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Here Be Dragons: Tales of Dragoncon
Attending Dragoncon, perhaps the greatest fan celebration in the world, has inspired much. Among them are parties, marriages, divorces, romances, music, art, new game companies, and now stories by some of Science Fiction's top authors, including Mike Resnick, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Janny Wurts, Robert Asprin, Selina Rosen, and many more! If you have ever attended a science fiction, comic, or media convention you will find yourself at home in these pages. If you haven't, here's a great way to discover what you've been missing.
272 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2008
4 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Bill Fawcett
121 books42 followersBill Fawcett has been a professor, teacher, corporate executive, and college dean. His entire life has been spent in the creative fields and managing other creative individuals. He is one of the founders of Mayfair Games, a board and role-play gaming company. As an author, Fawcett has written or coauthored over a dozen books and dozens of articles and short stories. As a book packager, a person who prepares series of books from concept to production for major publishers, his company, Bill Fawcett & Associates, has packaged more than 250 titles for virtually every major publisher. He founded, and later sold, what is now the largest hobby shop in Northern Illinois.
Fawcett’s first commercial writing appeared as articles in the Dragon magazine and include some of the earliest appearances of classes and monster types for Dungeons & Dragons. With Mayfair Games he created, wrote, and edited many of the Role Aides role-playing game modules and supplements released in the 1970s and 1980s. During this period, he also designed almost a dozen board games, including several Charles Roberts Award (gaming's Emmy) winners, such as Empire Builder and Sanctuary.
Fawcett’s first commercial writing appeared as articles in the Dragon magazine and include some of the earliest appearances of classes and monster types for Dungeons & Dragons. With Mayfair Games he created, wrote, and edited many of the Role Aides role-playing game modules and supplements released in the 1970s and 1980s. During this period, he also designed almost a dozen board games, including several Charles Roberts Award (gaming's Emmy) winners, such as Empire Builder and Sanctuary.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 14, 2008
As with all collections, it's uneven. Some stories I really enjoyed, others...not so much. Still, it's a fun read, especially if you have attended Dragon*Con.
March 2, 2009
This is a collection of short stores all set in Atlanta's famed Dragon*Con by writers who have been PART of Dragon*Con. Having been to D*C a few times, I enjoyed that part of the concept, but the stories varied from the incredibly wonderful to the "done because they were asked while at D*C and were unable to say no gracefully" type. I honestly felt that Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's story was just a slice from the start of a book that really could use expanding as it WAS good if you read it from that perspective. The last story was, however, a great way to tie the book up.
September 19, 2012
An absolute "must read" for anybody who has ever been to the most fabulous fan-driven convention in the Universe!
February 2, 2017
I went into this book thinking it was nonfiction, so that's my bad. Didn't do enough research when I asked my folks to buy it for me, probably for the holidays some years ago. Now I'm trying to get through my unread books on my physical shelves.
This anthology is a collection of short stories from DragonCon regulars. Most, of course, contain speculative elements. I didn't really find most of them to be that well done. Prose style was usually banal. Characters were often shallow stereotypes (sheesh, if there's one place where a DragonCon attendee shouldn't be judged like that) and it included several grammatical mistakes. And I'm usually not that good at recognizing said mistakes unless I make an active effort.
Here are some stories that stuck out to me: "Con Job" by Robert Aspin; involves a group of burglars trying for a caper, but the Con is too vast and sprawling for them to get a foothold. Our first sexist depictions of female cosplayers though.
"The Fan and the Fury" by Michelle Poche--probably my favorite, about a Fury who comes to the Con to enact Hades's vengeance, but gets on the wrong side of the god when she questions his instructions.
"Lost in the Crowd" by Selina Rosen--I found elements of the ending way too melodramatic, and again, there's some shallow depiction of DragonCon attendees. But I like focusing on friendships that exist online and in cons, and also questioning the cult of actor celebrity. It's something I started realizing at DragonCon--we get so attached to the people who play the characters, often without recognizing that the writers and artists behind the scenes who create this stuff in the first place.
