's cool once you get into it, cheesiness aside, and the multiple plots going are all interesting once they get going. Though it's annoying how much of the war plotline depends on everyone making wild assumptions and then reacting to them in the most exaggerated way imaginable. Even the voices of reason suddenly become willfully deaf when they're confronted with someone who they'd otherwise agree with. It's maddening. But outside of the level of individual decisions, even that plot alone was enough to keep me reading.
The characters are mostly pretty two-dimensional, with the possible exceptions of Hawkwind, Ceria, and Amsel, but (wild assumptions aside) not in a bad way. They're all pretty cool; I'd enjoy a book about Tamark's adventures alone, especially. And The Wayman's - though it's weird that he's never named, to the point where we "cut" away from conversations at the point where he'd have to introduce himself by name rather than profession. He's a minor character, but a relatively important one; two incredibly minor characters who did not even need their POV scenes do get names, even though they say maybe two sentences each. It's a little odd.
All in all Dragonworld is enjoyable, but it's pretty far from the best fantasy I've ever read and I don't think I'll read it again. Lots of people in the reviews here seem to be calling it epic. Perhaps I'm working from a different definition, but I don't think that fits, really. If it wasn't for the long discussions about the Simbalese crown, I'd go with "rollicking".
November 23, 2024
I finally finished Dragonworld yesterday, and I took the remainder of the day to digest it.
This was a truly well-written fantasy novel with all the right pieces to the puzzle. The heroes (there are several) were flawed and real, the villians (there were also several) were sympathetic and entirely three-dimensional. The plot was large enough to fill the space without getting out of hand or too mired in itself to enjoy.
In the end, it was a perfect self-contained epic fantasy which left the door open for sequels, but neither needs nor demands them.
I've read in various places online that Dragonworld is a children's book. I can't find any indication by the authors that that was the intention, and I don't notice it to be immature in the least. But, then again, the very best literature is often able to transcend artificial age barriers, as is evidenced by some of the most enduring, classic titles in fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and so many others.
So, in closing, I'd definitely recommend reading Dragonworld, and I'd like to know what you think about it too!
____________________________________________
Reading Progress
05/08 page 300
54.0% "The book's just getting better and better. I definitely recommend Dragonworld for any pure fantasy aficionados. I especially like the fact that magic is an exceptionally understated factor in the story. While it's obviously going to be there (it is a Fantasy novel, after all) I think some authors rely so heavily on it, magic becomes a huge, ugly crutch on which everything leans."
05/01 page 168
30.0% "It's been slow going, but only because my writing work has been very busy lately. I'm very impressed with Dragonworld: subtle yet deep world-building with familiar but not cliched characters and situations. The political intrigue is interesting without being overbearing and the building drama of two nations at war for no reason keeps the plot plunging forward at a good pace.
I'm looking forward to finishing it!"
04/21 page 1
0.0% "So, since I couldn't make it through The Company, I decided on a completely different flavor for my next book to dive into. I'll let you know how it goes!"
This was a truly well-written fantasy novel with all the right pieces to the puzzle. The heroes (there are several) were flawed and real, the villians (there were also several) were sympathetic and entirely three-dimensional. The plot was large enough to fill the space without getting out of hand or too mired in itself to enjoy.
In the end, it was a perfect self-contained epic fantasy which left the door open for sequels, but neither needs nor demands them.
I've read in various places online that Dragonworld is a children's book. I can't find any indication by the authors that that was the intention, and I don't notice it to be immature in the least. But, then again, the very best literature is often able to transcend artificial age barriers, as is evidenced by some of the most enduring, classic titles in fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and so many others.
So, in closing, I'd definitely recommend reading Dragonworld, and I'd like to know what you think about it too!
____________________________________________
Reading Progress
05/08 page 300
54.0% "The book's just getting better and better. I definitely recommend Dragonworld for any pure fantasy aficionados. I especially like the fact that magic is an exceptionally understated factor in the story. While it's obviously going to be there (it is a Fantasy novel, after all) I think some authors rely so heavily on it, magic becomes a huge, ugly crutch on which everything leans."
05/01 page 168
30.0% "It's been slow going, but only because my writing work has been very busy lately. I'm very impressed with Dragonworld: subtle yet deep world-building with familiar but not cliched characters and situations. The political intrigue is interesting without being overbearing and the building drama of two nations at war for no reason keeps the plot plunging forward at a good pace.
I'm looking forward to finishing it!"
04/21 page 1
0.0% "So, since I couldn't make it through The Company, I decided on a completely different flavor for my next book to dive into. I'll let you know how it goes!"
December 6, 2020
It was almost 40 years ago that I first read Dragonworld. I remember the day I bought it in Walden Books, drawn by the lovely pencil illustrations to be found throughout. Back then I found it enchanting, marvelous, even inspiring. There was a hermit who lived in a tree, a land of peaceful farmers, and their neighbors who lived in mighty trees across a strait to the east. Add in complex(-ish) politics, prose that captured characters' fear of the unknown, the minds and movements of fantastic beasts, the beauty and artistry of the eastern land of Simbala and much more and you have one of the favorite books of my youth.
And so when I found a fresh copy to replace that long-lost one from the early 80s I was hesitant. "You can never go home again" and all that. But I paged through the book and those illustrations were still almost as captivating as they'd been back then, and the details of the story were lost to me so I thought I'd give it another shot. How does almost 50-year-old me like this book? Pretty well. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a complex read. The vocabulary is appropriate for a young adult book. The bad guys scheme while the good guys try to act honorably. The story is neither complex nor deep. But here and there some nuance appears. There are reasonable motives for most of what people do, good and bad. There are fleshed-out, convincing characters that we come to care about (though in truth this isn't the book's strength). The prose I remember isn't quite as special as it seemed back then, but this is still a well (albeit simply) written book. All and all, I liked it quite a lot, quite a bit more than I'd expected to.
This is a standalone novel in a unique world. I'd consider it a pretty good gateway to introduce young people to the fantasy genre, and equally a good escape for adults looking for something light and fun.
Highly recommended for young dreamers looking for dragons to soar in their imaginations, and also for dreamers who are young at heart.
And so when I found a fresh copy to replace that long-lost one from the early 80s I was hesitant. "You can never go home again" and all that. But I paged through the book and those illustrations were still almost as captivating as they'd been back then, and the details of the story were lost to me so I thought I'd give it another shot. How does almost 50-year-old me like this book? Pretty well. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a complex read. The vocabulary is appropriate for a young adult book. The bad guys scheme while the good guys try to act honorably. The story is neither complex nor deep. But here and there some nuance appears. There are reasonable motives for most of what people do, good and bad. There are fleshed-out, convincing characters that we come to care about (though in truth this isn't the book's strength). The prose I remember isn't quite as special as it seemed back then, but this is still a well (albeit simply) written book. All and all, I liked it quite a lot, quite a bit more than I'd expected to.
This is a standalone novel in a unique world. I'd consider it a pretty good gateway to introduce young people to the fantasy genre, and equally a good escape for adults looking for something light and fun.
Highly recommended for young dreamers looking for dragons to soar in their imaginations, and also for dreamers who are young at heart.
February 19, 2018
This was an old favorite from my childhood. I found it in great shape at a used bookstore and snatched it up. Keen to read it for both nostalgia and research (I am writing a fantasy series), I plunged right in.
"Dragonworld" is an epic fantasy that tells the story of a war between the agrarian nation of Fandora and the advanced society of Simbala. When two Fandoran children are mysteriously killed, the Simbalans are blamed and the confederacy of farmers is quick to take up arms. Though Simbala can easily defend itself, political intrigues and the return of legendary creatures threatens to tear down the majestic nation from within. Caught in the middle of it all is the inventor, Amsel who seeks to stop the war and find justice for the murdered boy, Johan.
"Dragonwold" is a single, 500+ page novel whose story would have been better served by a 900+ page trilogy. The setting is rich and nuanced but the details are frequently rushed. There are numerous interesting ideas that never feel fully explored. Simbalese society is especially fascinating with its geographic ethnic groups and trade guilds, but the rich culture doesn't receive the attention it's due; it feels like much potential was cut for page count. The pacing is inconsistent, either speeding ahead excitedly or plodding along toward obvious outcomes. This is perhaps due to the fact that there are two authors, Brian Preiss and Michael Reaves. They are both accomplished but the narrative never fully gels between them. The pencil illustrations by Joseph Zucker are beautiful and add fantastical detail where the text falls short.
Overall, not a bad book, but not great either.