"Pat the Magic Dragon" by Jody Lynne Nye--definitely the best worldbuilding, as she constructs a story about DragonCon being started by actual dragons, the human magicians who protect them and the fire ants who want to eat them. Also very long. Lots of references I'm not insider enough to appreciate fully, though of course I get Anne McCafrey's presence. :p
In general, I appreciate that the stories touched upon a variety of people who visit the con--from video game champs to writers, artists, dealers, budding movie makers and general fans. I'm not sure if I would have appreciated nonfiction more or not, but I'm definitely nostalgic for my own D*C experiences now. Alas.
This anthology is a collection of short stories from DragonCon regulars. Most, of course, contain speculative elements. I didn't really find most of them to be that well done. Prose style was usually banal. Characters were often shallow stereotypes (sheesh, if there's one place where a DragonCon attendee shouldn't be judged like that) and it included several grammatical mistakes. And I'm usually not that good at recognizing said mistakes unless I make an active effort.
Here are some stories that stuck out to me: "Con Job" by Robert Aspin; involves a group of burglars trying for a caper, but the Con is too vast and sprawling for them to get a foothold. Our first sexist depictions of female cosplayers though.
"The Fan and the Fury" by Michelle Poche--probably my favorite, about a Fury who comes to the Con to enact Hades's vengeance, but gets on the wrong side of the god when she questions his instructions.
"Lost in the Crowd" by Selina Rosen--I found elements of the ending way too melodramatic, and again, there's some shallow depiction of DragonCon attendees. But I like focusing on friendships that exist online and in cons, and also questioning the cult of actor celebrity. It's something I started realizing at DragonCon--we get so attached to the people who play the characters, often without recognizing that the writers and artists behind the scenes who create this stuff in the first place.
"Pat the Magic Dragon" by Jody Lynne Nye--definitely the best worldbuilding, as she constructs a story about DragonCon being started by actual dragons, the human magicians who protect them and the fire ants who want to eat them. Also very long. Lots of references I'm not insider enough to appreciate fully, though of course I get Anne McCafrey's presence. :p
In general, I appreciate that the stories touched upon a variety of people who visit the con--from video game champs to writers, artists, dealers, budding movie makers and general fans. I'm not sure if I would have appreciated nonfiction more or not, but I'm definitely nostalgic for my own D*C experiences now. Alas.
January 3, 2021
Cleaver collection of short stories which are mostly sci-fi set in the location of Dragon Con. I thought this was a collection of true stories, but no. Not disappointed, just wanted something different.
February 23, 2016
Most anthologies I've read are a series of hits and misses. You read one story and think Wow, that was really great; I very much enjoyed that one', then you turn the page to the next tale which leaves you thinking That was incredibly disappointing, not like the last one', and you hope the next one is better. Usually it balances out to about half and half, where half the stories are really good and make me glad I got the book, while the other half are really bad and make me feel like I was cheated out of half my money.
I've never read an anthology as overburdened with bad stories as Here Be Dragons'. The majority of these short stories are terrible. They start from just plain boring and dull, and go all the way to downright insulting to the fans of DragonCon. The best of the worst get by on just being confusing and littered with unlikeable characters while the bottom of the pile feels the need to comment of the weight and unattractive looks of a con-attendee stereotype. Why would any of these writers think it okay for several of their stories to talk about DragonCon badge-holders being fat and ugly? And it's not just one tale that does that; several of the authors wrote that in there!
The only one that's actually interesting is the last story, Pat the Magic Dragon' by Jody Lynn Nye. Well written, interesting characters, wonderful set up, engaging story; I loved it enough that I wish a whole novel had been devoted to it, not just a short story. The one star I'm giving this book belongs completely and totally to this story. None of these other stories are worthy to touch that star!
For the last story alone, I want to recommend the book because the tale was that good. But it is the only good thing this anthology brought about because the others are downright insulting. This 259 page book of short stories took me weeks to get through because I had to throw the book away in disgust after each story I read. I've never had such trouble with an anthology before but, when all but one of the DragonCon tales is awful, it makes this one a real chore to get through.