"Dragonworld" is an epic fantasy that tells the story of a war between the agrarian nation of Fandora and the advanced society of Simbala. When two Fandoran children are mysteriously killed, the Simbalans are blamed and the confederacy of farmers is quick to take up arms. Though Simbala can easily defend itself, political intrigues and the return of legendary creatures threatens to tear down the majestic nation from within. Caught in the middle of it all is the inventor, Amsel who seeks to stop the war and find justice for the murdered boy, Johan.
"Dragonwold" is a single, 500+ page novel whose story would have been better served by a 900+ page trilogy. The setting is rich and nuanced but the details are frequently rushed. There are numerous interesting ideas that never feel fully explored. Simbalese society is especially fascinating with its geographic ethnic groups and trade guilds, but the rich culture doesn't receive the attention it's due; it feels like much potential was cut for page count. The pacing is inconsistent, either speeding ahead excitedly or plodding along toward obvious outcomes. This is perhaps due to the fact that there are two authors, Brian Preiss and Michael Reaves. They are both accomplished but the narrative never fully gels between them. The pencil illustrations by Joseph Zucker are beautiful and add fantastical detail where the text falls short.
Overall, not a bad book, but not great either.
May 22, 2017
I picked up this book many, many years ago from a church's White Elephant sale (back when I was a kid), and was quite happy with it, but then again I tore through any book that involved dragons back then :) Recently I had the desire to go back and reread it.
It holds up moderately well, but coming back to it older and more well-read, I can see its flaws more clearly--particularly, it suffers from a great deal of head-hopping, shifting points of view sometimes two or three times on a single page. The authors are at least good about letting you know whose head you are in, but still, I found it stylistically distracting. That, and the illustrations are skilled but the heavy shading didn't translate so well to this kind of printed medium, and their placement was often jarring.
The story was very much in the Tolkien flavor, obviously coming out of that vein but without being a true copycat. The main character, it's true, is an eccentric member of a race of hobbit-sized folks, but the similarity pretty much ends there. The world and the plot are very much their own. The multiple plots, in fact, are juggled rather masterfully, so kudos there (and yes, there are a LOT of plots in this book). The characters are fairly believable, but every so often there's a moment of silly implausibility thrown in there, it seemed, because the authors thought it would be cool.
It wasn't an incredible read. Still, it was enjoyable, and I did not feel my time with it was poorly spent.
It holds up moderately well, but coming back to it older and more well-read, I can see its flaws more clearly--particularly, it suffers from a great deal of head-hopping, shifting points of view sometimes two or three times on a single page. The authors are at least good about letting you know whose head you are in, but still, I found it stylistically distracting. That, and the illustrations are skilled but the heavy shading didn't translate so well to this kind of printed medium, and their placement was often jarring.
The story was very much in the Tolkien flavor, obviously coming out of that vein but without being a true copycat. The main character, it's true, is an eccentric member of a race of hobbit-sized folks, but the similarity pretty much ends there. The world and the plot are very much their own. The multiple plots, in fact, are juggled rather masterfully, so kudos there (and yes, there are a LOT of plots in this book). The characters are fairly believable, but every so often there's a moment of silly implausibility thrown in there, it seemed, because the authors thought it would be cool.
It wasn't an incredible read. Still, it was enjoyable, and I did not feel my time with it was poorly spent.
December 5, 2025
Where do I even start with this book? Technically this was released as a childrens book at the time. These days it'd probably be considered "young adult" but the style and tone is so confused it's hard to say. The book opens with an 8 year old dying so it's not a kids book. There are multiple deaths, a huge cast of characters and locations and some rather obscure vocabulary at times. The writing style however is entirely expository. There is no character development and in fact there's not even a main character. We're told all motivations and plot points directly and information is repeated constantly. Characters make frustrating leaps of logic and change opinions just so the plot can advance. The story jumps between characters and locations at random as the plot demands leaving no time for narrative flow. New characters and plot threads are introduced throughout the book up to the last few pages. There's little sense of the passage of time and the entire book seems to take place over the course of a few weeks.
I'm flabbergasted that there are ostensibly two authors of this book, one of whom was supposedly a writing teacher. The only way this book saw the light of day without major editing was because one of them owned the publishing company. The one bright spot out of the whole thing was the illustrations. As far as late 70s fantasy art goes this book was top knotch. Otherwise I can see why it has fallen into the dustheap of history.
I'm flabbergasted that there are ostensibly two authors of this book, one of whom was supposedly a writing teacher. The only way this book saw the light of day without major editing was because one of them owned the publishing company. The one bright spot out of the whole thing was the illustrations. As far as late 70s fantasy art goes this book was top knotch. Otherwise I can see why it has fallen into the dustheap of history.
April 23, 2018
I have never seen a novel with illustrations before and I will admit that it caused me to have a closer look when I picked it off the shelf at Half Price. There was something a little familiar about those illustrations, simple but well filled ink drawings. The illustrator created some of the animated film version of the "Lord of the Rings" from the late seventies. Those eighty pages of lovingly detailed drawings indicated to me that I had a must-read. It didn't disappoint either. I'm wary of and have no patience for stories that are crude and morally bankrupt in their telling. There was no worry of this in any of the hours spent amongst it's pages. This fantasy novel brings noble resolution to it's adventures, tension, misunderstanding, conflict and plot twists. Wind ships, dragons, little people, tree cities, a king of humble origin and his faithful hawk among many other interesting places and characters fill a good read.
June 23, 2017
I bought this book (the Spanish edition) in 1989, at the annual book festival in my hometown in Spain. I was only 11 and it was the first fantasy book I read. I immediately fell in love with the beautiful illustrations, the dragons and one of the main characters. It changed my life forever. After I read this book, I started reading fantasy and nowadays I still enjoy the genre.
My book has traveled and lived with me in four cities in three countries, and today it's still on my bookshelf. I can't wait until I can read it to my son. I really hope he loves it as much as I did almost 30 years ago.
My book has traveled and lived with me in four cities in three countries, and today it's still on my bookshelf. I can't wait until I can read it to my son. I really hope he loves it as much as I did almost 30 years ago.
December 27, 2023
*
When a mischievous young boy can't resist taking a joyride on the resident inventor's glider or Wing, he meets with a sad fate. Jondalrun, the boy's father, in his grief becomes convinced the land of wizards across the water is to blame and will incite his countrymen to war, while the inventor Amsel leaves to find out what really happened.
The book has a potentially charming world, and some nice illustrations. Unfortunately, this book was tedious and boring, and much too long. I would have put it down if it hadn't been recommended to me.
Personal history: Given an extra copy.
When a mischievous young boy can't resist taking a joyride on the resident inventor's glider or Wing, he meets with a sad fate. Jondalrun, the boy's father, in his grief becomes convinced the land of wizards across the water is to blame and will incite his countrymen to war, while the inventor Amsel leaves to find out what really happened.
The book has a potentially charming world, and some nice illustrations. Unfortunately, this book was tedious and boring, and much too long. I would have put it down if it hadn't been recommended to me.
Personal history: Given an extra copy.
May 1, 2018
This another re-read of an old book to see if it needs to remain on my bookshelf. It was fun ,but no. The illustrations are lovely and add a nice touch. The characters are a bit too stereotypical which keeps it from being a truly great epic fantasy. It's nice that the dragons are the good guys for a change. I did like the two cultures and their clash, although everyone did seem way to eager to jump to conclusions. I felt the first half of the book was better than the last.
May 11, 2025
A great classic fantasy with absolutely gorgeous illustrations that explores the tragedy of assumptions, impulsivity, isolationism, xenophobia, and war. A bit of a drag emotionally, especially with the frustrating (as in frustratingly realistic) decisions being made left, right, and center, but beautifully constructed worldbuilding and I absolutely love the classic fantasy feel and, of course, the dragons. I think my favorite part will always be the illustrations though.
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October 23, 2025Somewhere beyond the northern mists lies a land where dreams live and dragons are real. This is the tale of the twilight of the dragons, of two nations plunged into war by a tragic misunderstanding, of a shy dreamer's incredible voyage of peace to a long-forgotten land where nightmares are born. A magnificient creation, a sweeping epic of high fantasy set in a richly imagined world, vividly brought to life with over eighty pages of stunning illustrations by Joseph Zucker.
July 22, 2019
This book seemed more promising than it actually was. Most of it was squabbling of the locals between two countries, while the rest of it was what I'd hoped would turn out to be an interesting mystery. It wasn't.
The only prominent female characters was wrought with negative stereotypes, and from what I saw there were no POC.
The only prominent female characters was wrought with negative stereotypes, and from what I saw there were no POC.
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