I've never read an anthology as overburdened with bad stories as Here Be Dragons'. The majority of these short stories are terrible. They start from just plain boring and dull, and go all the way to downright insulting to the fans of DragonCon. The best of the worst get by on just being confusing and littered with unlikeable characters while the bottom of the pile feels the need to comment of the weight and unattractive looks of a con-attendee stereotype. Why would any of these writers think it okay for several of their stories to talk about DragonCon badge-holders being fat and ugly? And it's not just one tale that does that; several of the authors wrote that in there!
The only one that's actually interesting is the last story, Pat the Magic Dragon' by Jody Lynn Nye. Well written, interesting characters, wonderful set up, engaging story; I loved it enough that I wish a whole novel had been devoted to it, not just a short story. The one star I'm giving this book belongs completely and totally to this story. None of these other stories are worthy to touch that star!
For the last story alone, I want to recommend the book because the tale was that good. But it is the only good thing this anthology brought about because the others are downright insulting. This 259 page book of short stories took me weeks to get through because I had to throw the book away in disgust after each story I read. I've never had such trouble with an anthology before but, when all but one of the DragonCon tales is awful, it makes this one a real chore to get through.
March 19, 2012
This is an anthology of stories written by authors attending the DragonCon for the year, and the stories have to have DragonCon in it in some shape or form.
This was a very fun and entertaining read. If you've never been to DragonCon or a SF/F convention then you won't understand a lot of the references, you won't understand the atmosphere or what is going on in some of the stories, and you def won't get the Todd McCaffrey story if you don't read or watch anything SF/F.
It brought me right back to that magical first weekend in September, all the people (wierd, semi-wierd and normal), the fun, the banter, the games, and the acceptance. It's not poetry here, it is basically well established authors writing what reads like fanfic, but there is a lot of love and happiness in here.
I esp. loved that with the variety of authors came a variety of genres: fantasy, scifi, mythic, paranormal, horror and romance. I can't wait for this year and a new copy!
This was a very fun and entertaining read. If you've never been to DragonCon or a SF/F convention then you won't understand a lot of the references, you won't understand the atmosphere or what is going on in some of the stories, and you def won't get the Todd McCaffrey story if you don't read or watch anything SF/F.
It brought me right back to that magical first weekend in September, all the people (wierd, semi-wierd and normal), the fun, the banter, the games, and the acceptance. It's not poetry here, it is basically well established authors writing what reads like fanfic, but there is a lot of love and happiness in here.
I esp. loved that with the variety of authors came a variety of genres: fantasy, scifi, mythic, paranormal, horror and romance. I can't wait for this year and a new copy!
March 11, 2016
This is an anthology of stories written by authors attending the DragonCon for the year, and the stories have to have DragonCon in it in some shape or form.
This was a very fun and entertaining read. If you've never been to DragonCon or a SF/F convention then you won't understand a lot of the references, you won't understand the atmosphere or what is going on in some of the stories, and you def won't get the Todd McCaffrey story if you don't read or watch anything SF/F.
It brought me right back to that magical first weekend in September, all the people (wierd, semi-wierd and normal), the fun, the banter, the games, and the acceptance. It's not poetry here, it is basically well established authors writing what reads like fanfic, but there is a lot of love and happiness in here.
I esp. loved that with the variety of authors came a variety of genres: fantasy, scifi, mythic, paranormal, horror and romance. I can't wait for this year and a new copy!
This was a very fun and entertaining read. If you've never been to DragonCon or a SF/F convention then you won't understand a lot of the references, you won't understand the atmosphere or what is going on in some of the stories, and you def won't get the Todd McCaffrey story if you don't read or watch anything SF/F.
It brought me right back to that magical first weekend in September, all the people (wierd, semi-wierd and normal), the fun, the banter, the games, and the acceptance. It's not poetry here, it is basically well established authors writing what reads like fanfic, but there is a lot of love and happiness in here.
I esp. loved that with the variety of authors came a variety of genres: fantasy, scifi, mythic, paranormal, horror and romance. I can't wait for this year and a new copy!
April 1, 2013
Hit and miss. At times, it almost felt like an advert for the art show... But certainly a nice diversion to tide me over until next DragonCon.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews